huffpost--2020-06-05--U.S. Unemployment Declines To 13.3%, Diverging From Expert Predictions

Other evidence has also shown that the job market meltdown triggered by the coronavirus has bottomed out .
The number of people applying for unemployment benefits has declined for nine straight weeks .
And the total number of people receiving such aid has essentially leveled off .
Even with the surprising gain in May , it may take months for all those who lost work in April and March to find jobs .
Some economists forecast the rate could remain in double-digits through the November elections and into next year .
America ’ s workers likely suffered another devastating blow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost to the viral pandemic and an unemployment rate near or even above 20 % for the first time since the Great Depression .
Economists have forecast that the government will report Friday that employers shed 8.5 million more jobs last month on top of 21.4 million lost in March and April .
A figure that large would raise the total losses since the coronavirus intensified nearly three months ago to almost 30 million — more than triple the number of jobs lost during the 2008-2009 Great Recession .
Still , that report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As restaurants , movie theaters , gyms , hair salons and other retail establishments gradually reopen , job cuts are slowing and employers are recalling some of their laid-off workers .
The total number of people receiving unemployment aid rose slightly , the government said , but stayed below a peak of 25 million reached two weeks earlier .
And the number of laid-off workers applying for aid , while historically high , has declined for nine straight weeks .
The economic shock , like the pandemic itself , has widened economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower-educated workers .
More than 55 % of African-Americans say they or someone in their household has lost income since mid-March , compared with 43 % of whites , according to a weekly survey by the Census Bureau .
For Hispanics , the figure is 60 % .
The pandemic has especially eliminated jobs , at least temporarily , at restaurants , hotels , retail chains and other lower-wage industries .
The street protests over George Floyd ’ s killing that led to some vandalism and looting in dozens of cities won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which were compiled in the middle of May .
But business closures related to the unrest could cause job losses that would be reflected in the June jobs report to be issued next month .
A few businesses are reporting signs of progress even in hard-hit industries .
American Airlines , for example , said this week that it would fly 55 % of its U.S. routes in July , up from just 20 % in May .
And the Cheesecake Factory said one-quarter of its nearly 300 restaurants have reopened , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those restaurants are at nearly 75 % of the levels reached a year ago , the company said .
Both companies ’ share prices rose .
Overhanging the jobs picture is widespread uncertainty about how long the unemployed will remain out of work .
Most of the layoffs in recent months were a direct result of the sudden shutdowns of businesses in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Though many of the unemployed have said they expect their layoffs to be temporary , many large businesses won ’ t rehire everyone they laid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not reopen at all if the recession drags on .
Until most Americans are confident they can shop , travel , eat out and fully return to their other spending habits without fear of contracting the virus , the economy will likely remain sluggish .
Even if just one-third of the U.S. job losses turn out to be permanent , that would leave roughly 10 million people out of work .
That is still more than all the jobs lost in the Great Recession .
A hole that size would take years to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy will regain 17 million jobs by year ’ s end , a huge increase by historical standards .
But that would make up for barely more than half the losses .
Gwyneth Duesbery , 22 , returned this week to her job as a hostess at a steakhouse where she lives in Grand Rapids , Michigan , as the restaurant prepares to reopen .
Duesbery said she is grateful for the opportunity , given that she hasn ’ t received unemployment benefits since the restaurant closed in March and has run through @ @ @

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 13.3% in May from 14.7%, and 2.5 million jobs were added — a surprisingly positive reading in the midst of a recession that has paralyzed the economy in the wake of the viral pandemic.
The May job gain suggests that businesses have quickly been recalling workers as states have reopened their economies.
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Other evidence has also shown that the job market meltdown triggered by the coronavirus has bottomed out. The number of people applying for unemployment benefits has declined for nine straight weeks. And the total number of people receiving such aid has essentially leveled off.
The overall job cuts have widened economic disparities that have disproportionately hurt minorities and lower-educated workers. Though the unemployment rate for white Americans was 12.4% May, it was 17.6% for Hispanics and 16.8% for African-Americans.
Even with the surprising gain in May, it may take months for all those who lost work in April and March to find jobs. Some economists forecast the rate could remain in double-digits through the November elections and into next year.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story is below:
America’s workers likely suffered another devastating blow in May, with millions more jobs lost to the viral pandemic and an unemployment rate near or even above 20% for the first time since the Great Depression.
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Economists have forecast that the government will report Friday that employers shed 8.5 million more jobs last month on top of 21.4 million lost in March and April. A figure that large would raise the total losses since the coronavirus intensified nearly three months ago to almost 30 million — more than triple the number of jobs lost during the 2008-2009 Great Recession.
The economy has sunk into what looks like a deep recession, and most economists foresee unemployment remaining above 10% — its peak during the Great Recession — through the November elections and into next year.
A report Thursday on applications for unemployment benefits reinforced the picture of a bleak job market: The number of people seeking jobless aid last week was double the previous record high that prevailed before the viral outbreak occurred.
Still, that report did offer a few glimmers of hope. As restaurants, movie theaters, gyms, hair salons and other retail establishments gradually reopen, job cuts are slowing and employers are recalling some of their laid-off workers. The total number of people receiving unemployment aid rose slightly, the government said, but stayed below a peak of 25 million reached two weeks earlier. And the number of laid-off workers applying for aid, while historically high, has declined for nine straight weeks.
The economic shock, like the pandemic itself, has widened economic disparities that have disproportionately hurt minorities and lower-educated workers. More than 55% of African-Americans say they or someone in their household has lost income since mid-March, compared with 43% of whites, according to a weekly survey by the Census Bureau. For Hispanics, the figure is 60%. The pandemic has especially eliminated jobs, at least temporarily, at restaurants, hotels, retail chains and other lower-wage industries.
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The street protests over George Floyd’s killing that led to some vandalism and looting in dozens of cities won’t affect Friday’s jobs figures, which were compiled in the middle of May. But business closures related to the unrest could cause job losses that would be reflected in the June jobs report to be issued next month.
A few businesses are reporting signs of progress even in hard-hit industries. American Airlines, for example, said this week that it would fly 55% of its U.S. routes in July, up from just 20% in May.
And the Cheesecake Factory said one-quarter of its nearly 300 restaurants have reopened, though with limited capacity. Sales at those restaurants are at nearly 75% of the levels reached a year ago, the company said. Both companies’ share prices rose.
Those limited gains may lead to more rehiring as companies slowly restart shuttered businesses. But economists say the pace of hiring will then likely lag as a severe recession and high unemployment hold back consumer spending, the main driver of the economy.
Erica Groshen, a labor economist at Cornell University and a former commissioner of the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, said hiring could ramp up relatively quickly in coming months and reduce unemployment to low double-digits by year’s end.
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“Then my inclination is that it will be a long, slow slog,” she said.
Overhanging the jobs picture is widespread uncertainty about how long the unemployed will remain out of work. Most of the layoffs in recent months were a direct result of the sudden shutdowns of businesses in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Though many of the unemployed have said they expect their layoffs to be temporary, many large businesses won’t rehire everyone they laid off. And some small employers might not reopen at all if the recession drags on. Until most Americans are confident they can shop, travel, eat out and fully return to their other spending habits without fear of contracting the virus, the economy will likely remain sluggish.
Even if just one-third of the U.S. job losses turn out to be permanent, that would leave roughly 10 million people out of work. That is still more than all the jobs lost in the Great Recession. A hole that size would take years to fill. Oxford Economics estimates that the economy will regain 17 million jobs by year’s end, a huge increase by historical standards. But that would make up for barely more than half the losses.
Gwyneth Duesbery, 22, returned this week to her job as a hostess at a steakhouse where she lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as the restaurant prepares to reopen. Duesbery said she is grateful for the opportunity, given that she hasn’t received unemployment benefits since the restaurant closed in March and has run through her savings.
She will spend this week helping to clean the restaurant and setting tables 6 feet apart. The restaurant will be able to seat only about one-quarter of its usual capacity.
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The restaurant, Bowdie’s Chop House, has reservations for about 20 people for its opening night Monday and said it has drawn plenty of interest from longtime customers. Still, Duesbery worries about her health.


huffpost--2020-06-05--States Have Put 54 New Restrictions On Peaceful Protests Since Ferguson

OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images Law enforcement officers face off with demonstrators outside the White House as part of a wave of anti-racism protests nationwide .
But as last Friday ’ s demonstrations kicked off in Minneapolis ― where Floyd , a Black man , was killed by police officers ― Louisiana lawmakers some 2,500 miles south voted overwhelmingly to pass harsh new legislation cracking down on peaceful protests .
The bill set a three-year mandatory minimum prison sentence with hard labor for protesters convicted of trespassing on fossil fuel and other infrastructure sites during a state of emergency like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The legislation had actually been months in the making , and it ’ s hardly a one-off .
Since 2015 ― in the wake of protests set off by the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson , Missouri ― states have introduced at least 154 bills or executive orders to restrict peaceful protest , according to a HuffPost analysis of the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law ’ s tally , a new report from PEN America , and interviews with free speech experts .
So far , 54 have become law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Louisiana measure , which is awaiting the governor ’ s signature ― are pending .
Of the 22 anti-protest laws passed over the last four years , 12 designated fossil fuel sites as “ critical infrastructure ” and ramped up penalties for trespassing or tampering with the equipment there .
The statutes , promoted in state legislatures by the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council following the 2016 Dakota Access Pipeline protests , typically elevated low-level misdemeanor charges to felonies with thousands of dollars in fines and prison time .
While the Louisiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalties , more than half a dozen other states enacted similar legislation in just the past two years .
Three states ― Kentucky , South Dakota and West Virginia ― passed new laws restricting fossil fuel protests in March , as the country went into lockdown over the pandemic .
Alabama lawmakers advanced their bill in May , but failed to pass it before the legislative session ended .
New Penalties And Definitions For Riots South Dakota has become a hotbed for anti-protest legislation , particularly since Gov .
Kristi Noem ( R @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the course of three days in March 2019 , the state legislature passed a law criminalizing “ riot boosting , ” setting forth harsh penalties for those who encourage acts of “ force or violence ” but do not take part themselves .
The American Civil Liberties Union sued to block the law , and state officials dialed back the measure as part of a settlement .
When you have mass movements and a lot of people in the street , you see false arrests and heavy-duty charge stacking to get people to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws are a gift to that type of prosecution .
Mara Verheyden-Hilliard , executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund Then this March , South Dakota enacted new measures expanding the definition of a felony “ riot ” to “ intentional use of force or violence by three or more persons ” that causes “ any damage to property.
” The law covers those who “ urge ” a riot , which it defines as “ instigating , inciting , or directing ” but excluding “ oral or written advocacy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not urge ... imminent force or violence.
” Protesters Can ’ t Block Traffic , But Drivers Can Hit Them Seven states proposed , but ultimately failed to pass , legislation limiting liability for drivers who hit or run over protesters who are blocking streets .
In addition to protecting drivers , those bills and more than a dozen other proposed laws sought to increase penalties for protesters who block traffic or gather without approval on private or public land .
The latter measures became law in two states .
A 2017 South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ban gatherings of more than 20 people on public land if the gathering could damage the land or the renters ’ use of that property .
It also gave the state Department of Transportation the right to bar protests that interfere with highway traffic , increasing the penalties for obstructing roadways to one year behind bars and a $ 2,000 fine .
A Utah law enacted three months ago expanded “ disorderly conduct ” in the legislature or at meetings of government officials to include creating annoyance or alarm with “ unreasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a silent protester who “ refuses to comply with the lawful order of a law enforcement officer to move from a public place or an official meeting , or knowingly creates a hazardous or physically offensive condition.
” The measure mandated a $ 750 fine for first offenses , up to three months in jail for those who had been warned to cease the prohibited conduct , and up to one year in jail for a third-time offender .
Between April 2015 and May 2020 , 32 states enacted measures to restrict or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement to “ boycott , divest and sanction ” Israel over its treatment of Palestinians and non-Jewish Israelis , according to data from the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise .
Two dozen of those laws and executive orders bar states from granting contracts to companies or individuals who support the BDS movement .

Law enforcement officers face off with demonstrators outside the White House as part of a wave of anti-racism protests nationwide. OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images
The historic wave of protests sparked by the death of George Floyd has spurred a new debate over the legitimacy of political violence as some demonstrators have turned to vandalism, looting and setting fires in defiance of police brutality and racism.
But as last Friday’s demonstrations kicked off in Minneapolis ― where Floyd, a Black man, was killed by police officers ― Louisiana lawmakers some 2,500 miles south voted overwhelmingly to pass harsh new legislation cracking down on peaceful protests. The bill set a three-year mandatory minimum prison sentence with hard labor for protesters convicted of trespassing on fossil fuel and other infrastructure sites during a state of emergency like the one declared amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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The legislation had actually been months in the making, and it’s hardly a one-off. Since 2015 ― in the wake of protests set off by the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri ― states have introduced at least 154 bills or executive orders to restrict peaceful protest, according to a HuffPost analysis of the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law’s tally, a new report from PEN America, and interviews with free speech experts. So far, 54 have become law. More than two dozen ― including the Louisiana measure, which is awaiting the governor’s signature ― are pending.
These new restrictions on peaceful protest are not directly linked to an uptick in less-peaceful tactics over the past week. In fact, many of the current protesters have condemned actions like brick-throwing and looting, blaming the worst offenses on agitators who don’t share their anti-racist goals.
But a number of the largest U.S. cities where nightly protests are taking place have put curfews in place, including New York City, Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis. Researchers warn that the proliferation of new restrictions could push future protesters to embrace more combative tactics as the legal risks of peaceful gatherings rise.
“There’s a multiplier effect,” said Dana Fisher, a sociologist who studies protest movements at the University of Maryland, College Park. “If people don’t think they’re allowed to peacefully protest, they’re going to be prepared for more confrontational protest.”
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Pipeline Protections
Of the 22 anti-protest laws passed over the last four years, 12 designated fossil fuel sites as “critical infrastructure” and ramped up penalties for trespassing or tampering with the equipment there. The statutes, promoted in state legislatures by the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council following the 2016 Dakota Access Pipeline protests, typically elevated low-level misdemeanor charges to felonies with thousands of dollars in fines and prison time.
Louisiana adopted such a statute in 2018. Last week, lawmakers expanded on the measure, adding the mandatory minimum sentencing provision that could send peaceful protesters to prison for standing near any of Louisiana’s 125,000 miles of pipeline, much of which is buried and therefore difficult to avoid when planning demonstrations.
A protester stands, arms in the air, in front of a row of officers during a demonstration near the White House on June 1. OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images
While the Louisiana bill proposes some of the most inflexible penalties, more than half a dozen other states enacted similar legislation in just the past two years. Three states ― Kentucky, South Dakota and West Virginia ― passed new laws restricting fossil fuel protests in March, as the country went into lockdown over the pandemic. Alabama lawmakers advanced their bill in May, but failed to pass it before the legislative session ended.
So-called “critical infrastructure” bills have passed more easily than other protest restrictions because big companies, particularly oil giants, have deployed their expansive lobbying networks to back the measures.
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New Penalties And Definitions For Riots
More than a dozen states have proposed new bills to discourage riots, though the legislation was most successful in the Dakotas, where heated pipeline protests are recent events that seem likely to repeat.
In 2017, North Dakota increased the charges for participating in a riot. It was previously a Class A misdemeanor, which was punishable by up to a year in prison and a $3,000 fine. Under the newer law, joining a riot with more than 100 people is a Class B felony, subject to 10 years in prison and $20,000 in fines.
South Dakota has become a hotbed for anti-protest legislation, particularly since Gov. Kristi Noem (R) took office last year. Over the course of three days in March 2019, the state legislature passed a law criminalizing “riot boosting,” setting forth harsh penalties for those who encourage acts of “force or violence” but do not take part themselves. The American Civil Liberties Union sued to block the law, and state officials dialed back the measure as part of a settlement.
“When you have mass movements and a lot of people in the street, you see false arrests and heavy-duty charge stacking to get people to plead to lesser charges. ... These laws are a gift to that type of prosecution.” - Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund
Then this March, South Dakota enacted new measures expanding the definition of a felony “riot” to “intentional use of force or violence by three or more persons” that causes “any damage to property.” The law covers those who “urge” a riot, which it defines as “instigating, inciting, or directing” but excluding “oral or written advocacy of ideas or expression of belief that does not urge ... imminent force or violence.”
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It took less than a month in early 2018 for West Virginia to enact a law extending protections for police officers to the state’s Capitol Police when they kill or wound anyone present, “spectator or otherwise,” while dispersing a riot.
Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, executive director of the nonprofit Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, said the statute was known among lawyers and advocates as the “shoot-a-teacher law” because it was passed amid the West Virginia’s teachers strike.
Protesters Can’t Block Traffic, But Drivers Can Hit Them
Seven states proposed, but ultimately failed to pass, legislation limiting liability for drivers who hit or run over protesters who are blocking streets. In addition to protecting drivers, those bills and more than a dozen other proposed laws sought to increase penalties for protesters who block traffic or gather without approval on private or public land. The latter measures became law in two states.
A 2017 South Dakota law enabled the governor and sheriffs to ban gatherings of more than 20 people on public land if the gathering could damage the land or the renters’ use of that property. It also gave the state Department of Transportation the right to bar protests that interfere with highway traffic, increasing the penalties for obstructing roadways to one year behind bars and a $2,000 fine.
That same year, Tennessee imposed new $200 fines ― plus up to 30 days in jail ― for anyone who obstructs an emergency vehicle, which it broadly defined as “any vehicle of a governmental department or public service corporation when responding to an emergency.”
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Curbing Free Speech, Especially About Israel
Proposed laws to punish students or universities for protests that block controversial speakers from appearing on campus are pending in six states and were defeated in another 11.
In 2018, Missouri banned public employees from picketing, though a federal judge blocked the law from being enforced in January 2020.
A Utah law enacted three months ago expanded “disorderly conduct” in the legislature or at meetings of government officials to include creating annoyance or alarm with “unreasonable noise.” The restrictions could apply to a silent protester who “refuses to comply with the lawful order of a law enforcement officer to move from a public place or an official meeting, or knowingly creates a hazardous or physically offensive condition.” The measure mandated a $750 fine for first offenses, up to three months in jail for those who had been warned to cease the prohibited conduct, and up to one year in jail for a third-time offender.
Between April 2015 and May 2020, 32 states enacted measures to restrict or formally condemn as anti-Semitic support for the movement to “boycott, divest and sanction” Israel over its treatment of Palestinians and non-Jewish Israelis, according to data from the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. Two dozen of those laws and executive orders bar states from granting contracts to companies or individuals who support the BDS movement.
A protester watches a law enforcement helicopter circle the main opposition camp against the Dakota Access oil pipeline near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, in February 2017. Terray Sylvester / Reuters
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In most cases, the bills seeking to restrict peaceful protest and expression are aimed at “charge stacking,” which is when prosecutors pile on the counts to pressure people into a deal.
“When you have mass movements and a lot of people in the street, you see false arrests and heavy-duty charge stacking to get people to plead to lesser charges. ... These laws are a gift to that type of prosecution,” said Verheyden-Hilliard.
But they’re not necessary. “The crimes are already crimes, and the penalties already exist,” she said.
The push to limit peaceful political expression overall, particularly amid the pandemic, highlights the influence of monied special interests on policymaking in the United States, said Vera Eidelman, a staff attorney at the ACLU in New York.
“There’s an absurdity to legislatures passing these laws right now,” she said, “when there are so many barriers to hearing from constituents as it is.”


huffpost--2020-06-05--What's The Difference Between An 'R Number' And 'K Number' For COVID-19?

