buzzfeed--2020-03-19--YouTube, Twitch And OnlyFans Creators Are Seeing Their Audiences Grow As The Coronavirus Spreads

Jem Wolfie is an Australian influencer with more than 2.7 million Instagram followers .
She also has an account on OnlyFans — a website where people sell subscriptions to pictures or video content — where she posts more `` risqué '' images to people who pay USD $ 10 a month .
Her OnlyFans subscriptions are booming right now , Wolfie told BuzzFeed News .
They 've grown by 25 % to more than 25,000 in a short amount of time , despite Wolfie posting the same amount of content as usual .
The big thing that 's changed during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
`` I guess more people are bored being quarantined at home all day , '' she said .
Online content makers such as Youtubers , Twitch streamers and OnlyFans creators mostly say they 're seeing audiences swell as people look to entertain themselves while in quarantine or social distancing .
But a precarious economic climate — in which lots of people are either losing their jobs or fear they might soon — and a stampede of other people joining the platforms to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the current increase has n't been a windfall for many creators .
Twitch is a livestreaming platform that allows people to broadcast a video of whatever they 're doing to a global audience .
Originally , this was mostly people streaming themselves playing video games , but has expanded to include people talking , musical performances and other live events .
Twitch 's chief operating officer Sara Clemens declined to tell BuzzFeed News if there had been an increase in activity on the platform , but did say the company was being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large-scale events and experiences '' that had been cancelled due to COVID-19 fears .
Data from a third party Twitch analytics website TwitchTracker suggests that more people are streaming and watching in the past few weeks .
The website 's spokesperson Dmitry told BuzzFeed News that February and March 2020 have had the highest average number of people watching broadcasts on the platform at the same time .
There 's been an 18 % increase in live broadcasts , he said , in each of the last two weeks .
AngelMelly is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gaming and chatting to her 160,000 subscribers .
She 's noticed a big increase in interactions , views and subscriptions since people started self-isolating and social distancing .
And AngelMelly thinks events of the past few weeks brought her fans together .

Jem Wolfie is an Australian influencer with more than 2.7 million Instagram followers. She also has an account on OnlyFans — a website where people sell subscriptions to pictures or video content — where she posts more "risqué" images to people who pay USD$10 a month.
Her OnlyFans subscriptions are booming right now, Wolfie told BuzzFeed News. They've grown by 25% to more than 25,000 in a short amount of time, despite Wolfie posting the same amount of content as usual.
The big thing that's changed during this period of growth? The global spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
"I guess more people are bored being quarantined at home all day," she said.
Online content makers such as Youtubers, Twitch streamers and OnlyFans creators mostly say they're seeing audiences swell as people look to entertain themselves while in quarantine or social distancing.
But a precarious economic climate — in which lots of people are either losing their jobs or fear they might soon — and a stampede of other people joining the platforms to cash in on the new eyeballs means that the current increase hasn't been a windfall for many creators.
Twitch is a livestreaming platform that allows people to broadcast a video of whatever they're doing to a global audience. Originally, this was mostly people streaming themselves playing video games, but has expanded to include people talking, musical performances and other live events.
Twitch's chief operating officer Sara Clemens declined to tell BuzzFeed News if there had been an increase in activity on the platform, but did say the company was being contacted by organisations hoping to livestream "large-scale events and experiences" that had been cancelled due to COVID-19 fears.
Data from a third party Twitch analytics website TwitchTracker suggests that more people are streaming and watching in the past few weeks.
The website's spokesperson Dmitry told BuzzFeed News that February and March 2020 have had the highest average number of people watching broadcasts on the platform at the same time. There's been an 18% increase in live broadcasts, he said, in each of the last two weeks.
AngelMelly is a Twitch streamer who broadcasts herself singing, gaming and chatting to her 160,000 subscribers. She's noticed a big increase in interactions, views and subscriptions since people started self-isolating and social distancing. And AngelMelly thinks events of the past few weeks brought her fans together.


buzzfeed--2020-03-20--The Class Of 2020 Is Sharing How They Feel Right Now About Their Senior Year

`` This is the last year I will ever play softball again and I 'm not even sure if I @ @ @ @ @ I , along with many other senior athletes , have looked forward to this year @ @ @ @ @ high school .
I 've looked forward to having my picture on a banner on @ @ @ @ @ waited patiently to be able to walk across the field with my mom and dad @ @ @ @ @ reminisce on the past four years of my life . ''
`` I 'm heartbroken @ @ @ @ @ able to look at my team at the end of the year and say that @ @ @ @ @ been able to play with them .
The only thing I can think of is @ @ @ @ @ ?
Why do we have to be the ones to lose everything we 've been @ @ @ @ @ I want is to have my last season . ''

12. "This is the last year I will ever play softball again and I'm not even sure if I will have a season. I, along with many other senior athletes, have looked forward to this year since the first year of high school. I've looked forward to having my picture on a banner on the fence. I've waited patiently to be able to walk across the field with my mom and dad on my senior night and reminisce on the past four years of my life."
"I'm heartbroken that I might not be able to look at my team at the end of the year and say that I'm proud to have been able to play with them. The only thing I can think of is why us and why now? Why do we have to be the ones to lose everything we've been looking forward to? All I want is to have my last season."
—skylarrenee02


buzzfeed--2020-02-02--Here's What It's Like To Be An Expat Living In China Through The Coronavirus Outbreak

He travelled to Kyoto , Japan , during the winter break , but has said the situation back in China has become increasingly critical since he left .
“ When I left Foshan for the winter break , everything was normal , ” he said .
“ The first reported case of the coronavirus was in November or December and people knew it was bad when they shut down the market on New Year ’ s Day , however it never occurred to me that it could be this bad .
“ The authorities in Foshan don ’ t give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but rather to people below them , who pass it onto their subordinates .
Information gets trickled down , which can lead to a lot of confusion about what ’ s going on.
” In Guangdong , the province where Ryan lives , it is mandatory to wear a mask in public .
“ We were also advised not to trust unverified information circulated on WeChat and other Chinese social media.
” For this reason , Ryan is sceptical about the information the Chinese government has been disclosing to the public .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the incubation period , ” he claims .
“ There are also accounts of people from Hubei who have had family members pass away at that time and have the cause of death as pneumonia , but now doctors say it could well have been this .
This makes me believe the actual figures are higher .
At first , they believed that there was no human-to-human transmission .
They also didn ’ t close down the city or the market until way too late .
”

He travelled to Kyoto, Japan, during the winter break, but has said the situation back in China has become increasingly critical since he left.
“When I left Foshan for the winter break, everything was normal,” he said. “The first reported case of the coronavirus was in November or December and people knew it was bad when they shut down the market on New Year’s Day, however it never occurred to me that it could be this bad.
“The authorities in Foshan don’t give updates to anyone, so to speak, but rather to people below them, who pass it onto their subordinates. Information gets trickled down, which can lead to a lot of confusion about what’s going on.”
In Guangdong, the province where Ryan lives, it is mandatory to wear a mask in public.
“We were also advised not to trust unverified information circulated on WeChat and other Chinese social media.”
For this reason, Ryan is sceptical about the information the Chinese government has been disclosing to the public.
"The first death was reported way after the incubation period,” he claims. “There are also accounts of people from Hubei who have had family members pass away at that time and have the cause of death as pneumonia, but now doctors say it could well have been this. This makes me believe the actual figures are higher. At first, they believed that there was no human-to-human transmission. They also didn’t close down the city or the market until way too late.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-18--At-Risk People Have Been Bunkered Down At Home For Weeks As COVID-19 Spreads. This Is How They’re Ge

At-Risk People Have Been Bunkered Down At Home For Weeks As COVID-19 Spreads. This Is How They’re Getting Through It.

Melbourne woman Emily — who asked not to use her last name for privacy reasons — has been making pickles and sauerkraut .
`` When the [ new coronavirus ] spread to Europe and there were indications it was going to be a global pandemic I started buying extra cabbages and getting the little gherkins in bulk , '' the 25-year-old told BuzzFeed News .
Emily is in an at-risk group with the coronavirus — she has Type 1 diabetes , an autoimmune disease that attacks cells in the pancreas that make insulin , the hormone that moves blood sugar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into cells to be used as energy .
`` I live with my girlfriend and she has quite severe asthma so we ’ re both in the high-risk category and we ’ re both taking this pretty serious , '' she said .
A small study published in the Lancet involving 191 people who contracted the new coronavirus in Wuhan , China showed 48 % of these patients had a comorbidity , with hypertension being the most common health complaint ( 30 % ) , followed by diabetes ( 19 % ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick , more likely to have worse symptoms and complications from being sick because of your [ compromised ] immune system , '' she said .
Despite having more reason to employ social distancing or self-isolation , Emily is a full-time student and ca n't afford to give up her few shifts , many of which have now been cut , at a casual job .
Emily worries people are being too flippant about potentially spreading the virus to elderly or immunocompromised people .
`` I have conversations with customers who are saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're just trying to 'live life ' and they 're still going to the tennis club , '' she said .
`` Then they hand me their credit card to process a sale . ''

