huffpost--2020-06-10--America Forced Me To Have 'The Talk' With My Black Child Before I Was Ready

Photo Courtesy Of Shanida Carter `` I am raising my children in a world that may write them off by color before they even open their mouths .
Or worse , '' the author writes .
My daughter was playing the popular online game Roblox this past weekend while 12,000 demonstrators peacefully marched in our home city of Newark , New Jersey .
Her competitors are friends she knows in real life whose accounts we ’ ve vetted .
One player posted “ Black Lives Matter ” in the chat feature during the game , which started a discussion that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids agreed .
Others wrote that they didn ’ t care .
It was time for the talk .
I planned to have discussions with my children at some point about what it means to live as citizens of color in America and how to respond when various threats arise .
I just didn ’ t anticipate having the talk at that moment , especially when I ’ d just had to have a separate discussion about the coronavirus and why we haven ’ t visited grandma in more than two months .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk with my children .
Like many parents , I went to the internet for strategies on how to engage and educate them .
Based on what I found and what I was comfortable with , my husband and I decided that the best approach would incorporate a non-hostile message of honesty , love and grace .
In addition , we recognized that we needed to identify support resources ( such as counseling or therapy ) should our children need them .
My daughter ’ s school , led by a Latina principal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The school canceled homework and all other virtual activities to give families a Mental Wellness Day on June 1 .
Her class has been reading the autobiography of Ruby Bridges for the past few weeks , so that was a perfect and heartbreaking starting point .
The events that happened when Ruby Bridges integrated a white school in New Orleans are still happening right now .
Today , Ruby Bridges is 65 years old .
I explained that Black people in America and around the world have been treated unfairly for centuries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel angry and tired .
We just want to be treated as what we are .
Humans .
That ’ s why many people are in the streets with signs .
That ’ s why we have to speak up and demand civil rights .
Instead of listening and trying to understand , some people who are not Black and many people in power are dismissing and trying to suppress what we have to say .
Nickelodeon also helped with our intimate talk .
That same day , the children ’ s cable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Kids ’ Rights on screen .
When my daughter asked why the disruption was for 8 minutes and 46 seconds , I took a deep breath and told her the truth in one sentence .
A police officer put his knee on another man ’ s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds until he couldn ’ t breathe anymore .
Her face scrunched with disbelief and disgust .
I asked my daughter what her first thoughts were about police .
She said they were going to arrest her .
When I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know , but that ’ s what they do .
I explained that there are good police and bad police .
The discussion about changes needed in the law enforcement and justice system will come later .
This conversation was just the first of many .
To help us lay the foundation for our discussions , it ’ s important for me to continue planting the seeds of self-worth , self-knowledge and cultural awareness .
Those seeds are watered by reading books that talk about cultural differences and celebrate them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that reinforce self-love , and watching kid-friendly television programs with them , like “ Sesame Street , ” which hosted a town hall on racism for kids on June 6 .
My 5-year-old son is just grasping the concept of addition versus subtraction .
How am I supposed to explain what he should do if he sees someone following us around in a store ?
How do I get him to understand that , no matter how successful he is , there will be people who will feel threatened by him because he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s my priority to protect my children not just physically but mentally .
He ’ s too young to break that fragile wall of innocence .
My little boy laughed and swung so long that he fell asleep on that swing .
As he sat there peacefully napping , I couldn ’ t help but wish that I could keep him in a protective bubble forever , but I can ’ t .
I will have to have a discussion with him and my daughter about what to do if they are ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to know that people may not treat him fairly .
He may not be seen as beautiful , intelligent or equal .
He may even be perceived as a threat without having said or done anything .
And the worst part is that some won ’ t even acknowledge their part in a widespread system that will hold him back from being the amazing human God put him on this Earth to be .
I am raising my children in a world that may write them off by color before they even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twelve-year-old Tamir Rice was fatally shot by a Cleveland police officer while playing in a park with a toy gun in 2014 .
Seven-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones was shot in the head by a Detroit police officer during a raid on the wrong house in 2010 .
Gianna Floyd is missing her father .
During a recent TV interview , her mother said she had told Gianna that Daddy died because he couldn ’ t breathe .
George Floyd ’ s daughter is 6 years old .

"I am raising my children in a world that may write them off by color before they even open their mouths. Or worse," the author writes. Photo Courtesy Of Shanida Carter
Every night, my husband, son, daughter and I join hands in a prayer circle before bedtime. We made this a habit every night since the COVID-19 outbreak placed us in quarantine. Each of us says a prayer out loud.
“Lord, Black Lives Matter. And please keep us safe from police.”
That was the prayer of my 9-year-old daughter, who asked God for protection from those whose primary responsibility is to keep us safe.
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My husband and I wait until the kids go to sleep to watch the news. We have every childproof safeguard in place to monitor what our daughter sees online. How does she know what’s happening?
My daughter was playing the popular online game Roblox this past weekend while 12,000 demonstrators peacefully marched in our home city of Newark, New Jersey. Her competitors are friends she knows in real life whose accounts we’ve vetted. One player posted “Black Lives Matter” in the chat feature during the game, which started a discussion that she showed me right away. Some kids agreed. Others wrote that they didn’t care.
It was time for the talk. I planned to have discussions with my children at some point about what it means to live as citizens of color in America and how to respond when various threats arise. I just didn’t anticipate having the talk at that moment, especially when I’d just had to have a separate discussion about the coronavirus and why we haven’t visited grandma in more than two months.
We’re raising our children to have a strong sense of self and knowledge of their Caribbean, Hispanic and Asian ethnicities. But I didn’t think I would have to broach this subject — how the color of their skin could work against them despite their rich cultural heritage — so soon.
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“I asked my daughter what her first thoughts were about police. She said they were going to arrest her. When I asked why, she said she didn’t know, but that’s what they do.”
But my daughter needed to know why mommy has been getting teary-eyed more than usual lately. I needed to hear what she thinks and how she feels about the little bit of exposure she’s had to what’s happening. Her innocent prayer signaled that it was time.
I found myself ill-equipped for having the talk with my children. Like many parents, I went to the internet for strategies on how to engage and educate them. Based on what I found and what I was comfortable with, my husband and I decided that the best approach would incorporate a non-hostile message of honesty, love and grace. In addition, we recognized that we needed to identify support resources (such as counseling or therapy) should our children need them.
My daughter’s school, led by a Latina principal, set the table for the discussion. The school canceled homework and all other virtual activities to give families a Mental Wellness Day on June 1. Her class has been reading the autobiography of Ruby Bridges for the past few weeks, so that was a perfect and heartbreaking starting point. The events that happened when Ruby Bridges integrated a white school in New Orleans are still happening right now. Today, Ruby Bridges is 65 years old.
I explained that Black people in America and around the world have been treated unfairly for centuries. Many people who look like us feel angry and tired. We just want to be treated as what we are. Humans. That’s why many people are in the streets with signs. That’s why we have to speak up and demand civil rights. Instead of listening and trying to understand, some people who are not Black and many people in power are dismissing and trying to suppress what we have to say.
Advertisement
Nickelodeon also helped with our intimate talk. That same day, the children’s cable station disrupted programming and listed a Declaration of Kids’ Rights on screen. When my daughter asked why the disruption was for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, I took a deep breath and told her the truth in one sentence. A police officer put his knee on another man’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds until he couldn’t breathe anymore. Her face scrunched with disbelief and disgust.
I asked my daughter what her first thoughts were about police. She said they were going to arrest her. When I asked why, she said she didn’t know, but that’s what they do. I explained that there are good police and bad police. The discussion about changes needed in the law enforcement and justice system will come later. This conversation was just the first of many.
To help us lay the foundation for our discussions, it’s important for me to continue planting the seeds of self-worth, self-knowledge and cultural awareness. Those seeds are watered by reading books that talk about cultural differences and celebrate them, giving my children creative outlets like art that reinforce self-love, and watching kid-friendly television programs with them, like “Sesame Street,” which hosted a town hall on racism for kids on June 6.
I will also continue to take my kids into the voting booth with me so they understand the importance of civic engagement and how their vote is one of the most important tools they have to share their voices.
My friends of color are also struggling to bring up the topic of race and the nation’s tense climate with their little ones. How early is too early to bring this ugly truth about America to their innocent minds? How can I make this conversation age-appropriate?
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“My son will need to know that people may not treat him fairly. He may not be seen as beautiful, intelligent or equal. He may even be perceived as a threat without having said or done anything.”
My 5-year-old son is just grasping the concept of addition versus subtraction. How am I supposed to explain what he should do if he sees someone following us around in a store? How do I get him to understand that, no matter how successful he is, there will be people who will feel threatened by him because he is a Black male? It’s my priority to protect my children not just physically but mentally. He’s too young to break that fragile wall of innocence.
I thought about all of this as I watched my 5-year-old take his first swing on the playset my husband and I built in our backyard. Playgrounds remain closed due to COVID-19. We’ve tried to make life as enjoyable for our kids now as it was before quarantine.
My little boy laughed and swung so long that he fell asleep on that swing. As he sat there peacefully napping, I couldn’t help but wish that I could keep him in a protective bubble forever, but I can’t. I will have to have a discussion with him and my daughter about what to do if they are ever confronted by police.
My son will need to know that people may not treat him fairly. He may not be seen as beautiful, intelligent or equal. He may even be perceived as a threat without having said or done anything. And the worst part is that some won’t even acknowledge their part in a widespread system that will hold him back from being the amazing human God put him on this Earth to be.
Advertisement
I am raising my children in a world that may write them off by color before they even open their mouths. Or worse. Twelve-year-old Tamir Rice was fatally shot by a Cleveland police officer while playing in a park with a toy gun in 2014. Seven-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones was shot in the head by a Detroit police officer during a raid on the wrong house in 2010. Gianna Floyd is missing her father. During a recent TV interview, her mother said she had told Gianna that Daddy died because he couldn’t breathe. George Floyd’s daughter is 6 years old.
The night following our talk, my daughter thanked God for her life, her family, her friends of all colors and her right to be heard.
Amen.