Both values are calculated by mathematicians and scientists working to combat the pandemic and used to influence public health policies .
The experts analyze vast amounts of data ― including hospital admissions , ICU admissions , deaths , self-reported symptoms and behavior surveys ― to estimate the R and K values .
Each value offers a slightly different insight into the virus .
Confused about these terms and the difference between the two ?
Here ’ s what you need to know .
What is the R number ?
The R value represents the number of people that one infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus on to .
It ’ s influenced by characteristics of the specific disease ( in this case , COVID-19 ) , such as how easily it passes from person to person .
Human behavior ― i.e .
how closely we follow social distancing measures ― will also impact the R number .
When the R number is below one , this suggests the number of cases is shrinking .
Anything above one suggests cases and subsequent infections are growing ― and is a cause for concern , because cases snowball .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures are working , the R number doesn ’ t offer the full picture ; the R value can show if an epidemic is getting bigger or smaller , but not how large it is .
“ R should always be considered alongside the number of people currently infected , ” the UK government website explains .
“ If R equals 1 with 100,000 people currently infected , it is a very different situation to R equals 1 with 1,000 people currently infected.
” What is the K number ?
The K number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ metric used to shed light on the variations of the R number across COVID-19 cases .
It provides scientists with a more nuanced view of how the disease is spreading , rather than simply tracking if it ’ s spreading .
While the R number represents the average number of people a single infected person will go on to infect , the K number highlights that not all infected people will go on to infect the same number .
For example , if an infected person self-isolates straight away once contracting COVI-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than someone who has attended a mass gathering .
The K value shows how much statistical variation there is in the spread of the virus .
“ The general rule is that the smaller the K value is , the more transmission comes from a smaller number of infectious people , ” Adam Kucharski , an expert at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , told The Guardian .
“ Once K is below one , you have got the potential for super-spreading.
” “ Once K is above about five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are generating pretty similar numbers [ of secondary cases ] , you ’ re not getting these super-spreading events.
” Research indicates that before lockdown , the K number for COVID-19 was around 0.1 and 0.5 , meaning a small amount of people were generating a large amount of new cases .
In other words , “ super spreaders ” were influencing the R number .
As lockdown measures ease over the coming weeks , the K number will help scientists identify what ’ s more likely to lead to super-spreading – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the use of public transportation or mass events such as concerts , sports and weddings .

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For months, we’ve heard about the coronavirus R and K rate.
Both values are calculated by mathematicians and scientists working to combat the pandemic and used to influence public health policies. The experts analyse vast amounts of data – including hospital admissions, ICU admissions, deaths, self-reported symptoms and behaviour surveys – to estimate the R and K values. Each value offers a slightly different insight into the virus.
Confused about these terms and the difference between the two? Here’s what you need to know.
What is the R number?
The R number – sometimes referred to as the R0 – is the “basic reproduction number”. It’s used to measure the transmission potential of a disease.
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The R value represents the number of people that one infected person will, on average, pass the virus on to. It’s influenced by characteristics of the specific disease (in this case, Covid-19), such as how easily it passes from person to person. Human behaviour – i.e. how closely we follow social distancing measures – will also impact the R number.
When the R number is below one, this suggests the number of cases is shrinking. Anything above one suggests cases and subsequent infections are growing – and is a cause for concern, because cases snowball.
While it can help indicate if lockdown measures are working, the R number doesn’t offer the full picture; the R value can show if an epidemic is getting bigger or smaller, but not how large it is.
“R should always be considered alongside the number of people currently infected,” the government website explains. “If R equals 1 with 100,000 people currently infected, it is a very different situation to R equals 1 with 1,000 people currently infected.”
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What is the K number?
The K number, or K value, is a metric used to shed light on the variations of the R number across Covid-19 cases. It provides scientists with a more nuanced view of how the disease is spreading, rather than simply tracking if it’s spreading.
While the R number represents the average number of people a single infected person will go on to infect, the K number highlights that not all infected people will go on to infect the same number. It shows the difference in infection rates.
For example, if an infected person self-isolates straight away once contracting Covid-19, they are likely to infect fewer people than someone who has attended a mass gathering. The K value shows how much statistical variation there is in the spread of the virus.
When the K value is less than one, this indicates a high variation in spreading patterns.
“Once K is below one, you have got the potential for super-spreading” - Dr Dr Adam Kucharski
“The general rule is that the smaller the K value is, the more transmission comes from a smaller number of infectious people,” Dr Dr Adam Kucharski, an expert at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine told The Guardian. “Once K is below one, you have got the potential for super-spreading.”
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“Once K is above about five or 10, it tells you most people are generating pretty similar numbers [of secondary cases], you’re not getting these super-spreading events.”
Research indicates that before lockdown, the K number for Covid-19 was around 0.1 and 0.5, meaning a small amount of people were generating a large amount of new cases. In other words, “super spreaders” were influencing the R number.
As lockdown measures ease, the K number will help scientists identify what’s more likely to lead to super-spreading – be that pubs reopening, the use of public transport or mass events such as festivals, sports and weddings.
Alongside the R number, the K number may determine which areas of life can resume and which must remain on hold in order to control the virus.


huffpost--2020-06-05--For Black Women, There's Nothing To Celebrate In The Unemployment Numbers

President Donald Trump was quick to celebrate a surprise fall in the unemployment rate on Friday morning , practically exploding with excitement at the news that in May the jobless rate fell to 13.3 % from 14.7 % in April .
There ’ s just one crucial thing Trump didn ’ t mention : Black unemployment .
The percentage of Black people without jobs hardly budged in May .
For African American workers over age 20 , the unemployment rate was 16 % in May , down from 16.3 % the previous month , according to an analysis of Labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the National Women ’ s Law Center .
( For Black workers age 16 and up , the unemployment number rose to 16.8 % . )
It ’ s just the latest sign that Black Americans are disproportionately struggling right now while dealing with the triple storm of COVID-19 ’ s health effects , an economy in free-fall , and protests against police brutality sweeping the country .
While Black men age 20 and up saw a slight increase in jobs last month , things got worse for Black women , with their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 16.4 % , according to a separate analysis from the National Women ’ s Law Center released Friday .
“ Everyone else saw slight improvement in May , but Black women just stagnated , ” said Tucker .
“ It comes back to the racism and sexism they ’ re going to face in reentering the workforce.
” The issue for Black women is , first , they were disproportionately overrepresented in many of the industries hit hardest by coronavirus-related job losses ― including retail and hospitality jobs in the restaurant and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that companies are starting to bring back workers , a double hit of sexism and racism makes it harder for these women to go back to work .
“ I think the pandemic has really laid bare a lot of the problems that women and women of color face in the workforce , ” said Tucker .
“ They ’ re paid less .
They ’ re less likely to have worker protections like paid leave and other benefits.
” The jobs crisis has been terrible for women overall .
The unemployment rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even higher than it is for Black women ― though it declined more in May to 19 % from 20.2 % the previous month .
In the past , Trump has been happy to tout the Black unemployment rate as a sign of how his administration has been good to African Americans .
The White House even put out a press release about it late last year and of course he ’ s tweeted about it .
The pandemic has devastated the Black community .
The mortality rate from COVID-19 among African Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whites .
And in some regions of the country it ’ s as much as four times as bad .
The job loss has been horrific , too .
And it ’ s compounded by the fact that for Black Americans there ’ s very little social safety net to fall back on : African Americans are less likely to have savings or wealth to cushion their fall , and have lower incomes than white Americans , as well .
The numbers released Friday are a startling demonstration of what ’ s been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black workers : In any economic downturn it has historically been African Americans who are last to recover .
“ When the jobs come back it ’ s important to look at who is getting those jobs , ” Elise Gould , a senior economist at the progressive-leaning Economic Policy Institute , told HuffPost on Thursday before the jobs report came out .
“ I fear they will again mimic the discrimination of the past .
And we won ’ t see Black workers able to bounce back the way that white workers @ @ @ @ @

