vox--2020-03-23--Trump’s excuses for not using the Defense Production Act are wrong — and dangerous

Last Wednesday , President Donald Trump signed an executive order invoking the Defense Production Act ( DPA ) .
That provision requires private companies to prioritize any federal government orders for products — including masks , respirators , and other critical items needed to fight the coronavirus — over other orders .
But as of Monday , five days later , even top Trump administration officials admit the government has yet to make a single order .
Health care workers across the country are desperate for masks , gowns , respirators , and other basic supplies they need to treat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected from the coronavirus .
They ’ re pleading for him to use the DPA .
So what gives ?
Why hasn ’ t the Trump administration placed any orders yet ?
Over the weekend , the president seemed to offer two reasons : 1 ) companies are already stepping up to make these products on their own ; and 2 ) using this mechanism would be tantamount to socialism .
First , Trump argued that medical device companies like Baxter and GE Healthcare , as well as automotive companies like General Motors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clock to meet equipment needs .
Because of their efforts , there ’ s no reason for the government to intervene .
“ We have tremendous numbers of companies also making equipment , ” Trump said during a Sunday press conference at the White House .
Second , he insinuated using the DPA would somehow turn the American economy socialist .
“ We ’ re a country not based on nationalizing our business , ” Trump said at the same event .
“ Call a person over in Venezuela ; ask them how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Not too well .
The concept of nationalizing our business is not a good concept.
” The problem is that both these arguments are deeply flawed .
While a lot of private businesses are upping their production , the lack of federal government involvement in the procurement and distribution process means that these products aren ’ t necessarily going to the cities and states in most dire need of them right now .
As Vox ’ s Jen Kirby writes , “ State officials keep saying that without some sort of government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the same equipment ( as opposed to having that equipment go where it ’ s most needed ) and thus overpaying.
” Second , the DPA , when used as intended , doesn ’ t involve a government takeover of industry .
“ It doesn ’ t nationalize businesses , but rather allows the US government to contract with companies to prioritize manufacturing of critical goods — in this case , medical supplies , ” Kirby notes .
“ It ’ s a scalpel , not an ax , ” James Hasik @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University , told me .
It ’ s unclear why Trump has convinced himself using the DPA is more dangerous than not using it .
Some in the White House say he ’ s trying to lower the likelihood that he could be directly blamed for any mismanagement .
“ If something goes wrong then it ’ s on the president , ” a senior administration official told me , “ and that ’ s something he doesn ’ t want to happen.
” But that ’ s what presidents are elected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal government .
In the absence of that leadership , experts say , the supply shortage could get worse .
Why relying on business alone isn ’ t enough to address shortfalls Many companies are already trying to rise to the occasion to make even more of the products patients will need .
As expected , some of those are top health care firms .
“ Our manufacturing teams are focused on making Baxter products that are in demand due to the pandemic and are needed by patients with chronic diseases , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fortune 500 medical company Baxter International , which makes hospital care products , told me in an emailed statement .
Automotive manufacturers are also looking at ways they can use their considerable manufacturing capacity to contribute , including potentially retooling their factories to produce critical items such as ventilators .
But although Trump has been openly touting these automotive companies on Twitter , experts say it could take months for them to produce medical equipment at scale because they must train their workforces , get the right plans , and source the specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump ’ s argument is that the government doesn ’ t need to tell these companies what to make , as they ’ re already making the needed products .
That , in his mind , is reason enough not to put the DPA to use and allow states simply to order what they need from these companies .
“ He is currently using it to drive the private sector ’ s response to this crisis , ” a White House spokesperson told me .
“ And the private sector ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direction has been overwhelming , fulfilling government-identified needs faster than anyone thought possible.
” But experts point to three major problems with this argument .
First , a private company is either going to sell to whoever placed their order first or to the highest bidder .
It ’ s therefore possible that the places in America that most need masks , for example , may not get them in time because a mask-making company has other orders to fill first .
“ Whoever picks up the phone first is next in line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s top manufacturing policy official from 2009 to 2013 , told me .
If you ’ re New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , that ’ s a problem .
His state may now have to spend more on masks to outbid someone else , or simply not get them at all if the order comes in too late .
This is already starting to happen in some places .
“ We ’ re competing against each other , we ’ re competing against other countries , it ’ s a wild @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there , and indeed , we ’ re overpaying for [ personal protective equipment ] because of that competition , ” Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker told CNN ’ s Jake Tapper on Sunday .
This where the DPA comes in handy .
The federal government could get involved and place an order for masks , which would get fulfilled first because a DPA order takes priority over all others .
Then , because the government knows which areas have the most need for those masks , it can distribute them appropriately .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ other parts of the country not reeling as badly from the coronavirus ( possibly including Illinois ) .
The second flaw in Trump ’ s argument has to do with materials .
Yes , many companies already involved in manufacturing medical supplies are ramping up their efforts .
But in doing so , they ’ re going to need additional materials and may be hampered in their efforts if they can ’ t get those materials .
Again , this is where the DPA comes in : The federal government can find other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an order to have the company sell the materials to the federal government instead of using them to make their own products .
For example , a fabric company may typically sell most of its product to a dress-making company , but the cloth could be better used for masks right now .
In that case , the federal government would pay the fabric company for the materials and then give them to a mask-making company so it can continue to make even more of them .
“ The government would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Lambert told me .
Finally , there may be a company that wants to help build something — say , respirators — but doesn ’ t have the machinery or capital to do so .
If the federal government thinks that company could be useful , it might give a loan or offer equipment under DPA so production can begin right away .
That accelerates that company ’ s ability to help right now .
The issue , then , isn ’ t that companies are sitting on their hands .
Problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivering it to where it ’ s most needed in a time of crisis .
Only the federal government coordinating the response has the insight and resources to help with that .
Using the DPA doesn ’ t turn America into Venezuela Steven Grundman , who served as the Pentagon ’ s deputy undersecretary for industrial affairs in the 1990s , told me that using the DPA won ’ t realize Trump ’ s Venezuela fears .
“ The use of the DPA not only wouldn ’ t , it couldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
As noted above , DPA allows the government to identify , prioritize , and allocate scarce resources in a time of emergency .
That ’ s a far cry from a complete government takeover of private business .
“ The DPA has nothing to do with nationalizing industry ; it has everything to do with prioritizing industry , ” Lambert said .
Indeed , the government isn ’ t seizing capital , labor , or equipment for itself and taking it without compensating private citizens and businesses that control them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure those in trouble get what they need , and those providing the equipment still get paid for it .
Yet there are leading officials in Trump ’ s orbit , like trade adviser Peter Navarro , who believe the DPA is anathema to the free market .
“ We ’ re getting what we need ... without putting the heavy hand of government down , ” Navarro said at the Sunday press conference .
If that ’ s the bet the administration is making , experts say it ’ s a bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consequences .
“ The DPA needs to be open for business , ” Grundman said .

