huffpost--2020-04-08--The Coronavirus Pandemic Could Force Half A Billion People Into Poverty

As the global economy comes to a standstill due to the pandemic , stories of distress are becoming familiar in almost every country ― but especially in the developing world where social safety nets are thin or often missing .
Stories like that of Micah Olywangu , a taxi driver in Nairobi , Kenya , and a father of three .
Over the last three weeks , as Nairobi ’ s airport shut down and the tourism industry effectively disappeared , his income has completely dried up , making it impossible to pay this month ’ s rent .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s unclear how long such patience will last .
“ The effects could be absolutely incredible , ” researcher Andy Sumner , a King ’ s College professor of international development who works with the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research , which helped publish the report , told HuffPost .
“ There ’ s very likely to be a substantial increase in poverty , mainly because there ’ s so many people living not that far above the poverty line.
” The report looked at what would happen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a decline in household income or household spending in a given country ― dropped by 5 % , 10 % or 20 % , and how that would impact people in the developing world living in poverty .
Even a conservative estimate of a 5 % decline would see income-based poverty increase for the first time in 30 years .
At this level , the number of people living in poverty would increase by 1 % to 2 % , to between 85 million to 135 million people across the developing world .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ world will be spared from the pandemic ’ s economic impacts , the report expects that the hardest-hit regions will include the Middle East and North Africa , Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia , where poverty is expected to fall back to 1990-levels .
Those levels range from roughly 10 % to nearly 100 % of the population , depending on the region and the figure for poverty-line income .
This is “ either because of their relatively slow progress in reducing poverty over the last years or because of their already high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Each of the millions affected by the estimates of the downturns “ is a human being with lives , dreams and hopes , ” Lawson said .
“ It ’ s a huge impact .
I mean , it ’ s significantly worse than the financial crisis .
And it ’ s quite hard to see an end to it at this point.
” “ Basically , if you haven ’ t got money for food in Nairobi , then you ’ re going to go hungry tonight .
So , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hunger , ” Lawson said .
“ I hope not , but I also think it ’ s quite possible that you will see increases in crime .
People are just going to get a lot more desperate.
” How badly this plays out and how severely the impacts are felt depends on “ how the national governments and the international community reacts , ” the report said .
In large part , Sumner said , it depends on whether governments “ are willing to introduce or expand ” social safety net @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of money ― a main reason that in the lead-up to the International Monetary Fund ’ s ( IMF ) annual spring meeting next week , Oxfam is calling on the international community to immediately cancel $ 1 trillion worth of debt payments in 2020 for developing countries .
Doing so , the organization said , would free up essential money for these countries to spend on critical services like health care , supporting people ’ s incomes and increasing education about the best practices to limit the risk of coronavirus spreading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to agree to make an additional $ 1 trillion in international IMF funding available to developing countries , in order to help them increase their health care spending .
However , to do so relies on a majority of nations voting in favor of such a measure ― including the U.S. , which under current political circumstances seems unlikely , Lawson said .
Understandably , all nations are suffering from the pandemic and that means for developed countries like the U.S. and the U.K. , the focus remains on stemming the danger facing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I guess , what we ’ re hoping , is to try and open it up a bit … We need to worry about people all over the world , many of whom may not have the coping mechanisms that the rich countries have at their fingertips .
”

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The economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world could lead to 580 million people ― 8% of humanity ― being pushed into poverty and see an increase in global poverty for the first time since 1990.
These findings come from a new report released by researchers at King’s College London and the Australian National University, which looks at the impact of declines in household consumption.
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As the global economy comes to a standstill due to the pandemic, stories of distress are becoming familiar in almost every country ― but especially in the developing world where social safety nets are thin or often missing. Stories like that of Micah Olywangu, a taxi driver in Nairobi, Kenya, and a father of three.
Over the last three weeks, as Nairobi’s airport shut down and the tourism industry effectively disappeared, his income has completely dried up, making it impossible to pay this month’s rent. While his landlord has been understanding, it’s unclear how long such patience will last.
“This virus will starve us before it makes us sick,” Olywangu said.
“Just imagine that [experience] times half a billion going on all over the developing world right now,” said Max Lawson, head of inequality policy for the development organization Oxfam International. “That is deeply, deeply concerning.”
A health volunteer walks through slums in Nairoba, Kenya, informing residents about the coronavirus pandemic. More than 2.5 million people live n impoverished conditions in the city. Billy Mutai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
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Commissioned by Oxfam, the new research shows that the global pandemic could erase decades of progress on eradicating poverty. And the ripple effects would impact a wide range of matters, from access to health care and education to malnutrition and maternal mortality.
“The effects could be absolutely incredible,” researcher Andy Sumner, a King’s College professor of international development who works with the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research, which helped publish the report, told HuffPost. “There’s very likely to be a substantial increase in poverty, mainly because there’s so many people living not that far above the poverty line.”
Sumner added: “They’re very susceptible to these kinds of economic slowdowns or health shocks that can effectively push people back into poverty very suddenly.”
The report looked at what would happen if economic consumption ― measured as either a decline in household income or household spending in a given country ― dropped by 5%, 10% or 20%, and how that would impact people in the developing world living in poverty.
Even a conservative estimate of a 5% decline would see income-based poverty increase for the first time in 30 years. At this level, the number of people living in poverty would increase by 1% to 2%, to between 85 million to 135 million people across the developing world.
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A 10% drop in consumption would result in an estimated 180 million to 280 million people falling into poverty. And at 20%, some 420 million to 580 million people would be pushed into poverty.
Men wearing masks wait outside an Egyptian Food Bank center in Cairo to receive cartons with foodstuffs as the charity distributes aid to people who lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP via Getty Images
While presumably no part of the developing world will be spared from the pandemic’s economic impacts, the report expects that the hardest-hit regions will include the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where poverty is expected to fall back to 1990-levels. Those levels range from roughly 10% to nearly 100% of the population, depending on the region and the figure for poverty-line income. This is “either because of their relatively slow progress in reducing poverty over the last years or because of their already high poverty levels,” the report states.
Even a 10% drop in consumption would be “enough to erase the progress achieved in reducing extreme poverty in recent years” in Sub-Saharan Africa, the study warns.
Each of the millions affected by the estimates of the downturns “is a human being with lives, dreams and hopes,” Lawson said. “It’s a huge impact. I mean, it’s significantly worse than the financial crisis. And it’s quite hard to see an end to it at this point.”
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Access to food is a critical concern, especially for workers in urban areas who aren’t able to grow their own food.
“Basically, if you haven’t got money for food in Nairobi, then you’re going to go hungry tonight. So, I [expect] big increases in malnutrition and hunger,” Lawson said. “I hope not, but I also think it’s quite possible that you will see increases in crime. People are just going to get a lot more desperate.”
A volunteer in Sanaa, Yemen, sprays disinfectant on the hands of a boy in the one of the city's poor neighborhoods on March 30. MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP via Getty Images
How badly this plays out and how severely the impacts are felt depends on “how the national governments and the international community reacts,” the report said. In large part, Sumner said, it depends on whether governments “are willing to introduce or expand” social safety net programs.
Doing this obviously costs a lot of money ― a main reason that in the lead-up to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) annual spring meeting next week, Oxfam is calling on the international community to immediately cancel $1 trillion worth of debt payments in 2020 for developing countries. Doing so, the organization said, would free up essential money for these countries to spend on critical services like health care, supporting people’s incomes and increasing education about the best practices to limit the risk of coronavirus spreading.
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“Like everything with this virus, every day that goes by, the impact of your actions is going to be less,” Lawson said. Developing countries “need a significant boost to their health spending as quickly as possible.”
Oxfam is also calling on nations to agree to make an additional $1 trillion in international IMF funding available to developing countries, in order to help them increase their health care spending. However, to do so relies on a majority of nations voting in favor of such a measure ― including the U.S., which under current political circumstances seems unlikely, Lawson said.
Understandably, all nations are suffering from the pandemic and that means for developed countries like the U.S. and the U.K., the focus remains on stemming the danger facing their own citizens, Sumner said. “I guess, what we’re hoping, is to try and open it up a bit … We need to worry about people all over the world, many of whom may not have the coping mechanisms that the rich countries have at their fingertips.”
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huffpost--2020-03-24--Women Expecting Babies During Coronavirus Ask: Who Will Be With Me In Labor?