Melbourne woman Emily — who asked not to use her last name for privacy reasons — has been making pickles and sauerkraut.
"When the [new coronavirus] spread to Europe and there were indications it was going to be a global pandemic I started buying extra cabbages and getting the little gherkins in bulk," the 25-year-old told BuzzFeed News.
Emily is in an at-risk group with the coronavirus — she has Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease that attacks cells in the pancreas that make insulin, the hormone that moves blood sugar (which rises after you eat) into cells to be used as energy.
"I live with my girlfriend and she has quite severe asthma so we’re both in the high-risk category and we’re both taking this pretty serious," she said.
A small study published in the Lancet involving 191 people who contracted the new coronavirus in Wuhan, China showed 48% of these patients had a comorbidity, with hypertension being the most common health complaint (30%), followed by diabetes (19%).
"You're more likely to get sick, more likely to have worse symptoms and complications from being sick because of your [compromised] immune system," she said.
Despite having more reason to employ social distancing or self-isolation, Emily is a full-time student and can't afford to give up her few shifts, many of which have now been cut, at a casual job. Emily worries people are being too flippant about potentially spreading the virus to elderly or immunocompromised people.
"I have conversations with customers who are saying 'everyone is being hysterical' and they're just trying to 'live life' and they're still going to the tennis club," she said. "Then they hand me their credit card to process a sale."


buzzfeed--2020-03-18--No, The British Army Isn't Marching South London Because Of Coronavirus

Text messages and pictures have been spreading rapidly on WhatsApp on Wednesday claiming that the British army has been deployed @ @ @ @ @ ahead of a lockdown to fight coronavirus .
However , there is no evidence of @ @ @ @ @ impose a lockdown , nor are there any known plans for that to happen .
@ @ @ @ @ that they received WhatsApp messages about the `` lockdown '' .
Some contained only text @ @ @ @ @ images apparently showing “ evidence that the UK military are on the way to enforce @ @ @ @

Text messages and pictures have been spreading rapidly on WhatsApp on Wednesday claiming that the British army has been deployed on the streets of London ahead of a lockdown to fight coronavirus.
However, there is no evidence of the military being used to impose a lockdown, nor are there any known plans for that to happen.
Multiple Londoners said on Wednesday that they received WhatsApp messages about the "lockdown".
Some contained only text while others were accompanied by images apparently showing “evidence that the UK military are on the way to enforce a lockdown”.


buzzfeed--2020-03-18--Boris Johnson Says He Is Considering Stricter Measures To Enforce Social Distancing In London

Boris Johnson said he “ will not hesitate ” to take further steps to protect Britain from the coronavirus pandemic , as his government considered whether to implement stricter measures to enforce social distancing in London .
“ We will do the right measures at the right time , ” the prime minister said at a press conference on Wednesday evening , when asked if he would put London into lockdown .
The capital is the centre of the UK COVID-19 outbreak , official figures have shown this week .
Johnson said the government would “ keep everything under continuous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepare Londoners for the possibility of more drastic measures in the days ahead .
“ We live in a land of liberty , ” the PM said , but added : “ We will rule nothing out.
” “ We will not hesitate to take further measures to go further and faster if necessary.
” BuzzFeed News understands that further proposals for how to enforce social distancing in London have been under discussion at the top of government on Wednesday .
No final decision has been taken , a source said .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly quickly in the capital and that people are not sufficiently following the advice of the government ’ s medical experts to avoid unnecessary social gatherings .
Despite the PM ’ s call for the public not to visit pubs and restaurants on Monday , many across London and the wider country have continued to head out for social gatherings .
A strictly enforced lockdown has been implemented in Italy and France .

Boris Johnson said he “will not hesitate” to take further steps to protect Britain from the coronavirus pandemic, as his government considered whether to implement stricter measures to enforce social distancing in London.
“We will do the right measures at the right time,” the prime minister said at a press conference on Wednesday evening, when asked if he would put London into lockdown.
The capital is the centre of the UK COVID-19 outbreak, official figures have shown this week.
Johnson said the government would “keep everything under continuous review”, as he appeared to prepare Londoners for the possibility of more drastic measures in the days ahead.
“We live in a land of liberty,” the PM said, but added: “We will rule nothing out.”
“We will not hesitate to take further measures to go further and faster if necessary.”
BuzzFeed News understands that further proposals for how to enforce social distancing in London have been under discussion at the top of government on Wednesday.
No final decision has been taken, a source said.
There are concerns that the virus is spreading particularly quickly in the capital and that people are not sufficiently following the advice of the government’s medical experts to avoid unnecessary social gatherings.
Despite the PM’s call for the public not to visit pubs and restaurants on Monday, many across London and the wider country have continued to head out for social gatherings.
A strictly enforced lockdown has been implemented in Italy and France.


buzzfeed--2020-04-09--Churches Across The UK Are Preparing For A Very Different Kind Of Easter In Lockdown

Fitchet said : `` For us as Christians , Easter is the most important day , bigger than Christmas .
Although Christmas is the cultural focus , for the church , Easter is the big one , Easter is the one where we proclaim that Jesus came back to life , that God came back to life , and so for us , our entire faith is based around that resurrection of Jesus .
It 's hard to put into words just how important Easter Day is in the Christian year . ''
While Easter would normally be a big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a breakfast before or a lunch after for the congregation to get together , this year it will be a more scaled-back affair that will take place online .
He went on : `` Normally it would be quite a big service , a lot of effort would go into the Easter Sunday service , lots of singing , lots of giving each other hugs , and excitement .
It 's going to be strange that that ca n't take place .
I will say that in my prerecorded YouTube sermon , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to my phone , rather than to the congregation.
” He added : `` We 're going to be doing online services .
There will be some Facebook Live stuff from our Facebook page , but I will still write a sermon and preach that , and lead prayers , and do a service , but from my house , because we 're not allowed out , and then upload that to YouTube for the congregation to follow along to .
`` I had a Zoom call yesterday with 80 other church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sizes , from churches that were 20 or 30 members to churches that were over 1,000 and looking at how do we do church online — how do you do church in a new way , but also how do you make sure that those in your churches that do n't have the internet and are n't plugged in , because churches full of lots of wonderful , wonderful faithful older people who are n't on the internet or do n't have the kind of savviness to be able to find their way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do church for them ?
`` We 're looking at phone call sermons , and just trying to create some sort of coherence so everybody in the church gets the same message and we can still maintain some sort of community , but yes , it 's tough .
I 'm busier than I ever have been and having to learn a whole new way of being a minister , a whole new way of doing church .
I did n't learn any of this in theological college .
When I read theology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ module .
How to cope with church in a global pandemic — I do n't remember studying that !
” This year , Fitchet said , Easter will involve a Zoom service on Maundy Thursday instead of communion , and YouTube sermons to replace church services on Good Friday and Easter Sunday .
In normal time , he said , the church lights would go off on Good Friday , and they would n't go back on again until Easter Sunday morning , but , he added , “ it feels like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Easter is going to be very interesting , ” he said , “ because Jesus leaves the tomb , but we ca n't .
That 's kind of how it feels — that Jesus gets up and walks out of the tomb , but we 're stuck in the tomb , we ca n't follow him .
“ We want , as churches , to be happy people all the time , this is a space where we can accept that things are n't always good , and how do we enable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overwhelmed by them ?
It 's tricky . ''
`` Particularly this year and focussing on the death of Jesus and things being a bit bleak is probably quite important , talking about a God who identifies with us in the bleakness is probably quite important , '' he added , explaining that he would be inviting his congregation to spend time on Friday and Saturday reflecting and `` just to own your emotions . ''
After his sermon on Sunday , Fitchet will be spending the day on his own — he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his weekly shop and then realised that his family won ’ t be coming round as planned .
`` I thought , Great , I 'll get that for Easter Sunday , paid for it , got in the car , and went , Oh , it 's just going to be me , ” he said , “ so I 'm going to eat an entire leg of lamb by myself .
I 'll be cooking a lamb roast .
I 'll probably FaceTime my mum , and my sister , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While the pandemic has not tested his faith , he said “ it does leave me with many , many questions . ''
If he could ask God one question , he said , it would be : `` What the bloody hell is going on ? ''
He added : “ When we gather together on a Sunday , churches always want to make out things to be joyful and happy , and we need to recognise that things are n't great and are n't happy .
So to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story , and to go actually , God , where are you ?
What are you doing ?
How do I find some hope and some strength in amongst all of this ?
— are the right questions to be asking . ''