Last Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order invoking the Defense Production Act (DPA). That provision requires private companies to prioritize any federal government orders for products — including masks, respirators, and other critical items needed to fight the coronavirus — over other orders.
But as of Monday, five days later, even top Trump administration officials admit the government has yet to make a single order.
Health care workers across the country are desperate for masks, gowns, respirators, and other basic supplies they need to treat patients with Covid-19 and to keep themselves protected from the coronavirus. They’re pleading for him to use the DPA.
So what gives? Why hasn’t the Trump administration placed any orders yet?
Over the weekend, the president seemed to offer two reasons: 1) companies are already stepping up to make these products on their own; and 2) using this mechanism would be tantamount to socialism.
First, Trump argued that medical device companies like Baxter and GE Healthcare, as well as automotive companies like General Motors and Ford, are working around the clock to meet equipment needs. Because of their efforts, there’s no reason for the government to intervene. “We have tremendous numbers of companies also making equipment,” Trump said during a Sunday press conference at the White House.
Second, he insinuated using the DPA would somehow turn the American economy socialist. “We’re a country not based on nationalizing our business,” Trump said at the same event. “Call a person over in Venezuela; ask them how did nationalization of their businesses work out. Not too well. The concept of nationalizing our business is not a good concept.”
The problem is that both these arguments are deeply flawed.
While a lot of private businesses are upping their production, the lack of federal government involvement in the procurement and distribution process means that these products aren’t necessarily going to the cities and states in most dire need of them right now.
As Vox’s Jen Kirby writes, “State officials keep saying that without some sort of government guidance, they’re left competing for the same equipment (as opposed to having that equipment go where it’s most needed) and thus overpaying.”
Second, the DPA, when used as intended, doesn’t involve a government takeover of industry. “It doesn’t nationalize businesses, but rather allows the US government to contract with companies to prioritize manufacturing of critical goods — in this case, medical supplies,” Kirby notes.
“It’s a scalpel, not an ax,” James Hasik, a DPA expert at George Mason University, told me.
It’s unclear why Trump has convinced himself using the DPA is more dangerous than not using it. Some in the White House say he’s trying to lower the likelihood that he could be directly blamed for any mismanagement. “If something goes wrong then it’s on the president,” a senior administration official told me, “and that’s something he doesn’t want to happen.”
But that’s what presidents are elected to do: take responsibility for running the federal government. In the absence of that leadership, experts say, the supply shortage could get worse.
Why relying on business alone isn’t enough to address shortfalls
Many companies are already trying to rise to the occasion to make even more of the products patients will need.
As expected, some of those are top health care firms. “Our manufacturing teams are focused on making Baxter products that are in demand due to the pandemic and are needed by patients with chronic diseases,” Lauren Russ, a spokesperson for the Fortune 500 medical company Baxter International, which makes hospital care products, told me in an emailed statement.
Automotive manufacturers are also looking at ways they can use their considerable manufacturing capacity to contribute, including potentially retooling their factories to produce critical items such as ventilators.
But although Trump has been openly touting these automotive companies on Twitter, experts say it could take months for them to produce medical equipment at scale because they must train their workforces, get the right plans, and source the specific materials needed to make these new products.
Ford, General Motors and Tesla are being given the go ahead to make ventilators and other metal products, FAST! @fema Go for it auto execs, lets see how good you are? @RepMarkMeadows @GOPLeader @senatemajldr — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 22, 2020
Trump’s argument is that the government doesn’t need to tell these companies what to make, as they’re already making the needed products. That, in his mind, is reason enough not to put the DPA to use and allow states simply to order what they need from these companies.
“He is currently using it to drive the private sector’s response to this crisis,” a White House spokesperson told me. “And the private sector’s response, to date, to his direction has been overwhelming, fulfilling government-identified needs faster than anyone thought possible.”
But experts point to three major problems with this argument.
First, a private company is either going to sell to whoever placed their order first or to the highest bidder. It’s therefore possible that the places in America that most need masks, for example, may not get them in time because a mask-making company has other orders to fill first.
“Whoever picks up the phone first is next in line,” Brett Lambert, the Pentagon’s top manufacturing policy official from 2009 to 2013, told me.
If you’re New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, that’s a problem. His state may now have to spend more on masks to outbid someone else, or simply not get them at all if the order comes in too late.
This is already starting to happen in some places. “We’re competing against each other, we’re competing against other countries, it’s a wild west, I would say, out there, and indeed, we’re overpaying for [personal protective equipment] because of that competition,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday.
This where the DPA comes in handy.
The federal government could get involved and place an order for masks, which would get fulfilled first because a DPA order takes priority over all others. Then, because the government knows which areas have the most need for those masks, it can distribute them appropriately. New York would certainly take priority over other parts of the country not reeling as badly from the coronavirus (possibly including Illinois).
The second flaw in Trump’s argument has to do with materials. Yes, many companies already involved in manufacturing medical supplies are ramping up their efforts. But in doing so, they’re going to need additional materials and may be hampered in their efforts if they can’t get those materials.
Again, this is where the DPA comes in: The federal government can find other sources of those materials and then put in an order to have the company sell the materials to the federal government instead of using them to make their own products.
For example, a fabric company may typically sell most of its product to a dress-making company, but the cloth could be better used for masks right now. In that case, the federal government would pay the fabric company for the materials and then give them to a mask-making company so it can continue to make even more of them. “The government would have the authority to become the deliverer-in-chief,” Lambert told me.
Finally, there may be a company that wants to help build something — say, respirators — but doesn’t have the machinery or capital to do so. If the federal government thinks that company could be useful, it might give a loan or offer equipment under DPA so production can begin right away. That accelerates that company’s ability to help right now.
The issue, then, isn’t that companies are sitting on their hands. Problems arise in making the product and then delivering it to where it’s most needed in a time of crisis. Only the federal government coordinating the response has the insight and resources to help with that.
Using the DPA doesn’t turn America into Venezuela
Steven Grundman, who served as the Pentagon’s deputy undersecretary for industrial affairs in the 1990s, told me that using the DPA won’t realize Trump’s Venezuela fears.
“The use of the DPA not only wouldn’t, it couldn’t, socialize the American economy,” he said. As noted above, DPA allows the government to identify, prioritize, and allocate scarce resources in a time of emergency. That’s a far cry from a complete government takeover of private business.
“The DPA has nothing to do with nationalizing industry; it has everything to do with prioritizing industry,” Lambert said.
Indeed, the government isn’t seizing capital, labor, or equipment for itself and taking it without compensating private citizens and businesses that control them. It’s all about making sure those in trouble get what they need, and those providing the equipment still get paid for it.
Yet there are leading officials in Trump’s orbit, like trade adviser Peter Navarro, who believe the DPA is anathema to the free market. “We’re getting what we need ... without putting the heavy hand of government down,” Navarro said at the Sunday press conference.
If that’s the bet the administration is making, experts say it’s a bad one — and it could have disastrous consequences. “The DPA needs to be open for business,” Grundman said.


