buzzfeed--2020-12-23--How Kelly Loeffler’s WNBA Team Became Her Most Passionate Opponent

Elizabeth Williams and the Atlanta Dream were key to Raphael Warnock ’ s rise .
The WNBA players have no plans to step back now .
Elizabeth Williams will say she doesn ’ t like conflict , that she isn ’ t usually political , but the photo from this summer looks a lot like a challenge .
In it , she stands straight against a stucco wall , feet shoulder-width apart , and from behind her mask , she is staring directly at the camera .
On her black T-shirt are the words : In 2016 , when a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ athletes to publicly support the Black Lives Matter movements , wearing T-shirts to their games in defiance of league rules , Williams was a newcomer to professional basketball , unsure of what to do and nervous about provoking the league ’ s ire .
Four years later , on that day in August , Williams was helping lead a charge to do something no American professional league ’ s players had ever done : endorse a political candidate .
Players on every team , across the league , were banding together in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But no one was taking more of a risk than Williams and her team , the Atlanta Dream : Warnock was running to oust the team ’ s part owner , Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler .
“ A moment like that would make anyone nervous , ” Williams said .
But to Williams and the Dream , there was not really a choice .
Loeffler had been using the WNBA players ’ decision to center their 2020 season around Black Lives Matter , and Black women killed by police , as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She had excoriated her own team ’ s players — the vast majority of whom are Black women , like Williams — and the racial justice movement .
“ If she wants to play this political game , we thought , we can , too , ” Williams said .
“ We ’ re college graduates .
We ’ re not dumb here .
We can strategize and learn from people .
We can learn a little about politics.
” The WNBA has always been at the forefront of social justice in sports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ athletes across the globe began to wield their power to fight racial injustice , the women of the WNBA pushed their power in a new direction , too .
What the WNBA players pulled off was a careful , planned political strategy .
That summer , as their season began under tight pandemic restrictions in Florida , there was a crowded field of Democrats running against Loeffler with no clear frontrunners .
So players from across the league came together to run their own endorsement process — a search for the candidate who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Black man who had been an advocate of criminal justice reform , LGTBQ rights , and abortion rights .
Then they put his name everywhere .
Getting off the bus for their game .
On the court .
On their social media feeds .
On the nightly news , and the front of local sports pages .
The players never spoke Loeffler ’ s name .
But what they were saying was clear : If you want Kelly Loeffler out of office , this is your man .
There ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s campaign : It was the WNBA players who ignited a fire for the first time , helping separate him from the rest of the field .
Now , in no small part because of them , he is facing off against Loeffler in a January runoff that could decide the entire balance of power in the Senate .
Elizabeth Williams isn ’ t going back after this year .
Nor is the WNBA .
If history is any guide — and if the WNBA has anything to say about it — nor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more athletes step into protest , politics , and racial justice , what the WNBA players did this summer could serve as a blueprint .
“ That ’ s the next chapter , next evolution , of our union — for us to be more formally in a social justice — and a political — sphere .
We ’ re going to look at what it means to be in a political space properly , ” said Terri Jackson , the executive director of the WNBA players ’ union .
“ We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ re here.
” The Seattle Storm , the 2020 WNBA champions , endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in November — the first time a pro sports team had endorsed a political candidate , at least in recent memory .
Ginny Gilder , the Storm ’ s co-owner , said the decision was entirely separate from the players ’ endorsement of Warnock .
But both decisions , she said , are rooted in the same place .
“ There ’ s this fantasy that sports is in one domain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you ’ re a woman , a [ person of color ] , or gay , you see that politics has always been part of how Americans view sports , and who has access to them .
There ’ s never been an authentic divide , ” Gilder said .
“ Certainly going forward , there ’ s going to be less of that.
” For WNBA players this summer , the risks of a political endorsement , especially one made against a wealthy , politically connected team owner , were especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s stakes , for a league made up of 80 % Black women , were also especially high .
Before this summer , Williams , a center who was the fourth pick in the WNBA draft in 2015 , had never been to a protest .
But with the entire country thrown into waves of protest following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis , a friend pushed her to step out and join the protesters taking to the streets .
In June , Williams posted a photo of herself on Instagram , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At the time , even that seemed like a big step for her .
Surrounded by signs and people , Williams holds her hands up , her clear-rimmed glasses perched on her mask .
“ It was a big moment for me , as far as shifting things , ” Williams said of the protest .
She was nervous at first , intimidated by the National Guard and the huge crowds , even though they were peaceful .
“ It was scary in that sense , but you do have all these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empowering .
And it ’ s eye-opening because you feel the raw emotion that goes into it.
” Williams , though , had already been building her own political experience .
In 2019 , she had been a leader in union negotiations over a new contract .
What WNBA players won out of those negotiations was , for women athletes , revolutionary : huge salary increases and substantial maternity benefits , a blueprint for women in sports far beyond basketball .
She and the rest of the union carried the lessons of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they negotiated a return to play amid the coronavirus pandemic .
They would agree to play in a bubble , sequestered in Florida , Jackson said — but only if their season were dedicated to social justice , and only if it were centered around the issues they chose .
The players had more attention than ever before : Their games , for the first time , would all be televised on network TV .
The players did not want a league-approved social justice campaign like the league- and owner-approved messages that NBA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Players decided they would dedicate their season to # SayHerName — to the memories of Black women , often forgotten , who had been killed by the police .
Every single player would wear Breonna Taylor ’ s name on her jersey .
Williams was a quiet , introverted force for consensus through the process , Jackson said .
Then Loeffler spoke out against the team ’ s efforts .
In a public letter to the WNBA ’ s commissioner , she said she was “ adamantly opposed ” to Black Lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s commissioner to drop its support of the movement , placing an American flag on every jersey instead .
Loeffler proceeded to take the message to Fox News in primetime .
For Williams , that was the moment that everything had been leading up to .
“ When our owner made a statement , it was : ‘ All right , bam , this is it , ’ ” she said .
“ This is our time to really step up , and all you ’ ve been learning , all you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time to step up and say something and do something.
” She led her team to put out a statement , and Williams posted it on her Instagram with the caption , “ We ’ ve read the letter .
We reject the letter .
Black lives matter .
Vote in November.
” But the players wanted to do more , Williams said .
Across the country , athletes were pushing get-out-the-vote campaigns and registration drives , trying to get people to fill out the census .
The WNBA had been doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially those on the Dream , recognized that something else was going on with Loeffler ; she was using them as a political prop , trying to boost her own campaign by going after a group of Black women .
“ We didn ’ t just want to have a statement , ” Williams said .
“ For everything we did , we wanted to have an action behind it.
” Sue Bird , a 20-year veteran of the league , suggested finding a candidate to oust Loeffler .
What unfolded within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next few days was , in effect , an endorsement process .
Over Zoom , players researched candidates ; when they met Warnock , they grilled him about everything that mattered to them most : racial justice , abortion rights and LGBTQ rights , criminal justice reform .
“ I ’ m not some political strategist , but what I do know is that voting is important .
And I think our league has always encouraged people to use their voices and to get out and vote , ” Bird told ESPN .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to get the word out about this man and hopefully put him in the Senate .
“ And if he ’ s in the Senate , you know who ’ s not .
And I 'll just leave it at that.
” Bird doesn ’ t ever say Loeffler ’ s name .
Nor do Williams or any of the other WNBA players .
That was the point of supporting Warnock .
Jackson watched as the WNBA players ’ get-out-the-vote efforts became “ a bit more pointed , ” she said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dream .
It was the players themselves who had led the messaging about Warnock .
Their planning culminated on Aug. 4 , when across the whole league , player after player stepped out of their team ’ s buses in “ VOTE WARNOCK ” T-shirts , resolute and unsmiling .
One stopped to stare at the camera and tug at the fabric .
Another held her hand out underneath Warnock ’ s name , as though she were modeling it .
“ I popped my popcorn and sat back to watch them get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I mean , never has there been so much attention on players getting off a bus.
” Williams felt anxious that day , especially for her team .
But , in a way , it was a lot like that protest in downtown Atlanta she had attended that summer .
They were all together .
The moment felt to her like something that the whole league had been preparing for for years — long before 2020 .
The Warnock campaign felt the effects immediately .
It saw surges in grassroots donations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experienced .
It was the timing of the WNBA ’ s support that truly mattered , one analysis found .
In the contours of the Senate race in Georgia , what the players did was profound .
Warnock had been mired in a crowded field of Democrats .
But in August , after the WNBA players picked him out of that field , elevating him as their candidate of choice to take on Loeffler , his poll numbers started rising .
By fall , he was the clear Democratic frontrunner .
In November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other candidate , setting up the Jan. 5 runoff with Loeffler .
Most WNBA players are abroad now , playing in foreign leagues as they do almost every offseason .
Williams is in Turkey .
But the players have been doing what they can from across time zones .
And when they get back to the league next year , things are not going to go back to the way they were .
The core of the WNBA ’ s racial justice efforts — protest , and collective action — isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help lead them .
Later in the season , after a Black man , Jacob Blake , was shot in Kenosha , Wisconsin , the NBA ’ s Milwaukee Bucks announced they would not play their game , setting off a daylong work stoppage in the middle of the playoffs .
The WNBA ’ s pair of games had been scheduled to start within hours .
As the players debated what to do , Williams sat listening , jotting down what everyone was saying .
For women players , the decision was different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endorsement deals and million-dollar salaries that men did , and their chances in the spotlight to play nationally televised games were far less frequent .
But the WNBA players decided that they too would make the decision not to play , using the spotlight to talk about Blake and Black Lives Matter .
By then , Williams was ready , a speech mostly written .
There were other players who had been more prominent within the league ’ s racial justice fight — but given everything that had happened with the Dream that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who should give the speech , Jackson said .
“ In that moment , it needed to be Elizabeth.
” Williams was nervous , again , as she stood on the court to speak on behalf of the league , her voice wavering slightly as she glanced up and down from her phone .
“ If we wait , we don ’ t make change , ” Williams read .
“ It matters .
Your voice matters .
Your vote matters .
Do all you can to demand that your leaders stop with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is the reason for the 2020 season .
It is in our DNA .
”