Fitchet said: "For us as Christians, Easter is the most important day, bigger than Christmas. Although Christmas is the cultural focus, for the church, Easter is the big one, Easter is the one where we proclaim that Jesus came back to life, that God came back to life, and so for us, our entire faith is based around that resurrection of Jesus. It's hard to put into words just how important Easter Day is in the Christian year."
While Easter would normally be a big deal — with a joyful service and a breakfast before or a lunch after for the congregation to get together, this year it will be a more scaled-back affair that will take place online.
He went on: "Normally it would be quite a big service, a lot of effort would go into the Easter Sunday service, lots of singing, lots of giving each other hugs, and excitement. It's going to be strange that that can't take place. I will say that in my prerecorded YouTube sermon, but it will be a bit odd saying it to my phone, rather than to the congregation.”
He added: "We're going to be doing online services. There will be some Facebook Live stuff from our Facebook page, but I will still write a sermon and preach that, and lead prayers, and do a service, but from my house, because we're not allowed out, and then upload that to YouTube for the congregation to follow along to.
"I had a Zoom call yesterday with 80 other church leaders from different denominations and different church sizes, from churches that were 20 or 30 members to churches that were over 1,000 and looking at how do we do church online — how do you do church in a new way, but also how do you make sure that those in your churches that don't have the internet and aren't plugged in, because churches full of lots of wonderful, wonderful faithful older people who aren't on the internet or don't have the kind of savviness to be able to find their way through these things — how do you do church for them?
"We're looking at phone call sermons, and just trying to create some sort of coherence so everybody in the church gets the same message and we can still maintain some sort of community, but yes, it's tough. I'm busier than I ever have been and having to learn a whole new way of being a minister, a whole new way of doing church. I didn't learn any of this in theological college. When I read theology at Oxford, this was not a module. How to cope with church in a global pandemic — I don't remember studying that!”
This year, Fitchet said, Easter will involve a Zoom service on Maundy Thursday instead of communion, and YouTube sermons to replace church services on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. In normal time, he said, the church lights would go off on Good Friday, and they wouldn't go back on again until Easter Sunday morning, but, he added, “it feels like the lights have already gone off."
“Easter is going to be very interesting,” he said, “because Jesus leaves the tomb, but we can't. That's kind of how it feels — that Jesus gets up and walks out of the tomb, but we're stuck in the tomb, we can't follow him.
“We want, as churches, to be happy people all the time, this is a space where we can accept that things aren't always good, and how do we enable people to feel those emotions without feeling overwhelmed by them? It's tricky."
"Particularly this year and focussing on the death of Jesus and things being a bit bleak is probably quite important, talking about a God who identifies with us in the bleakness is probably quite important," he added, explaining that he would be inviting his congregation to spend time on Friday and Saturday reflecting and "just to own your emotions."
After his sermon on Sunday, Fitchet will be spending the day on his own — he bought a reduced leg of lamb in his weekly shop and then realised that his family won’t be coming round as planned.
"I thought, Great, I'll get that for Easter Sunday, paid for it, got in the car, and went, Oh, it's just going to be me,” he said, “so I'm going to eat an entire leg of lamb by myself. I'll be cooking a lamb roast. I'll probably FaceTime my mum, and my sister, and we'll have a virtual roast dinner.
While the pandemic has not tested his faith, he said “it does leave me with many, many questions." If he could ask God one question, he said, it would be: "What the bloody hell is going on?"
He added: “When we gather together on a Sunday, churches always want to make out things to be joyful and happy, and we need to recognise that things aren't great and aren't happy. So to have a bit of tension within that good news story, and to go actually, God, where are you? What are you doing? How do I find some hope and some strength in amongst all of this? — are the right questions to be asking."


buzzfeed--2020-04-30--The Latest Tactic For Getting Refugees Out Of Detention Hotels? Leaving Negative Online Reviews.

Hotel chains whose facilities have been used for months to detain refugees and asylum seekers are likely to be bombarded with negative online reviews to encourage them to stop the arrangement , after Amnesty International launched a new campaign on Friday .
More than 200 refugees and asylum seekers are currently detained at two budget hotels in Australia , where they say they risk contracting COVID-19 and can not socially distance .
The Australian government has so far ignored calls from infectious diseases doctors and over 1,000 other health workers , religious leaders , charities and human rights organisations to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk posed by the crowded facilities , where many men share rooms .
After the hotel chains ignored its direct appeal to terminate their contracts with the government , Amnesty International is asking its supporters to leave negative reviews for the two hotels online .
On April 7 , Amnesty International wrote to the Mantra Group and the Central Apartment Group , asking them to stop holding refugees and asylum seekers in their hotels , the Mantra Bell City in Melbourne 's Preston and the Kangaroo Point Central hotel in inner-city Brisbane .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a health emergency breaking out in your hotel ...
The only way to protect the health of refugees and asylum seekers is to release them from [ the hotels ] into the community , '' national director Sam Klintworth wrote .
`` Whilst the government is ignoring the experts ' advice to do this , you can put pressure on them to act now . ''

Hotel chains whose facilities have been used for months to detain refugees and asylum seekers are likely to be bombarded with negative online reviews to encourage them to stop the arrangement, after Amnesty International launched a new campaign on Friday.
More than 200 refugees and asylum seekers are currently detained at two budget hotels in Australia, where they say they risk contracting COVID-19 and cannot socially distance.
The Australian government has so far ignored calls from infectious diseases doctors and over 1,000 other health workers, religious leaders, charities and human rights organisations to release detainees to curb the public health risk posed by the crowded facilities, where many men share rooms.
After the hotel chains ignored its direct appeal to terminate their contracts with the government, Amnesty International is asking its supporters to leave negative reviews for the two hotels online.
On April 7, Amnesty International wrote to the Mantra Group and the Central Apartment Group, asking them to stop holding refugees and asylum seekers in their hotels, the Mantra Bell City in Melbourne's Preston and the Kangaroo Point Central hotel in inner-city Brisbane.
"We are on the brink of a health emergency breaking out in your hotel ... The only way to protect the health of refugees and asylum seekers is to release them from [the hotels] into the community," national director Sam Klintworth wrote. "Whilst the government is ignoring the experts' advice to do this, you can put pressure on them to act now."
Neither hotel group has responded.


buzzfeed--2020-04-14--19 Weird and Wonderful Tumblr Posts Getting Me Through Quarantine Life Right Now

This post that made me chuckle and then immediately check to see if my own laptop was overheating :

BuzzFeed Bring Me
Obsessed with travel? Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me!


buzzfeed--2020-04-14--Right Wing Politicians And Media Are Calling For China To Pay "Reparations" For The Coronavirus

The report 's authors suggest 10 possible legal avenues for seeking compensation ( ranging from filing in domestic courts to action in the International Court of Justice ) .
The most circulated article about the report , published by Australian newspaper the Sydney Morning Herald , had more than 754,000 social media engagements .
It 's not often that a paper about alleged breaches of international law goes viral .
But this report gave a shape and legitimacy to the growing calls to hold China financially accountable for the pandemic .
The idea that China should pay has taken several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the waiving of debt — and spread from the fringes of the internet to some of Trump 's biggest supporters , as well as politicians and media around the world .
( While he 's had no qualms blaming China for the coronavirus , Trump is yet to call for China to pay for COVID-19 damages . )
An early version of the idea has been circulating on the fringes of the internet for at least a month .
Well-known conservative Twitter account @ ComfortablySmug , previously revealed as belonging to Shashank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` China should pay for costs associated with Coronavirus testing , treatment and containment . ''
( He did n't respond to interview requests . )

The report's authors suggest 10 possible legal avenues for seeking compensation (ranging from filing in domestic courts to action in the International Court of Justice). The most circulated article about the report, published by Australian newspaper the Sydney Morning Herald, had more than 754,000 social media engagements.
It's not often that a paper about alleged breaches of international law goes viral. But this report gave a shape and legitimacy to the growing calls to hold China financially accountable for the pandemic.
The idea that China should pay has taken several shapes — an international lawsuit, reparations, the waiving of debt — and spread from the fringes of the internet to some of Trump's biggest supporters, as well as politicians and media around the world. (While he's had no qualms blaming China for the coronavirus, Trump is yet to call for China to pay for COVID-19 damages.)
An early version of the idea has been circulating on the fringes of the internet for at least a month. Well-known conservative Twitter account @ComfortablySmug, previously revealed as belonging to Shashank Tripathi, tweeted on March 8: "China should pay for costs associated with Coronavirus testing, treatment and containment." (He didn't respond to interview requests.)


buzzfeed--2020-05-12--The UK Is Taking A Lot Longer Than Other Countries To Process Coronavirus Tests And Give People Thei

The UK Is Taking A Lot Longer Than Other Countries To Process Coronavirus Tests And Give People Their Results

As Boris Johnson begins the process of gradually easing restrictions after two months of coronavirus lockdown , the ability of England ’ s public health authorities to quickly “ test , track and trace ” new cases will become central to controlling the virus and reducing the possibility of an even more damaging second wave .
But there ’ s another potentially fundamental problem with the strategy that ’ s been overlooked amid controversies over the number of daily tests being carried out and the NHS contact tracing app .
That is , the length of time it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ processed by labs , and the results returned to patients .
This lag in turnaround times matters because contact tracing relies on quickly alerting people who have been in contact with an infected person so that they can in turn self-isolate and halt the chain of transmission .
`` Rapid turnaround is a critical part of any test , track and trace strategy as you are aiming to quarantine people who could shed the virus quickly , '' said Jeremy Hunt , the UK 's former health secretary who now chairs the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News has attempted to obtain this information , but the Department of Health and Social Care ( DHSC ) has repeatedly refused this week to reveal the current average turnaround time for tests .
While the government publishes an update every day on new positive cases in the previous 24 hours alongside the number of tests carried out in that period , it does not disclose when any of these new patients were tested .
DHSC says it aims to return test results within 48 hours of tests being taken at regional test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home tests .
Despite being asked repeatedly by BuzzFeed News whether these targets were being currently met , the department refused to provide an answer .
Nor would it say when , on average , new cases published as part of the daily data release had been tested .
One current figure emerged during the prime minister ’ s statement in Parliament on Monday , though not from the government front bench .
Johnson was asked by Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake whether the contact tracing system would be “ more effective ” if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be reduced from “ the current five days to as little as 24 hours ” .
“ Speed of turnaround is crucial in improving our testing , ” the prime minister agreed .
“ We have done 100,000 tests again yesterday , I am pleased to say , but clearly pace of turnaround is absolutely critical for getting up to where we need to be — 200,000 , as he knows , by the end of the month , and then a much more ambitious programme thereafter.
” Hollinrake , who represents Thirsk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the five-day figure he cited was the current turnaround in some settings , such as care homes , but in some cases it was taking even longer .
BuzzFeed News put the five-day claim to DHSC .
Again , it declined to give an answer .
Public Health England ( PHE ) , whose labs are responsible for NHS swab testing of those with a medical need and , where possible , the most critical key workers , says it takes 24–48 hours to process a test once a sample reaches a lab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sample to be sent to the lab , and then more time for the result to be sent back to the person who took the test .
PHE said it could not comment on the total time from test taken to result because it was only responsible for lab processing time .

