huffpost--2020-05-21--Quarantine Diaries: When You Need A Feel-Good Story

We took all the extra time to reflect and spend it in a way that had a positive impact on our lives .
We converted a portion of our living room into a makeshift studio .
And we spend countless hours here every day .
It is the highlight of our day , exchanging ideas , crafting , painting , creating , having fun productively and experiencing a creative flow that keeps us happy and going .
It is our comfort zone and helps us express who we are .
A tiny conversation with our mom led us to create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for the Akshaya Patra Foundation , a nonprofit in India that provides freshly cooked meals to school-going children and are helping the needy in the wake of COVID-19 .
My mom created the fundraiser on her Facebook profile , and we added photos of all the paintings we have created so far .
I turned 21 in quarantine on April 5 .
A week later , my sister turned 17 .
We ’ re both part of the class of 2020 .
I am a graduating college senior , and she is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re feeling the pains of this loss along with all other graduating seniors .
But somehow , we managed to make both our birthdays the most memorable we ’ ve ever had .
For my birthday , she took me on a drive-thru scavenger hunt downtown commemorating major milestones in my life .
For hers , I designed an indoor unicorn-themed escape room for her to solve .
Without quarantine , we likely would not have been as present with each other as we were on our birthdays .
The undivided attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I comic everything on my Instagram page , from my struggle juggling work from home to homeschooling my 5-year-old to the much-needed teletherapy sessions to my candid musings over the news to my gratitude to all the health care workers .
Drawing comics about my experience has been my outlet during this strange time .
It ’ s how I am coping .
What do you do when you have no children and are locked down in your home ?
You get a hold of some of your improv friends and create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or poem is read by a different character every day to amuse and entertain other people ’ s children .
Our son Zeke was an inflatable chicken for Halloween this past year .
During quarantine , with all of the neighborhood walks we ’ ve been taking , Zeke decided the chicken would bring joy to the neighbors and especially to the small kids in our area .
I think these posts put a bit of humor into the everyday accounts of “ working from home , ” and many of us are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same .
We pretty much are all going through the same experiences .
I just put it on Facebook for my friends to share in the laugh .
They laugh because they recognize themselves in many of the posts and they can laugh along .
I hope you have a laugh , too .
There are some children in Missouri City , Texas , who want to spread some kindness to children in their city .
Khloe , Kaiya and Aiden are students in Fort Bend ISD [ Independent School District ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They wanted to do something special for other children during this stay-home period .
They are giving away more than 100 new books to children .
Khloe started a project called A Book and a Smile , and she has given more than 5,000 books to groups and organizations .
They are saving their money to buy more books and a little library .
We are sure these books will put a smile on lots of children ’ s faces .
We are a 30-member Episcopal church in the hills of northwest Connecticut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us connected , informed and entertained during the pandemic , I began a daily two- to three-page newsletter to circulate to our members .
Our daily email list has grown to over 110 , with readers in England , California , Florida and Georgia .
People seem to love it : “ It ’ s a lifesaver , ” writes one .
“ The best part of my day , ” writes another .

Quarantine Diaries is a communal project of stories from our readers about how they are managing their lives during the coronavirus crisis. In this piece, readers share how they are spreading joy within their homes and communities. You can read the five-part project here.
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We took all the extra time to reflect and spend it in a way that had a positive impact on our lives. We converted a portion of our living room into a makeshift studio. And we spend countless hours here every day. It is the highlight of our day, exchanging ideas, crafting, painting, creating, having fun productively and experiencing a creative flow that keeps us happy and going. It is our comfort zone and helps us express who we are.
A tiny conversation with our mom led us to create a fundraiser, Art from the Heart, for the Akshaya Patra Foundation, a nonprofit in India that provides freshly cooked meals to school-going children and are helping the needy in the wake of COVID-19. My mom created the fundraiser on her Facebook profile, and we added photos of all the paintings we have created so far.
Sonali Patodia, 42, from San Jose, California. Her 11½-year-old daughter, Ahanna, and 9-year-old daughter, Anousha, created the paintings above.
...
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I turned 21 in quarantine on April 5. A week later, my sister turned 17. We’re both part of the class of 2020. I am a graduating college senior, and she is a graduating high school senior. We’re feeling the pains of this loss along with all other graduating seniors. But somehow, we managed to make both our birthdays the most memorable we’ve ever had. For my birthday, she took me on a drive-thru scavenger hunt downtown commemorating major milestones in my life. For hers, I designed an indoor unicorn-themed escape room for her to solve. Without quarantine, we likely would not have been as present with each other as we were on our birthdays. The undivided attention we gave each other made it unforgettable.
Eliza Tan, 21, from Charlotte, North Carolina
...
I comic everything on my Instagram page, from my struggle juggling work from home to homeschooling my 5-year-old to the much-needed teletherapy sessions to my candid musings over the news to my gratitude to all the health care workers. Drawing comics about my experience has been my outlet during this strange time. It’s how I am coping.
Lisa Lim, 45, from Queens, New York
...
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What do you do when you have no children and are locked down in your home? You get a hold of some of your improv friends and create a YouTube channel where a new story or poem is read by a different character every day to amuse and entertain other people’s children.
Brett “Fish” Anderson, 46, from Cape Town, South Africa
...
Our son Zeke was an inflatable chicken for Halloween this past year. During quarantine, with all of the neighborhood walks we’ve been taking, Zeke decided the chicken would bring joy to the neighbors and especially to the small kids in our area.
Suzanne Karp, 52, from Santa Rosa, California
...
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I started these posts on Facebook and got such a positive, fun response I kept thinking up quarantine frustrations and posting about them.
I think these posts put a bit of humor into the everyday accounts of “working from home,” and many of us are doing it while our spouses are doing the same.
We pretty much are all going through the same experiences. I just put it on Facebook for my friends to share in the laugh. They laugh because they recognize themselves in many of the posts and they can laugh along. I hope you have a laugh, too.
KaDee Thompson-Small, 57, from Fairview Heights, Illinois
...
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There are some children in Missouri City, Texas, who want to spread some kindness to children in their city. Khloe, Kaiya and Aiden are students in Fort Bend ISD [Independent School District], and they have big hearts. They wanted to do something special for other children during this stay-home period. They are giving away more than 100 new books to children. Khloe started a project called A Book and a Smile, and she has given more than 5,000 books to groups and organizations. They are saving their money to buy more books and a little library. We are sure these books will put a smile on lots of children’s faces.
Billye Moutra, 64, from Missouri City, Texas
...
We are a 30-member Episcopal church in the hills of northwest Connecticut currently without a priest. To keep us connected, informed and entertained during the pandemic, I began a daily two- to three-page newsletter to circulate to our members. Our daily email list has grown to over 110, with readers in England, California, Florida and Georgia. People seem to love it: “It’s a lifesaver,” writes one. “The best part of my day,” writes another.
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Bill Starr, 79, from Litchfield, Connecticut
...
...
Editors
Erin E. Evans, Ron Nurwisah
Reporters
Emma Gray, Leigh Blickley, Matthew Jacobs, Taryn Finley, Claire Fallon, Zeba Blay
Copy Editor
Wendy Lu
Art Direction & Design
Yenwei Liu, Rebecca Zisser
Illustration
Christoph Abbrederis
Audience Team
Sarah Kenien, Celene Zavala
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A HuffPost Guide to Coronavirus


huffpost--2020-05-28--Escaped Inmates Pretended To Be Immigrants In Hopes Of Getting Deported

SELLS , Ariz. ( AP ) — The U.S. Border Patrol says two men who escaped from a Colorado prison @ @ @ @ @ who wished to be deported when agents patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border found them .
After @ @ @ @ @ discovered the men were 35-year-old Jose Rodriguez and 42-year-old Raul Guzman , who had escaped @ @ @ @ @ , Colorado , this week .
Prison staff noticed they were missing during a Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ Patrol says it arrested a 30-year-old woman who was driving the men , but later @ @ @ @ @ abetting charge she faced was dropped because of coronavirus-related restrictions .
It says the men @ @ @ @ @ illegally and wished to be immediately returned to Mexico .
At some point , the @ @ @ @ @ not the case .
Rodriguez and Guzman were each serving drug sentences .
They have @ @ @ @ @ U.S .
Marshals Service .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
SELLS, Ariz. (AP) — The U.S. Border Patrol says two men who escaped from a Colorado prison said they were Mexican immigrants who wished to be deported when agents patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border found them.
After some more questioning, agents discovered the men were 35-year-old Jose Rodriguez and 42-year-old Raul Guzman, who had escaped a minimum-security facility in Florence, Colorado, this week. Prison staff noticed they were missing during a Wednesday inmate count.
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The Border Patrol says it arrested a 30-year-old woman who was driving the men, but later said that the aiding and abetting charge she faced was dropped because of coronavirus-related restrictions.
It says the men claimed to be immigrants here illegally and wished to be immediately returned to Mexico. At some point, the agents figured out that was not the case.


huffpost--2020-05-29--Veterans Administration Hospitals Finally Scale Back Risky COVID-19 Drug Touted By Trump

An April study of hospitalized U.S. veterans who were also given the drug revealed similar findings .
The president attacked that study as a “ Trump enemy statement ” and insisted it was politically motivated .
Trump campaign megadonor Bernard Marcus , the co-founder of Home Depot who was trained as a pharmacist , was a key driver in the push for the drug .
Marcus , who donated more than $ 7 million to groups supporting Trump ’ s 2016 presidential run , founded the conservative nonprofit Jobs Creators Network , which helped orchestrate the push .
The group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including Bayer , Novatis and Teva , which all manufacture hydroxychloroquine .
Marcus took out Facebook ads and helped organize a petition drive and messages to the White House calling for relaxed regulations to get hydroxychloroquine to COVID-19 patients , ProPublica reported in March .
Despite the groundswell of advice against using the drug for COVID-19 , White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany again on Thursday strongly endorsed the “ prophylactic ” use of hydroxychloroquine to prevent contracting the coronavirus .
Former top federal vaccine official and whistleblower Rick Bright testified before Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in part for refusing to make the potentially dangerous drug more widely available , a strategy pushed by Trump and backed by politically connected interests .
Studies about using hydroxychloroquine to fight COVID-19 had already failed to show promise early on , according to Bright .
He said he was led to believe the Trump administration would “ stop at nothing to make the experimental drug widely available to the American people , no matter the consequences ... because it was seen by the administration as a ‘ BIG immediate win , ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , said Wednesday on CNN that the “ scientific data is really quite evident now about the lack of efficacy ” of hydroxychloroquine on treating COVID-19 .
Hydroxychloroquine is commonly prescribed for malaria , lupus and rheumatoid arthritis .

