buzzfeed--2020-07-03--The Trump Administration Is Set To Resume Executions In Two Weeks. There’s A Last-Ditch Effort To St

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is set to execute Daniel Lewis Lee on July 13 by lethal injection .
If it happens , it ’ ll be the first time in nearly two decades that the federal government has carried out an execution .
Death row inmates and death penalty opponents have less than two weeks to convince a judge to intervene before Lee ’ s execution , the first of four that the Trump administration has scheduled for men convicted of murdering children .
On Thursday , the American Civil Liberties Union filed a new lawsuit raising a novel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the executions should be delayed because the coronavirus pandemic puts everyone involved in the lethal injection process at risk of exposure .
Rev .
Seigen Hartkemeyer , a Zen Buddhist priest who has served as a spiritual adviser to Wesley Purkey , a death row inmate scheduled for execution on July 15 , wrote in a blog post published by the ACLU on Thursday that he has a religious duty to be with Purkey .
But Hartkemeyer said that because he has a history of lung illness and is 68 years old , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an impossible decision.
” “ The federal government ’ s decision to proceed with Wes ’ s execution burdens my religious freedom by forcing me to choose between performing my religious duties as a priest , and protecting my own life , ” Hartkemeyer wrote .
“ Although Trump officials have repeatedly claimed the mantle of guardians of religious liberty , too often their commitment wavers when it is inconvenient for their political agenda .
This appears to be one of those times.
” Late Thursday , a federal appeals court stepped in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a decision in a separate challenge that Purkey raised about his criminal conviction .
The US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled against Purkey , finding that he was n't entitled to raise issues now related to whether his trial counsel was ineffective .
But the court agreed to stay Purkey 's execution until he 'd had a chance to exhaust all of his legal options — he could petition the full 7th Circuit to rehear the case for instance , or ask the US Supreme Court to take the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , the new ACLU case would come back into play .
The ACLU lawsuit isn ’ t the only pending legal action challenging the Trump administration ’ s plan .
Purkey and other death row inmates have been fighting in court since the Justice Department announced last July that Attorney General Bill Barr had ordered the Bureau of Prisons to resume lethal injections for the first time since 2003 .
The inmates are still waiting to see if a judge will step in before Lee ’ s scheduled execution on July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other two inmates whose executions are scheduled for July and August were all convicted of murder , among other serious crimes .
The Justice Department has made clear that it chose these first four inmates to execute based on the fact that their cases involved the murder of children .
“ The American people , acting through Congress and Presidents of both political parties , have long instructed that defendants convicted of the most heinous crimes should be subject to a sentence of death , ” Barr said in a statement released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four murderers whose executions are scheduled today have received full and fair proceedings under our Constitution and laws .
We owe it to the victims of these horrific crimes , and to the families left behind , to carry forward the sentence imposed by our justice system.
” Lee was found guilty in the murder of a family of three , including an 8-year-old girl .
His legal team released a video of the girl ’ s grandmother , Earlene Peterson , explaining that she was opposed to Lee being executed instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what Lee ’ s codefendant received after he was found guilty .
“ Yes , I believe you have to pay for what you do , but that don ’ t mean death , ” Peterson says in the video .
Lee and the other death row inmates who went to court won an injunction in the fall from a federal judge in Washington , DC , putting a pause on their executions .
But the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit reversed that decision in April , giving the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new schedule .
The inmates asked the US Supreme Court to order a delay and review the DC Circuit ’ s decision , but on June 29 a majority of the justices rejected that request ; Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor would have delayed the executions and taken up the case , according to the order released by the court .
The Supreme Court ’ s refusal to get involved didn ’ t end the inmates ’ legal fight , however .
In mid-June , the inmates filed a new motion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressing different legal arguments than they did the first round .
US District Judge Tanya Chutkan set a fast briefing schedule , ordering the government to respond within a week .
She has yet to rule .
The first injunction was about whether the single-drug injection protocol adopted by the Trump administration violated the Federal Death Penalty Act because it didn ’ t match execution protocols adopted by states where the federal death row inmates were set to be executed .
Chutkan ruled that the inmates were likely to win on this argument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2–1 decision in April .
Trump ’ s two appointees to the DC Circuit , judges Greg Katsas and Neomi Rao , sided with the administration in that decision .
The Trump administration has made clear that it views the confirmation of conservative federal judges , especially in the appeals courts , as a central part of its policy strategy , politicizing these nominations despite protests from judges , and Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. , that they are nonpolitical actors .
The DC Circuit ruling noted that the inmates still had other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s what the inmates are pressing now before Chutkan .
They ’ re arguing that the administration ’ s lethal injection plan violates other federal laws , such as the Administrative Procedure Act ; the inmates contend the administration failed to consider various risks associated with its lethal injection drug of choice , sodium pentobarbital , and that it represents the type of “ cruel and unusual punishment ” prohibited by the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution .
Purkey , who was convicted in 2003 of raping and killing a 16-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeking to block his July 15 execution .
His lawyers filed a request for an injunction in late June arguing that he has schizophrenia , dementia , and other mental illnesses that make him incompetent to be executed under the Eighth Amendment .
That case is also assigned to Chutkan , and she set a similarly fast schedule for briefing .
“ Wes Purkey is a severely brain-damaged and mentally ill man who suffers from Alzheimer ’ s disease , ” Rebecca Woodman , one of Purkey ’ s attorneys , said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accepted responsibility for the crime that put him on death row , but as his dementia has progressed , he no longer has a rational understanding of why the government plans to execute him .
He believes his execution is part of a large-scale conspiracy against him by the federal government in retaliation for his frequent challenges to prison conditions , and he believes his own lawyers are working against him within this conspiracy . ''
Purkey , Lee , and the two other inmates set for execution — Keith Nelson and Dustin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Terre Haute high-security federal prison facility in Indiana .
In the lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court in Indiana by Hartkemeyer , the Buddhist priest , the ACLU lawyers noted that the Terre Haute facility had documented cases of COVID-19 ; state and federal jails and prisons across the US have been hot spots for coronavirus cases .
“ The Federal Government ’ s extensive and large-scale plans for the executions amplify the risk posed by the executions .
Each execution will require the travel , movement , and congregation of hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims and the death row prisoners , scores of correctional officers , members of local and national media , as well as large numbers of witnesses and legal counsel from around the country , ” the complaint states .
According to the lawsuit , there has been only one execution nationwide since March , carried out by state officials in Missouri .
According to the Death Penalty Information Center , 25 states still permit the death penalty .
Among those states , nine haven ’ t carried out an execution in the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t executed someone in the past five years , per the center ’ s data .
Federal executions have been even rarer .
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons , three federal executions took place in the early 2000s , with the last one taking place in 2003 .
There were a total of 37 federal executions between 1927 and 2003 , with none occurring in the 1970s , 1980s , or 1990s .
Since 2003 , the federal government ’ s authority to execute inmates has been tied up in court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ execution dates on the calendar filed a lawsuit to stop any future lethal injections in 2005 , and a judge delayed those executions while the case was being litigated .
As the George W. Bush administration and , later , the Obama administration set additional execution dates , those inmates joined the case and their executions were also put on hold .
The litigation had been inactive since 2011 , when the Obama administration began exploring changes to the lethal injection protocol , which in practice put the entire system on hold .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department announced last summer that it had adopted the new protocol and initially set five execution dates .
The fifth inmate who originally had an execution date , Lezmond Mitchell , is involved in the lethal injection protocol case , but he also has a separate legal challenge to his conviction pending before the 9th Circuit .
A three-judge panel in April rejected Mitchell ’ s argument that he should be allowed to interview jurors to probe whether there was racial bias ; Mitchell is Native American .
He filed a request for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on June 15 .
In ruling against Mitchell , two of the judges wrote separately to express concerns they had that the Justice Department chose to pursue the death penalty against Mitchell when the Navajo Nation , as well as the victims ’ family , opposed capital punishment .
Mitchell was found guilty in the murder of a 63-year-old woman and her 9-year-old granddaughter ; the crime took place on a Navajo reservation .
“ The imposition of the death penalty in this case is a betrayal of a promise made to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep disrespect for tribal sovereignty , ” Judge Morgan Christen wrote .
“ People can disagree about whether the death penalty should ever be imposed , but our history shows that the United States gave tribes the option to decide for themselves .
”


buzzfeed--2020-07-03--15 Hookup Stories From People Who've Had Sex With A Micropenis