As Boris Johnson begins the process of gradually easing restrictions after two months of coronavirus lockdown, the ability of England’s public health authorities to quickly “test, track and trace” new cases will become central to controlling the virus and reducing the possibility of an even more damaging second wave.
But there’s another potentially fundamental problem with the strategy that’s been overlooked amid controversies over the number of daily tests being carried out and the NHS contact tracing app. That is, the length of time it’s taking for tests to be conducted, processed by labs, and the results returned to patients.
This lag in turnaround times matters because contact tracing relies on quickly alerting people who have been in contact with an infected person so that they can in turn self-isolate and halt the chain of transmission.
"Rapid turnaround is a critical part of any test, track and trace strategy as you are aiming to quarantine people who could shed the virus quickly," said Jeremy Hunt, the UK's former health secretary who now chairs the House of Commons health select committee.
BuzzFeed News has attempted to obtain this information, but the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has repeatedly refused this week to reveal the current average turnaround time for tests.
While the government publishes an update every day on new positive cases in the previous 24 hours alongside the number of tests carried out in that period, it does not disclose when any of these new patients were tested.
DHSC says it aims to return test results within 48 hours of tests being taken at regional test sites, and within 72 hours for home tests. Despite being asked repeatedly by BuzzFeed News whether these targets were being currently met, the department refused to provide an answer. Nor would it say when, on average, new cases published as part of the daily data release had been tested.
One current figure emerged during the prime minister’s statement in Parliament on Monday, though not from the government front bench. Johnson was asked by Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake whether the contact tracing system would be “more effective” if the time taken to process results could be reduced from “the current five days to as little as 24 hours”.
“Speed of turnaround is crucial in improving our testing,” the prime minister agreed. “We have done 100,000 tests again yesterday, I am pleased to say, but clearly pace of turnaround is absolutely critical for getting up to where we need to be — 200,000, as he knows, by the end of the month, and then a much more ambitious programme thereafter.”
Hollinrake, who represents Thirsk and Malton, told BuzzFeed News that the five-day figure he cited was the current turnaround in some settings, such as care homes, but in some cases it was taking even longer.
BuzzFeed News put the five-day claim to DHSC. Again, it declined to give an answer.
Public Health England (PHE), whose labs are responsible for NHS swab testing of those with a medical need and, where possible, the most critical key workers, says it takes 24–48 hours to process a test once a sample reaches a lab. But it takes time for the sample to be sent to the lab, and then more time for the result to be sent back to the person who took the test.
PHE said it could not comment on the total time from test taken to result because it was only responsible for lab processing time.


buzzfeed--2020-05-12--This Politician Coughed So Much During A Speech That He's Now In Self-Isolation Waiting For A COVID-

This Politician Coughed So Much During A Speech That He's Now In Self-Isolation Waiting For A COVID-19 Test Result

Have you ever had that dream where you 're the nation 's treasurer , delivering a critical update in parliament @ @ @ @ @ been upended by a pandemic , and you have a coughing fit and you just @ @ @ @ @ That 's what happened to Australian treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Tuesday .
In fact , @ @ @ @ @ he has now entered self-isolation and is being tested for COVID-19 .

Have you ever had that dream where you're the nation's treasurer, delivering a critical update in parliament on an economy that's been upended by a pandemic, and you have a coughing fit and you just can't keep talking?
That's what happened to Australian treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Tuesday.
In fact, Frydenberg coughed so much that he has now entered self-isolation and is being tested for COVID-19.


buzzfeed--2020-04-27--Two British Yoga Teachers Built A Huge Facebook Page Sharing Spiritual Memes. Now It's Been Named A

Two British Yoga Teachers Built A Huge Facebook Page Sharing Spiritual Memes. Now It's Been Named A Coronavirus "Misinformation Superspreader"

If you like your News Feed on Facebook to include a steady stream of sunset photos , Buddha memes , and inspirational quotes from the likes of Bob Marley and the Dalai Lama , you might be among the 2 million people who have followed a page called `` Energy Therapy UK '' since it was created in 2009 .
It was set up by London-based yoga teachers Jaime and Jennifer Tanna , who say they seek to “ educate the public about energy healing , personal growth and valid alternative approaches to health and wellbeing ” .
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also sells remote tarot readings and online sessions devoted to “ chakra healing ” and “ spiritual restructuring ” .
But in recent weeks , it has sharply changed tack .
It now pumps out material about the coronavirus pandemic , which has been branded as a mix of conspiracy theories and debunked hoaxes by researchers , who last week described it as one of the world ’ s biggest “ super-spreaders ” of misinformation about COVID-19 .
Many recent posts have been flagged as “ false ” by Facebook ’ s fact-checkers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading to a backlash among some followers and the page admins claiming censorship .
According to NewsGuard — a website that gives “ trust ” ratings to news sites — this is an example of a wider trend : Pages devoted to spirituality and alternative therapies are becoming a major source of misleading information about the pandemic .
The page ’ s gentle , uplifting posts about spirituality and nature often get shared hundreds or thousands of times on Facebook by people who may not be aware of the source but help Energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @

If you like your News Feed on Facebook to include a steady stream of sunset photos, Buddha memes, and inspirational quotes from the likes of Bob Marley and the Dalai Lama, you might be among the 2 million people who have followed a page called "Energy Therapy UK" since it was created in 2009.
It was set up by London-based yoga teachers Jaime and Jennifer Tanna, who say they seek to “educate the public about energy healing, personal growth and valid alternative approaches to health and wellbeing”.
In addition to posting uplifting memes, the page also sells remote tarot readings and online sessions devoted to “chakra healing” and “spiritual restructuring”.
But in recent weeks, it has sharply changed tack.
It now pumps out material about the coronavirus pandemic, which has been branded as a mix of conspiracy theories and debunked hoaxes by researchers, who last week described it as one of the world’s biggest “super-spreaders” of misinformation about COVID-19.
Many recent posts have been flagged as “false” by Facebook’s fact-checkers or removed by the platform altogether, leading to a backlash among some followers and the page admins claiming censorship.
According to NewsGuard — a website that gives “trust” ratings to news sites — this is an example of a wider trend: Pages devoted to spirituality and alternative therapies are becoming a major source of misleading information about the pandemic.
The page’s gentle, uplifting posts about spirituality and nature often get shared hundreds or thousands of times on Facebook by people who may not be aware of the source but help Energy Therapy UK pile on new followers.


buzzfeed--2020-04-27--Here Are The First Activities Allowed As Social Distancing Laws Are Eased In Some Australian States

Jet-skiing , shoe shopping , hiking , having two people over to your house , and going back to school — these are all activities some Australians will be allowed to do this week as the nation 's number of COVID-19 cases continues to flatten .
Australia 's total recorded cases was at 6,713 on Monday morning .
The death toll was at 83 .
While COVID-19 deaths in the United States account for a quarter of those recorded globally , Australia 's death toll makes up just 0.04 % of the deaths worldwide .
Most of the country has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month unless leaving the house to go to work , school , the supermarket , a medical facility or to exercise .
People have farewelled their loved ones at funerals limited to 10 people and held weddings observing the limit of just five .
Gatherings in public places have been limited to two people .
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in police fines have been issued to people who broke these rules .
The easing of restrictions in some parts of the country come as more than a million Australians download a COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus outbreaks .

Jet-skiing, shoe shopping, hiking, having two people over to your house, and going back to school — these are all activities some Australians will be allowed to do this week as the nation's number of COVID-19 cases continues to flatten.
Australia's total recorded cases was at 6,713 on Monday morning. The death toll was at 83. While COVID-19 deaths in the United States account for a quarter of those recorded globally, Australia's death toll makes up just 0.04% of the deaths worldwide.
Most of the country has been forced to stay home for a month unless leaving the house to go to work, school, the supermarket, a medical facility or to exercise. People have farewelled their loved ones at funerals limited to 10 people and held weddings observing the limit of just five. Gatherings in public places have been limited to two people. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in police fines have been issued to people who broke these rules.
The easing of restrictions in some parts of the country come as more than a million Australians download a COVID-19 tracing app designed to help experts pinpoint virus outbreaks.


buzzfeed--2020-04-27--NHS Hospitals Are Restarting Cancer Care And Mental Health Support

The NHS will resume some key services that were paused during the coronavirus crisis , including cancer and mental health care , on Tuesday , the UK health secretary has announced .
Matt Hancock pleaded with the general public to make sure they went to hospital if they needed it , pointing to data that showed emergency admissions had halved compared to this time last year .
BuzzFeed News reported earlier this month how people with mental health conditions were struggling to access treatment during the COVID-19 outbreak — vital support they depended on to manage their lives .
Face-to-face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with mental illnesses was suddenly halted , and many of the services they used were suspended .
In a press conference on Monday evening , Hancock said : `` As the number of hospitalisations from coronavirus begins to fall , I can announce that starting tomorrow we can begin the restoration of other NHS services , starting with the most urgent , like cancer care and mental health support , '' he said .
`` The exact pace of the restoration will be determined by local circumstances on the ground according to local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases that that hospital is having to deal with . ''
Latest figures show that 15,051 people are in UK hospitals with the coronavirus , down from 15,239 on Sunday .
Hancock said that `` one of the striking things around the world '' was that `` far fewer people are coming forward to use non-COVID services '' .
The number of patients attending accident and emergency fell to 221,000 last week , down from 477,000 in the same week last year .
`` Some of this drop is due to lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing rules , '' he said .
`` Some of it will be due to people accessing the NHS in ways that work better for them , like online or through pharmacies , and that ’ s a good thing .
But in some cases we know that the drop is due to people not coming forward and using the NHS for critical things that matter .
Our message is that the NHS is open .
Help us to help you.
” Stephen Powis , the national medical director for NHS England , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe they have suffered a heart attack or stroke : `` Do n't forget the NHS is still there for you . ''
He said these were conditions for which it was vitally important not to wait for treatment .