An April study of hospitalized U.S. veterans who were also given the drug revealed similar findings. The president attacked that study as a “Trump enemy statement” and insisted it was politically motivated.
Trump campaign megadonor Bernard Marcus, the co-founder of Home Depot who was trained as a pharmacist, was a key driver in the push for the drug. Marcus, who donated more than $7 million to groups supporting Trump’s 2016 presidential run, founded the conservative nonprofit Jobs Creators Network, which helped orchestrate the push. The group was further funded by Big Pharma, including Bayer, Novatis and Teva, which all manufacture hydroxychloroquine.
Marcus took out Facebook ads and helped organize a petition drive and messages to the White House calling for relaxed regulations to get hydroxychloroquine to COVID-19 patients, ProPublica reported in March.
Despite the groundswell of advice against using the drug for COVID-19, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany again on Thursday strongly endorsed the “prophylactic” use of hydroxychloroquine to prevent contracting the coronavirus.
Former top federal vaccine official and whistleblower Rick Bright testified before Congress earlier this month that he was demoted in part for refusing to make the potentially dangerous drug more widely available, a strategy pushed by Trump and backed by politically connected interests. Studies about using hydroxychloroquine to fight COVID-19 had already failed to show promise early on, according to Bright.
He said he was led to believe the Trump administration would “stop at nothing to make the experimental drug widely available to the American people, no matter the consequences ... because it was seen by the administration as a ‘BIG immediate win,’” Bright said in his whistleblower statement.


huffpost--2020-05-29--Coronavirus Live Updates: Read The Latest About The COVID-19 Outbreak

HuffPost reporters around the world are tracking the pandemic and the measures being taken to flatten the curve of transmission .
Read the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic below .
( To see the latest updates , you may need to refresh the page .
All times are Eastern .
For earlier updates on the pandemic , go here . )
Rival Soccer Fans Come Together In Anti-Bolsonaro Protest — 6/1/20 , 4:55 a.m .
Fans of some of Brazil ’ s biggest soccer teams took to the streets of Sao Paulo on Sunday in the largest street march @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Several hundred members from the Corinthians , Palmeiras and Santos fan groups shouted “ democracy ” and “ dictatorship , never again.
” HuffPost Brazil reports ( in Portuguese ) that similar protests involving fans of the Flamengo team also took place in Rio de Janeiro .
Brazil has reported nearly half a million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 28,000 deaths — figures widely considered understatements due to a lack of adequate testing .
However , the military police said they fired tear gas in an attempt to keep rival protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what a police spokesman described as a neo-Nazi flag , approached the pro-democracy group .
Supporters of the president have gathered weekly to back Bolsonaro and his calls for easing restrictions on movement , gatherings and work .
U.S .
Protests Raise Fears Over New Coronavirus Outbreaks — 5/31/20 , 2:45 p.m .
ET Local and state officials are warning of potential coronavirus outbreaks as thousands of people across the U.S. gather to protests police violence and racial inequality after George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis on Memorial Day .
“ If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably need to go get a COVID test this week , ” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms warned over the weekend .
“ There is still a pandemic in America that ’ s killing black and brown people at higher numbers.
” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey earlier in the week called on protesters to wear masks and socially distance as much as possible during demonstrations .
“ We have two crises that are sandwiched on top of one other , ” he said .
As of Sunday , there were more than 1.7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. and more than 104,000 deaths , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
Black people are disproportionally impacted by the virus , accounting for 52 % of diagnoses and 58 % of coronavirus deaths nationally , according to a study released earlier this month .
Read more from The Associated Press .
True Coronavirus Death Toll In U.S. Likely Passed 100,000 Weeks Ago : Report — 5/30/20 , 2:28 p.m .
ET Reported coronavirus deaths hit a dark milestone this week as Johns Hopkins University ’ s tally surpassed 100,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationwide mortality data indicates that the U.S. likely hit that milestone three weeks ago .
A team at the Yale School of Public Health compared the total number of deaths from all causes to the projected number of deaths for the same time period .
Based on historical data , we have a pretty good understanding of how many deaths the U.S. can expect to see on a weekly basis .
Between March 1 and May 9 , there were around 101,600 excess deaths — that is , more than 100,000 over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more deaths than have been officially attributed to COVID-19 on the patients ’ death certificates , the paper said , citing federal data .
How COVID-19 directly impacted the deaths of the additional 26,000 — if it did at all — is not clear .
Fear of contracting the virus may have stopped some people from seeking medical attention in a timely fashion .
There may also have been higher rates of deaths from causes such as suicide or domestic violence .
Public health experts largely believe the true coronavirus death toll is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spotty testing early on in the crisis and confusion on exactly when the virus came over here , though , it ’ s hard to come up with precise figures .
That ’ s why experts are turning to the metric of excess deaths to help illustrate the virus ’ s real impact — and the Yale researchers ’ findings support the theory that the coronavirus crisis in the U.S. is worse than official statistics describe .
“ It ’ s clear that the burden is quite a bit higher than reported totals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who led the analysis , told The Washington Post .
Tyson Shuts Down Pork Processing Plant In Iowa After Hundreds Fall Ill — 5/29/20 , 2:20 p.m .
ET A Tyson Foods pork processing plant in Storm Lake , Iowa , is temporarily halting operations after 22 % of the plant ’ s 2,500 workers tested positive for COVID-19 .
Iowa Department of Public Health Deputy Director Sarah Reisetter told the Des Moines Register that 555 of the plant ’ s 2,517 employees tested positive , which the company blamed on “ a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member absences related to quarantine.
“ Tyson said it plans to reopen next week after a “ deep cleaning and sanitizing of the entire facility.
” Mayra Lopez , vice president of the Storm Lake League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa , told the Register that Tyson could have done more to prevent the outbreak .
A meeting with Tyson earlier this month regarding the company ’ s efforts was “ very short , very scripted , and very vague , ” she said , though she agreed a lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blame .
“ We finally , finally have the testing we ’ ve been waiting for , ” she said .
“ I don ’ t think people are getting results quickly enough .
I ’ ve heard Tyson employees waiting as long as a week to hear back if they have a confirmed case .
By the time they get the results , it could be too late and they ’ ve passed it on to someone else.
” Meat processing plants have become COVID-19 hot spots in rural communities across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an estimated 17,000 workers in processing plants across the United States have fallen ill and 66 have died .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said Friday New York City is on track to begin a phased reopening on June 8 , once hospital capacity and contract tracing are at sufficient levels to sustain the COVID-19 recovery .
The city has been hit hard by the coronavirus .
Of the U.S. ’ s nearly 102,000 confirmed deaths , roughly a fifth — 21,415 — have been in the city alone , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Much of the rest of the state already began relaxing restrictions on May 15 .
This year ’ s Boston Marathon , initially postponed from its traditional April date to September , will not be held in-person this year , Boston Mayor Marty Walsh ( D ) announced Thursday .
Walsh said organizers have deemed it “ not feasible , ” given the continued threat of COVID-19′s spread , especially through large events .
Any marathon runner who had entered will receive a full refund , and is invited to run a virtual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also hold a series of virtual events that week in lieu of the in-person race , which is a major event for the city .
Unemployment Tops 40 Million Across U.S. — 5/28/20 , 11:30 a.m .
ET Another 2.1 million people applied for unemployment benefits across the country last week , bringing the total number to around 41 million since the crisis dramatically worsened in March .
Not all of that number are still jobless .
Around 21 million are currently receiving unemployment aid , the Labor Department reported Thursday , providing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The increase in applications , however , suggests businesses are cutting staff even as all 50 states work to reopen at least some parts of their economies .
In April , the national unemployment rate reached nearly 15 % , which is the highest since the Great Depression .
While businesses work on reopening with added restrictions to prevent spread of the coronavirus , the question remains of how quickly customers — some spooked by threat of the virus , others struggling economically — will come back .
The economy is thought to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April-June quarter , according to the Associated Press .
Trump tweeted a message of condolence Thursday , a day after the confirmed COVID-19 U.S. death toll surpassed 100,000 .
“ We have just reached a very sad milestone with the coronavirus pandemic deaths reaching 100,000 , ” his account tweeted .
“ To all of the families & friends of those who have passed , I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy & love for everything that these great people stood for & represent .
God be with you !
” The delayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s messaging throughout the crisis .
He spent months publicly downplaying the severity of the pandemic , even as deaths soared .
In April , Trump patted himself on the back and predicted the death toll would top out at around 60,000 .
“ It looks like we ’ ll be at about a 60,000 mark , which is 40,000 less than the lowest number thought of , ” he said at the April 19 briefing .
The U.S. passed that threshold one week later .
Of the 13 hours Trump spent talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have since been canceled ) , he spent just 4.5 minutes expressing condolences for coronavirus victims , a Washington Post analysis found .
Coronavirus Contact Tracing Program Launched In England — 5/28/20 , 5:45 a.m .
ET People who come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 will be told to self-isolate for two weeks as the British government launches its coronavirus tracing system in England .
Under the Test and Trace program , a team of 25,000 contact tracers will work out who those infected with coronavirus have been in contact with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Everyone who tests positive for the virus will be asked to share details about who they have seen and where they have been with the tracers .
This person ’ s close contacts will then receive an email or a text , telling them they must stay at home for 14 days – even if they don ’ t have any symptoms – to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus .
Anyone with coronavirus symptoms should still self-isolate at home , along with their household , and get tested for COVID-19 .
Britain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the virus globally , abandoned a strategy of testing and tracing in March when the virus started spreading exponentially and there was insufficient capacity to test more than a fraction of those with symptoms .
The government says there is now enough capacity for all who need tests to get them .
It is aiming to provide test results within 24 hours .
Read more For earlier updates on the pandemic , go here .