The Seattle Storm, the 2020 WNBA champions, endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in November — the first time a pro sports team had endorsed a political candidate, at least in recent memory. Ginny Gilder, the Storm’s co-owner, said the decision was entirely separate from the players’ endorsement of Warnock. But both decisions, she said, are rooted in the same place.
“There’s this fantasy that sports is in one domain and politics are in the other. If you’re a woman, a [person of color], or gay, you see that politics has always been part of how Americans view sports, and who has access to them. There’s never been an authentic divide,” Gilder said. “Certainly going forward, there’s going to be less of that.”
For WNBA players this summer, the risks of a political endorsement, especially one made against a wealthy, politically connected team owner, were especially great. But the political moment’s stakes, for a league made up of 80% Black women, were also especially high.
Before this summer, Williams, a center who was the fourth pick in the WNBA draft in 2015, had never been to a protest. But with the entire country thrown into waves of protest following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, a friend pushed her to step out and join the protesters taking to the streets.
In June, Williams posted a photo of herself on Instagram, standing at a protest in downtown Atlanta. At the time, even that seemed like a big step for her. Surrounded by signs and people, Williams holds her hands up, her clear-rimmed glasses perched on her mask.
“It was a big moment for me, as far as shifting things,” Williams said of the protest. She was nervous at first, intimidated by the National Guard and the huge crowds, even though they were peaceful.
“It was scary in that sense, but you do have all these people around you. It’s empowering. And it’s eye-opening because you feel the raw emotion that goes into it.”
Williams, though, had already been building her own political experience. In 2019, she had been a leader in union negotiations over a new contract. What WNBA players won out of those negotiations was, for women athletes, revolutionary: huge salary increases and substantial maternity benefits, a blueprint for women in sports far beyond basketball.
She and the rest of the union carried the lessons of that victory with them months later, when they negotiated a return to play amid the coronavirus pandemic. They would agree to play in a bubble, sequestered in Florida, Jackson said — but only if their season were dedicated to social justice, and only if it were centered around the issues they chose.
The players had more attention than ever before: Their games, for the first time, would all be televised on network TV. The players did not want a league-approved social justice campaign like the league- and owner-approved messages that NBA players wore on their jerseys that summer.
Players decided they would dedicate their season to #SayHerName — to the memories of Black women, often forgotten, who had been killed by the police. Every single player would wear Breonna Taylor’s name on her jersey.


buzzfeed--2020-12-24--The 13 Biggest Lessons We've Learned About The Coronavirus So Far