So the 34-year-old Connecticut-based mom , who is expecting her third child , hired the doula she ’ d worked with during her second birth .
Fitzgerald said the doula helped her maintain her sense of calm and perspective , even as it became clear she was not going to have the vaginal delivery she hoped for .
Now , with 14 weeks to go in her third pregnancy , Fitzgerald longs more than ever to have that kind of support — not necessarily just so she can have the birth experience she ’ s dreamt of .
She wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stress of delivering a child during a global pandemic .
“ My goodness , I feel like I need her , ” said Fitzgerald , who was quick to add that the health needs of her baby , her health care providers , and her community must come first .
“ How likely will the VBAC be if I don ’ t have her physically in the room ?
... What will the hospital even be like at that point ?
” Fitzgerald is not alone .
As COVID-19 continues to spread through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finding themselves navigating very different pregnancies , and facing very different births , than what they envisioned just weeks earlier .
Many hospitals have now instituted policies allowing only one support person during labor , so doulas — trained professionals who provide emotional , physical , and educational support to women before , during , and after birth — can no longer be in the room .
In places like New York City , now an epicenter of the pandemic , even stricter rules are being set .
Women who deliver at any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , recently were informed they can not have their partners with them .
“ We ’ re just in this very unknown , unprecedented time for all of us , ” Rachel Goldstein , owner of the New York-based Astoria Doula Collective , told HuffPost .
“ How do we still support our clients ?
And how do we take care of our own health and our own families ?
” Doulas are not medical providers , yet research shows they can have significant and measurable health benefits , including lowering the chance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Doulas — who are overwhelmingly women — provide a range of services , from prenatal visits where they might address everything from past traumas to postpartum gear , to hands-on help in the delivery room and after .
A 2017 Cochrane review found that continuous support during labor may lead to shorter labors , higher marks on tests of babies ’ health immediately after birth , and even decreased risk for maternal postpartum depression .
“ I ’ m 32 weeks pregnant , and I happen to [ have ] a high-risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons , ” said Kyley , a 26-year-old mom of two from the Midwest who asked to use only her first name for privacy reasons .
“ I also happen to have a history of PTSD , anxiety and depression .
And my first two births were traumatic , ” she added .
Her first son was immediately whisked away because as he fought to maintain his oxygen levels and body temperature ; her second child was born prematurely .
“ This time around , my husband and I really wanted to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ So we were preparing to hire a doula.
” But when coronavirus began to spread , she canceled their planned meeting .
Now , she is emotionally and mentally preparing for the possibility of laboring alone .
It is not yet clear what these sudden changes mean for the doula profession .
DONA International , one of the primary doula training and certification organizations , has made it clear it believes doulas should still be allowed in the delivery room .
Other accrediting groups , like ProDoula , have taken a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not appropriate at this moment .
Randy Patterson , president of ProDoula , said the organization has received pushback to that recommendation .
Many doulas are trying to adjust to coronavirus restrictions by turning to technology when possible .
They ’ re having prenatal and postnatal visits with clients via video chat or on the phone .
Some are even trying to beam into labor .
For many , the COVID-19 pandemic has profound financial implications , as they grapple with whether to issue refunds to clients who may not be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d originally hoped .
They ’ re suddenly staring at month after month of no new business .
“ It puts a financial strain on a doula who might already be underpaid , and is trying to navigate what comes next , ” said Chanel Porchia , founder of Ancient Song Doula Services , which offers free and low-cost doula services to women in New York and New Jersey .
She added that her organization has made the painful decision to close for the next several months .
She stressed that many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have access to technology like iPads , cellphones and computers .
Even when they do , there are obvious limits to what a doula can do remotely .
She can not be there to rub a woman ’ s back during a contraction , or to give a reassuring squeeze before entering the operating room .
The kind of steady , hands-on support that can make doulas such an asset to women in childbirth is impossible to fully recreate remotely .

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For months, Meg Fitzgerald has been preparing to have a vaginal birth after Cesarean section, or VBAC.
So the 34-year-old Connecticut-based mom, who is expecting her third child, hired the doula she’d worked with during her second birth. Fitzgerald said the doula helped her maintain her sense of calm and perspective, even as it became clear she was not going to have the vaginal delivery she hoped for.
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Now, with 14 weeks to go in her third pregnancy, Fitzgerald longs more than ever to have that kind of support — not necessarily just so she can have the birth experience she’s dreamt of. She wants someone who can help her manage the stress of delivering a child during a global pandemic.
“My goodness, I feel like I need her,” said Fitzgerald, who was quick to add that the health needs of her baby, her health care providers, and her community must come first. “How likely will the VBAC be if I don’t have her physically in the room? ... What will the hospital even be like at that point?”
“I think I am calm, overall, about all of this,” she continued. “Then I ‘visit’ panic.”
Fitzgerald is not alone. As COVID-19 continues to spread through all 50 states, pregnant women are finding themselves navigating very different pregnancies, and facing very different births, than what they envisioned just weeks earlier.
Many hospitals have now instituted policies allowing only one support person during labor, so doulas — trained professionals who provide emotional, physical, and educational support to women before, during, and after birth — can no longer be in the room. In places like New York City, now an epicenter of the pandemic, even stricter rules are being set. Women who deliver at any of the NewYork-Presbyterian hospitals, for example, recently were informed they cannot have their partners with them.
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“We’re just in this very unknown, unprecedented time for all of us,” Rachel Goldstein, owner of the New York-based Astoria Doula Collective, told HuffPost. “How do we still support our clients? And how do we take care of our own health and our own families?”
RealCreation via Getty Images Many moms and mothers-to-be are getting ready to deliver children into a global pandemic.
Doulas are not medical providers, yet research shows they can have significant and measurable health benefits, including lowering the chance of birth complications for moms and babies. Doulas — who are overwhelmingly women — provide a range of services, from prenatal visits where they might address everything from past traumas to postpartum gear, to hands-on help in the delivery room and after. A 2017 Cochrane review found that continuous support during labor may lead to shorter labors, higher marks on tests of babies’ health immediately after birth, and even decreased risk for maternal postpartum depression.
But now, many mother-doula relationships have been severed.
“I’m 32 weeks pregnant, and I happen to [have] a high-risk [pregnancy] for about five different reasons,” said Kyley, a 26-year-old mom of two from the Midwest who asked to use only her first name for privacy reasons.
“I also happen to have a history of PTSD, anxiety and depression. And my first two births were traumatic,” she added. Her first son was immediately whisked away because as he fought to maintain his oxygen levels and body temperature; her second child was born prematurely.
Advertisement
“This time around, my husband and I really wanted to have that extra support,” Kyley said. “So we were preparing to hire a doula.” But when coronavirus began to spread, she canceled their planned meeting. Now, she is emotionally and mentally preparing for the possibility of laboring alone.
“I think I am calm, overall, about all of this. Then I 'visit' panic.”
It is not yet clear what these sudden changes mean for the doula profession. DONA International, one of the primary doula training and certification organizations, has made it clear it believes doulas should still be allowed in the delivery room. Other accrediting groups, like ProDoula, have taken a clear stance that in-person doula support is not appropriate at this moment. Randy Patterson, president of ProDoula, said the organization has received pushback to that recommendation.
Many doulas are trying to adjust to coronavirus restrictions by turning to technology when possible. They’re having prenatal and postnatal visits with clients via video chat or on the phone. Some are even trying to beam into labor.
For many, the COVID-19 pandemic has profound financial implications, as they grapple with whether to issue refunds to clients who may not be able to work with them in the way they’d originally hoped. They’re suddenly staring at month after month of no new business.
Advertisement
“It puts a financial strain on a doula who might already be underpaid, and is trying to navigate what comes next,” said Chanel Porchia, founder of Ancient Song Doula Services, which offers free and low-cost doula services to women in New York and New Jersey. She added that her organization has made the painful decision to close for the next several months. She stressed that many mothers, and many doulas, do not have access to technology like iPads, cellphones and computers.
Even when they do, there are obvious limits to what a doula can do remotely. She cannot be there to rub a woman’s back during a contraction, or to give a reassuring squeeze before entering the operating room. The kind of steady, hands-on support that can make doulas such an asset to women in childbirth is impossible to fully recreate remotely.


huffpost--2020-04-09--'I Can't Do Anything': Doctor Detained By ICE Waits For Coronavirus Outbreak To Hit

