foxnews--2020-04-02--Coronavirus measure in Japan of 2 masks per home taken as April Fool's joke, mocked as 'Abenomask'

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The newest measure to contain the growing number of coronavirus cases in Japan quickly backfired after the plan was slammed on social media and many thought it was an April Fool 's Joke .
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced late Wednesday that the Japanese government would deliver two old-fashioned gauze masks per household in the nation of about 126.5 million to tackle the rising number of COVID-19 infections .
“ Today I ’ m wearing one too , and this cloth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , unveiling the plan at a government task force meeting .
The prime minister said the masks will be sent by mail to all of Japan ’ s more than 50 million households , starting from areas with escalating infections , including Tokyo and Osaka .
Abe added that the gauze masks are washable and reusable .
“ You can use soap to wash and reuse them , so this should be a good response to the sudden , huge demand for masks , ” he said .
The announcement came the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Japan 's health care system may collapse if the number of coronavirus cases continues to grow , according to the Japan Times .
Economics Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said Wednesday that infectious disease experts were particularly concerned about a crisis in Tokyo .
`` We must prevent infections from spreading further no matter what .
We have come to the edge of edges , to the very brink , '' he told reporters .
The prime minister repeated that Japan was “ barely holding the line ” in its battle against the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the brink of turning explosive .
Still , the two-mask-per-household plan quickly proved unpopular .
Some mocked it on Twitter and other social media by calling it “ Abenomask , ” or “ Abe ’ s mask , ” a play on his economic and financial policy of “ Abenomics , '' according to the Associated Press .
Many memes also emerged on social media showing how two masks could work in each household .
“ Is the Japanese government for real ?
This is a total waste of tax money , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote , according to Reuters .
The Japanese prime minister has faced criticism for his response to the pandemic .
Some alleged the government manipulated numbers by limiting tests , or combined COVID-19 deaths with other pneumonia fatalities before the Summer Olympics were canceled .
Abe denied that .
Japan 's strategy so far has been to focus on clusters and to trace infection routes rather than testing everyone Abe 's government has enacted a special law and convened a task force to pave the way for Abe ’ s possible state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a country where surgical masks are household items as protection for pollen allergies , common colds or any facial issue , masks have been out of stock for weeks , and stocks were low at medical institutions .
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP As of Thursday , there were at least 951,901 positive cases of COVID-19 and at least 48,284 deaths worldwide , according to Johns Hopkins University .
The number of infections in Japan has reached at least 2,384 with at least 57 deaths .
Fox News ' Hollie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this report .

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The newest measure to contain the growing number of coronavirus cases in Japan quickly backfired after the plan was slammed on social media and many thought it was an April Fool's Joke.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced late Wednesday that the Japanese government would deliver two old-fashioned gauze masks per household in the nation of about 126.5 million to tackle the rising number of COVID-19 infections.
“Today I’m wearing one too, and this cloth mask is not disposable,” he said, unveiling the plan at a government task force meeting.
TOKYO'S INFECTION SPIKE AFTER OLYMPIC DELAY SPARKS QUESTIONS
The prime minister said the masks will be sent by mail to all of Japan’s more than 50 million households, starting from areas with escalating infections, including Tokyo and Osaka.
Abe added that the gauze masks are washable and reusable.
“You can use soap to wash and reuse them, so this should be a good response to the sudden, huge demand for masks,” he said.
The announcement came the day after a government expert panel warned that Japan's health care system may collapse if the number of coronavirus cases continues to grow, according to the Japan Times. Economics Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said Wednesday that infectious disease experts were particularly concerned about a crisis in Tokyo.
"We must prevent infections from spreading further no matter what. We have come to the edge of edges, to the very brink," he told reporters.
The prime minister repeated that Japan was “barely holding the line” in its battle against the virus and that the number of infections is on the brink of turning explosive.
Still, the two-mask-per-household plan quickly proved unpopular. Some mocked it on Twitter and other social media by calling it “Abenomask,” or “Abe’s mask,” a play on his economic and financial policy of “Abenomics," according to the Associated Press.
Many memes also emerged on social media showing how two masks could work in each household.
“Is the Japanese government for real? This is a total waste of tax money,” one user with the handle Usube wrote, according to Reuters.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
The Japanese prime minister has faced criticism for his response to the pandemic. Some alleged the government manipulated numbers by limiting tests, or combined COVID-19 deaths with other pneumonia fatalities before the Summer Olympics were canceled. Abe denied that.
Japan's strategy so far has been to focus on clusters and to trace infection routes rather than testing everyone
Abe's government has enacted a special law and convened a task force to pave the way for Abe’s possible state of emergency declaration due to the virus.
In a country where surgical masks are household items as protection for pollen allergies, common colds or any facial issue, masks have been out of stock for weeks, and stocks were low at medical institutions.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
As of Thursday, there were at least 951,901 positive cases of COVID-19 and at least 48,284 deaths worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of infections in Japan has reached at least 2,384 with at least 57 deaths.
Fox News' Hollie McKay and The Associated Press contributed to this report.


foxnews--2020-04-02--Italian nurse allegedly killed medic girlfriend, falsely claimed she gave him coronavirus: reports

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An Italian nurse has been arrested for allegedly killing his girlfriend after claiming that she gave him coronavirus , reports said .
Antonio De Pace , 28 , called police near Messina , Silicy , Tuesday to confess that he had killed Lorena Quaranta , 27 , police said .
Local reports indicated she had been strangled and he subsequently attempted to commit suicide before he was found by police .
When he was eventually questioned by investigators , De Pace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because she gave me coronavirus.
” Prosecutors , however , found both the suspect and victim had tested negative for the virus .
He is currently in custody at a local hospital .
Quaranta was described by Gazzetta del Sud newspaper as a “ passionate and brilliant student in her last year of medicine at the University of Messina.
” De Pace was known in the area because he carried out home visits .
They had both been drafted into a Sicilian hospital fighting the pandemic , according to The Sun .
MEDICS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CAKE , SONG AT ARMY FIELD HOSPITAL Quaranta had recently posted on her Facebook page about the overwhelming challenges Italy ’ s medical personnel face .
“ Now more than ever we need to demonstrate responsibility and love for life .
You must show respect for yourselves , your families and the country , ” she reportedly wrote .
CORONAVIRUS IN ITALY : SOME OF THE MOST SURPRISING EXCUSES PEOPLE HAVE USED TO LEAVE HOME ''You must think and remember those that dedicate their lives daily to looking after our sick .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
Let 's avoid the next one falling sick is a loved one or ourselves . ''
Italy has been the hardest-hit country in the world regarding coronavirus deaths .
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP As of Thursday morning , more than 13,000 people had died in the country of 60 million , the highest amount on the planet , according to a count by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering ( CSSE ) at Johns Hopkins University .
It has more than 110,000 cases , second only to @ @ @

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An Italian nurse has been arrested for allegedly killing his girlfriend after claiming that she gave him coronavirus, reports said.
Antonio De Pace, 28, called police near Messina, Silicy, Tuesday to confess that he had killed Lorena Quaranta, 27, police said. Local reports indicated she had been strangled and he subsequently attempted to commit suicide before he was found by police.
When he was eventually questioned by investigators, De Pace allegedly claimed: “I killed her because she gave me coronavirus.”
CLICK HERE FOR FULL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
Prosecutors, however, found both the suspect and victim had tested negative for the virus. He is currently in custody at a local hospital.
Quaranta was described by Gazzetta del Sud newspaper as a “passionate and brilliant student in her last year of medicine at the University of Messina.” De Pace was known in the area because he carried out home visits.
They had both been drafted into a Sicilian hospital fighting the pandemic, according to The Sun.
MEDICS SURPRISE CORONAVIRUS PATIENT IN ITALY WITH BIRTHDAY CAKE, SONG AT ARMY FIELD HOSPITAL
Quaranta had recently posted on her Facebook page about the overwhelming challenges Italy’s medical personnel face.
“Now more than ever we need to demonstrate responsibility and love for life. You must show respect for yourselves, your families and the country,” she reportedly wrote.
CORONAVIRUS IN ITALY: SOME OF THE MOST SURPRISING EXCUSES PEOPLE HAVE USED TO LEAVE HOME
''You must think and remember those that dedicate their lives daily to looking after our sick.
"Let's stick together everyone staying at home. Let's avoid the next one falling sick is a loved one or ourselves."
Italy has been the hardest-hit country in the world regarding coronavirus deaths.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
As of Thursday morning, more than 13,000 people had died in the country of 60 million, the highest amount on the planet, according to a count by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.
It has more than 110,000 cases, second only to the U.S.


foxnews--2020-06-03--Couples should wear face masks during sex, new study insists

Safe sex during the coronavirus pandemic might soon require protection beyond just the nether regions .
A new study from researchers at Harvard University says that hooking up carries some risk for transmitting COVID-19 from one partner to the other , and recommends – among other practices – wearing a face mask while doin ’ it .
CORONAVIRUS FOUND IN SEMEN OF MALE CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS , CHINESE RESEARCHERS SAY The research , published in the Annals of Internal Medicine , ranked frisky situations based on how likely it is to catch coronavirus while in the act .
Researchers recommend wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Sex with people other than those with whom one is quarantined .
If you have an out-of-house coronavirus crush , the study says that – besides keeping your mask on – you should avoid kissing , as well as any oral-to-anal act , and anything that involves semen or urine .
Shower before and after , and clean the space with alcohol wipes or soap .
The study also mentions that having sex with people who are together in quarantine is safer , but there is still a risk .
For instance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run an errand and is exposed to the virus , they can transmit it to the other .
Even if that person is ultimately an asymptomatic carrier , they can still infect the other .
CORONAVIRUS SURVIVORS SHOULD WAIT 30 DAYS BEFORE HAVING SEX AGAIN , OFFICIAL IN THIS COUNTRY SAYS The safest approach to sexual activity , according to the researchers , is not having any .
Abstinence , they say , is “ low risk for infection , though not feasible for many.
” Another option , they add , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the coronavirus outbreak in the US , with some of them providing graphics to enhance the lessons .
In April , the Oregon Health Authority released a sex guide that went viral , just weeks after the same happened to one released by the NYC Department of Health .

