buzzfeed--2020-04-23--What Are Your Plans For Ramadan During The Coronavirus Outbreak?

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 .
In much of the US , and the world , the coronavirus outbreak has caused lockdowns and mandated social isolation .
Many places of worship are closed , and federal and local governments have recommended against visiting older , more vulnerable friends or relatives , as well as most travel , between states , cities , or even houses .
Over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak swept the US , three of the world ’ s major religions — Christianity , Judaism , and Islam — have had major holidays .
Around the world , people held Passover seders over video calls with their friends and family , substituting the symbolic seder plate foods they couldn ’ t get from their local grocery stores with similar food items or paper replicas .
Many Christians had Easter egg hunts in their apartments or front yards and attended services online , though others went to in-person church services against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments .
Thursday is the beginning of Ramadan , the month of daytime fasting leading up to the major Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr .
The holiday is about understanding the pain of those who can not access food or water , and under normal circumstances , Muslim adults who are not ill , pregnant , or have other significant mitigating circumstances go without food or water from sunrise to sunset every day for the full month .
They have large traditional evening meals , or iftars ( literally break-fast ) , with friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involves going from house to house for delicious meals and sweets , and gathering at the mosque for prayer and celebration .
This year , as people socially isolate and avoid gathering in groups outside their immediate family , and as grocery stores struggle with stock limitations and supply issues , Ramadan will be very different all over the world for everyone , but especially for essential workers .
Doctors , nurses , and transportation , grocery store , and delivery workers are working long hours during the pandemic , helping to save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have less control over their schedules than they ever had before and are more exposed to potential cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
Not eating or drinking all day can make you feel weak and have less energy , potentially lowering your immune defenses and making you more susceptible to illnesses and viruses .
Whether you are an essential worker or not , we want to know how you plan on celebrating Ramadan and Eid during this pandemic .
Do you plan on seeing people in person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year because of your job ?
Any and all answers are welcome , and we will keep you anonymous if you prefer .
If you ’ d like to tell us about your plans/how Ramadan has been going for you so far , fill out this form .
We look forward to hearing from you !

In much of the US, and the world, the coronavirus outbreak has caused lockdowns and mandated social isolation. Many places of worship are closed, and federal and local governments have recommended against visiting older, more vulnerable friends or relatives, as well as most travel, between states, cities, or even houses.
Over the past month, as worst of the outbreak swept the US, three of the world’s major religions — Christianity, Judaism, and Islam — have had major holidays. Around the world, people held Passover seders over video calls with their friends and family, substituting the symbolic seder plate foods they couldn’t get from their local grocery stores with similar food items or paper replicas. Many Christians had Easter egg hunts in their apartments or front yards and attended services online, though others went to in-person church services against the recommendations or even laws of their state governments.
Thursday is the beginning of Ramadan, the month of daytime fasting leading up to the major Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr. The holiday is about understanding the pain of those who cannot access food or water, and under normal circumstances, Muslim adults who are not ill, pregnant, or have other significant mitigating circumstances go without food or water from sunrise to sunset every day for the full month. They have large traditional evening meals, or iftars (literally break-fast), with friends and family each night. It often involves going from house to house for delicious meals and sweets, and gathering at the mosque for prayer and celebration.
This year, as people socially isolate and avoid gathering in groups outside their immediate family, and as grocery stores struggle with stock limitations and supply issues, Ramadan will be very different all over the world for everyone, but especially for essential workers. Doctors, nurses, and transportation, grocery store, and delivery workers are working long hours during the pandemic, helping to save lives and keep society functioning. Many have less control over their schedules than they ever had before and are more exposed to potential cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Not eating or drinking all day can make you feel weak and have less energy, potentially lowering your immune defenses and making you more susceptible to illnesses and viruses.
Whether you are an essential worker or not, we want to know how you plan on celebrating Ramadan and Eid during this pandemic. Do you plan on seeing people in person? Are you not going to fast this year because of your job? Any and all answers are welcome, and we will keep you anonymous if you prefer.
If you’d like to tell us about your plans/how Ramadan has been going for you so far, fill out this form. We look forward to hearing from you!


buzzfeed--2020-04-23--Alyssa Milano Is Still Standing By Joe Biden Despite Criticism She Received From Other Activists

Actor and # MeToo activist Alyssa Milano is standing by her endorsement of Joe Biden despite a recent sexual assault allegation against the former vice president and the criticism she received from former costars and other activists over her announcement .
In an interview with BuzzFeed News , Milano further expounded on why she is standing by Biden , saying that she believes she and others have thoroughly vetted the former vice president over the years .
`` I still feel confident in endorsing Joe Biden , '' Milano told BuzzFeed News ' Twitter show AM to DM .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do as well from Bernie Sanders to Elizabeth Warren to Barack Obama . ''
Milano reiterated her belief that men accused of sexual assault should be given due process .
`` I do n't go into these decisions ever lightly or without great thought and also research , '' said Milano .
`` I think when we get into this place of believing women , regardless of giving men due process , it actually does more harm to the movement than good . ''
In March , Tara Reade , a former Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Biden had sexually assaulted her in 1993 – an allegation that his campaign says is false .
Milano , who attended the Senate hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh to `` stand in solidarity '' with one of his accusers , had initially been criticized for her silence on the Biden allegation .
But she said she had been taking time to try to investigate the validity of Reade 's allegation .
She has said that she was reassured by the fact that the Time ’ s Up Legal Defense Fund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a response to # MeToo movement to help support victims , would not fund a lawyer or PR representative for Reade .
( The group did provide Reade with a list of attorneys for her to contact . )

Actor and #MeToo activist Alyssa Milano is standing by her endorsement of Joe Biden despite a recent sexual assault allegation against the former vice president and the criticism she received from former costars and other activists over her announcement.
In an interview with BuzzFeed News, Milano further expounded on why she is standing by Biden, saying that she believes she and others have thoroughly vetted the former vice president over the years.
"I still feel confident in endorsing Joe Biden," Milano told BuzzFeed News' Twitter show AM to DM. "And obviously a lot of other people do as well from Bernie Sanders to Elizabeth Warren to Barack Obama."
Milano reiterated her belief that men accused of sexual assault should be given due process.
"I don't go into these decisions ever lightly or without great thought and also research," said Milano. "I think when we get into this place of believing women, regardless of giving men due process, it actually does more harm to the movement than good."
In March, Tara Reade, a former Biden staffer, said in a podcast interview that Biden had sexually assaulted her in 1993 – an allegation that his campaign says is false.
Milano, who attended the Senate hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh to "stand in solidarity" with one of his accusers, had initially been criticized for her silence on the Biden allegation.
But she said she had been taking time to try to investigate the validity of Reade's allegation.
She has said that she was reassured by the fact that the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, an organization that was established as a response to #MeToo movement to help support victims, would not fund a lawyer or PR representative for Reade. (The group did provide Reade with a list of attorneys for her to contact.)


buzzfeed--2020-04-23--New York City's Coronavirus Essential Workers Are Overwhelmingly People Of Color