As the crisis has spread , I talked with a dozen detainees in the Irwin County detention center .
Some of them spoke through tears .
Others with angry resolve .
But all of them said they felt intensely unsafe .
Detainees said the facility ’ s operator , a private company called LaSalle Corrections , has changed little in its operation since the COVID-19 pandemic exploded .
Cleaning with noxious chemicals has been stepped up and the meal plates are now disposable , they said .
A few said they ’ ve heard guards have their temperatures checked on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be largely as it has always been : a jail , packed with men and women under threat of deportation , with a long history of failed inspections and detainee complaints about health care .
The people detained in Irwin are among tens of thousands of noncitizens whom ICE has kept detained inside a sprawling system of private and government-run detention centers that — even before this crisis ― the federal government ’ s own watchdogs repeatedly found to have a dark history of medical neglect .
Attorneys for immigrants across the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rash of motions aimed at getting ICE to release detained migrants , especially those with illnesses , on humanitarian grounds .
ICE has vast discretion to release detainees .
The agency in recent weeks is considering the release of several hundred vulnerable detainees , making considerations on a case-by-case basis .
‘ Everyone Is Trying To Stay Away From Everybody ’ There ’ s also no chance of isolating from the outside world .
The facility has continued to allow guards and facility staff in and out of their dorms , Salvador-Aguiar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consistently wear masks .
Each one of these people could be a vector .
As could the detained : One woman from Honduras told me she had been in and out of the facility for deportation ― and therefore in contact with the outside world ― multiple times in recent weeks , the last on Monday , even as the disease spread across the U.S. She was returned to the facility because ICE could not arrange a flight to deport her .
ICE has a practice of keeping newly arrived detainees separate from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of illness or who have been exposed to someone with coronavirus , but others can be placed directly into the dorms , according to Wlliams , the ICE spokesperson .
I spoke to a Guatemalan woman whom ICE moved here from a county jail on March 20 .
She said she felt sick when she arrived , and she has a cough .
But an official found she had no fever and let her enter the general population dorm within hours .
She has been sleeping in a cell with other women for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many immigration detention centers , has a troubled record on sanitation and healthcare .
In 2017 , ICE ’ s own inspectors found that Irwin County Detention Center ’ s medical unit was not meeting baseline federal standards .
“ In the medical examination rooms , floors and patient examination tables were dirty , ” the ICE report said .
Not much seems to have changed : A 27-year-old detainee described the medical unit to me last week , “ It is filthy .
The bathroom is disgusting , and in the bathroom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soap and no toilet paper .
The whole place looks dirty.
” Salvador-Aguiar had come across to me as careful , reserved .
Not the type to stage a protest .
I tried calling right away but got no answer .
Later that day my phone rang from Georgia , a number I didn ’ t recognize .
It was Salvador-Aguiar , the first time she ’ d called me , rather than the other way around .
She said the video tablets were not working .
Her voice was distressed and quick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women in the unit met , ” she said .
“ We are all so afraid .
”

This article was reported in partnership with Type Investigations.
Neysi Salvador-Aguiar’s terror ran on two tracks. One was personal: She feared that the coronavirus would spread among the 70-some other women she was locked up with in a bunk-filled room in a Georgia immigration detention center. The other was professional: Salvador-Aguiar is a doctor; she knew that this immigration jail was a human petri dish.
Salvador-Aguiar, a 26-year-old physician, fled Cuba six months ago, just before finishing her family medicine residency, after she came under violent attack for refusing to be deployed to support the Venezuelan government. Salvador-Aguiar crossed the border, was detained, and sent to the Irwin County detention center, a privately-run Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility three hours south of Atlanta. She came seeking refuge, and found herself trapped in conditions perfect for viral disaster.
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Salvador-Aguiar first spoke to me via video call on March 19, just as many countries were shutting their borders. At the time, she remained measured. “I would say our level of risk is 7 out of 10,” Salvador-Aguiar told me in Spanish, her voice clinical in tone.
Five days later, Salvador-Aguiar, who is slight — she’s lost 20 pounds after six months detained — with long straight hair, was urgent and scared.
“They should take drastic measures here,” she said. “I say this as a doctor: If there are cases here, it would take minutes, hours for it to spread and there is nothing we will be able to do.”
As the crisis has spread, I talked with a dozen detainees in the Irwin County detention center. Some of them spoke through tears. Others with angry resolve. But all of them said they felt intensely unsafe. Detainees said the facility’s operator, a private company called LaSalle Corrections, has changed little in its operation since the COVID-19 pandemic exploded. Cleaning with noxious chemicals has been stepped up and the meal plates are now disposable, they said. A few said they’ve heard guards have their temperatures checked on arrival. But the facility appears to be largely as it has always been: a jail, packed with men and women under threat of deportation, with a long history of failed inspections and detainee complaints about health care.
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The people detained in Irwin are among tens of thousands of noncitizens whom ICE has kept detained inside a sprawling system of private and government-run detention centers that — even before this crisis ― the federal government’s own watchdogs repeatedly found to have a dark history of medical neglect. Attorneys for immigrants across the country, including Salvador-Aguiar’s, filed a rash of motions aimed at getting ICE to release detained migrants, especially those with illnesses, on humanitarian grounds. ICE has vast discretion to release detainees. The agency in recent weeks is considering the release of several hundred vulnerable detainees, making considerations on a case-by-case basis.
But the agency has not heeded those calls in a broad way. Now, as the coronavirus pandemic spreads, detainees are vulnerable to the virus and unable to do much of anything to protect themselves.
“To be in this place now, of all the times to be in this place, it is horrible, and we are so scared,” said a Colombian woman held in the same unit with Salvador-Aguiar.
‘Everyone Is Trying To Stay Away From Everybody’
Neysi Salvador-Aguiar, a physician, came to the U.S. from Cuba last year. Seth Freed Wessler
Inside the dorm, more than 70 women sleep in an open area less than a meter apart. They can’t stay six feet apart, as the Centers for Disease Control recommends to slow the spread of the virus. There’s no social distancing here.
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There’s also no chance of isolating from the outside world. The facility has continued to allow guards and facility staff in and out of their dorms, Salvador-Aguiar and others said. They do not consistently wear masks. Each one of these people could be a vector. As could the detained: One woman from Honduras told me she had been in and out of the facility for deportation ― and therefore in contact with the outside world ― multiple times in recent weeks, the last on Monday, even as the disease spread across the U.S. She was returned to the facility because ICE could not arrange a flight to deport her.
“We have a flow of people coming in from outside,” Salvador-Aguiar said. “We have a great likelihood of getting sick.”
ICE’s spokesperson for Georgia and the Carolinas, Lindsay Williams, told me, “I can’t speak to what the private facilities do with their employees and how they monitor them.” He told me to call the company. Lasalle Corrections, the company that runs Irwin County, did not respond to repeated requests for an interview.
ICE has a practice of keeping newly arrived detainees separate from the general population if they show signs of illness or who have been exposed to someone with coronavirus, but others can be placed directly into the dorms, according to Wlliams, the ICE spokesperson. I spoke to a Guatemalan woman whom ICE moved here from a county jail on March 20. She said she felt sick when she arrived, and she has a cough. But an official found she had no fever and let her enter the general population dorm within hours. She has been sleeping in a cell with other women for two weeks.
Because in jails and detention facilities, separation from the general population is often assumed to mean solitary confinement, and therefore isolation from phones and any human contact, several women told me that detainees who feel sick are at this point trying to keep their ailments to themselves. “They fear that they’ll be punished,” one detained woman told me.
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A 38-year-old man named Nilson, who lived in Georgia for nearly two decades before he ended up detained in Irwin County, told me that in his unit, detainees have started to create their own systems of protection ― ones that worry him.
“Everyone is trying to stay away from everybody,” Nilson said. He told me about fights that have nearly exploded after other men coughed. “The survival mode kicks in and a lot of people are showing aggression in those situations.”
But, he said, “I understand why they’re reacting that way.” Nilson has diabetes, and the CDC has said that puts him at greater risk if he’s infected.
Salvador-Aguiar feels certain that someone will get sick here and she told me repeatedly that the facility will be an ideal place for a virus to spread. She warned that the medical unit is not prepared in any way to respond.
“In my opinion, the medical staff who work here are not competent,” she said. “They are in no way equipped for this.”
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Salvador-Aguiar rattled off a list of medical failures she’d observed. In the months of her detention, before the virus was in the news, she said her medical requests and those of women she’s come to know have been routinely ignored, that detainees were given medication at random times, and that medical examinations were peremptory at best.
Irwin County, like many immigration detention centers, has a troubled record on sanitation and healthcare. In 2017, ICE’s own inspectors found that Irwin County Detention Center’s medical unit was not meeting baseline federal standards. “In the medical examination rooms, floors and patient examination tables were dirty,” the ICE report said. Not much seems to have changed: A 27-year-old detainee described the medical unit to me last week, “It is filthy. The bathroom is disgusting, and in the bathroom in the medical there’s no soap and no toilet paper. The whole place looks dirty.”
Over the two weeks we talked, Salvador-Aguiar became increasingly angry that ICE would not let her and the others out.
“We are people, we don’t have to be exposed to this virus, by being left inside this place,” she said. “They should take the people out of here who they can take out of here.”
‘Squished In Like Sardines’
Salvador-Aguiar called from detention multiple times to share what was happening inside. Seth Freed Wessler
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Early the morning of Wednesday, March 24, I woke to a text message from Salvador-Aguiar’s husband, Yoel, who has lived in Nebraska for years. It was the day after a barrage of intensifying news reports about the virus ― for the first time, more than 100 people died in one day in the U.S., and Cuba, where Salvador-Aguiar’s family remains, was locking down travel. Yoel had texted me in the middle of the night with urgent news from his wife.
“She tells me that she and her fellow detainees are going to go on strike until the facility takes action,” the text read.
Salvador-Aguiar had come across to me as careful, reserved. Not the type to stage a protest. I tried calling right away but got no answer. Later that day my phone rang from Georgia, a number I didn’t recognize. It was Salvador-Aguiar, the first time she’d called me, rather than the other way around. She said the video tablets were not working. Her voice was distressed and quick. “Last night all of the women in the unit met,” she said. “We are all so afraid.”
On the day before the strike started, a woman became sick, several people told me. “When she coughs, we all get in contact with it,” another detained woman said. “We’re all here squished in like sardines.” The detained women gathered in the center of their dorm, telling guards that they were huddling together to pray. They decided to refuse to eat.
But the movement was short-lived. When I called Salvador-Aguiar again the next morning, she told me they’d called off the protest. “What power do we have if we’re just 70?” They had no way to contact the hundreds of other detainees in other dorms. They concluded they were powerless. “Our hands are tied,” Salvador-Aguiar said.
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Salvador-Aguiar seemed to be resigned that she would catch the virus, and that others inside would too. Though ICE has reported no cases at Irwin, testing is limited. Salvador-Aguiar’s sense of inevitability has left her, as a doctor, with an overwhelming feeling of impotence.
“I could offer my medical knowledge,” she said. “But I can’t do anything inside. They don’t allow me to intervene.”
Salvador-Aguiar was denied a bond request and a parole request months ago, she told me on March 30. But she was still trying to get out; her new lawyer, an immigration attorney based in Atlanta named Uriel Delgado, filed a new request for parole in early March.
Salvador-Aguiar has asthma, which can be a risk factor in the case of infection. It has flared dramatically since the facility has started using chemicals to clean. Her symptoms appeared significant, including shortness of breath, and I asked her repeatedly, as I saw her cough and hold her head on video, if she really thought she was experiencing allergies.
Our call cut off after 10 minutes and I tried calling again repeatedly, but for 30 minutes I could not get an answer. Then, she picked up. “I got parole,” she said. “Right now. Ten minutes ago.” She cried on the call ― the first time she cried in 12 days of conversations.
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ICE released Salvador-Aguiar last Wednesday. She walked out of the ICE office and she and Yoel drove to Nebraska.
Neysi Salvador-Aguiar and her husband, Yoel. Seth Freed Wessler
The day she got out, news outlets reported that a guard at another Georgia detention center, not far from Irwin, had tested positive for the virus, and 33 detainees who may have had contact with him were placed in quarantine. ICE detainees in at least 10 facilities have tested positive.
Irwin still hasn’t reported any cases of the virus. But Salvador-Aguiar, now with her husband in Nebraska, believes it’s just a matter of time.
“I am very worried about the women in there,” she told me. “The situation is worse all the time.”
UPDATE: April 10, 8:25 a.m. ― After this article was first published, a declaration filed in federal court by the Irwin County detention center warden, David Paulk, revealed there are now two confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the facility. One transport officer and one detainee have tested positive for the virus.
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According to Paulk’s declaration, filed in response to a habeas lawsuit, the detainee had recently arrived and was not in contact with other detained people. The transportation officer was not in “direct contact” with detainees, the declaration says.