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Safe sex during the coronavirus pandemic might soon require protection beyond just the nether regions.
A new study from researchers at Harvard University says that hooking up carries some risk for transmitting COVID-19 from one partner to the other and recommends — among other practices — wearing a face mask while doin’ it.
The research, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, ranked frisky situations based on how likely it is to catch coronavirus while in the act. Researchers recommend wearing a mask for the riskiest sexual scenario: sex with people other than those with whom one is quarantined.
If you have an out-of-house coronavirus crush, the study says, besides keeping your mask on, you should avoid kissing, any oral-to-anal act and anything else that involves semen or urine. Shower before and after, and clean the space with alcohol wipes or soap.
The study also mentions that having sex with people who are together in quarantine is safer, but there is still a risk. For instance, if one partner goes outside to run an errand and is exposed to the virus, they can transmit it to the other. Even if that person is ultimately an asymptomatic carrier, they can still infect the other.
The safest approach to sexual activity, according to the researchers, is not having any. Abstinence, they say, is “low risk for infection, though not feasible for many.” Another option, they add, is masturbation.
Other recommendations have come out since the coronavirus outbreak in the US, with some of them providing graphics to enhance the lessons. In April, the Oregon Health Authority released a sex guide that went viral, just weeks after the same happened to one released by the NYC Department of Health. The Oregon example stood out for its illustrations of condoms, a fleshlight and a peach, and NYC’s with its vivid warning about anal rimming.


foxnews--2020-06-02--Do face masks really reduce coronavirus spread? Experts have mixed answers

Editor 's Note ( June 2 at 11:30 a.m. ) : One paper discussed in this article has been retracted by the journal the Annals of Internal Medicine , meaning that the paper included mistakes so serious that the findings of the research can not be trusted .
The authors wrote that their statistical methods could not determine whether the findings were reliable , making the results of the small study `` uninterpretable . ''
The study had found that surgical and cotton masks do not effectively contain viral droplets containing SARS-CoV-2 .
Subsequent research has suggested that face masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of the virus , used along with staying six feet apart from other people .
For the first time , the Center for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) has recommended that even seemingly healthy people wear masks over their mouths and noses when venturing out of their homes into places where it is difficult to maintain distance from other people .
But there is still major debate over how much masks — particularly the homemade fabric masks that the CDC recommends for the public — can slow the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Researchers , writing in two new papers , attempt to tackle the efficacy of masks , one more rigorously than the other , and come to differing conclusions .
One study examined the effect of masks on seasonal coronaviruses ( which cause many cases of the common cold ) and found that surgical masks are helpful at reducing how much virus a sick person spreads .
The other looked particularly at SARS-CoV-2 and found no effect of either surgical or fabric masks on reducing virus spread , but only had four participants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread .
The bottom line , experts say , is that masks might help keep people with COVID-19 from unknowingly passing along the virus .
But the evidence for the efficacy of surgical or homemade masks is limited , and masks are n't the most important protection against the coronavirus .
`` Putting a face mask on does not mean that you stop the other practices , '' said May Chu , a clinical professor in epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health on the Anschutz Medical Campus who was not involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not mean you get closer to people , it does not mean you do n't have to wash your hands as often and you can touch your face .
All of that still is in place , this is just an add-on . ''
Recommendations about masks can easily get confusing , because all masks are not made equal .
The N95 mask effectively prevents viral spread .
These masks , when properly fitted , seal closely to the face and filter out 95 % of particles 0.3 microns or larger .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ even for medical professionals , who are exposed to the highest levels of SARS-CoV-2 and are most in need of the strongest protection against the virus .
They 're also difficult to fit correctly .
For those reasons , the CDC does not recommend them for general use .
Related : How are people being infected with COVID-19 ?
Due to shortages , the CDC also does not recommend surgical masks for the general public .
These masks do n't seal against the face but do include non-woven polypropylene layers that are moisture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 70 % of the outside air moves through the mask and about 30 % travels around the sides , Chu told Live Science .
For that reason , they do n't offer as much protection as N95s .
That leaves fabric masks , which currently are recommended for general use by the CDC .
Fabric masks also allow air in around the sides , but lack non-woven , moisture-repelling layers .
They impede only about 2 % of airflow in , Chu said .
All of this leakage in surgical and fabric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't believe that wearing a mask prevents anyone from catching a virus that is already floating around in the environment .
Airflow follows the path of least resistance , said Rachael Jones , an associate professor of family and preventive medicine at the University of Utah who was not involved in the new research .
If viral particles are nearby , they have an easy path around a surgical or fabric mask .
And in the case of a fabric mask , wearers may well be wafting in particles small enough to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what about the other way around ?
When the wearer of a mask coughs or sneezes , the barrier might be enough to contain a lot of that initial jet of grossness — even if there are gaps in the fabric or around the sides .
That 's what the new mask studies aimed to address : Whether surgical or fabric masks did a good job of containing viruses .
One study , published April 6 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine , found that they did not .
That study , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking four patients with COVID-19 to cough into a petri dish 7.8 inches ( 20 centimeters ) away .
The patients coughed without masks , while wearing a disposable surgical mask and again wearing a 100 % cotton mask .
Neither mask meaningfully decreased the viral load coughed onto the petri dishes .
But experts not involved in the study who were contacted by Live Science were hesitant to put much stock into the findings .
The researchers did n't look at distances beyond 7.8 inches to see if droplets did n't travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Chu said .
`` They did n't measure 2 feet or 3 feet or 4 feet , '' she said .
Related : Is 6 feet enough space for social distancing ?
The study also returned the odd result that most swabs from the outside of patient masks were positive for coronavirus and most from the inside were negative .
The authors speculate that perhaps turbulent jets of air from coughing carried the virus toward the outside of the mask , but the explanation was n't very satisfying , according to Jones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 in the journal Nature Medicine , used a more sophisticated method of collecting the virus particles that sick people emit .
The researchers asked 426 volunteers to breathe for 30 minutes into a cone-like device that captures everything exhaled .
Of these , 43 patients had influenza , 54 patients had rhinoviruses and 17 patients had seasonal coronaviruses ( the kinds that cause colds , not the kind that causes COVID-19 ) .
This method allowed the researchers to quantify how much virus was found in droplet particles , which are greater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in diameter , versus aerosol particles , which are 5 microns or smaller .
The participants were randomized to either wear a surgical mask or not wear a mask during the study .
The first key finding was that the researchers detected virus in tiny aerosol particles in all cases : influenza , rhinoviruses and coronaviruses .
In the case of influenza , they cultured the captured particles and discovered that they were infectious .
That 's important , said study author Ben Cowling , head of the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is a long-running debate among health professionals about whether influenza can spread via aerosols .
The study suggests that it likely can , and that colds probably can too .
`` For seasonal coronavirus and rhinovirus , we did n't attempt to culture the virus in the aerosols , but there is no reason to believe that the virus would not be infectious , '' Cowling told Live Science .
Related : COVID-19 may spread through breathing and talking And as for masks ?
Surgical masks reduced the amount of virus released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of droplets but not aerosols for influenza ; the masks reduced coronavirus in both droplets and aerosols ; and they did n't reduce either in rhinovirus .
For the seasonal coronavirus , researchers found the virus in droplets in 3 out of 10 samples from participants not wearing masks and in aerosols in 4 out of 10 samples taken without masks .
In samples taken with masks , no virus was detected in either droplets or aerosols .
The difference between viruses could have something to do with where in the respiratory tract @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Cowling , who is also co-director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control .
For example , a virus that reproduces deep in the lungs might need to travel in smaller particles to make it all the way out into the world , while one that reproduces mostly in the nose and throat may be more easily mobilized in bigger droplets .
The results from influenza and seasonal coronaviruses suggest that surgical masks can help keep people with COVID-19 from spreading the virus , Cowling said .
SARS-CoV-2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his team studied , he said , and the fact that people can spread the virus before they experience symptoms is an argument for recommending masks for everyone .
But experts are still mixed on the potential usefulness of non-N95 masks .
`` To me , it 's not harmful to wear these masks , but it does n't look from this study like there is a whole lot of benefit , '' Jones said .
The sample size for seasonal coronavirus was small , she said , and there was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much virus people emitted , particularly given that the majority of samples without masks did n't have detectable coronavirus .
One thing everyone does agree on is that , whatever containment provided by non-fitted masks do provide , homemade fabric masks are the least effective .
The recommendations that everyone wear masks are because `` any kind of impediment is better than nothing , '' Chu said .
But fabric masks are not expected to be as protective as surgical masks , she said .
That 's why public health officials are warning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apart from one another , even if they are wearing masks .
In other words , homemade masks are likely to be just a small piece of the puzzle for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic .
`` There 's been enough research done to be able to confidently say that masks would n't be able to stop the spread of infection , that they would only have a small effect on transmission , '' Cowling said .
`` We should n't be relying on masks to help us go back to normal . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopped across species