The NHS will resume some key services that were paused during the coronavirus crisis, including cancer and mental health care, on Tuesday, the UK health secretary has announced.
Matt Hancock pleaded with the general public to make sure they went to hospital if they needed it, pointing to data that showed emergency admissions had halved compared to this time last year.
BuzzFeed News reported earlier this month how people with mental health conditions were struggling to access treatment during the COVID-19 outbreak — vital support they depended on to manage their lives. Face-to-face contact for the vast majority of people with mental illnesses was suddenly halted, and many of the services they used were suspended.
In a press conference on Monday evening, Hancock said: "As the number of hospitalisations from coronavirus begins to fall, I can announce that starting tomorrow we can begin the restoration of other NHS services, starting with the most urgent, like cancer care and mental health support," he said.
"The exact pace of the restoration will be determined by local circumstances on the ground according to local need and according to the amount of coronavirus cases that that hospital is having to deal with."
Latest figures show that 15,051 people are in UK hospitals with the coronavirus, down from 15,239 on Sunday.
Hancock said that "one of the striking things around the world" was that "far fewer people are coming forward to use non-COVID services".
The number of patients attending accident and emergency fell to 221,000 last week, down from 477,000 in the same week last year. "Some of this drop is due to lower road traffic and people following the social distancing rules," he said. "Some of it will be due to people accessing the NHS in ways that work better for them, like online or through pharmacies, and that’s a good thing. But in some cases we know that the drop is due to people not coming forward and using the NHS for critical things that matter. Our message is that the NHS is open. Help us to help you.”
Stephen Powis, the national medical director for NHS England, urged people who have chest pains or believe they have suffered a heart attack or stroke: "Don't forget the NHS is still there for you."
He said these were conditions for which it was vitally important not to wait for treatment.


buzzfeed--2020-04-27--The Coronavirus Is Preventing Deportations In Australia

Immigrants whose visas were cancelled after they committed crimes have found an unlikely ally in 2020 : the coronavirus .
A number of recent cases reveal that members of Australia 's Administrative Appeals Tribunal , which reviews government decisions , are asking parties to address how the global COVID-19 pandemic plays into the question of whether a person 's cancelled visa should be reinstated .
In several cases , the government has admitted that travel restrictions mean deportations are unlikely to happen in the near future .
That means those without a visa will face longer spells in immigration detention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favour of people getting their visas back .
Russell Medcalf , a 35-year-old New Zealand citizen , had his cancelled visa reinstated on April 9 , with the tribunal finding that the effects of the coronavirus weighed in his favour .
Medcalf , who has lived in Australia since he was 17 , had his visa cancelled in April 2018 because of criminal offences that meant he failed the `` character test '' in the Migration Act .
They included driving offences , assault and a drug trafficking conviction that landed him a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his visa to be reinstated , but a bureaucrat rejected his application in February .
He appealed to the tribunal , where , at his hearing held over videoconference in late March , members asked for information on the impact of COVID-19 .
Medcalf told the tribunal he was “ very scared and worried ” about being `` stuck in detention indefinitely '' , because if COVID-19 came to detention it would “ spread like wildfire ” .
The government had conceded that it was unlikely he would be deported in the immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration detention network have spoken out about their anxiety that the virus could easily spread in centres and hotels , brought in by guards or other staff from the outside world .
The government has so far rejected calls from doctors and advocates to release detainees to reduce the public health risk .
Instead , it is taking extreme precautions , such as locking a man in a tiny cell for three days after he asked for Panadol because he was sore following three days of a heavy workout .
Medcalf also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finding work and housing in New Zealand .
`` With the COVID virus going on at the moment there 'd be no jobs going , '' he said .
He added that he does not know anyone there .
Medcalf was also worried that his Australian son would not be able to visit him in New Zealand if borders were closed .
Senior tribunal member Dr Michelle Evans-Bonner found that the pandemic meant Medcalf would likely be detained for longer than he otherwise would have been .
It would also add to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she found .
“ The economic uncertainty of the pandemic may impact on [ Medcalf ’ s ] ability to find employment and on [ his ] ability to access support services to assist him to resettle in New Zealand and to find housing , although the extent of this impact is uncertain , ” the tribunal wrote .
The extra time he would spend in detention and the difficulties he would face back in New Zealand because of the pandemic weighed in favour of his visa being reinstated , the tribunal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be in his son 's strong interest to have his father present during his formative years .
The coronavirus was taken into account as early as Feb. 25 , when a 29-year-old Chinese citizen argued that he risked dying from the virus if deported to China .
In late February , the virus was sweeping through China and infections in Italy , Iran and South Korea were increasing .
The man , who was known as FRVT in the tribunal , had his visa cancelled after he committed serious drug offences .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in China was one reason his visa should be reinstated , on top of his unwell mother living in Australia , his relationship with his partner ’ s son in Australia , and the risk that he would face the death penalty in China because of his drug offending .
Tribunal member Tigiilagi Eteuati agreed that the risk of coronavirus infection was higher in China than in Australia , but that the number of infections was relatively small and that the man came from a province far away from the epicentre in Wuhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the progress of the virus , speculating that travel restrictions would last `` a matter of months , not years '' , and pointing to the `` drastic steps '' the Chinese government had taken to reduce the spread of the virus , quarantine patients , develop testing kits and produce a vaccine .
Nevertheless , the tribunal found it was not reasonably practicable for the man to be deported to China because of Australia 's travel restrictions , which would mean `` prolonged '' but not `` indefinite '' detention .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could contract the virus in China , and the negative impact on the Chinese economy weighed in his favour , the tribunal said .
Similar issues have come up in at least two other cases .
In one , brought by an Indonesian man with Australian children , the tribunal accepted that he could face a prolonged period in detention due to COVID-19 travel restrictions , and said that was one factor weighing against cancelling the visa .
His visa was reinstated .

Immigrants whose visas were cancelled after they committed crimes have found an unlikely ally in 2020: the coronavirus.
A number of recent cases reveal that members of Australia's Administrative Appeals Tribunal, which reviews government decisions, are asking parties to address how the global COVID-19 pandemic plays into the question of whether a person's cancelled visa should be reinstated.
In several cases, the government has admitted that travel restrictions mean deportations are unlikely to happen in the near future. That means those without a visa will face longer spells in immigration detention — a factor that has weighed in favour of people getting their visas back.
Russell Medcalf, a 35-year-old New Zealand citizen, had his cancelled visa reinstated on April 9, with the tribunal finding that the effects of the coronavirus weighed in his favour.
Medcalf, who has lived in Australia since he was 17, had his visa cancelled in April 2018 because of criminal offences that meant he failed the "character test" in the Migration Act. They included driving offences, assault and a drug trafficking conviction that landed him a three-year jail sentence.
He applied for his visa to be reinstated, but a bureaucrat rejected his application in February. He appealed to the tribunal, where, at his hearing held over videoconference in late March, members asked for information on the impact of COVID-19.
Medcalf told the tribunal he was “very scared and worried” about being "stuck in detention indefinitely", because if COVID-19 came to detention it would “spread like wildfire”. The government had conceded that it was unlikely he would be deported in the immediately foreseeable future.
Detainees across Australia's immigration detention network have spoken out about their anxiety that the virus could easily spread in centres and hotels, brought in by guards or other staff from the outside world.
The government has so far rejected calls from doctors and advocates to release detainees to reduce the public health risk. Instead, it is taking extreme precautions, such as locking a man in a tiny cell for three days after he asked for Panadol because he was sore following three days of a heavy workout.
Medcalf also said he was worried about his prospects of finding work and housing in New Zealand. "With the COVID virus going on at the moment there'd be no jobs going," he said. He added that he does not know anyone there.
Medcalf was also worried that his Australian son would not be able to visit him in New Zealand if borders were closed.
Senior tribunal member Dr Michelle Evans-Bonner found that the pandemic meant Medcalf would likely be detained for longer than he otherwise would have been.
It would also add to his difficulties in re-establishing himself in New Zealand, she found. “The economic uncertainty of the pandemic may impact on [Medcalf’s] ability to find employment and on [his] ability to access support services to assist him to resettle in New Zealand and to find housing, although the extent of this impact is uncertain,” the tribunal wrote.
The extra time he would spend in detention and the difficulties he would face back in New Zealand because of the pandemic weighed in favour of his visa being reinstated, the tribunal found. It was also found it would be in his son's strong interest to have his father present during his formative years.
The coronavirus was taken into account as early as Feb. 25, when a 29-year-old Chinese citizen argued that he risked dying from the virus if deported to China. In late February, the virus was sweeping through China and infections in Italy, Iran and South Korea were increasing.
The man, who was known as FRVT in the tribunal, had his visa cancelled after he committed serious drug offences.
He told the tribunal the coronavirus outbreak in China was one reason his visa should be reinstated, on top of his unwell mother living in Australia, his relationship with his partner’s son in Australia, and the risk that he would face the death penalty in China because of his drug offending.
Tribunal member Tigiilagi Eteuati agreed that the risk of coronavirus infection was higher in China than in Australia, but that the number of infections was relatively small and that the man came from a province far away from the epicentre in Wuhan.
The tribunal was relatively optimistic about the progress of the virus, speculating that travel restrictions would last "a matter of months, not years", and pointing to the "drastic steps" the Chinese government had taken to reduce the spread of the virus, quarantine patients, develop testing kits and produce a vaccine.
Nevertheless, the tribunal found it was not reasonably practicable for the man to be deported to China because of Australia's travel restrictions, which would mean "prolonged" but not "indefinite" detention.
That prolonged detention, the risk that he could contract the virus in China, and the negative impact on the Chinese economy weighed in his favour, the tribunal said.
Similar issues have come up in at least two other cases.
In one, brought by an Indonesian man with Australian children, the tribunal accepted that he could face a prolonged period in detention due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, and said that was one factor weighing against cancelling the visa. His visa was reinstated.