HuffPost reporters around the world are tracking the pandemic and the measures being taken to flatten the curve of transmission.
Read the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic below. (To see the latest updates, you may need to refresh the page. All times are Eastern. For earlier updates on the pandemic, go here.)
Rival Soccer Fans Come Together In Anti-Bolsonaro Protest — 6/1/20, 4:55 a.m.
Fans of some of Brazil’s biggest soccer teams took to the streets of Sao Paulo on Sunday in the largest street march against President Jair Bolsonaro in months.
Several hundred members from the Corinthians, Palmeiras and Santos fan groups shouted “democracy” and “dictatorship, never again.”
HuffPost Brazil reports (in Portuguese) that similar protests involving fans of the Flamengo team also took place in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil has reported nearly half a million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 28,000 deaths — figures widely considered understatements due to a lack of adequate testing.
However, the military police said they fired tear gas in an attempt to keep rival protest groups apart after pro-Bolsonaro supporters, carrying what a police spokesman described as a neo-Nazi flag, approached the pro-democracy group.
Supporters of the president have gathered weekly to back Bolsonaro and his calls for easing restrictions on movement, gatherings and work.
— James Martin
U.S. Protests Raise Fears Over New Coronavirus Outbreaks — 5/31/20, 2:45 p.m. ET
Local and state officials are warning of potential coronavirus outbreaks as thousands of people across the U.S. gather to protests police violence and racial inequality after George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.
“If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms warned over the weekend. “There is still a pandemic in America that’s killing black and brown people at higher numbers.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey earlier in the week called on protesters to wear masks and socially distance as much as possible during demonstrations. “We have two crises that are sandwiched on top of one other,” he said.
As of Sunday, there were more than 1.7 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and more than 104,000 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Black people are disproportionally impacted by the virus, accounting for 52% of diagnoses and 58% of coronavirus deaths nationally, according to a study released earlier this month.
Read more from The Associated Press.
— Hayley Miller
True Coronavirus Death Toll In U.S. Likely Passed 100,000 Weeks Ago: Report — 5/30/20, 2:28 p.m. ET
Reported coronavirus deaths hit a dark milestone this week as Johns Hopkins University’s tally surpassed 100,000. But a Washington Post analysis of nationwide mortality data indicates that the U.S. likely hit that milestone three weeks ago.
A team at the Yale School of Public Health compared the total number of deaths from all causes to the projected number of deaths for the same time period. Based on historical data, we have a pretty good understanding of how many deaths the U.S. can expect to see on a weekly basis. Between March 1 and May 9, there were around 101,600 excess deaths — that is, more than 100,000 over the number expected. That leaves about 26,000 more deaths than have been officially attributed to COVID-19 on the patients’ death certificates, the paper said, citing federal data.
How COVID-19 directly impacted the deaths of the additional 26,000 — if it did at all — is not clear. Fear of contracting the virus may have stopped some people from seeking medical attention in a timely fashion. There may also have been higher rates of deaths from causes such as suicide or domestic violence.
Public health experts largely believe the true coronavirus death toll is higher than official reports. Due to spotty testing early on in the crisis and confusion on exactly when the virus came over here, though, it’s hard to come up with precise figures. That’s why experts are turning to the metric of excess deaths to help illustrate the virus’s real impact — and the Yale researchers’ findings support the theory that the coronavirus crisis in the U.S. is worse than official statistics describe.
“It’s clear that the burden is quite a bit higher than reported totals,” Daniel Weinberger, the epidemiologist who led the analysis, told The Washington Post.
— Sara Boboltz
Tyson Shuts Down Pork Processing Plant In Iowa After Hundreds Fall Ill — 5/29/20, 2:20 p.m. ET
A Tyson Foods pork processing plant in Storm Lake, Iowa, is temporarily halting operations after 22% of the plant’s 2,500 workers tested positive for COVID-19.
Iowa Department of Public Health Deputy Director Sarah Reisetter told the Des Moines Register that 555 of the plant’s 2,517 employees tested positive, which the company blamed on “a delay in COVID-19 testing results and team member absences related to quarantine.“
Tyson said it plans to reopen next week after a “deep cleaning and sanitizing of the entire facility.”
Mayra Lopez, vice president of the Storm Lake League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa, told the Register that Tyson could have done more to prevent the outbreak.
A meeting with Tyson earlier this month regarding the company’s efforts was “very short, very scripted, and very vague,” she said, though she agreed a lack of adequate testing was at least partly to blame.
“We finally, finally have the testing we’ve been waiting for,” she said. “I don’t think people are getting results quickly enough. I’ve heard Tyson employees waiting as long as a week to hear back if they have a confirmed case. By the time they get the results, it could be too late and they’ve passed it on to someone else.”
Meat processing plants have become COVID-19 hot spots in rural communities across the country. As of last week, an estimated 17,000 workers in processing plants across the United States have fallen ill and 66 have died.
— Ryan Grenoble
New York Sets Tentative June 8 Phased NYC Reopening Date — 5/29/20, 1:30 p.m. ET
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday New York City is on track to begin a phased reopening on June 8, once hospital capacity and contract tracing are at sufficient levels to sustain the COVID-19 recovery.
The city has been hit hard by the coronavirus. Of the U.S.’s nearly 102,000 confirmed deaths, roughly a fifth — 21,415 — have been in the city alone, according to data tracked by Johns Hopkins University.
Much of the rest of the state already began relaxing restrictions on May 15.
— Ryan Grenoble
Boston Marathon Canceled — 5/28/20, 2:51 p.m. ET
This year’s Boston Marathon, initially postponed from its traditional April date to September, will not be held in-person this year, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh (D) announced Thursday. Walsh said organizers have deemed it “not feasible,” given the continued threat of COVID-19′s spread, especially through large events.
Any marathon runner who had entered will receive a full refund, and is invited to run a virtual marathon from Sept. 7-14. Organizers will also hold a series of virtual events that week in lieu of the in-person race, which is a major event for the city.
— Marina Fang
Unemployment Tops 40 Million Across U.S. — 5/28/20, 11:30 a.m. ET
Another 2.1 million people applied for unemployment benefits across the country last week, bringing the total number to around 41 million since the crisis dramatically worsened in March.
Not all of that number are still jobless. Around 21 million are currently receiving unemployment aid, the Labor Department reported Thursday, providing a rough count of the unemployed.
The increase in applications, however, suggests businesses are cutting staff even as all 50 states work to reopen at least some parts of their economies.
In April, the national unemployment rate reached nearly 15%, which is the highest since the Great Depression. While businesses work on reopening with added restrictions to prevent spread of the coronavirus, the question remains of how quickly customers — some spooked by threat of the virus, others struggling economically — will come back.
The economy is thought to be shrinking by 40% in the April-June quarter, according to the Associated Press.
— Sara Boboltz
Trump Acknowledges 100,000 Dead Americans A Day Late — 5/28/20, 10:30 a.m. ET
Trump tweeted a message of condolence Thursday, a day after the confirmed COVID-19 U.S. death toll surpassed 100,000.
“We have just reached a very sad milestone with the coronavirus pandemic deaths reaching 100,000,” his account tweeted. “To all of the families & friends of those who have passed, I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy & love for everything that these great people stood for & represent. God be with you!”
The delayed acknowledgement is in keeping with Trump’s messaging throughout the crisis. He spent months publicly downplaying the severity of the pandemic, even as deaths soared.
In April, Trump patted himself on the back and predicted the death toll would top out at around 60,000. “It looks like we’ll be at about a 60,000 mark, which is 40,000 less than the lowest number thought of,” he said at the April 19 briefing. The U.S. passed that threshold one week later.
Of the 13 hours Trump spent talking at the daily coronavirus briefings (which have since been canceled), he spent just 4.5 minutes expressing condolences for coronavirus victims, a Washington Post analysis found.
— Ryan Grenoble
Coronavirus Contact Tracing Program Launched In England — 5/28/20, 5:45 a.m. ET
People who come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 will be told to self-isolate for two weeks as the British government launches its coronavirus tracing system in England.
Under the Test and Trace program, a team of 25,000 contact tracers will work out who those infected with coronavirus have been in contact with in a bid to control local flare-ups.
Everyone who tests positive for the virus will be asked to share details about who they have seen and where they have been with the tracers. This person’s close contacts will then receive an email or a text, telling them they must stay at home for 14 days – even if they don’t have any symptoms – to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus. Anyone with coronavirus symptoms should still self-isolate at home, along with their household, and get tested for COVID-19.
Britain, which has the second-highest death toll from the virus globally, abandoned a strategy of testing and tracing in March when the virus started spreading exponentially and there was insufficient capacity to test more than a fraction of those with symptoms.
The government says there is now enough capacity for all who need tests to get them. It is aiming to provide test results within 24 hours. Read more
— Jasmin Gray
For earlier updates on the pandemic, go here.