huffpost--2020-06-10--Widespread Face Mask Use Could Help Prevent A Second Wave Of Coronavirus, Study Finds

LONDON ( Reuters ) - Population-wide facemask use could push COVID-19 transmission down to controllable levels for national epidemics and could prevent further waves of the pandemic disease when combined with lockdowns , according to a UK study published Wednesday .
The research , led by scientists at Britain ’ s Cambridge and Greenwich Universities , suggests lockdowns alone will not stop the resurgence of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus , but that even homemade masks can dramatically reduce transmission rates if enough people wear them in public .
“ Our analyses support the immediate and universal adoption of facemasks by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who co-led the study at Cambridge .
U.S. military personnel wear face masks at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City .
He said the findings showed that if widespread mask use were combined with social distancing and some lockdown measures , this could be “ an acceptable way of managing the pandemic and re-opening economic activity ” long before the development and public availability of an effective vaccine against COVID-19 , the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus .
The study ’ s findings were published in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” scientific journal .
The World Health Organization updated its guidance on Friday to recommend that governments ask everyone to wear fabric face masks in public areas where there is a risk to reduce the spread of the disease .
In this study , researchers linked the dynamics of spread between people with population-level models to assess the effect on the disease ’ s reproduction rate , or R value , of different scenarios of mask adoption combined with periods of lockdown .
The R value measures the average number of people that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to .
An R value above 1 can lead to exponential growth .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
LONDON (Reuters) - Population-wide facemask use could push COVID-19 transmission down to controllable levels for national epidemics and could prevent further waves of the pandemic disease when combined with lockdowns, according to a UK study published Wednesday.
The research, led by scientists at Britain’s Cambridge and Greenwich Universities, suggests lockdowns alone will not stop the resurgence of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, but that even homemade masks can dramatically reduce transmission rates if enough people wear them in public.
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“Our analyses support the immediate and universal adoption of facemasks by the public,” said Richard Stutt, who co-led the study at Cambridge.
U.S. military personnel wear face masks at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. Eduardo Munoz / Reuters
He said the findings showed that if widespread mask use were combined with social distancing and some lockdown measures, this could be “an acceptable way of managing the pandemic and re-opening economic activity” long before the development and public availability of an effective vaccine against COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus.
The study’s findings were published in the “Proceedings of the Royal Society A” scientific journal.
The World Health Organization updated its guidance on Friday to recommend that governments ask everyone to wear fabric face masks in public areas where there is a risk to reduce the spread of the disease.
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In this study, researchers linked the dynamics of spread between people with population-level models to assess the effect on the disease’s reproduction rate, or R value, of different scenarios of mask adoption combined with periods of lockdown.


huffpost--2020-06-10--Coronavirus Live Updates: Read The Latest About The COVID-19 Outbreak

The British economy shrank by an “ unprecedented ” 20.4 % in April , the first full month of the coronavirus lockdown .
The new figures mark the largest monthly contraction since records began in 1997 and massively outstrips the then-record 5.8 % drop in March gross domestic product ( GDP ) reported last month .
It means that GDP fell by 10.4 % in the three months to April and sets the U.K. on course for one of its worst quarters in history .
May ’ s GDP figures are also likely to be awful , before things start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy slowly reopens .
Large parts of the British economy were placed on ice on March 23 when Prime Minister Boris Johnson told people they must stay inside and only leave the house when absolutely necessary .
The official U.K. death toll is 41,279 , second only to the United States .
Arizona Cases Jump 200 % In The Last 2 Weeks — 6/22/20 , 5:20 p.m .
ET Arizona , one of the earliest states to begin reopening its economy , has seen a 200 % jump in coronavirus infections in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collected by NPR .
New positive cases , hospitalizations and deaths are all on the rise in Arizona after the state eased major shelter-in-place orders in mid-May , allowing gyms , spas , movie theaters , restaurants and bars to reopen without releasing strict guidelines on how people should maintain their safety .
NPR ’ s analysis found that the state is currently averaging more than 1,000 new cases per day .
“ We weren ’ t ready to reopen , ” Dr. Matthew Heinz , an internist at Tucson Medical Center , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We hadn ’ t met the criteria set down by the WHO or the CDC to even begin to look at reopening the state , but political leadership pushed us in that direction.
” Arizona is one of 14 states where cases are rising .
The U.S. has reported more than 2 million confirmed coronavirus cases , according to Johns Hopkins University data Thursday .
The grim milestone comes as states continue to reopen , despite rising infection rates .
More than 112,000 people have died in the U.S. President Trump , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , has used the opportunity of widespread protests against racism and police brutality as an opportunity to argue for holding rallies again .
On Wednesday , his campaign said the first rally since early March would be held in Tulsa on June 19 , with plans to visit Florida , North Carolina , Arizona and Texas .
Coachella , Stagecoach Music Festivals Canceled Over Coronavirus Concerns — 6/11/20 , 2:25 a.m .
ET The Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals were officially canceled on Wednesday .
Organizers had initially re-scheduled the events from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreading around the U.S. Dr. Cameron Kaiser , a public health officer in Riverside County , California , said the popular festivals wouldn ’ t be able to take place until 2021 at the earliest amid concerns cases of COVID-19 could rebound in the fall .
“ Given the projected circumstances and potential , I would not be comfortable moving forward , ” Kaiser said , per The Associated Press .
The 2020 Coachella festival , which takes place over two weekends and attracts up to 125,000 fans with its sister event , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Against the Machine , Travis Scott and Frank Ocean , among others .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) said music festivals and live sports will be the last in line to reopen under the state ’ s coronavirus guidelines .
They will not be able to resume until there is an effective treatment for the disease .
Disneyland Plans To Reopen Next Month ― 6/10/2020 , 7 p.m .
ET Disney plans to reopen its Southern California theme parks ― Disneyland and Disney California Adventure ― on July 17 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The reopening , which is pending government approval , will come with some new rules until further notice : a lower park capacity , reservations to enter , no parades and no character meet-and-greets .
The proposed reopening day falls on the 65th anniversary of the day Disneyland first opened its doors in 1955 .
Hospitalizations On The Rise In Several States Since Memorial Day : Report — 6/10/2020 , 8:35 a.m .
ET COVID-19 hospitalizations have been on the rise in at least nine states — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina , California , Oregon , Arkansas , Mississippi , Utah and Arizona — since Memorial Day weekend , The Washington Post reported Tuesday .
The data suggests that the rise in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in these states is occurring for reasons beyond an increase in testing , according to the Post .
Texas , one of the first states to ease its stay-at-home order , has reportedly seen a 36 % increase in new cases since Memorial Day on May 25 .
As of Tuesday , the state has recorded two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Post reported .
Health experts have warned that mass gatherings , such as the anti-lockdown protests that began in mid-April and the anti-racism protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd on Memorial Day , could lead to new outbreaks of the virus .
They ’ ve encouraged attendees to wear masks and socially distance as much as possible during these demonstrations .
The United States has recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world with nearly 2 million as of Wednesday , according to data compiled by Johns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths have been reported nationwide .
Brazil Court Orders Government To Publish Virus Data — 6/10/2020 , 6:30 a.m .
ET The Brazilian Supreme Court has ordered the government to resume publishing full data on the coronavirus pandemic in the country , the Associated Press reported .
The health ministry of President Jair Bolsonaro had stopped publishing the total numbers of deaths and confirmed cases on Friday , leading to widespread allegations that the government is trying to hide the severity of the pandemic .
According to Johns Hopkins data , Brazil has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 38,000 deaths .
But a health ministry official said Monday there would be changes to the methodology for tallying the daily death toll .
Fauci : ‘ Worst Nightmare ’ Coronavirus Pandemic Far From Over — 6/10/2020 , 5:40 a.m .
ET Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , said that the coronavirus pandemic is his “ worst nightmare ” come to life , there ’ s a lot that ’ s still unknown about it , and it ’ s far from over .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to end ?
We ’ re still at the beginning of really understanding , ” Fauci told a biotechnology conference on Tuesday .
But he said he was hopeful that “ multiple ” vaccines would be created .
He praised the pharmaceutical industry for its rapid response to the crisis .
Texas Sees 36 % Increase In COVID-19 Hospitalizations Since Memorial Day — 6/9/2020 , 7:45 p.m .
ET The Texas Department of State Health Services reported 2,056 hospitalizations due to COVID-19 on Tuesday — a 36 % increase since Memorial Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This was the highest number of hospitalizations reported in the state since cases were first confirmed there in March .
Texas was one of the earliest to begin gradually reopening businesses and other activities in early May , despite not meeting public health recommendations that there first be 14 days of declining coronavirus cases .
Last week , the state moved into Phase 3 of its reopening plan , allowing almost all businesses to operate , albeit at about 50 % capacity .
U.S. Navy Test Shows 60 % Of Carrier Crew Have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
ET A U.S. Navy investigation has found that 60 % of the crew of the Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier have coronavirus antibodies , suggesting a far higher infection rate than roughly 25 % infection rate reported as of April , according to Reuters .
The ship was a focus of attention after a leaked letter from the captain asking for stronger protective measures for his crew led to him being relieved of his command .
Canada Extends U.S. Border Restrictions , Lifts Some Travel Restrictions For Immediate Family Members — 6/8/20 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will now allow anyone with immediate family members in Canada to enter the country if they do not have COVID-19 or show symptoms , provided they self-quarantine for 14 days upon arriving .
The loosening restrictions go into effect at midnight Eastern time tonight , the government said , “ to keep families together and support unity while respecting the need for continued vigilance and border measures at this time.
“ The U.S.-Canada border , which has been closed to discretionary travel since March 21 and limited to essential purposes like deliveries of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restricted through at least June 21 .
Read more on the revised conditions here .
For more on the pandemic , go here .