“ We ’ re telling you that no one should be out here because it ’ s dangerous , but we ’ re sending you out there and we ’ re not giving out any masks.
” For one essential worker , there ’ s a specific time when coronavirus-related anxiety is at its highest : the moment she pulls into a crowded bus stop .
Forcing people to enter the rear doors helps a little to ease the tension for the Brooklyn bus operator who is still working during the pandemic .
But now that the Metropolitan Transit Authority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closest to the driver , the bus seems even more packed .
“ I ’ m more concerned about my son than myself , of course , because he has an underlying health issue as well , ” she told BuzzFeed News to explain why they decided to buy their own masks and cleaning products a month before the MTA began distributing them to workers .
The New York Times reported some MTA employees were reprimanded for using precautionary measures themselves .
“ It was every man for himself , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to distribute masks , it only provided one per employee .
“ I ’ m very nervous .
I think I got more serious about the situation with the passing of coworkers.
” As of Monday , 71 MTA employees have died of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
The first MTA death occurred on March 26 , a day before transit union officials negotiated a deal with the MTA to provide masks to workers , according to Jim Gannon , a spokesperson for transit union workers .
Bus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers — account for at least 20 of those deaths .
An MTA spokesperson said the agency had given out 1 million masks and 3 million pairs of gloves , “ including masks to all employees days before the CDC changed course and recommended it .
We are doing everything possible to protect our customers and employees , frontline heroes moving the doctors , nurses , first responders , pharmacy and grocery workers , transit colleagues and other essential workers who are saving lives every day . ''
The bus driver , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losing her job , is one of hundreds of thousands of Brooklynites still working essential jobs , even as the borough is hit hard by the coronavirus .
Twenty-eight percent of New York City ’ s essential workers live in Brooklyn — the most in any borough — and the vast majority of them are people of color .
In Brooklyn , the number of deaths outpaced those in Queens on Sunday .
Brooklyn has more than 2,606 confirmed COVID-19 deaths and 865 “ probable ” COVID-19 deaths , according to NYC data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not a secret and it ’ s very clear .
… We divided the city at the beginning of the coronavirus into essential employees and nonessential employees and that term was used all over the city , ” Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams told BuzzFeed News during a phone interview last week .
“ I heard it .
I said , ‘ This is coded language.
’ ” Black , Hispanic , and Asian people make up more than 70 % of the city ’ s essential workers , including transit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and postal employees .
More than 40 % of transit workers are black and 60 % of frontline cleaning workers are Hispanic , according to a report released in March by New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer ’ s office .
In addition to racial data on frontline workers , Stringer , who is running for New York City mayor , offered solutions to protect those people , including free protective gear , hazard pay , and guaranteed health care .
“ Black and brown people went to service this city and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among their citizens , ” Adams told BuzzFeed News .
“ Just look at the numbers.
” Adams said he personally has lost five close friends in the span of a week .
“ The impact is very real , and you become almost even afraid to pick up your phone , ” Adams told BuzzFeed News , saying he was haunted by the words “ Did you hear… ” The same racial divide is consistent in Milwaukee , Chicago , New Orleans , and other major cities and experts say the disparity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases throughout black and Latino communities .
“ Essential workers are absolutely more vulnerable , ” Mary Osirim , provost and professor of sociology at Bryn Mawr College , told BuzzFeed News .
“ While there are certain professionals that are of every ethnicity and race in the country , it is also the case that many on the front lines are low-wage … low-status workers and they ’ re often very disproportionately African American and Latinx.
” And many lack access to basic protective gear as they continue to go to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for New York City mayor , began addressing that problem on March 25 , when he held a press conference in front of a Brooklyn MTA bus depot and demanded , “ Give us the goddamn masks.
” “ Yes , we ’ re telling you that people should be 6 feet apart from each other .
Yes , we ’ re telling you that everyone should shelter in place , ” he told BuzzFeed News during a phone interview .
“ Yes , we ’ re telling you that no one should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous , but we ’ re sending you out there and we ’ re not giving out any masks , coverings , gloves , or anything else while you service the city and service the country.
” Employees at the US Postal Service have similar concerns , especially mail carriers who interact with close to 1,000 New Yorkers every day at work .
African Americans make up 21 % of postal employees and 13 % of the US population .
One USPS worker in Brooklyn told BuzzFeed News they now have a ritual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I immediately remove my shoes , my postal pants…I take off my jacket , my sweater and coat and I leave everything in my room in a corner .
When I had Lysol I would spray everything down.
” The USPS worker is practicing social distancing inside their home as well , so as not to infect vulnerable loved ones — hugs and kisses are replaced with a distant “ hi.
” The same USPS employee told BuzzFeed News that protective supplies , including gloves , began to dwindle as early as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of communication from management amid a public health crisis , they said .
“ We started hearing [ from coworkers ] ‘ at this particular post office , this person is infected , ’ but [ management ] wasn ’ t saying anything .
I noticed a clerk went out sick , ” they said , adding that two more followed within the same week .
There ’ s signage posted about proper hygiene , but no one from management had personally spoken to staff at this particular Brooklyn branch as of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finding out things on our own , like ‘ Why is this person not here ?
Why do we have this skeleton crew ?
’ ” At a separate Brooklyn USPS location , employees said management gathers employees for updates on COVID-19 but not on a daily basis .
“ They ’ ll call everyone around the desk and basically read off what they have.
” Approximately 1,000 of the 630,000 employees have tested positive for COVID-19 “ with some deaths , ” USPS spokesperson David Partenheimer told BuzzFeed News in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response with the 2001 anthrax scare , when letters carrying spores that caused the infectious disease were mailed to news outlets and elected officials , resulting in five deaths and 17 injuries .
“ [ In 2001 ] , they were on top of it .
We got all of this information .
We got flu shots , ” one employee said .
“ But this time , no one is saying anything to us.
” Adams also pointed out that while the CDC specified susceptible communities , there is no government plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are at greater risk of illnesses that can lead to more severe cases of COVID-19 , including diabetes and heart disease .
Adams himself reversed his diabetes diagnosis by exercising and changing his eating habits in 2018 .
“ There was not one plan that was rolled out that said ‘ let ’ s go after the people who we know if they get it , they may die from it , ’ ” Adams said .
“ Our plan was an intervention , not prevention .
If you look at over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respiratory issues , that ’ s [ the New York City Housing Authority ] .
That ’ s why I was at NYCHA handing out masks and information to NYCHA residents.
” Experts have said there ’ s an information gap for some black and non-English-speaking New Yorkers on the front lines because of inconsistent work hours and differences in the way people consume news .
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a $ 10 million campaign aimed to inform communities hardest hit by the disease that will include robocalls and flyers directly to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 languages and follows an $ 8 million effort launched early March which ran ads in English , Spanish , Mandarin , and Cantonese .
Experts also suggested targeting social media as a part of city-sponsored ad campaigns to counter the misinformation circulating among younger audiences and New Yorkers who speak languages other than English .
“ Everybody don ’ t wake up in the morning and run and get the New York Times and listen to Trump , Cuomo , and the mayor ’ s briefings , ” Adams told BuzzFeed News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ echo chambers .
You know who we ’ re talking to ?
We ’ re talking to the 30 % who can telecommute .
”