buzzfeed--2020-04-20--These British Travellers Say They Have Been "Left Behind" In India By The Foreign Office

A group of travellers — including a disabled social worker and her elderly mother — say they have been left stranded in India while other British travellers have been repatriated by the Foreign Office ( FCO ) .
At the end of March , foreign secretary Dominic Raab announced that the British government would help to repatriate citizens who were stranded abroad due to the novel coronavirus , but Shallo Chand , a social worker from Oxford , her friend Jane Louise Holden , a nurse who travelled with her as her carer , and her mother , Gurbaksh Kaur @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They say the situation has left them `` terrified . ''
They have seen other British travellers who were staying in their hotel in Amritsar , repatriated , and they are now among the few left guests left .
They now fear that the hotel will close and they do n't know where they will be transferred to .
MPs have told BuzzFeed News that dozens more of their constituents are in a similar situation .
The FCO has said it will prioritise vulnerable travellers when allocating places on its global repatriation flights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wheelchair and has lung problems , has been left behind , along with her 82-year-old mother .
BuzzFeed News understands that the FCO has been in touch with the group , and that repatriation flights are still operating from the Punjab .
However , Chand said she had heard nothing from the High Commission until the past couple of days .
`` I ’ ve been here for the last seven weeks , four of which have been at the hotel , '' Chand told BuzzFeed News .
`` I am highly anxious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flight through FCO but no avail .
`` I feel isolated as we are not allowed out of the hotel .
Furthermore , as I have a weak chest due to Polio I ’ m at my wits end in case I get COVID-19 , I am terrified of being hospitalised and costs that will incur , but more importantly surviving the treatment .
I have the same concerns for my elderly mother . ''
Chand 's friend Sue Lister has been trying to help from the UK , by contacting the group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to live next door to each other and known each other for 30 odd years , '' Lister said .
`` We 've holidayed together , we 're very good friends . ''
She added : `` In the past whenever there 's been any issues or anything where she might be vulnerable , I 've always said to her look , do n't worry it does n't matter where you are in the world I 'll bloody come and get you , but I ca n't even get past my own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` They applied [ to be returned to the UK ] right at the beginning — they did everything they were supposed to do , '' Lister said .
She is in regular contact with Chand and said while they hope they might be put a flight this week , they 've still had no confirmation .
`` It 's almost like they 're being forgotten , '' Lister said .
`` She said other people were getting phone calls and she was n't and that was when she began to realise that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they could n't get even email or text responses . ''
`` She is very upset , '' she added .
`` She tries to be positive , she keeps going but the point where I got the call with her in tears , I knew ... things have gone too far now .
We 've got to get her back . ''

A group of travellers — including a disabled social worker and her elderly mother — say they have been left stranded in India while other British travellers have been repatriated by the Foreign Office (FCO).
At the end of March, foreign secretary Dominic Raab announced that the British government would help to repatriate citizens who were stranded abroad due to the novel coronavirus, but Shallo Chand, a social worker from Oxford, her friend Jane Louise Holden, a nurse who travelled with her as her carer, and her mother, Gurbaksh Kaur, are still stuck in India. They say the situation has left them "terrified."
They have seen other British travellers who were staying in their hotel in Amritsar, repatriated, and they are now among the few left guests left. They now fear that the hotel will close and they don't know where they will be transferred to. MPs have told BuzzFeed News that dozens more of their constituents are in a similar situation.
The FCO has said it will prioritise vulnerable travellers when allocating places on its global repatriation flights, but Chand, who uses a wheelchair and has lung problems, has been left behind, along with her 82-year-old mother.
BuzzFeed News understands that the FCO has been in touch with the group, and that repatriation flights are still operating from the Punjab. However, Chand said she had heard nothing from the High Commission until the past couple of days.
"I’ve been here for the last seven weeks, four of which have been at the hotel," Chand told BuzzFeed News. "I am highly anxious and exhausted in trying to secure a flight through FCO but no avail.
"I feel isolated as we are not allowed out of the hotel. Furthermore, as I have a weak chest due to Polio I’m at my wits end in case I get COVID-19, I am terrified of being hospitalised and costs that will incur, but more importantly surviving the treatment. I have the same concerns for my elderly mother."
Chand's friend Sue Lister has been trying to help from the UK, by contacting the group's MPs for aid. "We used to live next door to each other and known each other for 30 odd years," Lister said. "We've holidayed together, we're very good friends."
She added: "In the past whenever there's been any issues or anything where she might be vulnerable, I've always said to her look, don't worry it doesn't matter where you are in the world I'll bloody come and get you, but I can't even get past my own front gate at the moment."
"They applied [to be returned to the UK] right at the beginning — they did everything they were supposed to do," Lister said. She is in regular contact with Chand and said while they hope they might be put a flight this week, they've still had no confirmation.
"It's almost like they're being forgotten," Lister said. "She said other people were getting phone calls and she wasn't and that was when she began to realise that they weren't communicating with them, and they couldn't get even email or text responses."
"She is very upset," she added. "She tries to be positive, she keeps going but the point where I got the call with her in tears, I knew...things have gone too far now. We've got to get her back."


buzzfeed--2020-04-01--The Family Of The Youngest Person To Die From The Coronavirus In The UK Has Told People To Stay Home

The family of 13-year-old Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab , the youngest person to die from the novel coronavirus in the UK , have issued a heartfelt plea to the public to stay at home and adhere to social distancing , saying they are `` heartbroken as a family due to the devastation caused by the coronavirus '' .
The family said they did not want to release his picture , concerned about the impact that seeing it in the news would have on them , but paid tribute `` to our young boy '' saying he had `` passed away at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We are heartbroken as a family due to the devastation caused by the Coronavirus as it becomes too real for us as a family and community , '' they wrote .
`` Ismail was a loving son , brother , nephew to our family and a friend to many people who knew him .
His smile was heart-warming and he was always gentle and kind . ''
He died on Monday at King 's College Hospital in London .
In line with current guidelines , his family were not allowed to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is very painful for us as family , particularly as a mother , '' they said in the statement .
`` However , we are comforted by our belief that every life shall taste death and the fact that we have no say when or how this will come about .
As Muslims , we believe that this life is short and temporary and we have to remain patient when facing hardship .
We would also like to thank all the medics and professionals who did all that they could to save our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ended their statement with a heartfelt plea for people to adhere to government guidelines to halt the spread of the disease .
`` Covid-19 is a virus that is attacking all members of our society , not just older people or those with pre-existing conditions .
So please do everything you can to ensure that we adhere to social distancing ; that people stay at home as much as they possibly can , to protect the NHS and save lives , '' they wrote .
Inna lillahi wa ina illaahi rajiuun !
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , and verily to Him do we return . ''
We the family of Ismail Mohamed would like to share this statement to first of all thank everyone who has expressed their prayers to us and supported us during this very difficult moment in our lives .
We would like to pay tribute to our young boy Ismail Mohamed , who has passed away at the tender age of 13 .
We are heartbroken as a family due to the devastation caused by the Coronavirus as it becomes too real for us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a loving son , brother , nephew to our family and a friend to many people who knew him .
His smile was heart-warming and he was always gentle and kind .
Sadly , he passed away on Monday 30th of March at King 's College Hospital due to COVID-19 without his family present and this is very painful for us as family , particularly as a mother .
However , we are comforted by our belief that every life shall taste death and the fact that we have no say when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As Muslims , we believe that this life is short and temporary and we have to remain patient when facing hardship .
We would also like to thank all the medics and professionals who did all that they could to save our son 's life .
And also , Madinah College for their support and for raising money for his funeral expenses and for our family on our GoFundMe page .
We are extremely grateful and overwhelmed by the amount of support from all over the world and to everyone who has donated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - the impact of his death has touched the hearts of many and we are truly humbled by this .
As a family , we have decided not to release Ismail 's picture at this juncture as we are concerned where it may end up and how this will impact us upon seeing it .
We as a family are still trying to come to terms with the sudden death of Ismail .
He leaves behind six siblings who are completely devastated and this has been made more difficult not being able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hospital .
We as a family would like to give notice that there is a GoFundMe appeal which has been started by friends .
We are entirely grateful and overwhelmed by all the support , prayers and donations .
https : //www.gofundme.com/f/Janazah-Expenses-for-Ismail Finally , we are all praying at this difficult time for all the people affected by this Covid-19 virus and we wish everybody speedy recovery .
We also wanted to re-iterate the need for people to listen to government guidance .
Covid-19 is a virus that is attacking all members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people or those with pre-existing conditions .
So please do everything you can to ensure that we adhere to social distancing ; that people stay at home as much as they possibly can , to protect the NHS and save lives .
We are also thankful for all the prayers and appreciate respect for our privacy from the media at this difficult time in our lives .

