vox--2020-03-31--Leaked audio suggests Trump is in denial about the coronavirus testing problem

Governors and public health officials — including those on President Donald Trump ’ s coronavirus task force — have spoken often about difficulties finding and processing Covid-19 tests .
In a call with governors Monday , however , Trump said he has not heard about these issues .
In audio of the call published by CBS News , Montana Gov .
Steve Bullock ( D ) details two problems with testing .
First , that his state doesn ’ t have enough tests , saying “ we ’ re one day away if we don ’ t get test kits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be able to do testing.
” And second , that the federal government has depleted the tests available on the private market .
These are known issues , and are problems the Trump administration has been repeatedly criticized for not working harder to solve .
But Trump respond to Bullock ’ s concerns by saying , “ I haven ’ t heard about testing in weeks .
We ’ ve tested more now than any nation in the world .
We ’ ve got these great tests , and we ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s almost instantaneous testing .
But I haven ’ t heard about testing being a problem.
” It is true that testing capacity has ramped up in recent weeks , and that the FDA approved a new test from Abbott Laboratories that can deliver results in as little as five minutes .
But testing does remain a problem , and one a number of governors have been vocal about .
Monday , for example , Govs .
Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan ( D ) and Larry Hogan of Maryland ( R @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post asking the federal government for more “ test kits , medical supplies and other lifesaving equipment to meet the scope of this pandemic.
” Trump ’ s response to questions of testing typically mirrors the answer he gave Bullock — that the US is doing more testing than anyone else .
And this , to a point , appears to be true .
As of Saturday , Adm. Brett Giroir , coronavirus task force member and assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services , said the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is a large number , the number of tests done per capita is much smaller : According to the Washington Post , the US had conducted 2,250 tests per million people by March 28 , a figure roughly two-thirds of the per capita testing rate South Korea achieved three weeks earlier .
The reason this distinction is important is that if we are to end social distancing in the next few months , rather than ending it only when a vaccine becomes available , it is imperative enough tests exist to test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health , has explained .
“ If you look at an area , any area — take one that has moderate degree of activity — you can ’ t just empirically say , I ’ m going to loosen restrictions there , ” Fauci said on CNN ’ s State of the Union Sunday .
“ You can do it , but you absolutely must have in place the capability of going there , testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not take a test , come back five days later , and find out if you ’ re infected , testing , knowing in real time if a person is infected , and then getting them out of circulation , and contact tracing.
” Essentially , the way to begin to go back to something resembling normal life is to test a lot , and track who those who test positive had contact with ( or , contact trace ) .
The infected and exposed can then practice social distancing on a more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test numbers , but has yet to advocate for the massive testing needed to end current social distancing practices A vaccine could be as far as 17 months away , according to experts , making more strategic social distancing an attractive strategy .
In the call with the governors that elicited Trump ’ s remark about having heard nothing about testing difficulties , Fauci attempted to learn how close those on the line were with getting to a point where limited social distancing would be a viable strategy .
“ Do you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can adequately identify cases and isolate them and contract-trace them , or are the capabilities and resources there that ’ s not something you can do with what you have ?
” Fauci asked Bullock .
Bullock responded that Montana is nowhere near that point , leading to Trump to tout his test numbers .
It doesn ’ t appear that Trump has bought into the idea that expanding testing could lead to a solution for the situation the country has found itself in .
He has said it understands the concept .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after being asked about a proposal from Dr. Ashish Jha , head of Harvard University ’ s Global Health Institute , that recommended testing be done broadly in order to quarantine selectively — broadly , what Fauci outlined — the president said , “ I saw his statement.
” “ We have tested , by far , more than anybody , ” Trump continued .
“ And our tests are the best tests .
...
But if you ’ re saying we ’ re going to test 350 million people — I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” Testing each and every American isn ’ t necessarily needed , but as Vox ’ s Brian Resnick has explained , broad and regular testing is needed throughout the country “ to see where the virus may be lurking , especially in cases where symptoms are mild or don ’ t manifest at all.
” Once those places are identified , they can be quarantined on a limited basis , Resnick writes , turning “ that sledgehammer of social distancing into a scalpel.
” This is the approach South Korea has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some of the huge number of tests needed to get to that point are in production — Abbott has said it can deliver 50,000 of its new tests each day starting Wednesday , but far more will be needed .
My colleague Alex Ward has outlined one way to help ramp up production : Trump could invoke the Defense Production Act , which would allow the federal government to direct private companies to make the tests and other essential material like ventilators and masks .
Trump has been hesitant to commit to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t be swayed to change his mind on the matter until he comes to understand the importance of the testing problem .
Fauci has said the federal government ’ s top scientists have changed the president ’ s mind on coronavirus matters before , most recently encouraging him to extend the period of federally recommended social distancing by a month and convincing him not to lock down New York , Connecticut , and New Jersey .
And so it may be that the president can be made to understand why testing is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal government can do more to help governors get the tests they desperately need .

Governors and public health officials — including those on President Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force — have spoken often about difficulties finding and processing Covid-19 tests. In a call with governors Monday, however, Trump said he has not heard about these issues.
In audio of the call published by CBS News, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D) details two problems with testing. First, that his state doesn’t have enough tests, saying “we’re one day away if we don’t get test kits from the CDC that we wouldn’t be able to do testing.” And second, that the federal government has depleted the tests available on the private market.
These are known issues, and are problems the Trump administration has been repeatedly criticized for not working harder to solve. But Trump respond to Bullock’s concerns by saying, “I haven’t heard about testing in weeks. We’ve tested more now than any nation in the world. We’ve got these great tests, and we’ll come out with another one tomorrow, that’s almost instantaneous testing. But I haven’t heard about testing being a problem.”
CBS News obtained audio of a call Monday between Pres. Trump and rural state governors about coronavirus. After Montana Gov. Steve Bullock discusses difficulty getting testing equipment, Trump says, "I haven't heard anything about testing being a problem" https://t.co/ScO2YbKZAq pic.twitter.com/YhFPpw7Gni — CBS News (@CBSNews) March 30, 2020
It is true that testing capacity has ramped up in recent weeks, and that the FDA approved a new test from Abbott Laboratories that can deliver results in as little as five minutes. But testing does remain a problem, and one a number of governors have been vocal about. Monday, for example, Govs. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan (D) and Larry Hogan of Maryland (R) published an op-ed in the Washington Post asking the federal government for more “test kits, medical supplies and other lifesaving equipment to meet the scope of this pandemic.”
Trump’s response to questions of testing typically mirrors the answer he gave Bullock — that the US is doing more testing than anyone else. And this, to a point, appears to be true. As of Saturday, Adm. Brett Giroir, coronavirus task force member and assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services, said the US had done 894,000 tests.
But while that is a large number, the number of tests done per capita is much smaller: According to the Washington Post, the US had conducted 2,250 tests per million people by March 28, a figure roughly two-thirds of the per capita testing rate South Korea achieved three weeks earlier.
The reason this distinction is important is that if we are to end social distancing in the next few months, rather than ending it only when a vaccine becomes available, it is imperative enough tests exist to test on a massive scale, as Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, has explained.
“If you look at an area, any area — take one that has moderate degree of activity — you can’t just empirically say, I’m going to loosen restrictions there,” Fauci said on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday. “You can do it, but you absolutely must have in place the capability of going there, testing, testing in an efficient way, not take a test, come back five days later, and find out if you’re infected, testing, knowing in real time if a person is infected, and then getting them out of circulation, and contact tracing.”
Essentially, the way to begin to go back to something resembling normal life is to test a lot, and track who those who test positive had contact with (or, contact trace). The infected and exposed can then practice social distancing on a more individual level.
Trump brags about US test numbers, but has yet to advocate for the massive testing needed to end current social distancing practices
A vaccine could be as far as 17 months away, according to experts, making more strategic social distancing an attractive strategy.
In the call with the governors that elicited Trump’s remark about having heard nothing about testing difficulties, Fauci attempted to learn how close those on the line were with getting to a point where limited social distancing would be a viable strategy.
“Do you have any system in place that you feel can adequately identify cases and isolate them and contract-trace them, or are the capabilities and resources there that’s not something you can do with what you have?” Fauci asked Bullock.