The British economy shrank by an “unprecedented” 20.4% in April, the first full month of the coronavirus lockdown.
The new figures mark the largest monthly contraction since records began in 1997 and massively outstrips the then-record 5.8% drop in March gross domestic product (GDP) reported last month.
It means that GDP fell by 10.4% in the three months to April and sets the U.K. on course for one of its worst quarters in history.
May’s GDP figures are also likely to be awful, before things start to ease again in June as the economy slowly reopens. Large parts of the British economy were placed on ice on March 23 when Prime Minister Boris Johnson told people they must stay inside and only leave the house when absolutely necessary.
The official U.K. death toll is 41,279, second only to the United States.
Read more
— Chris York
Arizona Cases Jump 200% In The Last 2 Weeks — 6/22/20, 5:20 p.m. ET
Arizona, one of the earliest states to begin reopening its economy, has seen a 200% jump in coronavirus infections in the last two weeks, according to data collected by NPR.
New positive cases, hospitalizations and deaths are all on the rise in Arizona after the state eased major shelter-in-place orders in mid-May, allowing gyms, spas, movie theaters, restaurants and bars to reopen without releasing strict guidelines on how people should maintain their safety.
NPR’s analysis found that the state is currently averaging more than 1,000 new cases per day.
“We weren’t ready to reopen,” Dr. Matthew Heinz, an internist at Tucson Medical Center, told ABC News on Thursday. “We hadn’t met the criteria set down by the WHO or the CDC to even begin to look at reopening the state, but political leadership pushed us in that direction.”
Arizona is one of 14 states where cases are rising.
—Lydia O’Connor
U.S. Passes 2 Million Coronavirus Cases — 6/11/20, 6 a.m.
The U.S. has reported more than 2 million confirmed coronavirus cases, according to Johns Hopkins University data Thursday.
The grim milestone comes as states continue to reopen, despite rising infection rates. More than 112,000 people have died in the U.S.
President Trump, who has long downplayed the seriousness of the pandemic, has used the opportunity of widespread protests against racism and police brutality as an opportunity to argue for holding rallies again. On Wednesday, his campaign said the first rally since early March would be held in Tulsa on June 19, with plans to visit Florida, North Carolina, Arizona and Texas.
— Liza Hearon
Coachella, Stagecoach Music Festivals Canceled Over Coronavirus Concerns — 6/11/20, 2:25 a.m. ET
The Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals were officially canceled on Wednesday. Organizers had initially re-scheduled the events from April to October when the coronavirus began spreading around the U.S.
Dr. Cameron Kaiser, a public health officer in Riverside County, California, said the popular festivals wouldn’t be able to take place until 2021 at the earliest amid concerns cases of COVID-19 could rebound in the fall.
“Given the projected circumstances and potential, I would not be comfortable moving forward,” Kaiser said, per The Associated Press.
The 2020 Coachella festival, which takes place over two weekends and attracts up to 125,000 fans with its sister event, Stagecoach, was set to feature Rage Against the Machine, Travis Scott and Frank Ocean, among others.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said music festivals and live sports will be the last in line to reopen under the state’s coronavirus guidelines. They will not be able to resume until there is an effective treatment for the disease.
— Nick Visser
Disneyland Plans To Reopen Next Month ― 6/10/2020, 7 p.m. ET
Disney plans to reopen its Southern California theme parks ― Disneyland and Disney California Adventure ― on July 17, more than four months after they closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The reopening, which is pending government approval, will come with some new rules until further notice: a lower park capacity, reservations to enter, no parades and no character meet-and-greets.
The proposed reopening day falls on the 65th anniversary of the day Disneyland first opened its doors in 1955.
― Lydia O’Connor
Hospitalizations On The Rise In Several States Since Memorial Day: Report — 6/10/2020, 8:35 a.m. ET
COVID-19 hospitalizations have been on the rise in at least nine states — including Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, California, Oregon, Arkansas, Mississippi, Utah and Arizona — since Memorial Day weekend, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.
The data suggests that the rise in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in these states is occurring for reasons beyond an increase in testing, according to the Post.
Texas, one of the first states to ease its stay-at-home order, has reportedly seen a 36% increase in new cases since Memorial Day on May 25. As of Tuesday, the state has recorded two consecutive days of record-breaking coronavirus hospitalizations, the Post reported.
Health experts have warned that mass gatherings, such as the anti-lockdown protests that began in mid-April and the anti-racism protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd on Memorial Day, could lead to new outbreaks of the virus. They’ve encouraged attendees to wear masks and socially distance as much as possible during these demonstrations.
The United States has recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world with nearly 2 million as of Wednesday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. More than 112,000 coronavirus-linked deaths have been reported nationwide.
— Hayley Miller
Brazil Court Orders Government To Publish Virus Data — 6/10/2020, 6:30 a.m. ET
The Brazilian Supreme Court has ordered the government to resume publishing full data on the coronavirus pandemic in the country, the Associated Press reported. The health ministry of President Jair Bolsonaro had stopped publishing the total numbers of deaths and confirmed cases on Friday, leading to widespread allegations that the government is trying to hide the severity of the pandemic.
According to Johns Hopkins data, Brazil has had over 739,000 confirmed cases and more than 38,000 deaths. But a health ministry official said Monday there would be changes to the methodology for tallying the daily death toll.
— Liza Hearon
Fauci: ‘Worst Nightmare’ Coronavirus Pandemic Far From Over — 6/10/2020, 5:40 a.m. ET
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said that the coronavirus pandemic is his “worst nightmare” come to life, there’s a lot that’s still unknown about it, and it’s far from over.
“Oh my goodness. Where is it going to end? We’re still at the beginning of really understanding,” Fauci told a biotechnology conference on Tuesday.
But he said he was hopeful that “multiple” vaccines would be created. He praised the pharmaceutical industry for its rapid response to the crisis.
— Liza Hearon
Texas Sees 36% Increase In COVID-19 Hospitalizations Since Memorial Day — 6/9/2020, 7:45 p.m. ET
The Texas Department of State Health Services reported 2,056 hospitalizations due to COVID-19 on Tuesday — a 36% increase since Memorial Day, according to the Houston Chronicle. This was the highest number of hospitalizations reported in the state since cases were first confirmed there in March.
Texas was one of the earliest to begin gradually reopening businesses and other activities in early May, despite not meeting public health recommendations that there first be 14 days of declining coronavirus cases.
Last week, the state moved into Phase 3 of its reopening plan, allowing almost all businesses to operate, albeit at about 50% capacity.
— Sarah Ruiz-Grossman
U.S. Navy Test Shows 60% Of Carrier Crew Have Coronavirus Antibodies — 6/9/2020, 5:30 a.m. ET
A U.S. Navy investigation has found that 60% of the crew of the Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier have coronavirus antibodies, suggesting a far higher infection rate than roughly 25% infection rate reported as of April, according to Reuters.
The ship was a focus of attention after a leaked letter from the captain asking for stronger protective measures for his crew led to him being relieved of his command.
— Liza Hearon
Canada Extends U.S. Border Restrictions, Lifts Some Travel Restrictions For Immediate Family Members — 6/8/20, 1:30 p.m. ET
The Canadian government will now allow anyone with immediate family members in Canada to enter the country if they do not have COVID-19 or show symptoms, provided they self-quarantine for 14 days upon arriving.
The loosening restrictions go into effect at midnight Eastern time tonight, the government said, “to keep families together and support unity while respecting the need for continued vigilance and border measures at this time.“The U.S.-Canada border, which has been closed to discretionary travel since March 21 and limited to essential purposes like deliveries of food and medical supplies, will remain restricted through at least June 21.
Read more on the revised conditions here.
— Marina Fang
For more on the pandemic, go here.