vox--2020-03-23--Why we shouldn’t rely on Silicon Valley for face masks

Silicon Valley is directing millions of masks to the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic to help address the shortage of medical supplies .
It ’ s another way in which tech companies are trying to use their untapped resources to fill the void left by the government .
American tech giants from Apple to Facebook have in recent days announced attempts to collect and donate at least 9 million protective masks that medical workers in hospitals sorely need to treat infected patients .
The mask shortage has been a major hurdle for containing the coronavirus , requiring some doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make their own alternatives , which can expose them to the virus and hasten its spread .
Some doctors have gone so far as to beg on social media for these supplies .
Tech companies are obviously not in the mask-production business .
But because of either coincidence or access to certain supply chains , they are in a position to share the equipment in a way that the government seemingly can not .
Details are still scarce on how exactly these companies have access to these masks , but a company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ globe that the federal government may lack .
There simply isn ’ t enough global mask production for the current demand , and the Trump administration has been reluctant to use the law to require companies to produce more masks .
But there is a risk in relying on corporate philanthropy — rather than the government — in solving this problem .
For starters , it depends on the voluntary generosity of these companies to deal with an unprecedented emergency , an altruism that could vanish at any time .
These companies are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only theoretically to shareholders .
And they also are not always transparent about what exactly they are doing and on what time frame .
These public commitments have prompted friendly headlines for tech companies that may have forgotten lately what it feels like to receive positive coverage .
And that ’ s why some on the left , such as Bernie Sanders adviser David Sirota , see the mask donations as a distraction from companies ’ otherwise poor corporate citizenship .
Plus , even 9 million masks are not enough .
The White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ hundreds of millions ” of N95 masks , the gold standard of personal protective equipment .
One hospital at the center of the outbreak , New York City ’ s Presbyterian Hospital , said in an internal memo that it was burning through about 40,000 masks a day — and anticipated that rate to increase to 70,000 per day .
So just this one hospital would go through the Silicon Valley stockpile in six months .
The largest commitment from a US tech company came from Salesforce , whose CEO , Marc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was hoping to deliver 5 million masks this week by “ working hard across all of our resources & relationships.
” Salesforce didn ’ t immediately respond to a request for comment on any additional details .
Apple has committed to supplying at least 3 million masks , although CEO Tim Cook has only referred to an unspecified “ millions ” of masks for the United States and Europe .
Vice President Mike Pence said over the weekend that the company had “ directly ” pledged to send 2 million masks around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the company had pledged another 1 million to him specifically for California .
Apple didn ’ t immediately respond to a request for comment confirming the 3 million number .
Cook ’ s tweet implied that the company did not have access to the masks right now , but was calling upon the company ’ s relationships with suppliers , especially in China .
Apple was “ working to help source supplies for healthcare providers , ” Cook said .
Facebook was the most forthcoming with how it happened upon its own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had an emergency reservoir of 720,000 masks that the company acquired during the Bay Area wildfires .
Facebook is also at work “ sourcing a lot more to donate , ” he said .
Elon Musk , the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX , has been among the few public skeptics in his industry of the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic , but even he has begun distributing around 250,000 masks to hospitals , he has said .
And Flexport , an international shipping startup , has secured and donated about 60,000 masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city ’ s mayor , London Breed .
More masks will obviously help the medical professionals combating the virus .
But because the masks go quickly , the real breakthrough needed is helping the American government secure a replenishing supply — especially because the need from hospital workers is not going away anytime soon .

Silicon Valley is directing millions of masks to the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic to help address the shortage of medical supplies. It’s another way in which tech companies are trying to use their untapped resources to fill the void left by the government.
American tech giants from Apple to Facebook have in recent days announced attempts to collect and donate at least 9 million protective masks that medical workers in hospitals sorely need to treat infected patients. The mask shortage has been a major hurdle for containing the coronavirus, requiring some doctors and nurses to either reuse gear or to make their own alternatives, which can expose them to the virus and hasten its spread. Some doctors have gone so far as to beg on social media for these supplies.
Tech companies are obviously not in the mask-production business. But because of either coincidence or access to certain supply chains, they are in a position to share the equipment in a way that the government seemingly cannot. Details are still scarce on how exactly these companies have access to these masks, but a company like Apple has supply relationships around the globe that the federal government may lack. There simply isn’t enough global mask production for the current demand, and the Trump administration has been reluctant to use the law to require companies to produce more masks.
But there is a risk in relying on corporate philanthropy — rather than the government — in solving this problem. For starters, it depends on the voluntary generosity of these companies to deal with an unprecedented emergency, an altruism that could vanish at any time. These companies are also not accountable to American voters, only theoretically to shareholders. And they also are not always transparent about what exactly they are doing and on what time frame.
These public commitments have prompted friendly headlines for tech companies that may have forgotten lately what it feels like to receive positive coverage. And that’s why some on the left, such as Bernie Sanders adviser David Sirota, see the mask donations as a distraction from companies’ otherwise poor corporate citizenship.
Let’s all celebrate the altruism of Apple, which is worth $1 trillion, avoided $40 billion in taxes, and moved $250 billion to Jersey, a tiny tax haven island https://t.co/xcbBD06lDA pic.twitter.com/l4VimbFLuq — David Sirota (@davidsirota) March 22, 2020
Plus, even 9 million masks are not enough. The White House has said that it has ordered “hundreds of millions” of N95 masks, the gold standard of personal protective equipment. One hospital at the center of the outbreak, New York City’s Presbyterian Hospital, said in an internal memo that it was burning through about 40,000 masks a day — and anticipated that rate to increase to 70,000 per day. So just this one hospital would go through the Silicon Valley stockpile in six months.
The largest commitment from a US tech company came from Salesforce, whose CEO, Marc Benioff, said on Twitter that he was hoping to deliver 5 million masks this week by “working hard across all of our resources & relationships.” Salesforce didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on any additional details.
Apple has committed to supplying at least 3 million masks, although CEO Tim Cook has only referred to an unspecified “millions” of masks for the United States and Europe. Vice President Mike Pence said over the weekend that the company had “directly” pledged to send 2 million masks around the country, while California governor Gavin Newsom said the company had pledged another 1 million to him specifically for California. Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment confirming the 3 million number.
Cook’s tweet implied that the company did not have access to the masks right now, but was calling upon the company’s relationships with suppliers, especially in China. Apple was “working to help source supplies for healthcare providers,” Cook said.
Facebook was the most forthcoming with how it happened upon its own masks. Mark Zuckerberg said his company had an emergency reservoir of 720,000 masks that the company acquired during the Bay Area wildfires. Facebook is also at work “sourcing a lot more to donate,” he said.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been among the few public skeptics in his industry of the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic, but even he has begun distributing around 250,000 masks to hospitals, he has said.
And Flexport, an international shipping startup, has secured and donated about 60,000 masks to San Francisco, according to the city’s mayor, London Breed.
More masks will obviously help the medical professionals combating the virus. But because the masks go quickly, the real breakthrough needed is helping the American government secure a replenishing supply — especially because the need from hospital workers is not going away anytime soon.


vox--2020-03-23--The 2020 summer Olympics will be postponed due to coronavirus, says IOC official

The 2020 Summer Olympics are going to be postponed , reports USA Today .
Full details have yet to be announced , but International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound said that the games would most likely be delayed until 2021 and that the IOC would make a final decision over the next four weeks .
The news comes after weeks of back-and-forth between the IOC and the athletic community .
The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo were scheduled to begin on July 24 , but multiple athletic groups have called for them to be postponed in the wake of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becomes safe again by July , athletes argued that it ’ s not currently safe to train at Olympic levels .
Athletes in countries affected by coronavirus have limited ability to effectively prepare for a July event , and that means a July Olympics wouldn ’ t have a level playing field .
The IOC , meanwhile , maintained a “ wait-and-see stance , ” saying it would be irresponsible to speculate on what the future might hold , but avowed that they would absolutely not cancel the 2020 Olympics .
In an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday , IOC president Thomas Bach officially refused to set a date by which point he would have made a decision about the future of the 2020 games .
Over the last few days , pressure to postpone the Olympics mounted .
The Olympic committees for both Norway and Brazil have issued statements calling for the games to be postponed .
On Friday , USA Swimming and USA Track and Field submitted open letters to the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee requesting that the games be postponed for one year .
USA Gymnastics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determine what its own stance would be .
On Sunday , Bach wrote a letter to the athletic community at last indicating that he might be open to postponing the games and pledging to come to a decision within four weeks .
Just hours later , both Canada and Australia responded that they would send no athletes to the 2020 games unless they were postponed one year .
Now , Pound says the 2020 Olympics are absolutely postponed .
“ On the basis of the information the IOC has , postponement has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The parameters going forward have not been determined , but the Games are not going to start on July 24 , that much I know.
” However , in a statement to Vox , an IOC spokesperson seemed to throw cold water on Pound ’ s surety .
“ It is the right of every IOC Member to interpret the decision of the IOC EB which was announced yesterday , ” the spokesperson said .
Updated : This article has been updated to include IOC ’ s statement .