The family of 13-year-old Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, the youngest person to die from the novel coronavirus in the UK, have issued a heartfelt plea to the public to stay at home and adhere to social distancing, saying they are "heartbroken as a family due to the devastation caused by the coronavirus".
The family said they did not want to release his picture, concerned about the impact that seeing it in the news would have on them, but paid tribute "to our young boy" saying he had "passed away at the tender age of 13".
"We are heartbroken as a family due to the devastation caused by the Coronavirus as it becomes too real for us as a family and community," they wrote. "Ismail was a loving son, brother, nephew to our family and a friend to many people who knew him. His smile was heart-warming and he was always gentle and kind."
He died on Monday at King's College Hospital in London. In line with current guidelines, his family were not allowed to be present at his bedside.
"This is very painful for us as family, particularly as a mother," they said in the statement. "However, we are comforted by our belief that every life shall taste death and the fact that we have no say when or how this will come about. As Muslims, we believe that this life is short and temporary and we have to remain patient when facing hardship. We would also like to thank all the medics and professionals who did all that they could to save our son's life."
The family ended their statement with a heartfelt plea for people to adhere to government guidelines to halt the spread of the disease.
"Covid-19 is a virus that is attacking all members of our society, not just older people or those with pre-existing conditions. So please do everything you can to ensure that we adhere to social distancing; that people stay at home as much as they possibly can, to protect the NHS and save lives," they wrote.
Read the full statement here:


buzzfeed--2020-04-09--NHS Doctors Treating Coronavirus Patients Say They're Being Told To Ration Oxygen

Doctors working in hospitals across the country say they are being told to limit the amount of oxygen they use as the UK approaches a peak in coronavirus cases .
In multiple posts on online discussion forums and in interviews with BuzzFeed News , frontline medics describe wards unable to admit further patients , surgical wards being repurposed into COVID-19 wards because of oxygen issues on medical wards , oxygen saturation targets for patients being lowered , and staff being told to ration oxygen for patients on ventilators .
“ We only have enough oxygen for 50 beds to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctor treating coronavirus patients told BuzzFeed News .
“ We don ’ t have any way to get more , they ’ re rationing it instead.
” NHS England said oxygen tanks were “ fuller than normal ” and that there was “ sufficient oxygen supply available ” .
But Simon Walsh , the British Medical Association ’ s lead on emergency medicine , told BuzzFeed News that the issue is likely not the total amount of oxygen available , but each hospital ’ s capacity to deliver it to the patients who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few things which basically limit the supply of oxygen , ” he said .
“ One is the total amount — if it runs out and it hasn ’ t been resupplied then all the oxygen supply will stop at that point .
“ The other part , that ’ s slightly more difficult to understand , is that even when the tank has got oxygen in it , there ’ s a maximum flow rate , which can not be exceeded by the valves that control delivery into the system .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the entire oxygen supply fails , and has to be reset by engineers.
” While Walsh said he was unaware of specific situations in individual hospitals , he told BuzzFeed News that health service leaders must address the doctors ’ concerns .
“ I think we need to take these reports seriously , ” he said .
“ We need to find out why people are being told these things if , as NHS England says , oxygen supplies are not a problem .
I think their explanation that the tanks are full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with oxygen supply that we ’ ve been talking about .
“ The tanks may be full , but it may be that some hospitals are reaching the limits of the amount of oxygen they can supply at any one time , and if that is the case and if it ’ s effectively resulting in rationing of oxygen , then that urgently needs to be addressed by NHS England , ensuring that the numbers of patients in these hospitals is reduced to a level where they can deliver what the patients need @ @

Doctors working in hospitals across the country say they are being told to limit the amount of oxygen they use as the UK approaches a peak in coronavirus cases.
In multiple posts on online discussion forums and in interviews with BuzzFeed News, frontline medics describe wards unable to admit further patients, surgical wards being repurposed into COVID-19 wards because of oxygen issues on medical wards, oxygen saturation targets for patients being lowered, and staff being told to ration oxygen for patients on ventilators.
“We only have enough oxygen for 50 beds to be on high flow,” one hospital doctor treating coronavirus patients told BuzzFeed News. “We don’t have any way to get more, they’re rationing it instead.”
NHS England said oxygen tanks were “fuller than normal” and that there was “sufficient oxygen supply available”.
But Simon Walsh, the British Medical Association’s lead on emergency medicine, told BuzzFeed News that the issue is likely not the total amount of oxygen available, but each hospital’s capacity to deliver it to the patients who need it.
“There are a few things which basically limit the supply of oxygen,” he said. “One is the total amount — if it runs out and it hasn’t been resupplied then all the oxygen supply will stop at that point.
“The other part, that’s slightly more difficult to understand, is that even when the tank has got oxygen in it, there’s a maximum flow rate, which cannot be exceeded by the valves that control delivery into the system. If you do exceed that flow rate then the entire oxygen supply fails, and has to be reset by engineers.”
While Walsh said he was unaware of specific situations in individual hospitals, he told BuzzFeed News that health service leaders must address the doctors’ concerns.
“I think we need to take these reports seriously,” he said. “We need to find out why people are being told these things if, as NHS England says, oxygen supplies are not a problem. I think their explanation that the tanks are full doesn’t address the potential issues with oxygen supply that we’ve been talking about.
“The tanks may be full, but it may be that some hospitals are reaching the limits of the amount of oxygen they can supply at any one time, and if that is the case and if it’s effectively resulting in rationing of oxygen, then that urgently needs to be addressed by NHS England, ensuring that the numbers of patients in these hospitals is reduced to a level where they can deliver what the patients need.”


buzzfeed--2020-04-09--Boris Johnson Has Left Intensive Care After His Condition Continued To Improve

Boris Johnson has been released from intensive care back to a ward at St Thomas ' hospital after his condition continued to improve on Thursday .
He is being treated for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
`` The Prime Minister has been moved this evening from intensive care back to the ward , where he will receive close monitoring during the early phase of his recovery , '' Downing Street said in a statement .
`` He is in extremely good spirits , '' the spokesperson added .
The prime minister spent three nights in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worsened on Monday .
He had been admitted to hospital on Sunday as his COVID-19 symptoms persisted .
Johnson was given standard oxygen treatment in intensive care and was not put on a ventilator .
After a worrying 48 hours , chancellor Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday that he was `` improving '' , and Downing Street confirmed he was `` responding to treatment '' .
That improvement continued on Thursday and the PM has now been returned to a ward at the hospital , where he is expected to remain for several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from hospital , he is likely to need several weeks of rest as he recovers from his prolonged case of COVID-19 .
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab is continuing to deputise for Johnson while he is out of action .
Speaking at the daily Downing Street press conference on Thursday , Raab said he had still not spoken to the prime minister , but confirmed he had the necessary authority along with the cabinet to make a decision on extending the current lockdown beyond next week .

Boris Johnson has been released from intensive care back to a ward at St Thomas' hospital after his condition continued to improve on Thursday. He is being treated for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
"The Prime Minister has been moved this evening from intensive care back to the ward, where he will receive close monitoring during the early phase of his recovery," Downing Street said in a statement.
"He is in extremely good spirits," the spokesperson added.
The prime minister spent three nights in the intensive care unit after his condition worsened on Monday.
He had been admitted to hospital on Sunday as his COVID-19 symptoms persisted.
Johnson was given standard oxygen treatment in intensive care and was not put on a ventilator.
After a worrying 48 hours, chancellor Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday that he was "improving", and Downing Street confirmed he was "responding to treatment".
That improvement continued on Thursday and the PM has now been returned to a ward at the hospital, where he is expected to remain for several days.
When he is eventually released from hospital, he is likely to need several weeks of rest as he recovers from his prolonged case of COVID-19.
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab is continuing to deputise for Johnson while he is out of action.
Speaking at the daily Downing Street press conference on Thursday, Raab said he had still not spoken to the prime minister, but confirmed he had the necessary authority along with the cabinet to make a decision on extending the current lockdown beyond next week.


buzzfeed--2020-04-13--Jennifer Lopez And Diddy Had A Dance-Off On Instagram Live And Proved They're Still The Perfect Exes

`` Puffy , I have to tell you this because I do n't think you know this , but this @ @ @ @ @ biggest fan from the Bad Boy era .
You and Mase are his heroes , @ @ @ @ @ It 's like every party we do , he 's like , 'We 're gon @ @ @ @ @ . '
''

"Puffy, I have to tell you this because I don't think you know this, but this guy right here is your biggest fan from the Bad Boy era. You and Mase are his heroes," said J.Lo. "It's like every party we do, he's like, 'We're gonna have Puffy and Mase.'"


buzzfeed--2020-04-28--Victims Of Violence Will Now Have To Gather Evidence Themselves To Get Compensation In NSW

Victims of crime in the Australian state of New South Wales will have to gather their own evidence to support claims of violence under a controversial change that has taken community services by surprise in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic .
If you have been the victim of a crime and are seeking counselling or compensation in New South Wales , the long-standing process has been that you submit a form outlining when you think the crime occurred and what the injury was , whether that is physical or psychological , and who might have the records to prove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the state to gather police , hospital , psychological and counselling records as evidence to support your claim .
But the new changes mean victims must collect their own evidence of the incident and injury before they can submit a claim for victims ’ support and find an approved counsellor to help them in their recovery .
The changes were announced a week before being implemented on April 27 , and were made without any consultation with the state 's Victims Advisory Board or the Victims of Crime Interagency , which are @ @ @ @ @ @