For one essential worker, there’s a specific time when coronavirus-related anxiety is at its highest: the moment she pulls into a crowded bus stop.
Forcing people to enter the rear doors helps a little to ease the tension for the Brooklyn bus operator who is still working during the pandemic. But now that the Metropolitan Transit Authority has restricted passengers from sitting in seats closest to the driver, the bus seems even more packed.
“I’m more concerned about my son than myself, of course, because he has an underlying health issue as well,” she told BuzzFeed News to explain why they decided to buy their own masks and cleaning products a month before the MTA began distributing them to workers. The New York Times reported some MTA employees were reprimanded for using precautionary measures themselves.
“It was every man for himself,” she said and added that once the MTA began to distribute masks, it only provided one per employee. “I’m very nervous. I think I got more serious about the situation with the passing of coworkers.”
As of Monday, 71 MTA employees have died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The first MTA death occurred on March 26, a day before transit union officials negotiated a deal with the MTA to provide masks to workers, according to Jim Gannon, a spokesperson for transit union workers. Bus operators — whom the city considers essential workers — account for at least 20 of those deaths.
An MTA spokesperson said the agency had given out 1 million masks and 3 million pairs of gloves, “including masks to all employees days before the CDC changed course and recommended it. We are doing everything possible to protect our customers and employees, frontline heroes moving the doctors, nurses, first responders, pharmacy and grocery workers, transit colleagues and other essential workers who are saving lives every day."
The bus driver, who declined to be named for fear of losing her job, is one of hundreds of thousands of Brooklynites still working essential jobs, even as the borough is hit hard by the coronavirus. Twenty-eight percent of New York City’s essential workers live in Brooklyn — the most in any borough — and the vast majority of them are people of color. In Brooklyn, the number of deaths outpaced those in Queens on Sunday. Brooklyn has more than 2,606 confirmed COVID-19 deaths and 865 “probable” COVID-19 deaths, according to NYC data released April 19.
“It’s not a secret and it’s very clear. … We divided the city at the beginning of the coronavirus into essential employees and nonessential employees and that term was used all over the city,” Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams told BuzzFeed News during a phone interview last week. “I heard it. I said, ‘This is coded language.’”
Black, Hispanic, and Asian people make up more than 70% of the city’s essential workers, including transit, childcare, health care, cleaning service, and postal employees. More than 40% of transit workers are black and 60% of frontline cleaning workers are Hispanic, according to a report released in March by New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer’s office. In addition to racial data on frontline workers, Stringer, who is running for New York City mayor, offered solutions to protect those people, including free protective gear, hazard pay, and guaranteed health care.


buzzfeed--2020-04-24--Native American Tribes Say They’re At Risk Of Losing Out On Potentially Millions Of Coronavirus Stim

Native American Tribes Say They’re At Risk Of Losing Out On Potentially Millions Of Coronavirus Stimulus Dollars

BuzzFeed News has reporters across five continents bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
WASHINGTON — Dozens of Native American tribal governments have raced to court in the past week to try to stop the Treasury Department from allowing for-profit Native corporations to access a special pool of $ 8 billion in federal coronavirus relief money .
The tribes argue that if Alaska Native corporations , or ANCs , are eligible for the funds , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dollars in aid .
In court papers , the tribal governments said they needed the money to provide immediate relief to communities hit by the pandemic , including buying personal protective equipment , expanding testing for COVID-19 ( the disease caused by the novel coronavirus ) , and delivering meals to the elderly and children .
Congress intended the money for “ desperate tribal governments , ” Nicole Ducheneaux , a lawyer for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe , told a judge on Friday afternoon .
“ COVID-19 is causing devastating harm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a group of tribal governments wrote in one of three lawsuits filed in the past week .
“ By way of just a few examples , as of April 15 , 2020 , the Navajo Nation alone has reported 921 cases and 38 deaths related to COVID-19 .
The Pueblo of Zuni has reported 33 cases .
And the Cherokee Nation has reported 28 cases with one fatality as of April 9 .
Native Americans suffer from disproportionately high rates of diabetes , cancer , heart disease , asthma , which subject them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19.
” As part of the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Act ( CARES Act ) that became law in late March , Congress designated $ 8 billion in funding for “ Tribal governments.
” What exactly qualifies as a “ tribal government ” is at the heart of the legal fight that ’ s quickly bubbled up in a federal district court in Washington , DC .
ANCs were established by a 1971 law governing how Alaska Natives manage and benefit from their land .
In court papers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a position to help tribe members during the pandemic and that their for-profit status shouldn ’ t get in the way of accessing stimulus funds .
The ANCs and the Treasury Department argue Congress used language in the stimulus package that allowed these corporations , which serve as holding companies for a variety of business interests , to apply for the money .
US District Judge Amit Mehta heard arguments on Friday via video and telephone .
The tribal governments that sued want the judge to issue an immediate order to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Department lawyer Jason Lynch told Mehta that the Treasury Department would hold off distributing the money until at least April 28 .
Mehta said he ’ d rule by April 27 .
There are 574 federally recognized tribal governments that have a government-to-government relationship with the United States , and 237 ANCs throughout Alaska , according to court filings .
The ANCs have shareholders — primarily members of Native American tribes — and boards of directors , and they serve as holding companies for businesses that range from construction and pipeline maintenance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tribal governments argue that allowing the ANCs to apply for coronavirus relief money could reduce the amount available to all the tribes .
They offered two hypothetical scenarios in court papers : If the money were divided equally among 811 entities instead of 574 , it would mean the tribal governments would get approximately $ 10 million instead of $ 14 million .
And if the money were divided up proportionally based on a combination of factors that included land , they said , the ANCs would disproportionately benefit given the millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The tribal government said in court papers that the money they ’ d normally get from businesses that operate on tribal lands and fund health care , law enforcement , and other services for tribal members had “ evaporated overnight ” due to the pandemic .
The Treasury Department contends that the language of the CARES Act didn ’ t exclude ANCs from being eligible for the money , and that the court should not second-guess the executive branch ’ s “ time-pressed determination ” about how to distribute the funds .
Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” in the CARES Act from another law , the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act , which covers ANCs , and the Treasury Department is arguing that a board of directors is a type of governing body .
During arguments on Friday , Mehta asked Riyaz Kanji , a lawyer for one set of tribal governments , if they ’ d be satisfied if the Treasury Department said it would only give money to ANCs that were delivering the kind of health care and other public services that tribal governments were delivering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be for the money to go to the tribal governments , who could then decide how best to spend it .
Mehta also questioned why Congress used a definition of “ Indian tribe ” that included ANCs if it meant to exclude the corporations from the stimulus money .
Kanji said it was Congress ’ s “ habit ” and “ pattern ” to use that definition when legislating issues related to Native American affairs .
According to Lynch , the Treasury Department is still deciding how to divide the money .
Mehta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s algorithm or methodology .
Lynch said he didn ’ t , and that even if he did he wouldn ’ t be able to share it because it was part of the nonpublic “ predecisional ” process .
A lawyer for one of the ANCs that filed a `` friend of the court '' ( or amicus ) brief asked Mehta for time to argue at the end of the hearing , saying there had been “ misinformation ” about ANCs she wanted to address .
Mehta denied the request , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to any of the groups that filed briefs but weren ’ t part of the lawsuit .