`` It ’ s an extraordinary virus , the likes of which I ’ ve never , ever seen , and I ’ ve been doing this now for almost 40 years , ” Anthony Fauci told BuzzFeed News .
No one was prepared for the coronavirus pandemic .
The public certainly wasn ’ t .
The US government wasn ’ t .
Even the public health experts who had spent their entire careers anxiously preparing for a pandemic weren ’ t , in part because the basic mechanics of the coronavirus now known as SARS-CoV-2 defied expectations .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts thought it would .
And COVID-19 looked wildly different in different people , making it difficult to spot .
`` It ’ s an extraordinary virus , the likes of which I ’ ve never , ever seen , and I ’ ve been doing this now for almost 40 years , ” Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , told BuzzFeed News .
“ I ’ ve never seen a virus that on the one hand has no symptoms in one person but on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for another person .
That is really quite unprecedented . ''
Doctors and scientists raced to understand the basic nature of the coronavirus and how to treat severe infections .
Meanwhile , the general public has craved answers , often turning to a panoply of imperfect sources : anecdotes , preliminary studies , officials , and the internet .
The swirl of misinformation , conspiracies , and conflicting official guidance , a problem exacerbated by President Donald Trump , made the situation even more confusing .
Trump routinely dismissed and played down the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and interfered with guidance from his own public health experts ; and touted unproven treatments .
The result was a deadlier pandemic , one that has already claimed more than 320,000 lives in the US .
But a year after the virus first appeared , there ’ s reason for hope : Two vaccines are already in distribution .
An explosion of studies has deepened our understanding of the virus , and doctors and nurses , with months of experience under their belts , are better able to identify and treat infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at what we ’ ve learned : In the early months of the pandemic , doctors , and nurses looked for three key symptoms to best identify people potentially sick with COVID-19 : fever , cough , and shortness of breath .
But as more people got infected , it became clear the virus could attack different parts of the body , causing a wider range of symptoms .
Today , the CDC warns of 11 main symptoms to watch for : fever or chills , cough , shortness of breath or difficulty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aches , headache , new loss of taste or smell , sore throat , congestion or runny nose , nausea or vomiting , and diarrhea .
There ’ s no set order in which they appear .
Moreover , there ’ s an ever-growing list of other potential impacts too , from swollen toes , dubbed “ COVID toes , ” to neurological injuries .
If a doctor checks a symptomatic patient in person for the virus , they aren ’ t just looking at the lungs anymore , according to Megan Ranney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Brown University .
“ We know to also look for markers of inflammation , markers of blood clots , ” she said , adding : “ We look at the heart , the brain , the kidneys , liver function — those can all be signs of COVID 19.
” Another quirk of this disease is that it can severely impact some people while leaving others unscathed .
An estimated 20 % to 30 % of people infected with the coronavirus develop no symptoms at all .
Meanwhile , many people can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms that can last for weeks or months .
A German study from July found that 78 out of 100 COVID-19 patients had heart complications two months later , while an Italian study the same month found that 87 % of patients who were sick enough to be hospitalized still had symptoms after two months .
3 .
People can be infectious even if they don ’ t have symptoms .
One of the sneaky things about this disease is that people can have no symptoms but still spread the virus to others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence that we have , Ranney explains , suggests that someone can spread the virus in the two days or so before developing symptoms ( called presymptomatic spread ) , while asymptomatic people who never develop symptoms can also still infect others .
The CDC warns that more than 50 % of transmission is occurring by people that are either presymptomatic or asymptomatic .
The public health community was slow to understand and accept this .
Early on , the flawed assumption was that sick people were overwhelmingly spreading the disease within their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ informed by experience with other respiratory viruses , such as the flu .
Health screens popped up everywhere , from airports to hotels , checking people ’ s temperatures and surveying for other symptoms in search of the ill and infectious , without much benefit .
The California Department of Public Health reported that travel screenings of 11,000 people in that state , from February to March , turned up only three sick people .
“ The lack of those symptoms is not a guarantee you are not infected , nor is it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to others , ” Ranney said .
“ That ’ s something that took us all by surprise.
” A small percentage of people are responsible for most coronavirus infections , study after study has shown .
This sharply contrasts with the initial thinking , based on China ’ s experience , that the virus was mainly spreading in households .
For example , one study using contract tracing data determined about 20 % of cases in Hong Kong were responsible for 80 % of total cases .
Another one focused on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh regions drove 80 % of cases .
Because indoor gatherings pose a higher risk of infection , so-called superspreader events ended up grabbing headlines throughout the year .
Prominent examples include when one person with COVID-19 symptoms ended up spreading the virus to 87 % of the people in attendance at an indoor choir practice in Washington state ; when dozens of people got infected and sick at large indoor weddings in Ohio and Maine ; and when the 11th floor of a South Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Researchers still don ’ t know why some people are superspreaders of the virus and others aren ’ t .
And while this is not how the flu is usually spread , clustering or superspreader events were responsible for the spread of other infectious coronaviruses , such as SARS and MERS .
China ’ s crowded hospitals , filled with patients on ventilators , sent the early message that these breathing machines would be vital in treating people with the deadly disease , who in severe cases can struggle intensely to breathe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considered crucial , but better understanding of how COVID-19 kills many patients has lessened the crush for the machines .
Quickly putting coronavirus patients on ventilators was premised on two early ideas about SARS-CoV-2 : One was that critical patients were going into “ acute respiratory distress syndrome , ” seen in pneumonia cases where a ventilator gives patients time for their immune systems to fight off an infection .
The other was that patients were highly infectious late in their infections , like in the 2004 SARS outbreak , and that early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coughing on healthcare workers at the most transmissible moments of their case .
But it turned out that ’ s not how COVID-19 works .
Instead , the patient 's own immune system can turn out to be the most dangerous enemy , attacking the lungs in the late stages of the most serious infections .
For this reason , the steroid dexamethasone , which tamps down the immune response , has become the go-to response for severe cases , shown to cut mortality by a third in patients on ventilators .
Likewise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most infectious around the time they first develop symptoms rather than days later when they are hospitalized .
ICUs have turned to just supplying patients oxygen and “ proning ” them , or turning them onto their stomachs , which allows more air to enter their lungs , rather than sedating them and damaging their already-inflamed lungs with a ventilator .
The death rate for hospitalized COVID-19 patients seems to have declined since April , when many of these lessons about treating patients were first learned .
An October Journal of Hospital Medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested that proning , less time on ventilators , and treatment starting sooner due to earlier testing , helped explain their death rate falling from 26 % in April to 8 % in August .
One interesting , but still unproven , theory is that more widespread wearing of masks means that people are now , more often , getting a lower initial dose of the virus .
The immune system can battle fewer viruses more easily , leading to less severe cases and fewer deaths .
8 .
COVID-19 is worse if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or cancer .
Old age appeared the key risk factor for dying from the novel coronavirus in the first reports of the outbreak from China .
A February report on 72,000 Chinese patients for example found a death rate of 8 % for patients in their seventies , and 15 % for those older .
A more complicated picture emerged over the next few months , however , with illness that often came along with age — diabetes , heart disease , cancer — emerging as the crucial risk factor for patients .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness , ” said a November update on COVID-19 risks from the CDC .
That changed picture came from deeper looks at the critical cases in China , Europe , and New York as the pandemic spread .
Since COVID-19 attacks many organs in the body , people with kidneys , hearts , or other organs already burdened by illness or obesity face higher risks of dying or of severe illness .
Because older adults have high-risk conditions at very high rates , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has recommended those over 75 get shots ahead of others .
The CDC ’ s early guidance suggested that pregnant people and fetuses didn ’ t have an elevated risk in response to COVID-19 infections .
Now we know that , if you are pregnant , COVID-19 poses a serious risk .
“ Based on what we know at this time , pregnant people are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 compared to non-pregnant people , ” the CDC now warns .
“ Additionally , pregnant people with COVID-19 might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcomes , such as preterm birth.
” Data collected over the last year showed that infected pregnant people are more likely to be admitted into an intensive care unit , need a ventilator , and die compared to people who are not pregnant .
To date , more than 42,000 pregnant people in the US have tested positive for COVID-19 , more than 8,000 of them have been hospitalized , and at least 55 have died , according to data collected by the CDC .
Pregnant Latinx and Black people are more likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are still a lot of unknowns .
“ The majority of this data is from [ people in their ] third trimesters , ” said Rahul Gupta , chief medical and health officer at March of Dimes , an advocacy and research group focused on maternal and baby health .
It ’ s still unclear how infected people earlier in their pregnancies are faring , as well as their babies .
And while limited studies suggest parents are not transmitting the virus to their children through the placenta or breast milk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to collect more data .
The early observations out of China suggested kids only rarely got infected with COVID-19 , and even then generally had mild cases .
This initial picture wasn ’ t that far off : While it ’ s now clear children do get infected , and some seriously so , they are more often asymptomatic or mildly impacted .
But it is still not well understood why this is the case .
Another open question is how much kids spread the disease .
“ The data right now strongly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spread the virus than older teens and young adults ... and that young adults spread it at the same rate as full adults , ” explained Ranney .
But , she added , “ there are a lot of contradictions in the data.
” An additional puzzle facing the medical community is why a small but growing number of kids of different ages , from toddlers up to teenagers , have been hospitalized for a coronavirus-linked syndrome , called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children , or MIS-C. “ Nobody read about this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is completely new , ” Jane Burns , one of the researchers studying this syndrome , told BuzzFeed News in May .
The scientific questions around whether children faced risks from COVID-19 — and whether they were “ silent carriers ” — became deeply politicized amid fights about whether to reopen schools .
While the Trump administration urged reopenings and threatened to withhold pandemic aid if states did not comply , Democrats raised concerns about schools turning into hot spots for infection .
So far , research suggests that schools are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that opening schools is a priority and the risk of infection can be kept low through strict adherence to social distancing and other hygiene measures , the CDC this week prioritized teachers to be among the next group to receive COVID-19 vaccines .
11 .
We still don ’ t know how long immunity lasts , but there is reason to be hopeful .
An ongoing mystery surrounding the coronavirus is how long immunity to the bug lasts , either after recovering from an infection or getting a vaccine .
Immunity to four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanes within a year or two .
Since the coronavirus has been loose in humanity for only a year , we don ’ t know whether it lasts longer than that .
Reports of reinfections have shown that , for some people , immunity doesn ’ t last .
But only a few hundred reinfections have been reported worldwide .
Because 95 % of people produce antibodies to infection , some kind of long-lasting immunity is expected among the 17 million COVID-19 cases counted , so far , in the US .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : How long do antibodies last in the body ?
And do immune “ memory ” cells last for the years needed for long-term immunity to the virus ?
The answer to the first question is that , for most people , the antibodies do seem to linger for five to seven months after an infection , leveling off but staying at a moderate level in the bloodstream , with higher levels seen after more severe cases .
As for memory cells , their duration in numbers strong enough to deter an infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the length of time people have been getting sick with this virus .
But there is reason to be hopeful : A study has shown that memory cells aimed against SARS , a closely related coronavirus , last for at least 17 years , while SARS antibodies seem to last for two .
And studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 infection does generate these memory cells , which rally antibodies when a virus tries to return .
This also has implications for COVID-19 vaccines , since it will be important to know how long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Moderna to the FDA for emergency authorization showed evidence that its vaccine led to a bounty of memory cells , seen at least two months after vaccination .
Moderna , Pfizer , and others are promising to track the antibody response generated by their shots for two years , gauging to see if they generate an immune response stronger or weaker than people who have recovered from an infection .
That data could help us figure out how soon people may need booster shots for a COVID-19 vaccine .
On Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kingdom , where a new , possibly more transmissible strain of the coronavirus has taken hold since September .
This is not the first case of a new “ variant ” of the coronavirus emerging : As early as March , scientists observed that people in the US were infected with a virus that had mutations seen in cases in Europe , not China , suggesting that the virus had mutated at some point before taking hold in the US .
Whether these are truly new “ strains ” of the virus that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have taken over because of superspreader events — genetic lottery winners — is unclear .
But it is known that the coronavirus steadily picks up small mutations as it infects people around the world .
About one change in the virus ’ s genetic code crops up in a chain of infected people every 10 days , Trevor Bedford of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center estimated in March .
And there have been a lot of chains of infection since then , with more than 75 million cases reported worldwide so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported more than 5,700 variants of the original Wuhan , China , virus were in circulation .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the virus as changing “ its method of attack ” to infect people even more readily , but whether this “ B.1.1.7 ” variant of the coronavirus is truly more transmissible is hotly contested .
The UK ’ s chief science adviser suggested on Saturday that the variant was 70 % more transmissible than others .
However , in response , virologist Christian Drosten of Berlin ’ s Charité University Hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too many unknowns to say something like that.
” New influenza strains , functionally different versions of the same virus , do appear every year and necessitate seasonal changes in flu shots .
The worry is that coronavirus will do the same thing , driving a need for changes in the COVID-19 vaccines just now becoming available .
In particular , mutations to the “ spike ” protein of the coronavirus , the part that initiates infections of cells , are a concern , because COVID-19 vaccines by and large train the body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
Coronaviruses actually mutate much more slowly than the notoriously sloppy flu , however , and with most of humanity still naive to the bug , there should be little evolutionary pressure to truly change its mode of attack .
The B.1.1.7 variant , which has more than a dozen changes to its genetic code , is hypothesized to have emerged from a single , chronically infected patient who may have been treated with antibodies to the virus , encouraging it to develop more significant mutations .
Scientists are adding new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch carefully at this stage .
Operation Warp Speed chief scientist Moncef Slaoui said on Monday that most likely the vaccines are just as effective against the UK variant as any other , but it will take weeks of studies to be certain .
“ There is no evidence this variant is more pathogenic , ” he added .
“ We are all in this together , ” President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence said in the March news conference unveiling the national response to the just-declared pandemic .
But it hasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black , Latinx , and Native American people have died in outsize numbers , at rates 2.6 to 2.8 times higher than white Americans .
In an October look at 114,000 deaths from COVID-19 this summer , CDC and New York City health officials found that 51 % were white , 24 % were Hispanic , and 19 % were Black .
Poverty , which can lead to living in multigenerational homes and doing essential work at higher risk for exposures , and higher frequency of diabetes , heart disease , and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to dying from the coronavirus among minorities , that report concluded .
Perhaps the saddest finding is that minority children are likewise bearing a disproportionate burden as well .
A September study of COVID-19 deaths in people 21 and younger nationwide found 75 % of the deaths were among Black , Latinx , and Native Americans , even though they were just 41 % of that population .
Asthma and obesity were preexisting conditions most strongly tied to the deaths .
“ COVID-19 has become the herald event that now fully exposes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities , ” Northwestern University ’ s Clyde Yancy wrote in a JAMA editorial in April .
“ This is a moment of ethical reckoning .
The scourge of COVID-19 will end , but health care disparities will persist.
” ●