Editor's Note (June 2 at 11:30 a.m.): A paper discussed below has been retracted by the journal the Annals of Internal Medicine. The authors wrote that their statistical methods could not determine whether the findings were reliable, making the results of the small study "uninterpretable." The study had found that surgical and cotton masks do not effectively contain viral droplets containing SARS-CoV-2. Subsequent research has suggested that face masks are an effective method for containing the spread of the virus, used along with staying six feet apart from other people.
For the first time, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that even seemingly healthy people wear masks over their mouths and noses when venturing out of their homes into places where it is difficult to maintain distance from other people. But there is still major debate over how much masks — particularly the homemade fabric masks that the CDC recommends for the public — can slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2 , the virus that causes COVID-19.
Researchers, writing in two new papers, attempt to tackle the efficacy of masks, one more rigorously than the other, and come to differing conclusions. One study examined the effect of masks on seasonal coronaviruses (which cause many cases of the common cold) and found that surgical masks are helpful at reducing how much virus a sick person spreads. The other looked particularly at SARS-CoV-2 and found no effect of either surgical or fabric masks on reducing virus spread, but only had four participants and used a crude measure of viral spread.
The bottom line, experts say, is that masks might help keep people with COVID-19 from unknowingly passing along the virus. But the evidence for the efficacy of surgical or homemade masks is limited, and masks aren't the most important protection against the coronavirus.
Related: 13 Coronavirus myths busted by science
"Putting a face mask on does not mean that you stop the other practices," said May Chu, a clinical professor in epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health on the Anschutz Medical Campus who was not involved in either new study. "It does not mean you get closer to people, it does not mean you don't have to wash your hands as often and you can touch your face. All of that still is in place, this is just an add-on."
Face mask basics
Recommendations about masks can easily get confusing, because all masks are not made equal. The N95 mask effectively prevents viral spread. These masks, when properly fitted, seal closely to the face and filter out 95% of particles 0.3 microns or larger. But N95 masks are in serious shortage even for medical professionals, who are exposed to the highest levels of SARS-CoV-2 and are most in need of the strongest protection against the virus. They're also difficult to fit correctly. For those reasons, the CDC does not recommend them for general use.
Related: How are people being infected with COVID-19?
Due to shortages, the CDC also does not recommend surgical masks for the general public. These masks don't seal against the face but do include non-woven polypropylene layers that are moisture resistant. In a surgical mask, about 70% of the outside air moves through the mask and about 30% travels around the sides, Chu told Live Science. For that reason, they don't offer as much protection as N95s.
That leaves fabric masks, which currently are recommended for general use by the CDC. Fabric masks also allow air in around the sides, but lack non-woven, moisture-repelling layers. They impede only about 2% of airflow in, Chu said.
All of this leakage in surgical and fabric masks are why public health officials generally don't believe that wearing a mask prevents anyone from catching a virus that is already floating around in the environment. Airflow follows the path of least resistance, said Rachael Jones, an associate professor of family and preventive medicine at the University of Utah who was not involved in the new research. If viral particles are nearby, they have an easy path around a surgical or fabric mask. And in the case of a fabric mask, wearers may well be wafting in particles small enough to flow right through the fabric.
But what about the other way around? When the wearer of a mask coughs or sneezes, the barrier might be enough to contain a lot of that initial jet of grossness — even if there are gaps in the fabric or around the sides. That's what the new mask studies aimed to address: Whether surgical or fabric masks did a good job of containing viruses.
Efficacy of face masks
One study, published April 6 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine , found that they did not. That study, led by South Korean researchers, involved asking four patients with COVID-19 to cough into a petri dish 7.8 inches (20 centimeters) away. The patients coughed without masks, while wearing a disposable surgical mask and again wearing a 100% cotton mask.
Neither mask meaningfully decreased the viral load coughed onto the petri dishes. But experts not involved in the study who were contacted by Live Science were hesitant to put much stock into the findings. The researchers didn't look at distances beyond 7.8 inches to see if droplets didn't travel as far while people were wearing masks, Chu said.
"They didn't measure 2 feet or 3 feet or 4 feet," she said.
Related: Is 6 feet enough space for social distancing?
The study also returned the odd result that most swabs from the outside of patient masks were positive for coronavirus and most from the inside were negative. The authors speculate that perhaps turbulent jets of air from coughing carried the virus toward the outside of the mask, but the explanation wasn't very satisfying, according to Jones.
The other study, published April 3 in the journal Nature Medicine , used a more sophisticated method of collecting the virus particles that sick people emit. The researchers asked 426 volunteers to breathe for 30 minutes into a cone-like device that captures everything exhaled. Of these, 43 patients had influenza, 54 patients had rhinoviruses and 17 patients had seasonal coronaviruses (the kinds that cause colds, not the kind that causes COVID-19). This method allowed the researchers to quantify how much virus was found in droplet particles, which are greater than 0.0002 inches (5 microns) in diameter, versus aerosol particles, which are 5 microns or smaller. The participants were randomized to either wear a surgical mask or not wear a mask during the study.
The first key finding was that the researchers detected virus in tiny aerosol particles in all cases: influenza, rhinoviruses and coronaviruses. In the case of influenza, they cultured the captured particles and discovered that they were infectious. That's important, said study author Ben Cowling, head of the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at The Hong Kong University, because there is a long-running debate among health professionals about whether influenza can spread via aerosols. The study suggests that it likely can, and that colds probably can too.
"For seasonal coronavirus and rhinovirus, we didn't attempt to culture the virus in the aerosols, but there is no reason to believe that the virus would not be infectious," Cowling told Live Science.
Related: COVID-19 may spread through breathing and talking
And as for masks? Surgical masks reduced the amount of virus released from a sick person in the form of droplets but not aerosols for influenza ; the masks reduced coronavirus in both droplets and aerosols; and they didn't reduce either in rhinovirus. For the seasonal coronavirus, researchers found the virus in droplets in 3 out of 10 samples from participants not wearing masks and in aerosols in 4 out of 10 samples taken without masks. In samples taken with masks, no virus was detected in either droplets or aerosols.
The difference between viruses could have something to do with where in the respiratory tract these infectious invaders make their homes, said Cowling, who is also co-director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control. For example, a virus that reproduces deep in the lungs might need to travel in smaller particles to make it all the way out into the world, while one that reproduces mostly in the nose and throat may be more easily mobilized in bigger droplets.
The results from influenza and seasonal coronaviruses suggest that surgical masks can help keep people with COVID-19 from spreading the virus, Cowling said. SARS-CoV-2 probably behaves similarly to the viruses he and his team studied, he said, and the fact that people can spread the virus before they experience symptoms is an argument for recommending masks for everyone.
But experts are still mixed on the potential usefulness of non-N95 masks.
"To me, it's not harmful to wear these masks, but it doesn't look from this study like there is a whole lot of benefit," Jones said. The sample size for seasonal coronavirus was small, she said, and there was a large amount of non-mask-related variation in how much virus people emitted, particularly given that the majority of samples without masks didn't have detectable coronavirus.
One thing everyone does agree on is that, whatever containment provided by non-fitted masks do provide, homemade fabric masks are the least effective. The recommendations that everyone wear masks are because "any kind of impediment is better than nothing," Chu said. But fabric masks are not expected to be as protective as surgical masks, she said. That's why public health officials are warning people to remain at least 6 feet apart from one another, even if they are wearing masks. In other words, homemade masks are likely to be just a small piece of the puzzle for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.
"There's been enough research done to be able to confidently say that masks wouldn't be able to stop the spread of infection, that they would only have a small effect on transmission," Cowling said. "We shouldn't be relying on masks to help us go back to normal."
Originally published on Live Science.


foxnews--2020-06-09--Anthony Mackie launches fund to help grocery workers in Louisiana amid pandemic

`` Avengers : Endgame '' actor and New Orleans native Anthony Mackie has teamed with United Way of Southeast Louisiana ( UWSELA ) , the New Orleans Council on Aging ( NOCOA ) and Entergy New Orleans to launch the United for Grocery Workers Relief Fund which supports struggling grocery store employees throughout Orleans Parish by providing them with a one-time $ 150 direct credit toward workers ’ Entergy New Orleans utility bills .
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic , grocery store workers have been on the frontlines , providing households with food and other essential items during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were often overlooked , but the world has realized that the essential service they provide .
That said , grocery store workers who work for an hourly wage are literally risking their lives , making themselves vulnerable to COVID-19 .
NEW YORK CITY TAKES ITS FIRST REOPENING STEPS 100 DAYS AFTER FIRST COVID-19 CASE “ We often take for granted the people that are always there for us .
I go to the grocery store 3-4 times a week for me and my family , ” said Mackie .
“ Every time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential workers who are providing me and so many others with one of the most important necessities , food .
Now , more than ever , it is important that we express our gratitude and appreciation.
” “ The more we can do to support essential workers while we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic , the better they are able to focus on caring for their families and the community , ” said David Ellis , president and CEO of Entergy New Orleans .
“ We are proud to partner with New Orleans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Southeast Louisiana and the New Orleans Council on Aging in supporting grocery workers who remain committed to ensuring residents of New Orleans have access to fresh and nutritious food.
” AMC ENTERTAINMENT EXPECTS TO BE “ FULLY OPENED GLOBALLY ” IN JULY In Orleans Parish alone , industry data shows that 2,500 individuals are employed by grocery stores — and this fund will go beyond the pandemic .
The partners will provide financial support year-round for these essential workers .
The online application is available now for those who work at a Louisiana-owned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those without internet access or in need of translation services may call 211 to apply .