huffpost--2020-04-13--Popular Sports Photographer Dies At 48 From COVID-19

NEW YORK ( AP ) — Anthony Causi , a highly skilled and exceedingly popular sports photographer for The New York Post who covered the city ’ s teams for 25 years , died Sunday from the new coronavirus .
He was 48 .
The newspaper reported Causi ’ s death on its website Sunday night and included an image of Monday ’ s back page .
It featured a photo of Causi holding a camera with a long lens and the words “ Our Eyes , Our Heart ” and then below : “ And our city ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its long-time sports photographer Anthony Causi , who has died of COVID-19 at the age of 48 , with the back cover image .
Causi was married with two young children .
Many of New York ’ s professional teams and several players posted messages on Twitter expressing sadness , condolences and paying tribute to him .
“ Do you know how many athletes reached out when they heard he was sick ?
” said Stephen Lynch , Editor-in-Chief at The Post .
“ Players from every team , sending thoughts , hoping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Major League Baseball called Causi a “ sports photojournalist extraordinaire ” and said he “ brought out the best in the players and the people of our National Pastime.
” Causi was a smiling and friendly fixture at venues from Yankee Stadium to Madison Square Garden and others all over the New York area .
His action shots often popped impressively on The Post ’ s sports pages , and he was well-liked not only by media colleagues but also the famous players he chronicled .
“ What a great man .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas Rangers infielder Todd Frazier , who played for both the Yankees and Mets .
“ God found his angel photographer , that ’ s for sure.
” Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius , who played for the Yankees from 2015-19 : “ Anthony was a great , funny and awesome guy to talk to and learn from about sports photography ... may he Rest In Peace.
” “ He was , quite simply , one of the best sports photographers in New York City , capturing all the major moments of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but most of all kind — he was respected by those he photographed and admired by those with whom he worked , ” Lynch said .
“ The Post that you read , and the newsroom that we work in , are less colorful today because of his absence .
Our hearts go out to his family , and we share their grief.
” Causi was born and raised in Brooklyn and he graduated from Pace University .
He joined The Post in 1994 as a photo messenger before advancing to photo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the newspaper said .
His uncle , Joe Causi , an on-air personality for WCBS-FM Radio , said his nephew often took photos at Little League events pro bono , The Post said .
The Post said Causi is survived by his wife , Romina , and their children , John , 5 , and Mia , 2 , as well as his parents , Lucille and John Causi , and sisters Maria Marangelli and Dianna Marotto .
We send our deepest condolences to the family , friends and admirers of @ nypost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought out the best in the players and the people of our National Pastime .
An example of his outstanding eye and talent : pic.twitter.com/eFZHoeeIB8 — MLB Communications ( @ MLB_PR ) April 13 , 2020 Anthony Causi was a fixture at the Garden and one of the best photographers in the business .
He was a warm person with a great personality and will be missed .
We send our deepest condolences to his family.https : //t.co/c5GpcmabP2 — NY_KnicksPR ( @ NY_KnicksPR ) April 13 , 2020

