huffpost--2020-06-09--How Indie Theaters Are Reimagining The Moviegoing Experience

The seats may be empty , but there ’ s optimism behind the scenes at small , independent movie theaters across the United States .
A business built around humans gathering in close proximity is a risky gamble moving into our post-coronavirus future .
But as several owners of indie theaters told HuffPost , the challenges presented by COVID-19 offer a chance to reimagine the moviegoing experience and offer audiences new options .
“ We will always have storytellers that want to tell stories and cinema has become an essential part of the way modern society does that , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CEO of the nonprofit Salt Lake Film Society , which operates two art house theaters in Salt Lake City .
“ Sustainability — such as how many people at once , concession costs , what those concessions are — might shift .
But what art houses have that the big chains don ’ t is the ability to innovate that experience.
” Whereas larger theatrical exhibitors like the AMC theater chain “ have substantial doubt they can remain in business ” due to their dependence on one avenue of revenue — the wide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theaters across the country have teamed up with distributors to create virtual cinemas .
First-run indie films — such as “ Spaceship Earth , ” a 2020 documentary about Biosphere 2 and distributed by NEON — can be rented through local theaters ’ websites for an even split between the theater and distributor .
Unlike larger indie distributors NEON and Bleecker Street , whose offerings to theaters are also available on standard VOD platforms such as Hulu , Amazon and iTunes , Kino Lorber ’ s new releases are only available through theaters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begun working with individual theaters to curate virtual film festivals tailored to a specific theater ’ s audience .
For Katherine Tallman , executive director and CEO of the Coolidge Corner Theater Foundation in Boston , the goal is to keep the community engaged .
The Coolidge and many other theaters across the country have continued to serve their audiences through virtual screening rooms and film seminars .
“ We also have personal curation where , for 10 bucks , they send us the genres and films they like and we ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say , ‘ Here are three films that we think you would like , ’ ” Tallman said .
“ And it ’ s different that it ’ s a person that is part of their community rather than an algorithm.
” Connie White , president and film buyer at Balcony Booking , which serves as an intermediary between the distributors and theaters and is based in Amherst , Massachusetts , said she hopes these innovations become complementary to the business rather than competitive once theaters reopen .
As much as community engagement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the present , it does not yield as much revenue as IRL box office and concessions .
With an initial donation of $ 50,000 from the Criterion Collection and Janus Films , Michigan-based association Art House Convergence started a GoFundMe for independent movie theaters across the country .
The campaign has received high-dollar donations from filmmakers Steven Soderbergh , Atom Egoyan , Barry Jenkins and Christopher Nolan as well as smaller contributions , currently pushing the fundraising total over $ 840,000 .
However , many theaters are depending on what they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act as well as other state and federal loans .
Theaters , like so many other businesses across America , are navigating the complex and long , winding road of grants and loans .
“ These grants are meant as a bridge to assist in the theater ’ s funding as they navigate other long term financial opportunities , ” said Alison Kozberg , the managing director of Art House Convergence .
Between these donations and the decision to rent movies through their local theater ’ s website rather than ITunes or Amazon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refers to as “ filmanthropy.
” “ If they know buying that ticket online through Kino Marquee is going to put half that price back into the theater ’ s pocket , they can feel good about preserving their local institution as opposed to what the studios are doing , which is charging $ 20 themselves and bypassing the exhibitors , ” Lorber said .
For those independent theaters not exhibiting primarily art house fare , the path forward has felt slightly less rosy .
In November 2019 , Isaac Mass and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Massachusetts , a theater that has been in existence since the 1920s .
Massachusetts and Greenfield in particular have been hit hard by the virus and though the theater occasionally shows what would be considered independent art films , its audience is primarily families and retirees looking for a night out .
“ Theaters like ours make their money in the summer and the winter and as owners , we ’ re missing our first summer , ” Mass said .
“ We ’ re working with the art house distributors to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programming , while wonderful to be bringing to our audience , isn ’ t exactly what keeps us afloat .
That said , we have a T-shirt campaign and many people who purchase a virtual screening also buy that as a donation to the theater .
So , the community is showing their love .
”

Above: Tori Baker, President & CEO of the Salt Lake Film Society, in independent movie theater Tower Theater on May 29, 2020, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Credit: Kim Raff for HuffPost
The seats may be empty, but there’s optimism behind the scenes at small, independent movie theaters across the United States. A business built around humans gathering in close proximity is a risky gamble moving into our post-coronavirus future. But as several owners of indie theaters told HuffPost, the challenges presented by COVID-19 offer a chance to reimagine the moviegoing experience and offer audiences new options.
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“We will always have storytellers that want to tell stories and cinema has become an essential part of the way modern society does that,” said Tori Baker, the president and CEO of the nonprofit Salt Lake Film Society, which operates two art house theaters in Salt Lake City. “Sustainability — such as how many people at once, concession costs, what those concessions are — might shift. But what art houses have that the big chains don’t is the ability to innovate that experience.”
Whereas larger theatrical exhibitors like the AMC theater chain “have substantial doubt they can remain in business” due to their dependence on one avenue of revenue — the wide release of studio tentpole films — indie theaters across the country have teamed up with distributors to create virtual cinemas. First-run indie films — such as “Spaceship Earth,” a 2020 documentary about Biosphere 2 and distributed by NEON — can be rented through local theaters’ websites for an even split between the theater and distributor.
The Tower Theater in Salt Lake City is offering shows at home with proceeds helping the Salt Lake Film Society. Kim Raff for HuffPost
“The bottom line is that we look at independent art house cinemas as community cultural institutions,” said Richard Lorber, the president and founder of Kino Lorber, which was the first distributor to begin offering virtual screenings of its titles like the acclaimed Brazilian thriller “Bacarau.”
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Unlike larger indie distributors NEON and Bleecker Street, whose offerings to theaters are also available on standard VOD platforms such as Hulu, Amazon and iTunes, Kino Lorber’s new releases are only available through theaters’ websites. The distributor has also begun working with individual theaters to curate virtual film festivals tailored to a specific theater’s audience.
“Indie theaters are able to cultivate, if they work at it, deep and meaningful relationships with their audiences that generate loyalty extending beyond simply showing the latest blockbusters,” said Jeff Yanc, the program director of The Loft Theater in Tucson, Arizona.
For Katherine Tallman, executive director and CEO of the Coolidge Corner Theater Foundation in Boston, the goal is to keep the community engaged. The Coolidge and many other theaters across the country have continued to serve their audiences through virtual screening rooms and film seminars.
A screengrab of a Belcourt Midnights viewing on Twitch. Courtesy of The Belcourt Theater
The Belcourt Theatre in Nashville is offering a midnight movie watch-along where the staff members provide commentary via Twitch.
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“We also have personal curation where, for 10 bucks, they send us the genres and films they like and we’ll have a staff member write back and say, ‘Here are three films that we think you would like,’” Tallman said. “And it’s different that it’s a person that is part of their community rather than an algorithm.”
Connie White, president and film buyer at Balcony Booking, which serves as an intermediary between the distributors and theaters and is based in Amherst, Massachusetts, said she hopes these innovations become complementary to the business rather than competitive once theaters reopen.
As much as community engagement fosters hope for the future and activities for the present, it does not yield as much revenue as IRL box office and concessions. With an initial donation of $50,000 from the Criterion Collection and Janus Films, Michigan-based association Art House Convergence started a GoFundMe for independent movie theaters across the country. The campaign has received high-dollar donations from filmmakers Steven Soderbergh, Atom Egoyan, Barry Jenkins and Christopher Nolan as well as smaller contributions, currently pushing the fundraising total over $840,000.
However, many theaters are depending on what they’ve received from Congress’ Paycheck Protection Act as well as other state and federal loans. Theaters, like so many other businesses across America, are navigating the complex and long, winding road of grants and loans.
“These grants are meant as a bridge to assist in the theater’s funding as they navigate other long term financial opportunities,” said Alison Kozberg, the managing director of Art House Convergence. Between these donations and the decision to rent movies through their local theater’s website rather than ITunes or Amazon, audiences are participating in what Lorber refers to as “filmanthropy.”
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“If they know buying that ticket online through Kino Marquee is going to put half that price back into the theater’s pocket, they can feel good about preserving their local institution as opposed to what the studios are doing, which is charging $20 themselves and bypassing the exhibitors,” Lorber said.
A closed concession stand, left, and an empty screening room at the Tower Theater in Salt Lake City, Utah. Kim Raff for HuffPost
For those independent theaters not exhibiting primarily art house fare, the path forward has felt slightly less rosy. In November 2019, Isaac Mass and his wife purchased the Greenfield Garden in Greenfield, Massachusetts, a theater that has been in existence since the 1920s. Massachusetts and Greenfield in particular have been hit hard by the virus and though the theater occasionally shows what would be considered independent art films, its audience is primarily families and retirees looking for a night out.
“Theaters like ours make their money in the summer and the winter and as owners, we’re missing our first summer,” Mass said. “We’re working with the art house distributors to connect with our community but that specialty programming, while wonderful to be bringing to our audience, isn’t exactly what keeps us afloat. That said, we have a T-shirt campaign and many people who purchase a virtual screening also buy that as a donation to the theater. So, the community is showing their love.”
This is a trend many of those running theaters with virtual screenings have also noticed.
“Fifty percent of the people who purchase virtual screenings through us also donate to the theater,” Baker said. “And that has to do with the mission. If the mission stays the same, which is to provide for your community, no matter the shifting elements, your community will also provide for you.”
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Kozberg of Art House Convergence echoed that sentiment.