Avengers: Endgame actor and New Orleans native Anthony Mackie has teamed with United Way of Southeast Louisiana (UWSELA), the New Orleans Council on Aging (NOCOA) and Entergy New Orleans to launch the United for Grocery Workers Relief Fund which supports struggling grocery store employees throughout Orleans Parish by providing them with a one-time $150 direct credit toward workers’ Entergy New Orleans utility bills.
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, grocery store workers have been on the frontlines, providing households with food and other essential items during lockdown. Prior to the pandemic, they were often overlooked, but the world has realized that the essential service they provide. That said, grocery store workers who work for an hourly wage are literally risking their lives, making themselves vulnerable to COVID-19.
“We often take for granted the people that are always there for us. I go to the grocery store 3-4 times a week for me and my family,” said Mackie. “Every time, I come face to face with essential workers who are providing me and so many others with one of the most important necessities, food. Now, more than ever, it is important that we express our gratitude and appreciation.”
“The more we can do to support essential workers while we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, the better they are able to focus on caring for their families and the community,” said David Ellis, president and CEO of Entergy New Orleans. “We are proud to partner with New Orleans native Anthony Mackie, United Way of Southeast Louisiana and the New Orleans Council on Aging in supporting grocery workers who remain committed to ensuring residents of New Orleans have access to fresh and nutritious food.”
In Orleans Parish alone, industry data shows that 2,500 individuals are employed by grocery stores — and this fund will go beyond the pandemic. The partners will provide financial support year-round for these essential workers.
The online application is available now for those who work at a Louisiana-owned grocery store in Orleans Parish. For those without internet access or in need of translation services may call 211 to apply.


foxnews--2020-03-23--ACM Awards reveals rescheduled date following postponement due to coronavirus outbreak

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A little after a week it was revealed that the Academy Country Music Awards would be delayed from its April 5 date amid the breakout of coronavirus , a new date has been announced .
The ceremony is now set to take place on Wednesday , Sept. 16 , the show 's official Twitter account said on Monday .
`` Mark your calendars !
The 55th ACM Awards will now air live on Wednesday , Sept. 16 , at 8/7C on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the tweet read .
COUNTRY STARS TO PERFORM AT HOME AS CBS ANNOUNCES REPLACEMENT SPECIAL FOR POSTPONED ACM AWARDS According to the tweet , Keith Urban is still set to host the 55th ACM Awards .
However , additional details including location and performers will be announced soon .
It was revealed on March 15 that the award show -- which saw Dan + Shay and Maren Morris topping the nominations -- would be postponed .
In a press release obtained by Fox News at the time , the ACM Awards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tentpole event for our Country Music industry , and the Academy of Country Music and Dick Clark productions went to great lengths to find a safe solution for the show to go on so that we can honor our artist community . ''
The statement continued : `` This decision involved many partners , stakeholders and the industry who we have been in constant conversations with over the past several days as the situation has developed .
We look forward to identifying a future date that we can celebrate with our Country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promised refunds to those who had purchased tickets to the awards show and its associated events .
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Many other music events have been canceled due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 .
Music festivals Coachella and Stagecoach have been delayed while South by Southwest ( SXSW ) has been canceled entirely .

Get all the latest news on coronavirus and more delivered daily to your inbox. Sign up here.
A little after a week it was revealed that the Academy Country Music Awards would be delayed from its April 5 date amid the breakout of coronavirus, a new date has been announced.
The ceremony is now set to take place on Wednesday, Sept. 16, the show's official Twitter account said on Monday.
"Mark your calendars! The 55th ACM Awards will now air live on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 8/7C on the CBS Television Network. #ACMAwards," the tweet read.
COUNTRY STARS TO PERFORM AT HOME AS CBS ANNOUNCES REPLACEMENT SPECIAL FOR POSTPONED ACM AWARDS
According to the tweet, Keith Urban is still set to host the 55th ACM Awards. However, additional details including location and performers will be announced soon.
It was revealed on March 15 that the award show -- which saw Dan + Shay and Maren Morris topping the nominations -- would be postponed.
CORONAVIRUS ROCKS COUNTRY MUSIC WITH TOUR POSTPONEMENTS
In a press release obtained by Fox News at the time, the ACM Awards said: "The ACM Awards is a tentpole event for our Country Music industry, and the Academy of Country Music and Dick Clark productions went to great lengths to find a safe solution for the show to go on so that we can honor our artist community."
The statement continued: "This decision involved many partners, stakeholders and the industry who we have been in constant conversations with over the past several days as the situation has developed. We look forward to identifying a future date that we can celebrate with our Country community safely."
The organization also promised refunds to those who had purchased tickets to the awards show and its associated events.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Many other music events have been canceled due to the rapid spread of COVID-19.
Music festivals Coachella and Stagecoach have been delayed while South by Southwest (SXSW) has been canceled entirely.
Fox News' Nate Day contributed to this report


foxnews--2020-03-23--Democrats scorn Trump coronavirus response as Senate reaches impasse on third aid bill

As the coronavirus threat has grown more alarming in many parts of the U.S. and a third coronavirus response bill stalled in the Senate Sunday night , many Democratic politicians have ratcheted up their criticism of President Trump as he seeks to gain control of the crisis .
The barbs have come from the campaign trail , from governors ' mansions and mayors ' offices — and few have teed up warnings as dire as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio , who on Sunday said `` people will die '' if Trump does n't give the city further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States is from New York City and he will not lift a finger to help his hometown , ” de Blasio said on NBC 's `` Meet the Press '' Sunday .
`` I don ’ t get it . ''
CORONAVIRUS : WHAT TO KNOW DE BLASIO : IF TRUMP DOES NOT ACT ON CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK , 'PEOPLE WILL DIE' He continued : `` If the president doesn ’ t act , people will die who could have lived otherwise . ''
For their part , Democrats are facing heavy criticism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill overnight .
Sen. Susan Collins , R-Maine , said the move by Democrats is `` irresponsible and unwise . ''
`` They are playing with fire , '' she said , according to The New York Times .
Mayor de Blasio asked Trump to bring in the military to fight the coronavirus in hotspots like New York City , which is where about one-third of the coronavirus cases in the U.S. currently are .
`` I guarantee you they 're ready to serve , but the president has to give the order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump for keeping the military 's `` logistical '' resource on the sidelines .
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker also slammed Trump Sunday , saying Trump 's apparent decision to call the coronavirus the `` Chinese virus '' is `` profoundly un-American . ''
`` People from every demographic , every race , ethnicity , gender or background have been infected .
Suggesting otherwise or engaging in racist speech or acts is one of the most profoundly un-American things that I can think of , '' Pritzker said of Trump .
`` The current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us just how connected we all are .
We can choose how we want to come out on the other side of this — let 's choose to be one Illinois . ''
Trump has repeatedly stood by his `` Chinese virus '' terminology and others in his administration have also called the coronavirus variations of the `` Wuhan virus '' and the `` Chinese coronavirus '' in an apparent effort to counteract a Chinese propaganda campaign trying to shift responsibility for the pandemic to the United States .
The coronavirus originated in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was exacerbated by early mishandling and lack of transparency by the Chinese government .
Pritzker also targeted Trump online after the president picked him out by name as a member of `` a very small group of certain other Governors '' who `` shouldn ’ t be blaming the Federal Government for their own shortcomings . ''
COLLINS BLASTS DEMOCRATS FOR BLOCKING CORONAVIRUS STIMULUS PLAN , SAYS THEY 'RE 'PLAYING WITH FIRE' Pritzker shot back : `` You wasted precious months when you could 've taken action to protect Americans & Illinoisans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead of throwing tantrums from the back seat .
Where were the tests when we needed them ?
Where 's the PPE ?
Get off Twitter & do your job . ''
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot also stepped into the fray , accusing Trump of `` yammering about hoaxes and fake news . ''
Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer , in an interview with `` Fox News Sunday , '' also panned Trump 's coronavirus response when asked about a tweet from earlier last week when Trump called her the `` Failing Michigan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be `` more proactive . ''
FAUCI CITES TRUMP TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS AS POSSIBLE KE FOR U.S. NOT 'BECOMING ANOTHER ITALY' '' He ’ s responding to my criticism that they didn ’ t do the preparation that they needed to do on the front end , '' she said .
`` That ’ s why we have a shortage of tests .
That ’ s why we have people who don ’ t take this seriously — because for a long time we were told that it wasn ’ t to be taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up against . ''
And from the campaign trail , Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden , who is likely to face Trump in the November general election , launched repeated attacks not only on the administration 's immediate handling of the coronavirus threat but also on the bill being supported by Trump and Senate Republicans as a third-phase coronavirus response .
`` Mr. President , stop lying and start acting , '' Biden said in a statement , specifically mentioning Trump 's reluctance to use the Defense Production Act to mobilize the private sector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will need to battle the coronavirus .
`` Use the full extent of your authorities , now , to ensure that we are producing all essential goods and delivering them where they need to go . ''
Trump invoked the Defense Production Act last week but initially said he did n't plan to use it , citing voluntary work by the private sector to meet medical professionals ' needs .
He later , during a phone conversation with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , gave the order to his staff to begin using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is not clear what exactly he is ordering produced to fight the pandemic .
Biden then launched a broadside against Trump and the Senate GOP as their bill failed to clear a vote on a procedural hurdle Sunday night , after being blocked by Democrats .
`` Here ’ s what ’ s happening .
The White House and the Senate Republicans have proposed a $ 500 billion slush fund for corporations , with almost no conditions .
Donald Trump ’ s Treasury Secretary would decide which big businesses get how much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with virtually no strings attached , '' Biden said .
`` The Trump Administration could even allow companies to use taxpayers ’ money for stock buybacks and executive pay packages , and they don ’ t have to tell Americans where the money is going for months , '' he continued .
Biden 's rhetoric echoes that from Senate Democrats and Schumer on the problems in the Senate coronavirus bill , despite Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell 's pleas for lawmakers to hold their noses and vote for it for the sake of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the stock market — futures fell significantly Sunday night after the procedural vote on the bill failed .
MNUCHIN CONFIDENT THAT STIMULUS PACKAGE WILL KEEP ECONOMY AFLOAD UNTIL CORONAVIRUS PASSES Criticism from Trump on the coronavirus has also come from the likes of Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis , a Democrat , who said on MSNBC Sunday `` I 'm not a socialist like Donald Trump , '' in response to Republicans ' efforts to prop up companies hit hard by the coronavirus-induced economic slowdown , potentially taking an equity stake in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think that rather than these corporate bailouts we should be talking about helping people , '' Polis said .
`` That means workers , that means small business owners , that means everybody . ''
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has repeatedly said what the administration wants are not bailouts , citing the apparently temporary nature of the current economic downturn and saying that the economy and these companies just need some temporary liquidity until the spread of the coronavirus is medically under control .
Sen. Kamala Harris , D-Calif. , also took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the GOP plan to spend hundreds of billions of dollars helping corporations with liquidity and for moving forward with its effort to strike down the Affordable Care Act -- also known as Obamacare -- in the courts .
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP '' Outrageous , '' Harris said in a tweet .
`` We are in the middle of a global pandemic and Donald Trump wants to strip health care from millions of Americans .
This is why we fight . ''
All of this criticism comes after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politicians worked to fight the coronavirus .
Trump last week even earned praise from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Rep. Ilhan Omar , D-Minn. , over his coronavirus response .
But it appears the honeymoon is over .
With the Senate likely to vote again on its coronavirus relief package again Monday and more time on national television during the daily coronavirus task force briefing , Trump will be faced with a tough political road ahead as he and Republicans quibble with Democrats over the best way to fight the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Charles Creitz contributed to this report .