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NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Causi, a highly skilled and exceedingly popular sports photographer for The New York Post who covered the city’s teams for 25 years, died Sunday from the new coronavirus. He was 48.
The newspaper reported Causi’s death on its website Sunday night and included an image of Monday’s back page. It featured a photo of Causi holding a camera with a long lens and the words “Our Eyes, Our Heart” and then below: “And our city’s loss.”
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The New York Post honored its long-time sports photographer Anthony Causi, who has died of COVID-19 at the age of 48, with the back cover image. New York Post
Causi was married with two young children. Many of New York’s professional teams and several players posted messages on Twitter expressing sadness, condolences and paying tribute to him.
“Do you know how many athletes reached out when they heard he was sick?” said Stephen Lynch, Editor-in-Chief at The Post. “Players from every team, sending thoughts, hoping he was going to be all right.”
Major League Baseball called Causi a “sports photojournalist extraordinaire” and said he “brought out the best in the players and the people of our National Pastime.”
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Causi was a smiling and friendly fixture at venues from Yankee Stadium to Madison Square Garden and others all over the New York area. His action shots often popped impressively on The Post’s sports pages, and he was well-liked not only by media colleagues but also the famous players he chronicled.
“What a great man. So sorry to hear,” tweeted Texas Rangers infielder Todd Frazier, who played for both the Yankees and Mets. “God found his angel photographer, that’s for sure.”
Curtis Granderson, former Yankees and Mets outfielder, wrote: “New York baseball won’t be the same without him in the photo pit.”
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius, who played for the Yankees from 2015-19: “Anthony was a great, funny and awesome guy to talk to and learn from about sports photography ... may he Rest In Peace.”
Lynch called Causi “a brilliant journalist.”
“He was, quite simply, one of the best sports photographers in New York City, capturing all the major moments of the past 25 years. Soft-spoken, funny, but most of all kind — he was respected by those he photographed and admired by those with whom he worked,” Lynch said.
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“The Post that you read, and the newsroom that we work in, are less colorful today because of his absence. Our hearts go out to his family, and we share their grief.”
Causi was born and raised in Brooklyn and he graduated from Pace University. He joined The Post in 1994 as a photo messenger before advancing to photo editor and then full-time journalist photographer, the newspaper said.
His uncle, Joe Causi, an on-air personality for WCBS-FM Radio, said his nephew often took photos at Little League events pro bono, The Post said.
The Post said Causi is survived by his wife, Romina, and their children, John, 5, and Mia, 2, as well as his parents, Lucille and John Causi, and sisters Maria Marangelli and Dianna Marotto.
Read some of the tributes to Causi that were posted on social media:
The back page of tomorrow’s @nypostsports is for own of their own:
Their endlessly talented, universally loved photographer Anthony Causi, who has died of coronavirus at 48https://t.co/JtJjxZbJ3d pic.twitter.com/ODHd57iO7h — Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) April 13, 2020
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We send our deepest condolences to the family, friends and admirers of @nypost sports photojournalist extraordinaire Anthony Causi, who brought out the best in the players and the people of our National Pastime. An example of his outstanding eye and talent: pic.twitter.com/eFZHoeeIB8 — MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) April 13, 2020
Anthony Causi was a fixture at the Garden and one of the best photographers in the business. He was a warm person with a great personality and will be missed. We send our deepest condolences to his family.https://t.co/c5GpcmabP2 — NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) April 13, 2020
A statement from Jeff Wilpon, COO on the passing of New York Post photographer Anthony Causi. pic.twitter.com/kI9RTO3MvV — New York Mets (@Mets) April 13, 2020
RIP Anthony Causi. Our encounters were brief but he was type of guy that left a lasting impression.
Thank you for giving us these legendary photos. pic.twitter.com/msGJnNHJAm — Dan Canobbio (@DanCanobbio) April 13, 2020
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Such terrible news. Anthony Causi was a fun guy who loved life and loved his job, too. Gone way too soon. This illness is insidious. RIP Anthony. https://t.co/ikAhm1NnTq — Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 13, 2020
Anthony was the best in the business at sports photography in New York. He was beyond generous with his time and knowledge too.
--
Anthony Causi, beloved Post sports photographer, dies of coronavirus at 48 https://t.co/uYFuzDfk7G via @nypostsports — Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinMedia) April 13, 2020
Here are some of the incredible photos Anthony Causi shot at UFC 246 for @nypostsports. The man was incredibly talented on top of being just a great guy. Gone far too soon. (Link to his other work on Instagram here: https://t.co/keqm1O9YUL) pic.twitter.com/P10YoPIok9 — Marc Raimondi (@marc_raimondi) April 13, 2020
This is horrible news to hear. The last time we were together at Spring Training we spoke about family, as we always did. My heart aches for his young family. RIP Anthony... What a talent and a great guy. https://t.co/siOo6OaDqK — Otis Livingston (@OlivingstonTV) April 13, 2020


huffpost--2020-04-13--Bernie Sanders Endorses Joe Biden For President

“ I ’ m asking every Democrat , I ’ m asking every independent , I ’ m asking a lot of Republicans , to come together in this campaign to support your candidacy , which I endorse , ” Sanders , who dropped out of the 2020 presidential race last week , told Biden .
Democrats hope Sanders ’ speedy endorsement of Biden will help heal the party following a primary that revealed sharp ideological disagreements among the party ’ s core supporters and left many of Sanders ’ young supporters disillusioned .
While early public opinion surveys show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his margin among young voters is smaller than the advantages Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama had during their presidential campaigns .
Sanders has pledged to support the Democratic nominee since launching his presidential campaign in early 2019 .
Since suspending his own run for the White House , he has said his advisers would continue working with Biden ’ s team to present a united front .
Sanders joins a long list of former Democratic presidential candidates who have thrown their support behind Biden .
One notable exception is Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ openness to shifting his agenda leftward .
He said he supported canceling student debt for a large portion of Americans who make less than $ 125,000 a year and has also adopted a Warren proposal to repeal a bankruptcy law he once championed .
Biden ’ s opening bid to progressives has been met with mixed reviews .
Some of Sanders ’ top surrogates have balked at the proposals .
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-N.Y. ) told The New York Times she felt Biden wasn ’ t making a serious effort to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party .
“ The whole process of coming together should be uncomfortable for everyone involved — that ’ s how you know it ’ s working , ” she said .
“ And if Biden is only doing things he ’ s comfortable with , then it ’ s not enough.
” She added that Biden ’ s so-called “ progressive concession ” on health care was less ambitious than what Clinton supported in 2016 .
Sanders said something similar himself when Biden endorsed making public colleges and universities tuition-free for families with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Still , many progressive groups see plenty of opportunity to influence Biden .
Eight progressive groups , all of which have mostly young followings , pushed Biden to adopt a suite of left-wing policies in a letter last week , promising to spend $ 100 million to help turn out young voters .
Among them was Justice Democrats , the political action group that famously backed Ocasio-Cortez ’ s upset victory over an incumbent in 2018 .
“ The announcement of joint Sanders-Biden policy task forces is a good step forward and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ # EarnOurVote letter sent out by progressive millennial and youth organizations , ” said Waleed Shahid , a spokesperson with Justice Democrats , noting that the group is still waiting for details about the task forces .
On Monday , Biden and Sanders seemed to take turns echoing each other ’ s talking points .
Sanders emphasized the importance of beating Trump above all else , calling the incumbent the “ most dangerous president in the modern history of this country ” ― a major theme of Biden ’ s campaign .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Constitution of the United States , who believes he ’ s above the law , a president who lies all of the time , who has at least shown me that he is a racist and a sexist and a homophobe and a xenophobe and a religious bigot , ” Sanders said .
“ For all those reasons and more , we ’ ve got to make him a one-term president.
” At the same time , Biden emphasized the importance of an agenda focused on the working class , arguing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to the coronavirus pandemic and recession was tilted toward the “ wealthy and well-connected.
” “ The idea that we are still arguing whether health care is a right is bizarre , ” Biden told Sanders during their livestreamed conversation .
( Biden has yet to support a universal health care program . )
The former vice president also reiterated his support for organized labor .
Trump and his campaign have been open about their desire for the Democratic Party to remain divided , hoping to either lure Sanders supporters over to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting altogether .
The campaign ’ s statement on Sanders ’ endorsement tried to simultaneously scare moderates by linking Biden to Sanders ’ left-wing agenda and discourage young people by arguing Biden was part of the “ Democratic establishment.
” “ This is further proof that even though Bernie Sanders won ’ t be on the ballot in November , his issues will be .
Biden had to adopt most of Bernie ’ s agenda to be successful in the Democrat primaries , ” Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale said .
“ And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s candidate , President Trump remains the disruptor candidate who has brought change to Washington .
President Trump ’ s supporters will run through a brick wall to vote for him .
Nobody is running through a brick wall for Joe Biden.
” Sanders ’ endorsement of Biden comes much earlier in the election year than his decision to back Clinton four years ago .
After waiting until June to drop out of the race and then withholding his endorsement from Clinton more than a month in 2016 , Sanders waited less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Aides to both men have emphasized how much each respects the other in recent weeks .