huffpost--2020-06-09--George Floyd To Be Laid To Rest In Houston

Hundreds of mourners wearing masks against the coronavirus packed a Houston church a little more than two weeks after Floyd was pinned to the pavement by a white Minneapolis police officer who put a knee on his neck for what prosecutors said was 8 minutes and 46 seconds .
Cellphone video of the encounter , including Floyd ’ s pleas of “ I can ’ t breathe , ” ignited protests and scattered violence across the U.S. and around the world , turning the 46-year-old Floyd — a man who in life was little known beyond the public housing project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Third Ward — into a worldwide symbol of injustice .
“ Third Ward , Cuney Homes , that ’ s where he was born at , ” Floyd ’ s brother , Rodney , told mourners at the Fountain of Praise church .
“ But everybody is going to remember him around the world .
He is going to change the world.
” Following the service , Floyd ’ s body was to be taken by horse-drawn carriage to a cemetery in suburban Pearland , where he was to be laid to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Al Green ( L ) D-TX and Houston mayor Sylvester Turner watch the family enter the sanctuary during the funeral for George Floyd on June 9 , 2020 , at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston , Texas .
- George Floyd will be laid to rest Tuesday in his Houston hometown , the culmination of a long farewell to the 46-year-old African American whose death in custody ignited global protests against police brutality and racism .
Thousands of well-wishers filed past Floyd 's coffin in a public viewing a day earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1 million for the white officer charged with his murder last month in Minneapolis .
( Photo by Godofredo A. VASQUEZ / POOL / AFP ) ( Photo by GODOFREDO A. VASQUEZ/POOL/AFP via Getty Images ) “ George Floyd was not expendable .
This is why we ’ re here , ” Democratic Rep. Al Green of Houston told the crowd .
“ His crime was that he was born black .
That was his only crime .
George Floyd deserved the dignity and respect that we accord all people just because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ There ’ s a real big change going on , and everybody , especially black , right now should be a part of that , ” said Kersey Biagase , who traveled more than three hours from Port Barre , Louisiana , with his girlfriend , Brandi Pickney .
They wore T-shirts printed with Floyd ’ s name and “ I Can ’ t Breathe.
” “ No child should have to ask questions that too many black children have had to ask for generations : Why ?
” former Vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate , said in a video eulogy played at the service .
“ Now is the time for racial justice .
That is the answer we must give to our children when they ask why.
” “ The president talks about bringing in the military , but he did not say one word about 8 minutes and 46 seconds of police murder of George Floyd , ” Sharpton said .
“ He challenged China on human rights .
But what about the human right of George Floyd ?
” “ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purpose is because first of all he ’ s our brother .
Second , we want to see change , ” said Marcus Brooks , 47 , who set up a tent along the route with other graduates of Jack Yates High School , Floyd ’ s alma mater .
“ I don ’ t want to see any black man , any man , but most definitely not a black man sitting on the ground in the hands of bad police.
” The funeral came a day after about 6,000 people attended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , waiting for hours under a baking sun to pay their respects to Floyd , whose body lay in an open gold-colored casket .
Over the past six days , memorials for Floyd were also held in Minneapolis , where he lived in recent years , and Raeford , North Carolina , near where he was born .
In the past two weeks , amid the furor over Floyd ’ s death , sweeping and previously unthinkable things have taken place : Confederate statues have been toppled , and many cities are debating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police departments .
Authorities in some places have barred police from using chokeholds or are otherwise rethinking policies on the use of force .

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HOUSTON (AP) — George Floyd was lovingly remembered Tuesday as “Big Floyd” — a father and brother, athlete and mentor, and now a force for change — at a funeral for the black man whose death has sparked a global reckoning over police brutality and racial prejudice.
Hundreds of mourners wearing masks against the coronavirus packed a Houston church a little more than two weeks after Floyd was pinned to the pavement by a white Minneapolis police officer who put a knee on his neck for what prosecutors said was 8 minutes and 46 seconds.
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Cellphone video of the encounter, including Floyd’s pleas of “I can’t breathe,” ignited protests and scattered violence across the U.S. and around the world, turning the 46-year-old Floyd — a man who in life was little known beyond the public housing project where he was raised in Houston’s Third Ward — into a worldwide symbol of injustice.
“Third Ward, Cuney Homes, that’s where he was born at,” Floyd’s brother, Rodney, told mourners at the Fountain of Praise church. “But everybody is going to remember him around the world. He is going to change the world.”
The funeral capped six days of mourning for Floyd in three cities.
Following the service, Floyd’s body was to be taken by horse-drawn carriage to a cemetery in suburban Pearland, where he was to be laid to rest next to his mother.
Congressman Al Green (L)D-TX and Houston mayor Sylvester Turner watch the family enter the sanctuary during the funeral for George Floyd on June 9, 2020, at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston, Texas. - George Floyd will be laid to rest Tuesday in his Houston hometown, the culmination of a long farewell to the 46-year-old African American whose death in custody ignited global protests against police brutality and racism. Thousands of well-wishers filed past Floyd's coffin in a public viewing a day earlier, as a court set bail at $1 million for the white officer charged with his murder last month in Minneapolis. (Photo by Godofredo A. VASQUEZ / POOL / AFP) (Photo by GODOFREDO A. VASQUEZ/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) GODOFREDO A. VASQUEZ via Getty Images
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“George Floyd was not expendable. This is why we’re here,” Democratic Rep. Al Green of Houston told the crowd. “His crime was that he was born black. That was his only crime. George Floyd deserved the dignity and respect that we accord all people just because they are children of a common God.”
While the service was private, at least 50 people gathered outside to pay their respects. Some held signs with messages including “Black Lives Matter” and “Together because of George Floyd.”
“There’s a real big change going on, and everybody, especially black, right now should be a part of that,” said Kersey Biagase, who traveled more than three hours from Port Barre, Louisiana, with his girlfriend, Brandi Pickney. They wore T-shirts printed with Floyd’s name and “I Can’t Breathe.”
Dozens of Floyd’s family members, most dressed in white, were led into the sanctuary by the Rev. Al Sharpton, the civil rights activist.
The mourners also included rapper Trae tha Truth, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who brought the crowd to its feet when he announced he will sign an executive order banning chokeholds in the city.
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“No child should have to ask questions that too many black children have had to ask for generations: Why?” former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate, said in a video eulogy played at the service. “Now is the time for racial justice. That is the answer we must give to our children when they ask why.”
Biden made no mention of politics. But other speakers took swipes at President Donald Trump, who has ignored demands to address racial bias and has called on authorities crack down hard on lawlessness.
“The president talks about bringing in the military, but he did not say one word about 8 minutes and 46 seconds of police murder of George Floyd,” Sharpton said. “He challenged China on human rights. But what about the human right of George Floyd?”
The Rev. William Lawson, a contemporary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., said: “Obviously the first thing we have to do is clean out the White House.”
Most of the pews were full, with relatively little space between people.
“So much for social distancing today,” the Rev. Remus Wright told mourners, gently but firmly instructing those attending to wear face fasks.
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With the funeral inside the church still underway, hundreds of people lined the route to the cemetery. Many said they had arrived hours ahead to secure a spot.
“We’re out here for a purpose. That purpose is because first of all he’s our brother. Second, we want to see change,” said Marcus Brooks, 47, who set up a tent along the route with other graduates of Jack Yates High School, Floyd’s alma mater. “I don’t want to see any black man, any man, but most definitely not a black man sitting on the ground in the hands of bad police.”
The funeral came a day after about 6,000 people attended a public memorial, also in Houston, waiting for hours under a baking sun to pay their respects to Floyd, whose body lay in an open gold-colored casket. Over the past six days, memorials for Floyd were also held in Minneapolis, where he lived in recent years, and Raeford, North Carolina, near where he was born.
The services have drawn the families of other black victims whose names have become part of the debate over race and justice — among them, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Ahmaud Arbery and Trayvon Martin.
In the past two weeks, amid the furor over Floyd’s death, sweeping and previously unthinkable things have taken place: Confederate statues have been toppled, and many cities are debating overhauling, dismantling or cutting funding for police departments. Authorities in some places have barred police from using chokeholds or are otherwise rethinking policies on the use of force.
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Floyd, a bouncer who had lost his job because of the coronavirus outbreak, was seized by police after being accused of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a convenience store.
Four Minneapolis officers were arrested in his death: Derek Chauvin, 44, was charged with second-degree murder. J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao were charged with aiding and abetting. All four could get up to 40 years in prison.