On Monday, Europe began banning travel from the United Kingdom, where a new, possibly more transmissible strain of the coronavirus has taken hold since September. This is not the first case of a new “variant” of the coronavirus emerging: As early as March, scientists observed that people in the US were infected with a virus that had mutations seen in cases in Europe, not China, suggesting that the virus had mutated at some point before taking hold in the US.
Whether these are truly new “strains” of the virus that are actually more dangerous or just ones that have taken over because of superspreader events — genetic lottery winners — is unclear. But it is known that the coronavirus steadily picks up small mutations as it infects people around the world. About one change in the virus’s genetic code crops up in a chain of infected people every 10 days, Trevor Bedford of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center estimated in March. And there have been a lot of chains of infection since then, with more than 75 million cases reported worldwide so far. Even by February, scientists reported more than 5,700 variants of the original Wuhan, China, virus were in circulation.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the virus as changing “its method of attack” to infect people even more readily, but whether this “B.1.1.7” variant of the coronavirus is truly more transmissible is hotly contested. The UK’s chief science adviser suggested on Saturday that the variant was 70% more transmissible than others. However, in response, virologist Christian Drosten of Berlin’s Charité University Hospital told Science magazine, “There are too many unknowns to say something like that.”
New influenza strains, functionally different versions of the same virus, do appear every year and necessitate seasonal changes in flu shots. The worry is that coronavirus will do the same thing, driving a need for changes in the COVID-19 vaccines just now becoming available. In particular, mutations to the “spike” protein of the coronavirus, the part that initiates infections of cells, are a concern, because COVID-19 vaccines by and large train the body to recognize and attack that part of the virus.
Coronaviruses actually mutate much more slowly than the notoriously sloppy flu, however, and with most of humanity still naive to the bug, there should be little evolutionary pressure to truly change its mode of attack. The B.1.1.7 variant, which has more than a dozen changes to its genetic code, is hypothesized to have emerged from a single, chronically infected patient who may have been treated with antibodies to the virus, encouraging it to develop more significant mutations.
Scientists are adding new variants to the list of things to watch carefully at this stage. Operation Warp Speed chief scientist Moncef Slaoui said on Monday that most likely the vaccines are just as effective against the UK variant as any other, but it will take weeks of studies to be certain. “There is no evidence this variant is more pathogenic,” he added.


buzzfeed--2020-12-24--Trump Has Pardoned Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, And Jared Kushner's Dad

President Donald Trump issued another batch of pardons and commutations on Wednesday , granting clemency to 29 people , including longtime ally Roger Stone , his former campaign chair Paul Manafort , and the father of his son-in-law .
The pardons come a day after Trump issued full pardons for 15 people , including former House Republicans , key figures in the Russia inquiry , and the four former Blackwater mercenaries who killed Iraqi civilians .
He also commuted the sentences for five others .
The pardon for Manafort , who was convicted of federal financial crimes prosecuted by former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , did not come as a surprise .
The presidential clemency came as the former Trump campaign chair was in the middle of serving a seven-year sentence and represents the latest exercise of clemency power by Trump to undo the fruits of Mueller 's efforts .
In Wednesday 's round , the president granted full pardons to 26 people and commuted part or all of the sentences for another three .
Trump 's announcement .
however , does n't end Manafort 's legal troubles .
He still faces potential fraud charges in state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does n't have the authority to provide clemency for state charges , only federal crimes .
Shortly after the White House announced his pardon , Manafort thanked Trump on Twitter and praised the president 's legacy .
`` History will record that your Presidency accomplished more in 3 years than any of your modern-day predecessors . ''

President Donald Trump issued another batch of pardons and commutations on Wednesday, granting clemency to 29 people, including longtime ally Roger Stone, his former campaign chair Paul Manafort, and the father of his son-in-law.
The pardons come a day after Trump issued full pardons for 15 people, including former House Republicans, key figures in the Russia inquiry, and the four former Blackwater mercenaries who killed Iraqi civilians. He also commuted the sentences for five others.
The pardon for Manafort, who was convicted of federal financial crimes prosecuted by former special counsel Robert Mueller’s office, did not come as a surprise. The presidential clemency came as the former Trump campaign chair was in the middle of serving a seven-year sentence and represents the latest exercise of clemency power by Trump to undo the fruits of Mueller's efforts. In Wednesday's round, the president granted full pardons to 26 people and commuted part or all of the sentences for another three.
Trump's announcement. however, doesn't end Manafort's legal troubles. He still faces potential fraud charges in state court in New York, and Trump doesn't have the authority to provide clemency for state charges, only federal crimes.
Shortly after the White House announced his pardon, Manafort thanked Trump on Twitter and praised the president's legacy.
"History will record that your Presidency accomplished more in 4 years than any of your modern-day predecessors."


buzzfeed--2020-12-23--Democrats Are Telling Georgians To Dump Their Republican Senators If They Want More Aid