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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign on Monday, appearing on a livestream with his former rival for the Democratic nomination to stress the importance of defeating President Donald Trump.
“I’m asking every Democrat, I’m asking every independent, I’m asking a lot of Republicans, to come together in this campaign to support your candidacy, which I endorse,” Sanders, who dropped out of the 2020 presidential race last week, told Biden.
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Democrats hope Sanders’ speedy endorsement of Biden will help heal the party following a primary that revealed sharp ideological disagreements among the party’s core supporters and left many of Sanders’ young supporters disillusioned. While early public opinion surveys show Biden with a lead over Trump, his margin among young voters is smaller than the advantages Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama had during their presidential campaigns.
Sanders acknowledged there were significant policy differences between his vision of democratic socialism and Biden’s center-left views, but he said the campaigns would create joint task forces to develop policy positions on key issues, including on the economy, education, criminal justice, immigration and climate change.
“Your endorsement means a great deal to me,” Biden told the senator. “I’m going to need you, not just to campaign, but to govern.”
Sanders has pledged to support the Democratic nominee since launching his presidential campaign in early 2019. Since suspending his own run for the White House, he has said his advisers would continue working with Biden’s team to present a united front. Sanders joins a long list of former Democratic presidential candidates who have thrown their support behind Biden. One notable exception is Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)
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Biden has signaled an openness to shifting his agenda leftward. He said he supported canceling student debt for a large portion of Americans who make less than $125,000 a year and has also adopted a Warren proposal to repeal a bankruptcy law he once championed.
Biden’s opening bid to progressives has been met with mixed reviews. Some of Sanders’ top surrogates have balked at the proposals. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) told The New York Times she felt Biden wasn’t making a serious effort to reach out to the left wing of the party.
“The whole process of coming together should be uncomfortable for everyone involved — that’s how you know it’s working,” she said. “And if Biden is only doing things he’s comfortable with, then it’s not enough.”
She added that Biden’s so-called “progressive concession” on health care was less ambitious than what Clinton supported in 2016. Sanders said something similar himself when Biden endorsed making public colleges and universities tuition-free for families with incomes less than $125,000 in mid-March.
Still, many progressive groups see plenty of opportunity to influence Biden. Eight progressive groups, all of which have mostly young followings, pushed Biden to adopt a suite of left-wing policies in a letter last week, promising to spend $100 million to help turn out young voters. Among them was Justice Democrats, the political action group that famously backed Ocasio-Cortez’s upset victory over an incumbent in 2018.
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“The announcement of joint Sanders-Biden policy task forces is a good step forward and is aligned with key parts of the #EarnOurVote letter sent out by progressive millennial and youth organizations,” said Waleed Shahid, a spokesperson with Justice Democrats, noting that the group is still waiting for details about the task forces.
On Monday, Biden and Sanders seemed to take turns echoing each other’s talking points. Sanders emphasized the importance of beating Trump above all else, calling the incumbent the “most dangerous president in the modern history of this country” ― a major theme of Biden’s campaign.
“A president who apparently has never read the Constitution of the United States, who believes he’s above the law, a president who lies all of the time, who has at least shown me that he is a racist and a sexist and a homophobe and a xenophobe and a religious bigot,” Sanders said. “For all those reasons and more, we’ve got to make him a one-term president.”
At the same time, Biden emphasized the importance of an agenda focused on the working class, arguing the Trump administration was working to ensure the response to the coronavirus pandemic and recession was tilted toward the “wealthy and well-connected.”
“The idea that we are still arguing whether health care is a right is bizarre,” Biden told Sanders during their livestreamed conversation. (Biden has yet to support a universal health care program.) The former vice president also reiterated his support for organized labor.
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“You and I have shared the profound conviction this country wasn’t built by Wall Street,” Biden said.
Trump and his campaign have been open about their desire for the Democratic Party to remain divided, hoping to either lure Sanders supporters over to the GOP or to discourage them from voting altogether. The campaign’s statement on Sanders’ endorsement tried to simultaneously scare moderates by linking Biden to Sanders’ left-wing agenda and discourage young people by arguing Biden was part of the “Democratic establishment.”
“This is further proof that even though Bernie Sanders won’t be on the ballot in November, his issues will be. Biden had to adopt most of Bernie’s agenda to be successful in the Democrat primaries,” Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale said. “And while Biden is the Democrat establishment’s candidate, President Trump remains the disruptor candidate who has brought change to Washington. President Trump’s supporters will run through a brick wall to vote for him. Nobody is running through a brick wall for Joe Biden.”
Sanders’ endorsement of Biden comes much earlier in the election year than his decision to back Clinton four years ago. After waiting until June to drop out of the race and then withholding his endorsement from Clinton more than a month in 2016, Sanders waited less than a week to endorse Biden in 2020. Aides to both men have emphasized how much each respects the other in recent weeks.


huffpost--2020-05-14--The Safest Ways To Defrost That Meat You've Frozen

Meat has been such a popular grocery item during the coronavirus pandemic that sales increased nearly 50 % in early May from a year earlier , according to Nielsen .
Now shoppers may be stocking up even more with the possibility of meat shortages .
Stashing meat and poultry in the freezer makes it last longer and helps preserve its flavor and nutrient content , experts say .
But when you ’ re ready to cook it , what ’ s the best and safest way to defrost meat ?
Can you cook frozen meat ?
What about microwaving ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ these and other questions about freezing meat .
Here ’ s why freezing meat keeps it safe to eat in the first place “ Freezing is a quick and convenient way to preserve meats at home because meat is made up of a high percentage of water that forms crystals that can be managed in size and number just by proper freezing and defrosting practices , ” said Kantha Shelke , food scientist and principal at Corvus Blue and food science communicator at the Institute of Food Technologists .
It ’ s best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low temperature in freezer-safe packaging , such as butcher paper , aluminum foil , freezer bags or airtight containers , Shelke said .
Leaving meat in its store packaging may lead to freezer burn , since the packaging usually won ’ t keep air out .
Defrosting meat should be done slowly , so that its temperature never exceeds 40 degrees Fahrenheit , the point where bacteria start to grow rapidly , according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture .
Once meat is defrosted , it ’ s usually best to avoid refreezing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Shelke said .
Refreezing diminishes flavor and quality , and could lock in bacteria if the meat wasn ’ t defrosted correctly .
To keep a steady , chilled temperature , the refrigerator is the safest place to defrost all types of meat , including steaks , ground meat and poultry , she said .
Place packages of meat on a plate to catch any liquid that drips off and store in the lower part of your refrigerator .
A pound of ground beef may take a day to defrost in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bones may take two to three days , said Blakeslee , who specializes in food science .
Thawed meat and poultry can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to five days before cooking , as long as it hasn ’ t been exposed to temperatures above 40 degrees , Shelke said .
“ The cold-water method is faster ” than the refrigerator , she said .
“ A one-pound package of ground beef may take an hour , but three to four pounds of meat may take two to three hours.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but does not produce the evened thawing that one gets from thawing in the refrigerator or in cold water , ” she said .
“ In some cases , some parts of the meat can get cooked and dry out , while the other parts are still thawing.
” The USDA recommends removing frozen meat and poultry from any packaging before defrosting in the microwave and placing it in a microwave-safe dish .
While it defrosts , rotate and break apart any clumps of meat .