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President Donald Trump was quick to celebrate a surprise fall in the unemployment rate on Friday morning, practically exploding with excitement at the news that in May the jobless rate fell to 13.3% from 14.7% in April.
“These numbers are joyous,” he tweeted, before holding a press conference congratulating himself for what are still historically terrible unemployment numbers ― worse than anything seen during the Great Recession.
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There’s just one crucial thing Trump didn’t mention: Black unemployment. The percentage of Black people without jobs hardly budged in May. For African American workers over age 20, the unemployment rate was 16% in May, down from 16.3% the previous month, according to an analysis of Labor Department data from researcher Jasmine Tucker at the National Women’s Law Center. (For Black workers age 16 and up, the unemployment number rose to 16.8%.)
It’s just the latest sign that Black Americans are disproportionately struggling right now while dealing with the triple storm of COVID-19’s health effects, an economy in free-fall, and protests against police brutality sweeping the country.
Drill down into the numbers released Friday, you find that it is Black women in particular who are hurting.
While Black men age 20 and up saw a slight increase in jobs last month, things got worse for Black women, with their jobless rate ticking up to 16.5% from 16.4%, according to a separate analysis from the National Women’s Law Center released Friday.
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“Everyone else saw slight improvement in May, but Black women just stagnated,” said Tucker. “It comes back to the racism and sexism they’re going to face in reentering the workforce.”
The issue for Black women is, first, they were disproportionately overrepresented in many of the industries hit hardest by coronavirus-related job losses ― including retail and hospitality jobs in the restaurant and leisure sectors.
And second, now that companies are starting to bring back workers, a double hit of sexism and racism makes it harder for these women to go back to work.
Exacerbating matters, Black women are more likely to be single parents with young kids ― that means they can’t necessarily go back to work yet, with schools and child-care centers closed.
“I think the pandemic has really laid bare a lot of the problems that women and women of color face in the workforce,” said Tucker. “They’re paid less. They’re less likely to have worker protections like paid leave and other benefits.”
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The jobs crisis has been terrible for women overall. The unemployment rate for Latinas age 20 and over is even higher than it is for Black women ― though it declined more in May to 19% from 20.2% the previous month.
About 1 in 7 women in the U.S. are unemployed right now, compared to 1 in 9 men, according to the Law Center’s analysis.
In the past, Trump has been happy to tout the Black unemployment rate as a sign of how his administration has been good to African Americans. The White House even put out a press release about it late last year and of course he’s tweeted about it.
Before the pandemic, the Black unemployment rate was a relatively low 5.8%. For white workers it was 3.1%. (Typically Black unemployment is double the rate for white people.)
But the events of the past 12 weeks reveal the emptiness of Trump’s rhetoric around African Americans and the economy.
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The pandemic has devastated the Black community. The mortality rate from COVID-19 among African Americans is nearly twice what it is for whites. And in some regions of the country it’s as much as four times as bad.
The job loss has been horrific, too. And it’s compounded by the fact that for Black Americans there’s very little social safety net to fall back on: African Americans are less likely to have savings or wealth to cushion their fall, and have lower incomes than white Americans, as well.
The numbers released Friday are a startling demonstration of what’s been a long-standing truth when it comes to Black workers: In any economic downturn it has historically been African Americans who are last to recover.
That’s partly because discrimination intensifies in a slack job market ― in other words, employers can be “choosier,” i.e., discriminatory, about whom they decide to hire. And Black workers face extraordinary levels of discrimination in hiring.
“When the jobs come back it’s important to look at who is getting those jobs,” Elise Gould, a senior economist at the progressive-leaning Economic Policy Institute, told HuffPost on Thursday before the jobs report came out. “I fear they will again mimic the discrimination of the past. And we won’t see Black workers able to bounce back the way that white workers [do].”
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huffpost--2020-06-05--Storm Season Adds To Coronavirus Pandemic Worries For Mexico, Central America

State civil defense chief Jorge Mier y Terán designated a shelter in each township for people infected with the virus , but not hospitalized .
His office advised Tabasco residents that during this hurricane season they should try to stay with relatives if rising waters forced them to leave their homes so as to avoid big gatherings in shelters , a recommendation shared by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency .
Now authorities from Mexico ’ s Gulf coast to El Salvador in Central America are putting their storm season plans into action as the temporarily weakened Cristobal drops dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heights in Mexico .
The virus poses an additional risk for rescuers and evacuees and will make it harder to persuade people to leave their homes , experts say .
Cristobal weakened to a tropical depression Thursday with sustained winds of 35 mph ( 55 kph ) after it moved inland .
The storm emerged this week in the Bay of Campeche from the remnants of Tropical Storm Amanda , which had formed in the Pacific and pounded El Salvador , Guatemala and Honduras .
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Cristobal was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back over the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday and become a tropical storm again .
The storm is forecast to be out in the central Gulf on Sunday and could be nearing the U.S. Gulf Coast by late Sunday or Monday .
“ The development of the storm emergency in some way is going to influence the development of the illness , ” said the country ’ s health minister , Francisco Alabí .
He said infections could rise because people are more exposed when their homes are destroyed or damaged .
Cristobal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foot of water along Mexico ’ s Gulf coast over the course of the week .
As it sits nearly stationary , the concern grows that the region ’ s rivers will spill over their banks potentially forcing thousands from their homes .
Many people in the poorer parts of Central America and southern Mexico often resist evacuations because they fear their belongings will be stolen , a situation aggravated now because of fears of the virus .
The pandemic also increases risks for rescue crews like the one working to save a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the outskirts of San Salvador on Thursday .
David León , Mexico ’ s national civil defense director , appeared beside President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Thursday morning in Palenque in Chiapas state .
He explained the government ’ s emergency response , but never referred to the pandemic .
Asked for comment , his agency shared a link to recommendations and protocols for managing disasters during the pandemic that was shared with authorities around Mexico .
Carlos Valdés , former director of Mexico ’ s National Disaster Prevention Center and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University ’ s program in Costa Rica , said there is consensus among disaster officials that the key will be identifying confirmed and suspected cases and then separating them from others .
Having smaller shelters that still allow safe spacing of evacuees along with strict hygiene measures will also be important , he said .
El Salvador has adopted among the strictest measures to combat the virus .
In evacuating people from floodwaters and areas at risk of landslides , it screened them for COVID-19 symptoms , took their temperature and gave them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some shelters held as many as 300 people but mats were spaced at least six feet ( two meters ) apart .
Families were grouped and separated from others .
Valdés said the confluence of tropical weather and pandemic ultimately will mean that the novel coronavirus “ will be a problem for longer and will change the way it is spread.
” It will be important to educate people about how the rain can lead to a rise in illnesses .

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MEXICO CITY (AP) — Weeks ago, civil defense officials in Mexico’s Tabasco state, one of the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic and now Tropical Storm Cristobal, asked health authorities for daily lists of infections in vulnerable communities.
State civil defense chief Jorge Mier y Terán designated a shelter in each township for people infected with the virus, but not hospitalized. His office advised Tabasco residents that during this hurricane season they should try to stay with relatives if rising waters forced them to leave their homes so as to avoid big gatherings in shelters, a recommendation shared by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency.
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Now authorities from Mexico’s Gulf coast to El Salvador in Central America are putting their storm season plans into action as the temporarily weakened Cristobal drops dangerous heavy rains while the pandemic reaches new heights in Mexico. The virus poses an additional risk for rescuers and evacuees and will make it harder to persuade people to leave their homes, experts say.
When Cristobal made landfall Wednesday as a tropical storm, Mier y Terán preventively evacuated 75 people from two communities. Their temperatures were checked and they were screened for symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
The mix of the pandemic and what is expected to be a busy hurricane season has officials throughout the region worried about simultaneously managing multiple emergencies.
“COVID without a doubt complicates the operational logistics,” Mier y Terán said.
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Cristobal weakened to a tropical depression Thursday with sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph) after it moved inland. The storm emerged this week in the Bay of Campeche from the remnants of Tropical Storm Amanda, which had formed in the Pacific and pounded El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.
Together the storms have caused at least 30 deaths in El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico.
Late Thursday, the storm was moving east at 3 mph (5 kph), about 145 miles (235 kilometers) south of the Gulf coast city of Campeche, capital of the state of the same name.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Cristobal was expected to begin strengthening once it moves back over the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday and become a tropical storm again. The storm is forecast to be out in the central Gulf on Sunday and could be nearing the U.S. Gulf Coast by late Sunday or Monday.
El Salvador has reported 27 deaths from the two storms and more than 11,000 people evacuated to more than 200 shelters.
“The development of the storm emergency in some way is going to influence the development of the illness,” said the country’s health minister, Francisco Alabí. He said infections could rise because people are more exposed when their homes are destroyed or damaged.
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Cristobal is expected to leave more than a foot of water along Mexico’s Gulf coast over the course of the week. As it sits nearly stationary, the concern grows that the region’s rivers will spill over their banks potentially forcing thousands from their homes.
Many people in the poorer parts of Central America and southern Mexico often resist evacuations because they fear their belongings will be stolen, a situation aggravated now because of fears of the virus. The pandemic also increases risks for rescue crews like the one working to save a family from the rubble of their home on the outskirts of San Salvador on Thursday.
So far, only a couple hundred people had been evacuated along Mexico’s Gulf coast and none reported suspected virus infections. Overall, Mexico has more than 101,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, with nearly 12,000 dead.
David León, Mexico’s national civil defense director, appeared beside President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Thursday morning in Palenque in Chiapas state. He explained the government’s emergency response, but never referred to the pandemic. Asked for comment, his agency shared a link to recommendations and protocols for managing disasters during the pandemic that was shared with authorities around Mexico.
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Carlos Valdés, former director of Mexico’s National Disaster Prevention Center and part of Mexico’s National Autonomous University’s program in Costa Rica, said there is consensus among disaster officials that the key will be identifying confirmed and suspected cases and then separating them from others. Having smaller shelters that still allow safe spacing of evacuees along with strict hygiene measures will also be important, he said.
The obvious challenge is people who are infected but asymptomatic, because testing everyone before evacuating them to a shelter is “not viable,” he said.
El Salvador has adopted among the strictest measures to combat the virus. In evacuating people from floodwaters and areas at risk of landslides, it screened them for COVID-19 symptoms, took their temperature and gave them masks when they arrived at shelters. Some shelters held as many as 300 people but mats were spaced at least six feet (two meters) apart. Families were grouped and separated from others.
Alabí, the health minister, said that so far none had tested positive for the virus in the 210 shelters.
On Thursday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees warned that the rains which forced nearly 30,000 Salvadorans from their homes were also making conditions worse for those already displaced internally by violence.
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Valdés lauded El Salvador’s response. He said it would not be possible to talk of “returning to normalcy” during hurricane season.
In Mexico, the National Water Commission, which issues weather alerts, has forecast 15 to 18 named storms in the eastern Pacific and 15 to 19 in the Atlantic, where the average is usually a dozen.
Valdés said the confluence of tropical weather and pandemic ultimately will mean that the novel coronavirus “will be a problem for longer and will change the way it is spread.” It will be important to educate people about how the rain can lead to a rise in illnesses.
“People will have the idea that the water cleanses the virus, but we forget it’s water and soap. Water alone won’t get rid of it,” he said.
___
Associated Press writer María Verza reported this story in Mexico City and AP writer Marcos Aleman reported from San Salvador, El Salvador.