huffpost--2020-06-09--'Bill & Ted Face The Music' Trailer Is The Excellent Escape You Need

While it may not be the time to party on amid a pandemic and national unrest , Bill & Ted are returning to provide a brief escape .
The trailer for the upcoming movie “ Bill & Ted Face The Music ” dropped Tuesday , offering a 60-second-or-so respite from one of the most tumultuous times in recent history .
( Watch it below . )
Alex Winter ’ s Bill and Keanu Reeves ’ Ted , the rock ‘ n ’ roll lunkheads from two previous movies , have troubles of their own in the preview .
Their power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been reduced to playing a small gig for people who were there for $ 2 taco night , Holland Taylor ’ s Great Leader reminds them .
“ You were supposed to unite the world and save reality as we know it , ” she says .
So , off they go into the future to snag the perfect song to reunite the world ― which they ’ ve already written .
Air guitar and really buff prisoners also take center stage .
Fans already know that the two have daughters ( Samara @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Brigette Lundy-Paine as Ted ’ s daughter Billie ) , so we encourage them to use their chips off the old block to achieve rock ‘ n ’ roll nirvana .
The movie is scheduled for release in August , which would make it among the few major Hollywood productions in theaters since the coronavirus pandemic .
“ Bill & Ted ’ s Excellent Adventure ” kicked off the franchise in 1989 , followed by “ Bill & Ted ’ s Bogus Journey ” in 1991 .
Welcome back , boys .

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While it may not be the time to party on amid a pandemic and national unrest, Bill & Ted are returning to provide a brief escape.
The trailer for the upcoming movie “Bill & Ted Face The Music” dropped Tuesday, offering a 60-second-or-so respite from one of the most tumultuous times in recent history. (Watch it below.)
Advertisement
Alex Winter’s Bill and Keanu Reeves’ Ted, the rock ‘n’ roll lunkheads from two previous movies, have troubles of their own in the preview. Their power to rock the world decades ago has been reduced to playing a small gig for people who were there for $2 taco night, Holland Taylor’s Great Leader reminds them.
“You were supposed to unite the world and save reality as we know it,” she says.
So, off they go into the future to snag the perfect song to reunite the world ― which they’ve already written. Air guitar and really buff prisoners also take center stage.
Watch for yourself:
Fans already know that the two have daughters (Samara Weaving as Bill’s kid Thea and Brigette Lundy-Paine as Ted’s daughter Billie), so we encourage them to use their chips off the old block to achieve rock ‘n’ roll nirvana.
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The movie is scheduled for release in August, which would make it among the few major Hollywood productions in theaters since the coronavirus pandemic.


huffpost--2020-06-24--Democratic National Convention Will Be Almost Entirely Virtual

Democrats will hold an almost entirely virtual presidential nominating convention Aug. 17-20 in Milwaukee using live broadcasts and online streaming , party officials said Wednesday .
Joe Biden plans to accept the presidential nomination in person , but it remains to be seen whether there will be a significant in-person audience there to see it .
The Democratic National Committee said in a statement that official business , including the official vote to nominate Biden , will take place virtually , with delegates being asked not to travel to Milwaukee .
It ’ s the latest signal of how much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the 2020 presidential election , leading Biden and the party to abandon the usual trappings of an event that draws tens of thousands of people to the host city to mark the start of the general election campaign .
Biden ’ s campaign manager Jen O ’ Malley Dillon said the drastically altered convention won ’ t be an impediment .
“ Vice President Biden intends to proudly accept his party ’ s nomination in Milwaukee and take the next step forward towards making Donald Trump a one-term president , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign will continue to highlight Wisconsin as a key battleground state .
The convention details were released the same day that Biden ’ s team announced its leadership team in Wisconsin , one of three key states that helped propel Trump to an Electoral College victory four years ago .
He won Wisconsin by fewer than 23,000 votes – less than 1 percentage point .
Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at his Super Tuesday night rally in Los Angeles , California , U.S. , March 3 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ THE DAY Party Chairman Tom Perez said scaling back Democrats ’ festivities is a matter of public health .
He sought to draw a contrast with Trump ’ s push for a traditional convention in North Carolina , clashing with the state ’ s Democratic governor , Roy Cooper , and public health officials over the details amid the pandemic .
The Republican National Committee has confirmed its official business will be conducted in Charlotte .
But Trump has said he plans to accept his nomination in Jacksonville , Florida , because Cooper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to host a large-scale event in Charlotte ’ s NBA arena .
“ Unlike this president , Joe Biden and Democrats are committed to protecting the health and safety of the American people , ” Perez said .
Besides events in Wisconsin , Democrats plan other events in satellite locations around the country to broadcast as part of the convention .
Veteran producer Ricky Kirshner , who has worked on every Democratic National Convention since 1992 , will lead production of the convention , including the satellite broadcasts .
Kirshner has served as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2004 and the Super Bowl halftime show since 2007 ; he ’ s won nine Emmy awards .

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Democrats will hold an almost entirely virtual presidential nominating convention Aug. 17-20 in Milwaukee using live broadcasts and online streaming, party officials said Wednesday.
Joe Biden plans to accept the presidential nomination in person, but it remains to be seen whether there will be a significant in-person audience there to see it. The Democratic National Committee said in a statement that official business, including the official vote to nominate Biden, will take place virtually, with delegates being asked not to travel to Milwaukee.
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It’s the latest signal of how much the COVID-19 pandemic has upended American life and the 2020 presidential election, leading Biden and the party to abandon the usual trappings of an event that draws tens of thousands of people to the host city to mark the start of the general election campaign.
Biden’s campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon said the drastically altered convention won’t be an impediment. “Vice President Biden intends to proudly accept his party’s nomination in Milwaukee and take the next step forward towards making Donald Trump a one-term president,” she said, adding that Biden’s campaign will continue to highlight Wisconsin as a key battleground state.
The convention details were released the same day that Biden’s team announced its leadership team in Wisconsin, one of three key states that helped propel Trump to an Electoral College victory four years ago. He won Wisconsin by fewer than 23,000 votes – less than 1 percentage point.
Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at his Super Tuesday night rally in Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 3, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Blake TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Mike Blake / Reuters
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Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi will serve as convention chair, party officials said.
Party Chairman Tom Perez said scaling back Democrats’ festivities is a matter of public health. He sought to draw a contrast with Trump’s push for a traditional convention in North Carolina, clashing with the state’s Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, and public health officials over the details amid the pandemic. The Republican National Committee has confirmed its official business will be conducted in Charlotte. But Trump has said he plans to accept his nomination in Jacksonville, Florida, because Cooper wouldn’t guarantee Republicans the ability to host a large-scale event in Charlotte’s NBA arena.
“Unlike this president, Joe Biden and Democrats are committed to protecting the health and safety of the American people,” Perez said.
Besides events in Wisconsin, Democrats plan other events in satellite locations around the country to broadcast as part of the convention.
Veteran producer Ricky Kirshner, who has worked on every Democratic National Convention since 1992, will lead production of the convention, including the satellite broadcasts. Kirshner has served as executive producer of the Tony Awards since 2004 and the Super Bowl halftime show since 2007; he’s won nine Emmy awards.


huffpost--2020-06-24--USCIS Prepares For Massive Staff Cuts In Blow To Legal Immigration System

NEW YORK , June 24 ( Reuters ) - The U.S. agency in charge of processing immigration applications said on Wednesday it was preparing to furlough nearly 70 % of its workforce unless it received fresh funding , a move employees say could bring an already backlogged system to a virtual halt .
U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services ( USCIS ) is dependent on fees from new immigration applications for its operations and is facing a historic budget shortfall .
Republican President Donald Trump has made cutting legal and illegal immigration a centerpiece of his 2020 re-election campaign .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions , along with travel restrictions put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic , have dramatically reduced the number of immigrants coming to the United States .
A USCIS spokesperson said in a statement that the agency has already seen a 50 % drop in fees since March when most travel and immigration stopped as countries moved to control the spread of coronavirus .
USCIS has asked for a $ 1.2 billion bailout from Congress to avoid the projected staff reductions .
“ On or before July 2 , approximately 13,400 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USCIS must proceed with an administrative furlough , they would be furloughed beginning August 3 , ” the USCIS spokesperson ’ s statement said .
The furloughs , if implemented , “ will for sure cause noticeable delays immediately , ” said one USCIS employee who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak on the record .
“ There are already so many backlogs to work through .
It ’ s insane to even contemplate how bad this is going to get.
” The staff of the Refugee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USCIS was informed in an email seen by Reuters that notices were being sent on July 24 and 25 to approximately 1,500 employees of the 2,200 on staff in that unit .
Those kept on would be a “ skeleton crew ” to “ keep the lights on , ” the email said .
On Monday , Trump signed a presidential proclamation banning entry for several categories of temporary visa holders and extended a ban on some green card applicants , which the administration said would help open more jobs for unemployed Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy .

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NEW YORK, June 24 (Reuters) - The U.S. agency in charge of processing immigration applications said on Wednesday it was preparing to furlough nearly 70% of its workforce unless it received fresh funding, a move employees say could bring an already backlogged system to a virtual halt.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is dependent on fees from new immigration applications for its operations and is facing a historic budget shortfall.
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Republican President Donald Trump has made cutting legal and illegal immigration a centerpiece of his 2020 re-election campaign. New regulations and a series of executive actions, along with travel restrictions put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic, have dramatically reduced the number of immigrants coming to the United States.
A USCIS spokesperson said in a statement that the agency has already seen a 50% drop in fees since March when most travel and immigration stopped as countries moved to control the spread of coronavirus. USCIS has asked for a $1.2 billion bailout from Congress to avoid the projected staff reductions.
“On or before July 2, approximately 13,400 USCIS employees will receive notice that if USCIS must proceed with an administrative furlough, they would be furloughed beginning August 3,” the USCIS spokesperson’s statement said.
The furloughs, if implemented, “will for sure cause noticeable delays immediately,” said one USCIS employee who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak on the record. “There are already so many backlogs to work through. It’s insane to even contemplate how bad this is going to get.”
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The staff of the Refugee, Asylum and International Operations division of USCIS was informed in an email seen by Reuters that notices were being sent on July 24 and 25 to approximately 1,500 employees of the 2,200 on staff in that unit. Those kept on would be a “skeleton crew” to “keep the lights on,” the email said.


huffpost--2020-03-23--Testing Blunders Crippled US Response To Coronavirus

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A series of missteps at the nation’s top public health agency caused a critical shortage of reliable laboratory tests for the coronavirus, hobbling the federal response as the pandemic spread across the country like wildfire, an Associated Press review found.
President Donald Trump assured Americans early this month that the COVID-19 test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is “perfect” and that “anyone who wants a test can get a test.” But more than two months after the first U.S. case of the new disease was confirmed, many people still cannot get tested.
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In the critical month of February, as the virus began taking root in the U.S. population, CDC data shows government labs processed 352 COVID-19 tests — an average of only a dozen per day.
“You cannot fight a fire blindfolded,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, said at a recent briefing. “We cannot stop this pandemic if we don’t know who is infected.”
The Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the CDC, has begun an internal review to assess its own mistakes. But outside observers and federal health officials have pointed to four primary issues that together hampered the national response — the early decision not to use the test adopted by the World Health Organization, flaws with the more complex test developed by the CDC, government guidelines restricting who could be tested and delays in engaging the private sector to ramp up testing capacity.
Combined with messaging from the White House minimizing the disease, that fueled a lackluster response that missed chances to slow the spread of the virus, they said.
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“There were many, many opportunities not to end up where we are,” Dr. Ashish K. Jha, the director of the Global Health Institute at Harvard, told the AP. “Basically, they took this as business as usual. ... And that’s because the messaging from the White House was ‘this is not a big deal, this is no worse than the flu.’ So that message basically created no sense of urgency within the FDA or the CDC to fix it.”
Even as private labs have been cleared by government regulators to process tens of thousands of additional tests in the last two weeks, experts warn that the nation is still falling well short of enough testing capacity to keep ahead of the highly contagious virus. And it can often take a week just to get results back.
Trump last week rated his administration’s response to the crisis as a perfect 10. However, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the CDC’s system wasn’t designed to test for and track a widespread outbreak, which he characterized as “a failing.”
In interviews with the AP, two federal health officials with direct knowledge of the situation said CDC experts don’t know why many of the agency’s test kits failed to reliably detect the virus. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about what went wrong.
J. Stephen Morrison, a health policy expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, called the testing issues a “debacle,” contributing to what he described as a confused and delayed federal response to the crisis.
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As a result, he said, the CDC has now been marginalized within the White House — a worrisome development.
“CDC has generally been regarded as the best in the game,” Morrison said. “I don’t think they anticipated the technical difficulty, or the speed with which the virus has been moving. The virus was racing out ahead of them.”
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FATEFUL DECISIONS
On New Year’s Eve, Chinese scientists informed the World Health Organization about a cluster of 27 pneumonia cases of unknown cause in the industrial megalopolis of Wuhan that they linked to the city’s wholesale fish market. Less than two weeks later, the Chinese had sequenced the virus’ genetic makeup and shared it with the world.
Within days, German scientists had developed a test that could identify a unique part of the virus’ DNA. The WHO quickly adopted the German test, publishing technical guidelines on Jan. 17 and working with private companies to produce testing kits.
As they have done with some past outbreaks, officials at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta decided to develop their own test, focusing on three gene targets distinct from what the WHO used. Over the decades, the headquarters lab had built a track record of being among the first to develop tests for new diseases and quickly making them available for disease tracking.
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The CDC published the technical details for its COVID-19 test on Jan. 28, 10 days after the WHO. By then, the virus had already been in the U.S. for at least two weeks.
The 35-year-old man who would become the first American to test positive had arrived in Seattle on Jan. 15, following a trip to Wuhan. After swabs from his nose and throat were flown to the CDC lab, federal officials announced the results Jan. 21.
In an interview on CNBC the following day, the president was asked about the risk to the nation.
“We have it totally under control,” he said. “It’s one person coming in from China. ... It’s going to be just fine.”
With limited capacity at the CDC lab in Atlanta, the agency placed strict criteria on who could be tested: people with fevers, coughing or difficulty breathing who had also visited Wuhan within the preceding two weeks or who had close contact with someone already confirmed or under investigation for having the virus.
On Jan. 30, the day WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency, Trump again assured the American people that the virus was “very well under control.”
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Then he departed for a weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, where he tweeted a photo of himself playing golf at his club in West Palm Beach.
“Getting a little exercise this morning!” the president wrote.
The following day, the U.S. declared its own emergency. Still, U.S. citizens returning from China who did not have a fever weren’t tested for the virus but were encouraged to self-quarantine at home for 14 days.
At that point, the CDC had confirmed just eight cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. The agency amended its testing criteria to include people with fevers who had traveled to China, rather than specifically just Wuhan.
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FLAWED TEST KITS
Four days after the U.S. declared a state of emergency, only 178 patients had been tested and 82 others were listed as “pending,” meaning they were awaiting final results, according to CDC data released at the time.
To help increase the number of people being screened, the Food and Drug Administration issued emergency authorization for CDC-certified labs run by state health departments to begin processing swabs, and they were provided with kits that could test 250 patients.
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As the first tests were processed at the state labs, technicians reported getting inconclusive results, which the CDC has said could be due to the test looking for signs of generic coronaviruses, of which there are many, rather than the specific virus that causes COVID-19.
Whatever the reason, by mid-February, only about a half-dozen state and local public health labs had reliable tests. But still, CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield continued to insist his agency had developed “a very accurate test.”
“We found that, in some of the states, it didn’t work,” Redfield said earlier this month. “We figured out why. I don’t consider that a fault. I consider that doing quality control. I consider that success.”
The testing problems emerged just as the CDC broadened its criteria to include patients who were “severely ill” with COVID-19 symptoms “even if a known source of exposure has not been identified.”
As more sick people sought to be tested, many states were forced to limit access because of the flawed CDC test. Accounts began to emerge through social media of people with all the symptoms of COVID-19 who either couldn’t get tested or had test results delayed by days or even a week.
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“I know of doctor friends of mine who have critically ill patients in the ICU, and we don’t know if they have COVID or not because we can’t get a test,” Jha said last week.
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COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION
On Feb. 24, exasperated officials at the Association of Public Health Laboratories sent a letter to the FDA, basically asking permission for state labs to develop their own tests. Within days, the FDA reversed its previous position and said both public and private labs could conduct testing.
Trump, for his part, continued to insist the virus would die out on its own. “One day, it’s like a miracle. It will disappear,” he predicted Feb. 27.
By then, experts say, the opportunity to halt the relentless spread of the virus within the U.S. population had been lost.
On Feb. 29, only 472 patients had been tested nationwide, with just 22 cases confirmed, according to CDC data. Of those, nine cases were not related to travel but had spread person-to-person within the U.S.
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By comparison, South Korea had its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on Jan. 20, the same day as the U.S. Officials there used a test that focused on the same gene targets as the WHO test, according to the website of a test manufacturer. They then quickly permitted private-sector labs to run the samples. As a result, a nation with less than one-sixth the population of the U.S. mobilized to test more than 20,000 people a day.
South Korea also instituted drive-thru centers, allowing quicker identification of those who were infected but might not be displaying symptoms, thus slowing the emergence of new cases to a more manageable level.
Meanwhile, the rate of U.S. infections soared.
“The system is not really geared to what we need right now, what you are asking for,” Fauci conceded during a congressional hearing earlier this month. “That is a failing. Let’s admit it.”
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SHIFTING BLAME
As public outrage over the lack of available U.S. tests grew, the FDA announced it would allow private diagnostic lab companies to produce new tests without preauthorization from regulators.
Trump and HHS Secretary Alex Azar visited the CDC lab in Atlanta on March 6, praising the agency’s performance and promising 4 million test kits would be available by the end of the following week.
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That lofty number didn’t match the ability of U.S. labs to process tests, however. Private providers were just then ramping up, while CDC and state health labs processed about 25,200 COVID-19 tests in the following seven days, according to CDC data.
At the same news conference, Trump said he wanted infected passengers to remain on a cruise ship off the West Coast to keep the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. low.
“I like the numbers being where they are,” Trump said, shortly before departing Atlanta for another weekend of golf in Florida. “I don’t need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasn’t our fault.”
Trump has also attempted to mislay blame for the testing troubles on the Obama administration. In 2018, Trump disbanded the White House directorate charged with preparing for and responding to global pandemics.
“I don’t take responsibility at all,” Trump replied when asked about the testing shortfall in a March 13 briefing at the White House.
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Morrison said Trump appears to see the virus as a political issue rather than a public health threat.
“You can imagine a White House that said, ‘Do whatever it takes to test everybody for the virus,’” he said. “That wasn’t the mentality. It was the opposite mentality, and ultimately the responsibility to protect the American people lies with the White House.”
Trump and other officials have falsely said they declined to use the WHO test because it isn’t reliable.
“Quality testing for our American people is paramount to us,” Deborah Birx, who is coordinating the U.S. coronavirus response, said last week. “It doesn’t help to put out a test where 50% or 47% are false positives.”
“It was a bad test,” Trump chimed in.
Tarik Jašarević, a WHO spokesperson, told the AP last week that his agency had so far shipped 1.5 million testing kits manufactured in Germany to 120 countries around the globe, with no such problems emerging.
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“The test has been validated in three external laboratories, adapted by WHO and manufactured in line with international quality standards,” he said. “It has shown consistently good performance in laboratory and clinical use, and neither a significant number of false-positive nor false-negative results have been reported.”
Over the past two weeks, U.S. testing capacity has surged, with private companies joining in. LabCorp began providing tests March 5, and Quest Diagnostics followed four days later. Tests also are being conducted at individual hospitals and other centers.
With the increased testing has come a skyrocketing number of confirmed cases, zooming from 43 at the beginning of March to 33,404 by Monday.
Only in the last few days has the United States finally begun testing more people each day than far smaller South Korea, according to data complied by Johns Hopkins University.
Jha estimates the U.S. should be testing 100,000 to 150,000 people per day — figures he said should be obtainable given the number of high-quality diagnostic labs in the country.
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“We certainly have the capacity. It’s just we’re not doing it,” Jha said Thursday. “We are up to about 40,000 tests per day now — and so we are moving in the right direction. Still far from where we need to be, but moving.”
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Stobbe reported from New York. Associated Press writer Maria Cheng in London contributed to this report.
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Follow AP Investigative Reporter Michael Biesecker at http://twitter.com/mbieseck
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huffpost--2020-03-23--Coronavirus Relief Package Again Falls Short In Senate