huffpost--2020-05-14--32 Too-Real Tweets About Quarantine Fitness

Everyone keeps saying it is very important to keep up with your routines during this quarantine , so I want @ @ @ @ @ , at this time , I will continue to not work out just like before @

Everyone keeps saying it is very important to keep up with your routines during this quarantine, so I want to let you know that, at this time, I will continue to not work out just like before.


huffpost--2020-05-13--Trump Called This Election ‘Rigged.’ Data Indicates Otherwise.

But without the additional vote center , residents of the ethnically diverse California city of Lancaster would have had to travel , on average , roughly twice as far as voters elsewhere in the district , according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of in-person vote center locations and voter file data provided by L2 , a national nonpartisan data provider .
California ’ s 25th District congressional election is being conducted primarily by mail , but state law requires in-person voting options .
Adding the vote center , which Los Angeles County election officials announced on Friday at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor , reduced the travel distance for Lancaster voters closer to that of voters living elsewhere in the district , the Public Integrity analysis found .
The spat over a single in-person voting center in a special election being conducted primarily by mail anyway is a small window into a larger war over voting that ’ s raging ahead of the November general election .
Republicans and Democrats are vying to shape how people cast their ballots while exchanging explosive charges of voter fraud , election tampering and disenfranchisement of minority voters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing was going to blow up the way it did , ” said Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris in an interview Tuesday , adding that he had spoken off the cuff when requesting the vote center after being told by a reporter that the neighboring city of Palmdale had them — and Lancaster did not .
Afterward , Parris explained , Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan called him and offered to add a vote center in Lancaster , a city of about 160,000 , a chunk of which falls in the 25th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party , said Democrats had also separately advocated for an additional vote center in Lancaster , where , he pointed out , many voters are people of color .
Prior to the addition of a vote center at the National Soccer Center , the nearest in-person location for most residents in Lancaster was the Pampered Pooch Pet Hotel or the Palmdale Elk ’ s Lodge — both in the neighboring city of Palmdale .
“ Our argument was not that we are expecting people to run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ But we did want to make sure that people had their voting center accessible to them.
” Parris , a lawyer who has worked on Voting Rights Act cases in California , said the incident has him thinking about how decisions such as the location of vote centers could be used to influence the outcome of an election .
He said Republicans objecting have a legitimate point , even though he stressed he expects few voters to cast ballots in person .
Election officials need to carefully consider how such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Election officials sent every registered voter a mail-in ballot and expected most voters participating in the election to use them rather than vote in person .
About one voter out of every three has returned a mail ballot , ballot tracking data shows .
Under California law , election officials are required to offer safe , in-person voting options for those who need or choose them , such as voters with disabilities , those who need language help , or those taking advantage of same-day registration .
The congressional district includes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of Ventura County .
In Los Angeles County , officials had planned to offer in-person voting at nine vote centers available to any voter in the county .
The southern portion of Lancaster is in the district .
Our analysis used locations of vote centers from Los Angeles and Ventura ( the two counties that constitute California ’ s 25th Congressional District ) and voter-file data from L2 Political , a non-partisan data vendor .
The ethnicity estimates used in this analysis are based on modeled data provided by L2 .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we calculated the distance ( “ as the crow flies ” ) to their closest vote-center before and after the addition of the vote-center at Lancaster National Soccer Center .

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This story is from the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative media organization in Washington, D.C.
President Donald Trump fumed that a California special congressional election is a “Rigged Election!” because local officials opened an additional polling center to better accommodate voters who do not — or cannot — vote by mail.
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Their “votes must not count,” Trump tweeted.
But without the additional vote center, residents of the ethnically diverse California city of Lancaster would have had to travel, on average, roughly twice as far as voters elsewhere in the district, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of in-person vote center locations and voter file data provided by L2, a national nonpartisan data provider.
California’s 25th District congressional election is being conducted primarily by mail, but state law requires in-person voting options. Adding the vote center, which Los Angeles County election officials announced on Friday at the behest of Lancaster’s Republican mayor, reduced the travel distance for Lancaster voters closer to that of voters living elsewhere in the district, the Public Integrity analysis found.
The spat over a single in-person voting center in a special election being conducted primarily by mail anyway is a small window into a larger war over voting that’s raging ahead of the November general election. Republicans and Democrats are vying to shape how people cast their ballots while exchanging explosive charges of voter fraud, election tampering and disenfranchisement of minority voters.
“I didn’t know this thing was going to blow up the way it did,” said Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris in an interview Tuesday, adding that he had spoken off the cuff when requesting the vote center after being told by a reporter that the neighboring city of Palmdale had them — and Lancaster did not.
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“I just kneejerked it,” Parris said.
Afterward, Parris explained, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan called him and offered to add a vote center in Lancaster, a city of about 160,000, a chunk of which falls in the 25th District. Drexel Heard II, executive director of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, said Democrats had also separately advocated for an additional vote center in Lancaster, where, he pointed out, many voters are people of color.
Both Heard and Parris said they were initially unaware of the other’s request.
Prior to the addition of a vote center at the National Soccer Center, the nearest in-person location for most residents in Lancaster was the Pampered Pooch Pet Hotel or the Palmdale Elk’s Lodge — both in the neighboring city of Palmdale.
“Our argument was not that we are expecting people to run to the voting centers,” Heard said. “But we did want to make sure that people had their voting center accessible to them.”
Parris, a lawyer who has worked on Voting Rights Act cases in California, said the incident has him thinking about how decisions such as the location of vote centers could be used to influence the outcome of an election. He said Republicans objecting have a legitimate point, even though he stressed he expects few voters to cast ballots in person. Election officials need to carefully consider how such decisions are made before November, he said.
“We seem to be becoming a society that sees a conspiracy around every corner, and that’s really not what happened here,” Parris said.
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Public Integrity’s analysis estimates the Lancaster vote center will be the closest vote center for roughly 40 percent of African-American voters in the congressional district.
Election officials sent every registered voter a mail-in ballot and expected most voters participating in the election to use them rather than vote in person. About one voter out of every three has returned a mail ballot, ballot tracking data shows.
Under California law, election officials are required to offer safe, in-person voting options for those who need or choose them, such as voters with disabilities, those who need language help, or those taking advantage of same-day registration.
The congressional district includes parts of northern Los Angeles County and part of Ventura County. In Los Angeles County, officials had planned to offer in-person voting at nine vote centers available to any voter in the county. The southern portion of Lancaster is in the district.
Two candidates, Democratic state assemblywoman Christy Smith and Republican businessman Mike Garcia, are seeking to replace former Rep. Katie Hill, a Democrat who resigned last fall, leaving the seat vacant.
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Partial results Wednesday morning showed Garcia with a lead. The two will face off again in November, seeking election for a full term. Both have weighed in on Twitter about the vote center fracas.
In response to a request for comment, Michael Sanchez, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder’s office, said his office could not confirm the Public Integrity analysis.
But given social distancing orders related to the pandemic, he said his office had looked for locations with large exterior lots that could safely serve as vote centers.
“We geographically placed vote centers throughout Congressional District 25 that could accommodate the largest eligible voting population,” Sanchez said in an email, also noting that the district covers a large geographic area.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has limited a lot of activity and options, but we have demonstrated that we can provide safe and secure in-person voting options for those who need or choose them,” he said.
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METHODOLOGY