huffpost--2020-05-01--Key West Cancels Hemingway Look-Alike Contest Because Of COVID-19

KEY WEST , Fla. ( AP ) — The coronavirus pandemic has forced the cancellation of the 40th annual Ernest Hemingway Look-Alike Contest in Key West , organizers announced Thursday .
The three-night competition , which had been scheduled for July 23-25 , typically attracts more than 100 burly , bearded contestants from U.S. and international locales to Sloppy Joe ’ s Bar , but organizers were concerned about staging the contest amid packed crowds .
Besides the throngs of spectators , most contestants are between 60 and 80 years old , presenting a potentially risky situation since that age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizers said .
The next contest is scheduled for July 22-24 , 2021 .
The contest is traditionally the highlight of the Hemingway Days festival , held around the author ’ s July 21 birthday each year to salute his literary prowess and Key West lifestyle .
Other festivities generally include literary readings , symposium presentations , a street fair and a marlin tournament that recalls Hemingway ’ s passion for angling .
Ernest Hemingway , who lived in Key West throughout most of the 1930s , wrote many of his best-known works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former home , now a museum .
They include “ For Whom the Bell Tolls , ” “ The Snows of Kilimanjaro ” and “ To Have and Have Not.
” The Florida Keys have been closed to visitors since March 22 and are not expected to reopen in May , Keys officials said .

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KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — The coronavirus pandemic has forced the cancellation of the 40th annual Ernest Hemingway Look-Alike Contest in Key West, organizers announced Thursday.
The three-night competition, which had been scheduled for July 23-25, typically attracts more than 100 burly, bearded contestants from U.S. and international locales to Sloppy Joe’s Bar, but organizers were concerned about staging the contest amid packed crowds. Besides the throngs of spectators, most contestants are between 60 and 80 years old, presenting a potentially risky situation since that age group is especially susceptible to COVID-19, organizers said.
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The next contest is scheduled for July 22-24, 2021.
The contest is traditionally the highlight of the Hemingway Days festival, held around the author’s July 21 birthday each year to salute his literary prowess and Key West lifestyle. Other festivities generally include literary readings, symposium presentations, a street fair and a marlin tournament that recalls Hemingway’s passion for angling.
Ernest Hemingway, who lived in Key West throughout most of the 1930s, wrote many of his best-known works in the second-story studio that adjoins his former home, now a museum. They include “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” and “To Have and Have Not.”


huffpost--2020-03-14--14 Amazing Photos You Missed This Week

14 Amazing Photos You Missed This Week

We ’ re highlighting exceptional photos from around the world for the week of March 7 to 13 .
This @ @ @ @ @ images that are not directly related to coronavirus coverage ― for those photos , see @ @ @ @ @ : A bird flies past as the sun sets in Yangon , Myanmar , on @ @ @

We’re highlighting exceptional photos from around the world for the week of March 7 to 13.
This week we’ve selected images that are not directly related to coronavirus coverage ― for those photos, see our post here.
Above: A bird flies past as the sun sets in Yangon, Myanmar, on March 8.


huffpost--2020-03-14--Georgia To Postpone Primaries Over Coronavirus

ATLANTA ( AP ) — Georgia election officials are postponing the state ’ s March 24 presidential primaries until May because of fears over the coronavirus .
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement that in-person early voting , which began statewide March 2 , will be halted and the election will be moved to May 19 , when Georgia ’ s other 2020 primary elections are being held .
The action followed Republican Gov .
Brian Kemp ’ s signature of an emergency declaration that unlocked sweeping powers to fight COVID-19 .
In a speech Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places of worship , schools and others to consider canceling large gatherings as cases in the state rise .
As of Saturday , the virus had infected more than 150,000 people worldwide and killed over 5,600 .
Georgia is reporting 66 confirmed cases , with most concentrated around metro Atlanta .
One death in the state has been caused by the virus .
Election officials said in addition to the safety of the public , one of the biggest considerations was the risk the virus posed to poll workers , who are often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first state to push back its presidential primaries .

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ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia election officials are postponing the state’s March 24 presidential primaries until May because of fears over the coronavirus.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement that in-person early voting, which began statewide March 2, will be halted and the election will be moved to May 19, when Georgia’s other 2020 primary elections are being held.
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The action followed Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s signature of an emergency declaration that unlocked sweeping powers to fight COVID-19. In a speech Saturday, the governor renewed a call for places of worship, schools and others to consider canceling large gatherings as cases in the state rise.
As of Saturday, the virus had infected more than 150,000 people worldwide and killed over 5,600. Georgia is reporting 66 confirmed cases, with most concentrated around metro Atlanta. One death in the state has been caused by the virus.
Election officials said in addition to the safety of the public, one of the biggest considerations was the risk the virus posed to poll workers, who are often older.


huffpost--2020-03-14--House Passes Bipartisan Coronavirus Relief Bill

WASHINGTON — After multiple moments of near-collapse and a week of negotiation between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , the House passed a bipartisan bill early Saturday to deal with some of the potential financial fallout for families affected by the spread of the novel coronavirus .
The bill passed the House , 363-40 , just after midnight on Saturday , with 223 Democrats and 140 Republicans in support , and zero Democrats and 40 Republicans opposed .
Independent Justin Amash of Michigan was the only member to vote present , over concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to read the legislation .
Democrats had been intent on offering a bill that would provide for paid sick leave , which the bill partly does .
But Democrats had wanted a permanent program requiring employers to provide two weeks of paid sick leave annually .
Republicans balked at that idea , and instead the bill would create a national sick leave program for one year .
The bill provides two weeks of sick leave for workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic , with the government reimbursing 100 % of the cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a paid sick leave policy could bankrupt some businesses .
After the coronavirus crisis abates , the U.S. would go back to not having paid sick leave and will once again become the only advanced nation in the world with no paid sick leave policy .
President Donald Trump and his administration said Friday that there was an ongoing push from his administration to make tests more available , assuring Americans that half a million tests would be ready by next week .
The bill also would suspend all so-called work requirements for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health emergency , while giving additional flexibility to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to deploy a school lunch program used to feed low-income children during the summer — in case there are extended school closures .
The bill boosts funding for home-delivered meals for seniors as well as benefits under the Women , Infants and Children nutrition program .
The bill instead focuses far more on the immediate needs of people who may get sick or may be financially strapped because of the economic effects of the measures to battle the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the culmination of a week of intense negotiation ― and nearly 48 hours of constant back and forth between Pelosi and Mnuchin .
House lawmakers were expected to leave the Capitol on Thursday but were held in Washington overnight because negotiations ended up dragging into Friday .
And then over the course of more than a dozen phone calls Friday , the vote eventually stretched into early Saturday .
Pelosi and Mnuchin thought they had reached a deal late Friday afternoon , but it nearly evaporated when the White House balked at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill .
And that near-derailment came after multiple other near-derailments .
Ultimately , it took some stagecraft from both sides to even get an agreement in principle .
After hours of haggling on Friday , Pelosi called a news conference early in the afternoon to confirm that the House would be voting on a bill ― with or without the White House ’ s sign-off .
Pelosi and Mnuchin continued talking ― even during Trump ’ s news conference .
About 6 p.m. , Pelosi announced they had a deal .
But again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technical language , as Democrats and Republicans both waited for the president to tweet his support .
The only remaining question is what the Senate will do .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) had previously shown opposition to similar deals ― with Republican senators blocking legislation from coming to the floor ― but it would be hard for him to ignore a bill that the president has now signed off on and the House has passed with strong bipartisan support .
McConnell is keeping the Senate in session next week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recess and there are multiple concerns in Washington about coronavirus spreading around the Capitol .
It ’ s expected that his chamber will pass the bill in short order , sending it to Trump ’ s desk for his signature , and that Republicans will tout the president ’ s role in crafting the legislation .