ASSOCIATED PRESS Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky. walks to the Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington , Monday , March 23 , 2020 .
( AP Photo/Andrew Harnik ) WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) - A far-reaching coronavirus economic stimulus package failed to advance in the U.S. Senate on Monday as Democrats said it contained too little money for hospitals and not enough restrictions on a fund to help big businesses .
The 49-46 vote left the sweeping measure short of the 60 votes needed to advance , as the chamber remained deadlocked for a second day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ side wants to play political games , ” said Republican Senator John Thune , who angrily accused Democrats of “ dilly-dallying around.
” Democrats said they were close to an agreement with Republicans and predicted a modified version would win passage soon .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , who estimated the bill would cost $ 2 trillion , said before the vote that the two sides were making progress .
“ We knocked off a bunch of things on the list already and we ’ re closing in on issues , ” Mnuchin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office .
He did not give specific .
U.S. stocks fell on Monday as the coronavirus forced more states into lockdown , eclipsing optimism from an unprecedented round of policy easing by the Federal Reserve .
The bill represents a third effort by Congress to blunt the economic toll of the pandemic that has killed at least 428 people in the United States and sickened more than 34,000 , leading state governors to order nearly a third of the nation ’ s population to stay at home and putting much business activity on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to add unrelated provisions , such as expanded tax credits for wind and solar power and increased leverage for labor unions .
Democrats said Republicans were also trying to add provisions that would exclude nonprofit groups from receiving small-business aid , and extend a sexual abstinence-education program that is due to expire in May .
The speaker of the House of Representatives , Nancy Pelosi , released her own version , which would add billions of dollars to help states conduct elections by mail .
Republicans normally hold a slim 53-47 majority in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes they need to advance most legislation .
But the coronavirus threat has affected their ranks .
Republican Senator Rand Paul said he tested positive for the virus on Sunday , and several others have self-quarantined as a precautionary measure .
Republicans only mustered 47 votes in Sunday ’ s procedural vote .

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky. walks to the Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A far-reaching coronavirus economic stimulus package failed to advance in the U.S. Senate on Monday as Democrats said it contained too little money for hospitals and not enough restrictions on a fund to help big businesses.
The 49-46 vote left the sweeping measure short of the 60 votes needed to advance, as the chamber remained deadlocked for a second day.
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Tempers frayed as Republicans accused Democrats of obstruction during a national emergency.
“The country is burning and your side wants to play political games,” said Republican Senator John Thune, who angrily accused Democrats of “dilly-dallying around.”
Democrats said they were close to an agreement with Republicans and predicted a modified version would win passage soon.
“Take a deep breath. We’re gonna pass this bill,” Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who estimated the bill would cost $2 trillion, said before the vote that the two sides were making progress.
“We knocked off a bunch of things on the list already and we’re closing in on issues,” Mnuchin told reporters after exiting Schumer’s office. He did not give specific.
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U.S. stocks fell on Monday as the coronavirus forced more states into lockdown, eclipsing optimism from an unprecedented round of policy easing by the Federal Reserve.
The bill represents a third effort by Congress to blunt the economic toll of the pandemic that has killed at least 428 people in the United States and sickened more than 34,000, leading state governors to order nearly a third of the nation’s population to stay at home and putting much business activity on hold.
The measure includes financial aid for ordinary Americans, small businesses and critically affected industries, including airlines.
Republicans said Democrats were seeking to add unrelated provisions, such as expanded tax credits for wind and solar power and increased leverage for labor unions.
Democrats said Republicans were also trying to add provisions that would exclude nonprofit groups from receiving small-business aid, and extend a sexual abstinence-education program that is due to expire in May.
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The speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, released her own version, which would add billions of dollars to help states conduct elections by mail.
Republicans normally hold a slim 53-47 majority in the chamber, short of the 60 votes they need to advance most legislation.
But the coronavirus threat has affected their ranks. Republican Senator Rand Paul said he tested positive for the virus on Sunday, and several others have self-quarantined as a precautionary measure. Republicans only mustered 47 votes in Sunday’s procedural vote.
(Reporting by David Morgan and Andy Sullivan; Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Scott Malone, Will Dunham and Jonathan Oatis)


huffpost--2020-03-23--8 Things People Diagnosed With Coronavirus Want You To Know

Those who ’ ve already weathered the virus have learned a lot from it .
They know what it ’ s like to get tested and how the symptoms progress .
They also know what it feels like to watch people panic-shop and huddle in bars while they sit at home with a fever .
On March 1 , Mankin visited a friend in a hospital , who he ’ d later find out had COVID-19 .
Though he had taken all the right safety precautions — he wore a gown and face mask , and washed his hands thoroughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run down just a few days later , and tested positive for the novel coronavirus on the 11th .
Before his symptoms really kicked in , Mankin stopped by his office to pick up some files .
The next day , his secretary went to work .
Though he had no contact with her — other than her touching the doorknob or him coughing in a room she later entered — she got COVID-19 .
It ’ s not like the flu or a bad cold Take it seriously , even if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may not get tested , but that shouldn ’ t change how you behave