As the coronavirus threat has grown more alarming in many parts of the U.S. and a third coronavirus response bill stalled in the Senate Sunday night, many Democratic politicians have ratcheted up their criticism of President Trump as he seeks to gain control of the crisis.
The barbs have come from the campaign trail, from governors' mansions and mayors' offices — and few have teed up warnings as dire as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who on Sunday said "people will die" if Trump doesn't give the city further help.
"The president of the United States is from New York City and he will not lift a finger to help his hometown,” de Blasio said on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday. "I don’t get it."
CORONAVIRUS: WHAT TO KNOW
DE BLASIO: IF TRUMP DOES NOT ACT ON CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK, 'PEOPLE WILL DIE'
He continued: "If the president doesn’t act, people will die who could have lived otherwise."
For their part, Democrats are facing heavy criticism from GOP colleagues after blocking the aid bill overnight. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said the move by Democrats is "irresponsible and unwise."
"They are playing with fire," she said, according to The New York Times.
Mayor de Blasio asked Trump to bring in the military to fight the coronavirus in hotspots like New York City, which is where about one-third of the coronavirus cases in the U.S. currently are. "I guarantee you they're ready to serve, but the president has to give the order," the mayor said, blaming Trump for keeping the military's "logistical" resource on the sidelines.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker also slammed Trump Sunday, saying Trump's apparent decision to call the coronavirus the "Chinese virus" is "profoundly un-American."
"People from every demographic, every race, ethnicity, gender or background have been infected. Suggesting otherwise or engaging in racist speech or acts is one of the most profoundly un-American things that I can think of," Pritzker said of Trump. "The current crisis should drive home to all of us just how connected we all are. We can choose how we want to come out on the other side of this — let's choose to be one Illinois."
Trump has repeatedly stood by his "Chinese virus" terminology and others in his administration have also called the coronavirus variations of the "Wuhan virus" and the "Chinese coronavirus" in an apparent effort to counteract a Chinese propaganda campaign trying to shift responsibility for the pandemic to the United States. The coronavirus originated in Wuhan, China, and its spread was exacerbated by early mishandling and lack of transparency by the Chinese government.
Pritzker also targeted Trump online after the president picked him out by name as a member of "a very small group of certain other Governors" who "shouldn’t be blaming the Federal Government for their own shortcomings."
COLLINS BLASTS DEMOCRATS FOR BLOCKING CORONAVIRUS STIMULUS PLAN, SAYS THEY'RE 'PLAYING WITH FIRE'
Pritzker shot back: "You wasted precious months when you could've taken action to protect Americans & Illinoisans. You should be leading a national response instead of throwing tantrums from the back seat. Where were the tests when we needed them? Where's the PPE? Get off Twitter & do your job."
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot also stepped into the fray, accusing Trump of "yammering about hoaxes and fake news."
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, in an interview with "Fox News Sunday," also panned Trump's coronavirus response when asked about a tweet from earlier last week when Trump called her the "Failing Michigan Governor" and said she needed to be "more proactive."
FAUCI CITES TRUMP TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS AS POSSIBLE KE FOR U.S. NOT 'BECOMING ANOTHER ITALY'
"He’s responding to my criticism that they didn’t do the preparation that they needed to do on the front end," she said. "That’s why we have a shortage of tests. That’s why we have people who don’t take this seriously — because for a long time we were told that it wasn’t to be taken seriously. This is what we're up against."
And from the campaign trail, Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden, who is likely to face Trump in the November general election, launched repeated attacks not only on the administration's immediate handling of the coronavirus threat but also on the bill being supported by Trump and Senate Republicans as a third-phase coronavirus response.
"Mr. President, stop lying and start acting," Biden said in a statement, specifically mentioning Trump's reluctance to use the Defense Production Act to mobilize the private sector to build the equipment hospitals and doctors will need to battle the coronavirus. "Use the full extent of your authorities, now, to ensure that we are producing all essential goods and delivering them where they need to go."
Trump invoked the Defense Production Act last week but initially said he didn't plan to use it, citing voluntary work by the private sector to meet medical professionals' needs. He later, during a phone conversation with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, gave the order to his staff to begin using his powers under the act, though it is not clear what exactly he is ordering produced to fight the pandemic.
Biden then launched a broadside against Trump and the Senate GOP as their bill failed to clear a vote on a procedural hurdle Sunday night, after being blocked by Democrats.
"Here’s what’s happening. The White House and the Senate Republicans have proposed a $500 billion slush fund for corporations, with almost no conditions. Donald Trump’s Treasury Secretary would decide which big businesses get how much, and he can give out billions with virtually no strings attached," Biden said.
"The Trump Administration could even allow companies to use taxpayers’ money for stock buybacks and executive pay packages, and they don’t have to tell Americans where the money is going for months," he continued.
Biden's rhetoric echoes that from Senate Democrats and Schumer on the problems in the Senate coronavirus bill, despite Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's pleas for lawmakers to hold their noses and vote for it for the sake of Americans' confidence in their lawmakers and for the stock market — futures fell significantly Sunday night after the procedural vote on the bill failed.
MNUCHIN CONFIDENT THAT STIMULUS PACKAGE WILL KEEP ECONOMY AFLOAD UNTIL CORONAVIRUS PASSES
Criticism from Trump on the coronavirus has also come from the likes of Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, who said on MSNBC Sunday "I'm not a socialist like Donald Trump," in response to Republicans' efforts to prop up companies hit hard by the coronavirus-induced economic slowdown, potentially taking an equity stake in companies it gives money to.
"I think that rather than these corporate bailouts we should be talking about helping people," Polis said. "That means workers, that means small business owners, that means everybody."
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has repeatedly said what the administration wants are not bailouts, citing the apparently temporary nature of the current economic downturn and saying that the economy and these companies just need some temporary liquidity until the spread of the coronavirus is medically under control.
Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., also took shots at Trump Sunday, both for the GOP plan to spend hundreds of billions of dollars helping corporations with liquidity and for moving forward with its effort to strike down the Affordable Care Act -- also known as Obamacare -- in the courts.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
"Outrageous," Harris said in a tweet. "We are in the middle of a global pandemic and Donald Trump wants to strip health care from millions of Americans. This is why we fight."
All of this criticism comes after a couple of weeks of relative unity as politicians worked to fight the coronavirus. Trump last week even earned praise from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., over his coronavirus response. But it appears the honeymoon is over.
With the Senate likely to vote again on its coronavirus relief package again Monday and more time on national television during the daily coronavirus task force briefing, Trump will be faced with a tough political road ahead as he and Republicans quibble with Democrats over the best way to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
Fox News' Ronn Blitzer and Charles Creitz contributed to this report.


foxnews--2020-03-23--Steve Hilton: Flatten the coronavirus curve, but not the economy, before it's too late