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to open up about their sexual experiences with someone who has a micropenis .
Here are the results .
In case you 're wondering , the average erect penis is 5 inches long , while a micropenis is at least 2.5 standard deviations smaller ( so , smaller than 7 centimeters or 2.75 inches ) .
Also , about .6 % of the male population has a micropenis .
Before we dive into the stories , we spoke to Dr. Kate Balestrieri , a licensed psychologist and certified sex addiction therapist , to get a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact sex .
Here 's what she said : “ Whether someone has a large penis or a micropenis , the quality of their sexual experience with a partner depends largely on their non-penetrative behaviors .
There are strap-ons and penis extenders that can offer a different tactile experience for penetration , if desired , but nothing can take the place of confidence , erotic kissing , amazing foreplay , and hot sexual energy .
Focus on cultivating an experience that goes beyond penetration , cherish each other , and let sex become @ @ @ @ @ @

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to open up about their sexual experiences with someone who has a micropenis. Here are the results.
In case you're wondering, the average erect penis is 5 inches long, while a micropenis is at least 2.5 standard deviations smaller (so, smaller than 7 centimeters or 2.75 inches). Also, about .6% of the male population has a micropenis.
Before we dive into the stories, we spoke to Dr. Kate Balestrieri, a licensed psychologist and certified sex addiction therapist, to get a better understanding of how a micropenis might impact sex. Here's what she said: “Whether someone has a large penis or a micropenis, the quality of their sexual experience with a partner depends largely on their non-penetrative behaviors. There are strap-ons and penis extenders that can offer a different tactile experience for penetration, if desired, but nothing can take the place of confidence, erotic kissing, amazing foreplay, and hot sexual energy. Focus on cultivating an experience that goes beyond penetration, cherish each other, and let sex become a whole body experience.”


buzzfeed--2020-07-04--Parents Are Telling Their Kids To Repeat After Them But Then Cussing, And The Kids' Reactions Are So

Parents Are Telling Their Kids To Repeat After Them But Then Cussing, And The Kids' Reactions Are So Pure

Welcome to another day and another TikTok trend .
We 've seen tons of parenting trends on the platform , @ @ @ @ @ boobs to their breastfed babies and parents handing eggs to their kids , so now @ @ @ @ @ ... and this one is pretty bold , if I do say so myself .

Welcome to another day and another TikTok trend. We've seen tons of parenting trends on the platform, such as moms flashing their boobs to their breastfed babies and parents handing eggs to their kids, so now there's a new one...and this one is pretty bold, if I do say so myself.


buzzfeed--2020-07-04--My Boyfriend Refuses To Wear A Face Mask Despite The Coronavirus — Should I Dump Him?

Think of it this way : If a small sedan crashed into a massive 18-wheeler truck , the driver of @ @ @ @ @ likely to get hurt than the truck driver .
But that does n't mean truck @ @ @ @ @ recklessly — speeding , cutting people off , running through red lights — simply because @ @ @ @ @ favor if there 's a crash .
That would be wrong , because the responsibility @ @ @ @ @ a shared one .
And right now , we all need to be wearing face @ @ @ @ @ , and staying home as much as possible , regardless of our personal level of @ @

Think of it this way: If a small sedan crashed into a massive 18-wheeler truck, the driver of the sedan is certainly more likely to get hurt than the truck driver. But that doesn't mean truck drivers get to drive around recklessly — speeding, cutting people off, running through red lights — simply because the odds are in their favor if there's a crash. That would be wrong, because the responsibility of keeping people safe is a shared one. And right now, we all need to be wearing face masks, washing our hands, and staying home as much as possible, regardless of our personal level of risk.


buzzfeed--2020-07-04--15 Hookup Stories From People Who've Had Sex With A Micropenis


buzzfeed--2020-07-05--15 Hookup Stories From People Who've Had Sex With A Micropenis


buzzfeed--2020-07-05--Here's What Trump's Visit To Mount Rushmore Looked Like

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive onstage during an Independence Day event at Mount Rushmore in Keystone , South Dakota , on July 3 , 2020 .
President Donald Trump stopped by the Black Hills of South Dakota for a Fourth of July celebration at Mount Rushmore on Friday , but was met by protesters , who were initially relegated to a `` free speech zone , '' but eventually blocked the road for about four hours in a demonstration of solidarity of Indigenous rights and the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement .
Demonstrators created a blockade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vans across the road and removing the tires , photographer Micah Garen of Four Corners Media told BuzzFeed News .
Protesters then formed a line as they faced off with local police , sheriff 's deputies , and the National Guard , who were armed with riot gear .
“ Protesters were organized and determined to hold the line , peacefully on their end , '' Four Corners Media photographer Marie-Helene Carleton told BuzzFeed News .
`` They were getting a lot of negative jeers from Trump supporters , things like 'Go home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from . '
I don ’ t think they understood the irony . ''
Several protesters and members of the media were pepper sprayed at close range by sheriff 's deputies , including Garen , he told BuzzFeed News .
`` They saw the camera , they were targeting journalists , everyone , '' Garen said .
`` It didn ’ t matter . ''
Garen and Carleton credit the fact that the protest remained relatively peaceful to members of the Lakota tribe , specifically young women who were demonstrating by singing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to call for peaceful protesting .
`` There were a lot of young Indigenous women on the frontlines of it all , '' Carleton said .
`` They were very thoughtful and very vocal . ''
Eventually , authorities gave protesters a 30-minute warning to disperse or face being arrested , with most people choosing to leave , Garen said .
Unlike protesters , many attendees of Trump 's event did not wear a mask , despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic , which the president only briefly mentioned in a speech marked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoke with quoted Psalm 91 , that Jesus will protect us against pestilence , '' Carleton said .
`` There was a lot of religiosity around the discussion of the virus .
Every single Trump supporter we talked to did not believe the virus was a danger . ''