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Around the world, cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, continue to surge. It’s estimated that more than 325,000 people have been infected already — a number that will likely increase again by the time you read this. Meanwhile, more than 95,000 people have already recovered.
Those who’ve already weathered the virus have learned a lot from it. They know what it’s like to get tested and how the symptoms progress. They also know what it feels like to watch people panic-shop and huddle in bars while they sit at home with a fever.
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We spoke to a few people who’ve had COVID-19 and asked them what they want us to understand about the illness. Here’s what they said.
It spreads like wildfire
Trevor Mankin, a Lutheran pastor in Seattle who’s had COVID-19, was alarmed at how easily the virus spreads.
On March 1, Mankin visited a friend in a hospital, who he’d later find out had COVID-19. Though he had taken all the right safety precautions — he wore a gown and face mask, and washed his hands thoroughly — both Mankin and his wife felt run down just a few days later, and tested positive for the novel coronavirus on the 11th.
Before his symptoms really kicked in, Mankin stopped by his office to pick up some files. The next day, his secretary went to work. Though he had no contact with her — other than her touching the doorknob or him coughing in a room she later entered — she got COVID-19.
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“It can spread so easily,” Mankin said. “It doesn’t seem to matter if you’re in contact with a person or not.”
That’s why practicing strict social distancing right now is so important. Staying home as much as possible can help slow down the spread of the virus.
Moyo Studio via Getty Images
It’s not like the flu or a bad cold
COVID-19 is compared to the flu more than anything else. But Chiara DiGiallorenzo, a 25-year-old based in Miami who’s been battling COVID-19 since March 6, said the infections are far from the same.
Though her illness started with a fever and fatigue, two flu-like symptoms, she knew something was different when she felt a growing tightness in her chest that left her short of breath.
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“It is not the flu,” DiGiallorenzo said, emphasizing the fact that many people who get it are “fighting for air.”
Christy, a woman in Seattle who recently recovered from COVID-19, also wishes people would stop calling it a bad cold. Her illness started with a multiday fever that progressed into sinus congestion, a headache and a debilitating “brain fog” that made it impossible to focus.
“It’s not just a cold,” said Christy, who wished to withhold her last name to talk about her medical issues. “I’m pretty healthy and not old (in my 40s), and it kicked my ass.”
Take it seriously, even if you don’t get that sick
About 80% of people who contract COVID-19 will experience what doctors refer to as mild symptoms — a slight fever, a dry cough — and will recover on their own at home. But that doesn’t mean people with a lower risk should take it any less seriously.
Many who’ve had COVID-19 say it’s frustrating to see people downplaying the threat, and cramming together in bars and at beaches.
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“I just wish people would be a little more concerned with those people [who have a higher risk] than concerned with just themselves,” Mankin said. He asks people to think not solely about their own needs, but about everyone else’s as well.
DiGiallorenzo has been trying to teach other millennials about the gravity of the pandemic. She’s been hosting Q&A’s on her Instagram page to open up a dialogue and help destigmatize the virus among her peers.
“If [younger people] pass this on to those less strong, it can be deadly,” DiGiallorenzo said. She also wants younger people to know that they can get sick, too, especially if they have underlying health issues. “Nobody is invincible to this,” DiGiallorenzo said.
You may not get tested, but that shouldn’t change how you behave
Testing continues to be limited, which means test kits are often reserved for those with the most severe symptoms. At this point, many people who have more moderate symptoms may only be tested for the flu.
DiGiallorenzo said many hospitals were unwilling to test her and her friends (who were also sick) due to their age and level of health.
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If you have any symptoms, regardless of whether you’re able to get tested, act like you have COVID-19 and quarantine until you’re better, Christy added.
“You will probably never be able to get tested, so you’ll just have to act accordingly,” Christy said.
Give and accept support
Amid all the chaos, people affected by COVID-19 have felt an outpouring of support. Mankin’s been amazed by “how many people have brought us meals and groceries and just called to check on us.”
Christy felt lucky that she and her husband, who was also diagnosed with COVID-19, had each other while recovering from the infection. But, she worries about those who don’t have others to lean on.
“I would love it if people start thinking about folks who might need a phone call, email or message right now. It’s a great time to reach out to a friend or relative and check in,” Christy said.
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PeopleImages via Getty Images
Don’t freak out and panic-shop
Six hundred rolls of toilet paper are not going to help you overcome the illness.
“People need to get their heads on straight and stop hoarding,” Christy said. The real reason you need to shop is to have some food available if you get sick, she said.
Mankin feels similarly. Is he worried he’s going to die, or his wife or kid will suffer? No. But he is worried about his parents, who are in their 70s and haven’t been able to buy groceries because the shelves have been completely cleared out.
“Why do you need 64 porterhouses for the next two weeks? You don’t need to be doing that,” Mankin said. Buy the necessities, but don’t overdo it.
Cut back on the news
Mankin has watched the news every day for years, but recently decided to cut back a bit — and recommends you do the same.
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“If I watch the news, I get depressed, I get more upset, I get concerned,” Mankin said. Since the pandemic erupted, he’s gone on “a bit of a news fast” and watches only the highlights for an hour a day.
DiGiallorenzo has felt the same. Though she’s trying to stay as informed as possible, she’s been making a point to unplug and decompress. “There’s such an influx of negativity right now that I try and take a pause daily to meditate,” DiGiallorenzo said.
Focus on the upside
When Mankin was first diagnosed, he persistently worried about what was going to happen to him along with the rest of the country. But he soon realized his concerns were potentially traumatizing his children and he was missing out on valuable time with his family.
He recommends focusing on the silver linings, if you can, rather than getting bogged down by the negatives.
“So, you’re stuck at home for six weeks — you know what, I’m never going to have six weeks when I can sit with my daughters and play,” Mankin said. “Stop it and enjoy your family.”
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huffpost--2020-03-23--Can't Smell Or Taste Anything? You Might Have The Coronavirus

NEW YORK ( AP ) — A loss of smell or taste might be an early sign of infection with the pandemic virus , say medical experts who cite reports from several countries .
The idea of a virus infection reducing sense of smell is not new .
Respiratory viral infection is a common cause of loss of smell , because inflammation can interfere with airflow and the ability to detect odors .
The sense of smell usually returns when the infection resolves , but in a small percentage of cases , smell loss can persist after other symptoms disappear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permanent .
Now , there ’ s “ good evidence ” from South Korea , China and Italy for loss or impairment of smell in infected people , says a joint statement from the presidents of the British Rhinological Society and of ENT UK , a British group that represents ear , nose and throat doctors .
In South Korea , some 30 % of people who tested positive for the virus have cited loss of smell as their major complaint in otherwise mild cases , they wrote .
So that might be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people without other symptoms — fever , coughing and shortness of breath — of the new coronavirus , they wrote .
A similar proposal was published Sunday by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery .
It noted “ rapidly accumulating ” anecdotal evidence from around the world that the pandemic virus can cause not only loss of smell but also a diminished sense of taste .
So the appearance of those symptoms in people without another explanation should alert doctors to the possibility of a COVID-19 infection , the group said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expert at the World Health Organization , told reporters Monday that the U.N. health agency is looking into the question of whether the loss of smell or taste are a defining feature of the disease .
Dr. Eric Holbrook , an expert on nasal and sinus disease at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear hospital in Boston , said the reports have been a hot topic among researchers and doctors .
But “ we don ’ t have hard evidence right now ” about how often smell loss occurs in people infected with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview Monday .
Holbrook said the reports he has seen suggest the sense of smell returns within a couple weeks , but how long it lasts has yet to be firmly established .
He also said it ’ s difficult to assess reports of a loss of taste because people with an impaired sense of smell often report a loss of flavor , which is technically different from an impairment in taste .
Holbrook said he is trying to set up a study of smell in people being tested for the coronavirus at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

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NEW YORK (AP) — A loss of smell or taste might be an early sign of infection with the pandemic virus, say medical experts who cite reports from several countries.
It might even serve as a useful screening tool, they say.
The idea of a virus infection reducing sense of smell is not new. Respiratory viral infection is a common cause of loss of smell, because inflammation can interfere with airflow and the ability to detect odors. The sense of smell usually returns when the infection resolves, but in a small percentage of cases, smell loss can persist after other symptoms disappear. In some cases, it is permanent.
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Now, there’s “good evidence” from South Korea, China and Italy for loss or impairment of smell in infected people, says a joint statement from the presidents of the British Rhinological Society and of ENT UK, a British group that represents ear, nose and throat doctors. In South Korea, some 30% of people who tested positive for the virus have cited loss of smell as their major complaint in otherwise mild cases, they wrote.
So that might be useful as a way to spot infected people without other symptoms — fever, coughing and shortness of breath — of the new coronavirus, they wrote.
A similar proposal was published Sunday by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. It noted “rapidly accumulating” anecdotal evidence from around the world that the pandemic virus can cause not only loss of smell but also a diminished sense of taste. So the appearance of those symptoms in people without another explanation should alert doctors to the possibility of a COVID-19 infection, the group said.
Maria Van Kerkhove, an outbreak expert at the World Health Organization, told reporters Monday that the U.N. health agency is looking into the question of whether the loss of smell or taste are a defining feature of the disease.
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Dr. Eric Holbrook, an expert on nasal and sinus disease at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear hospital in Boston, said the reports have been a hot topic among researchers and doctors. But “we don’t have hard evidence right now” about how often smell loss occurs in people infected with the pandemic virus, he said in an interview Monday.
Holbrook said the reports he has seen suggest the sense of smell returns within a couple weeks, but how long it lasts has yet to be firmly established.
He also said it’s difficult to assess reports of a loss of taste because people with an impaired sense of smell often report a loss of flavor, which is technically different from an impairment in taste.
Holbrook said he is trying to set up a study of smell in people being tested for the coronavirus at Boston-area hospitals.
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AP Medical Writer Maria Cheng in London contributed to this report.
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huffpost--2020-03-23--As Homeless Services Scramble, A Day Shelter Resolves To Stay Open