huffpost--2020-05-27--Playwright And AIDS Activist Larry Kramer Dies

Kramer died of pneumonia , Webster said .
Kramer , who was HIV positive , was best known for writing the 1985 play “ The Normal Heart , ” and for founding the Gay Men ’ s Health Crisis and ACT UP , organizations at the forefront of activism during the AIDS crisis .
ACT UP also confirmed Kramer ’ s death in a tweet Wednesday .
Rest in power to our fighter Larry Kramer .
Your rage helped inspire a movement .
We will keep honoring your name and spirit with action .
In the spirit of ACT UP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three times ) .
# ACTUPFightbackENDAIDS # ACTUPFightbackENDAIDS # ACTUPFightbackENDAIDS pic.twitter.com/4fAqeO6STW — ACT UP NY ( @ actupny ) May 27 , 2020 Throughout the 1980s , Kramer drew attention to the urgency of the AIDS epidemic by organizing large , dramatic and provocative protests in New York City .
He was highly critical of government officials for not taking the crisis seriously as a public health emergency and for not working quickly enough to find treatments .
Among those drawing his ire was infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci , who was heading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fight the disease at the time .
In the 1980s , Kramer wrote an open letter accusing Fauci of murder and calling him “ an incompetent idiot.
” In later decades , the two became friends , and Fauci has credited Kramer with not only changing the course of the AIDS crisis but also transforming the field of medicine .
“ In American medicine , there are two eras , ’ ’ Fauci told The New Yorker in 2002 .
“ Before Larry and after Larry.
’ ’ “ ACT UP put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients .
And that is the way it ought to be , ” Fauci said .
“ We are friends again , ” Kramer told The New York Times in March , as Fauci became the face of the federal government ’ s response to the current COVID-19 pandemic .
“ I ’ m feeling sorry for how he ’ s being treated .
I emailed him this , but his one line answer was , ‘ Hunker down.
’ ” Kramer was also a novelist and screenwriter , receiving an Oscar nomination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Love , ” his adaptation of a D.H. Lawrence novel , which he also produced .
We mourn the loss of our co-founder & hero Larry Kramer .
He was an extraordinary activist & inspiration to us all .
He saved the lives of thousands of ppl affected by HIV/AIDS .
He was a revolutionary who challenged the status quo .
His legacy will live on .
https : //t.co/Rm15HFxP5I pic.twitter.com/URbOrmv7hx — GMHC ( @ GMHC ) May 27 , 2020 “ The Normal Heart , ” which was loosely based on his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beginning of the crisis , had a celebrated run at New York City ’ s Public Theater in 1985 .
A 2011 Broadway revival won three Tony awards , and in 2014 , Ryan Murphy adapted it into an Emmy-winning HBO film , starring Mark Ruffalo and Julia Roberts .
Kramer was neighbors with Edie Windsor , whose 2013 Supreme Court case helped pave the way for the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015 .
At the time of his death , he was working on a play connecting the AIDS crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The New York Times .
“ It ’ s about gay people having to live through three plagues , ” he said , referring to HIV/AIDS , COVID-19 and the decline of the human body .
“ The government has been awful in both cases ...
They were terrible with AIDS and they ’ re terrible with this thing .
One wonders what will become of us.
” ACT UP announced it will hold a memorial service and demonstration Thursday night at New York City ’ s AIDS Memorial , with measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing — to avoid the spread of COVID-19 .
The event will also be livestreamed on the group ’ s social media pages , where attendees can post photos and messages to thank Kramer .
“ The AIDS plague is not over .
And neither is ACT UP .
In memory of Larry Kramer , we will continue to demonstrate , lobby , protest , and fight the forces that allow this plague to flourish , ” the group said .
“ We will stand up to the homophobia , racism , misogyny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We will move forward with anger and purpose in memory of our beloved comrade .
”

“It’s about gay people having to live through three plagues,” he said, referring to HIV/AIDS, COVID-19 and the decline of the human body. “The government has been awful in both cases ... They were terrible with AIDS and they’re terrible with this thing. One wonders what will become of us.”
ACT UP announced it will hold a memorial service and demonstration Thursday night at New York City’s AIDS Memorial, with measures in place — such mask-wearing and social distancing — to avoid the spread of COVID-19. The event will also be livestreamed on the group’s social media pages, where attendees can post photos and messages to thank Kramer.
“The AIDS plague is not over. And neither is ACT UP. In memory of Larry Kramer, we will continue to demonstrate, lobby, protest, and fight the forces that allow this plague to flourish,” the group said. “We will stand up to the homophobia, racism, misogyny and transphobia that still aggravate this pandemic. We will move forward with anger and purpose in memory of our beloved comrade.”


huffpost--2020-05-26--Experts Predict How Coronavirus May Change Hotel Stays

“ Travelers want to feel safe , period , ” Melanie Lieberman , senior travel editor at The Points Guy , told HuffPost .
“ Hotels will have to consider every amenity and service and determine what they can do to give travelers additional peace of mind .
And though many of these changes may be temporary , some may be permanent.
” The increased emphasis on cleanliness could also lead to changes in many hotel room layouts and amenities .
While there ’ s been a recent push toward the more eco-friendly bulk toiletry dispensers , some brands may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hand sanitizers may also appear in key areas .
And minibars could become a thing of the past .
“ Hotels will need to evaluate what they put in the room beyond furniture as it will need to be sanitized on a daily basis , including throw pillows and blankets , printed menus , barware , and much more , ” said Rob Karp , founder and CEO of the travel planning service MilesAhead .
“ A specific example is the chocolate or candy that many hotels leave in rooms at turndown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to realize that guests won ’ t want this additional treat if it means that it could potentially be contaminated.
” “ Unquestionably , I think you ’ ll begin to see mask requirements for guests and staff , ” said Deflorian .
“ It is proven that face coverings can significantly reduce the spread of the coronavirus .
I think you ’ ll begin to see the opportunity to have branded masks for employees , as well as new training methods to teach staff how to show emotions while still wearing their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picked up , we saw a significant reduction in buffet service all across the travel industry .
Airport lounges , for example , suspended self-service stations in favor of prepackaged food with individually wrapped flatware and single-serve condiments , ” she said .
“ Some Las Vegas resorts closed buffets altogether .
As with most things , we ’ ll probably see a gradual , phased approach to hotel buffets .
Some might opt for grab-and-go , individually packaged foods , while others might opt for buffets to be staffed , rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figure out ways to entice guests to come , which will be challenging , particularly because the airline lift is so limited , ” Deflorian said .
“ I think for resorts , we will begin to see all sorts of new outdoor programming and new fitness , ‘ one of a kind ’ -type experiences ― paddleboarding , snowshoeing , backcountry skiing , etc.
” “ People will appreciate much more what ’ s in their own neighborhood , will want to support local businesses , and will have to do something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experiences will be crowded and booked up , ” he said .
“ The hotels that embrace this with earlier check-in times and better spa packages will help offset their decline of business travelers .
”