Democrats in Georgia say voters care about COVID and getting economic relief above all other issues — and that Donald Trump 's late-night demand for more direct payments helps them with their existing message .
Since the double Senate runoff started in Georgia , Democrats and progressives have been telling supporters that there are only three people standing in the way of the congressional Democrats having a chance at expanding relief efforts and direct assistance in the next Congressional session : Sens .
David Perdue , Kelly Loeffler , and Mitch McConnell .
Advocacy groups have converged on Georgia over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiated a massive COVID aid program that includes unemployment insurance and business relief — and a $ 600 direct payment to those whose income falls under a certain threshold .
Those payments , which were added to the latest deal after a joint effort by Sens .
Bernie Sanders and Josh Hawley , have turned into the last-minute breaking point .
In a video posted to Twitter late on Tuesday night , Trump called the $ 900 billion relief bill a “ disgrace ” and threatened to veto the bill if Congress didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,000 from the proposed $ 600 , which he called “ ridiculously low.
” The Democrats running in Georgia , Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock , immediately announced that they supported the president ’ s call .
“ President Trump is , as ever , erratic and all over the place .
But on this point , tonight , he ’ s right , ” Ossoff said in a CNN interview on Tuesday night .
“ $ 600 is a joke .
They should send $ 2,000 checks to the American people right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added that Perdue had opposed and obstructed direct payments .
Perdue and Loeffler now are in an uncomfortable position as they campaign to keep their seats .
McConnell reportedly urged Republican senators to support another round of direct payments because Loeffler and Perdue were “ getting hammered ” for the monthslong delay in aid , like direct payments , for Americans .
On the campaign trail and in newly released ads after the deal was announced , Loeffler and Perdue both praised the relief bill and highlighted the second round of direct relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After Trump ’ s announcement , Loeffler told the press that she would “ look ” at supporting increasing direct payments “ if it repurposes wasteful spending.
” A Senate spokesperson for Perdue did not respond for comment on whether he supported the president ’ s call for increased direct payments .
“ This wrench that Trump has thrown into their plans has given Ossoff and Warnock the chance to remind Georgia voters that they are both on board with increased direct payments , ” a spokesperson for Warnock ’ s campaign told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Perdue are now in a tough spot trying to explain why they 're pushing for Georgians to get less relief that even Trump opposes . ''
Expanded COVID relief and the stall to implement another relief package was already one of the main tension points in the runoff elections before both Trump ’ s announcement and the recently passed relief bill .
“ We ’ ve had about 2 million conversations throughout 2020 and tons of focus groups and tons of polling since March , ” Nsé Ufot , the executive director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News .
“ The number one issue across the board , across race , across age , across gender and geography has been COVID.
” “ Our work in this moment has been connecting the act of voting with the changes people want to see around COVID like healthcare and the economy , ” Ufot added .
Progressive groups like the Working Families Party , Sunrise Movement , and Georgians for Registration and Increased Turnout ( GRIT ) have worked the pandemic and relief efforts into the canvassing scripts and literature as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state .
“ The bottom line , in a very concise way , is that people are struggling .
People are unemployed , people don ’ t have healthcare insurance , people sometimes don ’ t know where their next meal is coming , and this is sometimes exacerbated by COVID , ” said Britney Whaley , a senior political strategist who is running Working Families Party ’ s canvassing operation in Georgia .
“ It paints this picture of who ’ s suffering the most .
People know .
They don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill to know that this is inadequate.
” She said that the party ’ s nearly 200 canvassers and their phone-banking program have connected the candidates to the issue and that they would continue to do so ahead of the race , but many of the Georgians they ’ re speaking with have made the connection on their own .
“ These two senators have been in DC , and in some instances they ’ ve been creating roadblocks and in the opposition .
It ’ s not hard to connect that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DC for months and there ’ s been back-and-forth while we ’ re fighting for our survival , ” Whaley said .
“ That ’ s not something that we have to tell the average Georgian when we ’ re at their doors .
That ’ s something they tell us.
” Support for a new relief package was widespread across the country ahead of the general election and a New York Times poll found that 7 in 10 voters supported a new stimulus program while Congress was stalling on relief measures .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have lost their jobs since the start of the pandemic , a mid-November Data for Progress poll found that 63 % of likely Georgia runoff voters said they would be more likely to support a candidate who supported an additional $ 1,200 stimulus check .
In an early December memo , progressive organizations including Justice Democrats and Sunrise Movement urged Democrats to campaign around a stand-alone bill to issue a new round of $ 1,200 checks that would give Democrats “ a clear message about something tangible that Democrats will do for you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party win the two runoff elections in Georgia .
Shanté Wolfe , Sunrise Movement ’ s coordinated campaign director , said that they decided to sign onto the letter to highlight a new strategy of connecting their movement with Southern voters while motivating them to turn out to the polls .
“ Sometimes it ’ s not the message , it ’ s the messenger , ” Wolfe said .
“ When we ’ re on the doors and phones , we talk about Ossoff and Warnock and the bigger picture of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50-50 split , and we also talk about utilities and how they ’ re going to pay bills , which are at the top of people ’ s minds as we move into 2021.
” She added that the group would push conversations about the new stimulus bill in the final days of the race .
For groups like GRIT , the effects of COVID on people ’ s lives have been one of the main issues they speak about with voters when they ’ re knocking on doors in apartment complexes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are worried about .
The new COVID relief bill and Trump ’ s criticism of it only offer them more talking points .
“ I can guarantee you that the first person ’ s door I knock on to talk about the election and COVID stimulus when I ’ m out canvassing again , I ’ m going to flat out tell them that this new deal that was made was bullshit and we need to do better and there ’ s no chance in hell that we can do better if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in , ” Ben Davidson , one of the leaders of GRIT , a hyperlocal organizing group that started knocking on doors in the apartment complexes of the rapidly diversifying suburbs of Atlanta told BuzzFeed News before Trump ’ s announcement .
“ This is good for us , ” Davidson said in an interview after Trump ’ s announcement .
“ It helps people and shows that people Loeffler and Perdue don ’ t have people ’ s best interests at heart .
This isn ’ t changing anything for us , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more ammo.
” Warnock and Ossoff have both made expanding COVID relief a cornerstone of their campaigns and have pushed the point in ads and on the campaign trail — congressional Republicans pushed for smaller relief checks during COVID negotiations throughout the year .
Democrats campaigning in the state , including President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President–elect Kamala Harris , have characterized the two runoff elections as central to passing any legislation that would expand relief efforts .
“ I need two senators from this state who want to get something done — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get in the way .
Because , look , getting nothing done just hurts Georgia .
Look at what ’ s happening right now in Congress , ” Biden told supporters at a drive-in rally in Atlanta last week while listing off policy priorities that they could help pass with Democratic control of the Senate .
Both Ossoff and Warnock ’ s campaigns see the issues over direct payments and calls for expanded economic relief as a boon for connecting the impact their races could have on Senate control with tangible outcomes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The campaigns plan to continue criticizing Perdue and Loeffler over the issue in the final days ahead of the election .
“ It ’ s going to be focused on how we can make sure Georgians are getting what they need and aren ’ t suffering from these backroom deals and legislation that doesn ’ t account for our community ’ s needs , ” a spokesperson for Warnock said .