President Donald Trump stopped by the Black Hills of South Dakota for a 4th of July celebration at Mount Rushmore on Friday, but was met by protesters, who were initially relegated to a "free speech zone," but eventually blocked the road for about four hours in a demonstration of solidarity of Indigenous rights and the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement.
Demonstrators created a blockade to the president's event by parking vans across the road and removing the tires, photographer Micah Garen of Four Corners Media told BuzzFeed News. Protesters then formed a line as they faced off with local police, sheriff's deputies, and the National Guard, who were armed with riot gear.
“Protesters were organized and determined to hold the line, peacefully on their end," Four Corners Media photographer Marie-Hélène Carleton told BuzzFeed News. "They were getting a lot of negative jeers from Trump supporters, things like 'Go home, go back to where you came from.' I don’t think they understood the irony."
Several protesters and members of the media were pepper-sprayed at close range by sheriff's deputies, including Garen, he told BuzzFeed News.
"They saw the camera. They were targeting journalists, everyone," Garen said. "It didn’t matter."
Garen and Carleton credit the fact that the protest remained relatively peaceful to members of the Lakota tribe, specifically young women who were demonstrating by singing, burning sage sticks, and using megaphones to call for peaceful protesting.
"There were a lot of young Indigenous women on the frontlines of it all," Carleton said. "They were very thoughtful and very vocal."
Eventually, authorities gave protesters a 30-minute warning to disperse or face being arrested, with most people choosing to leave, Garen said.
Unlike protesters, many attendees of Trump's event did not wear a mask, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which the president only briefly mentioned in a speech marked by divisive remarks.
"One woman we spoke with quoted Psalm 91, that Jesus will protect us against pestilence," Carleton said. "There was a lot of religiosity around the discussion of the virus. Every single Trump supporter we talked to did not believe the virus was a danger."


buzzfeed--2020-07-04--How A July 4th Meal Exposes The Coronavirus Risk For Thousands Of US Food Workers