Victims of crime in the Australian state of New South Wales will have to gather their own evidence to support claims of violence under a controversial change that has taken community services by surprise in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
If you have been the victim of a crime and are seeking counselling or compensation in New South Wales, the long-standing process has been that you submit a form outlining when you think the crime occurred and what the injury was, whether that is physical or psychological, and who might have the records to prove this.
It has then been up to the state to gather police, hospital, psychological and counselling records as evidence to support your claim.
But the new changes mean victims must collect their own evidence of the incident and injury before they can submit a claim for victims’ support and find an approved counsellor to help them in their recovery.
The changes were announced a week before being implemented on April 27, and were made without any consultation with the state's Victims Advisory Board or the Victims of Crime Interagency, which are bodies established for such purposes.


buzzfeed--2020-04-02--Boris Johnson is Looking For A UK Lockdown Exit Strategy, But Ministers and Experts Disagree On How

Boris Johnson is Looking For A UK Lockdown Exit Strategy, But Ministers and Experts Disagree On How To Do It

Boris Johnson has tasked the government ’ s chief scientists with devising an “ exit strategy ” from the UK coronavirus lockdown — but ministers and experts have differing views on whether some restrictions should be lifted as soon as is feasibly possible or kept in place for months .
Finding a workable balance is proving difficult , they warn .
The prime minister said in a Twitter video on Wednesday night that developing an antibody test to tell if people have previously had COVID-19 was key to getting people back to work , suggesting that this was Britain ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source familiar with the thinking of England ’ s chief medical officer , Chris Whitty , and chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance told BuzzFeed News that they were considering various strategies for how to end the lockdown .
“ This is the biggest question people are asking , but there are no clear answers yet , ” the source said .
The current restrictions — which ordered people to stay at home except for essential shopping , medical reasons , exercise , or work if they can not work at home — are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At that point , Johnson and government experts will decide if the measures are relaxed or extended .
Deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries has said that social distancing measures will have to be “ adjusted ” over a period of at least six months .
There are opposing views in government over how and when the UK can “ adjust ” those lockdown measures , ministers told BuzzFeed News , based on differing economic and health considerations .
“ There is a sliding scale of options , each with positives and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One group of ministers and senior advisers is keen to release restrictions on the largest number of people as soon as is practically possible .
Senior figures across government are increasingly concerned about the economic impact of keeping widespread restrictions in place for months on end , fearing that more than three months of full-scale lockdown will plunge the UK economy into a depression from which it could take a decade to recover .
Ministers have been warned by Treasury officials that while they hope the economy makes a V-shape bounce back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ongoing restrictions on economic activity could result in an L-shape recession from which it is extremely difficult to recover .
Until as recently as last week , some at the top of government had hoped that the UK outbreak would have reached its peak by mid-April , after which many measures could quickly begin to be lifted .
However , this timescale is now considered out of date and overly optimistic .

Boris Johnson has tasked the government’s chief scientists with devising an “exit strategy” from the UK coronavirus lockdown — but ministers and experts have differing views on whether some restrictions should be lifted as soon as is feasibly possible or kept in place for months. Finding a workable balance is proving difficult, they warn.
The prime minister said in a Twitter video on Wednesday night that developing an antibody test to tell if people have previously had COVID-19 was key to getting people back to work, suggesting that this was Britain’s road back to normality.
A source familiar with the thinking of England’s chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, and chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance told BuzzFeed News that they were considering various strategies for how to end the lockdown. “This is the biggest question people are asking, but there are no clear answers yet,” the source said.
The current restrictions — which ordered people to stay at home except for essential shopping, medical reasons, exercise, or work if they cannot work at home — are due to be reviewed in two weeks. At that point, Johnson and government experts will decide if the measures are relaxed or extended. Deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries has said that social distancing measures will have to be “adjusted” over a period of at least six months.
There are opposing views in government over how and when the UK can “adjust” those lockdown measures, ministers told BuzzFeed News, based on differing economic and health considerations. “There is a sliding scale of options, each with positives and negatives,” a Whitehall source said.
One group of ministers and senior advisers is keen to release restrictions on the largest number of people as soon as is practically possible.
Senior figures across government are increasingly concerned about the economic impact of keeping widespread restrictions in place for months on end, fearing that more than three months of full-scale lockdown will plunge the UK economy into a depression from which it could take a decade to recover.
Ministers have been warned by Treasury officials that while they hope the economy makes a V-shape bounce back to where it was before the pandemic, ongoing restrictions on economic activity could result in an L-shape recession from which it is extremely difficult to recover.
Until as recently as last week, some at the top of government had hoped that the UK outbreak would have reached its peak by mid-April, after which many measures could quickly begin to be lifted. However, this timescale is now considered out of date and overly optimistic.


buzzfeed--2020-04-02--This Man’s Dry Cough Is So Bad He Needs Help With A Puffer At Night. He’s Stuck In Detention As COVI

This Man’s Dry Cough Is So Bad He Needs Help With A Puffer At Night. He’s Stuck In Detention As COVID-19 Spreads.

A man who has had a persistent cough for more than three years and is a suspected asthmatic is being detained with dozens of other men in a hotel doubling as an immigration detention centre as the coronavirus spreads across Australia .
“ I feel extremely weak .
I 'm worried that my vulnerable body is unable to handle the coronavirus , ” Mostafa “ Moz ” Azimitabar , a 34-year-old Iranian-Kurdish singer and refugee , told BuzzFeed News .
“ I stay in my small room most of the day .
This is the only thing I can do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has ignored widespread calls to release Azimitabar and others into the community during the pandemic .
The situation in detention is increasingly tense as detainees watch tighter restrictions being implemented across the country while they remain in close living quarters where social distancing is impossible .
Azimitabar ’ s roommate , Farhad Bandesh , said the coughing intensifies at night and often keeps him awake .
He told BuzzFeed News that the dry coughing is sometimes so severe that he has to help Azimitabar use his puffer .
The pair are housed two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Azimitabar said filters into the room and makes him feel “ suffocated ” .
Azimitabar ’ s lawyer wrote to home affairs minister Peter Dutton and acting immigration minister Alan Tudge on March 25 saying her client should be released due to his vulnerability to the virus .
Azimitabar ’ s medical records suggest he has asthma or another respiratory illness , but he has not been formally diagnosed due to limitations with medical care in offshore detention , his lawyer wrote .
“ This places him in the high risk category @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consequences from , COVID-19 , ” the letter reads .
If released , Azimitabar has a number of supporters in the Australian community who would house him .

A man who has had a persistent cough for more than three years and is a suspected asthmatic is being detained with dozens of other men in a hotel doubling as an immigration detention centre as the coronavirus spreads across Australia.
“I feel extremely weak. I'm worried that my vulnerable body is unable to handle the coronavirus,” Mostafa “Moz” Azimitabar, a 34-year-old Iranian-Kurdish singer and refugee, told BuzzFeed News.
“I stay in my small room most of the day. This is the only thing I can do to protect myself.”
The Australian government has ignored widespread calls to release Azimitabar and others into the community during the pandemic. The situation in detention is increasingly tense as detainees watch tighter restrictions being implemented across the country while they remain in close living quarters where social distancing is impossible.
Azimitabar’s roommate, Farhad Bandesh, said the coughing intensifies at night and often keeps him awake. He told BuzzFeed News that the dry coughing is sometimes so severe that he has to help Azimitabar use his puffer.
The pair are housed two doors down from a smoking room, which Azimitabar said filters into the room and makes him feel “suffocated”.
Azimitabar’s lawyer wrote to home affairs minister Peter Dutton and acting immigration minister Alan Tudge on March 25 saying her client should be released due to his vulnerability to the virus. Azimitabar’s medical records suggest he has asthma or another respiratory illness, but he has not been formally diagnosed due to limitations with medical care in offshore detention, his lawyer wrote.
“This places him in the high risk category for contracting, and then suffering severe consequences from, COVID-19,” the letter reads.
If released, Azimitabar has a number of supporters in the Australian community who would house him.


buzzfeed--2020-04-02--13 Tips From An Actual Therapist You Might Find Helpful Right Now

Q : `` What are some hobbies , besides watching TV , that are good for the body and mind during this time ? ''
—Anonymous A : `` Meditation can be helpful because it 's about the here and now — it tells us worrying about the past and future is n't going to help you , if you 're able to stay in the present moment .
Meditation helps you be at peace with yourself and enjoy your own company , and not doubt when you 're in isolation .
It gets us to accept what is .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolation , it 's also a good time to go from the external to the internal .
You 're forced to look within , and focus on personal growth in the body and mind .
You can take a walk , exercise inside your house , and declutter your brain to reevaluate what 's important .
Whether it 's through meditation , therapy , or reaching out to friends and family , how can you become a stronger person within ?
You can think of this time as not being stuck inside , @ @ @ @ @ @

6. Q: "What are some hobbies, besides watching TV, that are good for the body and mind during this time?" —Anonymous
A: "Meditation can be helpful because it's about the here and now — it tells us worrying about the past and future isn't going to help you, if you're able to stay in the present moment. Meditation helps you be at peace with yourself and enjoy your own company, and not doubt when you're in isolation. It gets us to accept what is."
"When you're forced in isolation, it's also a good time to go from the external to the internal. You're forced to look within, and focus on personal growth in the body and mind. You can take a walk, exercise inside your house, and declutter your brain to reevaluate what's important. Whether it's through meditation, therapy, or reaching out to friends and family, how can you become a stronger person within? You can think of this time as not being stuck inside, but being safe inside."