Bullock responded that Montana is nowhere near that point, leading to Trump to tout his test numbers. It doesn’t appear that Trump has bought into the idea that expanding testing could lead to a solution for the situation the country has found itself in.
He has said it understands the concept. During his March 25 daily press conference, after being asked about a proposal from Dr. Ashish Jha, head of Harvard University’s Global Health Institute, that recommended testing be done broadly in order to quarantine selectively — broadly, what Fauci outlined — the president said, “I saw his statement.”
“We have tested, by far, more than anybody,” Trump continued. “And our tests are the best tests. ... But if you’re saying we’re going to test 350 million people — I watched his statement; I disagree with it.”
Testing each and every American isn’t necessarily needed, but as Vox’s Brian Resnick has explained, broad and regular testing is needed throughout the country “to see where the virus may be lurking, especially in cases where symptoms are mild or don’t manifest at all.” Once those places are identified, they can be quarantined on a limited basis, Resnick writes, turning “that sledgehammer of social distancing into a scalpel.” This is the approach South Korea has taken to get the coronavirus under control.
Some of the huge number of tests needed to get to that point are in production — Abbott has said it can deliver 50,000 of its new tests each day starting Wednesday, but far more will be needed.
My colleague Alex Ward has outlined one way to help ramp up production: Trump could invoke the Defense Production Act, which would allow the federal government to direct private companies to make the tests and other essential material like ventilators and masks. Trump has been hesitant to commit to that thus far — and certainly can’t be swayed to change his mind on the matter until he comes to understand the importance of the testing problem.
Fauci has said the federal government’s top scientists have changed the president’s mind on coronavirus matters before, most recently encouraging him to extend the period of federally recommended social distancing by a month and convincing him not to lock down New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. And so it may be that the president can be made to understand why testing is still a problem, and that the federal government can do more to help governors get the tests they desperately need.


vox--2020-03-31--Why Battlestar Galactica is the perfect quarantine marathon

Few TV shows have spoken to the unrelenting chaos of the still-young 21st century as well as Battlestar Galactica , which aired on Syfy from 2003 to 2009 .
A remake of the critically panned 1978 series — itself a poorly disguised attempt to rip off Star Wars and make into a TV show — the new Battlestar Galactica took most of the good ideas from its predecessor ( humanity on the run from murderous robots , a complicated mythology built around some combination of the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 signs of the zodiac , and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ updated them for a newer , more terrifying world .
The 2000s Battlestar series is a post-9/11 show in the way that so many great genre shows of that era were ( see also : Lost ) , but its underlying story about a humanity terrified of its own extinction by all manner of threats has resonated consistently since it debuted .
Very early in the Trump era , for example , New Republic writer Matt Ford compared the news cycle to the tremendous early Battlestar episode in which the robotic Cylons attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relentless efficiency .
Battlestar Galactica is bedeviled by complaints that its later seasons weren ’ t as good as the early ones , or that its series finale was bad , or any number of things , but I disagree with all of those complaints .
The series ’ weird blend of apocalypticism , science fiction , and spirituality has grown only more resonant in the years since it aired — and if there was ever a time to marathon the show , it ’ s right now .
How fortunate , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four-season run , as well as the pilot miniseries and two spinoff movies ( neither of which are necessary to understand the full story , but both of which are enjoyable ) , is available again for the first time in ages on Syfy.com .
( The episodes are free to stream , though they contain ads . )
Battlestar Galactica balanced complicated sci-fi storytelling with smaller standalone tales about life among the humans running for their lives Battlestar Galactica aired during one of my favorite periods for genre TV .
( It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other . )
The storytelling complexity of these shows ramped up considerably , with deeper and more intricate mythologies for fans to obsess over .
But because they still had to make lots of episodes ( 20 per season , in Battlestar ’ s case ) , they had to blend the larger sweep of their overarching stories with smaller ones about the characters and their adventures .
Consequently , these shows were more all over the place , quality-wise , compared with a show like Game of Thrones ( at its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even if they disappointed fans , it meant that it was possible to fondly remember stories that had nothing to do with the overall arc , something Game of Thrones didn ’ t really have going for it when it ended in disappointing fashion just last year .
Consider the episode I mentioned above , the one where the Cylons attacked every 33 minutes .
It is , in essence , a re-pilot — a season premiere meant to catch up new viewers by introducing a show ’ s premise the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boring viewers who ’ ve watched to that point .
Because Battlestar had launched in late 2003 with a four-hour miniseries that told the story of how humanity came to be on the run from the Cylons , the season one premiere didn ’ t need to belabor that point in another episode .
Instead , the writers came up with the ingenious idea of a Cylon attack arriving every 33 minutes , creating a bunch of frazzled , sleep-deprived humans on the run from an enemy who could exploit their every weakness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ episode that ’ s stuck with me ( and a lot of people ) ever since it aired in 2005 .
Battlestar Galactica ’ s showrunner was Ronald D. Moore , a longtime Star Trek veteran who had soured on that universe ’ s antiseptic gleam .
Moore wanted to talk about human frailty and the political strife of the world ; with Battlestar , he helmed what is perhaps the best TV show ever made about the tenuous nature of our democracy .
The series ’ main characters hailed from the military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ William Adama ) and the government ( Mary McDonnell ’ s President Laura Roslin , elevated to the highest office when everybody else in the Cabinet died ) .
Their relationship , at once fraught and friendly , provided much of the series ’ gravitas .
But Moore also saw in their relationship a way to talk about how difficult it is to preserve human rights in times of trial .
The series told sci-fi stories that mirrored debates Americans had at the time regarding torture and other human rights abuses during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ larger question of how we protect and maintain what ’ s human about us in the face of so much horror and death is broadly applicable to humanity in general .
The Cylons were an enemy that posed an existential threat to humans , but rather than the obviously robotic robots of the original series , they had evolved into humanlike androids who could live among us and carry out acts of war .
They seemed just like us , but maybe weren ’ t us .
Unless they were ?
Battlestar explored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with greater boldness as it went on , in ways that sometimes frustrated fans but that I ate up .
( It turns out I have a robust appetite for mystical hoo-ha in my science fiction stories . )
And beyond all of these sociopolitical themes , the show was gloriously silly sci-fi .
The story of the hunt for Earth had enough juice to drive much of Battlestar ’ s run , and it combined some of the greatest space battles ever created for television with an eerie mysticism that fueled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some fans would tell you the end of this story was disappointing .
I ’ m not one of them , but I mention it just so you ’ re prepared .
Yet even if you hate the show ’ s series finale , it ’ s well worth embarking on the journey .
Battlestar Galactica is one of my favorite TV shows ever made , one of those series I could conceivably write thousands of words about without breaking a sweat .
( I haven ’ t mentioned the groundbreaking direction , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s glorious score , the best ever written for television .
Or Katee Sackhoff as Starbuck .
Or ... ) Suffice it to say that if you ’ re looking for a quarantine marathon that leans into your anxiety , Syfy may have just given you the perfect gift .
All four seasons of Battlestar Galactica , as well as the miniseries and two spinoff movies , are now streaming on Syfy.com with ads .

Few TV shows have spoken to the unrelenting chaos of the still-young 21st century as well as Battlestar Galactica, which aired on Syfy from 2003 to 2009.
A remake of the critically panned 1978 series — itself a poorly disguised attempt to rip off Star Wars and make into a TV show — the new Battlestar Galactica took most of the good ideas from its predecessor (humanity on the run from murderous robots, a complicated mythology built around some combination of the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 signs of the zodiac, and a search for a long-missing Earth) and updated them for a newer, more terrifying world.
The 2000s Battlestar series is a post-9/11 show in the way that so many great genre shows of that era were (see also: Lost), but its underlying story about a humanity terrified of its own extinction by all manner of threats has resonated consistently since it debuted. Very early in the Trump era, for example, New Republic writer Matt Ford compared the news cycle to the tremendous early Battlestar episode in which the robotic Cylons attack the human fleet every 33 minutes with relentless efficiency.
Battlestar Galactica is bedeviled by complaints that its later seasons weren’t as good as the early ones, or that its series finale was bad, or any number of things, but I disagree with all of those complaints. The series’ weird blend of apocalypticism, science fiction, and spirituality has grown only more resonant in the years since it aired — and if there was ever a time to marathon the show, it’s right now.