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Keep up with the latest updates on the coronavirus at our live blog.
WASHINGTON — After multiple moments of near-collapse and a week of negotiation between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the House passed a bipartisan bill early Saturday to deal with some of the potential financial fallout for families affected by the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The bill passed the House, 363-40, just after midnight on Saturday, with 223 Democrats and 140 Republicans in support, and zero Democrats and 40 Republicans opposed. Independent Justin Amash of Michigan was the only member to vote present, over concerns that lawmakers didn’t have enough time to read the legislation.
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Democrats had been intent on offering a bill that would provide for paid sick leave, which the bill partly does. But Democrats had wanted a permanent program requiring employers to provide two weeks of paid sick leave annually. Republicans balked at that idea, and instead the bill would create a national sick leave program for one year.
The bill provides two weeks of sick leave for workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic, with the government reimbursing 100% of the cost to employers ― placating Republican complaints that a paid sick leave policy could bankrupt some businesses. After the coronavirus crisis abates, the U.S. would go back to not having paid sick leave and will once again become the only advanced nation in the world with no paid sick leave policy.
But the bill does include a number of Democratic priorities.
“This legislation is about testing, testing, testing,” Pelosi said in a statement Friday. “To stop the spread of the virus, we have secured free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test, including the uninsured.”
Pelosi has emphasized the need for testing after the Trump administration stumbled in its initial response to the outbreak, with patients still largely unable to get tests for the virus.
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President Donald Trump and his administration said Friday that there was an ongoing push from his administration to make tests more available, assuring Americans that half a million tests would be ready by next week.
“But we don’t want people to take a test if we feel that they shouldn’t be doing it,” Trump said.
On top of making tests more widely available, the bill the House approved early Saturday also includes provisions that would expand unemployment insurance ― giving states more funding if there is a rise in job losses because of coronavirus.
The bill also would suspend all so-called work requirements for food benefits for the duration of the public health emergency, while giving additional flexibility to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to deploy a school lunch program used to feed low-income children during the summer — in case there are extended school closures. The bill boosts funding for home-delivered meals for seniors as well as benefits under the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program.
The bill won’t include, as Trump and some other Republicans had wanted, a payroll tax cut. That was a low priority for Democrats, and many House members told HuffPost this week that a tax cut was a premature financial stimulus.
The bill instead focuses far more on the immediate needs of people who may get sick or may be financially strapped because of the economic effects of the measures to battle the spread of coronavirus.
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The vote Saturday morning was the culmination of a week of intense negotiation ― and nearly 48 hours of constant back and forth between Pelosi and Mnuchin. House lawmakers were expected to leave the Capitol on Thursday but were held in Washington overnight because negotiations ended up dragging into Friday. And then over the course of more than a dozen phone calls Friday, the vote eventually stretched into early Saturday.
Pelosi and Mnuchin thought they had reached a deal late Friday afternoon, but it nearly evaporated when the White House balked at some of the technical language in the bill. And that near-derailment came after multiple other near-derailments.
Ultimately, it took some stagecraft from both sides to even get an agreement in principle. After hours of haggling on Friday, Pelosi called a news conference early in the afternoon to confirm that the House would be voting on a bill ― with or without the White House’s sign-off.
About an hour later, Trump held his own news conference, where he neglected to mention whether he’d support the legislation.
Pelosi and Mnuchin continued talking ― even during Trump’s news conference. About 6 p.m., Pelosi announced they had a deal. But again, that agreement almost fell apart over technical language, as Democrats and Republicans both waited for the president to tweet his support.
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Finally, at 8:42 p.m., Trump tweeted that he would support the agreement ― an agreement he was largely left out of negotiating.
When Pelosi was asked late Friday night if she had ever spoken to Trump to negotiate the deal, she said no.
“There was no need to,” Pelosi said.
The only remaining question is what the Senate will do. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had previously shown opposition to similar deals ― with Republican senators blocking legislation from coming to the floor ― but it would be hard for him to ignore a bill that the president has now signed off on and the House has passed with strong bipartisan support.
McConnell is keeping the Senate in session next week, even though it was scheduled for a recess and there are multiple concerns in Washington about coronavirus spreading around the Capitol. It’s expected that his chamber will pass the bill in short order, sending it to Trump’s desk for his signature, and that Republicans will tout the president’s role in crafting the legislation.
As House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Friday night, the bill is a “very good sign of bipartisanship and working together.”
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“We can overcome this virus. We’ve done much bigger things before,” McCarthy said.


huffpost--2020-03-14--Donald Trump Says He Took Test For The Coronavirus

President Donald Trump said Saturday that he had finally taken a test for the coronavirus , after he was near multiple people who had tested positive for it .
“ I also took the test last night , ” Trump said .
“ I decided I should based on the press conference yesterday ― people were asking did I take the test.
” The news , announced at a press briefing on the coronavirus response , contradicted a memo from White House physician and Navy Cmdr .
Sean Conley released just before midnight Friday , which said that Trump did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus .
Vice President Mike Pence , who was also near individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 , said Saturday that he has not been tested but would be “ happy ” to do so .
Pence said he would talk to the White House physician about the matter after the briefing .
Earlier Saturday , the White House also said that it will check the temperatures of anyone who comes in close contact with Trump or Pence .
“ Out of an abundance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performed on any individuals who are in close contact with the president and vice president , ” White House Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere told reporters .
Reporters found out about the new temperature check practice on Saturday after an individual from Conley ’ s office took their temperatures , according to a pool report .
Trump told reporters that he had his temperature checked before the briefing as well and it was “ totally normal.
” The president has previously strayed from experts ’ advice on how to avoid contracting the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference announcing new steps to combat the spread and impact of the virus , he shook hands with other speakers , touched a microphone others had touched , and was in close proximity to a number of people .
Trump ’ s actions all contrasted with the “ social distancing ” advised by experts in order to stem the spread of COVID-19 .
This means avoiding close contact and large crowds , particularly for individuals in high-risk groups , such as older adults .
( The president is 73 years old . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it was a matter of habit , but he said perhaps the coronavirus outbreak will reduce handshaking in the future .
“ Getting away from shaking hands is a good thing , ” he said .
“ And possibly that ’ s something that comes out of this .
Maybe people shouldn ’ t be shaking hands for the long-term because it does transmit flu and other things.
” Trump had previously repeatedly downplayed the need to be tested , insisting he hadn ’ t been in close contact with Fabio Wajngarten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press secretary , who tested positive for the virus after spending an evening with Trump and Pence at Trump ’ s Mar-a-Lago resort , days before Wajngarten was tested .
Another individual tested positive for the virus after visiting Mar-a-Lago on Sunday for a Trump campaign fundraiser , according to the campaign , although that individual was not in contact with the president .
Conley ’ s Friday memo said another individual at the Brazilian delegation dinner with Trump had tested positive for the coronavirus .
That individual was in closer proximity with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the memo .

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Keep up with the latest updates on the coronavirus at our live blog.
President Donald Trump said Saturday that he had finally taken a test for the coronavirus, after he was near multiple people who had tested positive for it.
Trump said he took the test Friday evening but does not yet have results.
“I also took the test last night,” Trump said. “I decided I should based on the press conference yesterday ― people were asking did I take the test.”
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The news, announced at a press briefing on the coronavirus response, contradicted a memo from White House physician and Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley released just before midnight Friday, which said that Trump did not need to self-quarantine or be tested for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
Vice President Mike Pence, who was also near individuals who tested positive for COVID-19, said Saturday that he has not been tested but would be “happy” to do so. Pence said he would talk to the White House physician about the matter after the briefing.
Earlier Saturday, the White House also said that it will check the temperatures of anyone who comes in close contact with Trump or Pence.
“Out of an abundance of caution, temperature checks are now being performed on any individuals who are in close contact with the president and vice president,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere told reporters.
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Reporters found out about the new temperature check practice on Saturday after an individual from Conley’s office took their temperatures, according to a pool report.
Trump told reporters that he had his temperature checked before the briefing as well and it was “totally normal.”
The president has previously strayed from experts’ advice on how to avoid contracting the coronavirus. On Friday, at a press conference announcing new steps to combat the spread and impact of the virus, he shook hands with other speakers, touched a microphone others had touched, and was in close proximity to a number of people.
Trump’s actions all contrasted with the “social distancing” advised by experts in order to stem the spread of COVID-19. This means avoiding close contact and large crowds, particularly for individuals in high-risk groups, such as older adults. (The president is 73 years old.)
When asked about his behavior, Trump said it was a matter of habit, but he said perhaps the coronavirus outbreak will reduce handshaking in the future.
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“Getting away from shaking hands is a good thing,” he said. “And possibly that’s something that comes out of this. Maybe people shouldn’t be shaking hands for the long-term because it does transmit flu and other things.”
Trump had previously repeatedly downplayed the need to be tested, insisting he hadn’t been in close contact with Fabio Wajngarten, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s press secretary, who tested positive for the virus after spending an evening with Trump and Pence at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, days before Wajngarten was tested.
Another individual tested positive for the virus after visiting Mar-a-Lago on Sunday for a Trump campaign fundraiser, according to the campaign, although that individual was not in contact with the president.