Now , you 've been hearing everywhere else about the coronavirus and the latest numbers and the medical response .
But I want to focus on what I think is an even bigger crisis , and that is the economic , social and above all , human cost of the total shutdown policy .
US CORONAVIRUS CASES SURPASS 35,000 , NOW THE THIRD HIGHEST IN THE WORLD No one should question the seriousness of this virus , and especially as I said last week , the need to avoid so many hospitalizations at the same time that our medical system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is social distancing , and right now , that involves extreme measures to shut down daily life .
But there is a huge gap between sensible social distancing and the total shutdown spreading across the country .
Just as the spread of coronavirus creates a curve of the number of people infected , this economic shutdown is creating a curve of the numbers of people affected , losing their jobs , their homes , their businesses .
I 'm not sure that the people on TV have grasped how serious this is .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it at all , they are using completely the wrong frame of reference .
They talk about a recession like the one we had in 2008 .
What planet are they on ?
We 've never seen this before , a total self-imposed shut down of the economy .
Businesses large , medium and small will lose all their revenue .
Not a slight reduction , or even a steep reduction like in a recession , but all of it -- gone .
No income , nothing , potentially for months .
CLICK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are told that unless we change course , the best case is the worst recession since the Second World War .
The moderate scenario is that it 's on a par with the Great Depression .
The worst-case scenario where this shutdown continues for months is even worse than the Great Depression .
We hear about a V-shaped curve , a dramatic fall and a quick bounce back maybe .
But if the V is as deep as the Grand Canyon , that is a hell of a climb .
In Washington on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the latest coronavirus relief package , so negotiations will continue on what 's looking to be a $ 2 trillion stimulus plan .
Let 's talk about that plan .
And as we do , let 's remind ourselves what this is all about -- men and women across America who have risked everything , worked every hour to follow their dreams and build a business .
Local businesses that are not just economic units , but the lifeblood of a community .
Most of the people in Congress -- most of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never started a business and do n't understand business .
I have , and I do .
So what I 'm about to say comes not just from my perspective as someone who has run policy at the heart of a large government , but someone who has run a small business -- a number of them actually , including one , a restaurant that was at the heart of its community .
President Trump gets this , too .
He understands business .
He loves entrepreneurs .
He loves America 's small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who rely on them for a living and to support their families .
So this economic curve we 're about to take a nosedive on , it is not just about money .
It 's about the heart and soul of this country .
In the days ahead , let 's make sure the Congressional stimulus package does n't miss the target .
Part of it will be spent sending a check to every American on April 6th and another on May 18th .
But by April 6th , hundreds of thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people will be unemployed .
Worse , it will be those with the most precarious lives , least able to cope .
By May , my God , millions of businesses will go under and tens of millions will be unemployed .
Look , more money is always welcome for hard-pressed Americans .
But this is not about stimulus , it 's about survival .
And the whole send a check scheme misunderstands why someone goes under or not .
If you 're a small business , you have bills to pay .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ May .
Now .
Payroll , rent ... but you have no revenue .
Thanks to the government 's total shutdown , you have to let people go , so then they do n't have income to pay their rent or their mortgage and before you know it , you have mass unemployment and families on the streets .
Millions of viable businesses murdered by the government .
The second part of the current Congressional plan , a small business loan scheme , Larry Kudlow says it can work quickly .
But even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there right now does n't work .
A friend of mine tried to use the Small Business Administration Emergency Grant Program this week .
The website was wrong .
The details were wrong .
It is a total mess .
Businesses are folding today , tomorrow , Tuesday -- who 's got time to fill out forms ?
Send them into some giant bureaucracy ?
Wait for an answer , even if it 's yes , then find yourself saddled by crippling loans for years .
And do n't get me started on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan , bailouts for big business .
I think there is a quicker and simpler way to flatten the economic curve .
Businesses have insurance policies to cover them for loss of revenue .
The problem is a pandemic is n't covered .
But if the government stood behind the insurance companies and said we 'll indemnify you for any coronavirus payouts , then the insurance companies could be getting money to businesses straight away , covering their revenue so they can stay afloat and keep people employed .
We can incentivize insurance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way , `` quickly '' means within seven days , not April .
On top of that , announce a nationwide policy of no evictions or foreclosures , residential or commercial .
Of course , this would all cost a vast amount of money , which they seem to be spending like water .
It went from one trillion to two in a couple of days .
Quite frankly , if they keep up the shutdowns until the end of May , they 'll need $ 5 trillion ; if it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is an inconceivable amount of public money .
It amounts to a total government takeover of the economy .
Are we ready for that ?
Can we afford that ?
Well , even if we ca n't , at least let 's spend the money we can afford in ways that actually save our businesses .
But there 's a much better way to flatten the economic curve .
Dr. Fauci says he 's fine with overreacting .
Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm overreacting because that means we 're doing it just right .
Well , that 's easy for him to say .
He 'll still have a job at the end of this , whatever happens .
Our ruling class and their TV mouthpieces whipping up fear over this virus , they could afford an indefinite shutdown .
Working Americans ca n't .
They 'll be crushed by it .
You know , that famous phrase ?
`` The cure is worse than the disease . ''
That is exactly the territory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is just the coronavirus that kills people ?
This total economic shutdown will kill people .
A U.K. study calculated that 130,000 people died avoidably from austerity there between 2012 and 2017 .
The years of austerity for America to pay the cost of this shutdown will be worse .
Adjusting for the size of our economy , it 's over a million deaths .
But a family thrown out of their home -- the mom gets sick , the kids are orphans -- her death wo n't be counted .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 30 years and finally got a job last month , and now he is back on the scrap heap and turning back to drinking and drugs -- his death wo n't show up in a neat little box on cable news .
The president announced a 15-day plan to beat the virus .
After that , let 's say , all right , we came together to slow the spread .
Now , let 's come together to protect the vulnerable .
Get the ventilators .
Get the beds .
Get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Keep the ban on large gatherings , but stop the total shutdown for everyone and start the total protection of the elderly and those most likely to need hospitalization .
Do n't turn a public health crisis into America 's worst catastrophe .
Save small businesses .
Flatten the curve , but not the economy , and do it before it 's too late .
Adapted from Steve Hilton 's monologue from `` The Next Revolution '' on March 22 , 2020 .
CLICK @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Now, you've been hearing everywhere else about the coronavirus and the latest numbers and the medical response. But I want to focus on what I think is an even bigger crisis, and that is the economic, social and above all, human cost of the total shutdown policy.
US CORONAVIRUS CASES SURPASS 35,000, NOW THE THIRD HIGHEST IN THE WORLD
No one should question the seriousness of this virus, and especially as I said last week, the need to avoid so many hospitalizations at the same time that our medical system can't cope. The chosen strategy is social distancing, and right now, that involves extreme measures to shut down daily life.
But there is a huge gap between sensible social distancing and the total shutdown spreading across the country. Just as the spread of coronavirus creates a curve of the number of people infected, this economic shutdown is creating a curve of the numbers of people affected, losing their jobs, their homes, their businesses.
I'm not sure that the people on TV have grasped how serious this is. To the extent they're focusing on it at all, they are using completely the wrong frame of reference. They talk about a recession like the one we had in 2008. What planet are they on? We've never seen this before, a total self-imposed shut down of the economy. Businesses large, medium and small will lose all their revenue. Not a slight reduction, or even a steep reduction like in a recession, but all of it -- gone. No income, nothing, potentially for months.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE OPINION NEWSLETTER
We are told that unless we change course, the best case is the worst recession since the Second World War. The moderate scenario is that it's on a par with the Great Depression. The worst-case scenario where this shutdown continues for months is even worse than the Great Depression.
We hear about a V-shaped curve, a dramatic fall and a quick bounce back maybe. But if the V is as deep as the Grand Canyon, that is a hell of a climb.
In Washington on Sunday, the Senate failed to advance the latest coronavirus relief package, so negotiations will continue on what's looking to be a $2 trillion stimulus plan. Let's talk about that plan. And as we do, let's remind ourselves what this is all about -- men and women across America who have risked everything, worked every hour to follow their dreams and build a business. Local businesses that are not just economic units, but the lifeblood of a community.
Most of the people in Congress -- most of the talking heads on TV -- they've never started a business and don't understand business. I have, and I do. So what I'm about to say comes not just from my perspective as someone who has run policy at the heart of a large government, but someone who has run a small business -- a number of them actually, including one, a restaurant that was at the heart of its community.
You think it is just the coronavirus that kills people? This total economic shutdown will kill people.
President Trump gets this, too. He understands business. He loves entrepreneurs. He loves America's small businesses and farmers and all the workers who rely on them for a living and to support their families. So this economic curve we're about to take a nosedive on, it is not just about money. It's about the heart and soul of this country.
In the days ahead, let's make sure the Congressional stimulus package doesn't miss the target. Part of it will be spent sending a check to every American on April 6th and another on May 18th. But by April 6th, hundreds of thousands of businesses will have closed and millions of people will be unemployed. Worse, it will be those with the most precarious lives, least able to cope.
By May, my God, millions of businesses will go under and tens of millions will be unemployed. Look, more money is always welcome for hard-pressed Americans. But this is not about stimulus, it's about survival.
Don't turn a public health crisis into America's worst catastrophe.
And the whole send a check scheme misunderstands why someone goes under or not. If you're a small business, you have bills to pay. Right now, not in April or May. Now. Payroll, rent ... but you have no revenue. Thanks to the government's total shutdown, you have to let people go, so then they don't have income to pay their rent or their mortgage and before you know it, you have mass unemployment and families on the streets. Millions of viable businesses murdered by the government.
The second part of the current Congressional plan, a small business loan scheme, Larry Kudlow says it can work quickly. But even the help that's supposed to be there right now doesn't work. A friend of mine tried to use the Small Business Administration Emergency Grant Program this week. The website was wrong. The details were wrong. It is a total mess.
Businesses are folding today, tomorrow, Tuesday -- who's got time to fill out forms? Send them into some giant bureaucracy? Wait for an answer, even if it's yes, then find yourself saddled by crippling loans for years. And don't get me started on the third part of the so-called stimulus plan, bailouts for big business.
I think there is a quicker and simpler way to flatten the economic curve. Businesses have insurance policies to cover them for loss of revenue. The problem is a pandemic isn't covered.
But if the government stood behind the insurance companies and said we'll indemnify you for any coronavirus payouts, then the insurance companies could be getting money to businesses straight away, covering their revenue so they can stay afloat and keep people employed. We can incentivize insurance companies to do it quickly. By the way, "quickly" means within seven days, not April.
On top of that, announce a nationwide policy of no evictions or foreclosures, residential or commercial. Of course, this would all cost a vast amount of money, which they seem to be spending like water. It went from one trillion to two in a couple of days.
Quite frankly, if they keep up the shutdowns until the end of May, they'll need $5 trillion; if it's in August, $12 trillion. This is an inconceivable amount of public money. It amounts to a total government takeover of the economy.
Are we ready for that? Can we afford that? Well, even if we can't, at least let's spend the money we can afford in ways that actually save our businesses.
But there's a much better way to flatten the economic curve. Dr. Fauci says he's fine with overreacting.
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases: I like it when people are thinking I'm overreacting because that means we're doing it just right.
Well, that's easy for him to say. He'll still have a job at the end of this, whatever happens.
Our ruling class and their TV mouthpieces whipping up fear over this virus, they could afford an indefinite shutdown. Working Americans can't. They'll be crushed by it.
You know, that famous phrase? "The cure is worse than the disease." That is exactly the territory we are hurtling towards. You think it is just the coronavirus that kills people? This total economic shutdown will kill people.
A U.K. study calculated that 130,000 people died avoidably from austerity there between 2012 and 2017. The years of austerity for America to pay the cost of this shutdown will be worse. Adjusting for the size of our economy, it's over a million deaths.
But a family thrown out of their home -- the mom gets sick, the kids are orphans -- her death won't be counted. The dad who has been out of work for 30 years and finally got a job last month, and now he is back on the scrap heap and turning back to drinking and drugs -- his death won't show up in a neat little box on cable news.
Poverty kills. Despair kills. This shutdown is deadly.
The president announced a 15-day plan to beat the virus. After that, let's say, all right, we came together to slow the spread. Now, let's come together to protect the vulnerable. Get the ventilators. Get the beds. Get the equipment for our heroic nurses and doctors.
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Keep the ban on large gatherings, but stop the total shutdown for everyone and start the total protection of the elderly and those most likely to need hospitalization. Don't turn a public health crisis into America's worst catastrophe.
Save small businesses. Flatten the curve, but not the economy, and do it before it's too late.
Adapted from Steve Hilton's monologue from "The Next Revolution" on March 22, 2020.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM STEVE HILTON