WASHINGTON — Dozens of Native American tribal governments have raced to court in the past week to try to stop the Treasury Department from allowing for-profit Native corporations to access a special pool of $8 billion in federal coronavirus relief money.
The tribes argue that if Alaska Native corporations, or ANCs, are eligible for the funds, it could cost federally recognized tribal governments millions of dollars in aid. In court papers, the tribal governments said they needed the money to provide immediate relief to communities hit by the pandemic, including buying personal protective equipment, expanding testing for COVID-19 (the disease caused by the novel coronavirus), and delivering meals to the elderly and children.
Congress intended the money for “desperate tribal governments,” Nicole Ducheneaux, a lawyer for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, told a judge on Friday afternoon.
“COVID-19 is causing devastating harm in Indian country,” lawyers for a group of tribal governments wrote in one of three lawsuits filed in the past week. “By way of just a few examples, as of April 15, 2020, the Navajo Nation alone has reported 921 cases and 38 deaths related to COVID-19. The Pueblo of Zuni has reported 33 cases. And the Cherokee Nation has reported 28 cases with one fatality as of April 9. Native Americans suffer from disproportionately high rates of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, asthma, which subject them to greater risk of fatal complications from COVID-19.”
As part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) that became law in late March, Congress designated $8 billion in funding for “Tribal governments.” What exactly qualifies as a “tribal government” is at the heart of the legal fight that’s quickly bubbled up in a federal district court in Washington, DC.
ANCs were established by a 1971 law governing how Alaska Natives manage and benefit from their land. In court papers, one ANC argued that these corporations are in a position to help tribe members during the pandemic and that their for-profit status shouldn’t get in the way of accessing stimulus funds. The ANCs and the Treasury Department argue Congress used language in the stimulus package that allowed these corporations, which serve as holding companies for a variety of business interests, to apply for the money.
US District Judge Amit Mehta heard arguments on Friday via video and telephone. The tribal governments that sued want the judge to issue an immediate order to stop money from going to the corporations. Justice Department lawyer Jason Lynch told Mehta that the Treasury Department would hold off distributing the money until at least April 28. Mehta said he’d rule by April 27.
There are 574 federally recognized tribal governments that have a government-to-government relationship with the United States, and 237 ANCs throughout Alaska, according to court filings. The ANCs have shareholders — primarily members of Native American tribes — and boards of directors, and they serve as holding companies for businesses that range from construction and pipeline maintenance to janitorial and food services.
The tribal governments argue that allowing the ANCs to apply for coronavirus relief money could reduce the amount available to all the tribes. They offered two hypothetical scenarios in court papers: If the money were divided equally among 811 entities instead of 574, it would mean the tribal governments would get approximately $10 million instead of $14 million. And if the money were divided up proportionally based on a combination of factors that included land, they said, the ANCs would disproportionately benefit given the millions of acres that they cover across Alaska.
The tribal government said in court papers that the money they’d normally get from businesses that operate on tribal lands and fund health care, law enforcement, and other services for tribal members had “evaporated overnight” due to the pandemic.
The Treasury Department contends that the language of the CARES Act didn’t exclude ANCs from being eligible for the money, and that the court should not second-guess the executive branch’s “time-pressed determination” about how to distribute the funds. Congress used a definition of “Indian tribe” in the CARES Act from another law, the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, which covers ANCs, and the Treasury Department is arguing that a board of directors is a type of governing body.
During arguments on Friday, Mehta asked Riyaz Kanji, a lawyer for one set of tribal governments, if they’d be satisfied if the Treasury Department said it would only give money to ANCs that were delivering the kind of health care and other public services that tribal governments were delivering. Kanji said the best option would be for the money to go to the tribal governments, who could then decide how best to spend it.
Mehta also questioned why Congress used a definition of “Indian tribe” that included ANCs if it meant to exclude the corporations from the stimulus money. Kanji said it was Congress’s “habit” and “pattern” to use that definition when legislating issues related to Native American affairs.
According to Lynch, the Treasury Department is still deciding how to divide the money. Mehta asked if he knew the agency’s algorithm or methodology. Lynch said he didn’t, and that even if he did he wouldn’t be able to share it because it was part of the nonpublic “predecisional” process.
A lawyer for one of the ANCs that filed a "friend of the court" (or amicus) brief asked Mehta for time to argue at the end of the hearing, saying there had been “misinformation” about ANCs she wanted to address. Mehta denied the request, saying he wasn’t giving argument time to any of the groups that filed briefs but weren’t part of the lawsuit.


buzzfeed--2020-04-24--The FDA Is Warning That Drugs Promoted By Trump To Treat COVID-19 Pose Serious Heart Risks

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 .
The US Food and Drug Administration on Friday warned against the widespread use of two antimalarial drugs — hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine — to prevent or treat COVID-19 , noting they could cause serious side effects including heart problems and even death .
President Donald Trump has repeatedly touted the drugs as a possible treatment for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose ?
Take it , ” Trump said at coronavirus task force press briefing on April 5 .
The FDA 's warning comes as a growing number of studies and experts have raised concerns about the effectiveness of the drugs in safely and effectively treating COVID-19 , for which there is currently no known cure .
A small clinical trial in Brazil was halted after some coronavirus patients being treated with chloroquine experienced irregular heart rates and more than a dozen died , according to a study published Friday .
`` The preliminary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher [ chloroquine ] dosage should not be recommended for critically ill patients with COVID-19 because of its potential safety hazards , especially when taken concurrently with azithromycin and oseltamivir , '' the researchers wrote .
In March , the FDA approved the use of the drugs as a possible COVID-19 treatment in hospitals in certain situations .
Several clinical trials are also underway to test the effectiveness of these drugs against the coronavirus .
Outside of these settings , the FDA said on Friday , the use of the medicines is inappropriate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerned that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are being used inappropriately to treat non-hospitalized patients for coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) or to prevent that disease , '' according to the drug warning .
`` These medicines have a number of side effects , including serious heart rhythm problems that can be life-threatening . ''
After reviewing cases in the FDA 's own adverse events database , published medical studies , and reports in the American Association of Poison Control Centers National Poison Data System , federal officials concluded the drugs may cause `` abnormal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart rate , '' and pose risks when combined with other medicine used to treat COVID-19 , such as the antibiotic azithromycin .
Talk of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine as miracle drugs in response to the coronavirus pandemic has caused a run on pharmacies , triggering shortages for people who rely on the drugs to treat other serious medical conditions , such as lupus .
After pushing for more rigorous study of hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus treatment , Rick Bright said he was recently removed from his role as director of the Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Research and Development Authority , according to the New York Times .
`` We are continuing to investigate these safety risks in patients with COVID-19 and will communicate publicly when more information is available , '' the FDA wrote .