huffpost--2020-03-14--Spain Goes On Lockdown As Coronavirus Cases Spike

MADRID ( AP ) — Spain ’ s government announced Saturday that it is placing tight restrictions on movements and closing restaurants and other establishments in the nation of 46 million people as part of a two-week state of emergency to fight the sharp rise in coronavirus infections .
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez detailed the battery of exceptional measures in a nationally televised address after holding a Cabinet meeting that lasted over seven hours .
The delay was reportedly due to discrepancies in the coalition government of Sánchez ’ s Socialists and the anti-austerity United We Can .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phase , ” Sánchez said .
“ We won ’ t hesitate in doing what we need must to beat the virus .
We are putting health first.
” Sánchez added that all police forces , including those run by local authorities , will be put under the orders of the Interior Minister and that the armed forces could be deployed it necessary .
According to the government decree , people will only be allowed to leave their homes to buy food and medicine , commute to work , go to medical centers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the care for the young and the elderly .
Those limitations are effective immediately .
Health authorities said Saturday that coronavirus infections have reached 5,753 people , half of them in Madrid , since the first case was detected in Spain in late January .
That represents a national increase of over 1,500 in 24 hours .
Italy extended the strict restriction on movements from the north to the entire country on March 9 when it registered over 9,000 infections .
It then went further on March 11 and closed all retail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The decision by Sánchez comes after some regions of Spain with viral clusters had taken steps to close restaurants and other non-essential establishments .
The regional leaders of Madrid and northeast Catalonia had criticized Sánchez for taking too long to tighten the screws on transport and restrict the circulation of people .
The normally bustling streets of Spain ’ s two biggest cities were noticeably quieter as the message sinks in that social distancing is the only way to stop the global pandemic after its eruption in China .
Business owners fear that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Spain ’ s huge tourism industry , but they are resigned to comply .
Even though the airports remained open , some flights bound for Spain turned around as word spread of the lockdown .
“ We had to close and remain shut for 15 days , ” restaurant owner Rachel Paparardo said in Barcelona , Catalonia ’ s largest city .
“ But this is nothing , it is just so more people don ’ t get infected and we can recover from this.
” In the capital , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parks after many people continued their Saturday morning jogs and other outdoor pastimes .
Police in the capital resorted to airborne drones with speakers to urge people to go home in some parks , according to Spanish news agency EFE .
“ I live in the city center and I like to see it empty , ” said Madrid resident Carmen Melon .
“ I like to see that I think people are being responsible and the people who have to stay at home are doing it .
Today I have to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I will stay home too .
”

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MADRID (AP) — Spain’s government announced Saturday that it is placing tight restrictions on movements and closing restaurants and other establishments in the nation of 46 million people as part of a two-week state of emergency to fight the sharp rise in coronavirus infections.
Spain has followed Italy’s path in implementing a similar lockdown after both European countries failed to contain the virus in regional hotspots.
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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez detailed the battery of exceptional measures in a nationally televised address after holding a Cabinet meeting that lasted over seven hours. The delay was reportedly due to discrepancies in the coalition government of Sánchez’s Socialists and the anti-austerity United We Can.
A couple wearing face masks as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus ride a scooter in downtown Malaga. Jesus Merida/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
“From now we enter into a new phase,” Sánchez said. “We won’t hesitate in doing what we need must to beat the virus. We are putting health first.”
Sánchez added that all police forces, including those run by local authorities, will be put under the orders of the Interior Minister and that the armed forces could be deployed it necessary.
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According to the government decree, people will only be allowed to leave their homes to buy food and medicine, commute to work, go to medical centers and banks, or take trips related to the care for the young and the elderly. Those limitations are effective immediately.
Effective immediately, Spain is also closing all restaurants, bars, hotels, schools and universities nationwide, and other non-essential retail outlets, a move some of the hardest-hit communities have already carried out.
Health authorities said Saturday that coronavirus infections have reached 5,753 people, half of them in Madrid, since the first case was detected in Spain in late January. That represents a national increase of over 1,500 in 24 hours.
Sánchez acknowledged on Friday that the number of infections could reach 10,000 in the coming days.
A police officer stands guard at Sol square in downtown Madrid, Spain, Saturday, March 14, 2020. AP Photo/Manu Fernandez
Italy extended the strict restriction on movements from the north to the entire country on March 9 when it registered over 9,000 infections. It then went further on March 11 and closed all retail outlets except some supermarkets and pharmacies.
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Spain’s central government had been criticized by some regional authorities, who run the nation’s decentralized public health system, for taking too long to shut down the entire country.
The decision by Sánchez comes after some regions of Spain with viral clusters had taken steps to close restaurants and other non-essential establishments. The regional leaders of Madrid and northeast Catalonia had criticized Sánchez for taking too long to tighten the screws on transport and restrict the circulation of people.
Residents in Madrid and Barcelona awoke Saturday to shuttered bars and restaurants and other non-essential commercial outlets as ordered by regional authorities the day before.
The normally bustling streets of Spain’s two biggest cities were noticeably quieter as the message sinks in that social distancing is the only way to stop the global pandemic after its eruption in China.
The strain on Madrid’s medical system had led local authorities to devise a plan to convert hotels into temporary wards to care for less serious patients and clear space in the overburdened critical care areas.
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Spooked shoppers packed some supermarkets early in the morning despite calls for calm from authorities and supermarket owners.
Business owners fear that the closures will be crippling, especially in Spain’s huge tourism industry, but they are resigned to comply. Even though the airports remained open, some flights bound for Spain turned around as word spread of the lockdown.
“We had to close and remain shut for 15 days,” restaurant owner Rachel Paparardo said in Barcelona, Catalonia’s largest city. “But this is nothing, it is just so more people don’t get infected and we can recover from this.”
In the capital, however, the town hall was forced to close parks after many people continued their Saturday morning jogs and other outdoor pastimes. Police in the capital resorted to airborne drones with speakers to urge people to go home in some parks, according to Spanish news agency EFE.
“I live in the city center and I like to see it empty,” said Madrid resident Carmen Melon. “I like to see that I think people are being responsible and the people who have to stay at home are doing it. Today I have to work, just one hour, but later I will stay home too.”
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Sports and television personalities have joined authorities and public health care workers in their pleas for people to remain indoors in order to reduce the spiking contagion curve.
“It is the moment to act responsibility and to stay home,” Barcelona star Lionel Messi wrote on Instagram Saturday.
A state of emergency also allows the central government to legally confiscate goods and take over control of industries and private facilities, including private hospitals to boost the robust public system. It’s only the second time that the government has evoked it since the return of democracy in the late 1970s. The other was declared during a 2010 air traffic controllers’ strike.


huffpost--2020-03-14--Workers Laid Off Over Coronavirus Look For A Lifeline

With Knights of Columbus employees working remotely and no longer dining in the cafeteria , there would be no need for the hourly workers to be serving hot meals .
The same thing is happening at other corporate campuses around the country as more employees work remotely to curb the pandemic , putting service workers ’ paychecks in jeopardy .
“ I think this is a very troubling sign of what ’ s going to happen to low-wage workers .
People in the service industry are going to get slammed , ” said Seth Goldstein , a business representative for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Local 153 , which represents the cafeteria workers .
The New Haven workers who lost their jobs are employed by a contractor , the food service giant Aramark , which did not respond to requests for comment .
A worker who spoke on condition of anonymity said the Knights of Columbus agreed to pay their health care premiums while they are out of work .
It ’ s impossible to say how many workers have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus so far , since the most recent data on jobless claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s happened in the past week .
But it appears the preventive measures taken to slow transmission of the virus are already taking a toll on workers in travel and hospitality as business drops off .
Congress is bracing for a surge in lost wages across the country : The House passed a relief package early Saturday that creates a temporary safety net to mitigate the economic fallout .
The bill provides two weeks of sick leave for some workers who are quarantined or must care for someone at home during the crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government .
It also allows some workers to take paid family medical leave and receive two-thirds of their normal pay .
Renee Munholand works as a rigger , hanging sound equipment , lighting and props for concerts and corporate events .
Her home state of Washington has been an epicenter of the outbreak , and Gov .
Jay Inslee ( D ) has banned public gatherings over 250 people in three counties where the virus is prevalent .
Munholand , 44 , immediately lost all her bookings in the coming weeks .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said she has already been approved , though she will have to wait for her first check .
A greater concern is her health insurance .
Her stagehand union provides a health plan but she must work a certain number of hours each month to qualify .
Washington is letting companies put workers on standby for eight weeks if they have to close down temporarily , and allowing the workers to collect benefits without searching for another job .
Workers who ’ ve been instructed to self-quarantine are encouraged to use paid sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Under Washington law , workers already earn at least one hour of sick leave for every 40 they work .
California has also taken steps to streamline benefits during the crisis .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) issued an executive order Thursday waiving the one-week waiting period for workers who qualify for unemployment or disability benefits due to coronavirus .
In New York , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) also did away with the unemployment waiting period so workers would qualify immediately .
The pandemic has drawn unprecedented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety net compared to other developed countries .
There is no federal law requiring employers to give their workers paid sick leave , and the guarantee for family and medical leave does not stipulate that the time must be paid .
Although a growing number of states have such mandates on the books , many still do not .
The gaps have left low-wage workers particularly vulnerable if they ’ ve been quarantined or told not to come into work .
The emergency plan passed by the House , which the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ short-term backstop but no permanent mandates on employers .
Democrats tried to include a provision that would force employers to offer two weeks of emergency leave and allow workers to accrue a week of paid sick leave each year .
Republicans objected and the measure was ultimately dropped .
Some workers face the possibility of losing their employer-sponsored health coverage in the middle of a public health crisis .
The Aramark employee said workers appreciated that the Knights of Columbus would cover their premiums while they are out of work , but some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not afford it .
In that case , the worker said , all they have to hope for is unemployment benefits .