Hispanolistic via Getty Images Hotels are touting "enhanced" cleaning standards.
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the travel industry in seemingly every way imaginable. One area undergoing massive changes ― and preparing for more ― is the hotel business.
Public health experts are generally still advising against nonessential travel, but as states start to reopen, people are venturing off and booking hotel stays. And hotels are working to meet new demands in the age of COVID-19.
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“Travelers want to feel safe, period,” Melanie Lieberman, senior travel editor at The Points Guy, told HuffPost. “Hotels will have to consider every amenity and service and determine what they can do to give travelers additional peace of mind. And though many of these changes may be temporary, some may be permanent.”
What might some of these changes be? HuffPost spoke to Lieberman and other travel experts to find out what the hotel experience may look like going forward.
Emphasis On Cleanliness
“Travelers will certainly hear hotels talk about their sanitization and cleaning protocols, and certain properties or brands may seek cleanliness certifications,” Lieberman noted. “The key here will be communicating their cleanliness standards to guests.”
Many hotels are already touting “enhanced” cleaning standards, which can include more thorough or frequent disinfecting of high-touch surfaces, the use of more aggressive products, and even new sanitation technology.
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“Marriott, for example, said it’s going to use electrostatic sprayers and hospital-grade disinfectants,” Lieberman said. Other examples include the American Hotel and Lodging Association’s “Safe Stay” initiative, which includes new cleanliness measures, as well as Hilton’s “CleanStay” program and Accor’s “ALLSAFE” plan.
“Such things as UV light sanitizer or tech that can assist with social distancing have already started to show promise,” said Robb Monkman, founder and CEO of the hospitality safety brand React Mobile. “Hotels are also making use of digital signage reminding guests and staff about best practices.”
The increased emphasis on cleanliness could also lead to changes in many hotel room layouts and amenities. While there’s been a recent push toward the more eco-friendly bulk toiletry dispensers, some brands may return to single-use bottles. Hand-washing stations and hand sanitizers may also appear in key areas. And minibars could become a thing of the past.
“Hotels will need to evaluate what they put in the room beyond furniture as it will need to be sanitized on a daily basis, including throw pillows and blankets, printed menus, barware, and much more,” said Rob Karp, founder and CEO of the travel planning service MilesAhead. “A specific example is the chocolate or candy that many hotels leave in rooms at turndown ― I think many properties will begin to realize that guests won’t want this additional treat if it means that it could potentially be contaminated.”
Self-Service And Contactless Tech Solutions
“People go to a hotel to enjoy being taken care of, and now in a post COVID-19 world, hotels will need to find new ways to provide excellent service with limited human interaction,” said Adam Deflorian, founder and CEO of the hospitality technology and marketing firm AZDS Interactive Group.
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That’s where technological advancements come in.
“Industry experts say ultraviolet, germ-killing lighting, germ-killing robots and contact-tracing apps could all be embraced by the hospitality industry.” - Melanie Lieberman, senior travel editor at The Points Guy
“There will be an acceleration of self-service tech solutions in hotels,” said Konrad Waliszewski, co-founder and CEO of the travel app TripScout. “Services that would have happened anyway over the next decade ― such as self-service and contactless check-ins, mobile keys, mobile check-ins, and mobile SMS/chat for requests ― will become the norm for hotels.”
The ability to use your phone to unlock your hotel room would be a game-changer, as would in-room automation like mobile apps to turn on the lights, control the TV, and order room service. Monkman noted that some hotels could even implement food delivery robots — like Cleo and Leo at Chicago’s EMC2 Hotel.
“Every hotel brand and individual property will respond differently to the call for change, but some hotels have turned to technology in a big way. Industry experts say ultraviolet, germ-killing lighting, germ-killing robots and contact-tracing apps could all be embraced by the hospitality industry,” Lieberman suggested. “The Westin Houston Medical Center is already using germ-fighting robots, so it’s no longer the stuff of science fiction.”
Although recent research suggests that the coronavirus does not spread as easily through contaminated surfaces as previously thought, these measures are still useful to reduce risk and make guests and employees feel safer.
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“Many hotels were adopting mobile digital check-in and digital keys prior to the pandemic — so it’s possible, after COVID-19, the days of the hotel room key will be numbered,” Lieberman said. “Or maybe not. As with almost everything these days, there’s a lot of uncertainty, and the situation is always changing.”
Masks And Temperature Checks
“Unquestionably, I think you’ll begin to see mask requirements for guests and staff,” said Deflorian. “It is proven that face coverings can significantly reduce the spread of the coronavirus. I think you’ll begin to see the opportunity to have branded masks for employees, as well as new training methods to teach staff how to show emotions while still wearing their face covering.”
Whether or not hotels require masks in public spaces may vary based on local and national requirements for businesses as well.
“Many hotels may choose to implement temperature checks upon arrival,” Deflorian added. It’s possible this kind of temperature screening technology will come along with previously mentioned enhancements like mobile check-in, digital keys and contactless payment.
martin-dm via Getty Images Many hotels are already requiring guests and staff to wear masks.
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Spacing Changes
“Most, if not all hotels, will be mandated to have fewer rooms open for service, and they will use this to market their properties as safe and secluded vacation destinations,” Karp predicted. “For example, if a hotel or resort has 100 rooms, only 60 will be available for bookings.”
He added that many hotels may implement minimum multiple-night-stay policies (i.e. requiring guests to stay for more than a night or two) to make up for lost revenue while maintaining a lower occupancy.
Having fewer guests on the property will help keep people spaced out, as will changes in lobby layouts and other public areas.
“I think from an operations standpoint, you’ll start seeing lobbies with socially distanced tables, frequent disinfectants and more outdoor seating and dining,” Deflorian said.
Monkman added that he foresees physically distanced queues, partitions at front desks and no scheduled entertainment offerings that require guest interactions. He noted that some brands like Accor are even offering guests free access to telemedicine consultants and connections to other medical services.
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Bye-Bye, Buffets
“I think the days of buffets are gone,” Deflorian said. “Even well after a full recovery, I think guests will be very much concerned about buffets, but I do think there will be an increase in demand for in-room dining.”
Lieberman, however, believes buffets will survive but are not likely to remain self-service. Physically distanced lines and barriers like sneeze guards may also alter the experience.
“As the pandemic picked up, we saw a significant reduction in buffet service all across the travel industry. Airport lounges, for example, suspended self-service stations in favor of prepackaged food with individually wrapped flatware and single-serve condiments,” she said. “Some Las Vegas resorts closed buffets altogether. As with most things, we’ll probably see a gradual, phased approach to hotel buffets. Some might opt for grab-and-go, individually packaged foods, while others might opt for buffets to be staffed, rather than self-service.”
“I think from an operations standpoint, you’ll start seeing lobbies with socially distanced tables, frequent disinfectants and more outdoor seating and dining.” - Adam Deflorian, founder of AZDS Interactive Group, a hospitality tech firm
Beyond buffets, new hotel dining procedures might involve dining rooms operating at reduced capacity and more guests reserving private dining rooms or balconies for meals. Monkman suggested automats could make a comeback.
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Reservations For Amenities
“Similar to guests making a massage appointment, hotels may now require advance-timed reservations for using the tennis court, pool, spa and other amenities where guests can be in close proximity,” Karp noted.
“Golf courses in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic are operating by spacing tee times to promote safe distancing,” he added. “Any use of public facilities at hotels and resorts will need to be treated with extreme care as many guests, including potential carriers, use it on a daily basis.”
Elevator Challenges
Elevator safety has become a concern not only for hotels, but for high-rise office buildings and apartment complexes as well. Deflorian and Monkman believe that frequent sanitizing and limits on the number of riders will be common practice.
“Americans will be in the best shape of all time because most of us will choose the stairs,” Deflorian joked.
“If nothing else, travelers should expect to see hand-sanitizing stations deployed to high-touch areas all over hotels, including by elevators,” Lieberman noted. “Who knows? Maybe elevator attendants will make a comeback.”
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More Direct Bookings
Waliszewski believes more travelers will book their stays directly with the hotel, rather than a third-party service like Expedia or Booking.com.
“Travelers struggled to figure out if the cancellations and changes were the responsibility of the hotel or who they booked it through,” he said, recalling the early days of the pandemic when people rushed to alter their travel plans. “Many who didn’t book directly with a hotel got screwed, or at least had a lot more hassle.”
Waliszewski also thinks hotel brands may capitalize on this shift of power away from those third-party sites.
“More people will book directly with the hotel in order have more flexibility and protection,” he said. “You already saw brands like Marriott only give reward points to customers who book directly, but expect many more perks to not be available unless booking direct.”
New Packages And Programming
“Hotels will need to figure out ways to entice guests to come, which will be challenging, particularly because the airline lift is so limited,” Deflorian said. “I think for resorts, we will begin to see all sorts of new outdoor programming and new fitness, ‘one of a kind’-type experiences ― paddleboarding, snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, etc.”
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Waliszewski believes hotels may cater to local travelers craving a “staycation” as stay-at-home measures are lifted.


huffpost--2020-05-27--The Coming Battle Over That Extra $600 In Unemployment Benefits

When lawmakers added $ 600 per week to unemployment benefits in March , it was a lifeline to the millions of workers who had been laid off — and would be laid off — due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Now , with the extra money set to expire in July and the pandemic far from over , there are real questions whether Congress will extend those federal dollars — and how hard Democrats are willing to fight Republicans who are seemingly dead-set against it .
Grothman added that , when the House voted on the bill , many Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 600 would mean some workers receive more in unemployment than they earned at their jobs .
He predicted Republicans would push back forcefully against an extension of those benefits .
Senate Republican leaders and the Trump administration agreed with Democrats on the $ 600 as part of a roughly $ 2 trillion package of coronavirus relief measures in March .
Democrats pushed for full wage replacement for anyone who lost their job .
The administration argued it would be too tricky for states to calculate exact wage replacements , so it settled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every week to the unemployment checks paid by states .
The sum is roughly the difference between the average wage and the average weekly unemployment payment .
With an extra $ 600 on top of the unemployment benefits that states already pay , millions of workers have been able to ride out the pandemic at home ― which is what public health experts have recommended to slow the spread of the virus .
While the expanded benefits have helped individual families , Democrats view them as a key public health measure as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Ways and Means Committee .
“ It allows workers to follow individual and community medical orders during the pandemic , ” this Democratic aide said .
Rather than promote public health , Republicans feel they ’ ve only discouraged work , because so many people can earn more , the same , or only slightly less by just collecting unemployment .
Republicans want to force people back to their jobs , reopening the economy , the virus be damned .
When House Democrats passed their latest round of coronavirus economic relief in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act — they extended the $ 600 unemployment benefits through the end of the year .
It was just one part of a sprawling bill that also included hazard pay for essential workers and another round of stimulus payments for most households .
If Democrats can ’ t cajole Republicans into another economic relief bill before the end of July , the looming expiration of the extra $ 600 will likely add significant pressure .
That amount seems to be a nonstarter with Republicans , whose support is needed to get a bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump .
It ’ s possible , however , that lawmakers could compromise on a lower sum .
“ It ’ s important for Democrats to understand the Republican argument that there are a handful of people who are making more at home and don ’ t want to go back to their jobs where they make less money , ” Beyer said .
“ The notion with stepping it down was to create some political goodwill across the ideological spectrum for the automatic stabilizers , ” Beyer said , adding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a top priority after making sure state and local governments can avoid massive layoffs .
Republicans have been generally noncommittal about another economic relief bill .
A spokesperson for Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley ( R-Iowa ) said that it ’ s too early to predict economic conditions come July , but that committee members “ have heard from employers that the beefed up unemployment payments can be a disincentive for hiring.
” Republicans have been grumbling about the benefits even as the state-federal unemployment system struggles with the basic task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owed .
That ’ s due partly to an unprecedented surge in claims , with nearly 40 million Americans applying for benefits within the past few months .
When people do receive the money , however , it can be a lifesaver .
In March , she got laid off from her maintenance job at a fast food franchise in Fresno , California .
She applied for unemployment , but it took a month for the claim to go through .