The 2020 Summer Olympics are officially postponed, reports the New York Times. Full details have yet to be announced, but on Monday, March 23, International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound told USA Today that the games would most likely be delayed until 2021. On Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe confirmed the news, saying that he and the IOC had agreed on the decision “100 percent.”
The postponement comes after weeks of back-and-forth between the IOC and the athletic community. The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo were scheduled to begin on July 24, but athletic groups called for them to be postponed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Even if global travel becomes safe again by July, athletes argued that it’s not currently safe to train at Olympic levels. Athletes in countries affected by coronavirus have limited ability to effectively prepare for a July event, so a July Olympics wouldn’t have a level playing field.
The IOC, meanwhile, maintained a “wait-and-see stance,” saying it would be irresponsible to speculate on what the future might hold, but avowed that it would absolutely not cancel the 2020 Olympics. In an interview with the New York Times last Thursday, IOC president Thomas Bach officially refused to set a date by which point he would make a decision about the future of the 2020 games.
Over the past few days, pressure to postpone the Olympics mounted. The Olympic committees for both Norway and Brazil issued statements calling for the games to be postponed. On Friday, USA Swimming and USA Track and Field submitted open letters to the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee requesting that the games be postponed for one year. USA Gymnastics sent a survey to its members to determine what its own stance would be.
On Sunday, Bach wrote a letter to the athletic community at last indicating that he might be open to postponing the games and pledging to come to a decision within four weeks. Just hours later, both Canada and Australia responded that they would send no athletes to the 2020 games unless the games were postponed one year.
On Monday, the IOC’s Pound said the 2020 Olympics would be postponed. “On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” Pound told USA Today. “The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know.”
However, in a statement to Vox later the same day, an IOC spokesperson seemed to throw cold water on Pound’s surety. “It is the right of every IOC Member to interpret the decision of the IOC EB which was announced yesterday,” the spokesperson said.
Monday night, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee joined the fray, urging the IOC to postpone the Olympics — and Tuesday morning, the news dropped that the 2020 games would be moved to 2021. This will be the first time the Olympics have been suspended or postponed since World War II.
Update March 24: This article was updated to include IOC’s March 23 statement and with the news that the postponement is now official.


vox--2020-03-23--How polarization shaped Americans’ responses to coronavirus, in one chart

As the coronavirus pandemic took hold in late February and early March , President Trump and his allies in the conservative media adopted a skeptical tone .
Trump said that “ one day , it ’ s like a miracle , it will disappear ; ” Fox Business host Trish Regan called it “ yet another attempt to impeach the president.
” Some preliminary early data suggests that Trump and Fox downplaying the pandemic made Trump supporters less likely to take the disease seriously early on .
Brian Schaffner , a political scientist at Tufts University who studies public opinion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand sanitizer as a proxy measurement for how seriously people in a particular media market were taking the outbreak .
The knowledge that hand sanitizer ( like ordinary soap ) fights coronavirus spread led concerned people to buy it in bulk early on , so areas where more people were looking for hand sanitizer could suggest the residents were more concerned about the disease ’ s spread .
The following animated chart from Schaffner shows a simple regression analysis comparing hand sanitizer searches since the beginning of March to the percentage of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Trump .
On March 1 through March 12 , when Trump and Fox were still in denial , there was a heavy partisan lean : anti-Trump areas searching at much higher rates than pro-Trump ones .
But on March 13 , Trump declared a national emergency over coronavirus , and , afterward , started taking the virus more seriously in public rhetoric and response .
And starting on March 13 , the partisan tilt disappears : Here ’ s a non-moving version that also includes the entire year 2019 , when there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baseline : Schaffner ’ s research here is very preliminary .
It ’ s worth noting that there are several possible confounding variables , including the fact that some of the hardest-hit earlier states were blue-leaning coastal ones like Washington , California , and New York .
But his findings are consistent with early polling on coronavirus showing the same partisan gap , with Democrats consistently saying they were more likely to take individual action on coronavirus than Republicans .
It also fits with what we ’ ve observed more broadly during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stance on something causes Republicans to align with it and Democrats to oppose it , as well as a large , pre-Trump body of research on public opinion suggesting that voters often take cues on complex policy issues from trusted elites .
For Democrats during coronavirus , those experts were the mainstream media and public health experts ; for Republicans , it was Trump and Fox News .
The result is what looks like an early partisan response , where Democrats started to change their behavior to prevent the virus ’ s spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was ginned up to hurt Trump , did not .
Further research will need to be done to show that this was , in fact , what happened .
But as evidence continues to mount for a partisan gap in coronavirus response early on , we should take seriously the possibility that Trump returning to downplaying the risks of the virus would also lead to a vast swath of the American public ignoring public health advice — and thus contributing to the pandemic ’ s rapid spread .
Given that the president sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopening businesses , it ’ s a risk worth taking seriously .

As the coronavirus pandemic took hold in late February and early March, President Trump and his allies in the conservative media adopted a skeptical tone. Trump said that “one day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear;” Fox Business host Trish Regan called it “yet another attempt to impeach the president.”
Some preliminary early data suggests that Trump and Fox downplaying the pandemic made Trump supporters less likely to take the disease seriously early on.
Brian Schaffner, a political scientist at Tufts University who studies public opinion and partisanship, used Google searches for hand sanitizer as a proxy measurement for how seriously people in a particular media market were taking the outbreak. The knowledge that hand sanitizer (like ordinary soap) fights coronavirus spread led concerned people to buy it in bulk early on, so areas where more people were looking for hand sanitizer could suggest the residents were more concerned about the disease’s spread.
The following animated chart from Schaffner shows a simple regression analysis comparing hand sanitizer searches since the beginning of March to the percentage of people in a given media market who voted for Trump. On March 1 through March 12, when Trump and Fox were still in denial, there was a heavy partisan lean: anti-Trump areas searching at much higher rates than pro-Trump ones.
But on March 13, Trump declared a national emergency over coronavirus, and, afterward, started taking the virus more seriously in public rhetoric and response. And starting on March 13, the partisan tilt disappears:
last cut at this. you can see pretty clearly how responses to Covid19 were quite partisan until Trump/Republicans/Fox News started taking it more seriously.
final code can be found here (incl. models controlling for covid19 cases): https://t.co/0a8oGpcoEw pic.twitter.com/NvpCYJSzLD — Brian Schaffner (@b_schaffner) March 23, 2020
Here’s a non-moving version that also includes the entire year 2019, when there was no partisan lean, as a baseline:
here you can see static plots with a comparison to 2019. the latter two plots are split to show before and after Trump declared a national emergency pic.twitter.com/qEt7GYSDkE — Brian Schaffner (@b_schaffner) March 23, 2020
Schaffner’s research here is very preliminary. It’s worth noting that there are several possible confounding variables, including the fact that some of the hardest-hit earlier states were blue-leaning coastal ones like Washington, California, and New York.
But his findings are consistent with early polling on coronavirus showing the same partisan gap, with Democrats consistently saying they were more likely to take individual action on coronavirus than Republicans.
It also fits with what we’ve observed more broadly during the Trump administration: The president’s stance on something causes Republicans to align with it and Democrats to oppose it, as well as a large, pre-Trump body of research on public opinion suggesting that voters often take cues on complex policy issues from trusted elites. For Democrats during coronavirus, those experts were the mainstream media and public health experts; for Republicans, it was Trump and Fox News.
The result is what looks like an early partisan response, where Democrats started to change their behavior to prevent the virus’s spread while Republicans, convinced the entire thing was ginned up to hurt Trump, did not.
Further research will need to be done to show that this was, in fact, what happened. But as evidence continues to mount for a partisan gap in coronavirus response early on, we should take seriously the possibility that Trump returning to downplaying the risks of the virus would also lead to a vast swath of the American public ignoring public health advice — and thus contributing to the pandemic’s rapid spread.
Given that the president sent out an all-caps tweet last night about reopening businesses, it’s a risk worth taking seriously.