Gwengoat via Getty Images
On Friday afternoon, about a dozen cafeteria workers at the Knights of Columbus headquarters in New Haven, Connecticut, learned they would be laid off because of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
With Knights of Columbus employees working remotely and no longer dining in the cafeteria, there would be no need for the hourly workers to be serving hot meals. The same thing is happening at other corporate campuses around the country as more employees work remotely to curb the pandemic, putting service workers’ paychecks in jeopardy.
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“I think this is a very troubling sign of what’s going to happen to low-wage workers. People in the service industry are going to get slammed,” said Seth Goldstein, a business representative for the Office of Professional Employees International Union Local 153, which represents the cafeteria workers.
The New Haven workers who lost their jobs are employed by a contractor, the food service giant Aramark, which did not respond to requests for comment. A worker who spoke on condition of anonymity said the Knights of Columbus agreed to pay their health care premiums while they are out of work.
Their supervisors gave them printouts instructing them on how to apply for unemployment benefits and told them not to come to work Monday.
“I’ve never collected unemployment before,” the worker said.
It’s impossible to say how many workers have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus so far, since the most recent data on jobless claims wouldn’t capture everything that’s happened in the past week. But it appears the preventive measures taken to slow transmission of the virus are already taking a toll on workers in travel and hospitality as business drops off.
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Congress is bracing for a surge in lost wages across the country: The House passed a relief package early Saturday that creates a temporary safety net to mitigate the economic fallout. The bill provides two weeks of sick leave for some workers who are quarantined or must care for someone at home during the crisis, to be funded by the federal government. It also allows some workers to take paid family medical leave and receive two-thirds of their normal pay.
But those measures don’t apply to workers who are getting laid off, like those at the Knights of Columbus headquarters.
To help those workers, the federal government is increasing funding to state unemployment programs — and allocating extra funds for states that waive rules that burden claimants. But in general, unemployment benefits only replace a portion of a worker’s lost wages.
Some workers have already been shocked by how quickly their jobs vanished.
Renee Munholand works as a rigger, hanging sound equipment, lighting and props for concerts and corporate events. Her home state of Washington has been an epicenter of the outbreak, and Gov. Jay Inslee (D) has banned public gatherings over 250 people in three counties where the virus is prevalent. Munholand, 44, immediately lost all her bookings in the coming weeks.
“It’s just all cancellations ― my calendar is wide open,” she said.
She applied for unemployment through the state and said she has already been approved, though she will have to wait for her first check. A greater concern is her health insurance. Her stagehand union provides a health plan but she must work a certain number of hours each month to qualify.
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All told, Munholand has lost around six events, including one put on by Microsoft, and Seattle’s annual comic book convention. She thought she still had a gig lined up for Sunday but it got canceled on Thursday.
“It just keeps getting worse,” she said. “I have a little bit of money saved, which is going quickly right now. ... I have medical bills. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
Some states have tried to make it easier to collect unemployment benefits because of the sudden loss of business.
Washington is letting companies put workers on standby for eight weeks if they have to close down temporarily, and allowing the workers to collect benefits without searching for another job. Workers who’ve been instructed to self-quarantine are encouraged to use paid sick leave benefits first if they have them. Under Washington law, workers already earn at least one hour of sick leave for every 40 they work.
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“I think this is a very troubling sign of what's going to happen to low-wage workers.” - Seth Goldstein, Office of Professional Employees International Union
California has also taken steps to streamline benefits during the crisis. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) issued an executive order Thursday waiving the one-week waiting period for workers who qualify for unemployment or disability benefits due to coronavirus. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) also did away with the unemployment waiting period so workers would qualify immediately.
The pandemic has drawn unprecedented attention to the holes in the U.S. safety net compared to other developed countries. There is no federal law requiring employers to give their workers paid sick leave, and the guarantee for family and medical leave does not stipulate that the time must be paid. Although a growing number of states have such mandates on the books, many still do not. The gaps have left low-wage workers particularly vulnerable if they’ve been quarantined or told not to come into work.
The emergency plan passed by the House, which the White House has signaled support for, creates a short-term backstop but no permanent mandates on employers. Democrats tried to include a provision that would force employers to offer two weeks of emergency leave and allow workers to accrue a week of paid sick leave each year. Republicans objected and the measure was ultimately dropped.
Some workers face the possibility of losing their employer-sponsored health coverage in the middle of a public health crisis. The Aramark employee said workers appreciated that the Knights of Columbus would cover their premiums while they are out of work, but some already forego the coverage because they cannot afford it. In that case, the worker said, all they have to hope for is unemployment benefits.
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Munholand said she is glad she has money saved, even if she’s burning through it now, and she feels worse for other stagehands who may not be able to pay their bills.
“I have warm clothes. I’m in a house. I have food,” she said. “Other than that I have control over nothing.”


huffpost--2020-03-13--Here's The Difference Between Coronavirus And COVID-19

“ Every once in a while , one of these animal viruses gets rogue and jumps species from the animal species to the human , ” William Schaffner , medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and a professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center , previously told HuffPost .
COVID-19 is mainly spread person to person , likely through respiratory droplets when someone coughs or sneezes .
Transmission can happen when people are in close contact with one another , usually up to about six feet .
COVID-19 can also live on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The symptoms of COVID-19 you should know Experts say many COVID-19 cases will be “ mild.
” This means they ’ ll feel similar to the cold or the flu ( which , to be clear , is still unpleasant , but means it ’ s likely you ’ ll have experienced something like it before ) .
Some people may not have any symptoms at all but could still be infected .
The main signs are a cough , a fever of 100.5 or higher , and general malaise .
Some may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ runny nose , sore throat or upper respiratory symptoms with a fever less than 100 are more often seen in colds than COVID-19 .
If you suspect you ’ re sick with COVID-19 , call your doctor or get in touch through a telehealth appointment , which helps to reduce the spread of the virus .
You should seek immediate , in-person care if you ’ re experiencing severe symptoms , like shortness of breath or an extremely high fever .
That could be a sign of pneumonia .
Keep yourself healthy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do to prevent getting sick applies here as well .
Wash your hands regularly for more than 20 seconds using soap and warm water .
( The type of soap you use doesn ’ t matter ! )
Wipe down any public surfaces you may come in contact with , like doorknobs , tables , plane seats and trays , and your workstation .
Get enough sleep and try to control your stress .
There are a few other preventative measures needed to control the spread of COVID-19 , especially so people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can , practice social distancing : Limit how often you go out to restaurants , the movies and other large gathering spaces .
Work from home if you ’ re able to do so .
Buy supplies like hand sanitizer , but don ’ t hoard every bottle ― leave some products for those who have a bigger chance of getting sick .
You should also apply this guidance to face masks , which need to be saved for health care workers and those who are already sick .
And speaking of being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ displaying any symptoms .
It doesn ’ t matter if it ’ s the cold , the flu or COVID-19 .
The disease is already here , so we can ’ t necessarily prevent it .
But the steps we take now can help minimize the spread of it .
Be a good human ― not only for yourself , but for others .

“Every once in a while, one of these animal viruses gets rogue and jumps species from the animal species to the human,” William Schaffner, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and a professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, previously told HuffPost.
COVID-19 is mainly spread person to person, likely through respiratory droplets when someone coughs or sneezes. Transmission can happen when people are in close contact with one another, usually up to about six feet. COVID-19 can also live on surfaces up to a few days.
The symptoms of COVID-19 you should know
Experts say many COVID-19 cases will be “mild.” This means they’ll feel similar to the cold or the flu (which, to be clear, is still unpleasant, but means it’s likely you’ll have experienced something like it before). Some people may not have any symptoms at all but could still be infected.
The main signs are a cough, a fever of 100.5 or higher, and general malaise. Some may also experience nausea or diarrhea. A runny nose, sore throat or upper respiratory symptoms with a fever less than 100 are more often seen in colds than COVID-19.
If you suspect you’re sick with COVID-19, call your doctor or get in touch through a telehealth appointment, which helps to reduce the spread of the virus. You should seek immediate, in-person care if you’re experiencing severe symptoms, like shortness of breath or an extremely high fever. That could be a sign of pneumonia.
Keep yourself healthy to prevent COVID-19
Everything you’d normally do to prevent getting sick applies here as well. Wash your hands regularly for more than 20 seconds using soap and warm water. (The type of soap you use doesn’t matter!) Wipe down any public surfaces you may come in contact with, like doorknobs, tables, plane seats and trays, and your workstation. Get enough sleep and try to control your stress.
There are a few other preventative measures needed to control the spread of COVID-19, especially so people in high-risk groups stay healthy.
If you can, practice social distancing: Limit how often you go out to restaurants, the movies and other large gathering spaces. Work from home if you’re able to do so.
Buy supplies like hand sanitizer, but don’t hoard every bottle ― leave some products for those who have a bigger chance of getting sick. You should also apply this guidance to face masks, which need to be saved for health care workers and those who are already sick. And speaking of being sick, stay home if you are displaying any symptoms. It doesn’t matter if it’s the cold, the flu or COVID-19.
The disease is already here, so we can’t necessarily prevent it. But the steps we take now can help minimize the spread of it. Be a good human ― not only for yourself, but for others.