huffpost--2020-06-05--Tennessee Must Allow Vote By Mail For All Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, Judge Rules

Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle ruled that the state ’ s limits on absentee voting during the pandemic constitute “ an unreasonable burden on the fundamental right to vote guaranteed by the Tennessee Constitution.
” The judge wrote that any eligible voter can get an absentee ballot to avoid contracting or passing on COVID-19 in the “ upcoming elections during the pendency of pandemic circumstances.
” The decision upends a determination by Republican Secretary of State Tre Hargett ’ s office that fear of catching or unwittingly spreading the virus at the polls wouldn ’ t qualify someone to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such an expansion wouldn ’ t be feasible for the 2020 elections , claiming lack of money , personnel and equipment for increased voting by mail , among other concerns .
The decision requires the state to “ prominently post on their websites and disseminate to County Election Officials that voters who do not wish to vote in-person due to the COVID-19 virus situation are eligible to request an absentee ballot by mail or that such voters still have the option to vote in-person during Early voting or on Election Day.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an “ unapologetic ” position and has relied on “ oddly skewed ” assumptions — including assuming preparations for 100 % of registered voters to vote absentee if all were allowed — that go against its own expert and industry standards .
Eleven other states , meanwhile , have taken a “ can-do approach ” by relaxing voting by mail restrictions for the 2020 election , while two-thirds of states have allowed vote by mail for everyone for years , Lyle wrote .
“ When , however , normal industry-recognized assumptions are used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are there to provide temporary expanded access to voting by mail in Tennessee during the pandemic if the State provides the leadership and motivation as other states have done , ” the judge wrote .
Hargett spokeswoman Julia Bruck indicated that the fight is expected to head for an appeal .
The attorney general ’ s office blasted the court ’ s decision as failing to appropriately consider the “ extensive safety measures ” within the state ’ s COVID-19 election plan .
“ It is yet another court decision replacing legislation passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with its own judgment , largely ignoring the practicalities of implementing such a decision , and doing so in the midst of a pandemic and budget crisis , ” Attorney General Herbert Slatery said in a statement .
Tennessee has more than a dozen categories that qualify someone for an absentee ballot , from being sick to being 60 or older .
The Republican-led Legislature and GOP Gov .
Bill Lee have dismissed the idea of offering absentee ballots to all voters , with lawmakers voting against Democratic expansion proposals more than once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times .
Instead , state election officials have recommended preparations as though all 1.4 million registered voters 60 and older — about 1 of every 3 registered voters — will cast mail-in ballots in the Aug. 6 primary .
Historically , Tennessee has historically seen less than 2.5 % of votes cast by mail , the state has said .
Several states who have refused have been sued , including Texas , where a federal judge last month ordered absentee voting be made available to any voter in the pandemic .
Tennessee ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the August 2016 primary , then almost 62 % for the November 2016 general election , featuring the presidential election .
In the 2018 non-presidential year , about 30 % of registered voters turned out for the August primary , and 54 % in the November election .
Tennessee ’ s August election will be another test case as U.S. states try to safely prepare for the fall general election highlighted by the re-election bid of President Donald Trump , who has been staunchly against opening up absentee voting to everyone during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory for voting rights , said Dale Ho , director of the ACLU ’ s Voting Rights Project .
“ This ruling eliminates the excuse requirement for the 2020 elections , meaning Tennesseans will not have to risk their health in order to vote .
”

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee must give all of its 4.1 million registered voters the option to cast ballots by mail during the coronavirus pandemic, a judge ruled Thursday.
Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle ruled that the state’s limits on absentee voting during the pandemic constitute “an unreasonable burden on the fundamental right to vote guaranteed by the Tennessee Constitution.” The judge wrote that any eligible voter can get an absentee ballot to avoid contracting or passing on COVID-19 in the “upcoming elections during the pendency of pandemic circumstances.”
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The decision upends a determination by Republican Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office that fear of catching or unwittingly spreading the virus at the polls wouldn’t qualify someone to vote by mail, The state argued such an expansion wouldn’t be feasible for the 2020 elections, claiming lack of money, personnel and equipment for increased voting by mail, among other concerns.
The decision requires the state to “prominently post on their websites and disseminate to County Election Officials that voters who do not wish to vote in-person due to the COVID-19 virus situation are eligible to request an absentee ballot by mail or that such voters still have the option to vote in-person during Early voting or on Election Day.”
The judge wrote that the state has taken an “unapologetic” position and has relied on “oddly skewed” assumptions — including assuming preparations for 100% of registered voters to vote absentee if all were allowed — that go against its own expert and industry standards. Eleven other states, meanwhile, have taken a “can-do approach” by relaxing voting by mail restrictions for the 2020 election, while two-thirds of states have allowed vote by mail for everyone for years, Lyle wrote.
“When, however, normal industry-recognized assumptions are used, the evidence establishes that the resources are there to provide temporary expanded access to voting by mail in Tennessee during the pandemic if the State provides the leadership and motivation as other states have done,” the judge wrote.
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Hargett spokeswoman Julia Bruck indicated that the fight is expected to head for an appeal. The attorney general’s office blasted the court’s decision as failing to appropriately consider the “extensive safety measures” within the state’s COVID-19 election plan.
“It is yet another court decision replacing legislation passed by the people’s elected officials with its own judgment, largely ignoring the practicalities of implementing such a decision, and doing so in the midst of a pandemic and budget crisis,” Attorney General Herbert Slatery said in a statement.
Tennessee has more than a dozen categories that qualify someone for an absentee ballot, from being sick to being 60 or older.
The Republican-led Legislature and GOP Gov. Bill Lee have dismissed the idea of offering absentee ballots to all voters, with lawmakers voting against Democratic expansion proposals more than once this week as they meet during pandemic times.
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Instead, state election officials have recommended preparations as though all 1.4 million registered voters 60 and older — about 1 of every 3 registered voters — will cast mail-in ballots in the Aug. 6 primary. Historically, Tennessee has historically seen less than 2.5% of votes cast by mail, the state has said.
Several states who have refused have been sued, including Texas, where a federal judge last month ordered absentee voting be made available to any voter in the pandemic.
Tennessee’s voter turnout was 14% in the August 2016 primary, then almost 62% for the November 2016 general election, featuring the presidential election. In the 2018 non-presidential year, about 30% of registered voters turned out for the August primary, and 54% in the November election.
Tennessee’s August election will be another test case as U.S. states try to safely prepare for the fall general election highlighted by the re-election bid of President Donald Trump, who has been staunchly against opening up absentee voting to everyone during the pandemic.
The state court lawsuits were led by #UpTheVote901 and by the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee.
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“This is a major victory for voting rights, said Dale Ho, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project. “This ruling eliminates the excuse requirement for the 2020 elections, meaning Tennesseans will not have to risk their health in order to vote.”


huffpost--2020-06-05--Extra Jobless Pay Helps People Eat, Says Budget Report Likely Dooming The Benefits