vox--2020-03-24--This week in TikTok: A whole bunch of quarantine hair experiments

Hello from The Goods ’ twice-weekly newsletter !
For the next few Tuesdays , internet culture reporter Rebecca Jennings will be using this space to update you all on what ’ s been going on in the world of TikTok .
Is there something you want to see more of ?
Less of ?
Different of ?
Email me at rebecca.jennings @ vox.com , and subscribe to The Goods ’ newsletter here .
Two months ago , I remember watching TikToks from Wuhan , China , of life under lockdown .
Videos showed empty city streets and grocery store shelves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anxiety , and even weird moments of joy that come with quarantine .
It seemed so far off then , like a natural disaster halfway across the world , and beyond the many Americans with family and friends in China , it felt like all most of us could do was donate , send thoughts and prayers , and watch .
The coronavirus outbreak , of course , did not end up being like a contained natural disaster .
Two months later , Americans too are under unofficial lockdown , with some cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else encouraging people to stay home , practice social distancing , and only shop for groceries or pick up medicine when necessary .
TikTok timelines , as a result , are now filled with seemingly nothing but quarantine content .
I ’ ve seen high schoolers tell stories of canceled sports seasons , proms , graduations , and study abroad programs .
I ’ ve seen college kids say they ’ ve got nowhere else to go after being forced to move out of their dorms , adults who ’ ve been laid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scared they are to know they won ’ t be able to have loved ones in the delivery room ( Business Insider has a roundup of a lot of these stories ) .
At the same time , I ’ ve seen so many cute , goofy videos of families holed up together and hanging out , of kids teaching their parents dance challenges , of coronavirus comedy sketches and DIY craft and cooking projects .
It reminds me of what I ’ d seen in the quarantine videos in Wuhan , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lived through it .
Daniel Ou Yang , a 22-year-old who ’ d been visiting family in Wuhan for Lunar New Year , made a video of his newly empty city that garnered more than a million views .
He was able to leave on an evacuation flight because he ’ s an Australian citizen , but now that he ’ s back in Sydney , he ’ s watching it all play out again .
“ People are going to gatherings and getting close with each other , thinking that it can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are only 100 cases here , ” he told me .
“ No one takes it seriously unless it happens to them.
” Videos out of China and now Italy have served as warnings for what Americans and those in the rest of the world can expect in the weeks to come .
So far , the US government has proven largely ill-prepared for the outbreak , and as there ’ s still no consensus on how long it ’ ll be before things begin to seem normal , TikTok has proven an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s my full story .
• TikTok is hosting a week of influencer livestreams called # HappyAtHome , which will feature popular TikTok creators like Brittany Tomlinson and Addison Rae , plus famouses like Tyra Banks , Alicia Keys , and Dr. Phil speaking live from their homes .
They ’ ll be giving motivational talks , dance lessons , and other quarantine content every night this week starting at 5 pm PT .
• Speaking of celebrities , every day it feels like a zillion more famous people join TikTok .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Secret models and basketball players recently , but by far the best celebrity debut was US men ’ s national soccer team player Christian Pulisic , who posted a video of himself kicking around a ball and then absolutely eating it .
• In other company news , TikTok announced its new content advisory council , which will “ provide unvarnished views on and advice around TikTok ’ s policies and practices as we continually work to improve in the challenging area of content moderation.
” The move is likely a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ content moderation policies , most recently detailed by the Intercept , which found that TikTok was suppressing content by what it deemed “ ugly ” and “ poor ” users in an effort to appeal to more users .
• Rihanna ’ s Fenty Beauty influencer content house has shut down temporarily due to coronavirus concerns .
So far , though , most of the others seem to be operating normally , ( the Hype House is dropping merch this week ) , and while some members of other houses have been staying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t seem to be destroying the collab house economy just yet .
• VidCon has officially canceled its June event , which is a ) obviously the right call and b ) a bummer for TikTok creators , who last year emerged as the biggest draw of the formerly YouTube-centric convention .
They ’ re working on a fall date , though , so stay tuned .
This probably says more about me than it does about TikTok as a whole , but my entire timeline is full of people saying “ screw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or dyeing their hair an extremely impractical color .
This is beautiful , in my opinion , as someone who thinks everyone should try bangs at least once and particularly during a time when the stakes of “ beauty ” and “ personal grooming ” are at an all-time low .
It ’ s the age of quarantine hair experiments , and it ’ s one of the few sources of joy in my life right now .
I loved Joseph Longo ’ s piece in Mel Magazine on gay men crisis-bleaching their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do something drastic even when all your loved ones beg you not to .
There have always been memes about the danger of breakup haircuts , but when it feels like you ’ re broken up with the whole world , there ’ s really never been a better time to try questionable hair .
Yesterday , for instance , I followed an at-home haircut tutorial on TikTok , and then made another one while dyeing my hair pink .
There are literally no rules right now , plus , most people end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least , they look fun , which is something we all need .
Just definitely don ’ t watch this one video of a girl encouraging everyone to get bangs and then showing what happened when she did it .
The bangs do not look good , but that doesn ’ t mean they won ’ t look good on you !
Here is a video of a girl showing her therapist what TikTok is by performing a dance in the middle of her session .
I sincerely hope it ’ s real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email address of that therapist .