Hundreds of workers may have contracted Covid-19 to get you the food on your plate this July 4th .
Some may have even died .
A BuzzFeed News investigation exposes the cost of your BBQ .
After months of stress , Americans have been looking forward to the pre–COVID-19 pleasures of a ( socially distanced ) 4th of July .
How about a cookout ?
It 's a traditional , low-key summer celebration — but amid the nation 's growing outbreak , even a simple home-cooked meal comes at an exorbitant price .
A BuzzFeed News investigation reveals the extent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation ’ s inadequate response to it — has infected , sickened , and even killed workers up and down the nation 's food supply chains as they work to keep our refrigerators full .
Take a typical summer feast : tangy ribs , a side of creamy pasta salad , and a slice of freshly baked apple pie .
If you shop at a Walmart Supercenter , in , say , Massachusetts , the apples you ’ d buy would have been picked by workers in Washington state ’ s Yakima Valley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camp with few protections in place .
The fruit would then be sorted into boxes in an Allan Bros. packhouse , which for weeks failed to follow federal COVID-19 safety guidelines — even after employees started falling ill .
The ribs would have been sliced and packed by employees at a pork processing plant — like the Tyson Foods facility in Indiana that stayed open for weeks , even as the virus spread through its staff .
The pasta would have been stacked by grocery clerks whose employer was slow to close down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick , and to inform the local health department and customers of the growing outbreak .
From those three workplaces alone — the Allan Bros. packhouse in Yakima Valley , the Tyson plant in Indiana , and the Walmart in Massachusetts — around 1,100 employees have tested positive for COVID-19 , and at least four have died , according to a BuzzFeed News investigation based on government documents , company memos , and interviews with around 50 workers , managers , local officials , and labor advocates .
Worried about putting themselves and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have turned to home cooking as a safer , more ethical option .
But what may seem safer for consumers can still be deadly for the low-paid , often immigrant workers who make up America ’ s sprawling food supply chains .
Across the country , from fields to packhouses to slaughterhouses to grocery stores , companies failed to require masks , build protective barriers , or arrange testing until after outbreaks had spread through the workforce .
Some workers in the chain still do not get sick pay , forcing them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out on paychecks — between feeding your family or protecting their own .
“ I 'd just like to see them keep us safe , ” Dennis Medbourn , a worker at the Tyson plant in Logansport , Indiana , where three coworkers he knew have died from COVID-19 complications , told BuzzFeed News .
“ We ’ re working a lot of hours , too , to try to make up for the meat shortage.
” One grocery worker , Yok Yen Lee , a door greeter at the Walmart in Quincy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work up until days before she died from COVID-19 .
“ She was really hardworking , ” her daughter , Elaine Eklund , told BuzzFeed News .
“ She absolutely loved that job .
She wanted to do that job for her whole life.
” The paths through which food reaches Americans ’ plates originate on farms and in factories in small cities and rural towns before making their way across the 50 states .
The networks are intricately interrelated , which means that the people who live in those areas and work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends and relatives they come into contact with , shoulder a disproportionate share of the risk to keep the nation fed .
An apple picker at a FirstFruits Farms orchard in Yakima Valley appears to have caught the virus from her husband who worked at a Tyson beef plant in the area , according to Erik Nicholson , vice president of United Farm Workers .
FirstFruits didn ’ t respond to a detailed request for comment .
Are you still working during the coronavirus pandemic ?
We 'd love to hear your story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or via one of our tip line channels .
Since the start of the pandemic , around 29,000 workers at grocery stores , meatpacking plants , and other food processing facilities have been infected nationwide , and at least 225 have died , according to the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union .
This is almost certainly an undercount : Many companies have declined to order widespread testing , even at workplaces where employees are falling ill. As a result , the full scope of infections among frontline food workers may never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is making very clear is that some of our most underpaid , marginalized , and exploited workers are , in fact , our most essential , ” said Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , who co-sponsored a bill with other Senate colleagues in June to provide protections for the country ’ s agricultural workers .
“ Every plate of food reflects a disturbing reality : Food-supply workers — from farmworkers to grocery store clerks — are risking their lives every day to keep us fed , often in unsafe conditions , and far too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 , Angelina Lara felt an itch in her throat .
For seven months , she ’ d worked as a fruit packer for Allan Bros. , one of at least 18 produce companies in Yakima Valley , a fertile agricultural zone that rolls east across central Washington from the mighty Cascade mountain range .
Lara , 48 , grew up in Southern California but moved to the city of Yakima in 2005 , following relatives who had come for the jobs at the valley ’ s plentiful packhouses .
Around a third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agriculture , more than the next two industries combined .
Apples are one of the main businesses in town , and the fruit is at the center of the Yakima city seal .
Central Washington accounts for 60 % of the nation ’ s apple production .
Over the years , Lara worked at numerous packhouses , including a previous stint at Allan Bros. She returned to the company last year for a job that paid $ 13.50 an hour , more than the $ 12 minimum wage she made previously .
Inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the foothills of Mount Rainier , Lara and her fellow day shift employees washed and sorted apples , which are packed and shipped year-round in the region .
Around 300 workers clock in for the day shift , standing along a brisk conveyor belt about 2 feet apart , sorting apples , like the organic Fuji variety sold at Walmarts across the country , and separating out fruit that ’ s been spoiled or infested with worms .
( The night shift handles seasonal fruit , such as cherries . )
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , and “ it ’ s impossible to be 6 feet apart because at times the line moves so fast that you need somebody to help you with all the apples.
” As COVID-19 was spreading across the state and the country in March and April , Allan Bros. added plexiglass barriers to the office area where management and administrators worked .
“ But the same was not put in the warehouse , ” said Shauri Tello , who moved from Mexico to Yakima when she was 15 and began working in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high school at age 18 , two years ago .
The company hadn ’ t yet begun providing workers with masks , so some workers brought their own from home , according to four employees and a memo from health officials who inspected the site on May 8 .
Lara didn ’ t immediately assume the itch in her throat meant she ’ d caught the coronavirus .
At the time , she didn ’ t know if anyone at work had been infected , she said .
Still , she stayed home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precaution .
Within 24 hours , she had developed a fever .
Then she began to have trouble breathing .
Lara has asthma , but this was worse than any asthma attack she had ever had .
“ I was home alone , so I started panicking , ” she said .
At the hospital , she said , she paid for the COVID-19 test herself — $ 152 — and it came back positive .
Lara informed Allan Bros. that , under doctor ’ s orders , she would stay home and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another worker who tested positive said that company officials told them that their leave would be unpaid .
She asked her supervisor to “ let [ her ] coworkers know so they can take precautions , ” Lara said .
“ They never did it .
Nobody even knew I was sick.
” Three of her coworkers corroborated that claim , saying that management didn ’ t tell them about any cases at the plant in April and early May .
In an emailed statement in response to questions , Allan Bros. denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May but declined to specify when it began doing so .
Today , Yakima County has the highest rate of per capita COVID-19 cases in the Pacific Northwest — about 1 for every 34 people .
In central Washington — as in other areas such as California ’ s Imperial and San Joaquin valleys — the agricultural industry is experiencing a reckoning ; the methods for packing produce and housing migrant workers that have been maximized for efficiency have created the ideal conditions for the spread of a devastating virus .
Sixty-nine of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s “ North District ” housing facility , Williams stated .
They slept on bunk beds in rooms shared with as many as three others .
They also shared a kitchen , a laundry room , and several bathrooms .
In the mornings , they piled into vans that carried 14 of them at a time to the orchards .
The company began implementing new procedures to protect workers from COVID-19 as early as March 13 , after a worker at a different Stemilt housing facility tested positive .
In a memo to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common areas across the company would be sanitized every night and throughout the day .
While the three North District workers were awaiting their test results in mid April , three others at the camp began showing similar symptoms .
Ultimately , all six tested positive , according to Williams ’ statement .
Over the next few days , Stemilt coordinated with local health officials to begin testing all the workers from the North District camp , as well as the eight local crew leaders who worked with them .
All the crew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 69 guest workers ultimately tested positive .
When Stemilt conducted another round of testing on April 22 , nine more workers tested positive .
Most of the cases were asymptomatic .
No one was hospitalized .
The state ’ s Employment Security Department said it expects 27,000 H-2A jobs in 2020 .
Stemilt declined to comment for this story .
Stemilt was the exception — not in terms of its explosion of cases , but because it looked for them at all .
Though local officials in nearby Yakima County offered to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workplaces , only one fruit company , Columbia Reach Pack , had taken them up on it by late May , according to local health department documents .
At most fruit companies in the region , workers only got tested if they showed symptoms or were exposed to a confirmed case , and then called health authorities .
Still , by the third week of May , more than 300 fruit workers in the region had tested positive , and health officials identified outbreaks — a workplace infection rate of at least 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 18 produce companies .
Allan Bros. , where Lara worked , was one of the companies that declined to test its workers .