Paying workers unemployed due to COVID-19 an extra $ 600 per week for the rest of the year would boost economic growth in the short term and help people afford food and shelter , the Congressional Budget Office said Thursday .
That would seem like good news .
But the report may actually harm Democratic efforts to keep the benefits in place beyond their July 31 expiration date .
As the budget office explains , the extra cash may “ weaken incentives to work as people compared the benefits available during unemployment to their potential earnings , and those weakened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ output and employment.
” “ Unemployment insurance is meant to help Americans who lose their job until they can get back on their feet and return to work , ” Sen. Chuck Grassley ( R-Iowa ) , the top Republican on the Senate committee that oversees benefits , said Thursday .
“ Democrats ’ proposal would turn that upside down and encourage unemployment , government dependence and reduced productivity.
” “ There ’ s no way Republicans can look at this scenario and think Congress has done enough for unemployed workers in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Sen. Ron Wyden ( D-Ore. ) , the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee .
Growth would be higher this year with the benefits , the budget office said , but lower next year .
The report also noted that 5 out of 6 unemployment recipients would receive more from the benefits than from work .
Grassley ’ s word choice is ironic , considering Congress boosted jobless pay in the first place to help people stay home and avoid catching the highly transmissible coronavirus that has killed more than 110,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( R-Iowa ) says letting workers continue to collect benefits rather than return to work during the coronavirus pandemic is `` unhealthy for the economy and it ’ s unhealthy for the individual . ''
In response , Congress swiftly passed the expanded unemployment benefits , which handed laid-off workers an additional $ 600 a week on top of what states already give out in unemployment .
Democrats wanted a more precise wage replacement but settled on $ 600 because it ’ s roughly the difference between the average weekly benefits and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make up the actual difference in what laid-off workers received at their jobs and what they would receive on unemployment , but the Trump administration warned that such a process could be slow and difficult to calculate .
Since that stimulus package was enacted in late March , Republicans have become increasingly critical of the policy , arguing that it disincentivizes work , as many workers actually now make more — or at least about the same — on unemployment .
And the GOP has repeatedly signaled that it would not agree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment past its July 31 expiration .
Just this week , the ranking Republican on the Ways and Means Committee , Kevin Brady of Texas , proposed a one-time , $ 1,200 bonus for workers who come back to jobs before the July 31 deadline .
And Republicans seem intent on pushing policies like that , which could force people back into their jobs despite a continuing risk of contracting coronavirus , rather than allowing people to stay home .
Democrats , for their part , have hinted that they would be willing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 600 if they can keep extra benefits in place .
“ To pay for food , housing , and other living expenses while unemployed , people can draw on their savings , borrow money , sell assets ( such as cars or jewelry ) , or use funds received from other people or the government , ” the CBO said , noting that many people who lose their jobs have no savings .
“ The additional $ 600 per week in unemployment benefits under current law allows people to continue to consume goods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to afford and to save for future contingencies , ” the budget office said .

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Paying workers unemployed due to COVID-19 an extra $600 per week for the rest of the year would boost economic growth in the short term and help people afford food and shelter, the Congressional Budget Office said Thursday.
That would seem like good news. But the report may actually harm Democratic efforts to keep the benefits in place beyond their July 31 expiration date.
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As the budget office explains, the extra cash may “weaken incentives to work as people compared the benefits available during unemployment to their potential earnings, and those weakened incentives would in turn tend to decrease output and employment.”
In other words, people who can already afford basic necessities may be less likely to take low-paying jobs, resulting in a higher national unemployment rate.
“Unemployment insurance is meant to help Americans who lose their job until they can get back on their feet and return to work,” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the top Republican on the Senate committee that oversees benefits, said Thursday. “Democrats’ proposal would turn that upside down and encourage unemployment, government dependence and reduced productivity.”
The CBO said it expects an unemployment rate of 16% in the third quarter of the year without the benefits.
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“There’s no way Republicans can look at this scenario and think Congress has done enough for unemployed workers in the face of a once-in-a-century pandemic,” said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee.
Growth would be higher this year with the benefits, the budget office said, but lower next year. The report also noted that 5 out of 6 unemployment recipients would receive more from the benefits than from work.
Grassley said that if people are receiving public benefits instead of working, it’s “unhealthy for the economy and it’s unhealthy for the individual.”
Grassley’s word choice is ironic, considering Congress boosted jobless pay in the first place to help people stay home and avoid catching the highly transmissible coronavirus that has killed more than 110,000 Americans so far.
But Republicans seem far more troubled by another coronavirus statistic: 40 million newly unemployed.
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Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) says letting workers continue to collect benefits rather than return to work during the coronavirus pandemic is "unhealthy for the economy and it’s unhealthy for the individual." Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
The pandemic halted much of normal life in America and has severely damaged the economy in several sectors, such as dining, retail, leisure and hospitality.
In response, Congress swiftly passed the expanded unemployment benefits, which handed laid-off workers an additional $600 a week on top of what states already give out in unemployment. Democrats wanted a more precise wage replacement but settled on $600 because it’s roughly the difference between the average weekly benefits and the average wage. Some lawmakers had wanted to make up the actual difference in what laid-off workers received at their jobs and what they would receive on unemployment, but the Trump administration warned that such a process could be slow and difficult to calculate.
Lawmakers opted, instead, to just give everyone an additional $600.
Since that stimulus package was enacted in late March, Republicans have become increasingly critical of the policy, arguing that it disincentivizes work, as many workers actually now make more — or at least about the same — on unemployment. And the GOP has repeatedly signaled that it would not agree to extend the extra $600 for unemployment past its July 31 expiration.
Just this week, the ranking Republican on the Ways and Means Committee, Kevin Brady of Texas, proposed a one-time, $1,200 bonus for workers who come back to jobs before the July 31 deadline. And Republicans seem intent on pushing policies like that, which could force people back into their jobs despite a continuing risk of contracting coronavirus, rather than allowing people to stay home.
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Democrats, for their part, have hinted that they would be willing to accept a lower number than $600 if they can keep extra benefits in place.
“To pay for food, housing, and other living expenses while unemployed, people can draw on their savings, borrow money, sell assets (such as cars or jewelry), or use funds received from other people or the government,” the CBO said, noting that many people who lose their jobs have no savings.


huffpost--2020-06-05--Law Enforcement Seizes Masks Meant To Protect Anti-Racist Protesters From COVID-19

WASHINGTON ― Law enforcement agents have seized hundreds of cloth masks that read “ Stop killing Black people ” and “ Defund police ” that a Black Lives Matter-affiliated organization sent to cities around the country to protect demonstrators against the spread of COVID-19 , a disease that has had a disparate impact on Black communities .
The Movement for Black Lives ( M4BL ) spent tens of thousands of dollars on the masks they had planned to send all over the country .
The first four boxes , each containing 500 masks , were mailed from Oakland , California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ St. Louis , New York City and Minneapolis , where on May 25 a white police officer killed George Floyd , a 46-year-old handcuffed Black man , setting off a wave of protests across the country .
But the items never left the state .
The U.S .
Postal Service tracking numbers for the packages indicate they were “ Seized by Law Enforcement ” and urge the mailer to “ contact the U.S .
Postal Inspection Service for further information.
” Rene Quinonez of Movement Ink in Oakland , who stayed up with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past few days and took them to the post office , told HuffPost that the employees at the location from which he shipped the boxes know him well .
“ I have shipped a lot of stuff before , ” he said .
“ It ’ s an inside joke that I ’ m always shipping a ton of stuff , usually next-day or two-day and paying some ridiculous fees.
” Now he ’ s wondering if the government is watching him or watching the Black Lives Matter movement .
“ I just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s just really blowing my mind , ” he said .
“ We ’ re tired , but we ’ re going to try to rally some support and figure out how to replace these masks and how to support the movement , ” he said .
“ This isn ’ t a weapon .
It ’ s more about safety .
We ’ re trying to figure out how to keep our community safe.
” It ’ s not entirely clear what law enforcement entity seized the masks or why .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Attorney General William Barr , has taken an aggressive posture against demonstrations and on Thursday expressed concern about “ extremist agitators ” who are “ hijacking the protests to pursue their own separate and violent agenda.
” The Movement for Black Lives is a group of more than 150 leaders and organizations that are “ unified in a radical vision for Black liberation and working for equity , justice and healing.
” It was started in December 2014 , a few months after the unrest in Ferguson , Missouri , following the police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have rioted coast to coast , beating and gassing protesters who have called for an end to police violence , with the explicit approval of President Trump , ” Chelsea Fuller , a spokesperson for the Movement for Black Lives , said in a statement to HuffPost .
“ Now , it appears they want to ensure that people who protest are susceptible to the same deadly pandemic that they have failed miserably at stopping , ” Fuller added .
“ The continued surveillance and disruption of social movements under this administration is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It should be roundly condemned.
” The head of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that protesters should “ highly consider ” getting tested for the coronavirus and worried that protests could “ unfortunately ” turn into “ a seeding event .
”

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UPDATE: 3:45 p.m. June 5 ― Federal authorities released the seized masks on Friday morning, hours after this HuffPost article was published.
Previously:
WASHINGTON ― Law enforcement agents have seized hundreds of cloth masks that read “Stop killing Black people” and “Defund police” that a Black Lives Matter-affiliated organization sent to cities around the country to protect demonstrators against the spread of COVID-19, a disease that has had a disparate impact on Black communities.
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The Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) spent tens of thousands of dollars on the masks they had planned to send all over the country. The first four boxes, each containing 500 masks, were mailed from Oakland, California, and were destined for Washington, St. Louis, New York City and Minneapolis, where on May 25 a white police officer killed George Floyd, a 46-year-old handcuffed Black man, setting off a wave of protests across the country.
But the items never left the state. The U.S. Postal Service tracking numbers for the packages indicate they were “Seized by Law Enforcement” and urge the mailer to “contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for further information.”
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Rene Quinonez of Movement Ink in Oakland, who stayed up with his family producing the masks over the past few days and took them to the post office, told HuffPost that the employees at the location from which he shipped the boxes know him well.
“I have shipped a lot of stuff before,” he said. “It’s an inside joke that I’m always shipping a ton of stuff, usually next-day or two-day and paying some ridiculous fees.”
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“These guys know that I ship apparel,” Quinonez said. “There was nothing out of the ordinary.”
Now he’s wondering if the government is watching him or watching the Black Lives Matter movement. “I just don’t understand it. It’s just really blowing my mind,” he said.
“We’re tired, but we’re going to try to rally some support and figure out how to replace these masks and how to support the movement,” he said. “This isn’t a weapon. It’s more about safety. We’re trying to figure out how to keep our community safe.”
It’s not entirely clear what law enforcement entity seized the masks or why. But the Justice Department, led by Attorney General William Barr, has taken an aggressive posture against demonstrations and on Thursday expressed concern about “extremist agitators” who are “hijacking the protests to pursue their own separate and violent agenda.”
The Movement for Black Lives is a group of more than 150 leaders and organizations that are “unified in a radical vision for Black liberation and working for equity, justice and healing.” It was started in December 2014, a few months after the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, following the police killing of Michael Brown.
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“Police have rioted coast to coast, beating and gassing protesters who have called for an end to police violence, with the explicit approval of President Trump,” Chelsea Fuller, a spokesperson for the Movement for Black Lives, said in a statement to HuffPost.
“Now, it appears they want to ensure that people who protest are susceptible to the same deadly pandemic that they have failed miserably at stopping,” Fuller added. “The continued surveillance and disruption of social movements under this administration is as chilling as it is dangerous. It should be roundly condemned.”