Democrats in Georgia say voters care about COVID and getting economic relief above all other issues — and that Donald Trump's late-night demand for more direct payments helps them with their existing message.
Since the double Senate runoff started in Georgia, Democrats and progressives have been telling supporters that there are only three people standing in the way of the congressional Democrats having a chance at expanding relief efforts and direct assistance in the next Congressional session: Sens. David Perdue, Kelly Loeffler, and Mitch McConnell.
Advocacy groups have converged on Georgia over the last month, as Congress has negotiated a massive COVID aid program that includes unemployment insurance and business relief — and a $600 direct payment to those whose income falls under a certain threshold. Those payments, which were added to the latest deal after a joint effort by Sens. Bernie Sanders and Josh Hawley, have turned into the last-minute breaking point.
In a video posted to Twitter late on Tuesday night, Trump called the $900 billion relief bill a “disgrace” and threatened to veto the bill if Congress didn’t increase direct payments to $2,000 from the proposed $600, which he called “ridiculously low.”
The Democrats running in Georgia, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, immediately announced that they supported the president’s call.
“President Trump is, as ever, erratic and all over the place. But on this point, tonight, he’s right,” Ossoff said in a CNN interview on Tuesday night. “$600 is a joke. They should send $2,000 checks to the American people right now because people are hurting.” He added that Perdue had opposed and obstructed direct payments.
Perdue and Loeffler now are in an uncomfortable position as they campaign to keep their seats. McConnell reportedly urged Republican senators to support another round of direct payments because Loeffler and Perdue were “getting hammered” for the monthslong delay in aid, like direct payments, for Americans.
On the campaign trail and in newly released ads after the deal was announced, Loeffler and Perdue both praised the relief bill and highlighted the second round of direct relief that would be issued to Americans.
After Trump’s announcement, Loeffler told the press that she would “look” at supporting increasing direct payments “if it repurposes wasteful spending.” A Senate spokesperson for Perdue did not respond for comment on whether he supported the president’s call for increased direct payments.
“This wrench that Trump has thrown into their plans has given Ossoff and Warnock the chance to remind Georgia voters that they are both on board with increased direct payments,” a spokesperson for Warnock’s campaign told BuzzFeed News. “Meanwhile, Loeffler and Perdue are now in a tough spot trying to explain why they're pushing for Georgians to get less relief that even Trump opposes."
Expanded COVID relief and the stall to implement another relief package was already one of the main tension points in the runoff elections before both Trump’s announcement and the recently passed relief bill.
“We’ve had about 2 million conversations throughout 2020 and tons of focus groups and tons of polling since March,” Nsé Ufot, the executive director of New Georgia Project, told BuzzFeed News. “The number one issue across the board, across race, across age, across gender and geography has been COVID.”
“Our work in this moment has been connecting the act of voting with the changes people want to see around COVID like healthcare and the economy,” Ufot added.
Progressive groups like the Working Families Party, Sunrise Movement, and Georgians for Registration and Increased Turnout (GRIT) have worked the pandemic and relief efforts into the canvassing scripts and literature as they knock on doors and make calls around the state.
“The bottom line, in a very concise way, is that people are struggling. People are unemployed, people don’t have healthcare insurance, people sometimes don’t know where their next meal is coming, and this is sometimes exacerbated by COVID,” said Britney Whaley, a senior political strategist who is running Working Families Party’s canvassing operation in Georgia. “It paints this picture of who’s suffering the most. People know. They don’t have to read a 500-page bill to know that this is inadequate.”
She said that the party’s nearly 200 canvassers and their phone-banking program have connected the candidates to the issue and that they would continue to do so ahead of the race, but many of the Georgians they’re speaking with have made the connection on their own.
“These two senators have been in DC, and in some instances they’ve been creating roadblocks and in the opposition. It’s not hard to connect that we have two senators who have been in DC for months and there’s been back-and-forth while we’re fighting for our survival,” Whaley said. “That’s not something that we have to tell the average Georgian when we’re at their doors. That’s something they tell us.”
Support for a new relief package was widespread across the country ahead of the general election and a New York Times poll found that 7 in 10 voters supported a new stimulus program while Congress was stalling on relief measures. In Georgia, where 3.9 million people have lost their jobs since the start of the pandemic, a mid-November Data for Progress poll found that 63% of likely Georgia runoff voters said they would be more likely to support a candidate who supported an additional $1,200 stimulus check.
In an early December memo, progressive organizations including Justice Democrats and Sunrise Movement urged Democrats to campaign around a stand-alone bill to issue a new round of $1,200 checks that would give Democrats “a clear message about something tangible that Democrats will do for you” that they believed would help the party win the two runoff elections in Georgia.
Shanté Wolfe, Sunrise Movement’s electoral politics director, said that they decided to sign onto the letter to highlight a new strategy of connecting their movement with Southern voters while motivating them to turn out to the polls.
“Sometimes it’s not the message, it’s the messenger,” Wolfe said. “When we’re on the doors and phones, we talk about Ossoff and Warnock and the bigger picture of this race and how it would secure a 50-50 split, and we also talk about utilities and how they’re going to pay bills, which are at the top of people’s minds as we move into 2021.” She added that the group would push conversations about the new stimulus bill in the final days of the race.
For groups like GRIT, the effects of COVID on people’s lives have been one of the main issues they speak about with voters when they’re knocking on doors in apartment complexes, and it’s one that voters are worried about. The new COVID relief bill and Trump’s criticism of it only offer them more talking points.
“I can guarantee you that the first person’s door I knock on to talk about the election and COVID stimulus when I’m out canvassing again, I’m going to flat out tell them that this new deal that was made was bullshit and we need to do better and there’s no chance in hell that we can do better if we don’t get Warnock and Ossoff in,” Ben Davidson, one of the leaders of GRIT, a hyperlocal organizing group that started knocking on doors in the apartment complexes of the rapidly diversifying suburbs of Atlanta told BuzzFeed News before Trump’s announcement.
“This is good for us,” Davidson said in an interview after Trump’s announcement. “It helps people and shows that people Loeffler and Perdue don’t have people’s best interests at heart. This isn’t changing anything for us, and if anything, it gives us more ammo.”
Warnock and Ossoff have both made expanding COVID relief a cornerstone of their campaigns and have pushed the point in ads and on the campaign trail — congressional Republicans pushed for smaller relief checks during COVID negotiations throughout the year. Democrats campaigning in the state, including President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President–elect Kamala Harris, have characterized the two runoff elections as central to passing any legislation that would expand relief efforts.
“I need two senators from this state who want to get something done — not two senators who are just going to get in the way. Because, look, getting nothing done just hurts Georgia. Look at what’s happening right now in Congress,” Biden told supporters at a drive-in rally in Atlanta last week while listing off policy priorities that they could help pass with Democratic control of the Senate.
Both Ossoff and Warnock’s campaigns see the issues over direct payments and calls for expanded economic relief as a boon for connecting the impact their races could have on Senate control with tangible outcomes for voters if they’re elected. The campaigns plan to continue criticizing Perdue and Loeffler over the issue in the final days ahead of the election.
“It’s going to be focused on how we can make sure Georgians are getting what they need and aren’t suffering from these backroom deals and legislation that doesn’t account for our community’s needs,” a spokesperson for Warnock said.


buzzfeed--2020-12-23--The New York School District That Used Facial Recognition Now Has To Stop

On Tuesday , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announced a moratorium on facial recognition and biometric technology from public and private schools in the state until at least July 2022 .
One of the few districts in the country to use facial recognition in its schools , Lockport City School District , will comply with the facial recognition moratorium , the Lockport Journal reported .
That does n't appear to be the first choice of the administrators of the western New York district .
Documents obtained by BuzzFeed News via public record request show that they argued in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facial recognition , “ history is on our side.
” It ’ s unclear who gave the presentation , where , or when .
But it has a clear pro-surveillance message .
“ We may have to have thick skin to continue to take the bashing of misinformation and being called irresponsible and incapable of making a good decision regarding technology we could not possibly understand , but history shows we are in good company , ” a slide presentation prepared by the Lockport City School District says .
“ It is very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , dangerous , or irresponsible when we do nothing to actually find out the truth.
” In the wake of the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School , Lockport announced it would use Aegis , a facial recognition system developed by biometric technology company SNTech .
With the ever-present threat of shootings at in-person schools , some parents and teachers have argued that technology is the only way to protect students — whether it ’ s software that surveils every finger stroke a child types or schools built like fortresses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that serves just under 4,500 students near Niagara Falls became one of the first in the country to use facial recognition .
Aegis was adopted as part of a $ 3.8 million security enhancement project affecting six elementary schools and three intermediate and high schools .
The money also went toward the installation of security cameras , panic buttons , and door control technology .
A school district spokesperson told BuzzFeed News that even though the district would comply with the new law , it would prefer to continue to use facial recognition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that its students , staff , and visitors should not be deprived of the additional layer of security provided by the district ’ s facial recognition system , ” a Lockport City School District spokesperson told BuzzFeed News .
“ Nonetheless , the district will , of course , comply with applicable law.
” In the slide presentation , titled “ Aegis Security : Opportunity for Discussion , ” the district addresses concerns about facial recognition .
For instance , it claims that Aegis is accurate across various categories of gender and race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns that facial recognition has proven to be less accurate when used to identify women or people of color .
The presentation uses Aegis ’ s accurate identifications of actors Lupita Nyong ’ o and the late Chadwick Boseman as examples .
“ The system uses biometric measurements and neuroscience to identify shapes and patterns , ” the slide presentation says .
“ It does not see male , female , black , white , hispanic , etc.
, numbers and mathematical equations determine a match .
”