The US Food and Drug Administration on Friday warned against the widespread use of two antimalarial drugs — hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine — to prevent or treat COVID-19, noting they could cause serious side effects including heart problems and even death.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly touted the drugs as a possible treatment for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. "What do you have to lose? Take it,” Trump said at coronavirus task force press briefing on April 5.
The FDA's warning comes as a growing number of studies and experts have raised concerns about the effectiveness of the drugs in safely and effectively treating COVID-19, for which there is currently no known cure.
A small clinical trial in Brazil was halted after some coronavirus patients being treated with chloroquine experienced irregular heart rates and more than a dozen died, according to a study published Friday. "The preliminary findings of this study suggest that the higher [chloroquine] dosage should not be recommended for critically ill patients with COVID-19 because of its potential safety hazards, especially when taken concurrently with azithromycin and oseltamivir," the researchers wrote.
In March, the FDA approved the use of the drugs as a possible COVID-19 treatment in hospitals in certain situations. Several clinical trials are also underway to test the effectiveness of these drugs against the coronavirus. Outside of these settings, the FDA said on Friday, the use of the medicines is inappropriate and very risky.
"FDA is concerned that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are being used inappropriately to treat non-hospitalized patients for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) or to prevent that disease," according to the drug warning. "These medicines have a number of side effects, including serious heart rhythm problems that can be life-threatening."
After reviewing cases in the FDA's own adverse events database, published medical studies, and reports in the American Association of Poison Control Centers National Poison Data System, federal officials concluded the drugs may cause "abnormal heart rhythms," "dangerously rapid heart rate," and pose risks when combined with other medicine used to treat COVID-19, such as the antibiotic azithromycin.
Talk of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine as miracle drugs in response to the coronavirus pandemic has caused a run on pharmacies, triggering shortages for people who rely on the drugs to treat other serious medical conditions, such as lupus.
After pushing for more rigorous study of hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus treatment, Rick Bright said he was recently removed from his role as director of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, according to the New York Times.
"We are continuing to investigate these safety risks in patients with COVID-19 and will communicate publicly when more information is available," the FDA wrote.


buzzfeed--2020-04-24--A Conservative Journalist Admitted To Taking $100,000 From A Financier Connected To A Controversial

A Conservative Journalist Admitted To Taking $100,000 From A Financier Connected To A Controversial Chinese Billionaire

A conservative journalist admitted to taking a $ 100,000 payment from a businessperson connected to a controversial Chinese billionaire , according to newly unsealed court filings .
The journalist , Bill Gertz , was fired from the Washington Free Beacon last year for what the publication called an “ undisclosed financial transaction ” with someone he covered .
The disclosure sheds light on the journalist ’ s mysterious firing last fall and offers a window into that billionaire ’ s connections to influential China hawks .
In a deposition from Oct. 15 , Gertz told lawyers for a company involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to billionaire Guo Wengui , aka Miles Kwok , that he had approached Guo for an advance for Deceiving the Sky , his latest book on China that was published last year .
Gertz described it as a “ loan ” that would be paid back using his book royalties .
Gertz testified that Guo turned him down ; Gertz then approached Hong Kong financier William Je , whom he described as an “ associate ” of Guo ’ s .
Je supplied the journalist with the loan of $ 100,000 .
Gertz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not remember whether Guo encouraged him to approach Je .
Gertz testified that he had asked Je about the source of the money and was told that it was from a “ sovereign wealth fund in the Middle East.
” When the outlet fired Gertz last year , the Free Beacon attached a disclaimer to many of the stories he had written about Guo .
The disclaimer said the company had “ recently learned that senior editor Bill Gertz entered into a previously undisclosed financial transaction with an individual or an affiliate of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some of his reporting.
” The Free Beacon declined to comment for this story .
Gertz did not respond to requests for comment .
Through a lawyer , Guo declined to comment .
Guo , a controversial figure in US–China politics , is a vocal dissident and a critic of the Chinese government with a complex backstory .
Self-exiled from China after facing allegations of fraud and bribery he has denied , he has been living in a multimillion-dollar apartment in New York City and seeking asylum from the US government as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documents outlining Gertz ’ s testimony became public this month in court filings by lawyers for Strategic Vision , a conservative firm that was employed by Eastern Profit , a company tied to Guo , to conduct research on certain Chinese nationals .
Strategic Vision was later sued by Eastern Profit for breach of contract in a complicated lawsuit in which the researchers responded with allegations that the company gave the firm malware and asked Strategic Vision to look into people whose records had a “ protected ” status , indicating they could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government .
In court filings , Strategic Vision accused Guo of not being a true dissident , but instead an agent for the Chinese government , which he has denied .
Je is the CEO of ACA Capital , a Hong Kong–based investment fund that Gertz identified as “ Guo ’ s company ” in a 2017 story for the Free Beacon .
In the documents connected to the case , Strategic Vision ’ s lawyer asserted that ACA Capital was used to pay both Gertz and Strategic Vision .
In another deposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — the former head of Voice of America ’ s Mandarin service who was fired from VOA following an aborted hours-long interview she conducted with Guo — testified that the billionaire had told her Je was the “ money guy.
” Guo has proved a litigious presence in the US , bringing lawsuits against several media outlets that have covered him , as well as Strategic Vision .
He has allied himself with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon ; a leaked 2018 contract showed that Bannon was set to receive $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s company Guo Media , and the two announced a nonprofit in 2018 , the Rule of Law Fund , aimed at countering China .
A related group also founded by Guo and Bannon , the Rule of Law Society , also listed Gertz among its board of directors .
Gertz has written frequently and critically over the years about the Chinese government , and he has written frequently about Guo .
In his deposition , he said he would travel to New York regularly to meet with Guo , and that their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a professional , as a source , as well as some friendship.
” Gertz said he had once been on his yacht .
After leaving the Free Beacon last year , Gertz rejoined the Washington Times full time , where he had previously worked for decades .
In his deposition , he said he had discussed the payment with the Washington Times .
Washington Times editor Christopher Dolan did not respond to a request for comment .
Gertz also testified that his book ’ s publisher , Encounter Books , was not aware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Encounter Books did not respond to a request for comment .