huffpost--2020-06-24--New U.S. Coronavirus Cases Hit Highest Level In 2 Months

BEIJING ( AP ) — New coronavirus cases in the U.S. have surged to their highest level in two months and are now back to where they were at the peak of the outbreak .
The U.S. on Tuesday reported 34,700 new cases of the virus , according to a tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University that was published Wednesday .
There have been only two previous days that the U.S. has reported more cases : April 9 and April 24 , when a record 36,400 cases were logged .
New cases in the U.S. have been surging for more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than six weeks .
While early hot spots like New York and New Jersey have seen cases steadily decrease , the virus has been hitting the south and west .
Several states on Tuesday set single-day records , including Arizona , California , Mississippi , Nevada and Texas .
Cases were also surging in other parts of the world .
India reported a record daily increase of nearly 16,000 new cases .
Mexico , where testing rates have been low , also set a record with more than 6,200 new cases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ new outbreak of the virus in Beijing , once again demonstrating its ability to quickly mobilize vast resources by testing nearly 2.5 million people in 11 days .
In the U.S. state of Arizona , which on Tuesday reported a record 3,600 new infections , hundreds of young conservatives packed a megachurch to hear President Donald Trump ’ s call for them to back his reelection bid .
As he did at a rally in Oklahoma over the weekend , Trump referred to the virus with a pejorative term directed at its emergence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Democratic mayor of Phoenix , Kate Gallego , made clear that she did not believe the speech could be safely held in her city — and urged the president to wear a face mask .
He did not .
Trump has refused to wear a mask in public , instead turning it into a red-vs.-blue cultural issue .
In China , an outbreak that has infected more than 200 people in the capital this month appeared to be firmly waning .
China on Wednesday reported 12 cases , down from 22 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases , down from 13 .
Officials in Beijing said they tested more than 2.4 million people between June 12 and June 22 .
That ’ s more than 10 % of the capital ’ s population of about 20 million .
Authorities began testing people at food markets and in the areas around them .
They expanded that to include restaurant staff and the city ’ s 100,000 delivery workers .
China also said it used big data to find people who had been near markets for testing , without specifying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tamed its first wave of infections , is seeing another rise .
While the first outbreak was centered in its fourth-largest city , the current outbreak is in the Seoul region , where most South Koreans live .
Authorities reported 51 cases Wednesday .
Its increase of 40 to 50 cases every day over the past two weeks comes amid increased public activity and eased attitudes on social distancing .
In India , with a population of more than 1.3 billion , the densely populated cities of Mumbai and New Delhi have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 450,000 cases of the virus , including more than 14,000 deaths .
Mexico reported nearly 800 new deaths on Wednesday .
The country has recorded more than 190,000 cases and more than 23,000 deaths , although officials acknowledge both are undercounts due to extremely low testing rates .
Mexico has performed only about half a million tests , or about one for every 250 inhabitants .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
BEIJING (AP) — New coronavirus cases in the U.S. have surged to their highest level in two months and are now back to where they were at the peak of the outbreak.
The U.S. on Tuesday reported 34,700 new cases of the virus, according to a tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University that was published Wednesday. There have been only two previous days that the U.S. has reported more cases: April 9 and April 24, when a record 36,400 cases were logged.
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New cases in the U.S. have been surging for more than a week after trending down for more than six weeks. While early hot spots like New York and New Jersey have seen cases steadily decrease, the virus has been hitting the south and west. Several states on Tuesday set single-day records, including Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas.
Cases were also surging in other parts of the world. India reported a record daily increase of nearly 16,000 new cases. Mexico, where testing rates have been low, also set a record with more than 6,200 new cases.
But China appears to have tamed a new outbreak of the virus in Beijing, once again demonstrating its ability to quickly mobilize vast resources by testing nearly 2.5 million people in 11 days.
In the U.S. state of Arizona, which on Tuesday reported a record 3,600 new infections, hundreds of young conservatives packed a megachurch to hear President Donald Trump’s call for them to back his reelection bid.
Advertisement
As he did at a rally in Oklahoma over the weekend, Trump referred to the virus with a pejorative term directed at its emergence in China.
Ahead of the event, the Democratic mayor of Phoenix, Kate Gallego, made clear that she did not believe the speech could be safely held in her city — and urged the president to wear a face mask. He did not. Trump has refused to wear a mask in public, instead turning it into a red-vs.-blue cultural issue.
Earlier Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci told Congress that the next few weeks are critical to tamping down the surge.
“Plan A, don’t go in a crowd. Plan B, if you do, make sure you wear a mask,” said Fauci, the infectious disease chief at the National Institutes of Health.
In China, an outbreak that has infected more than 200 people in the capital this month appeared to be firmly waning. China on Wednesday reported 12 cases, down from 22 the day before. Beijing reported seven new cases, down from 13.
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Officials in Beijing said they tested more than 2.4 million people between June 12 and June 22. That’s more than 10% of the capital’s population of about 20 million.
Authorities began testing people at food markets and in the areas around them. They expanded that to include restaurant staff and the city’s 100,000 delivery workers. China also said it used big data to find people who had been near markets for testing, without specifying how.
The vast majority have tested negative, though one courier delivering groceries from supermarkets tested positive.
A single inflatable mobile lab in one district was capable of conducting 30,000 tests a day, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
South Korea, which successfully tamed its first wave of infections, is seeing another rise. While the first outbreak was centered in its fourth-largest city, the current outbreak is in the Seoul region, where most South Koreans live. Authorities reported 51 cases Wednesday. Its increase of 40 to 50 cases every day over the past two weeks comes amid increased public activity and eased attitudes on social distancing.
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In India, with a population of more than 1.3 billion, the densely populated cities of Mumbai and New Delhi have been hardest hit. The country has reported more than 450,000 cases of the virus, including more than 14,000 deaths.
The situation in New Delhi is a rising concern, with the federal government criticizing its poor contact tracing and a lack of hospital beds.
Mexico reported nearly 800 new deaths on Wednesday. The country has recorded more than 190,000 cases and more than 23,000 deaths, although officials acknowledge both are undercounts due to extremely low testing rates. Mexico has performed only about half a million tests, or about one for every 250 inhabitants.


huffpost--2020-06-24--Coronavirus Is Out To Ruin Everything, Including First Kisses