foxnews--2020-03-23--Rand Paul defends actions amid criticism for staying at Capitol as he awaited coronavirus test resul

Rand Paul defends actions amid criticism for staying at Capitol as he awaited coronavirus test results

Sen. Rand Paul , R-Ky. , was on the receiving end of withering criticism from Senate colleagues after it appeared he was still tending to his typical business at the U.S. Capitol after being tested for the coronavirus — his results came back positive Sunday .
Leading the charge was Sen. Kyrsten Sinema , D-Ariz. , who tweeted Sunday in reaction to a report from The New York Times that Paul was at the Senate gym that same morning , apparently just hours before he learned he had tested positive for coronavirus .
`` I ’ ve never commented about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Never once , '' she said .
`` This , America , is absolutely irresponsible .
You can not be near other people while waiting for coronavirus test results .
It endangers others & likely increases the spread of the virus . ''
CORONAVIRUS : WHAT TO KNOW DEMOCRATS SCORN TRUMP CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE AS SENATE REACHES IMPASSE ON THIRD AID BILL But in an extensive statement Monday afternoon , Paul defended his handling of the situation , saying he got tested simply because he and his wife had traveled extensively in recent weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to having part of his lung removed following an assault .
`` I felt that it was highly unlikely that I was positive since I have had no symptoms of the illness , nor have I had contact with anyone who has either tested positive for the virus or been sick , '' he said .
Paul said he remains `` asymptomatic '' and said to his critics : “ For those who want to criticize me for lack of quarantine , realize that if the rules on testing had been followed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been tested and would still be walking around the halls of the Capitol .
The current guidelines would not have called for me to get tested nor quarantined .
It was my extra precaution , out of concern for my damaged lung , that led me to get tested .
`` Perhaps it is too much to ask that we simply have compassion for our fellow Americans who are sick or fearful of becoming so .
...
The broader the testing and the less finger-pointing we have , the better . ''
Sinema @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on both sides of the aisle were angry with not just Paul for sticking around while awaiting the test results but with the decision for Senate Republicans to be consistently meeting in person over the past weeks as Democrats largely took care of their business via conference call .
`` We need to talk with the Attending Physician , '' one senior GOP source said , referring to Dr. Brian Monahan , the Attending Physician for the Capitol .
`` And , Rand Paul . ''
Paul 's office had earlier defended his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the positive coronavirus diagnosis was a surprise .
`` Similar to the President and the Vice President , Senator Rand Paul decided to get tested after attending an event where two individuals subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 , even though he was n't aware of any direct contact with either one of them , '' a statement from Paul Deputy Chief of Staff Sergio Gor said .
`` Additionally , due to a prior lung injury , and subsequent surgery on his lung , Senator Paul is in a higher risk category as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A tweet from Paul 's Twitter account further defended the Kentucky senator .
`` We want to be clear , Senator Paul left the Senate IMMEDIATELY upon learning of his diagnosis , '' it said .
`` He had zero contact with anyone & went into quarantine .
Insinuations such as those below that he went to the gym after learning of his results are just completely false & irresponsible ! ''
But the criticism of the senator largely focused on his call not to self-quarantine while awaiting the test result .
CLICK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul did have one high profile supporter amid the chorus of criticism he faced Sunday -- President Trump .
`` My friend ( always there when I ’ ve needed him ! )
, Senator @ RandPaul , was just tested 'positive ' from the Chinese Virus .
That is not good !
He is strong and will get better .
Just spoke to him and he was in good spirits , '' Trump said .
Paul 's office has said that he is in quarantine in Kentucky while continuing to work and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the coronavirus .
It also said that his D.C. staff had been working remotely for the past 10 days .
Paul is one of five Senate Republicans in quarantine right now — meaning Republicans only hold a 48-47 Senate majority among those capable of voting in person as lawmakers try to hash out a coronavirus stimulus package .
Fox News ' Chad Pergram and Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report .

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was on the receiving end of withering criticism from Senate colleagues after it appeared he was still tending to his typical business at the U.S. Capitol after being tested for the coronavirus — his results came back positive Sunday.
Leading the charge was Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., who tweeted Sunday in reaction to a report from The New York Times that Paul was at the Senate gym that same morning, apparently just hours before he learned he had tested positive for coronavirus.
"I’ve never commented about a fellow Senator’s choices/actions. Never once," she said. "This, America, is absolutely irresponsible. You cannot be near other people while waiting for coronavirus test results. It endangers others & likely increases the spread of the virus."
CORONAVIRUS: WHAT TO KNOW
DEMOCRATS SCORN TRUMP CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE AS SENATE REACHES IMPASSE ON THIRD AID BILL
But in an extensive statement Monday afternoon, Paul defended his handling of the situation, saying he got tested simply because he and his wife had traveled extensively in recent weeks and he's at higher risk due to having part of his lung removed following an assault.
"I felt that it was highly unlikely that I was positive since I have had no symptoms of the illness, nor have I had contact with anyone who has either tested positive for the virus or been sick," he said.
Paul said he remains "asymptomatic" and said to his critics: “For those who want to criticize me for lack of quarantine, realize that if the rules on testing had been followed to a tee, I would never have been tested and would still be walking around the halls of the Capitol. The current guidelines would not have called for me to get tested nor quarantined. It was my extra precaution, out of concern for my damaged lung, that led me to get tested.
"Perhaps it is too much to ask that we simply have compassion for our fellow Americans who are sick or fearful of becoming so. ... The broader the testing and the less finger-pointing we have, the better."
Sinema sounded off as it became clear lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were angry with not just Paul for sticking around while awaiting the test results but with the decision for Senate Republicans to be consistently meeting in person over the past weeks as Democrats largely took care of their business via conference call.
"We need to talk with the Attending Physician," one senior GOP source said, referring to Dr. Brian Monahan, the Attending Physician for the Capitol. "And, Rand Paul."
Paul's office had earlier defended his actions Sunday as largely precautionary, implying the positive coronavirus diagnosis was a surprise.
"Similar to the President and the Vice President, Senator Rand Paul decided to get tested after attending an event where two individuals subsequently tested positive for COVID-19, even though he wasn't aware of any direct contact with either one of them," a statement from Paul Deputy Chief of Staff Sergio Gor said. "Additionally, due to a prior lung injury, and subsequent surgery on his lung, Senator Paul is in a higher risk category as it relates to pulmonary issues."
SEN. RAND PAUL TESTS POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS
A tweet from Paul's Twitter account further defended the Kentucky senator.
"We want to be clear, Senator Paul left the Senate IMMEDIATELY upon learning of his diagnosis," it said. "He had zero contact with anyone & went into quarantine. Insinuations such as those below that he went to the gym after learning of his results are just completely false & irresponsible!"
But the criticism of the senator largely focused on his call not to self-quarantine while awaiting the test result.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Paul did have one high profile supporter amid the chorus of criticism he faced Sunday -- President Trump.
"My friend (always there when I’ve needed him!), Senator @RandPaul, was just tested 'positive' from the Chinese Virus. That is not good! He is strong and will get better. Just spoke to him and he was in good spirits," Trump said.
Paul's office has said that he is in quarantine in Kentucky while continuing to work and that he has not shown any symptoms from the coronavirus. It also said that his D.C. staff had been working remotely for the past 10 days. Paul is one of five Senate Republicans in quarantine right now — meaning Republicans only hold a 48-47 Senate majority among those capable of voting in person as lawmakers try to hash out a coronavirus stimulus package.
Fox News' Chad Pergram and Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.


foxnews--2020-03-23--Bartiromo: Markets getting nervous with no 'end date' in sight for coronavirus shutdowns