A conservative journalist admitted to taking a $100,000 payment from a businessperson connected to a controversial Chinese billionaire, according to newly unsealed court filings.
The journalist, Bill Gertz, was fired from the Washington Free Beacon last year for what the publication called an “undisclosed financial transaction” with someone he covered.
The disclosure sheds light on the journalist’s mysterious firing last fall and offers a window into that billionaire’s connections to influential China hawks.
In a deposition from Oct. 15, Gertz told lawyers for a company involved in a lawsuit with another company connected to billionaire Guo Wengui, aka Miles Kwok, that he had approached Guo for an advance for Deceiving the Sky, his latest book on China that was published last year. Gertz described it as a “loan” that would be paid back using his book royalties.
Gertz testified that Guo turned him down; Gertz then approached Hong Kong financier William Je, whom he described as an “associate” of Guo’s. Je supplied the journalist with the loan of $100,000. Gertz said in his deposition that he did not remember whether Guo encouraged him to approach Je.
Gertz testified that he had asked Je about the source of the money and was told that it was from a “sovereign wealth fund in the Middle East.”
When the outlet fired Gertz last year, the Free Beacon attached a disclaimer to many of the stories he had written about Guo. The disclaimer said the company had “recently learned that senior editor Bill Gertz entered into a previously undisclosed financial transaction with an individual or an affiliate of that individual whom Mr. Gertz had covered in some of his reporting.”
The Free Beacon declined to comment for this story.
Gertz did not respond to requests for comment. Through a lawyer, Guo declined to comment.
Guo, a controversial figure in US–China politics, is a vocal dissident and a critic of the Chinese government with a complex backstory. Self-exiled from China after facing allegations of fraud and bribery he has denied, he has been living in a multimillion-dollar apartment in New York City and seeking asylum from the US government as China has sought his extradition.
The documents outlining Gertz’s testimony became public this month in court filings by lawyers for Strategic Vision, a conservative firm that was employed by Eastern Profit, a company tied to Guo, to conduct research on certain Chinese nationals.
Strategic Vision was later sued by Eastern Profit for breach of contract in a complicated lawsuit in which the researchers responded with allegations that the company gave the firm malware and asked Strategic Vision to look into people whose records had a “protected” status, indicating they could have had some involvement with the US government. In court filings, Strategic Vision accused Guo of not being a true dissident, but instead an agent for the Chinese government, which he has denied.
Je is the CEO of ACA Capital, a Hong Kong–based investment fund that Gertz identified as “Guo’s company” in a 2017 story for the Free Beacon. In the documents connected to the case, Strategic Vision’s lawyer asserted that ACA Capital was used to pay both Gertz and Strategic Vision.
In another deposition attached to the case, Sasha Gong — the former head of Voice of America’s Mandarin service who was fired from VOA following an aborted hours-long interview she conducted with Guo — testified that the billionaire had told her Je was the “money guy.”
Je didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Guo has proved a litigious presence in the US, bringing lawsuits against several media outlets that have covered him, as well as Strategic Vision. He has allied himself with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon; a leaked 2018 contract showed that Bannon was set to receive $1 million that year from Guo’s company Guo Media, and the two announced a nonprofit in 2018, the Rule of Law Fund, aimed at countering China. A related group also founded by Guo and Bannon, the Rule of Law Society, also listed Gertz among its board of directors.
Gertz has written frequently and critically over the years about the Chinese government, and he has written frequently about Guo. In his deposition, he said he would travel to New York regularly to meet with Guo, and that their relationship was “a combination of both a professional, as a source, as well as some friendship.” Gertz said he had once been on his yacht.
After leaving the Free Beacon last year, Gertz rejoined the Washington Times full time, where he had previously worked for decades. In his deposition, he said he had discussed the payment with the Washington Times.
Washington Times editor Christopher Dolan did not respond to a request for comment. Gertz also testified that his book’s publisher, Encounter Books, was not aware of the transaction; a spokesperson for Encounter Books did not respond to a request for comment.


buzzfeed--2020-04-24--Alyssa Milano Is Still Standing By Joe Biden Despite Criticism She Received From Other Activists


buzzfeed--2020-04-24--When Will Your State Reopen? Here’s The Data Being Used To Decide.

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 .
The easiest of the White House criteria to assess is the two-week decline in the number of new reported cases of COVID-19 per day .
To help you judge how close your state is to meeting that goal , BuzzFeed News has plotted the trajectory of new cases for each US state and territory .
“ You need an infrastructure of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact tracing , ” Ezekiel Emanuel , vice provost of global initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania and a former health policy adviser to the Obama administration , told BuzzFeed News .
“ Those are absolutely essential for going forward.
” But the criteria don ’ t explicitly include a provision for widespread population testing and tracing of the contacts of people who test positive — which many experts say is crucial .
The White House ’ s criteria for states to start reopening their economies have three components : They should have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 days ; reports of symptoms that might represent undiagnosed COVID-19 should have been in decline for the same period ; and hospitals should have enough capacity to handle cases without operating in crisis mode and have a “ robust testing program ” for health care workers .
But in a departure from his administration ’ s own reopening plan , the next day Trump tweeted “ LIBERATE MINNESOTA !
” followed by similar tweets about Michigan and Virginia — calling out states with Democratic governors under lockdowns and apparently giving his approval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets to protest stay-at-home orders .
“ We must have a working economy , and we want to get it back very , very quickly , and that ’ s what ’ s going to happen , ” Trump said on April 16 .
That day , the White House released guidelines for “ Opening Up America Again , ” intended to help state and local officials judge when it ’ s safe to start relaxing social distancing rules .
Measures taken by many states including stay-at-home orders and business closures are credited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and saving lives , but that has come with a high economic cost .
With the US economy taking a battering from COVID-19 lockdowns , President Donald Trump wants states to get back to business as soon as possible .
While some states may decide on relaxing their COVID-19 restrictions individually , others — including Michigan and Minnesota — have joined regional alliances to coordinate their plans .
Few states currently have a clearly declining trajectory of new cases .
Of those targeted by Trump ’ s “ liberate ” tweets , only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing a peak in the number of new cases around April 7 .
New cases in Minnesota and Virginia still seem to be on the rise .
We have highlighted the worst-affected state , New York , the most populous , California , and the three states targeted in Trump ’ s tweets , plus two states that were badly affected but are now on a declining trajectory of new cases : Washington and Louisiana .
Other states and territories are shown in gray .
You can search for any state , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ box at the top of the chart — start typing its name or use the dropdown menu , and the state ’ s trajectory of new cases will appear in black .
Because delays in reporting cases can cause spikes and dips in the data , this chart plots the daily average number of new cases recorded over the preceding seven days to show a smoother trajectory .
The vertical axis has a logarithmic scale , which makes the difference between 10 and 100 take up the same height on the chart as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That makes it easier to see the trajectories for the states with fewer cases , which would otherwise be clustered together at the bottom of the chart .
This chart shows the trajectory of new cases for these regional groupings .
The Western group comprises California , Oregon , and Washington ; the Midwest group includes Illinois , Indiana , Kentucky , Michigan , Minnesota , Ohio , and Wisconsin ; and the Northeast group is Connecticut , Delaware , Massachusetts , New Jersey , New York , Pennsylvania , and Rhode Island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showing a slight decline in new cases is the Western grouping .
On April 14 , California Gov .
Gavin Newsom warned state residents against expecting a rapid return to normal , even after restrictions start to be lifted .
“ You may be having dinner with a waiter wearing gloves , maybe a face mask , dinner where the menu is disposable , where ... half the tables in that restaurant no longer appear , where your temperature is checked before you walk into the establishment , ” he said .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of new cases is the best measure for deciding whether to reopen , however .
Emanuel said that a declining trajectory of new cases may not be enough to safely relax restrictions , if the number of cases is still high .
Computational epidemiologist Maia Majumder of Harvard University warned that daily counts of new cases may be an unreliable indicator of whether the epidemic is subsiding , given differences in the extent of testing from state-to-state and over time .
Across the nation , the number of tests being conducted each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declining , according to data collected by the COVID Tracking Project .
This means that a decline in the number of new cases in some states could reflect a falloff in testing , rather than a real decline in transmission of the coronavirus .
“ New deaths per day might be the better metric to watch , given that deaths from COVID-19 are less likely to be misclassified , ” Majumder told BuzzFeed News by email .
( There are also concerns that deaths may have been undercounted , and states are taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presumed to have died as a result of COVID-19 without a positive diagnosis . )
In addition to a decline in new cases , a second White House criterion suggests that states should wait for a 14-day decline in reports of symptoms that might represent undiagnosed COVID-19 cases .
But those numbers may also be difficult to reliably assess .
The CDC ’ s FluView surveillance program each week calculates the percentage of outpatient consultations for a sample of health care providers in each state that involve patients reporting a fever and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known cause other than influenza .
Those numbers likely include some people who actually have COVID-19 .
But the pandemic may have changed the way in which people seek medical help , potentially biasing the numbers .
The CDC has warned that its surveillance systems “ are currently being affected by recent changes in health care seeking behavior , including increasing use of telemedicine.
” The White House ’ s third criterion addresses the need for hospitals to be able to cope with treating COVID-19 patients , including robust testing of health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests to reveal who has been infected and beaten off the virus , which could help identify workers who may have some immunity .
But meeting this goal will also be difficult : Few of the available tests have been approved for use by the FDA and their accuracy is far from guaranteed .
It ’ s also unclear whether having antibodies against the coronavirus will give people complete immunity .
The White House criteria are broadly similar to other recommendations made to state governors by public health experts .
On April 17 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johns Hopkins University released a report co-authored by former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb that also suggested states should consider starting to reopen their economies after the number of new cases has declined for at least 14 days .
In addition , it suggested states must have the ability to test , at minimum , all people with COVID-19 symptoms , be able to safely care for all patients and provide personal protective equipment for health care workers .
Finally , the report said that states must be able to trace contacts of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thousands of workers to conduct this laborious work across the country .
The White House guidelines don ’ t include a provision for widespread testing and contact tracing as an explicit criterion for starting to reopen a state ’ s economy .
Instead , this is included under a separate heading of “ Core State Preparedness Responsibilities.
” Although the guidelines put responsibility for testing and contact tracing onto the states , the slow rollout of testing across the nation has widely been blamed on bureaucratic obstacles imposed by the federal government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manufactured by the CDC .
Experts consulted by BuzzFeed News urged states to concentrate on improving their capacity for testing before relaxing their COVID-19 restrictions .
“ I don ’ t think there ’ s a responsible expert out there that thinks we ’ ve done enough testing , ” Emanuel said .
Emanuel wants to see testing expanded to people without symptoms who may be spreading COVID-19 , including essential workers like grocery clerks and bus drivers who could infect many people .
Exact estimates differ , but asymptomatic cases may make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total cases , according to CDC director Robert Redfield .
Both the White House and Center for Health Security guidelines call for a phased reopening of facilities including schools , restaurants , and other businesses .
But it ’ s still unclear which aspects of the current restrictions are doing the most to limit transmission of COVID-19 .
That means states should carefully monitor the effects of reopening to see which moves cause transmission to ramp up again and which have relatively small effects , according to Jessica Metcalf , a demographer at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infectious disease .
“ One of the big questions is which pieces of social distancing policies are having the largest effects , ” Metcalf told BuzzFeed News .
“ Amazingly , we do n't really know.
” Learning which policies have the biggest effect in limiting viral spread is important because most experts predict that we may need several cycles of social distancing and relaxation of these controls before an effective vaccine is developed and it becomes safe to go back to something resembling normality .
“ We just can ’ t squander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .

This chart shows the trajectory of new cases for these regional groupings. The Western group comprises California, Oregon, and Washington; the Midwest group includes Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin; and the Northeast group is Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
The Western grouping has seen a slight decline in new cases. On April 14, California Gov. Gavin Newsom warned state residents against expecting a rapid return to normal, even after restrictions start to be lifted. “You may be having dinner with a waiter wearing gloves, maybe a face mask, dinner where the menu is disposable, where ... half the tables in that restaurant no longer appear, where your temperature is checked before you walk into the establishment,” he said.
Some experts question whether a decline in the number of new cases is the best measure for deciding whether to reopen, however. Emanuel said that a declining trajectory of new cases may not be enough to safely relax restrictions, if the number of cases is still high.
Computational epidemiologist Maia Majumder of Harvard University warned that daily counts of new cases may be an unreliable indicator of whether the epidemic is subsiding, given differences in the extent of testing from state-to-state and over time.
Across the nation, the number of tests being conducted each day seems to be plateauing or even declining, according to data collected by the COVID Tracking Project. This means that a decline in the number of new cases in some states could reflect a falloff in testing, rather than a real decline in transmission of the coronavirus.
“New deaths per day might be the better metric to watch, given that deaths from COVID-19 are less likely to be misclassified,” Majumder told BuzzFeed News by email. (There are also concerns that deaths may have been undercounted, and states are taking different positions on whether to count people presumed to have died as a result of COVID-19 without a positive diagnosis.)
In addition to a decline in new cases, a second White House criterion suggests that states should wait for a 14-day decline in reports of symptoms that might represent undiagnosed COVID-19 cases. But those numbers may also be difficult to reliably assess.
The CDC’s FluView surveillance program each week calculates the percentage of outpatient consultations for a sample of health care providers in each state that involve patients reporting a fever and a cough or a sore throat without a known cause other than influenza. Those numbers likely include some people who actually have COVID-19. But the pandemic may have changed the way in which people seek medical help, potentially biasing the numbers. The CDC has warned that its surveillance systems “are currently being affected by recent changes in health care seeking behavior, including increasing use of telemedicine.”
The White House’s third criterion addresses the need for hospitals to be able to cope with treating COVID-19 patients, including robust testing of health care workers. This criterion suggests using antibody tests to reveal who has been infected and beaten off the virus, which could help identify workers who may have some immunity.
But meeting this goal will also be difficult: Few of the available tests have been approved for use by the FDA and their accuracy is far from guaranteed. It’s also unclear whether having antibodies against the coronavirus will give people complete immunity.
The White House criteria are broadly similar to other recommendations made to state governors by public health experts. On April 17, the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University released a report co-authored by former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb that also suggested states should consider starting to reopen their economies after the number of new cases has declined for at least 14 days.
In addition, it suggested states must have the ability to test, at minimum, all people with COVID-19 symptoms, be able to safely care for all patients and provide personal protective equipment for health care workers. Finally, the report said that states must be able to trace contacts of all new cases — which may require tens of thousands of workers to conduct this laborious work across the country.
The White House guidelines don’t include a provision for widespread testing and contact tracing as an explicit criterion for starting to reopen a state’s economy. Instead, this is included under a separate heading of “Core State Preparedness Responsibilities.”
Although the guidelines put responsibility for testing and contact tracing onto the states, the slow rollout of testing across the nation has widely been blamed on bureaucratic obstacles imposed by the federal government and the distribution of faulty test kits manufactured by the CDC.
Experts consulted by BuzzFeed News urged states to concentrate on improving their capacity for testing before relaxing their COVID-19 restrictions. “I don’t think there’s a responsible expert out there that thinks we’ve done enough testing,” Emanuel said.
Emanuel wants to see testing expanded to people without symptoms who may be spreading COVID-19, including essential workers like grocery clerks and bus drivers who could infect many people. Exact estimates differ, but asymptomatic cases may make up as much as 25% of total cases, according to CDC director Robert Redfield.
Both the White House and Center for Health Security guidelines call for a phased reopening of facilities including schools, restaurants, and other businesses. But it’s still unclear which aspects of the current restrictions are doing the most to limit transmission of COVID-19.
That means states should carefully monitor the effects of reopening to see which moves cause transmission to ramp up again and which have relatively small effects, according to Jessica Metcalf, a demographer at Princeton University who studies the dynamics of infectious disease.
“One of the big questions is which pieces of social distancing policies are having the largest effects,” Metcalf told BuzzFeed News. “Amazingly, we don't really know.”
Learning which policies have the biggest effect in limiting viral spread is important because most experts predict that we may need several cycles of social distancing and relaxation of these controls before an effective vaccine is developed and it becomes safe to go back to something resembling normality.
“We just can’t squander any opportunity to learn,” Metcalf said.