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Meat has been such a popular grocery item during the coronavirus pandemic that sales increased nearly 50% in early May from a year earlier, according to Nielsen. Now shoppers may be stocking up even more with the possibility of meat shortages.
Stashing meat and poultry in the freezer makes it last longer and helps preserve its flavor and nutrient content, experts say. But when you’re ready to cook it, what’s the best and safest way to defrost meat? Can you cook frozen meat? What about microwaving? We asked food safety experts to answer these and other questions about freezing meat.
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The dangers of defrosting meat improperly
Defrosting meat incorrectly increases the risk of foodborne illness, according to Karen Blakeslee, extension associate and Rapid Response Center coordinator at Kansas State University.
“You cannot see bacteria with the naked eye, so using safe food handling practices reduces the chances of bacteria to grow,” Blakeslee said.
So, don’t take shortcuts during the defrosting process.
“Taking a few extra minutes to plan ahead can save a lot of time, reduce the chance of foodborne illness and reduce food waste,” Blakeslee said.
Here’s why freezing meat keeps it safe to eat in the first place
“Freezing is a quick and convenient way to preserve meats at home because meat is made up of a high percentage of water that forms crystals that can be managed in size and number just by proper freezing and defrosting practices,” said Kantha Shelke, food scientist and principal at Corvus Blue and food science communicator at the Institute of Food Technologists.
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It’s best to freeze meat quickly to a very low temperature in freezer-safe packaging, such as butcher paper, aluminum foil, freezer bags or airtight containers, Shelke said. Leaving meat in its store packaging may lead to freezer burn, since the packaging usually won’t keep air out.
lupengyu via Getty Images Do NOT leave frozen meat out at room temperature to defrost. It requires too much time in a temperature that allows bacteria to multiply at a rapid pace.
Defrosting meat should be done slowly, so that its temperature never exceeds 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the point where bacteria start to grow rapidly, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Once meat is defrosted, it’s usually best to avoid refreezing it, unless you cook it first, Shelke said. Refreezing diminishes flavor and quality, and could lock in bacteria if the meat wasn’t defrosted correctly.
Here are the four safest ways to defrost meat.
1. In the refrigerator
Meat and poultry should never be defrosted at room temperature ― the exterior will warm up faster than the interior and encourage bacteria growth, Shelke said.
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To keep a steady, chilled temperature, the refrigerator is the safest place to defrost all types of meat, including steaks, ground meat and poultry, she said. Place packages of meat on a plate to catch any liquid that drips off and store in the lower part of your refrigerator.
“Thawing in the refrigerator depends on the amount of meat to thaw, so it takes some planning,” Blakesee said.
A pound of ground beef may take a day to defrost in the refrigerator. Larger cuts and pieces with bones may take two to three days, said Blakeslee, who specializes in food science.
Thawed meat and poultry can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to five days before cooking, as long as it hasn’t been exposed to temperatures above 40 degrees, Shelke said.
2. Submerge in cold water
Cold ― but never warm or hot ― water can defrost meat and poultry quickly.
Place the meat in a leak-proof container and either submerge it in a pan of cold water, changing the water every half hour, or leave it under running cold water, Blakeslee said.
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“The cold-water method is faster” than the refrigerator, she said. “A one-pound package of ground beef may take an hour, but three to four pounds of meat may take two to three hours.”
3. Use the microwave’s defrost setting
The defrost setting on your microwave is a safe, quick way to thaw meat, but there are a few caveats. Always consult your microwave’s instruction manual first, Shelke said.
“Microwave defrosting is very fast, but does not produce the evened thawing that one gets from thawing in the refrigerator or in cold water,” she said. “In some cases, some parts of the meat can get cooked and dry out, while the other parts are still thawing.”
If you defrost meat in the microwave, cook it immediately, Shelke emphasized. Along with the uneven heating, microwave thawing also fosters warmth and moisture, encouraging bacteria growth.
The USDA recommends removing frozen meat and poultry from any packaging before defrosting in the microwave and placing it in a microwave-safe dish. While it defrosts, rotate and break apart any clumps of meat.
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4. Cook it from frozen
While you may not get the most tender meat when cooking it from frozen, it’s safe. But according to Shelke, cooking times increase by about 50% compared with fresh or defrosted meat.
Some cooking methods work better than others, too. Oven-roasting frozen chicken or other meat is one of the safest choices, she said, because the outside heats up first and the longer cooking ensures that the interior reaches a safe temperature.
Shelke recommends using only thawed meat and poultry in slow cookers, and says to avoid deep frying or grilling large pieces of frozen meat and poultry.
When cooking, use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit for beef, pork, veal and lamb, 160 for ground meat, and 165 for all poultry, according to the USDA.


huffpost--2020-05-13--Joe Biden Calls For Rent Forgiveness During The Coronavirus Pandemic

Former Vice President Joe Biden believes rent and mortgage payments should be forgiven during the coronavirus pandemic , he said in an interview published Wednesday morning , though his campaign was sparse on details about a proposal .
Asked by journalist Peter Hamby whether it was possible for there to be “ some kind of federal rent bailout , ” Biden replied : “ Absolutely .
There is .
And we should .
We should.
” “ There should be rent forgiveness and there should be mortgage forgiveness now in the middle of this crisis , ” Biden said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ forgiveness .
It ’ s critically important to people who are in the lower-income strata.
” The Biden campaign said it did not have any further details on how he would implement a rent and mortgage forgiveness plan but noted that Biden had previously called to freeze rent for people who had lost their jobs and for a ban on evictions during the pandemic .
Biden has moved to the left on a variety of issues since the end of the primary , arguing they are necessary to respond to the pandemic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aftermath .
More than 20 million people have lost their jobs since the start of the pandemic , and the unemployment rate has spiked to 14.7 % .
The coronavirus aid package that won bipartisan support in Congress and was signed by President Donald Trump in March gave homeowners with federally backed mortgages the right to ask for reduced or delayed payments for up to 180 days .
Rep. Ilhan Omar ( D-Minn. ) and other progressives have pushed an aggressive bill to cancel all rent and mortgage payments from March 2020 until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Democrats did not include the proposal in their most recent coronavirus response legislation , which is expected to pass the House in the coming days .

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Former Vice President Joe Biden believes rent and mortgage payments should be forgiven during the coronavirus pandemic, he said in an interview published Wednesday morning, though his campaign was sparse on details about a proposal.
Asked by journalist Peter Hamby whether it was possible for there to be “some kind of federal rent bailout,” Biden replied: “Absolutely. There is. And we should. We should.”
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“There should be rent forgiveness and there should be mortgage forgiveness now in the middle of this crisis,” Biden said. “Forgiveness. Not paid later, forgiveness. It’s critically important to people who are in the lower-income strata.”
A transcript of the interview, conducted for Snapchat’s series “Good Luck America,” was published in Vanity Fair.
A man wearing a face mask walks past signs Monday in Alexandria, Virginia, for Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign amid the coronavirus outbreak. OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images
The Biden campaign said it did not have any further details on how he would implement a rent and mortgage forgiveness plan but noted that Biden had previously called to freeze rent for people who had lost their jobs and for a ban on evictions during the pandemic.
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Biden has moved to the left on a variety of issues since the end of the primary, arguing they are necessary to respond to the pandemic and build a stronger middle class in its aftermath. More than 20 million people have lost their jobs since the start of the pandemic, and the unemployment rate has spiked to 14.7%.
The coronavirus aid package that won bipartisan support in Congress and was signed by President Donald Trump in March gave homeowners with federally backed mortgages the right to ask for reduced or delayed payments for up to 180 days.


huffpost--2020-04-23--I Fostered A Puppy During COVID-19. It Helped In An Unexpected Way.

The moment he was released from his kennel , it was like the Running of the Bulls .
His 20-pound frame bounded around the room , his gait more bounce than run .
When I scooped him up , he squirmed and barked until his four oversized paws were back on the ground .
He alternated between nibbling on and humping everything .
He was wild .
What was most notable about him was his hair ― shaggy and so voluminous it bounced with every step .
If you ’ ve ever seen a bald eagle starting to morph from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white feathers of adulthood , that ’ s kind of what Scruffy ’ s coloring looked like , crossed with the erratic styling of Bernie Sanders .
His name was fitting .
Calling me a dog person would be an understatement .
There ’ s been no point in my life when I didn ’ t have one .
However , the dogs I ’ ve known were almost always older and at the very least potty trained .
My partner isn ’ t so much a dog person as he is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real experience with pets and she made it simple .
She was an exceedingly calm and well-adjusted adult when we met ― it was easy to love her .
The first night with Scruffy was spent Googling ( how to potty train a puppy , how much to feed a puppy , how to get a puppy to stop using our hands as teething toys ) and bargaining ( Shaun was ready to send him back somewhere between the third puddle and the seventh barking fit ) .
The next day was ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that followed went better than the last ― though I don ’ t know how people who aren ’ t home all day are able to raise a puppy .
It ’ s a full-time job in itself .
Though Scruffy liked my partner , he took to me much more quickly .
When Luna and I went out for our afternoon run , Shaun said Scruffy sat by the door and waited for our return .
When I got in the shower , Scruffy put his paws on the side of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure I was still there .
But Scruffy helped me get through the early weeks of the pandemic in an unexpected way .
His need for frequent bathroom breaks gave structure to my day , helped with planning and warded off listlessness .
Obsessively scrolling through news cycles gave way to constant tug of war .
Crippling anxiety was lessened by laughing at Scruffy ’ s floppy puppy antics .
He became my constant shadow , trailing me through the house as I worked or did chores or cooked .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I knew I ’ d fallen for him when I set to work trimming the little dreadlocks that inexplicably formed on his rump every other day .
One night he seemed to be feeling playful during our pre-bedtime walk , so I decided to see if he might be a good running buddy .
We took off at a slow jog down the sidewalk .
Every few feet he ’ d look back to make sure I was still there with him .
His tongue lolled out and he grinned .
We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then I could feel the first hairline fractures of heartbreak .
The thought of him leaving hurt .
Scruffy taught us myriad lessons ranging from unless you want your laptop chewed on , don ’ t leave it out , to how to accept things you can ’ t really control .
He helped remind us to take it one day ( or more appropriately , one potty break ) at a time .