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Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo said on “ America ’ s Newsroom ” on Monday that U.S. equity markets are “ nervous ” about the coronavirus pandemic and it has essentially led to a shutdown of the U.S. economy with “ no end in sight.
” Bartiromo made the comments as U.S. equity markets slid on Monday , even after the Federal Reserve announced “ extensive new measures ” to support the U.S. economy .
At one point on Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volatile trading on Wall Street as investors wait for Democrats and Republicans to settle their differences and pass a nearly $ 2 trillion economic rescue package .
“ These markets do not like uncertainty and the whole idea of having this closed-door shut down for a couple of weeks with no end in sight has markets nervous , as you would expect , ” Bartiromo explained , adding that “ If we were to see an end date , if we were to understand when this ends ” perhaps that would alleviate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appearance on her Fox Business show “ Mornings with Maria ” on Monday , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told her that he is `` very hopeful '' that the U.S. can beat coronavirus within 10 to 12 weeks .
`` I 'm very hopeful that we 're going to kill this virus in that time period , if not shorter , '' Mnuchin said .
`` I spoke to the president last night , he 's very pleased with medical professionals and the movement , some of these new drugs , so this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 week period , but I hope we do n't need to last that long . ''
MNUCHIN 'VERY HOPEFUL ' US CAN BEAT CORONAVIRUS IN 10-12 WEEKS Speaking on “ America ’ s Newsroom ” on Monday , Bartiromo mentioned that Mnuchin told her that the fiscal stimulus package that is currently being debated in the Senate will create help for the dislocations that will happen in the economy over that 10 to 12 week period .
“ He gave us that positioning , that end date , this is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 12 weeks , ” she explained .
Bartiromo then asked , “ So what happens then ?
” She noted that she asked Mnuchin on Monday if he expects to ask Congress for more money .
`` If this lasts longer , we 'll go back to Congress , '' he said on her show on Monday .
`` We are determined to support American business and American workers .
This is no fault of their own . ''
“ We 'll have to see what happens so there may very well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bartiromo said on “ America ’ s Newsroom ” on Monday .
She also noted the action the Federal Reserve is taking to try and stabilize the economy .
The central bank said on Monday that it would purchase Treasury securities and agency mortgage-backed securities in the `` amounts needed to support smooth market functioning and effective transmission of monetary policy to broader financial conditions and the economy . ''
In addition , the Fed launched three new lending facilities that will provide up to $ 300 billion in new financing to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consumers and businesses .
“ The Federal Reserve says we will buy anything , we are ready to buy securities , ” Bartiromo said on Monday , adding that the Federal Reserve is essentially saying , “ ’ We are there ... we do n't have an end date , we are just going to keep at it.
’ ” She then noted that there are calls right now to say , `` let 's shut the country down for 30 days , give businesses an end date so that they know in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Bartiromo went on to say that “ there ’ s still that overlying uncertainty about the virus itself.
” “ Are we going to get our arms around this with antivirals ?
What does the pharmaceutical sector have to say ?
And should we be worried about a second wave ?
Should we be worried about coronavirus coming back in the fall ?
” she asked , noting that “ that 's what you ’ re seeing play out in markets today.
” Following the Fed ’ s latest massive , surprise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and European stocks got a bump higher , but the gains quickly vanished .
With Monday ’ s losses , the stock market has lost more than a third of its value since its record last month , as more businesses shut down with the goal of trying to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
Economists increasingly say a recession seems unavoidable .
Markets are likely to remain incredibly turbulent as long as the number of new infections accelerates .
In the interim , investors are looking for both central banks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy .
Bartiromo noted that on Monday morning , U.S. equity futures pared their losses and turned higher on the news from the Federal Reserve .
“ We were down about 600 points , but , when the Federal Reserve came out with its emergency commentary and what it was going to be doing , unveiling this expansion of market support , immediately you saw a complete reversal and you actually saw a swing of 1,000 points.
” She said that the Federal Reserve “ is expanding its balance sheet and what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Federal Reserve is throwing everything at this economic slowdown , everything at this coronavirus crisis right now.
” “ They ca n't go much lower on interest rates , but they have a lot of other tools to work with , ” she said .
“ They announced those tools today and by all accounts markets certainly like that.
” Last week , the Federal Reserve slashed its benchmark federal fund rate by a full percentage point to near zero in an aggressive step to insulate the U.S. economy from the COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ there are calls right now to shut the whole country down , ” and that is causing markets to “ remain quite nervous even with that extraordinary move by the Federal Reserve today.
” When Bartiromo asked acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf on Sunday if President Trump is considering a full shutdown of the country for a period of time , he said : “ Not at this time.
” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Speaking on `` Sunday Morning Futures '' in an exclusive interview , Wolf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ take aggressive steps ” in the hardest-hit communities that are seeing large numbers of coronavirus cases “ so that we don ’ t have to take those measures elsewhere if we don ’ t need to.
” Fox Business ’ Jonathan Garber , Evie Fordham and the Associated Press contributed to this report .

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Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo said on “America’s Newsroom” on Monday that U.S. equity markets are “nervous” about the coronavirus pandemic and it has essentially led to a shutdown of the U.S. economy with “no end in sight.”
Bartiromo made the comments as U.S. equity markets slid on Monday, even after the Federal Reserve announced “extensive new measures” to support the U.S. economy.
At one point on Monday, stocks were down nearly 5 percent in volatile trading on Wall Street as investors wait for Democrats and Republicans to settle their differences and pass a nearly $2 trillion economic rescue package.
“These markets do not like uncertainty and the whole idea of having this closed-door shut down for a couple of weeks with no end in sight has markets nervous, as you would expect,” Bartiromo explained, adding that “If we were to see an end date, if we were to understand when this ends” perhaps that would alleviate the situation.
Bartiromo noted that during an appearance on her Fox Business show “Mornings with Maria” on Monday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told her that he is "very hopeful" that the U.S. can beat coronavirus within 10 to 12 weeks.
"I'm very hopeful that we're going to kill this virus in that time period, if not shorter," Mnuchin said. "I spoke to the president last night, he's very pleased with medical professionals and the movement, some of these new drugs, so this legislation prepares us for the 10 to 12 week period, but I hope we don't need to last that long."
MNUCHIN 'VERY HOPEFUL' US CAN BEAT CORONAVIRUS IN 10-12 WEEKS
Speaking on “America’s Newsroom” on Monday, Bartiromo mentioned that Mnuchin told her that the fiscal stimulus package that is currently being debated in the Senate will create help for the dislocations that will happen in the economy over that 10 to 12 week period.
“He gave us that positioning, that end date, this is going to handle things for the next to 10 to 12 weeks,” she explained.
Bartiromo then asked, “So what happens then?”
She noted that she asked Mnuchin on Monday if he expects to ask Congress for more money.
"If this lasts longer, we'll go back to Congress," he said on her show on Monday. "We are determined to support American business and American workers. This is no fault of their own."
“We'll have to see what happens so there may very well be more stimulus in place,” Bartiromo said on “America’s Newsroom” on Monday.
She also noted the action the Federal Reserve is taking to try and stabilize the economy.
The central bank said on Monday that it would purchase Treasury securities and agency mortgage-backed securities in the "amounts needed to support smooth market functioning and effective transmission of monetary policy to broader financial conditions and the economy."
In addition, the Fed launched three new lending facilities that will provide up to $300 billion in new financing to support the flow of credit to employers, consumers and businesses.
“The Federal Reserve says we will buy anything, we are ready to buy securities,” Bartiromo said on Monday, adding that the Federal Reserve is essentially saying, “’We are there ... we don't have an end date, we are just going to keep at it.’”
She then noted that there are calls right now to say, "let's shut the country down for 30 days, give businesses an end date so that they know in 30 days they’ll reopen again.”
Bartiromo went on to say that “there’s still that overlying uncertainty about the virus itself.”
“Are we going to get our arms around this with antivirals? What does the pharmaceutical sector have to say? And should we be worried about a second wave? Should we be worried about coronavirus coming back in the fall?” she asked, noting that “that's what you’re seeing play out in markets today.”
Following the Fed’s latest massive, surprise announcement of support, U.S. stock futures and European stocks got a bump higher, but the gains quickly vanished.
With Monday’s losses, the stock market has lost more than a third of its value since its record last month, as more businesses shut down with the goal of trying to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Economists increasingly say a recession seems unavoidable.
Markets are likely to remain incredibly turbulent as long as the number of new infections accelerates. In the interim, investors are looking for both central banks and governments to do their parts to support the economy.
Bartiromo noted that on Monday morning, U.S. equity futures pared their losses and turned higher on the news from the Federal Reserve.
“We were down about 600 points, but, when the Federal Reserve came out with its emergency commentary and what it was going to be doing, unveiling this expansion of market support, immediately you saw a complete reversal and you actually saw a swing of 1,000 points.”
She said that the Federal Reserve “is expanding its balance sheet and what this is telling us basically is the Federal Reserve is throwing everything at this economic slowdown, everything at this coronavirus crisis right now.”
“They can't go much lower on interest rates, but they have a lot of other tools to work with,” she said. “They announced those tools today and by all accounts markets certainly like that.”
Last week, the Federal Reserve slashed its benchmark federal fund rate by a full percentage point to near zero in an aggressive step to insulate the U.S. economy from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bartiromo also noted on Monday that “there are calls right now to shut the whole country down,” and that is causing markets to “remain quite nervous even with that extraordinary move by the Federal Reserve today.”
When Bartiromo asked acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf on Sunday if President Trump is considering a full shutdown of the country for a period of time, he said: “Not at this time.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Speaking on "Sunday Morning Futures" in an exclusive interview, Wolf added that the Trump administration wants to “take aggressive steps” in the hardest-hit communities that are seeing large numbers of coronavirus cases “so that we don’t have to take those measures elsewhere if we don’t need to.”
Fox Business’ Jonathan Garber, Evie Fordham and the Associated Press contributed to this report.