Debbie C. , a self-employed 40-something from Washington , D.C. , had a standard criteria for men she was dating prior to the coronavirus pandemic : Has he been married ― and if so , for how long ?
Are they officially divorced ?
Does he want children ?
Does he have children ?
Is he voting for Donald Trump ?
Does he have a soul patch ?
Three months into the pandemic , Debbie ’ s list has gotten a lot more complicated .
New , safety-minded questions have come up : Who does he live with ?
Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital or at a grocery store ?
Has he been to the hospital in the last three weeks ?
Who has he interacted with in person in the last few months ?
Is a mask-wearer ?
Debbie is not alone in observing an abundance of caution when it comes to first dates and first base .
( Rapper Megan Thee Stallion is makeout-averse right now , too : “ It ’ s a quarantine summer , and you know I ’ m not lit , ” she joked in a recent remix of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Got corona on yo lip , you know you can ’ t get no kiss.
” ) Because of how COVID-19 spreads ― through droplets in the saliva , mucus or breath , even from people who are infected but do not have symptoms ― kissing might even be more dangerous than actual sex , in terms of your chances of catching the virus .
( We ’ re constantly learning new things about COVID-19 , but experts have said that the exchange of sexual fluids like semen is not likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To reduce your risk with a partner , Cannon recommends getting tested before meeting in person , then showing each other your results .
( The virus ’ s incubation period is around five to seven days , but it can be up to 14 days , so if you ’ ve been out in a large group ― protesting , for instance ― wait a while to get tested . )
“ The good news is that at least where I live , in Los Angeles , you can get tested and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so you could even enter into an agreement whereby you both agree to get tested , as a way to then not have to do social distancing , ” Cannon said .
“ Talk about it openly and see how your partner reacts , ” Chavez said .
“ If they have a negative reaction to your concern around testing or contracting the virus , then they probably don ’ t have the same values around health and safety .
It may be better to know this early on before the relationship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really getting to know your intimate partner beforehand .
Obviously , a long-term partner , spouse or someone you cohabitate with is safest .
Whoever it is , you ’ ll want to know that person ’ s behavior and history during the pandemic to see if they ’ ve had a lot of exposure to people or had lots of sexual encounters .
Once you ’ ve established that they ’ re more or less “ safe ” and intend to limit their exposure , you could do as our Dutch friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporary sex buddy : In the Netherlands , public health officials advised locked-down singles to find a “ seksbuddy ” — a trusted person with whom to have an exclusive sexual relationship , even if it wasn ’ t a potential long-term partnership .
Across the Atlantic , in Durham , England , Mark , a retail worker who ’ s single , said first dates are difficult by design these days : With bars , restaurants and pubs closed until next month , dating is pretty much restricted to going for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not going on any first dates , he ’ s not having any first kisses , either .
“ As for now , I ’ ve no choice but accept that the idea of going to a movie , hitting a bar , having dinner , holding hands and hoping for a kiss at the end of the night won ’ t be returning for a long while yet , ” said Mark , who is also going by his first name to protect his privacy .
“ I think the dating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more staggered and there ’ s going to be a lot more gauging of the other person ’ s comfort limits when it comes to physical contact , ” he said .
“ I definitely think the days when you would lean in for a kiss and hope for the best are gone for the time being , because if you ’ re going to make that kind of contact with someone , it ’ s going to be with someone who have a high level of trust in.
” Experts are still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information in this story is what was known or available as of press time , but it ’ s possible guidance around COVID-19 could change as scientists discover more about the virus .
Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Debbie C., a self-employed 40-something from Washington, D.C., had a standard criteria for men she was dating prior to the coronavirus pandemic: Has he been married ― and if so, for how long? Are they officially divorced? Does he want children? Does he have children? Is he voting for Donald Trump? Does he have a soul patch?
Three months into the pandemic, Debbie’s list has gotten a lot more complicated. New, safety-minded questions have come up: Who does he live with? Do any of his roommates work in a hospital or at a grocery store? Has he been to the hospital in the last three weeks? Who has he interacted with in person in the last few months? Is a mask-wearer?
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Even if a man does squeak by Debbie’s criteria, she isn’t raring to go on a first date anytime soon (even if she admits to being a little sexually frustrated at this point).
“Talking to a guy face-to-face on a date in a restaurant without masks is akin to the risk of having sex without a condom right now,” said Debbie, who asked to not have her full name published out of concern for her privacy. “Imagine that. It’s like, ‘Oh, hell no.’”
Debbie is not alone in observing an abundance of caution when it comes to first dates and first base. (Rapper Megan Thee Stallion is makeout-averse right now, too: “It’s a quarantine summer, and you know I’m not lit,” she joked in a recent remix of her 2019 hit “Hot Girl Summer.” “Got corona on yo lip, you know you can’t get no kiss.”)
Because of how COVID-19 spreads ― through droplets in the saliva, mucus or breath, even from people who are infected but do not have symptoms ― kissing might even be more dangerous than actual sex, in terms of your chances of catching the virus. (We’re constantly learning new things about COVID-19, but experts have said that the exchange of sexual fluids like semen is not likely a common way it spreads.)
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FluxFactory via Getty Images Single people are contemplating how they can safely date and be physically intimate during the coronavirus pandemic.
Indeed, when New York City public health officials put out their very forthright advice for singles who might want to get physically intimate during the pandemic, they gave a cautious OK to sex, but warned against kissing.
“Avoid kissing anyone who is not part of your small circle of close contacts,” the officials said. “Wear a face covering or mask. Maybe it’s your thing, maybe it’s not, but during COVID-19 wearing a face covering that covers your nose and mouth is a good way to add a layer of protection during sex.”
Psychologist and sex therapist Janet Brito also thinks kissing just isn’t worth it, especially given the new spikes in case numbers.
“Considering we do not have a vaccine yet, I believe it is best to take extra precautions and avoid deep kissing, unless it is your live-in partner,” she said. “And, if you simply can’t resist your new beau’s lips, then practice the harm-reduction approach.”
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Brito said that would require knowing your partner’s health status and openly discussing any risk for exposure. Don’t rush into a kiss, she said. Communicate as much as you can and make sure you both understand the risks and what-ifs.
Paula Cannon, an associate professor of microbiology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, called the current “to-kiss-or-not-to-kiss” predicament a “numbers game.”
To reduce your risk with a partner, Cannon recommends getting tested before meeting in person, then showing each other your results. (The virus’s incubation period is around five to seven days, but it can be up to 14 days, so if you’ve been out in a large group ― protesting, for instance ― wait a while to get tested.)
All this pre-planning might sound supremely unsexy ― you basically have to have the safe sex conversation before kissing (and we know how bad Americans are at having the actual safe sex conversation). But given the heightened concerns for coronavirus, the awkwardness is worth it.
“The good news is that at least where I live, in Los Angeles, you can get tested and get the results back the next day, so you could even enter into an agreement whereby you both agree to get tested, as a way to then not have to do social distancing,” Cannon said.
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“You don’t even have to mention kissing as a possibility, just the idea that you could sit closely next to another human!” she joked.
“As for now, I’ve no choice but accept that the idea of going to a movie, hitting a bar, having dinner, holding hands and hoping for a kiss at the end of the night won’t be returning for a long while yet.” - Mark, a retail worker in Durham, England
These pre-kiss conversations can ultimately help singles make better choices, said Shannon Chavez, a sex therapist in Los Angeles. You might just be hooking up or making out, but she said bringing up this topic is a good way to gauge a person’s character.
“Talk about it openly and see how your partner reacts,” Chavez said. “If they have a negative reaction to your concern around testing or contracting the virus, then they probably don’t have the same values around health and safety. It may be better to know this early on before the relationship progresses.”
Jagdish Khubchandani, an associate chair and professor of health science at Ball State University, found the New York Health Department’s guidelines for kissing and sex to be a little unrealistic. He said to focus instead on finding a very trustworthy, time-tested partner.
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“Who’s going to be thinking about wearing a mask during sexual activity or kissing ― how many would wear a mask during any of that?” he said. “Early preventive measures and personal judgment is much more effective and logical than that.”
By that, he means really getting to know your intimate partner beforehand. Obviously, a long-term partner, spouse or someone you cohabitate with is safest. Whoever it is, you’ll want to know that person’s behavior and history during the pandemic to see if they’ve had a lot of exposure to people or had lots of sexual encounters.
Once you’ve established that they’re more or less “safe” and intend to limit their exposure, you could do as our Dutch friends have and make that person your official temporary sex buddy: In the Netherlands, public health officials advised locked-down singles to find a “seksbuddy” — a trusted person with whom to have an exclusive sexual relationship, even if it wasn’t a potential long-term partnership.
Dating advice from my mother:
“This is the best time to date and get to know people without feeling pressured to kiss them. You can hang out with them and give them a fist bump goodbye! If they try coming in for a kiss, scream COVID-19 and then ghost them. They ain’t the one.” — Female Robin Williams (@emeliasherin) March 21, 2020
Abstinence and solo play are valid choices, too. Most of the singles we talked to said they planned to wait it out.
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Across the Atlantic, in Durham, England, Mark, a retail worker who’s single, said first dates are difficult by design these days: With bars, restaurants and pubs closed until next month, dating is pretty much restricted to going for a walk together somewhere. Since he’s not going on any first dates, he’s not having any first kisses, either.
“As for now, I’ve no choice but accept that the idea of going to a movie, hitting a bar, having dinner, holding hands and hoping for a kiss at the end of the night won’t be returning for a long while yet,” said Mark, who is also going by his first name to protect his privacy.
But Mark sees a silver lining in our widespread sexual frustration: Singles may actually get to know each other and forge deeper emotional connections before rounding all the bases.
“I think the dating milestones are going to be a lot more staggered and there’s going to be a lot more gauging of the other person’s comfort limits when it comes to physical contact,” he said. “I definitely think the days when you would lean in for a kiss and hope for the best are gone for the time being, because if you’re going to make that kind of contact with someone, it’s going to be with someone who have a high level of trust in.”
For others, like Debbie from D.C., this moratorium on kissing has given her time to reevaluate the men in her recent past and decide if, given all she knows now about coronavirus, they would have been worthy of the risk.
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“When I think of all the guys I’ve dated in the last year ... none of them are worth getting COVID and dying over,” she joked. “I think I’ll have that lens on when I’m considering new guys to kiss in the future.”
Risky Business: Love And Sex In A Germaphobic World is a HuffPost series exploring the way that coronavirus is changing the way we date, have sex and enjoy intimacy.
A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus
Experts are still learning about the novel coronavirus. The information in this story is what was known or available as of press time, but it’s possible guidance around COVID-19 could change as scientists discover more about the virus. Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations.


huffpost--2020-06-24--Here's A Montage Of Trump Saying Dumb Stuff, Then Saying He Was Joking

President Donald Trump recently raised eyebrows by saying he asked officials to slow down coronavirus testing so there would be @ @ @ @ @ secretary said he was joking , but Trump later said , “ I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ in a separate remark he claimed his comment was “ semi-tongue-in-cheek .
”

President Donald Trump recently raised eyebrows by saying he asked officials to slow down coronavirus testing so there would be fewer cases. His press secretary said he was joking, but Trump later said, “I don’t kid,” and in a separate remark he claimed his comment was “semi-tongue-in-cheek.”
So which is it?
Trevor Noah’s “The Daily Show” didn’t answer that question on Tuesday, but it did collect clips of the president making odd or offensive statements, followed by a defense that he was joking.
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The talk show called the montage: “Donald Trump: Never Not Joking.”