On Tuesday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a moratorium on facial recognition and biometric technology from public and private schools in the state until at least July 2022. One of the few districts in the country to use facial recognition in its schools, Lockport City School District, will comply with the facial recognition moratorium, the Lockport Journal reported.
That doesn't appear to be the first choice of the administrators of the western New York district. Documents obtained by BuzzFeed News via public record request show that they argued in a slide presentation that when it comes to facial recognition, “history is on our side.”
It’s unclear who gave the presentation, where, or when. But it has a clear pro-surveillance message.
“We may have to have thick skin to continue to take the bashing of misinformation and being called irresponsible and incapable of making a good decision regarding technology we could not possibly understand, but history shows we are in good company,” a slide presentation prepared by the Lockport City School District says. “It is very easy to say something is not good, dangerous, or irresponsible when we do nothing to actually find out the truth.”
In the wake of the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Lockport announced it would use Aegis, a facial recognition system developed by biometric technology company SNTech. With the ever-present threat of shootings at in-person schools, some parents and teachers have argued that technology is the only way to protect students — whether it’s software that surveils every finger stroke a child types or schools built like fortresses.
For its part, the school district that serves just under 4,500 students near Niagara Falls became one of the first in the country to use facial recognition. Aegis was adopted as part of a $3.8 million security enhancement project affecting six elementary schools and three intermediate and high schools. The money also went toward the installation of security cameras, panic buttons, and door control technology.
A school district spokesperson told BuzzFeed News that even though the district would comply with the new law, it would prefer to continue to use facial recognition. “The district continues to believe that its students, staff, and visitors should not be deprived of the additional layer of security provided by the district’s facial recognition system,” a Lockport City School District spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. “Nonetheless, the district will, of course, comply with applicable law.”
In the slide presentation, titled “Aegis Security: Opportunity for Discussion,” the district addresses concerns about facial recognition. For instance, it claims that Aegis is accurate across various categories of gender and race. This was likely meant to address concerns that facial recognition has proven to be less accurate when used to identify women or people of color. The presentation uses Aegis’s accurate identifications of actors Lupita Nyong’o and the late Chadwick Boseman as examples.
“The system uses biometric measurements and neuroscience to identify shapes and patterns,” the slide presentation says. “It does not see male, female, black, white, hispanic, etc., numbers and mathematical equations determine a match.”


buzzfeed--2020-12-23--Pelosi Is Daring Republicans To Pass $2,000 Direct Checks After Trump Called For Them

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
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WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi offered Wednesday to immediately pass $ 2,000 direct checks to US residents , hours after Trump called for them to be included in the coronavirus aid bill that passed Monday .
The move puts congressional Republicans in a tough spot .
They pushed for smaller stimulus checks during COVID negotiations , only to be immediately undermined by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dear colleague ” letter sent to members of the House , Pelosi offered to pass the $ 2,000 checks by unanimous consent on Christmas Eve if Republicans will go along with it .
It ’ s unlikely that the checks will actually pass .
Congress typically does not make changes to massive , negotiated bills after they are passed and Republicans had already railed about the high price tag of the one they voted on .
Trump could still veto the coronavirus package if Republicans don ’ t meet his new demands , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical aid Congress agreed to .
Trump mostly sat out the COVID bill talks as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel took the lead on negotiating with Democrats .
But on Tuesday evening , after a deal was reached , Trump released a video to Twitter bashing the $ 900 billion agreement .
Most of Trump ’ s complaints involved foreign aid and other provisions that were not actually part of the COVID bill — they were included in the $ 1.4 trillion 2021 spending bill that was passed at the same time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did attack the $ 600 direct checks contained in the COVID bill as `` ridiculously low '' and demand they be increased to $ 2,000 .
In her “ dear colleague ” letter , Pelosi said she and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer “ repeatedly asked Republicans what would be the highest number the President would accept for direct payments , and they responded with Sphinx-like silence .
In the negotiations , they would never go above $ 600 and in some cases , proposed $ 500.
” Pelosi wrote that if Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should call on congressional Republicans to agree to them .
The COVID aid bill was passed by Congress Monday but has not yet been signed into law by Trump .
Trump did not explicitly threaten to veto the legislation if the checks are not beefed up .
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and McConnell , the top two Republicans in Congress , did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
The debate over checks has made for unusual partnerships .
Initially , there were no checks at all in the coronavirus bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and conservative Republican Sen. Josh Hawley teamed up to lead a public pressure campaign demanding the inclusion of $ 1,200 direct payments similar to what was contained in the CARES Act back in March .
They didn ’ t get that , but negotiators did agree to include $ 600 checks for most American adults .
Under the current wording of the bill , adults who earn up to $ 75,000 will receive $ 600 checks , and couples who earn up to $ 150,000 combined will receive $ 1,200 .
Parents will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dependent under the age of 17 , but no money for older children or adult dependents .
For people who earn above $ 75,000 , the size of the checks is phased out at a rate of $ 5 for every $ 100 of income , drawing down to zero at $ 87,000 or $ 174,000 for joint filers .

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi offered Wednesday to immediately pass $2,000 direct checks to US residents, hours after Trump called for them to be included in the coronavirus aid bill that passed Monday.
The move puts congressional Republicans in a tough spot. They pushed for smaller stimulus checks during COVID negotiations, only to be immediately undermined by their own president. In a “dear colleague” letter sent to members of the House, Pelosi offered to pass the $2,000 checks by unanimous consent on Christmas Eve if Republicans will go along with it.
It’s unlikely that the checks will actually pass. Congress typically does not make changes to massive, negotiated bills after they are passed and Republicans had already railed about the high price tag of the one they voted on. Trump could still veto the coronavirus package if Republicans don’t meet his new demands, delaying the $600 checks and other critical aid Congress agreed to.
Trump mostly sat out the COVID bill talks as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel took the lead on negotiating with Democrats. But on Tuesday evening, after a deal was reached, Trump released a video to Twitter bashing the $900 billion agreement.
Most of Trump’s complaints involved foreign aid and other provisions that were not actually part of the COVID bill — they were included in the $1.4 trillion 2021 spending bill that was passed at the same time to avoid a government shutdown. But Trump did attack the $600 direct checks contained in the COVID bill as "ridiculously low" and demand they be increased to $2,000.
In her “dear colleague” letter, Pelosi said she and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer “repeatedly asked Republicans what would be the highest number the President would accept for direct payments, and they responded with Sphinx-like silence. In the negotiations, they would never go above $600 and in some cases, proposed $500.”
Pelosi wrote that if Trump wants the $2,000 checks, he should call on congressional Republicans to agree to them. The COVID aid bill was passed by Congress Monday but has not yet been signed into law by Trump. Trump did not explicitly threaten to veto the legislation if the checks are not beefed up.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and McConnell, the top two Republicans in Congress, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The debate over checks has made for unusual partnerships. Initially, there were no checks at all in the coronavirus bill. But progressive Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders and conservative Republican Sen. Josh Hawley teamed up to lead a public pressure campaign demanding the inclusion of $1,200 direct payments similar to what was contained in the CARES Act back in March. They didn’t get that, but negotiators did agree to include $600 checks for most American adults.
Under the current wording of the bill, adults who earn up to $75,000 will receive $600 checks, and couples who earn up to $150,000 combined will receive $1,200. Parents will also receive $600 for each child dependent under the age of 17, but no money for older children or adult dependents. For people who earn above $75,000, the size of the checks is phased out at a rate of $5 for every $100 of income, drawing down to zero at $87,000 or $174,000 for joint filers.


buzzfeed--2020-12-24--I Got My 12-Year-Old IUD Taken Out To Get A New One Put In, And Here’s What Happened

If you 've ever read any of my past articles , you may be thinking , Wait a minute , @ @ @ @ @ who got pregnant with an IUD ?
!
Well , lol , yeah that 's @ @ @ @ @ pregnancy ended up being ectopic ( or in my Fallopian tube ) .
I decided @ @ @ @ @ removed during surgery because my odds of getting pregnant would still be the same — @ @ @ @ @ any other form of birth control .
IUDs are one of the most effective forms @ @ @ @ @ over 99 % effectiveness .
TBH , though , the main reason I kept it @ @ @ @ @ the only hormone-free , long-term form of birth control on the market — and I @ @ @ @ @ hormones .