How fortunate, then, that the show’s entire four-season run, as well as the pilot miniseries and two spinoff movies (neither of which are necessary to understand the full story, but both of which are enjoyable), is available again for the first time in ages on Syfy.com. (The episodes are free to stream, though they contain ads.)
Battlestar Galactica balanced complicated sci-fi storytelling with smaller standalone tales about life among the humans running for their lives
Battlestar Galactica aired during one of my favorite periods for genre TV. (It and Lost launched within a year of each other.) The storytelling complexity of these shows ramped up considerably, with deeper and more intricate mythologies for fans to obsess over. But because they still had to make lots of episodes (20 per season, in Battlestar’s case), they had to blend the larger sweep of their overarching stories with smaller ones about the characters and their adventures.
Consequently, these shows were more all over the place, quality-wise, compared with a show like Game of Thrones (at its best). But when they ended, even if they disappointed fans, it meant that it was possible to fondly remember stories that had nothing to do with the overall arc, something Game of Thrones didn’t really have going for it when it ended in disappointing fashion just last year.
Consider the episode I mentioned above, the one where the Cylons attacked every 33 minutes. It is, in essence, a re-pilot — a season premiere meant to catch up new viewers by introducing a show’s premise the way a pilot typically would, but without boring viewers who’ve watched to that point. Because Battlestar had launched in late 2003 with a four-hour miniseries that told the story of how humanity came to be on the run from the Cylons, the season one premiere didn’t need to belabor that point in another episode.
Instead, the writers came up with the ingenious idea of a Cylon attack arriving every 33 minutes, creating a bunch of frazzled, sleep-deprived humans on the run from an enemy who could exploit their every weakness and frailty. It’s an episode that’s stuck with me (and a lot of people) ever since it aired in 2005.
Battlestar Galactica’s showrunner was Ronald D. Moore, a longtime Star Trek veteran who had soured on that universe’s antiseptic gleam. Moore wanted to talk about human frailty and the political strife of the world; with Battlestar, he helmed what is perhaps the best TV show ever made about the tenuous nature of our democracy.
The series’ main characters hailed from the military (Edward James Olmos’s Admiral William Adama) and the government (Mary McDonnell’s President Laura Roslin, elevated to the highest office when everybody else in the Cabinet died). Their relationship, at once fraught and friendly, provided much of the series’ gravitas. But Moore also saw in their relationship a way to talk about how difficult it is to preserve human rights in times of trial. The series told sci-fi stories that mirrored debates Americans had at the time regarding torture and other human rights abuses during the George W. Bush administration. But the larger question of how we protect and maintain what’s human about us in the face of so much horror and death is broadly applicable to humanity in general.
The Cylons were an enemy that posed an existential threat to humans, but rather than the obviously robotic robots of the original series, they had evolved into humanlike androids who could live among us and carry out acts of war. They seemed just like us, but maybe weren’t us. Unless they were? Battlestar explored the fuzzy line between humans and Cylons with greater boldness as it went on, in ways that sometimes frustrated fans but that I ate up. (It turns out I have a robust appetite for mystical hoo-ha in my science fiction stories.)
And beyond all of these sociopolitical themes, the show was gloriously silly sci-fi. The story of the hunt for Earth had enough juice to drive much of Battlestar’s run, and it combined some of the greatest space battles ever created for television with an eerie mysticism that fueled the show’s more serialized plotting. Some fans would tell you the end of this story was disappointing. I’m not one of them, but I mention it just so you’re prepared.
Yet even if you hate the show’s series finale, it’s well worth embarking on the journey. Battlestar Galactica is one of my favorite TV shows ever made, one of those series I could conceivably write thousands of words about without breaking a sweat. (I haven’t mentioned the groundbreaking direction, for instance. Or composer Bear McCreary’s glorious score, the best ever written for television. Or Katee Sackhoff as Starbuck. Or ...) Suffice it to say that if you’re looking for a quarantine marathon that leans into your anxiety, Syfy may have just given you the perfect gift.
All four seasons of Battlestar Galactica, as well as the miniseries and two spinoff movies, are now streaming on Syfy.com with ads.
One Good Thing is Vox’s recommendations feature. In each edition, find one more thing from the world of culture that we highly recommend.


vox--2020-04-01--Millions of N95 masks keep surfacing. So why is there still a shortage?

For health care workers , the N95 mask is an invaluable line of defense against the novel coronavirus .
These highly protective respirators can keep doctors and nurses from getting infected by their patients , but the world is quickly running out of them .
While global production is ramping up , the shortage of N95 masks is so great that companies , unions , and even average people are scrambling to fill the need .
And now , after a number of fortuitous events , millions of N95 masks are appearing in mysterious or unexpected places .
The latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union ’ s medical workers division ( SEIU-UHW ) .
After an extensive search , the union found a distributor with a supply of 39 million respirators that it plans to sell to hospitals nationwide .
The situation is more complicated than connecting a buyer and a seller , though .
The SEIU has refused to name the distributor , apparently out of concern that the company would be overwhelmed , and one of the hospitals that considered buying the N95 masks through the union seems to have walked away from the deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” SEIU-UHW president Dave Regan told the Washington Post .
“ There are a lot of good actors and a lot of shady actors.
” It ’ s great news that more N95 masks are being unearthed .
Improving access to personal protective equipment ( PPE ) stands to save the lives of health care workers treating patients with Covid-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) considers recommending that everyone cover their faces in public , the N95 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more people seek out the precious respirators .
While discoveries of thousands or millions of lifesaving masks are good news in a pandemic , they also draw attention to a supply chain that ’ s been badly mismanaged .
The situation also raises the question of why unions , banks , tech companies , and others have taken it upon themselves to find masks for health care workers .
Shouldn ’ t the federal government be dealing with this ?
What makes N95 masks so hard to find Certified N95 respirators are special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ N95 masks are built so that 95 percent of very small airborne particles can ’ t get through .
These masks also need to be approved by the CDC ’ s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and , depending on the type , the Food and Drug Administration .
In order to fulfill those requirements , N95 masks must be constructed so that they tightly seal around one ’ s mouth and nose , unlike surgical or cloth masks which are loose-fitting .
The United States is now confronted with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of reasons .
The masks themselves are difficult to make , in part because they require specialized equipment to meet stringent regulatory standards .
Many of the companies that can make the masks are also in China .
That supply chain wasn ’ t prepared for a pandemic , especially one that originated in the same country where many of these masks are produced .
And as the novel coronavirus spread throughout China , the country ’ s government bought its domestically produced masks , ensuring they weren ’ t exported .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and demand in the US much larger .
In the absence of a pandemic , the US has typically not produced enough of these N95 masks to meet the needs of its own workers .
Prestige Ameritech and 3M are the two primary companies that do end-to-end production of medical-grade N95 masks in the US , and both are both ramping up production .
Another American company , Honeywell , recently started producing N95 masks at its Rhode Island and Phoenix facilities .
Still , these three companies won ’ t solve our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have slowed its own Covid-19 outbreak , overseas shipments of protective equipment are starting up again .
Even if China exported the same number of masks that it did before the novel coronavirus outbreak , the US would still need a lot more since it ’ s now combating the highest number of confirmed cases of any country in the world .
The US is also competing with many other countries eager to get hold of more N95 masks .
So front-line health care workers are sounding the alarm that there simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep themselves and their patients safe .
A March survey conducted by the health care company Premier found that a shortage of N95 masks was hospitals ’ top concern , and that many hospitals had less than 10 days worth of supplies .
Facing limited supply , nurses have been forced to reuse masks and are turning to cloth and conventional surgical masks , which are not as protective .
The struggle to equip health care workers with proper protection has left some looking toward the US government for help .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of preparation in the face of the coronavirus crisis and the government ’ s failure at ensuring that masks and other essential medical equipment get routed to hospitals and other places where it ’ s most needed .
The Department of Health and Human Services has estimated that the country will need 3.5 billion masks over the course of tackling the pandemic .
Disparate sources in the private industry are showing up to help .