Hello from The Goods’ twice-weekly newsletter! For the next few Tuesdays, internet culture reporter Rebecca Jennings will be using this space to update you all on what’s been going on in the world of TikTok. Is there something you want to see more of? Less of? Different of? Email me at rebecca.jennings@vox.com, and subscribe to The Goods’ newsletter here.
Two months ago, I remember watching TikToks from Wuhan, China, of life under lockdown. Videos showed empty city streets and grocery store shelves, as well as the boredom, anxiety, and even weird moments of joy that come with quarantine. It seemed so far off then, like a natural disaster halfway across the world, and beyond the many Americans with family and friends in China, it felt like all most of us could do was donate, send thoughts and prayers, and watch.
The coronavirus outbreak, of course, did not end up being like a contained natural disaster. Two months later, Americans too are under unofficial lockdown, with some cities enforcing shelter in place laws and everywhere else encouraging people to stay home, practice social distancing, and only shop for groceries or pick up medicine when necessary.
TikTok timelines, as a result, are now filled with seemingly nothing but quarantine content. I’ve seen high schoolers tell stories of canceled sports seasons, proms, graduations, and study abroad programs. I’ve seen college kids say they’ve got nowhere else to go after being forced to move out of their dorms, adults who’ve been laid off, and pregnant women say how scared they are to know they won’t be able to have loved ones in the delivery room (Business Insider has a roundup of a lot of these stories).
At the same time, I’ve seen so many cute, goofy videos of families holed up together and hanging out, of kids teaching their parents dance challenges, of coronavirus comedy sketches and DIY craft and cooking projects.
It reminds me of what I’d seen in the quarantine videos in Wuhan, and so I called up one creator who lived through it. Daniel Ou Yang, a 22-year-old who’d been visiting family in Wuhan for Lunar New Year, made a video of his newly empty city that garnered more than a million views. He was able to leave on an evacuation flight because he’s an Australian citizen, but now that he’s back in Sydney, he’s watching it all play out again.
“People are going to gatherings and getting close with each other, thinking that it can’t happen to me because there are only 100 cases here,” he told me. “No one takes it seriously unless it happens to them.”
Videos out of China and now Italy have served as warnings for what Americans and those in the rest of the world can expect in the weeks to come. So far, the US government has proven largely ill-prepared for the outbreak, and as there’s still no consensus on how long it’ll be before things begin to seem normal, TikTok has proven an unexpectedly useful platform for coping. Here’s my full story.
TikTok in the news
TikTok is hosting a week of influencer livestreams called #HappyAtHome, which will feature popular TikTok creators like Brittany Tomlinson and Addison Rae, plus famouses like Tyra Banks, Alicia Keys, and Dr. Phil speaking live from their homes. They’ll be giving motivational talks, dance lessons, and other quarantine content every night this week starting at 5 pm PT.
Speaking of celebrities, every day it feels like a zillion more famous people join TikTok. My feed has been filled with Victoria’s Secret models and basketball players recently, but by far the best celebrity debut was US men’s national soccer team player Christian Pulisic, who posted a video of himself kicking around a ball and then absolutely eating it.
In other company news, TikTok announced its new content advisory council, which will “provide unvarnished views on and advice around TikTok’s policies and practices as we continually work to improve in the challenging area of content moderation.” The move is likely a direct response to multiple reports of shady content moderation policies, most recently detailed by the Intercept, which found that TikTok was suppressing content by what it deemed “ugly” and “poor” users in an effort to appeal to more users.
Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty influencer content house has shut down temporarily due to coronavirus concerns. So far, though, most of the others seem to be operating normally, (the Hype House is dropping merch this week), and while some members of other houses have been staying with family, social distancing doesn’t seem to be destroying the collab house economy just yet.
VidCon has officially canceled its June event, which is a) obviously the right call and b) a bummer for TikTok creators, who last year emerged as the biggest draw of the formerly YouTube-centric convention. They’re working on a fall date, though, so stay tuned.
Meme watch
This probably says more about me than it does about TikTok as a whole, but my entire timeline is full of people saying “screw it” and cutting their own bangs or dyeing their hair an extremely impractical color. This is beautiful, in my opinion, as someone who thinks everyone should try bangs at least once and particularly during a time when the stakes of “beauty” and “personal grooming” are at an all-time low.
It’s the age of quarantine hair experiments, and it’s one of the few sources of joy in my life right now. I loved Joseph Longo’s piece in Mel Magazine on gay men crisis-bleaching their hair, and feeling the urge to do something drastic even when all your loved ones beg you not to. There have always been memes about the danger of breakup haircuts, but when it feels like you’re broken up with the whole world, there’s really never been a better time to try questionable hair. Yesterday, for instance, I followed an at-home haircut tutorial on TikTok, and then made another one while dyeing my hair pink.
There are literally no rules right now, plus, most people end up looking cute! At the very least, they look fun, which is something we all need. Just definitely don’t watch this one video of a girl encouraging everyone to get bangs and then showing what happened when she did it. The bangs do not look good, but that doesn’t mean they won’t look good on you!
One Last Thing
Here is a video of a girl showing her therapist what TikTok is by performing a dance in the middle of her session. I sincerely hope it’s real, and also I would like the email address of that therapist.
@lucyellis18 my therapist always hears me talking about tik tok and insisted on me doing a tik tok for her HAH I LOVE HER #xyzbca #foryou ♬ Savage - Megan Thee Stallion


vox--2020-03-24--“A beautiful flowering of mutual aid”: How thousands of people are helping each other fight against

“A beautiful flowering of mutual aid”: How thousands of people are helping each other fight against coronavirus