RALEIGH , N.C. ― Bars , restaurants and other businesses across the country are rapidly shutting their doors and limiting hours of operation , and those in North Carolina are no exception .
But one community center in Raleigh is determined to keep its doors open as long as possible for some of the people most susceptible to the coronavirus : the state ’ s homeless population .
The Love Wins Community Engagement Center , which is operated as a ministerial nonprofit by St. John ’ s Metropolitan Community Church and local advocacy group Love Wins , said it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County .
For many residents , the center is now the only place where they can get food during the pandemic , Director Rev .
Vance Haywood said .
The center currently serves between 120 and 150 meals a day .
To minimize physical contact , the center has changed its schedule to 30-minute meal increments , limited dining room attendance to 10 people at a time and instituted a to-go option .
People can also make appointments to shower or use the computer , with volunteers sanitizing each area after every use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population in the state , and an estimated 9,314 people experienced homelessness on any given day last year , according to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness .
The community center has already seen an increase in visitors during mealtimes .
“ A lot of meal programs have started shutting down , and people are very grateful that we ’ re still open , ” Haywood said .
“ But they ’ re terrified that something is going to happen and we ’ re going to have to close , and they don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to get their meals from.
” Normally , the center offers a variety of resources for people who are homeless , including hot meals three times a day , and collaborates with other agencies to offer drug and injury prevention services , screenings for sexually transmitted infections , and pastoral counseling sessions , Haywood said .
It ’ s also one of the few shelters in the area that specifically offers services for the LGBTQ community .
The coronavirus pandemic has ground many of these services to a halt .
But Haywood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including food , a place to wash up and computers so people can stay connected to the rest of the world .
Those characteristics include living in crowded shelters — which makes it impossible for people to practice social distancing , even when they feel sick — as well as the inability to sanitize by taking showers and a lack of access to nutritious foods .
Community leaders need to figure out a way to help shelters find new spaces to separate their residents and find funds to secure those spaces and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This has got to be a situation where leadership steps up.
” “ We ’ re working really hard to get them to include plans to help communities deal with homelessness , ” Berg said .
“ We ’ ve been talking to anybody on Capitol Hill who will talk to us about it.
” Until more federal funding becomes available , state and county leaders are helping homeless people and other vulnerable communities on an ad hoc basis .
In North Carolina , shelters have spent the last week desperately trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Denise Neunaber , executive director at the North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness .
“ It ’ s very different from county to county , because everyone is working with their county public health department , ” Neunaber said .
“ Some of them are very connected with the homeless system , and some are not.
” “ Communities are trying to figure out who are the populations that need things , and shelters are trying to figure out how they can stay open 24 hours a day , especially if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Neunaber said .
During a call with 42 shelters across North Carolina on Friday , Neunaber said that roughly a quarter of them reported needing cleaning supplies , almost none of them could find face masks and 32 said they didn ’ t have enough space or any bed dividers .
Someone on the call suggested using bed canopies , like the ones that hang over children ’ s beds , as an alternative .

The Love Wins Community Engagement Center hopes to keep offering meals during the coronavirus pandemic. Photo courtesy of Rev. Vance Haywood
RALEIGH, N.C. ― Bars, restaurants and other businesses across the country are rapidly shutting their doors and limiting hours of operation, and those in North Carolina are no exception. But one community center in Raleigh is determined to keep its doors open as long as possible for some of the people most susceptible to the coronavirus: the state’s homeless population.
The Love Wins Community Engagement Center, which is operated as a ministerial nonprofit by St. John’s Metropolitan Community Church and local advocacy group Love Wins, said it is the only known day shelter in Wake County. For many residents, the center is now the only place where they can get food during the pandemic, Director Rev. Vance Haywood said.
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The center currently serves between 120 and 150 meals a day. To minimize physical contact, the center has changed its schedule to 30-minute meal increments, limited dining room attendance to 10 people at a time and instituted a to-go option. People can also make appointments to shower or use the computer, with volunteers sanitizing each area after every use.
Wake County has the second-highest homeless population in the state, and an estimated 9,314 people experienced homelessness on any given day last year, according to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. The community center has already seen an increase in visitors during mealtimes.
“A lot of meal programs have started shutting down, and people are very grateful that we’re still open,” Haywood said. “But they’re terrified that something is going to happen and we’re going to have to close, and they don’t know where they’re going to get their meals from.”
Normally, the center offers a variety of resources for people who are homeless, including hot meals three times a day, and collaborates with other agencies to offer drug and injury prevention services, screenings for sexually transmitted infections, and pastoral counseling sessions, Haywood said. It’s also one of the few shelters in the area that specifically offers services for the LGBTQ community.
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The coronavirus pandemic has ground many of these services to a halt. But Haywood is determined to continue offering essential services, including food, a place to wash up and computers so people can stay connected to the rest of the world.
Homeless populations are some of the most at-risk in the nation during any public health crisis, said Steve Berg, vice president for programs and policy at the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
“The characteristics that make people particularly vulnerable to disease are common amongst homeless people,” Berg said. “They are, in some ways, the front door to the whole health system.”
Those characteristics include living in crowded shelters — which makes it impossible for people to practice social distancing, even when they feel sick — as well as the inability to sanitize by taking showers and a lack of access to nutritious foods.
Community leaders need to figure out a way to help shelters find new spaces to separate their residents and find funds to secure those spaces and additional supplies, Berg said. “This has got to be a situation where leadership steps up.”
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One opportunity lies in the proposed economic stimulus bill, which could pass Congress this week. But when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) released the bill last Thursday, it didn’t include anything about resources for homeless shelters or community centers.
“We’re working really hard to get them to include plans to help communities deal with homelessness,” Berg said. “We’ve been talking to anybody on Capitol Hill who will talk to us about it.”
Until more federal funding becomes available, state and county leaders are helping homeless people and other vulnerable communities on an ad hoc basis. In North Carolina, shelters have spent the last week desperately trying to coordinate and figure out best practices, said Denise Neunaber, executive director at the North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness.
“It’s very different from county to county, because everyone is working with their county public health department,” Neunaber said. “Some of them are very connected with the homeless system, and some are not.”
Neunaber’s organization is trying to create a comprehensive list of shelters and nonprofits providing housing in the state to help coordinate funding distribution and resource allocation.
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“Communities are trying to figure out who are the populations that need things, and shelters are trying to figure out how they can stay open 24 hours a day, especially if we need to shelter in place,” Neunaber said.
During a call with 42 shelters across North Carolina on Friday, Neunaber said that roughly a quarter of them reported needing cleaning supplies, almost none of them could find face masks and 32 said they didn’t have enough space or any bed dividers. Someone on the call suggested using bed canopies, like the ones that hang over children’s beds, as an alternative.
Over the next few weeks, the NC Coalition to End Homeless hopes to raise funds to secure new spaces, but also to help those on the verge of homelessness retain their housing.
“Sometimes it’s just $200 to help someone stay in the housing that they’re in,” Neunaber said.
Some counties are also contracting with local hotels to provide temporary housing. Operations at the St. John’s MCC/Love Wins Community Engagement Center are holding steady for now, Haywood said, though he worries cleaning supplies and healthy staff may soon start to run short.
“What I’ve tried to tell folks is that even before COVID-19, our community center was home for a lot of people — and it’s the only place where they can get a meal right now,” Haywood said. “We’re asking for resources where we can and will try to keep everything open as long as we can.”


huffpost--2020-03-23--'I Fear For My Life': Detained Families Are Terrified Of Coronavirus

Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images Immigrant women and children walk across a field as Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Enforcement and Removal Operations host a media tour at the South Texas Family Residential Center last summer in Dilley , Texas .
A pregnant mother from Honduras is terrified of getting coronavirus while being held in a family detention center in Dilley , Texas .
Her 4-year-old daughter has a severe cough and vomits up to three times a night .
They are detained in close quarters with hundreds of other immigrants , have limited access to hand soap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could easily spread .
“ I must be close to others all the time , ” said the mother in a statement to immigration lawyers , in which she is identified by her initials , O.M.G .
“ I fear for my life , and the life of my daughter and unborn child.
” On Saturday , a group of immigration lawyers filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security demanding that immigrants be released from family detention centers in the U.S. amid the coronavirus outbreak .
They say the cramped conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hygiene make these facilities a “ powder keg ” for the virus ’ s spread .
And despite the fact that hundreds of detained families say they are showing symptoms tied to COVID-19 , detention centers are not testing people for the virus or taking preventive measures , according to the lawsuit .
The lawyers say they worry that an outbreak among the detained immigrants would be deadly and spread to people in surrounding communities .
“ I ’ m afraid we ’ re going to have parents die , ” said Bridget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of ALDEA ― the People ’ s Justice Center , one of the organizations that filed the complaint .
“ It ’ s not OK for that to be the thing we wait for.
” The U.S. has three family detention centers , two in Texas and one in Pennsylvania , that collectively detain roughly 2,000 immigrants .
Social distancing , the best defense so far against the coronavirus , is not a possibility for people who are forced to sleep , eat and use the bathroom in group settings .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deteriorate and doctors have left us in the dark regarding her care , ” the woman said in a declaration , adding that her baby had recently lost 7 pounds .
“ We believe that our lives and our children ’ s lives remain in danger the longer we stay here.
” One Haitian mother , identified in the declaration as C.L.
, was worried about her asthmatic son getting the virus while they are detained at Dilley .
The 4-year-old has a cough and stuffy nose , and C.L .
said immigrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach out and touch people in the beds next to them , some of whom are also coughing .
Her son does not have an inhaler , and she is afraid of sending him to school in a trailer with 20 other kids .
But there isn ’ t much she can do to protect him .
Despite the government ’ s recommendations that people wash their hands often , C.L .
said she has no access to hand sanitizer , face masks or gloves , and that when the soap runs out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before it ’ s replaced .
One father detained at Berks said there had not been soap in the bathroom for six days , while a mother at Dilley said the soap dispenser in her room had been broken for three weeks .
The guards are not wearing face masks , gloves or keeping their distance from families , according to the legal complaint , despite the fact that a staff member in an immigrant children ’ s shelter and an ICE detention center recently tested positive for the coronavirus .
Detained families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information about the disease and worry they won ’ t get proper treatment in the event of an outbreak .
The medical care in ICE detention is notoriously bad , and last year six children died in U.S. custody from treatable illnesses , such as the flu or respiratory issues .
At Karnes , there usually isn ’ t a doctor on site , and nurses do “ very basic checks on people and then tell them to drink more water or to take Ibuprofen , ” said Andrea Meza , the director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services ( RAICES ) , in a recent panel .
Detained families are not being tested for COVID-19 , even if they show obvious symptoms , according to the legal complaint .
The pregnant mother from Honduras said that when she took her 4-year-old to get medical care at Dilley , they gave her Vicks VapoRub and water .
“ This has not helped , and she has stopped eating , ” the woman said .
“ I do not have access to the medical attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Immigrant women and children walk across a field as Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Enforcement and Removal Operations host a media tour at the South Texas Family Residential Center last summer in Dilley, Texas. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images
A pregnant mother from Honduras is terrified of getting coronavirus while being held in a family detention center in Dilley, Texas. Her 4-year-old daughter has a severe cough and vomits up to three times a night. They are detained in close quarters with hundreds of other immigrants, have limited access to hand soap or sanitizer, and worry the virus could easily spread.
“I must be close to others all the time,” said the mother in a statement to immigration lawyers, in which she is identified by her initials, O.M.G. “I fear for my life, and the life of my daughter and unborn child.”
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On Saturday, a group of immigration lawyers filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security demanding that immigrants be released from family detention centers in the U.S. amid the coronavirus outbreak. They say the cramped conditions, subpar medical care and lack of hygiene make these facilities a “powder keg” for the virus’s spread. And despite the fact that hundreds of detained families say they are showing symptoms tied to COVID-19, detention centers are not testing people for the virus or taking preventive measures, according to the lawsuit. The lawyers say they worry that an outbreak among the detained immigrants would be deadly and spread to people in surrounding communities.
“I’m afraid we’re going to have parents die,” said Bridget Cambria, an immigration lawyer and the director of ALDEA ― the People’s Justice Center, one of the organizations that filed the complaint. “It’s not OK for that to be the thing we wait for.”
DHS did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment. The lawsuit says that officials have “begun to release some families” including pregnant women or people who suffer from asthma, though it does not specify how many.
The Karnes County Residential Center in Texas is being used by ICE to detain adults with children who have been apprehended at the southwest border. Drew Anthony Smith via Getty Images
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The U.S. has three family detention centers, two in Texas and one in Pennsylvania, that collectively detain roughly 2,000 immigrants. Social distancing, the best defense so far against the coronavirus, is not a possibility for people who are forced to sleep, eat and use the bathroom in group settings.
At the Berks family detention center in Pennsylvania, three families sleep in rooms with beds that are less than 2 feet apart and share a bathroom blocked off by a sheet, Cambria said.
In the Karnes County Residential Center in South Texas, one woman told attorneys her family must eat in a room with 200 other people, even though her 19-month-old baby was having trouble breathing because of an issue with her lungs.
“Our baby’s health continues to deteriorate and doctors have left us in the dark regarding her care,” the woman said in a declaration, adding that her baby had recently lost 7 pounds. “We believe that our lives and our children’s lives remain in danger the longer we stay here.”
Immigrants at the Dilley, Texas, family detention facility live in trailers where 12 people sleep in each dorm, and they share bathrooms with multiple families.
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“Detainees are surrounded by hundreds of other detainees at any given time,” wrote Shalyn Fluharty, the managing attorney at the Dilley Pro Bono Project, in the legal complaint.
One Haitian mother, identified in the declaration as C.L., was worried about her asthmatic son getting the virus while they are detained at Dilley. The 4-year-old has a cough and stuffy nose, and C.L. said immigrants are packed in so tightly they can reach out and touch people in the beds next to them, some of whom are also coughing. Her son does not have an inhaler, and she is afraid of sending him to school in a trailer with 20 other kids.
The dining area at the Karnes County Residential Center. Drew Anthony Smith via Getty Images
But there isn’t much she can do to protect him. Despite the government’s recommendations that people wash their hands often, C.L. said she has no access to hand sanitizer, face masks or gloves, and that when the soap runs out they often have to wait a day before it’s replaced. One father detained at Berks said there had not been soap in the bathroom for six days, while a mother at Dilley said the soap dispenser in her room had been broken for three weeks.
The guards are not wearing face masks, gloves or keeping their distance from families, according to the legal complaint, despite the fact that a staff member in an immigrant children’s shelter and an ICE detention center recently tested positive for the coronavirus. Detained families also say they’ve received no information about the disease and worry they won’t get proper treatment in the event of an outbreak.
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“Officials come and go and leave us without information,” said one immigrant in a letter obtained by HuffPost. “We’re worried about the kids. A majority have a flu and cough. Help, there’s a lot of desperation.”
Letters from immigrants at the Karnes County Residential Center, obtained by HuffPost.
The medical care in ICE detention is notoriously bad, and last year six children died in U.S. custody from treatable illnesses, such as the flu or respiratory issues. At Karnes, there usually isn’t a doctor on site, and nurses do “very basic checks on people and then tell them to drink more water or to take Ibuprofen,” said Andrea Meza, the director of family detention services at the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES), in a recent panel. Detained families are not being tested for COVID-19, even if they show obvious symptoms, according to the legal complaint.
The pregnant mother from Honduras said that when she took her 4-year-old to get medical care at Dilley, they gave her Vicks VapoRub and water. “This has not helped, and she has stopped eating,” the woman said. “I do not have access to the medical attention I need in this jail.”
Another mother at the same facility said her 5-year-old daughter had a severe cough and fatigue but was told by medical staff to give her water and that no cough medicine was available.
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Though immigration lawyers are hoping a federal court in Washington will force the government to release these families, precedent is not in their favor. Last week the American Civil Liberties Union sued ICE, asking that vulnerable adults be released from a detention center in Tacoma, Washington. A federal district judge denied the request.
But Cambria said letting families out should be a no-brainer, since they are the most vulnerable immigrants in the system and are not facing criminal charges. They can also be easily tracked as part of ICE’s supervision programs that involve ankle bracelets, to ensure they show up to their court dates.
Cambria says that, though the inhumane treatment of asylum seekers has become a pillar of the Trump administration, a coronavirus outbreak in detention facilities also poses a threat to American citizens since immigrants will need to be hospitalized.