Why companies keep discovering N95 masks in stockpiles Many companies and organizations are purchasing masks for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Covid-19 pandemic .
However , others are offering up N95 masks that were being kept in storage .
Reasons vary as to why so many companies have these high-end respirators stashed away in warehouses .
Mark Zuckerberg , for instance , recently said that Facebook was donating 720,000 N95 masks that were purchased following the wildfires in California last year .
He added that the company was “ also working on sourcing millions more to donate.
” Currently , California emergency regulations require that when air quality worsens by a significant amount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their workers have respiratory protection , like N95 masks , if other adjustments can ’ t be made .
The change in regulation came following the catastrophic 2018 California wildfires .
The same regulation suggests that a good number of other California employers also have N95 masks on hand .
But wildfires aren ’ t the only reason companies have N95 masks in storage .
Goldman Sachs donated some 600,000 masks after buying them during past public health crises , like the H1N1 pandemic .
The National Cathedral similarly kept a stockpile of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns about the avian flu and recently donated 5,000 of them to local Washington , DC-area hospitals .
Meanwhile , a spokesperson for Intel told Recode that it is donating 1 million items of personal protective equipment , including N95 masks , from its “ factory stock and emergency supplies.
” The list of sources for N95 masks keeps growing as officials keep seeking them out .
A construction company in Columbus , Ohio , handed over its supply to local health officials , while some Habitat for Humanity workers in Atlanta gave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health department .
Both groups keep the masks for their everyday operations .
Some masks have even come from the trash .
A Maryland recycling company had saved 36,000 N95 masks that someone had previously tried to throw out .
Now , those masks are being donated to health care workers .
Then there are more cases of discovered masks with mysterious origins , much like the SEIU ’ s huge stockpile .
For instance , one major N95 donation has come from Apple .
The company ’ s CEO Tim Cook tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procured , and is donating ” 10 million masks , though it ’ s not immediately clear why the company had access to so many masks .
Vice President Pence had said earlier last week that Apple would be donating 9 million N95 masks from its “ storehouses.
” Still , Apple would not comment on why the company had these masks in supply .
When N95 expiration dates matter and when they don ’ t Even though millions of N95 masks have reportedly surfaced this month , health care workers will need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And to some extent , all of these recently discovered masks are adding to feelings of confusion .
One big question that keeps popping up : Which stockpiled N95 masks are still usable ?
“ You can find small pockets of available supplies as people realize , ‘ Oh yeah , we do have a warehouse.
’ It is nearly impossible to find a large quantity , ” Soumi Saha , senior director of advocacy at Premier , told Recode .
She added that many of these products are now expired .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these finds , you really have to do so with a level of caution.
” These massive discoveries seem to be happening with some frequency .
The most recently reported discovery happened in an Indiana warehouse , where government officials found nearly 1.5 million expired N95 masks .
They had been part of the US Customs and Border Patrol ’ s emergency supply , but according to the Washington Post , the Department of Homeland security is giving the masks to TSA workers instead of sending them to hospitals .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the masks are expired played a role in how they ’ re being distributed .
While 1.5 million masks sounds like a lot , that load is just a fraction of the 21 million N95 respirators the state of California found in its emergency stockpile a few weeks ago .
The state says that all of the masks “ are expired but are usable ” under updated CDC guidelines .
Indeed , at the end of February , the CDC reported that “ certain N95 models beyond their manufacturer-designated shelf life will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the issue with the expired masks isn ’ t the respirator itself ; the elastic band that holds the mask on the wearer ’ s face can degrade over time , preventing a tight seal .
One solution that could avoid the risk of using expired equipment might just be to keep reusing the disposable N95 respirators .
The Food and Drug Administration recently approved an Ohio company ’ s disinfection system .
This new machine can disinfect up to 80,000 N95 masks a day , though regulators are capping each device @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why the gray market for N95 is complicating things At this point , it seems obvious that the question of how health care workers can get access to large numbers of functional N95 masks is complicated .
It ’ s not always clear where the masks are coming from or whether they ’ re any good .
“ As the world scrambled to acquire [ N95 masks ] — for different reasons — it created a weird market dynamic between those who are looking to buy and those who are looking to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the medical equipment clearinghouse Project N95 , told Recode .
“ That imbalance in the market happened , and then you saw a rise in secondary or open market individuals showing up saying they could supply it.
” In other words , a gray market for N95 masks has emerged .
As The Goods recently reported , a growing number of individuals and organizations are raising money through websites like GoFundMe and working with suppliers in China to fill the gap in supply that the US government can ’ t or won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only have to worry about expired N95 masks but also counterfeits and substandard products , which are increasingly being offered to US health care workers .
The number and breadth of sellers has grown drastically in recent weeks , adding to the general state of confusion in this crisis .
Now , a troublesome class of middlemen is in the N95 mask business , and hospitals might find themselves dealing with anyone from legitimate distributors to criminal counterfeit rings .
Meanwhile , prices for masks have spiked from just around $ 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7 , $ 8 , or even $ 9 a mask .
Michael Einhorn , president of the medical supplier Dealmed , says that despite 3M ’ s promise not to raise prices during the pandemic , these so-called diverters still find a way to intervene and profit from the pandemic .
“ Diverters are people who are able to get ahold of a 3M product , either from another distributor or somehow they were able to siphon off the supply chain , and they hold onto it and flip it , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a major problem .
We ’ re an authorized 3M dealer , and we haven ’ t gotten masks in months.
” Einhorn added that philanthropists and companies looking to donate masks could end up buying from diverters on the gray market , and they might be “ a little surprised to learn how expensive it is.
” So what ’ s the federal government doing about this ?
The government ’ s Strategic National Stockpile , which has emergency supplies stored in secret locations around the country , contains millions of masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be distributing medical supplies unevenly during this public health crisis .
Michigan , whose governor has recently drawn the president ’ s ire , says that the 112,000 masks supplied by the federal government will still leave the state “ in dire straits.
” The governor of Florida , on the other hand , says his state has received everything it ’ s asked for .
Not all states are getting what they ’ ve asked for .
Many , including Democratic presidential primary candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders , have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defense Production Act ( DPA ) to produce N95 masks and other supplies .
The president recently used the DPA , which enables him to force private companies to produce needed medical supplies during an emergency , to manufacture much-needed ventilators .
Denying health care workers access to essential equipment inevitably raises questions about the Trump administration ’ s ability to manage a supply chain that ’ s been consumed by disruption , misinformation , and profiteering .
“ I think the bigger and more important story around this , ” Steve Trossman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told Recode , “ is where in God ’ s name is FEMA and the federal government , which has the ability to pull all of the strands of a chaotic and fractured supply system together and aggregate the large supply of PPE that seems to be out there , stabilize prices , figure out distribution , etc .
?
” Inevitably , the entire world needs many , many more N95 masks not only to keep health care workers safe but also to stop the spread of coronavirus .
As the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be forced to take whatever they can get .
For some , that might mean the insufficient , loose-fitting cloth masks , even some that people are sewing at home .
Some may just have to settle for face shields , which are now also being manufactured by volunteers .
If the CDC does end up changing its policy and recommending that every American wear a mask in public , the shortage of N95 masks could very well worsen .
So , if you ’ re not a health care worker or someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a surgical or a cloth mask .
And if you happen to have any unused N95 masks , consider donating them to health care workers immediately .
You could save someone ’ s life .

For health care workers, the N95 mask is an invaluable line of defense against the novel coronavirus. These highly protective respirators can keep doctors and nurses from getting infected by patients, but the world is quickly running out of them. While countries around the world scramble to find stockpiles of N95s and manufacture more of the much-coveted masks, it’s unclear how this shortage will resolve itself.
The situation in the United States is increasingly dire. On April 2, President Trump invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to compel 3M, one of the only companies that manufacturers N95 masks in the US, to ramp up production. Many, including Democratic presidential primary candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, had pushed the White House to use the DPA more aggressively to deal with medical supplies shortages. The president later said in a tweet that 3M “will have a big price to pay” for exporting masks.
3M pushed back against Trump’s threats. In a Friday statement, the company emphasized that it had gained approval to import 10 million masks from its facilities in China. 3M also warned about the White House’s request to end its exports of N95 respirators, citing “humanitarian implications of ceasing respirator supplies to health care workers in Canada and Latin America.” If other countries retaliated by not sharing supplies, 3M argued, the US could soon end up with fewer masks than it had before the DPA order.