buzzfeed--2020-04-24--The Coronavirus Has Quieted New York City's Flower District

Two businesses — the kinds of wholesalers who provide flowers and plants to florists , event planners , and other outlets — on the financial impact of the pandemic on our complex , interconnected economy .
Like a lot of places , New York City is closed up and quiet , unsettlingly free of people and commerce .
That includes a block of Manhattan known as the flower district or flower market on West 28th Street .
On an overcast , routine Wednesday this week about when the morning market would begin closing up , the grates were already down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ street empty , and the sidewalks free of the trees , plants , and flowers that would normally spill out of the 20 or so flower , plant , and specialty wholesalers and retailers located on this one block — a strange , romantic stretch of New York often written about .
“ Most people have been forced to close their business , ” owner Gary Page said in a recent interview .
He ’ s been in the business since 1984 , and come through Wall Street crises and 9/11 .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business , take emailed and shipped orders for topiaries , or work in a limited capacity — but a lot of the business is done directly and in service of events or rooms that are now empty for public health .
When Page 's business , G.Page Flowers , closed on March 21 , they placed bouquets , wrapped in brown paper , on the sidewalk against the storefront 's green grate for passersby .
“ Everyone does understand the situation that we 're in , and that we have to defeat the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That 's the first step.
” More than 10,000 people have died in the United States during the coronavirus pandemic — a staggering number that includes Eddy Marquez , who worked at US Evergreen in the district for decades , and reportedly died from complications earlier this week .
As the shutdowns continue to meet public health guidance , the economic situation across the country has become increasingly difficult .
Untold numbers of small businesses are in bad circumstances ; 16 million people have filed jobless claims in just three weeks — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City .
The unprecedented freeze to half the world 's economy has externalized how interconnected and complicated local and global economies really are ; you can ’ t stop or pause one part of life without affecting a multitude of people ’ s livelihoods .
The pandemic 's physical limitations first affected restaurants widely , but the reverberation of empty venues , canceled occasions , and people not going to work and school is staggering — including for the wholesale flowers and plants that would otherwise be sold to florists , event planners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Holland , growers have destroyed millions of flowers — there 's just not many places for them to go .
“ Think about a bride 's wedding , right ? ''
said Monique Blanco , the Operations and Accounts Manager for Foliage Garden , which specializes in plants .
“ She had to postpone it — it was supposed to be March 20 , right ?
” The kinds of flowers or plants won ’ t be the same when the bride ’ s wedding takes place , if she has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the expense of flowers .
Same with , for another example , the plants inside and outside the restaurants that nobody 's been inside for weeks .
“ We ’ re in all these little niches that nobody really thinks about , ” Blanco added .
“ But it ’ s thousands of people across the country that fulfill these jobs .
So that for us is ever-present in our minds.
” As Page explained , for flowers , the “ grower has to pack stuff in boxes — so you have supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this – then they transport them to auction or exporters , they 're then put onto airplanes.
” Depending on the season , growers might be packing those flowers in the Netherlands , Ecuador , Colombia , Vietnam , Thailand , Malaysia , Australia , or New Zealand — or somewhere in the United States .
“ Those planes are flown over to JFK or trucked up to New York from Miami or from local growers.
” “ Then they get to 28th Street.
” The market — which also now includes things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a much earlier era of the city .
A century ago , New York operated as one of the biggest merchant-manufacturing centers in the world , in one of the biggest natural harbors in the world , with well-known districts like the meatpacking or garment .
Among these , populated especially by Greek-immigrant businesses , was the flower district in the same neighborhood — but in the 20th century , it spanned multiple blocks and dozens of businesses that have diminished over time .
( “ Where the hotel is now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s is , all flowers .
The Bank of America , all flowers , ” as one florist put it to the Villager four years ago . )
The transformation of the district ’ s Chelsea neighborhood from a rough scene into the location of Google 's New York headquarters — as well as the zoning laws that have put a number of hotels in its midst— is often the story told about the flower district .
Still , Blanco noted , business was going well .
Foliage Garden operates greenhouses on Long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a niche industry : plant rentals .
Corporations like Chanel that put on events , small fashion houses , people working film sets and photo shoots , Instagram popups , or even for people just throwing weddings or birthday parties — they rent trees and greenery for the occasion , she said .
But an increasing amount of their cash flow came from people walking down the “ jungle utopia ” of West 28th Street , and wanting to buy a plant here or there — basically the effect of millennial fervor for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual ways .
“ People were coming to realize the value of plants again.
” Until they can resume business , Foliage Garden had to lay off their shop staff — there 's just no money coming in , Blanco said — while their greenhouse team continues working at a reduced schedule to keep the plants alive .
Page said he 's trying to avoid layoffs .
“ People have worked with me for so long , many people — I find that very difficult , I do n't want to do that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” He ’ s hoping government relief efforts for small businesses come through .
Some of the current businesses are family operations ; there are also multi-generational growers and multi-generational florists on either side of the chain .
Blanco has known the owner of Foliage Garden , Maryann Finegan , since she was 13 ; when Blanco graduated from college into the great recession , Finegan told her to come work for her until she got settled .
“ So I did .
And I never left.
” This time of year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bulk of their business takes place — is usually fun , she said , but people don ’ t always appreciate the complicated logistics of a business like this .
“ Like everything , we are New Yorkers , and we are a demanding people , '' she joked .
“ So a plant is a plant , yes , but when you throw a New Yorker into anything , it 's going to get complicated.
” And it 's true that outside of the people who grow and sell them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not like food or lodging or , eventually , a haircut .
It 's a luxury business , as Blanco allowed .
But if you 've experienced a quiet , sad day with the unexpected pop of color or greenery , it ’ s hard to forget .
And if you imagine all these events we 're not having and places we 're not going , without any ornamentation — even with the warm promise of reunion — they look a little dull and gray .
Page anticipates that there will be changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been after major shocks , like 9/11 and the great recession .
But people still want flowers in the end , he said ; that doesn ’ t change .
“ Flowers have tremendous power , ” Page said , “ especially if you give people flowers .
People remember that.
” The last thing that health care professionals needed at this precise moment was flowers .
But , he added , “ hopefully , when we get through this , we will be able to say to these people , thank you @ @ @ @

Like a lot of places, New York City is closed up and quiet, unsettlingly free of people and commerce.
That includes a block of Manhattan known as the flower district or flower market on West 28th Street.
On an overcast, routine Wednesday this week about when the morning market would begin closing up, the grates were already down, the windows mostly dark, the street empty, and the sidewalks free of the trees, plants, and flowers that would normally spill out of the 20 or so flower, plant, and specialty wholesalers and retailers located on this one block — a strange, romantic stretch of New York often written about.
“Most people have been forced to close their business,” owner Gary Page said in a recent interview. He’s been in the business since 1984, and come through Wall Street crises and 9/11.
Some on the block have launched online wholesale-to-trade business, take emailed and shipped orders for topiaries, or work in a limited capacity — but a lot of the business is done directly and in service of events or rooms that are now empty for public health.
When Page's business, G.Page Flowers, closed on March 21, they placed bouquets, wrapped in brown paper, on the sidewalk against the storefront's green grate for passersby.