Danielle Vincent , a spokesperson for Allan Bros. , denied that the county offered to test all its workers — though other companies confirmed the offer , and government documents show that local health officials were “ Awaiting Response ” from Allan Bros. on an inquiry about whether the company “ Want [ s ] Employee Testing.
” Though 19 of 515 employees at its packhouse had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not schedule widespread testing , according to local health department records .
Workers had to decide whether to risk going to work and getting sick , or staying home and not getting paid .
“ The fear of every worker that I know is that they may come down with the virus .
And if they don ’ t work , they don ’ t get paid — and if they don ’ t get paid , they don ’ t eat , ” said Erik Nicholson , national vice president of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power disparities between farmworkers , some of whom are undocumented , and their employers , noted Beth Lyon , a law professor and founder of Cornell University 's Farmworker Legal Assistance Clinic .
And while the country has deemed them “ essential ” during a pandemic , most farmworkers can be fired at will , making many hesitant to advocate for safety measures .
This is particularly true of guest workers , whose visas are directly tied to their employer .
“ If they speak up for health protections like masks or social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only their livelihood but also their housing ” and their permission to be in the United States , Lyon told BuzzFeed News .
Local officials and farm owners attribute some of their slow reactions to the pandemic to the lack of direction at the federal level .
That ’ s led the industry to “ take care of itself ” said Butler , the Chelan–Douglas Health District officer .
“ The difficulty we ’ ve had was that there was absolutely no guidance on what was the right way to house H-2A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gilbert , who leads Gilbert Orchards , said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 's changing position on masks left his company in a conundrum .
In March — as the country ’ s leading top public health agency told citizens not to use masks and to save them for healthcare professionals — orchard and packhouse operators donated a few thousand N95 masks they had gathered for fire season to local hospitals .
Weeks later , when the CDC changed its guidance , those businesses were left scrambling , facing stiff competition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of the world competed for mask shipments .
Gilbert , whose operation includes 4,000 acres of orchards and 1,200 workers during peak season , noted that apples are a “ labor-intensive business ” with small margins .
As a result of social distancing measures , the packhouse could only prepare 10,000 boxes of apples per shift from late March to the end of May , rather than the typical 12,000 .
“ Keeping people apart means that people can ’ t hand off things in a process , ” he told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the process down.
” He added that protective equipment and hazard pay add a further squeeze on Gilbert Orchards ’ economics .
“ COVID has fundamentally changed how we do business.
” Yet he didn ’ t see the need to allow health officials to test all his employees .
Gilbert Orchards — where at least 26 of the 350 or so employees in the packhouse , shipping , and administrative departments have been diagnosed — declined Yakima County ’ s offer to arrange testing at the facility and instead suggested its workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local officials had set up around the valley .
Gilbert said part of his reasoning was fear of upsetting his employees .
“ I turned down their offer to bring in a National Guard unit to quarantine our facility while they escorted people to and from testing tents , ” he told BuzzFeed News .
“ I felt that requiring that of all employees would have been potentially traumatic.
” If guest workers are among the most vulnerable employees in the produce industry , workers who live year-round in central Washington are only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diagnosis , she said , threw her family into a precarious financial position .
Her husband , who works at the same warehouse , and her two sons , who work as nursing assistants , tested negative but stayed home as a precaution in case they subsequently caught the virus from her .
The household of four went without a paycheck for two weeks .
Lara qualified for unemployment insurance because she ’ d been diagnosed , and her husband and sons may be eligible for family leave benefits — but whatever government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t come soon enough to meet the bills coming due .
The family burned through years ’ worth of savings in a matter of days , she said .
Back at Allan Bros. , meanwhile , workers in the packhouse said the company still hadn ’ t distributed masks , and as the cases mounted , many were growing angry .
On May 7 , dozens of Allan Bros. workers went on strike over conditions they said were unsafe ; in the days that followed , around 500 workers from six other fruit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s quarantine ended , she took a spot in the line of workers holding signs by the road , chanting through colorful cloth masks .
Local lawyers and union representatives estimated that the labor action was one of the largest they ’ d seen among agriculture workers in Yakima , reminiscent of the marches César Chávez attended in the county in the 1980s .
Nearly every day , at each of the seven strike locations , the workers encountered local white residents driving by , shouting at them to get back to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who participated in the strikes .
She recalled those drivers saying things like “ If you don ’ t like it , get out.
” On another occasion , a man shouted out his car window that he was going to “ come back and shoot you all , ” according to a Yakima County Sheriff ’ s Office incident report and written witness statements .
When deputies later caught him returning to the scene , he told them that Allan Bros. “ treats those people very well and they should not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report .
The man was arrested and charged with malicious harassment .
The backlash against the striking workers reflected a long-standing resistance to Yakima ’ s growing Latinx population for some .
Latinx residents accounted for 15 % of the city ’ s population in 1980 , 30 % in 2000 , and 50 % in 2018 .
Still , no Latinx candidate had been elected to office in the city until 2015 , after a federal judge ruled that the city ’ s previous system of at-large council seats violated the Voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority of the county ’ s residents cast their ballots for Donald Trump .
Three weeks into the strike , Lara finally went back to work .
Allan Bros. had installed protective barriers in the packhouse , offered a $ 1-an-hour pay raise , and started providing masks , according to Lara and three coworkers .
Though she has been cleared of infection , she still has trouble breathing and sleeps sitting up most nights .
She said her doctor told her it might be months before she feels normal again .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One of her coworkers , 60-year-old David Cruz , got sick a few days after she did .
His wife and daughter tested positive too , Lara said .
He had worked at the plant for 12 years , most recently putting together boxes on the upper level of the warehouse .
When Lara saw him on breaks , he was “ always positive , getting along with everybody , ” she said .
On one of the last days of work before the pandemic hit , Cruz told Lara about his plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time in years .
“ He was very happy he was going to see her , ” Lara recalled .
“ He was planning for June or July.
” He died on May 31 .
His coworkers collected $ 4,000 to give to his wife .
The mood at the packhouse has been somber since .
Outbreaks were beginning to pop up at meatpacking plants around the country .
Tyson had instituted temperature checks at Logansport but hadn ’ t yet installed plexiglass barriers or distributed any protective equipment — even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Columbus Junction , Iowa , had closed on April 6 , leaving the company all the more reliant on its other five hog slaughterhouses .
“ That ’ s when everybody was thinking , Man , why don ’ t they close our plant ?
” said Medbourn .
“ You ’ d hear people coughing and stuff .
People weren ’ t showing up for work more than usual.
” Tyson declined to comment on whether its Logansport plant increased production during that period , but a spokesperson , Liz Cronston , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at which we determine to operate in our facilities is dependent on ensuring team member safety.
” The company has maintained that its response to the pandemic was swifter than most .
Cronston noted that Tyson began seeking masks for workers even before the CDC recommended their use , and it was one of the first companies to proactively test all employees for COVID-19 .
“ If we learned a team member had tested positive for the virus , we notified co-workers who had been in close contact , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the protection of our team members and their communities.
” The ergonomic monitor tried to maintain a few feet of distance when he checked on workers — but the long , open-tiered plant was loud with the whirring of electric saws , the rumble of conveyor belts , and the echoing clangs of metal .
He sometimes had to lean in close to talk and hear , he said .
He interacted with around 200 workers each day .
Tyson began requiring employees to wear masks in mid-April .
On April 23 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Tyson organized COVID-19 testing for all 2,200 of its workers in Logansport .
The monitor and others on his shift filed into a big white tent in the parking lot , “ all pushed together to get out from the rain ” as nurses swabbed their noses , he said .
A few days later , he got a call informing him of his result : He had COVID-19 — one of 890 Tyson workers to test positive by the end of April in Logansport , a staggering 40 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them , the monitor showed no symptoms at the time of diagnosis , although he did recall feeling unusually tired the previous week .
He shuddered at the thought that he may have infected the people he saw every day .
“ I wouldn ’ t have suspected if I didn ’ t get tested , ” he said .
“ I was really freaked out .
Just , like , wow .
It spread out really , really quick.
” Tyson closed its Logansport plant for two weeks starting on April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plants have had outbreaks of at least 200 cases , and five have temporarily closed .
At one point , four of the country ’ s five largest known outbreaks in meatpacking plants were at Tyson sites .
To date , around 8,500 Tyson workers have tested positive , more than the company ’ s three biggest industry competitors combined , according to data compiled by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting .
But Tyson ’ s standing at the top of this list isn ’ t necessarily because its plants are more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but because the company has been more committed to determining how many of its employees have been infected , even though revealing those numbers almost guarantees a plant ’ s closure .
The other big meat companies — JBS , Smithfield Foods , and Cargill — haven ’ t conducted comprehensive testing at most facilities , even as meat processing plants became widely known as incubators for the virus .