Despite global production ramping up, the US shortage of N95 masks is so great that companies, unions, and even average people have been scrambling to fill the need by searching for stockpiles of existing masks and seeking out alternative suppliers. Another problem is that many of these respirators, including those made by 3M, are ending up in a somewhat lawless gray market, where they’re subject to hoarding and price-gouging. Accordingly, federal authorities are hard at work tracking down stashes of this desperately needed personal protective equipment and redistributing what they find to health care worker.
In another move to increase the supply of respirators, the Food and Drug Administration has also lifted restrictions on importing KN95 masks, which are similar — though not identical — to N95 masks, and are certified by China, according to BuzzFeed.
In New York, now the epicenter of Covid-19 cases in the US, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called for New York and American companies to transition to making N95 masks, among other medical supplies, if they're able.
“It is unbelievable to me that in New York State, in the United States of America, we can’t make these materials, and that we are all shopping China to try to get these materials, and we’re all competing against each other,” he said during a Friday press conference. Referring to an N95 mask, he said: “It can’t be that we can’t make these.”
So while discoveries of hundreds of thousands — and even millions — of masks might sound like good news, the everlasting shortage also draws attention to a supply chain that’s been riddled with mismanagement and misinformation. The situation also raises the question of why companies, unions, and average people have taken it upon themselves to find masks for health care workers, as well as why the federal government didn’t do more sooner to get masks into the hands of people who need them most.
What makes N95 masks so hard to find
Certified N95 respirators are special. Unlike a conventional surgical mask, N95 masks are built so that 95 percent of very small airborne particles can’t get through. These masks also need to be approved by the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and, depending on the type, the Food and Drug Administration. In order to fulfill those requirements, N95 masks must be constructed so that they seal tightly around one’s mouth and nose, unlike surgical or cloth masks which are loose-fitting.
The CDC and the WHO recommend several basic measures to help prevent the spread of Covid-19: Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects.
Practice social distancing, and stay home when you are sick.
Contact a health worker if you have symptoms; fever and a dry cough are most common. Guidance may change. Stay informed, and stay safe, with Vox’s coronavirus coverage hub.
The United States is now confronted with a shortage of N95 masks for a number of reasons. The masks themselves are difficult to make, in part because they require specialized equipment to meet stringent regulatory standards. Many of the companies that can make the masks are also in China. That supply chain wasn’t prepared for a pandemic, especially one that originated in the same country where many of these masks are produced. And as the novel coronavirus spread throughout China, the country’s government bought its domestically produced masks, ensuring they weren’t exported. That’s made the gap between supply and demand in the US much larger.
In the absence of a pandemic, the US has typically not produced enough of these N95 masks to meet the needs of its own workers. 3M and Prestige Ameritech are the two primary companies that do end-to-end production of medical-grade N95 masks in the US, and both are both ramping up production. Another American company, Honeywell, recently started producing N95 masks at its Rhode Island and Phoenix facilities. Still, these three companies won’t solve our mask shortage.
Now that China appears to have slowed its own Covid-19 outbreak, overseas shipments of protective equipment are starting up again. Even if China exported the same number of masks that it did before the novel coronavirus outbreak, the US would still need a lot more since it’s now combating the highest number of confirmed cases of any country in the world. The US is also competing with many other countries eager to get hold of more N95 masks.
So front-line health care workers are sounding the alarm that there simply aren’t enough N95 face masks to keep themselves and their patients safe. A March survey conducted by the health care company Premier found that a shortage of N95 masks was hospitals’ top concern, and that many hospitals had less than 10 days’ worth of supplies. Facing limited supply, nurses have been forced to reuse masks and are turning to cloth and conventional surgical masks, which are not as protective.
The struggle to equip health care workers with proper protection has left some looking toward the US government for help. So far, many are frustrated by a lack of preparation in the face of the coronavirus crisis and the government’s failure at ensuring that masks and other essential medical equipment get routed to hospitals and other places where it’s most needed. The Department of Health and Human Services has estimated that the country will need 3.5 billion masks over the course of tackling the pandemic. Disparate sources in private industry are showing up to help.
Why companies keep discovering N95 masks in stockpiles
Many companies and organizations are purchasing masks for the specific purpose of donating them to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. However, others are offering up N95 masks that were being kept in storage. Reasons vary as to why so many companies have these high-end respirators stashed away in warehouses.
Mark Zuckerberg, for instance, recently said that Facebook was donating 720,000 N95 masks that were purchased following the wildfires in California last year. He added that the company was “also working on sourcing millions more to donate.”
Currently, California emergency regulations require that when air quality worsens by a significant amount, workplaces must take steps to ensure their workers have respiratory protection, like N95 masks, if other adjustments can’t be made. The change in regulation came following the catastrophic 2018 California wildfires. The same regulation suggests that a good number of other California employers also have N95 masks on hand.
But wildfires aren’t the only reason companies have N95 masks in storage. Goldman Sachs donated some 600,000 masks after buying them during past public health crises, like the H1N1 pandemic. The National Cathedral similarly kept a stockpile of more than 7,000 N95 masks because of concerns about the avian flu and recently donated 5,000 of them to Washington, DC-area hospitals. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Intel told Recode that it is donating 1 million items of personal protective equipment, including N95 masks, from its “factory stock and emergency supplies.”
The list of sources for N95 masks keeps growing as officials keep seeking them out. A construction company in Columbus, Ohio, handed over its supply to local health officials, while some Habitat for Humanity workers in Atlanta gave nearly 1,500 N95 masks to their county health department. Both groups keep the masks for their everyday operations. Some masks have even come from the trash. A Maryland recycling company had saved 36,000 N95 masks that someone had previously tried to throw out. Now, those masks are being donated to health care workers.
There are also cases of discovered masks with more mysterious origins. For instance, the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) announced in late March that it located a whopping 39 million respirators that could be sold to health care workers. But the union has thus far declined to name the distributor that had these masks, apparently out of concern that the company would be overwhelmed, and at least one hospital association appeared to walk away from the deal. Another intended recipient never received its order and said that the supplier never had the masks it promised, an allegation that has sparked a federal fraud investigation.
It’s also unclear exactly where several major N95 donations from corporations are coming from. Apple CEO Tim Cook tweeted in late March that his company had “sourced, procured, and is donating” 10 million masks, though it’s not immediately clear why the company had access to so many masks. The day before Cook’s tweet, Vice President Pence said in a press conference that Apple would be donating 9 million N95 masks from its “storehouses.” Still, Apple would not comment on why the company had these masks in supply.
When N95 expiration dates matter and when they don’t
Even though millions of N95 masks have reportedly surfaced in the past month, health care workers will need millions more in the coming months. And to some extent, all of these recently discovered masks are adding to feelings of confusion. One big question that keeps popping up: Which stockpiled N95 masks are still usable?
“You can find small pockets of available supplies as people realize, ‘Oh, yeah, we do have a warehouse.’ It is nearly impossible to find a large quantity,” Soumi Saha, senior director of advocacy at Premier, told Recode. She added that many of these products are now expired. “When you start seeing millions behind some of these finds, you really have to do so with a level of caution.”
These massive discoveries seem to be happening with some frequency. The most recently reported discovery happened in an Indiana warehouse, where government officials found nearly 1.5 million expired N95 masks. They had been part of the US Customs and Border Protection’s emergency supply, but according to the Washington Post, the Department of Homeland security is giving the masks to TSA workers instead of sending them to hospitals. It’s not clear whether the fact that the masks are expired played a role in how they’re being distributed.
While 1.5 million masks sounds like a lot, that load is just a fraction of the 21 million N95 respirators the state of California found in its emergency stockpile a few weeks ago. The state says that all of the masks “are expired but are usable” under updated CDC guidelines. Indeed, at the end of February, the CDC reported that “certain N95 models beyond their manufacturer-designated shelf life will be protective.” The San Francisco Chronicle explains that the issue with the expired masks isn’t the respirator itself; the elastic band that holds the mask on the wearer’s face can degrade over time, preventing a tight seal.