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When lawmakers added $600 per week to unemployment benefits in March, it was a lifeline to the millions of workers who had been laid off — and would be laid off — due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Now, with the extra money set to expire in July and the pandemic far from over, there are real questions whether Congress will extend those federal dollars — and how hard Democrats are willing to fight Republicans who are seemingly dead-set against it.
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“You cannot operate an economy when you’re going to pay people more to not work than to work,” Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) told HuffPost, echoing the complaint of Senate Republicans who voted unsuccessfully to cut the extra $600 from the March relief bill.
Grothman added that, when the House voted on the bill, many Republicans may have been unaware that the extra $600 would mean some workers receive more in unemployment than they earned at their jobs. He predicted Republicans would push back forcefully against an extension of those benefits.
Senate Republican leaders and the Trump administration agreed with Democrats on the $600 as part of a roughly $2 trillion package of coronavirus relief measures in March. Democrats pushed for full wage replacement for anyone who lost their job. The administration argued it would be too tricky for states to calculate exact wage replacements, so it settled on adding $600 in federal money every week to the unemployment checks paid by states. The sum is roughly the difference between the average wage and the average weekly unemployment payment.
With an extra $600 on top of the unemployment benefits that states already pay, millions of workers have been able to ride out the pandemic at home ― which is what public health experts have recommended to slow the spread of the virus.
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While the expanded benefits have helped individual families, Democrats view them as a key public health measure as well, according to a spokesperson for the House Ways and Means Committee. “It allows workers to follow individual and community medical orders during the pandemic,” this Democratic aide said.
But the $600 benefit has left some businesses, now eager to reopen, without workers willing to risk getting sick for low wages.
Rather than promote public health, Republicans feel they’ve only discouraged work, because so many people can earn more, the same, or only slightly less by just collecting unemployment. Republicans want to force people back to their jobs, reopening the economy, the virus be damned.
In fact, in some states, Republican governors are cutting benefits to anyone who won’t return to their previous job, regardless of whether it’s safe.
When House Democrats passed their latest round of coronavirus economic relief in May — the $3 trillion HEROES Act — they extended the $600 unemployment benefits through the end of the year. It was just one part of a sprawling bill that also included hazard pay for essential workers and another round of stimulus payments for most households.
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The hazard pay proposal would give grocery store and public safety workers an extra $13 per hour ― a way to make work more rewarding than receiving unemployment benefits.
If Democrats can’t cajole Republicans into another economic relief bill before the end of July, the looming expiration of the extra $600 will likely add significant pressure. That amount seems to be a nonstarter with Republicans, whose support is needed to get a bill through the Senate and signed by President Donald Trump. It’s possible, however, that lawmakers could compromise on a lower sum.
In an earlier proposal to extend the benefits past July, Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), a Ways and Means member, suggested phasing down the weekly amount as conditions improve.
“It’s important for Democrats to understand the Republican argument that there are a handful of people who are making more at home and don’t want to go back to their jobs where they make less money,” Beyer said.
A key element of Beyer’s proposal was that extra benefits would be reduced automatically according to specific metrics, such as unemployment rates and social distancing guidelines under the formal national emergency declaration.
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“The notion with stepping it down was to create some political goodwill across the ideological spectrum for the automatic stabilizers,” Beyer said, adding that preserving some form of extra unemployment compensation is a top priority after making sure state and local governments can avoid massive layoffs.
Grothman seemed open to the idea of a lower number. ”Maybe $200,” he said.
Republicans have been generally noncommittal about another economic relief bill. A spokesperson for Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said that it’s too early to predict economic conditions come July, but that committee members “have heard from employers that the beefed up unemployment payments can be a disincentive for hiring.”
Republicans have been grumbling about the benefits even as the state-federal unemployment system struggles with the basic task of paying people what they’re owed. That’s due partly to an unprecedented surge in claims, with nearly 40 million Americans applying for benefits within the past few months. When people do receive the money, however, it can be a lifesaver.
Just take the story of Marie Ramirez.
In March, she got laid off from her maintenance job at a fast food franchise in Fresno, California. She applied for unemployment, but it took a month for the claim to go through.
“Every time I tried to reach out it would say the system is not working,” she said. “I just kept on it.”
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Ramirez, 55, said she called her mortgage lender and asked for forbearance. She fell behind on her car insurance payments.
“I was starting to panic. How am I going to pay my bills? How am I going to pay my house payment?”
But then she got paid. Ramirez said she received a lump sum for weeks she’d missed ― more than $2,000 altogether. She paid her car insurance and even made the mortgage payments that weren’t due until July because of the forbearance plan.
She said her employer called her back to work earlier this month, then furloughed her again after one of her co-workers got sick.


huffpost--2020-05-27--Coronavirus Has Sparked Interest In Car-Free Streets. Will It Last?

AP Photo/Jeff Chiu , File A man and child ride bicycles on a street closed to traffic in Oakland , California , on April 11 , 2020 .
All around the country and the world , bicycles are selling out and officials are trying to take advantage of the growing momentum by expanding bike lanes during the coronavirus pandemic .
“ I ’ ve never seen that before !
” he exclaims as we take a walking tour of one of Seattle ’ s new “ Stay Healthy Streets , ” which the city has closed to most vehicle traffic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a safe social distance .
One of the streets just happens to run right by his house .
In Seattle , where more than one-quarter of city streets lack sidewalks , roadways can double as battlegrounds .
Mayor Jenny Durkan got off on the wrong foot with bike and pedestrian activists when she dramatically scaled back the city ’ s ambitious bike plan in 2019 , leaving Seattle ’ s traditionally underserved south end without any direct bike connections to downtown .
Durkan initially seemed tentative about the idea of street closures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miles of streets in April and adding a few miles over the next few weeks .
At the same time , the city is facing massive budget cuts exacerbated by the April discovery that the West Seattle Bridge connecting West Seattle to the rest of the city had suffered major damage and would be shut down .
A replacement will likely cost hundreds of millions of dollars .
Finding other ways to get people around cheaply could soften the blow .
“ Making aggressive investments in active transportation and walking and biking— that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city ’ s overall recovery strategy , ” Seattle Department of Transportation Director Sam Zimbabwe said in an interview .
“ The type of investments we need to make are going to look different as people start to travel more .
We need to look at every possible way to keep the city moving , and that doesn ’ t mean that everyone is going to jump in a car.
” In Oakland , where the city has been slowly closing more streets to cars , one issue quickly became paramount : equity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting the new “ slow streets , ” and was the city reneging on its promises of permanent pedestrian and bike safety infrastructure by throwing up a few signs and traffic cones ?
Most of the early feedback was coming from white , wealthy residents of North Oakland , so the city pivoted “ to make sure we ’ re creating structures of meaningful engagement for communities that have been poorly served by their government ” in the past , Russo said .
“ We don ’ t want Slow Streets to seem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a community.
” Hwang said the Safe Streets plan was part of a much broader proposal her organization put forward that included blocking off parking lanes near parks where people tend to congregate , having walk signals at street crossings cycle on automatically instead of requiring pedestrians to push a button to activate them , and installing temporary signage to tell drivers to slow down because more people are using the streets .
But in traditionally neglected areas of the city like deep East Oakland , where residents have been fighting for permanent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ the perception was that the city was throwing up some cheap stuff and calling it infrastructure , ” Hwang said .
“ Now that the pilot has happened , people are demanding something much better for calming traffic .
So we might be using this as a way to accelerate projects that were in the pipeline but not high up on the priority list.
” Some advocates , however , have criticized the city ’ s approach because the streets aren ’ t typically the ones commuters use and aren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it can be especially hard to maintain a safe social distance .
The route map is based on an existing network of neighborhood greenways — narrow streets in mostly single-family areas where speed cushions and lane markings signal to drivers that they should slow down or move over to an arterial street .
Programs like parking removal and slow streets may be popular when people are driving less , but could become more controversial as cities open back up .
Already , one anti-bike lane group in Seattle called “ Neighborhoods for Smart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Northeast Seattle , the only part of the city not included in the program so far .
“ There ’ s nothing about streets that necessarily means they have to be only for driving , ” Padelford said .
“ It ’ s largely a cultural construct who these streets are for and how they ’ re supposed to be used , and who is welcome and unwelcome .
”