“ We believe it ’ s imperative that we share our experience addressing this pandemic because safety is not a point of competitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s spokesperson .
“ Results from these tests have allowed us to find team members who have the virus but don ’ t have symptoms and would not otherwise have been identified.
” For Tyson , JBS , Smithfield , and Cargill , closing a plant sends a ripple effect across both ends of the supply line .
The four companies produce around 85 % of the meat sold in the US , churning out pork , beef , and poultry in massive facilities staffed by the thousands of employees needed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meat production into a few dozen mega-plants has led to lower prices but has also left the system vulnerable to major disruption , adding further pressure on workers to help keep the plants going .
Tyson is the largest buyer for many farmers around the country and one of the largest suppliers for many groceries , including Walmart .
A plant closure can lead to lost wages for livestock sellers at the start of the chain and barren meat shelves for consumers at the end .
“ Our plants must remain operational , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full-page ad in the Washington Post and New York Times in late April , noting the company ’ s “ responsibility to feed our country.
” The Trump administration codified that idea into law with its April 28 executive order granting meatpacking corporations immunity from legal liability for sick workers .
As Tyson got ready to reopen the Logansport plant , it notified employees through an automated text service that starting May 6 , “ If eligible to work , you will be required to work all scheduled hours in order to receive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 30 “ daily show up bonus ” for all shifts through the end of May , another text stated .
A May 8 text told employees that if they had been “ symptom free for the last 72 hours without the use of any medication you can report to Tyson ” — though the message didn ’ t include CDC ’ s additional recommendation that those diagnosed should only stop isolating at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms .
One worker , a loin cutter in the cold side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t feel symptoms until 12 days after he tested positive , just as his two weeks of paid quarantine time was ending , leaving him temporarily without a paycheck as he applied for short-term disability to cover additional time off .
Tyson maintains that its policy has been clear : “ Any team member who has tested positive will remain on sick leave until they ’ ve satisfied official health requirements for return to work , ” Cronston said .
But some Logansport workers vented their frustrations on a private Facebook group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismay at the company ’ s plan to reopen even while nearly half of its workforce was under quarantine .
They also shared health updates ; on May 5 , a group member wrote in both English and Spanish that someone from the slaughter side had died from the virus .
In fact , at least three workers at the Logansport plant have died of the coronavirus , according to local health officials and a union steward at the plant .
Tyson officials refused to confirm the number of workers who died .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the loss of any team member , ” Cronston said .
“ We don ’ t have a number to share.
” Tyson also declined to provide an update on the number of confirmed cases at the plant since the 890 reported in April , but local health officials estimated that “ over 1,000 ” of the plant ’ s workers have tested positive .
Cass County , where Logansport is located , has nearly triple the rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people compared to the rate of the next highest Indiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ processing facility is one of the area ’ s largest employers .
Tyson was “ absolutely the hot spot ” for COVID-19 in the county , said Serenity Alter , the administrator for the Cass County Health Department .
The Tyson plant reopened on May 6 .
The company ramped up production as quickly as its workers could return , accelerating from half-capacity to nearly full capacity within two weeks .
It provided face shields , built plexiglass barriers in the cafeteria , and expanded its cleaning staff .
“ All you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wash your hands , ” a Tyson senior manager in Texas said of the risk that meatpacking workers face during the pandemic .
“ I got ta assume most of the people in our facility have been around or interacted with someone who was positive.
” Yok Yen Lee , a 69-year-old door greeter at the Quincy store , was so fearful of contracting the coronavirus that she used most of her accumulated paid time off in March and early April when case numbers in the US began to skyrocket , her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News .
Shortly after Lee returned to work in mid-April , she began to feel sick but assumed she ’ d caught a cold from spending her eight-hour shift standing outside in near-freezing temperatures .
On April 11 , the Quincy Health Department contacted Walmart to inform the store that one of Lee ’ s coworkers had tested positive for the coronavirus .
Although Walmart had waived its normal attendance policy in March , Lee continued to clock in , afraid of losing her job if she took more days off , Eklund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it began requiring employees to wear masks on April 17 .
But one current Quincy checkout employee , who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing their job , said management told employees in April that masks weren ’ t necessary .
Sometimes there would be 500 people in the store and no social distancing in the employee back rooms , according to the employee .
“ It was like corona was a myth , ” they said .
A Walmart spokesperson declined to comment on these specific allegations .
Lee had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , after emigrating from China in the 1980s and working a series of retail jobs .
Colleagues described her as a joyous woman who doled out hugs and danced spontaneously but also showed a tough side when it came to dealing with rude customers .
Lee told at least one colleague , the checkout employee , that she had a slight cough .
She had attempted to apply for extended leave , but found the process , which was managed by a third-party administrator , exceedingly complicated as she primarily spoke Cantonese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Lee didn ’ t feel well at work and went home early .
The next day , she had a fever and couldn ’ t get out of bed .
Paramedics , with the help of a maintenance worker , cut the lock to her door and rushed her to a hospital , where she was intubated .
Her request for extended leave from Walmart was approved on April 28 , as she lay bedridden in the ICU , Eklund recalled .
She would have turned 70 last week .
Instead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of at least 22 Walmart employees killed by COVID-19 nationwide , according to United for Respect , a labor advocacy group .
Lee left behind a daughter and two grandchildren , including one who was born in December .
“ She never even got a real family picture with her grandson , ” Eklund said .
“ We were starting to become a complete family .
We weren ’ t prepared to lose her this suddenly.
” Only after Lee died did the Quincy Walmart close its doors .
It soon emerged that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
The Worcester Walmart became one of the largest clusters in the state , with 82 employees ultimately diagnosed with COVID-19 .
It was also one of the largest outbreaks at any grocery retailer in the country .
By the time the store posted on Facebook about the daylong cleaning in late April , local officials were investigating the situation .
Public health inspectors obtained an internal company list showing that nearly two dozen employees had tested positive for the coronavirus before the store closed , 20 within a one-week time period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson , told BuzzFeed News .
They also reviewed a photo of a sign instructing staffers to work their scheduled shifts during that April 30 cleaning : They were expected to help “ clean , sanitize and stock ” the store alongside a third-party cleaning service so it would be ready to open the next morning .
The city of Worcester issued a cease-and-desist order that day , “ forcing the store to close immediately , ” Bird said .
It was the first time any US Walmart was closed by the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until May 5 , after the company agreed to test all of the store ’ s nearly 400 employees .
The outbreaks in the Quincy and Worcester Walmarts were caused by “ dangerous working conditions ” present at other branches , as well , according to a complaint recently filed with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration by United for Respect , which surveyed stores nationwide .
The complaint claimed that Walmart didn ’ t provide sufficient paid sick leave to its employees , “ thereby pressuring people to go to work even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposed to the virus.
” The complaint also alleged that Walmart didn ’ t enforce social distancing and had failed to quickly close stores for cleaning and disinfecting after employees were exposed or diagnosed — as was the case in Worcester and Quincy — allowing the virus to spread further among employees and the public .
All these failures violated state and federal guidance for employers , the complaint alleged .
“ Communities across the country have suffered from coronavirus cases , and with more than 1.5 million associates in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities located within 10 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population , Walmart is not immune to the impact of COVID-19 , ” said Phillip Keene , a Walmart spokesperson .
The corporation has worked “ to find an appropriate balance between supporting our associates and serving our customers ” during the pandemic , he said , by following deep cleaning , sanitizing , and social distancing protocols guided by the CDC .
Associates are given health screenings and temperature checks prior to their shifts , for example , and employees who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Walmart has instructed managers since March to inform associates when one of their coworkers falls ill , Keene said .
There are no laws mandating that retailers report coronavirus cases , leaving it up to stores to decide how best to handle outbreaks .
In May , a delegation of state lawmakers led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to Walmart CEO Doug McMillon , demanding more information about how the retail giant would make changes to prevent future outbreaks and protect workers .
In its response , Walmart deflected responsibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to track the source of anyone ’ s infection.
” “ Walmart ’ s response is unacceptable , ” Warren said in a statement to BuzzFeed News .
“ Nearly 100 Walmart workers in Massachusetts got sick with coronavirus and one died due to an outbreak at the store but the company refused to answer questions on what happened and what changes it is making to keep our residents safe at work.
” One recent afternoon in June , as protesters filled streets across the country , a line of masked shoppers stretched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited capacity to around 20 % below its usual level .
Shelves were stocked with pasta again , apples were piled into abundant mounds , and pork ribs lay beside long rows of fresh meat .
Fruit farms , meatpacking plants , and grocery stores were open for business in every corner of America .
The food supply chains kept on humming .
●