huffpost--2020-03-14--Please Don't Believe These Coronavirus Scams And Advice

Most , if not all , of these claims are fake .
We don ’ t have a preventive vaccine yet , nor do we have any scientifically proven way to destroy COVID-19 once it ’ s in our bodies .
The best way to stay safe right now is by social distancing and good old-fashioned hand-washing .
Herbal remedies — including mixtures of honeysuckle , cinnamon twig , and peony root — have gained some traction thanks to false claims that they can treat flu-like symptoms or boost the immune system .
Twitter is also all in on garlic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has antimicrobial and antiviral properties .
According to Neuman , any benefits provided by herbal remedies are due to the placebo effect , if anything .
And the placebo effect , which is essentially when your brain tricks your body into thinking a treatment works , will not keep you from getting COVID-19 .
“ The fact that anyone would be advertising that anything you put inside your body can fight coronavirus should tell you it is bunk , ” Neuman said .
There is no science proving these items work — if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t .
Once the virus enters your body — through your mouth , nose or eyes — it will quickly infect your cells and , over time , spread to your lungs .
For most people , the infection starts and ends around the lungs .
In others , the infection could spread to the intestines and cause diarrhea .
But just because the virus that causes COVID-19 reaches your intestines does not mean you are in the clear .
You are still fighting an infection , regardless .
People who can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( which , remember , isn ’ t foolproof ) are now reaching for latex gloves , but there ’ s no proof they provide any protection .
The novel coronavirus can not be absorbed through the skin , according to Neuman .
It can easily hang out on the gloves and reach all the areas where you can contract the illness ( face , eyes , nose ) .
Latex gloves are also not sturdy and rip and tear easily .
“ I don ’ t suspect people wear them that well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in them and people don ’ t even realize they got tears in them , ” Adalja said , adding that the gloves also provide a false sense of security .
Jim Higdon , the co-founder of Cornbread Hemp , has seen a huge spike in online orders over the past week .
Higdon suspects so many people are likely purchasing CBD products to ease their anxiety regarding the coronavirus , but he ’ s also concerned that people may believe it can fight the infection .
Here ’ s What To Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people is the one way to stop any new virus .
Just look at China , he said : The recent drop in the country ’ s COVID-19 cases “ shows that the virus burns out quickly when people keep to themselves .
”

z_wei via Getty Images There are a lot of myths about preventing COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus.
For the past couple of months, fear and anxiety have been building over the novel coronavirus and the respiratory disease it causes, known as COVID-19.
People have raced to grocery stores to pick up anything that might cut their risk of contracting the virus. There are barely any face masks available, a limited supply of disinfecting wipes, and you’d be lucky to find a bottle of hand sanitizer in most places.
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Meanwhile, certain individuals and companies have cashed in on our fears by sharing advice and selling products that can allegedly (key word: allegedly) keep us safe from COVID-19.
Most, if not all, of these claims are fake. We don’t have a preventive vaccine yet, nor do we have any scientifically proven way to destroy COVID-19 once it’s in our bodies. The best way to stay safe right now is by social distancing and good old-fashioned hand-washing.
Here are the main scams and myths we’re seeing that you should watch out for:
Questionable DIY Hand Sanitizer Recipes
Due to the global hand sanitizer shortage, the World Health Organization recently published a recipe for a DIY hand sanitizer. While that recipe is completely safe and legitimate, others have since shared their own sanitizer recipes.
According to Ben Neuman, the head of the biology department at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, an effective hand sanitizer needs to be 70% pure ethanol, or 140 proof, which is a much higher ethanol concentration than any sort of alcohol you’d find at a liquor store. (Don’t use your vodka, people!).
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Plus, if you do make your own hand sanitizer, it’s not totally guaranteed to work. “Even made properly, an ethanol solution is not 100% guaranteed to keep you safe,” said Neumon, who has researched coronaviruses for 24 years.
During the SARS epidemic, people could still contract the disease despite using ethanol disinfectants, he added.
There’s really no need to make your own sanitizer, said infectious disease expert Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
“I find it puzzling that people are trying to make their hand sanitizer when they have soap and water that works just fine,” Adalja said.
Herbal Remedies And Supplements Claiming To Fight COVID-19
TrongNguyen via Getty Images Any “coronavirus-fighting” supplements you see marketed out there — like chlorine dioxide solution, high-dosage Vitamin C pack, or a bottle of colloidal silver — are a total scam.
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Herbal remedies — including mixtures of honeysuckle, cinnamon twig, and peony root — have gained some traction thanks to false claims that they can treat flu-like symptoms or boost the immune system. Twitter is also all in on garlic right now, asserting that the herb has antimicrobial and antiviral properties.
“Garlic, my goodness,” Neuman said. “SARS-CoV-2 is not a vampire — garlic is tasty in spaghetti sauce, but it is not an antiviral.”
According to Neuman, any benefits provided by herbal remedies are due to the placebo effect, if anything. And the placebo effect, which is essentially when your brain tricks your body into thinking a treatment works, will not keep you from getting COVID-19.
Additionally, any “coronavirus-fighting” supplements you see marketed out there — like this chlorine dioxide solution, this high-dosage Vitamin C pack, or a bottle of colloidal silver — are a total scam. If we had a solution to cure COVID-19, you’d be aware.
“SARS-CoV-2 is not a vampire — garlic is tasty in spaghetti sauce, but it is not an antiviral.” - Ben Neuman, Texas A&M University-Texarkana
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“The fact that anyone would be advertising that anything you put inside your body can fight coronavirus should tell you it is bunk,” Neuman said. There is no science proving these items work — if anything, evidence shows they don’t.
Drinking Water To ‘Kill’ The Virus
There’s a rumor going around that gulping down water can push the novel coronavirus into your stomach, where stomach acids will kill it. Neuman said this advice is “mostly bonkers.”
Once the virus enters your body — through your mouth, nose or eyes — it will quickly infect your cells and, over time, spread to your lungs. For most people, the infection starts and ends around the lungs. In others, the infection could spread to the intestines and cause diarrhea. But just because the virus that causes COVID-19 reaches your intestines does not mean you are in the clear. You are still fighting an infection, regardless.
“The intestines actually have more of the virus receptor than the lungs, and would offer a potential route of access to the bloodstream and the important organs, so you wouldn’t want to deliberately introduce the virus into the digestive tract,” Neuman explained.
Staying hydrated is a good idea in general, but water is not going to fight the illness itself.
Latex Gloves For Virus Protection
Marina Demkina via Getty Images Latex gloves are not sturdy and rip and tear easily.
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People who can’t get ahold of a face mask (which, remember, isn’t foolproof) are now reaching for latex gloves, but there’s no proof they provide any protection. The novel coronavirus cannot be absorbed through the skin, according to Neuman. It can easily hang out on the gloves and reach all the areas where you can contract the illness (face, eyes, nose).
Latex gloves are also not sturdy and rip and tear easily. “I don’t suspect people wear them that well, and I suspect they get tears in them and people don’t even realize they got tears in them,” Adalja said, adding that the gloves also provide a false sense of security.
Avoiding Packages From China
Scared about ordering goods from China? Don’t be. Though coronaviruses may seem tough, they’re actually quite delicate.
Neuman, who worked with SARS, said keeping a coronavirus intact is no easy task. “Once the virus is outside the body, the clock is ticking and the amount of intact virus drops pretty quickly,” Neuman said. That’s a big journey for the new coronavirus.
Plus, the latest research shows that the virus may survive only about two to three days on surfaces — it takes much longer for your Amazon package to ship from China.
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Using CBD As Medicine
There’s also some online buzz claiming cannabidiol, or CBD, can be used as a treatment for COVID-19.
Jim Higdon, the co-founder of Cornbread Hemp, has seen a huge spike in online orders over the past week. Higdon suspects so many people are likely purchasing CBD products to ease their anxiety regarding the coronavirus, but he’s also concerned that people may believe it can fight the infection.
The problem, he said, is that some influencers are trying to market CBD as a way “to protect against COVID-19, and that’s just wrong and dangerous.”
Although many find that CBD eases their anxiety levels, there isn’t enough evidence yet to prove major health effects. Plus, the compound isn’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so do your research and ensure you’re buying from a reliable source.
Here’s What To Do Instead:
Moyo Studio via Getty Images Experts say to wash your hands with soap and water, avoid touching your face, practice social distancing, and disinfect surfaces.
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First, try not to panic.
“The word ‘pandemic’ has the power to conjure up frightful images from movies and the distant past, but I think in reality the situation today is more controllable than at the peak of the outbreak in China just over a month ago,” Neuman said.
Around the world, we are now seeing a massive response to COVID-19, which is a very promising development. Follow the updates and pay attention to your local health authorities.
Instead of wasting your time and money on scammy products or bad advice, listen to the experts — wash your hands with soap and water, avoid touching your face, practice social distancing, and disinfect surfaces.
Finally, if you do get sick, please make a telehealth appointment and isolate yourself until you recover (unless you’re experiencing severe symptoms like a high fever and shortness of breath; then seek in-person care immediately).
Neuman said self-quarantine for sick people is the one way to stop any new virus. Just look at China, he said: The recent drop in the country’s COVID-19 cases “shows that the virus burns out quickly when people keep to themselves.”
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