If I had any advice for people who are thinking of getting one, I would suggest talking to your doctor before your procedure and asking questions — like, do they administer anesthesia or offer medicine to help with the pain, as well as anything else you are nervous about, so that you know what to expect. Lastly, I would like to remind everyone again that I have had a baby and my body has also been used to having an IUD for many years. So take that into consideration after reading about my experience. If you've have an IUD inserted, tell us what your experience was like in the comments!


buzzfeed--2020-12-24--A Video About Not Knowing How To Shave Your Butthole Is Going Viral, So People Are Sharing Their Bes

A Video About Not Knowing How To Shave Your Butthole Is Going Viral, So People Are Sharing Their Best Butthole-Shaving Tips

`` Anal bleaching also seems to be on the rise lately as well .
There are a lot of questions @ @ @ @ @ of this treatment .
There is nothing wrong or dangerous with the dark color of @ @ @ @ @ utilizes a variety of acids or other lightening agents to strip away some of the @ @ @ @ @ Think of these agents as removing the 'stained ' skin .
The problem is that @ @ @ @ @ are quite harsh on the skin .
Remember , the skin of the genitals is @ @ @ @ @ most delicate on the body .
I would urge extreme caution before putting a potentially @ @ @ @ @ anus .
That being said , most bleaching agents are not permanent .
The durability @ @ @ @ @ person to person , but may last up to six months .
You should talk @ @ @ @ @ methods and definitely consult a dermatologist before bleaching , '' Dr. Charles added .

In addition, Dr. Charles said that often times people are over-aggressive when shaving sensitive areas, like the anus. "Over-aggressive shaving, either too often or incorrectly done, can lead to irritation and acne-like bumps in that area," he said. So, be gentle!!!
Remember, shaving is a risk for infection, bleeding, scarring. Dr. Charles said, "Folliculitis is a small collection of infections and are one of the risks of shaving your butt. Another risk is hemorrhage. The skin of the anus and butt is extremely vascular. A sharp object can do a tremendous amount of damage to that area. Similarly, if bleeding is a risk, so is scarring. Any time that the skin is injured and the wound is deep enough, you run the risk of causing a scar to form. And all of these risks are increased if you can’t see what you are doing, so use a mirror!"


buzzfeed--2020-12-24--People Who've Woken Up Mid-Surgery Are Sharing Their Horror Stories, And It's Nightmare Fuel

`` I had to get knee surgery as I had 'chipped ' off a part of my kneecap and the @ @ @ @ @ and remove the bone .
He was a pretty playful guy , obviously worked with @ @ @ @ @ I was getting prepped , he was asking if I wanted to see the bone @ @ @ @ @ me being 13 and thinking that was cool as hell , I said yes .
@ @ @ @ @ to show the bone to me after the surgery .
But he actually patted me @ @ @ @ @ still open to show me the bloody piece of bone . ''

15.
"Well, while you are supposed to be awake for cornea transplant surgery, your eye is numb. However during this surgery on my left eye, I felt the cut into my old cornea. I said I felt it and the surgeon said 'You felt what?' I said I felt a sting like a cut and he did a few things and then started to cut again, and I said there it was again. So they had to give me a shot in my eyeball and that hurt! But I didn’t feel anything else after the shot. It was very unnerving!"


buzzfeed--2020-12-24--Democrats Are Telling Georgians To Dump Their Republican Senators If They Want More Aid


buzzfeed--2020-12-24--The New York School District That Used Facial Recognition Now Has To Stop


buzzfeed--2020-12-25--I Got My 12-Year-Old IUD Taken Out To Get A New One Put In, And Here’s What Happened


buzzfeed--2020-12-24--Trump's COVID Deal Politics Are Helping Democrats In Georgia With The Argument They're Already Makin

Trump's COVID Deal Politics Are Helping Democrats In Georgia With The Argument They're Already Making


buzzfeed--2020-12-24--Pelosi Is Daring Republicans To Pass $2,000 Direct Checks After Trump Called For Them


buzzfeed--2020-12-25--The 13 Biggest Lessons We've Learned About The Coronavirus So Far


buzzfeed--2020-12-26--I Got My 12-Year-Old IUD Taken Out To Get A New One Put In, And Here’s What Happened


buzzfeed--2020-12-25--Pelosi Is Daring Republicans To Pass $2,000 Direct Checks After Trump Called For Them


buzzfeed--2020-12-26--Businesses Will No Longer Have To Provide Paid Leave For Workers With COVID After Mitch McConnell Ob

Businesses Will No Longer Have To Provide Paid Leave For Workers With COVID After Mitch McConnell Objected

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Incoming .
WASHINGTON — Employers will no longer have to provide paid sick leave to workers who get infected with COVID-19 after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked that extension from being included in Congress ’ s latest coronavirus aid package .
In March , Congress passed a law mandating that workers are able to draw two weeks of paid sick leave if they contract @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to care for a quarantining relative , and up to 10 weeks of paid family leave to care for a child whose school or daycare is closed for COVID-related reasons .
BuzzFeed News previously reported that McConnell was pushing to block the paid leave mandate from being extended .
Congressional aides in both parties confirmed Monday that the extension was left out of the aid bill as a concession to McConnell .
The bill does extend a refundable tax credit that fully subsidizes the cost to businesses of paying out sick leave until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federal government will continue to foot the bill for businesses that offer paid leave over the next three months , but it will be optional for businesses to opt into this program and let their employees take time off .
The bill is set to pass on Monday night and President Donald Trump is expected to sign it into law soon thereafter .
The United States is an outlier in not requiring any form of paid sick leave .
The Center for Economic and Policy Research analyzed the sick leave policies of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US was the only country without some form of paid sick leave .
The paid leave mandate had already been watered down in the March bill .
Big businesses with over 500 employees were exempt from the requirement , while businesses with under 50 employees could apply for exemptions .

WASHINGTON — Employers will no longer have to provide paid sick leave to workers who get infected with COVID-19 after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked that extension from being included in Congress’s latest coronavirus aid package.
In March, Congress passed a law mandating that workers are able to draw two weeks of paid sick leave if they contract COVID, two weeks of paid leave to care for a quarantining relative, and up to 10 weeks of paid family leave to care for a child whose school or daycare is closed for COVID-related reasons.
BuzzFeed News previously reported that McConnell was pushing to block the paid leave mandate from being extended. Congressional aides in both parties confirmed Monday that the extension was left out of the aid bill as a concession to McConnell.
The bill does extend a refundable tax credit that fully subsidizes the cost to businesses of paying out sick leave until the end of March. Essentially, the federal government will continue to foot the bill for businesses that offer paid leave over the next three months, but it will be optional for businesses to opt into this program and let their employees take time off.
The bill is set to pass on Monday night and President Donald Trump is expected to sign it into law soon thereafter.
The United States is an outlier in not requiring any form of paid sick leave. The Center for Economic and Policy Research analyzed the sick leave policies of 22 wealthy nations and found that the US was the only country without some form of paid sick leave.
The paid leave mandate had already been watered down in the March bill. Big businesses with over 500 employees were exempt from the requirement, while businesses with under 50 employees could apply for exemptions.


buzzfeed--2020-12-26--The 13 Biggest Lessons We've Learned About The Coronavirus So Far


buzzfeed--2020-12-27--24 Times Peoples' Period Emotions Got The Best Of Them

`` I was writing out my box of Christmas cards , and started sobbing when I realized there were 30 @ @ @ @ @ .
Nothing could console me .
Not even my mum pointing out I only had @ @ @ @ @ to send cards to .
Then , I couldn ’ t find the same design @ @ @ @ @ round two of public crying .
All over Christmas cards for people I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us the funniest thing that they got way too emotional about on their period, and the responses were way too relatable and utterly hilarious:


buzzfeed--2020-12-27--Trump's COVID Deal Politics Are Helping Democrats In Georgia With The Argument They're Already Makin


buzzfeed--2020-12-27--Businesses Will No Longer Have To Provide Paid Leave For Workers With COVID After Mitch McConnell Ob


buzzfeed--2020-12-27--I Got My 12-Year-Old IUD Taken Out To Get A New One Put In, And Here’s What Happened