Outbreaks were beginning to pop up at meatpacking plants around the country. Tyson had instituted temperature checks at Logansport but hadn’t yet installed plexiglass barriers or distributed any protective equipment — even though another Tyson pork plant, in Columbus Junction, Iowa, had closed on April 6, leaving the company all the more reliant on its other five hog slaughterhouses.
“That’s when everybody was thinking, Man, why don’t they close our plant?” said Medbourn. “You’d hear people coughing and stuff. People weren’t showing up for work more than usual.”
Tyson declined to comment on whether its Logansport plant increased production during that period, but a spokesperson, Liz Cronston, said, “The level of production at which we determine to operate in our facilities is dependent on ensuring team member safety.”
The company has maintained that its response to the pandemic was swifter than most. Cronston noted that Tyson began seeking masks for workers even before the CDC recommended their use, and it was one of the first companies to proactively test all employees for COVID-19. “If we learned a team member had tested positive for the virus, we notified co-workers who had been in close contact,” she said. “Our priority and focus have been the protection of our team members and their communities.”
The ergonomic monitor tried to maintain a few feet of distance when he checked on workers — but the long, open-tiered plant was loud with the whirring of electric saws, the rumble of conveyor belts, and the echoing clangs of metal. He sometimes had to lean in close to talk and hear, he said. He interacted with around 200 workers each day. Tyson began requiring employees to wear masks in mid-April.
On April 23, with rising case numbers at several facilities, Tyson organized COVID-19 testing for all 2,200 of its workers in Logansport.
The monitor and others on his shift filed into a big white tent in the parking lot, “all pushed together to get out from the rain” as nurses swabbed their noses, he said.
A few days later, he got a call informing him of his result: He had COVID-19 — one of 890 Tyson workers to test positive by the end of April in Logansport, a staggering 40% of the plant’s workforce. Like most of them, the monitor showed no symptoms at the time of diagnosis, although he did recall feeling unusually tired the previous week. He shuddered at the thought that he may have infected the people he saw every day.
“I wouldn’t have suspected if I didn’t get tested,” he said. “I was really freaked out. Just, like, wow. It spread out really, really quick.”
Tyson closed its Logansport plant for two weeks starting on April 25. All six of its pork plants have had outbreaks of at least 200 cases, and five have temporarily closed. At one point, four of the country’s five largest known outbreaks in meatpacking plants were at Tyson sites. To date, around 8,500 Tyson workers have tested positive, more than the company’s three biggest industry competitors combined, according to data compiled by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting.
But Tyson’s standing at the top of this list isn’t necessarily because its plants are more dangerous than those of its rivals, but because the company has been more committed to determining how many of its employees have been infected, even though revealing those numbers almost guarantees a plant’s closure. The other big meat companies — JBS, Smithfield Foods, and Cargill — haven’t conducted comprehensive testing at most facilities, even as meat processing plants became widely known as incubators for the virus.
“We believe it’s imperative that we share our experience addressing this pandemic because safety is not a point of competitive advantage,” said Cronston, Tyson’s spokesperson. “Results from these tests have allowed us to find team members who have the virus but don’t have symptoms and would not otherwise have been identified.”
For Tyson, JBS, Smithfield, and Cargill, closing a plant sends a ripple effect across both ends of the supply line. The four companies produce around 85% of the meat sold in the US, churning out pork, beef, and poultry in massive facilities staffed by the thousands of employees needed to reach output goals. The concentration of meat production into a few dozen mega-plants has led to lower prices but has also left the system vulnerable to major disruption, adding further pressure on workers to help keep the plants going.
Tyson is the largest buyer for many farmers around the country and one of the largest suppliers for many groceries, including Walmart. A plant closure can lead to lost wages for livestock sellers at the start of the chain and barren meat shelves for consumers at the end. “Our plants must remain operational,” CEO John Tyson wrote in a full-page ad in the Washington Post and New York Times in late April, noting the company’s “responsibility to feed our country.” The Trump administration codified that idea into law with its April 28 executive order granting meatpacking corporations immunity from legal liability for sick workers.
As Tyson got ready to reopen the Logansport plant, it notified employees through an automated text service that starting May 6, “If eligible to work, you will be required to work all scheduled hours in order to receive the guarantee pay.” Workers would receive a $30 “daily show up bonus” for all shifts through the end of May, another text stated. A May 8 text told employees that if they had been “symptom free for the last 72 hours without the use of any medication you can report to Tyson” — though the message didn’t include CDC’s additional recommendation that those diagnosed should only stop isolating at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms. One worker, a loin cutter in the cold side, told BuzzFeed News that he didn’t feel symptoms until 12 days after he tested positive, just as his two weeks of paid quarantine time was ending, leaving him temporarily without a paycheck as he applied for short-term disability to cover additional time off.