It ’ s been replicating like crazy over the past couple of weeks , spreading from person to person , city to city , country to country .
The coronavirus , yes — but also the mutual aid meant to combat it .
By this point , many of you may have seen the Google Docs , Google Forms , and other spreadsheets circulating online with the words “ mutual aid ” in the title .
That ’ s a fancy way of saying we should all help each other get through this pandemic , giving what we can to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared documents , thousands of people are jotting down their contact information and offering to do just that .
Because the coronavirus puts older and immunocompromised people at especially high risk , it ’ s a good idea for them to limit their exposure by staying home as much as possible .
So healthy volunteers are signing up to go buy groceries and medications and deliver straight to their doorsteps .
In just a couple of weeks , such a vast profusion of spreadsheets has sprung up that some organizers have created meta-spreadsheets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One such monster list contains links to more than 140 mutual aid groups spanning many US states , plus additional links for groups in Canada , the United Kingdom , and Germany .
“ It ’ s a beautiful flowering of mutual aid , ” said Cindy Milstein , a Michigan-based organizer and author who compiled the mega-list .
“ It ’ s a way to organize , but it ’ s also a way for people to remember the ability of humans to be kind and empathetic and dignified .
People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now.
” Mutual aid centers around the idea that we should all share with each other reciprocally and that we can help meet one another ’ s needs in a self-directed , grassroots way , rather than relying exclusively on top-down government solutions that may come too slowly , or fail to offer adequate support to the most vulnerable people .
For communities that already felt neglected prior to the coronavirus — especially people of color and disabled , LGBTQ , and low-income people — there may be an extra layer of fear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliver what ’ s needed during this pandemic .
So it makes sense that we ’ re seeing a wellspring of mutual aid groups devoted to meeting the needs of these particular groups , such as immunocompromised people .
The flurry of activity we ’ re seeing now has robust intellectual roots .
Mutual aid efforts have long been a staple of left-wing organizing , often operating under the slogan “ solidarity , not charity.
” But the thousands of volunteers who are signing up now aren ’ t united by a singular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who feel their faith tradition compels them to fill in the gaps until a more robust state response can make sure everyone ’ s needs are met .
Others are anarchists who don ’ t believe we should be relying on hierarchical government fixes in the first place .
Most are simply people who are looking around , seeing a tragedy unfolding before them , and yearning to help their fellow human beings in any way they can .
Within just a couple of weeks , the number of mutual aid groups has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities have several of them .
Washington , DC , for example , now has more than a dozen groups divided by neighborhood , each containing the names of dozens of people and how they can help ( “ Whatever it takes !
” some say ) .
One group started up when Alli McGill , the director of care at The Table Church , tweeted on March 12 , “ If you are in DC and are in the at-risk￼ demographic and need errands run so you can limit exposure — will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days and a thousand retweets later , her message yielded a far greater response than she ’ d anticipated .
“ Instead of getting people who need things , I got people who want to help .
I got 2,500 people , ” she said .
“ It ’ s actually quite beautiful .
There ’ s some real community-driven altruism springing up in response to this crisis.
” So far , her group has delivered groceries and medications to dozens of individuals in the DC area .
Volunteers often pay for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reimbursed by the individuals , if they can afford it .
If they can ’ t , then a church fund pays for it .
The group also offers other kinds of help , from dog-walking to spiritual support .
They make wellness phone calls to check on people ’ s physical and mental health , or “ buddy up ” for regular video chats to alleviate loneliness .
Volunteers are busy papering the outdoors with flyers and distributing disinfected cards to neighbors to make sure everyone knows these free services are available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a pandemic Thinking about how we can help our broader community , rather than just focusing on individual risk , is definitely the right spirit to adopt .
That said , we can ’ t let altruism overtake evidence-based precautions .
Volunteers eager to help vulnerable people might be carrying the virus even if they don ’ t have any symptoms , so they need to remember to listen to public health experts ’ guidelines .
“ I think it ’ s a good and even an essential service , as vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be protected from exposure as much as possible , ” said Angela Rasmussen , a virologist at Columbia University .
“ However , there is still a risk of asymptomatic or presymptomatic transmission that is hard to quantify.
” Rasmussen said that both those delivering and those receiving supplies should be vigilant about washing their hands and maintaining physical distance .
Volunteers should disinfect supplies before delivering them , and leave them on the doorstep rather than interacting directly with the recipients or going inside .
Mutual aid group organizers generally seem to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Table Church ’ s group sends out the following reminder to all volunteers who sign up to make deliveries : “ You can not eliminate risk , but you can reduce it , ” McGill said in a phone interview as she drove to a senior citizen ’ s house to deliver food .
She added that she believes grassroots organizing is a necessity right now .
“ I don ’ t think the local government can handle running groceries to all the people at risk , ” she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to serve — to try to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
” In addition to the challenge of ensuring everyone ’ s safety , there ’ s the challenge of figuring out how to do mutual aid without reinventing the wheel .
When is it more effective to look to the organizers and organizations who ’ ve been doing similar work in a local community long before the coronavirus came knocking ?
McGill , who sends out an email with volunteer opportunities each night , has been increasingly directing volunteers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Food Bank and the Department of Aging and Community Living .
At this point , she said , 75 percent of her group ’ s volunteer efforts are working with preexisting organizations in a complementary way .
But mutual aid groups can also offer other services that such organizations may not offer .
“ It isn ’ t just sharing material things , ” Milstein said .
“ People are sharing wisdom about how to make your own mask or how to use 3D printers to make respirators.
” Some are offering to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who can offer it .
“ It ’ s existential and emotional , too.
” While a traditional charity and a mutual aid group might in some cases be doing the same physical activity — say , getting food to people who need it — what distinguishes them is the framing philosophy .
A traditional charity pays staff members to give support to recipients ; there ’ s a giver and a receiver .
But mutual aid is an entirely voluntary exchange among equals , and it ’ s careful to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between them .
There isn ’ t a giver and a receiver , because the assumption is that every single person has something to give others .
“ It ’ s not about ‘ I ’ m the savior and you ’ re the poor person who needs help.
’ It ’ s about how we can reciprocally help each other without profit , ” Milstein said .
The ways people help each other might not be equal in kind — it ’ s not like each person is giving the other the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the idea is that that ’ s okay because we all contribute in different ways .
In this model , the older or immunocompromised person who stays home is contributing to our community-wide effort to stop the virus .
Epidemiologically , that ’ s totally accurate , because they ’ re reducing the risk that they ’ ll end up needing hospitalization and possibly intensive care .
That frees up beds for people who do get very sick to receive the treatment they ’ ll need in a hospital .
During the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure the health care system doesn ’ t become overloaded is an act of altruism — and that includes staying home and asking others for help .
In a very basic sense , mutual aid is something we ’ ve been doing for millennia .
The desire to help one another directly and reciprocally is a basic human impulse .
But one approach to mutual aid comes out of a specific intellectual tradition , which predates the age of Google Docs and shareable spreadsheets .
In 1902 , the Russian anarcho-communist philosopher Peter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aid : A Factor of Evolution .
He and his book are explicitly mentioned in some of the coronavirus mutual aid spreadsheets .
In contrast to Charles Darwin , whose then-ascendant evolutionary theory emphasized competition — think “ natural selection ” and “ survival of the fittest ” — Kropotkin argued that survival is based on solidarity , or as he put it , “ the close dependency of everyone ’ s happiness upon the happiness of all.
” When he looked at nature , he noticed profound cooperation between and among species @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what enable us to thrive .
His book offers examples both from natural ecosystems and from human social life .
“ In his time period , they were building the railroad , and he talked about how it makes no sense for everybody to go off and compete to build their own little track — they wouldn ’ t connect up !
” Milstein explained .
“ But when we cooperate , we can all move around.
” Kropotkin ’ s vision led him to issue a clear prescription : “ Practicing mutual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other and to all the greatest safety , the best guarantee of existence.
” This prescription has long shaped activism among anarchists , said Milstein , the author of Anarchism and Its Aspirations .
It ’ s also been a mainstay in communities that have often felt abandoned or marginalized by state institutions .
For example , the Black Panthers had a mutual aid program , including a free breakfast program meant to bolster the health of undernourished black youth .
The LGBTQ community and the disability community , likewise , know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rely on themselves for resources — and thus are well-practiced at organizing mutual aid .
“ These are the groups we should be looking to now , ” Milstein said , “ because they actually have decades or hundreds of years of experience of having to rely on mutual aid to take care of each other.
” Of course , this isn ’ t to say that all , or even many , of the groups that have formed to combat coronavirus are driven by Kropotkin ’ s philosophy or its intellectual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have probably never heard of Kropotkin . )
Some people have gotten involved through their faith or church ; others because of their political or ideological commitments .
At bottom , it may not even matter much .
Many people just want to help , and these groups have been a great vehicle for the pandemic-induced upsurge of altruism .
Sign up for the Future Perfect newsletter and we ’ ll send you a roundup of ideas and solutions for tackling the world ’ s biggest challenges — and how to get better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funded in part by individual contributions , grants , and sponsorships .
Learn more here .