One solution that could avoid the risk of using expired equipment might just be to keep reusing the disposable N95 respirators. The Food and Drug Administration recently approved an Ohio company’s disinfection system. This new machine can disinfect up to 80,000 N95 masks a day, though regulators are capping each device’s capacity at 10,000 masks.
Why the gray market for N95 is complicating things
At this point, it seems obvious that the question of how health care workers can get access to large numbers of functional N95 masks is complicated. It’s not always clear where the masks are coming from or whether they’re any good.
“As the world scrambled to acquire [N95 masks] — for different reasons — it created a weird market dynamic between those who are looking to buy and those who are looking to provide,” Andrew Stroup, a co-founder of the medical equipment clearinghouse Project N95, told Recode. “That imbalance in the market happened, and then you saw a rise in secondary or open market individuals showing up saying they could supply it.”
In other words, a gray market for N95 masks has emerged. As Vox recently reported, a growing number of individuals and organizations are raising money through websites like GoFundMe and working with suppliers in China to fill the gap in supply that the US government can’t or won’t properly address. These importers have to worry about not only expired N95 masks but also counterfeits and substandard products, which are increasingly being offered to US health care workers.
The number and breadth of sellers has grown drastically in recent weeks, adding to the general state of confusion in this crisis. Now, a troublesome class of middlemen is in the N95 mask business, and hospitals might find themselves dealing with anyone from legitimate distributors to criminal counterfeit rings. Meanwhile, prices for masks have spiked from just around $1 per mask to as high as $7, $8, or even $9 a mask. Michael Einhorn, president of the medical supplier Dealmed, says that despite 3M’s promise not to raise prices during the pandemic, these so-called diverters still find a way to intervene and profit from the pandemic.
Amazon has now effectively banned the sale of N95 masks to the public, and platforms like Facebook and Google have prohibited ads for Covid-19-related medical products (though that hasn’t necessarily stopped these ad from popping up).
Meanwhile, through suspicious accounts on platforms like Instagram and Twitter, there appear to be unauthorized people advertising N95 masks, which may or may not be legitimate. Facebook, which owns Instagram, told Recode that it will remove “posts and accounts selling masks, hand sanitizer, surface disinfecting wipes, and Covid-19 test kits.”
A Twitter spokesperson told Recode that several accounts that appeared to be selling N95 masks have been removed for violating the company’s rules regarding platform manipulation and spam.
“Diverters are people who are able to get ahold of a 3M product, either from another distributor or somehow they were able to siphon off the supply chain, and they hold onto it and flip it,” Einhorn told Recode. “3M has a major problem. We’re an authorized 3M dealer, and we haven’t gotten masks in months.”
Einhorn added that philanthropists and companies looking to donate masks could end up buying from diverters on the gray market, and they might be “a little surprised to learn how expensive it is.”
So what’s the federal government doing about this?
The government’s Strategic National Stockpile, which has emergency supplies stored in secret locations around the country, contains millions of masks. Nevertheless, the Trump administration seems to be distributing medical supplies unevenly during this public health crisis. Michigan, whose governor has recently drawn the president’s ire, says that the 112,000 masks supplied by the federal government will still leave the state “in dire straits.” The governor of Florida, on the other hand, says his state has received everything it’s asked for. Not all states are getting what they’ve asked for.
To address the shortage, the president has turned to the DPA, which enables him to force private companies to produce needed medical supplies during an emergency. He’d previously used the law to manufacture much-needed ventilators. Denying health care workers access to essential equipment inevitably raises questions about the Trump administration’s ability to manage a supply chain that’s been consumed by disruption, misinformation, and profiteering.
“I think the bigger and more important story around this,” Steve Trossman, the SEIU-UHW director of public affairs, told Recode, “is where in God’s name is FEMA and the federal government, which has the ability to pull all of the strands of a chaotic and fractured supply system together and aggregate the large supply of PPE that seems to be out there, stabilize prices, figure out distribution, etc.?”
Inevitably, the entire world needs many, many more N95 masks not only to keep health care workers safe but also to stop the spread of the coronavirus. As the search continues, US health workers might be forced to take whatever they can get. For some, that might mean the insufficient, loose-fitting cloth masks, even some that people are sewing at home. Some may just have to settle for face shields, which are now also being manufactured by volunteers.
If the CDC does end up changing its policy and recommending that every American wear a mask in public, the shortage of N95 masks could very well worsen. So if you’re not a health care worker or someone with Covid-19, consider an alternative like a surgical or cloth mask. And if you happen to have any unused N95 masks, consider donating them to health care workers immediately. You could save someone’s life.
Update, April 3, 12:45 pm ET: This post has been updated with new information about the N95 mask shortage, including that President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act to push 3M to make more masks, as well as the company’s response.
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What day is it today?

Today is Wednesday , April 1 , 2020 , at least in the continental United States .
( April Fool ’ s ! )
It is already Thursday , April 2 , in some parts of the world .
To some degree , time is an illusion .
We are bound by its forward passage , being the third-dimensional creatures we are , but the perceptions we have placed upon time have been invented .
Humans invented the year .
Humans invented the month .
Humans invented the day , the hour , the minute , the second .
These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does take about 365 days for the Earth to orbit the sun — but their creation was not inevitable .
Our numerical system is likely base-10 because we have 10 fingers ; the way we understand time is almost entirely dependent on the fact that we evolved on this planet , circling this sun .
Time , at least as we understand it , is also a byproduct of capitalism .
In his seminal 1967 economic paper “ Work-Discipline and Industrial Capitalism , ” E. P. Thompson notes that in early human cultures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of when the sun came up and went down , when the seasons changed .
But as industrialization became the norm , time became a mechanized system that no longer served those who ’ d invented it .
We increasingly served at the beck and call of time , for that is how those who possessed capital could best regulate those who performed the labor .
For we are now at a point where sociologists are discussing the “ problem ” of leisure .
And a part of the problem is : how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Puritanism , in its marriage of convenience with industrial capitalism , was the agent which converted men to new valuations of time ; which taught children even in their infancy to improve each shining hour ; and which saturated men ’ s minds with the equation , time is money .
One recurrent form of revolt within Western industrial capitalism , whether bohemian or beatnik , has often taken the form of flouting the urgency of respectable timevalues .
And the interesting question arises : if Puritanism was a necessary part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to break out of the poverty-stricken economies of the past , will the Puritan valuation of time begin to decompose as the pressures of poverty relax ?
Is it decomposing already ?
Will men begin to lose that restless urgency , that desire to consume time purposively , which most people carry just as they carry a watch on their wrists ?
But it remains that on some base level , we will always understand time .
The sun comes up , the sun goes down .
Though we might be inside , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ witness , the fact of our insideness does not obscure the day and night cycle .
What is lost , as each day blends into the next , in vaguely similar ways , is the mechanistic definition of time , the capitalist definition of time , the industrial definition of time .
We do not know what day it is , but we do know when there is a new day .
To live inside is to lose distinction .
There is a numbing effect that occurs when each day is the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what feels like an endless gulf of undifferentiated time .
And yet isn ’ t this how so many of the less privileged around the world , forced to work jobs involving menial labor , day after day after day , already live ?
Isn ’ t this why we invented the weekend ?
Has this quarantine simply shown to those of us with more economic privilege that our “ free time ” was always a mirage , which could disappear before our eyes , by giving us so much “ free ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hanging above my desk , and when I need to orient myself in time , I look at it .
But even the usefulness of my calendar has started to fray around the edges .
I began writing this story because I couldn ’ t quite believe it was a Thursday , even as I knew it had to be a Thursday .
But it might as well not be .
A cycle that bears the sun across our sky until it sets in the west is a reality ; “ Thursday ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessary ?
I don ’ t know .
I will update this article daily until we don ’ t need it anymore .
I hope there is a time when we know it is Thursday or Tuesday or June 17 without having to look at a calendar or ask each other or Google .
I hope there is a time when going outside to see the sun doesn ’ t feel like exposing yourself to toxic levels of radiation .
( I know I should be taking walks ; every time , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . )
I hope there is a time in which all this “ free ” time no longer feels like a period we must exploit for maximum value .