A man and child ride bicycles on a street closed to traffic in Oakland, California, on April 11, 2020. All around the country and the world, bicycles are selling out and officials are trying to take advantage of the growing momentum by expanding bike lanes during the coronavirus pandemic. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File
SEATTLE ― Gordon Padelford, the founder and director of Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, can barely finish a thought without pointing out a toddler on a balance bike or a couple walking their dog in the middle of the road.
“I’ve never seen that before!” he exclaims as we take a walking tour of one of Seattle’s new “Stay Healthy Streets,” which the city has closed to most vehicle traffic so people can be outside while maintaining a safe social distance. One of the streets just happens to run right by his house.
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“Three hours after it went in,” Padelford said, “two kids and a dad biked by, and I had never seen kids that young biking in the street. As soon as people were invited to use the street, they did.”
All over the country, cities are closing down streets to car traffic and opening them up to people. It started with Oakland, where Mayor Libby Schaaf announced the city would close 74 miles to through traffic on April 10, and has spread across the country— to Portland, Oregon, Boston, San Francisco, Baltimore, Minneapolis, New York and beyond.
While the details vary slightly, the basic idea is the same: Block off a street to everything other than local traffic with removable barriers, and hope that people walking, biking or rolling will show up.
In Seattle, where more than one-quarter of city streets lack sidewalks, roadways can double as battlegrounds. Mayor Jenny Durkan got off on the wrong foot with bike and pedestrian activists when she dramatically scaled back the city’s ambitious bike plan in 2019, leaving Seattle’s traditionally underserved south end without any direct bike connections to downtown. Durkan initially seemed tentative about the idea of street closures, starting off by temporarily closing just 2.5 miles of streets in April and adding a few miles over the next few weeks.
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But by early May, Durkan announced that the city would restrict 20 miles permanently, winning praise from groups like the Cascade Bicycle Club.
“As soon as people were invited to use the street, they did.” - Gordon Padelford, founder and director of Seattle Neighborhood Greenways
Car traffic on major streets in Seattle declined 60% after Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee (D) issued his stay-at-home order in mid-March. But the gradual end of pandemic restrictions, combined with new anti-crowding measures on buses and trains, could bring that number skyrocketing back. King County’s public transit agency, for example, recently limited its bus capacity to a maximum of 12 to 18 riders.
At the same time, the city is facing massive budget cuts exacerbated by the April discovery that the West Seattle Bridge connecting West Seattle to the rest of the city had suffered major damage and would be shut down. A replacement will likely cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Finding other ways to get people around cheaply could soften the blow.
“Making aggressive investments in active transportation and walking and biking— that is going to be part of the city’s overall recovery strategy,” Seattle Department of Transportation Director Sam Zimbabwe said in an interview. “The type of investments we need to make are going to look different as people start to travel more. We need to look at every possible way to keep the city moving, and that doesn’t mean that everyone is going to jump in a car.”
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Addressing Equal Access
In Oakland, where the city has been slowly closing more streets to cars, one issue quickly became paramount: equity. Which parts of the city were getting the new “slow streets,” and was the city reneging on its promises of permanent pedestrian and bike safety infrastructure by throwing up a few signs and traffic cones?
In areas where the city has traditionally underinvested, people wondered why the city didn’t do something more permanent, said Chris Hwang, the board president of Walk Oakland Bike Oakland, a group that advocated for closing streets.
Ryan Russo, Oakland’s director of transportation, said the city has been criticized, “and rightfully so,” for initially using an online portal for feedback and suggestions about the plan, making it inaccessible to anyone without a computer or smartphone.
Most of the early feedback was coming from white, wealthy residents of North Oakland, so the city pivoted “to make sure we’re creating structures of meaningful engagement for communities that have been poorly served by their government” in the past, Russo said. “We don’t want Slow Streets to seem like something that is being done to a community.”
“We need to look at every possible way to keep the city moving and that doesn’t mean that everyone is going to jump in a car.” - Seattle Department of Transportation Director Sam Zimbabwe
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Hwang said the Safe Streets plan was part of a much broader proposal her organization put forward that included blocking off parking lanes near parks where people tend to congregate, having walk signals at street crossings cycle on automatically instead of requiring pedestrians to push a button to activate them, and installing temporary signage to tell drivers to slow down because more people are using the streets.
Schaaf’s April announcement that the city was adopting part of that plan “was a pleasant surprise to us,” Hwang said.
Hwang said Oakland has done a good job of adapting the plan to needs it didn’t originally anticipate, like the fact that some streets must be open for emergency vehicles.
But in traditionally neglected areas of the city like deep East Oakland, where residents have been fighting for permanent safe bike lanes and traffic calming measures, “the perception was that the city was throwing up some cheap stuff and calling it infrastructure,” Hwang said. “Now that the pilot has happened, people are demanding something much better for calming traffic. So we might be using this as a way to accelerate projects that were in the pipeline but not high up on the priority list.”
Streets near Seattle's Pike Place Market on May 9, 2020, have little foot and automobile traffic due to the stay-at-home order. Photo by Jeff Halstead/Icon Sportswire
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Zimbabwe, the Seattle DOT director, said Seattle is also taking equity into account as it decides which streets to close. “These aren’t just anywhere. It’s not write in and have your block closed,” he said. “These are providing connections across the city.”
Some advocates, however, have criticized the city’s approach because the streets aren’t typically the ones commuters use and aren’t located in denser neighborhoods, where it can be especially hard to maintain a safe social distance. The route map is based on an existing network of neighborhood greenways — narrow streets in mostly single-family areas where speed cushions and lane markings signal to drivers that they should slow down or move over to an arterial street.
“It’s great that [the program is] acting as a boost for neighborhood greenways, but we don’t have those in every neighborhood,” Seattle Neighborhood Greenways community organizer Clara Cantor said.
Overcoming Car Culture
Programs like parking removal and slow streets may be popular when people are driving less, but could become more controversial as cities open back up. Already, one anti-bike lane group in Seattle called “Neighborhoods for Smart Streets” is advocating against closing streets in Northeast Seattle, the only part of the city not included in the program so far.
By and large, however, advocates say most neighborhoods have welcomed the closures. “I thought it was going to be a lot more controversial than it has been,” Cantor said. “I think there was just a hunger for this.”
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Advocates say city leaders should start looking beyond greenways — which, they note, were already supposed to be restricted to local traffic — and start opening up streets in areas like downtown Seattle.
“I think that it’s important to look at which neighborhoods are being served by these Stay Healthy Streets and which aren’t,” said Vicky Clarke, the policy director for the Cascade Bicycle Club. “A second phase needs to look at where there are gaps.”
“I thought it was going to be a lot more controversial than it has been. I think there was just a hunger for this.” - Seattle Neighborhood Greenways community organizer Clara Cantor
Seattle Neighborhood Greenways has proposed closing a total of 130 miles of streets throughout the city permanently, including many streets that are more heavily traveled — and would therefore be much more politically challenging to close.
Ordinarily, decisions to slow down street traffic or eliminate on-street parking are subject to a seemingly endless series of meetings, evaluations and legal challenges. But Clarke said the city’s response to bike and pedestrian needs during the pandemic has shown that it’s capable of acting fast.
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“It’s really political will that has stood in the way of new things,” Clarke said. “Leadership is recognizing that things have changed and are making a change, instead of processing things to death.”
An early concern for both Oakland and Seattle was that closing off streets to car traffic would actually attract too many people. “One of the things that I think has sort of paralyzed cities is that we’re used to closing streets for block parties or parades or big community events, and with COVID-19, no one wanted to create an attractive nuisance,” said Oakland’s Russo.
Seattle shared this concern. But advocates say that reopening businesses may actually require opening streets up for uses like cafe tables and outdoor seating.
“There’s nothing about streets that necessarily means they have to be only for driving,” Padelford said. “It’s largely a cultural construct who these streets are for and how they’re supposed to be used, and who is welcome and unwelcome.”
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