buzzfeed--2020-07-04--The Coronavirus Spread In A Dallas Megachurch’s Choir And Orchestra. Then It Hosted Mike Pence.

A group of First Baptist Dallas choir and orchestra members contracted COVID-19 in the lead-up to Vice President Mike Pence ’ s visit on Sunday .
An infectious disease expert called it “ appalling.
” At least five members of the choir and orchestra at the Dallas megachurch visited by Vice President Mike Pence this weekend tested positive for the coronavirus in June , according to Facebook posts and internal church emails reviewed by BuzzFeed News .
An additional orchestra member had symptoms several days after being exposed and was awaiting a test result in mid-June , according to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s musicians .
None of those six people were at the First Baptist church in Dallas during Pence ’ s hour-and-a-half-hour visit on Sunday , but it 's unclear how many of the musicians who performed for Pence may have been exposed during previous practices and performances with those who were infected .
Public health experts have expressed particular concerns about the dangers of indoor singing and wind instruments in large groups , which can readily spread the respiratory virus .
The choir and orchestra performed for Pence without masks , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by BuzzFeed News .
One of the church ’ s music directors — who himself has been quarantined after testing positive for the virus — wrote an email informing the church ’ s musicians that choir members would not wear masks while singing .
“ Some of you may know but I ’ ve been in quarantine since June 14 after several exposures .
I was tested and it came back positive for the virus , ” a music director and the associate minister of worship , Jarrod Blackstock , wrote in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orchestra on June 30 .
Blackstock also plays first trumpet in the orchestra .
“ I thought Freedom Sunday was a great day .
Everyone who participated did an excellent job !
I ’ m sorry that I wasn ’ t there and hated to miss it , ” he added .
Blackstock also said he would be back in church this coming Sunday .
He did not respond to multiple requests for comment .
The “ Freedom Sunday ” service at First Baptist — billed as part religious gathering , part political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeffress , a Fox News contributor and member of the White House Faith Initiative , created via an executive order by President Donald Trump in 2018 .
The event came just one day before the Texas Department of State Health Services reported more than 5,900 COVID-19 hospitalizations , an all-time high for the state , and as Dallas reported a record-high day for cases .
Gov .
Greg Abbott , who aggressively pushed to reopen the state in May but rolled back his plan last week after cases surged , sat alongside Pence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ With this governor and this president , we ’ ll bring Texas and America back bigger and better than ever before , ” said Pence in his remarks .
The congregants , some in masks , waved American flags while the choir and orchestra pumped out rapturous versions of “ America the Beautiful ” and “ The Star-Spangled Banner ” on a glowing purple stage .
“ Working with your governor , we will put the health of the people of the Lone Star State first , ” Pence said .
Secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also touted the administration ’ s successes under Trump and praised Pence for his work on the White House coronavirus task force , which he is also a member of .
“ We must learn to dominate the virus and not let the virus dominate us , ” Carson said .
In response to a detailed list of questions about the cluster of coronavirus cases in the megachurch ’ s choir and orchestra , Abigail Miller , the director of communications for First Baptist Dallas , said , “ We have taken steps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been knowingly exposed to anyone with COVID-19 , demonstrated any symptoms , or tested positive has participated in our choir or orchestra until medically cleared to do so.
” She added , “ We have been very strategic and prudent in our approach and have followed established guidelines and recommendations.
” Miller did not answer questions about whether Pence ’ s team was notified of the illnesses prior to attending the service .
A White House official also did not clarify whether Pence ’ s team was informed of the cases but said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and maintained social distancing during the event .
Philip Huang , Dallas County ’ s Health and Human Services director , declined to confirm or comment on the cluster of cases at First Baptist .
When asked whether COVID-19 cases within a choir were dangerous , he said , “ any medical expert would tell you that is not a good situation.
” “ Appalling , ” said infectious disease expert Lisa Maragakis of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine .
As soon as the first infections appeared among the choir and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should have been quarantined instead of practicing and performing together the rest of the month .
“ This is a disease that kills people , it kills people of all ages , ” Maragakis said .
“ It is a major threat to people ’ s lives.
” When the pandemic hit , the choir and orchestra first maintained its rehearsal schedule over Zoom .
But , under Abbott , Texas was one of the earliest states to push reopening ; by May 18 , retail stores , movie theaters , and restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 , Abbott ordered that religious services could resume with no limits on occupancy as long as “ good faith ” efforts were made toward safety .
The megachurch resumed in-person rehearsals for the choir and orchestra on June 10 , emails show .
“ We are back !
” an email announced .
Members were allowed to attend as long as they could confirm that neither they nor their family members had a fever of over 100 degrees , that they were not showing flulike symptoms , and that they had not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested positive for the coronavirus in the last two weeks .
Masks were encouraged on the church campus but only required in the backstage hallway , according to the email .
Singers were positioned apart from each other — but , according to the church ’ s reopening plan , once the state had moved to phase three , church members did not have to stay the CDC-recommended 6 feet apart .
The orchestra rehearsed in a separate part of the church .
Temperature checks were also done before performances .
Still , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Only around 45 % of confirmed coronavirus cases report fevers early in an infection , and many cases are spread by people without symptoms , making temperature checks a half measure at best to monitor for signs of the illness .
“ While singing , we will not wear masks , ” Blackstock wrote in an email to the church ’ s musicians the morning of the June 10 rehearsal .
That night , a percussionist started experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 .
His fever spiked for several days , and he felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taste and smell , he wrote in a Facebook post on June 14 .
Friends wished him well on his Facebook page and checked in on him .
“ We are all praying and rooting for you !
” one wrote .
The same day as his Facebook post , members of the choir and orchestra performed together at two Sunday services .
Within a week , three more musicians would test positive .
On June 18 , the music director informed the choir and orchestra that a soprano had tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the musicians .
The following day the director reported that two other people had tested positive : another soprano in the choir , who had close contact with the singer , and a bassist in the orchestra .
“ We are praying for a quick and easy recovery , ” the music director wrote in the June 18 email .
All three emails called on the congregation to keep the musicians in their prayers .
Public health officials have long cautioned that singing could be an efficient way for the coronavirus to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choir practice in Washington state led to an outbreak of 53 illnesses and two deaths .
Still , after pressure from the White House , in late May the CDC removed guidance for churches to limit choir practices during the pandemic from its official recommendations , the Washington Post reported .
“ In general , choirs are a higher-risk activity because of the droplets they spread ; they have to be approached in a more cautious manner , ” Amesh Adalja , an infectious disease expert with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases that cause infections also makes the use of wind instruments in an orchestra concerning , said aerobiologist Josh Santarpia of the University of Nebraska Medical Center .
“ Most brass instruments have a spit valve for a reason , ” he said .
“ There ’ s a lot of potential for aerosols to be generated and for transmission both by singing and instruments.
” The virus ’ s incubation period of 2 to 14 days also means that other musicians in the choir or orchestra who might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developed any symptoms by Sunday ’ s performance .
“ Fortunately , we ’ re all using a common-sense approach , ” said Bruce Dunai , who has played in the orchestra for 35 years .
“ People are being proactive and letting us know ” about the cases , he added .
The trombone player , who has attended the in-person rehearsals and Sunday ’ s performance , said he trusted the precautions the church was taking with the choir and orchestra and that Jeffress , the church ’ s pastor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wear masks .
“ Obviously , when you 're sitting , rehearsing , playing an instrument , you ca n't wear a mask , “ Dunai said , adding that he “ didn ’ t have any hesitations ” about performing because he didn ’ t have any symptoms or risk factors for severe illness .
As Freedom Sunday approached , church leaders sent an email to the musicians about Pence ’ s visit , urging members to “ follow protocols.
” “ We will be facing opposition , ” the email read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what ’ s going on around us .
New COVID cases continue to increase in Dallas.
” It also noted that : “ With 14,000 members , we are going to have some COVID cases , but we need to limit this number .
We do NOT want an outbreak.
” On the morning of June 28 , as protesters began to gather outside the megachurch ’ s sprawling six-block campus , 140 members of the choir and around 40 of the orchestra gathered to rehearse for the Freedom Sunday service .
Images @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BuzzFeed News show many of the choristers without masks while they were waiting to sing , and leaning together to talk and take pictures .
Most members of the orchestra were also unmasked .
Neither the choristers nor musicians were spaced 6 feet apart from each other .
The Freedom Sunday service violated one of the tenets of the church ’ s reopening plan — that a limit of 100 choristers would be enforced in the 300-person choir loft .
An additional 40 members of the choir participated in the service , making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the First Baptist spokesperson , said the choir rafters were limited to 50 % occupancy for the performance .
Video footage from the service shows that many members of the orchestra — who were closer to the congregation than the choir — remained unmasked during prayers , readings , and speeches , although their platform was lowered during Pence ’ s address .
Addressing his congregation on Sunday , Jeffress praised Trump as “ the most resilient , the most courageous , the most faith-friendly president in the history of America.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pro-Israel agenda and the number of conservative judges it has put in place .
The crowd applauded and got to their feet , and Jeffress added , “ President Trump , we love you .
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When the pandemic hit, the choir and orchestra first maintained its rehearsal schedule over Zoom. But, under Abbott, Texas was one of the earliest states to push reopening; by May 18, retail stores, movie theaters, and restaurants were back in business. On June 3, Abbott ordered that religious services could resume with no limits on occupancy as long as “good faith” efforts were made toward safety.
The megachurch resumed in-person rehearsals for the choir and orchestra on June 10, emails show. “We are back!” an email announced. Members were allowed to attend as long as they could confirm that neither they nor their family members had a fever of over 100 degrees, that they were not showing flulike symptoms, and that they had not had prolonged contact with someone who had tested positive for the coronavirus in the last two weeks.
Masks were encouraged on the church campus but only required in the backstage hallway, according to the email. Singers were positioned apart from each other — but, according to the church’s reopening plan, once the state had moved to phase three, church members did not have to stay the CDC-recommended 6 feet apart. The orchestra rehearsed in a separate part of the church. Temperature checks were also done before performances.
Still, those precautions may not have been sufficient. Only around 45% of confirmed coronavirus cases report fevers early in an infection, and many cases are spread by people without symptoms, making temperature checks a half measure at best to monitor for signs of the illness.
“While singing, we will not wear masks,” Blackstock wrote in an email to the church’s musicians the morning of the June 10 rehearsal.
That night, a percussionist started experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. His fever spiked for several days, and he felt fatigue along with a persistent loss of taste and smell, he wrote in a Facebook post on June 14.
Friends wished him well on his Facebook page and checked in on him. “We are all praying and rooting for you!” one wrote.
The same day as his Facebook post, members of the choir and orchestra performed together at two Sunday services.
Within a week, three more musicians would test positive.
On June 18, the music director informed the choir and orchestra that a soprano had tested positive for COVID-19, according to an email sent to the musicians. The following day the director reported that two other people had tested positive: another soprano in the choir, who had close contact with the singer, and a bassist in the orchestra.
“We are praying for a quick and easy recovery,” the music director wrote in the June 18 email. All three emails called on the congregation to keep the musicians in their prayers.
Public health officials have long cautioned that singing could be an efficient way for the coronavirus to spread. In March, a 61-person choir practice in Washington state led to an outbreak of 53 illnesses and two deaths. Still, after pressure from the White House, in late May the CDC removed guidance for churches to limit choir practices during the pandemic from its official recommendations, the Washington Post reported.
“In general, choirs are a higher-risk activity because of the droplets they spread; they have to be approached in a more cautious manner,” Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told BuzzFeed News.
The prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases that cause infections also makes the use of wind instruments in an orchestra concerning, said aerobiologist Josh Santarpia of the University of Nebraska Medical Center. “Most brass instruments have a spit valve for a reason,” he said. “There’s a lot of potential for aerosols to be generated and for transmission both by singing and instruments.”
The virus’s incubation period of 2 to 14 days also means that other musicians in the choir or orchestra who might have been exposed may still not have developed any symptoms by Sunday’s performance.
“Fortunately, we’re all using a common-sense approach,” said Bruce Dunai, who has played in the orchestra for 35 years. “People are being proactive and letting us know” about the cases, he added.
The trombone player, who has attended the in-person rehearsals and Sunday’s performance, said he trusted the precautions the church was taking with the choir and orchestra and that Jeffress, the church’s pastor, had also been encouraging the congregation to wear masks.