I hope there is a time when I remember what it ’ s like to grab lunch with a friend , to watch dogs play in the surf , to breathe in the air and just be .
Until then , find a way to make time have meaning for you .
Read a long book .
Cook an elaborate meal .
Take up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Watch a TV show you ’ ve always meant to get to .
Sleep .
Remember that time doesn ’ t own you , and that you own time .
This will be over someday , a part of the past .
It will someday be a memory .
Hang on to that .
I ’ ll see you outside again .
For now , it is Wednesday April 1 , 2020 .
In some parts of the world , it is Thursday , April 2 , 2020 .

Today is Wednesday, July 1, 2020, at least in the continental United States. It is already Thursday, July 2, 2020, in some parts of the world. Life isn’t resuming gracefully, but the herky jerky train wreck of America’s reopening certainly speaks to some desire to exit this quarantine period. And so “What Day Is It Today” will exit the stage, too. For now, at least.
To some degree, time is an illusion. We are bound by its forward passage, being the third-dimensional creatures we are, but the perceptions we have placed upon time have been invented. Humans invented the year. Humans invented the month. Humans invented the day, the hour, the minute, the second.
These distinctions are not arbitrary — it really does take about 365 days for the Earth to orbit the sun — but their creation was not inevitable. Our numerical system is likely base-10 because we have 10 fingers; the way we understand time is almost entirely dependent on the fact that we evolved on this planet, circling this sun.
Time, at least as we understand it, is also a byproduct of capitalism. In his seminal 1967 economic paper “Work-Discipline and Industrial Capitalism,” E. P. Thompson notes that in early human cultures, delineations of time were broad understandings of when the sun came up and went down, when the seasons changed. But as industrialization became the norm, time became a mechanized system that no longer served those who’d invented it. We increasingly served at the beck and call of time, for that is how those who possessed capital could best regulate those who performed the labor.
Thompson writes:
For we are now at a point where sociologists are discussing the “problem” of leisure. And a part of the problem is: how did it come to be a problem ? Puritanism, in its marriage of convenience with industrial capitalism, was the agent which converted men to new valuations of time; which taught children even in their infancy to improve each shining hour; and which saturated men’s minds with the equation, time is money. One recurrent form of revolt within Western industrial capitalism, whether bohemian or beatnik, has often taken the form of flouting the urgency of respectable timevalues. And the interesting question arises: if Puritanism was a necessary part of the work-ethos which enabled the industrialized world to break out of the poverty-stricken economies of the past, will the Puritan valuation of time begin to decompose as the pressures of poverty relax? Is it decomposing already? Will men begin to lose that restless urgency, that desire to consume time purposively, which most people carry just as they carry a watch on their wrists?
But it remains that on some base level, we will always understand time. The sun comes up, the sun goes down. Though we might be inside, where that process is more difficult to witness, the fact of our insideness does not obscure the day and night cycle. What is lost, as each day blends into the next, in vaguely similar ways, is the mechanistic definition of time, the capitalist definition of time, the industrial definition of time. We do not know what day it is, but we do know when there is a new day.
To live inside is to lose distinction. There is a numbing effect that occurs when each day is the same, when our schedules are subsumed by what feels like an endless gulf of undifferentiated time. And yet isn’t this how so many of the less privileged around the world, forced to work jobs involving menial labor, day after day after day, already live? Isn’t this why we invented the weekend? Has this quarantine simply shown to those of us with more economic privilege that our “free time” was always a mirage, which could disappear before our eyes, by giving us so much “free” time?
I have a wall calendar hanging above my desk, and when I need to orient myself in time, I look at it. But even the usefulness of my calendar has started to fray around the edges. I began writing this story because I couldn’t quite believe it was a Thursday, even as I knew it had to be a Thursday. But it might as well not be. A cycle that bears the sun across our sky until it sets in the west is a reality; “Thursday” is an invention. Is it still necessary? I don’t know.
What’s important to remember is that time doesn’t own you. You own time. This will be over someday, a part of the past. It will someday be a memory. Hang on to that. I’ll see you outside again.
This story was originally published Friday, March 27, 2020.
Are you a “What day is it today?” superfan? Check out our official theme song. It’s written by composer Laura Stratford, and it is wonderful.


vox--2020-04-01--The missing piece in the coronavirus stimulus bill: Relief for immigrants

President Donald Trump signed a $ 2 trillion coronavirus relief bill last week that promises to mitigate the impact of the crisis on workers — but it leaves out many immigrants .
The bill , known as the CARES Act , delivers direct payments to most taxpayers , vastly expands unemployment benefits , and makes testing for the virus free , among other provisions .
But although unauthorized immigrants are no more immune from the effects of the current crisis , the stimulus bill conspicuously leaves them out in the cold — potentially putting them at greater economic and health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop the spread of coronavirus .
The unauthorized worker population is particularly vulnerable to the virus due to inadequate access to health care .
Noncitizens are significantly more likely to be uninsured compared to US citizens , which may dissuade them from seeking medical care if they contract the virus .
Compounding matters are the Trump administration ’ s hardline immigration policies — including wide-scale immigration raids and a rule that can penalize green card applicants for using Medicaid — which have made noncitizens afraid to access care .
These factors pose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to slow the spread of the virus , which has killed more than 3,400 in the US as of March 31 .
“ We ’ re operating in an environment where we ’ re constantly having to reassure patients that they can access services , ” Jim Mangia , CEO and president of St. John ’ s Well Child and Family Center — a network of community health centers in the Los Angeles area that serve about 32,000 undocumented immigrants annually — said in a press call .
“ It ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pandemic , it ’ s even more difficult and more dangerous.
” While many immigrants are continuing to work in essential fields , ranging from medical care to cleaning to grocery stores , they may take an economic hit like many other workers who are facing layoffs , furloughs , and pay cuts .
And absent financial relief for the population of unauthorized immigrants workers in particular , many may try to continue going to work despite public health warnings to stay home , which could further spread the virus and pose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those who can not obtain relief are likely to continue going out to and trying to earn a living , at the risk of themselves and spreading the virus to others , ” Theresa Cardinal Brown , director of immigration and cross-border policy at the Bipartisan Policy Institute , told Vox .
“ The cost of providing this benefit to them has to be weighed against the need to keep up the restrictions to stop the virus spread.
” Immigrants are eligible for some free testing Here ’ s one thing the bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus testing at government-funded community health centers through a $ 1 billion federal program .
But some community health centers have already reported shortages of tests ; Mangia said St. John ’ s only had 39 tests last week when almost 900 patients presented with symptoms of Covid-19 , the illness caused by coronavirus .
There is also a larger , state-level testing program funded through Medicaid , but that ’ s only available to Medicaid-eligible immigrants — green card holders who have lived in the US for at least five years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humanitarian grounds such as asylum , members of the military and their families , and , in certain states , children and pregnant women with lawful immigration status .
Those groups , however , make up only a small proportion of immigrants living in the US .
US Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced that it won ’ t consider use of free testing services when evaluating whether immigrants will likely end up relying on public benefits under the “ public charge ” rule , which went into effect in February .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to turn away those applying to enter the US , extend their visa , or convert their temporary immigration status into a green card if it is deemed they would likely use public services now or in the future .
The agency also said it won ’ t weigh Covid-19 treatment or preventive care , such as a vaccine if it is eventually developed , under the rule — even if those services are covered under Medicaid .
It ’ s a welcome loosening of standards for a Trump administration rule that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ importance of widespread testing , including among immigrant populations , can ’ t be overstated , as my colleague Julia Belluz writes : But the centerpiece provisions of the bill — the expanded unemployment benefits and up to $ 1,200 in cash payments to taxpayers — won ’ t be accessible to millions of immigrants .
“ Immigrant workers and families who are paying taxes have been cut out from receiving a single dollar , ” Marielena Hincapié , executive director of the National Immigration Law Center , said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 600 for all workers for up to four months , on top of what they would get from unemployment insurance .
As my colleague Dylan Matthews writes , this is a huge increase from January , when the average UI check was $ 385 per week .
But only immigrants who can show that they ’ re authorized to work in the US can file for unemployment , including green card and temporary visa holders .
For visa holders who have been laid off during the crisis , they will only be eligible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visa stays valid .