It’s been replicating like crazy over the past few weeks, spreading from person to person, city to city, country to country.
The coronavirus, yes — but also the mutual aid meant to combat it.
By this point, many of you may have seen the Google Docs, Google Forms, and other spreadsheets circulating online with the words “mutual aid” in the title. That’s a fancy way of saying we should all help each other get through this pandemic, giving what we can to neighbors and strangers alike. In these shared documents, thousands of people are jotting down their contact information and offering to do just that.
Because the coronavirus puts older and immunocompromised people at especially high risk, it’s a good idea for them to limit their exposure by staying home as much as possible. So healthy volunteers are signing up to go buy groceries and medications and deliver straight to their doorsteps.
In just a few weeks, such a vast profusion of spreadsheets has sprung up that some organizers have created meta-spreadsheets meant to compile them in one place. One such monster list contains links to more than 140 mutual aid groups spanning many US states, plus additional links for groups in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
“It’s a beautiful flowering of mutual aid,” said Cindy Milstein, a Michigan-based organizer and author who compiled the mega-list. “It’s a way to organize, but it’s also a way for people to remember the ability of humans to be kind and empathetic and dignified. People are desperate to help each other right now.”
Mutual aid centers around the idea that we should all share with each other reciprocally and that we can help meet one another’s needs in a self-directed, grassroots way, rather than relying exclusively on top-down government solutions that may come too slowly, or fail to offer adequate support to the most vulnerable people.
For communities that already felt neglected prior to the coronavirus — especially people of color and disabled, LGBTQ, and low-income people — there may be an extra layer of fear around relying solely on the government to deliver what’s needed during this pandemic. So it makes sense that we’re seeing a wellspring of mutual aid groups devoted to meeting the needs of these particular groups, such as immunocompromised people.
The flurry of activity we’re seeing now has robust intellectual roots. Mutual aid efforts have long been a staple of left-wing organizing, often operating under the slogan “solidarity, not charity.” But the thousands of volunteers who are signing up now aren’t united by a singular ideological commitment.
Some are religious leaders who feel their faith tradition compels them to fill in the gaps until a more robust state response can make sure everyone’s needs are met. Others are anarchists who don’t believe we should be relying on hierarchical government fixes in the first place. Most are simply people who are looking around, seeing a tragedy unfolding before them, and yearning to help their fellow human beings in any way they can.
The coronavirus mutual aid groups, explained
The number of mutual aid groups has grown rapidly; some states and even some cities have several of them.
Washington, DC, for example, now has more than a dozen groups divided by neighborhood, each containing the names of dozens of people and how they can help (“Whatever it takes!” some say).
One group started up when Alli McGill, the director of care at The Table Church, tweeted on March 12, “If you are in DC and are in the at-risk￼ demographic and need errands run so you can limit exposure — will you email me?” A few days and a thousand retweets later, her message yielded a far greater response than she’d anticipated.
“Instead of getting people who need things, I got people who want to help. I got 2,500 people,” she said. “It’s actually quite beautiful. There’s some real community-driven altruism springing up in response to this crisis.”
So far, her group has delivered groceries and medications to several dozen individuals in the DC area. Volunteers often pay for the supplies at the store and then get reimbursed by the individuals, if they can afford it. If they can’t, then a church fund pays for it.
The group also offers other kinds of help, from dog-walking to spiritual support. They make wellness phone calls to check on people’s physical and mental health, or “buddy up” for regular video chats to alleviate loneliness. Volunteers are busy papering the outdoors with flyers and distributing disinfected cards to neighbors to make sure everyone knows these free services are available.
The challenges of offering mutual aid during a pandemic
Thinking about how we can help our broader community, rather than just focusing on individual risk, is definitely the right spirit to adopt. That said, we can’t let altruism overtake evidence-based precautions. Volunteers eager to help vulnerable people might be carrying the virus even if they don’t have any symptoms, so they need to remember to listen to public health experts’ guidelines.
“I think it’s a good and even an essential service, as vulnerable individuals need basic supplies and they should be protected from exposure as much as possible,” said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University. “However, there is still a risk of asymptomatic or presymptomatic transmission that is hard to quantify.”
Rasmussen said that both those delivering and those receiving supplies should be vigilant about washing their hands and maintaining physical distance. Volunteers should disinfect supplies before delivering them, and leave them on the doorstep rather than interacting directly with the recipients or going inside.
Mutual aid group organizers generally seem to be aware of the recommended precautions. The Table Church’s group sends out the following reminder to all volunteers who sign up to make deliveries:
It is crucial to remember that when we’re fulfilling these volunteer requests we MUST USE RIGOROUS HYGIENE PROTOCOLS. Please bring and generously use hand sanitizer, or gloves if you have them. Wash your hands regularly. Do not volunteer if you’re feeling ill. If you are picking up/delivering groceries or supplies please wipe down the bag with some sort of disinfectant like Lysol or Clorox.
“You cannot eliminate risk, but you can reduce it,” McGill said in a phone interview as she drove to a senior citizen’s house to deliver food. She added that she believes grassroots organizing is a necessity right now.
“I don’t think the local government can handle running groceries to all the people at risk,” she said. “I’m compelled by my faith to serve — to try to be the hands and feet of Jesus.”
In addition to the challenge of ensuring everyone’s safety, there’s the challenge of figuring out how to do mutual aid without reinventing the wheel. When is it more effective to look to the organizers and organizations who’ve been doing similar work in a local community long before the coronavirus came knocking?
McGill, who sends out an email with volunteer opportunities each night, has been increasingly directing volunteers to partner with established groups like the Capital Food Bank and the Department of Aging and Community Living. At this point, she said, 75 percent of her group’s volunteer efforts are working with preexisting organizations in a complementary way.
But mutual aid groups can also offer other services that such organizations may not offer. “It isn’t just sharing material things,” Milstein said. “People are sharing wisdom about how to make your own mask or how to use 3D printers to make respirators.” Some are offering to connect those who need spiritual support with those who can offer it. “It’s existential and emotional, too.”
While a traditional charity and a mutual aid group might in some cases be doing the same physical activity — say, getting food to people who need it — what distinguishes them is the framing philosophy. A traditional charity pays staff members to give support to recipients; there’s a giver and a receiver. But mutual aid is an entirely voluntary exchange among equals, and it’s careful to avoid setting up a paternalistic or hierarchical relationship between them. There isn’t a giver and a receiver, because the assumption is that every single person has something to give others.
“It’s not about ‘I’m the savior and you’re the poor person who needs help.’ It’s about how we can reciprocally help each other without profit,” Milstein said.
The ways people help each other might not be equal in kind — it’s not like each person is giving the other the same resource in the same amount — but the idea is that that’s okay because we all contribute in different ways.
In this model, the older or immunocompromised person who stays home is contributing to our community-wide effort to stop the virus. Epidemiologically, that’s totally accurate, because they’re reducing the risk that they’ll end up needing hospitalization and possibly intensive care. That frees up beds for people who do get very sick to receive the treatment they’ll need in a hospital.
During the pandemic, anything we can do to ensure the health care system doesn’t become overloaded is an act of altruism — and that includes staying home and asking others for help.
Mutual aid has a long and fascinating history
In a very basic sense, mutual aid is something we’ve been doing for millennia. The desire to help one another directly and reciprocally is a basic human impulse.
But one approach to mutual aid comes out of a specific intellectual tradition, which predates the age of Google Docs and shareable spreadsheets.
In 1902, the Russian anarcho-communist philosopher Peter Kropotkin published an essay collection titled Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution. He and his book are explicitly mentioned in some of the coronavirus mutual aid spreadsheets.
In contrast to Charles Darwin, whose then-ascendant evolutionary theory emphasized competition — think “natural selection” and “survival of the fittest” — Kropotkin argued that survival is based on solidarity, or as he put it, “the close dependency of everyone’s happiness upon the happiness of all.”
When he looked at nature, he noticed profound cooperation between and among species, and argued that these conditions are what enable us to thrive. His book offers examples both from natural ecosystems and from human social life.
“In his time period, they were building the railroad, and he talked about how it makes no sense for everybody to go off and compete to build their own little track — they wouldn’t connect up!” Milstein explained. “But when we cooperate, we can all move around.”
Kropotkin’s vision led him to issue a clear prescription: “Practicing mutual aid is the surest means for giving each other and to all the greatest safety, the best guarantee of existence.”
This prescription has long shaped activism among anarchists, said Milstein, the author of Anarchism and Its Aspirations. It’s also been a mainstay in communities that have often felt abandoned or marginalized by state institutions.
For example, the Black Panthers had a mutual aid program, including a free breakfast program meant to bolster the health of undernourished black youth. The LGBTQ community and the disability community, likewise, know what it’s like to have to rely on themselves for resources — and thus are well-practiced at organizing mutual aid.
“These are the groups we should be looking to now,” Milstein said, “because they actually have decades or hundreds of years of experience of having to rely on mutual aid to take care of each other.”
Of course, this isn’t to say that all, or even many, of the groups that have formed to combat coronavirus are driven by Kropotkin’s philosophy or its intellectual lineage. (Most people signing up have probably never heard of Kropotkin.) Some people have gotten involved through their faith or church; others because of their political or ideological commitments.
At bottom, it may not even matter much. Many people just want to help, and these groups have been a great vehicle for the pandemic-induced upsurge of altruism.
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