A rare moment of calm. Courtesy of Bailey Berg
Scruffy wasn’t the kind of dog we’d asked for.
The moment he was released from his kennel, it was like the Running of the Bulls. His 20-pound frame bounded around the room, his gait more bounce than run. When I scooped him up, he squirmed and barked until his four oversized paws were back on the ground. He alternated between nibbling on and humping everything. He was wild.
What was most notable about him was his hair ― shaggy and so voluminous it bounced with every step. If you’ve ever seen a bald eagle starting to morph from its brown juvenile feathers to the distinct white feathers of adulthood, that’s kind of what Scruffy’s coloring looked like, crossed with the erratic styling of Bernie Sanders. His name was fitting.
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A few days earlier, after being suddenly laid off from a restaurant serving gig due to the coronavirus pandemic and feeling guilty about the longing looks our 6-year-old Labrador, Luna, was casting out the window at other dogs, I decided to apply to foster a dog.
I needed a distraction from the emotionally draining news cycle, so this would be a win-win, I thought. I’d be at home writing so I had the time, and Luna would have a four-legged friend to chum around with while we were socially distancing.
My partner, Shaun, and I specifically asked for a senior dog that would match Luna’s energy levels. A real couch buddy. But when we went to pick up our foster, we were handed an energetic 3-month-old shepadoodle (apparently what you call a German shepherd/poodle mix).
“He’s super adoptable,” the rescue group worker said, trying to ease our obvious reservations. “I don’t think you’ll have him for long.”
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Calling me a dog person would be an understatement. There’s been no point in my life when I didn’t have one. However, the dogs I’ve known were almost always older and at the very least potty trained. My partner isn’t so much a dog person as he is a Luna person. She was his first real experience with pets and she made it simple. She was an exceedingly calm and well-adjusted adult when we met ― it was easy to love her.
Scruffy was beyond our scope.
The first night with Scruffy was spent Googling (how to potty train a puppy, how much to feed a puppy, how to get a puppy to stop using our hands as teething toys) and bargaining (Shaun was ready to send him back somewhere between the third puddle and the seventh barking fit).
All the while, Luna looked on, clearly apprehensive about this dust bowl-hued tornado. She was most displeased by his puppy energy, how he delighted in chomping on her velvet-soft ears, and the cuddles his exuberance was netting him.
I didn’t want to admit it to Shaun, but within minutes of coming home, I thought I’d made a mistake leaving the rescue group with Scruffy.
“Let’s give it a day,” I told Shaun. “He probably just needs to settle in.”
The next day was (a little) easier and every day that followed went better than the last ― though I don’t know how people who aren’t home all day are able to raise a puppy. It’s a full-time job in itself.
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Scruffy was like the consummate classroom troublemaker. Despite having a spectrum of colorful teething toys, he delighted in destroying toilet paper rolls ― a particularly horrifying move as the two-ply had become important social currency that week.
Keeping up with him was exhausting.
Scruffy (left) and Luna waiting for treats. Courtesy of Bailey Berg
Though Scruffy liked my partner, he took to me much more quickly. When Luna and I went out for our afternoon run, Shaun said Scruffy sat by the door and waited for our return. When I got in the shower, Scruffy put his paws on the side of the tub and repeatedly peered around the curtain to make sure I was still there.
Scruffy was a firehose of affection. He desperately wanted to dispense love and, trapped at home, facing an uncertain future, we desperately needed it.
Pandemics are hard. But slowly, his presence made everything more tolerable.
The first few days of social distancing, pre-Scruffy, were characterized by overwhelming anxiety about life going forward. The soundtrack in my mind seemed to be an unending cadence of “DOOM, DOOM, DOOM.”
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But Scruffy helped me get through the early weeks of the pandemic in an unexpected way. His need for frequent bathroom breaks gave structure to my day, helped with planning and warded off listlessness. Obsessively scrolling through news cycles gave way to constant tug of war. Crippling anxiety was lessened by laughing at Scruffy’s floppy puppy antics.
He was so deliriously happy all of the time. He perpetually looked like a guy excitedly greeting a buddy he hadn’t seen in a while: “Oh what, you’re here, too?” His buoyancy lightened the emotional load I carried as this quarantine crossed into double-digit days.
He became my constant shadow, trailing me through the house as I worked or did chores or cooked. It made me feel special and needed. I knew I’d fallen for him when I set to work trimming the little dreadlocks that inexplicably formed on his rump every other day.
One night he seemed to be feeling playful during our pre-bedtime walk, so I decided to see if he might be a good running buddy. We took off at a slow jog down the sidewalk. Every few feet he’d look back to make sure I was still there with him. His tongue lolled out and he grinned. We’d found our stride. It was then I could feel the first hairline fractures of heartbreak. The thought of him leaving hurt.
Ultimately I knew we couldn’t keep him. He would be the perfect dog ... for someone else. We had the time and patience to help more dogs find their people.
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It didn’t make saying goodbye to him any easier. When the rescue group finally texted to say they wanted to arrange a meet-and-greet with a potential family, I wept.
Scruffy taught us myriad lessons ranging from unless you want your laptop chewed on, don’t leave it out, to how to accept things you can’t really control. He helped remind us to take it one day (or more appropriately, one potty break) at a time.
When he met his would-be adopters, it was obvious within seconds they were smitten. They’d lost a dog earlier in the year that could have been his twin. They needed each other.
After the paperwork had been signed, I carried Scruffy out to their car and placed him in the lap of his new dad in the passenger seat. Scruffy nestled into his chest and I closed the door, both to the car and on our time together.
I still get updates on him via Facebook ― he’s being a good boy. Now we’re fostering a 3-year-old Lab named Sheila. She’s picked up where Scruffy left off on our pandemic education with important life lessons of her own.
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Sheila’s lucky ― she knows she’s going back to a loving home. She flew into town from a remote village to have puppies and as soon as she’s healed from being spayed, she’ll return to a family who can’t wait to have her back. Knowing that makes it easier to accept we’ll be saying goodbye to her soon, too.
And while we can’t control much of what’s happening in the world right now, we can welcome another dog into our pack and continue to help each other through it.


huffpost--2020-04-23--NFL Draft Expert Todd McShay Is Missing Draft Due To Coronavirus

On Thursday , hours before the NFL draft is set to kick off its first-ever virtual format , ESPN draft analyst McShay , 43 , announced he ’ ll be missing this year ’ s draft to “ recover from coronavirus.
” “ I ’ m so sorry to tell you I won ’ t be working the NFL Draft this year .
I ’ m home recovering from coronavirus , ” McShay wrote in a statement posted to Twitter .
“ For now , I just want to say I miss you all - my teammates at ESPN who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the league , and the fans who have made the Draft what it is today , ” McShay said .
ESPN ’ s vice president of production , Seth Markman , weighed in on McShay ’ s announcement in a statement .
“ While Todd won ’ t appear on our NFL Draft telecasts this weekend , we will be thinking of him throughout the event and doing our very best to make him proud , ” he said .
“ Todd is a widely respected member of the ESPN family , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and unwavering support.
” McShay joined ESPN in 2006 and is the director of college football scouting for ESPN ’ s Scouts Inc. , according to his company bio .
He ’ s a staple of ESPN ’ s draft coverage , and —besides his analysis— is also known for playfully butting heads with fellow analyst Mel Kiper Jr .
The draft expert closed his statement by assuring fans he ’ d be back thanks to the tireless work of health care workers and first responders , also joking that he hopes other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

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Sadly, Todd McShay is taking himself off the board.
On Thursday, hours before the NFL draft is set to kick off its first-ever virtual format, ESPN draft analyst McShay, 43, announced he’ll be missing this year’s draft to “recover from coronavirus.”
“I’m so sorry to tell you I won’t be working the NFL Draft this year. I’m home recovering from coronavirus,” McShay wrote in a statement posted to Twitter.
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“For now, I just want to say I miss you all - my teammates at ESPN who have been incredibly supportive, my friends in the league, and the fans who have made the Draft what it is today,” McShay said.
ESPN’s vice president of production, Seth Markman, weighed in on McShay’s announcement in a statement. “While Todd won’t appear on our NFL Draft telecasts this weekend, we will be thinking of him throughout the event and doing our very best to make him proud,” he said. “Todd is a widely respected member of the ESPN family, and he has our continued well wishes and unwavering support.”
McShay joined ESPN in 2006 and is the director of college football scouting for ESPN’s Scouts Inc., according to his company bio. He’s a staple of ESPN’s draft coverage, and —besides his analysis— is also known for playfully butting heads with fellow analyst Mel Kiper Jr.
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