That ’ s a period of 60 days for those on H-1B skilled worker visas , unless they find another job in that time — an unlikely prospect given that many businesses have already instituted hiring freezes .
Only some states , including California and Texas , allow beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ( DACA ) program , which offers work permits to some 700,000 unauthorized immigrants who came to the US as children , to file for unemployment .
Unauthorized immigrant workers more broadly — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Pew Research Center — are also typically ineligible for unemployment , but policies differ by state .
Under the stimulus bill , the government will also start sending out checks to most taxpayers starting in April .
The amounts range based on income , but they ’ re phased out for individuals making more than $ 99,000 and couples making $ 198,000 .
Only immigrants who have Social Security numbers can receive those checks , including green card holders and “ resident aliens ” who have lived in the US long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ file taxes as residents .
Temporary visa holders , DACA recipients , and beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status — which the US has historically offered to citizens of countries suffering from catastrophes such as natural disasters or armed conflict — could therefore qualify .
But there is a big exclusion for those in households with people of mixed immigration status , where some tax filers or their children may use what ’ s called an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number ( ITIN ) .
The IRS issues ITIN numbers to unauthorized immigrants so they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t have a Social Security number .
If anyone in the household uses an ITIN — either a spouse or a dependent child — that means no one in the household will qualify for the stimulus checks , unless one spouse served in the military in 2019 .
The stipulation could impact an estimated 16.7 million people who live in mixed-status households nationwide , including 8.2 million US-born or naturalized citizens .
This also includes those with deportation protections under the Obama-era DACA program , children and young adults whose parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They ’ re left wondering how they can help support their families so that their parents don ’ t have to go to work , where they risk getting sick , and how they can help cover the costs of their parents ’ medical care should they need it , Sanaa Abrar , advocacy director at the immigrant advocacy group United We Dream , told Vox .
“ With the national health crisis and what ’ s becoming a national unemployment crisis , folks are concerned about how they ’ re not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but also how they ’ re going to keep their jobs and how they ’ re going to find means of financial support , ” she said .

President Donald Trump signed a $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill last week that promises to mitigate the impact of the crisis on workers — but it leaves out many immigrants.
The bill, known as the CARES Act, delivers direct payments to most taxpayers, vastly expands unemployment benefits, and makes testing for the virus free, among other provisions. But although unauthorized immigrants are no more immune from the effects of the current crisis, the stimulus bill conspicuously leaves them out in the cold — potentially putting them at greater economic and health risk, and impeding public health efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus.
The unauthorized worker population is particularly vulnerable to the virus due to inadequate access to health care. Noncitizens are significantly more likely to be uninsured compared to US citizens, which may dissuade them from seeking medical care if they contract the virus. Compounding matters are the Trump administration’s hardline immigration policies — including wide-scale immigration raids and a rule that can penalize green card applicants for using Medicaid — which have made noncitizens afraid to access care. These factors pose a problem for America’s efforts to slow the spread of the virus, which has killed more than 3,400 in the US as of March 31.
“We’re operating in an environment where we’re constantly having to reassure patients that they can access services,” Jim Mangia, CEO and president of St. John’s Well Child and Family Center — a network of community health centers in the Los Angeles area that serve about 32,000 undocumented immigrants annually — said in a press call. “It’s a constant struggle and in the midst of a pandemic, it’s even more difficult and more dangerous.”
While many immigrants are continuing to work in essential fields, ranging from medical care to cleaning to grocery stores, they may take an economic hit like many other workers who are facing layoffs, furloughs, and pay cuts. And absent financial relief for the population of unauthorized immigrants workers in particular, many may try to continue going to work despite public health warnings to stay home, which could further spread the virus and pose a risk to public health.
“Those who cannot obtain relief are likely to continue going out and trying to earn a living, at the risk of themselves and spreading the virus to others,” Theresa Cardinal Brown, director of immigration and cross-border policy at the Bipartisan Policy Institute, told Vox. “The cost of providing this benefit to them has to be weighed against the need to keep up the restrictions to stop the virus spread.”
Immigrants are eligible for some free testing
Here’s one thing the bill does offer to unauthorized immigrants: free coronavirus testing at government-funded community health centers through a $1 billion federal program. But some community health centers have already reported shortages of tests; Mangia said St. John’s only had 39 tests last week when almost 900 patients presented with symptoms of Covid-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.
There is also a larger, state-level testing program funded through Medicaid, but that’s only available to Medicaid-eligible immigrants — green card holders who have lived in the US for at least five years, immigrants who come to the US on humanitarian grounds such as asylum, members of the military and their families, and, in certain states, children and pregnant women with lawful immigration status. Those groups, however, make up only a small proportion of immigrants living in the US.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced that it won’t consider use of free testing services when evaluating whether immigrants will likely end up relying on public benefits under the “public charge” rule, which went into effect in February. That rule gives immigration officials much more leeway to turn away those applying to enter the US, extend their visa, or convert their temporary immigration status into a green card if it is deemed they would likely use public services now or in the future.
The agency also said it won’t weigh Covid-19 treatment or preventive care, such as a vaccine if it is eventually developed, under the rule — even if those services are covered under Medicaid. It’s a welcome loosening of standards for a Trump administration rule that has taken aim at legal immigration.
The importance of widespread testing, including among immigrant populations, can’t be overstated, as my colleague Julia Belluz writes:
Once one person with the disease is identified, they can be treated in isolation so as not to spread the disease further. Family members and other contacts can be notified and placed under self-quarantine in case they are already infected but have yet to show symptoms. But without adequate testing, that’s not happening.
Many immigrants won’t receive cash-based benefits
But the centerpiece provisions of the bill — the expanded unemployment benefits and up to $1,200 in cash payments to taxpayers — won’t be accessible to millions of immigrants.
“Immigrant workers and families who are paying taxes have been cut out from receiving a single dollar,” Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, said in a statement.
The bill increases unemployment benefits by $600 for all workers for up to four months, on top of what they would get from unemployment insurance. As my colleague Dylan Matthews writes, this is a huge increase from January, when the average UI check was $385 per week.
But only immigrants who can show that they’re authorized to work in the US can file for unemployment, including green card and temporary visa holders. For visa holders who have been laid off during the crisis, they will only be eligible for unemployment for as long as their visa stays valid. That’s a period of 60 days for those on H-1B skilled worker visas, unless they find another job in that time — an unlikely prospect given that many businesses have already instituted hiring freezes.
Only some states, including California and Texas, allow beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which offers work permits to some 700,000 unauthorized immigrants who came to the US as children, to file for unemployment. Unauthorized immigrant workers more broadly — who number some 7.6 million, according to the Pew Research Center — are also typically ineligible for unemployment, but policies differ by state.
Under the stimulus bill, the government will also start sending out checks to most taxpayers starting in April. The amounts range based on income, but they’re phased out for individuals making more than $99,000 and couples making $198,000.
Only immigrants who have Social Security numbers can receive those checks, including green card holders and “resident aliens” who have lived in the US long enough (usually five years) to file taxes as residents. Temporary visa holders, DACA recipients, and beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status — which the US has historically offered to citizens of countries suffering from catastrophes such as natural disasters or armed conflict — could therefore qualify.
But there is a big exclusion for those in households with people of mixed immigration status, where some tax filers or their children may use what’s called an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
The IRS issues ITINs to unauthorized immigrants so they can pay taxes, even though they don’t have a Social Security number. If anyone in the household uses an ITIN — either a spouse or a dependent child — that means no one in the household will qualify for the stimulus checks, unless one spouse served in the military in 2019.
The stipulation could impact an estimated 16.7 million people who live in mixed-status households nationwide, including 8.2 million US-born or naturalized citizens.
This also includes those with deportation protections under the Obama-era DACA program, children and young adults whose parents often don’t have legal status. They’re left wondering how they can help support their families so that their parents don’t have to go to work, where they risk getting sick, and how they can help cover the costs of their parents’ medical care should they need it, Sanaa Abrar, advocacy director at the immigrant advocacy group United We Dream, told Vox.
“With the national health crisis and what’s becoming a national unemployment crisis, folks are concerned about how they’re not only going to stay healthy and safe but also how they’re going to keep their jobs and how they’re going to find means of financial support,” she said.