huffpost--2020-06-16--American Girl Unveils Scrubs Doll Outfit To Honor Health Care Heroes

American Girl is bringing its own twist to honoring front-line health care workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
On Monday , the doll brand announced its # ThankYouHeroes initiative , which features a donation program , a contest to recognize local heroes and a new scrubs outfit for its dolls .
Available for preorder with an estimated shipping date of August , the $ 24 limited-edition outfit includes pink scrub pants , a paint splatter print top , slip-on shoes and a face mask .
For every scrubs outfit sold , American Girl will donate one doll craft activity book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of $ 135,000 , to the First Responders Children ’ s Foundation , which supports the kids of first responders working to combat the coronavirus .
The Mattel subsidiary is also giving away free doll masks in reopened American Girl stores , while supplies last , to promote the use of face coverings .
The brand released an instructional doll mask video on its website for kids who want to make their own at home .
Its new “ Heroes with Heart ” contest aims to honor the pandemic ’ s essential workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Through June 26 , you can nominate someone by submitting a photo and a 250-word description of their occupation and how they ’ re helping your community .
Five grand prize winners will receive a custom American Girl doll and outfit in their likeness , plus a $ 200 American Girl gift card for the person who nominated them .
“ At American Girl , we ’ ve always celebrated the idea of acting with courage and compassion , ” general manager Jamie Cygielman said in a statement .
“ That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honor dedicated healthcare workers and other heroes who play critical roles in helping our friends , families and communities every day.
” Other Mattel brands have introduced similar # ThankYouHeroes programs , including Fisher-Price , UNO and Barbie .
Barbie will donate a doll ( up to 30,000 dolls ) to the First Responders Children ’ s Foundation for every eligible career doll purchased .

American Girl American Girl dolls sport the new scrubs outfit as part of the brand's #ThankYouHeroes program.
American Girl is bringing its own twist to honoring front-line health care workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, the doll brand announced its #ThankYouHeroes initiative, which features a donation program, a contest to recognize local heroes and a new scrubs outfit for its dolls.
Available for preorder with an estimated shipping date of August, the $24 limited-edition outfit includes pink scrub pants, a paint splatter print top, slip-on shoes and a face mask. For every scrubs outfit sold, American Girl will donate one doll craft activity book, up to a total retail value of $135,000, to the First Responders Children’s Foundation, which supports the kids of first responders working to combat the coronavirus.
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American Girl The limited-edition scrubs outfit includes pants, a top, shoes and a face mask.
The Mattel subsidiary is also giving away free doll masks in reopened American Girl stores, while supplies last, to promote the use of face coverings. The brand released an instructional doll mask video on its website for kids who want to make their own at home.
Its new “Heroes with Heart” contest aims to honor the pandemic’s essential workers, from nurses to grocery store employees. Through June 26, you can nominate someone by submitting a photo and a 250-word description of their occupation and how they’re helping your community.
American Girl American Girl's "Heroes with Heart" contest will recognize local essential workers.
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Five grand prize winners will receive a custom American Girl doll and outfit in their likeness, plus a $200 American Girl gift card for the person who nominated them.
“At American Girl, we’ve always celebrated the idea of acting with courage and compassion,” general manager Jamie Cygielman said in a statement. “That’s why we’re proud to honor dedicated healthcare workers and other heroes who play critical roles in helping our friends, families and communities every day.”


huffpost--2020-06-17--Guest Workers Describe Coronavirus Nightmare On Louisiana Crawfish Farm

Two guest workers from Mexico say they were stricken with COVID-19 as they processed crawfish in a crowded Louisiana plant ― and that their bosses forbid them from going to the hospital and threatened to report them to immigration authorities when they finally did .
They say they were ultimately fired .
Seafood processors along the Gulf Coast use the H-2B workers , and claims about poor working conditions and substandard housing are not uncommon .
The program ties a worker ’ s employment to a particular company for the duration of the visa , an arrangement that can prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up about working and living conditions .
Alvarez Navarro and Hernandez Villadares say they slept at company-provided housing while working on the nearby crawfish farm , a common arrangement in H-2B relationships .
According to their complaints , workers in the plant began to show symptoms of COVID-19 in late March , and their supervisors soon imposed a “ strict quarantine ” and told them not to leave their living quarters .
Alvarez Navarro and Hernandez Villadares said they became “ extremely sick ” in mid-May , but were told to transfer to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I told my coworkers that I did not trust the company to take care of us and I thought we would all be safer going to the hospital immediately , ” Alvarez Navarro wrote in her charge with the NLRB .
The two said they went to Acadia General Hospital for treatment on May 15 and did not return to the company housing .
They were fired , and supervisors told them that the company was going to report them to immigration because they no longer worked for the company that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their filings .
Acadia did not respond to messages left seeking comment on the women ’ s allegations .
But after the publication of this article , the company ’ s owner , Scott Broussard , denied the women ’ s claims in an interview with the Lafayette Daily Advertiser , claiming Alvarez Navarro and Hernandez Villadares abandoned their jobs .
Broussard said the company had been following the state ’ s guidelines on the pandemic .
Dr. Tina Stefanski , a regional director for the Office of Public Health , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a “ model employer ” in handling coronavirus cases .
According to Labor Department records , Acadia Processors requested at least 100 guest workers for 2020 , to be paid a base rate of $ 9.75 per hour , though workers can earn more depending on how fast they peel crawfish .
The housing provided would be “ voluntary ” and “ low cost , ” the company said in its application , with the company deducting $ 50 per week from those who opted for it .
In an interview with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others worked so close to one another in the plant that their shoulders touched , and they often slept six or seven to a room in the dorm-style company housing .
“ One kitchen for everyone , one dining area where we eat together , ” she said in Spanish through an interpreter .
Alvarez Navarro said it seemed as if everyone was infected , with so much of the workforce showing flu-like symptoms .
She said supervisors took her and other workers to a clinic to get tested for the coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She said tests also were offered at the plant , but workers were being charged for them .
Company officials said “ no one can leave the house nor could anyone come in , ” she said .
“ I felt like I was in the hands of the bosses .
When people were infected… I had no resources to get tested .
I just wanted to know.
” The workers “ are always easily fire-able if they speak up about wages or working conditions ― which leads to them losing their visa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are terrified of losing their jobs because they ’ ve paid hefty recruitment fees , ” Costa said in an email .
“ Now on top of that they have to worry about getting sick and the virus spreading in the workplace and in living quarters , and their employers not caring and not taking adequate precautions or implementing safety measures.
” Alvarez Navarro and Hernandez Villadares have received legal assistance from Centro de los Derechos del Migrante , a worker center for migrant workers from Mexico , which arranged the interview with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OSHA , the group argued that the women ’ s refusal to stay in company-ordered quarantine housing is protected under safety whistleblower law : They feared for their lives and had no reasonable alternative .

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Two guest workers from Mexico say they were stricken with COVID-19 as they processed crawfish in a crowded Louisiana plant ― and that their bosses forbid them from going to the hospital and threatened to report them to immigration authorities when they finally did. They say they were ultimately fired.
The women, Reyna Isabel Alvarez Navarro and Maribel Hernandez Villadares, detailed their disturbing allegations this month in filings with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Labor Relations Board. The documents (here, here and here) offer a chilling depiction of the challenges confronting essential workers amid the pandemic, similar to the widely reported stories from meatpacking plants.
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In this case, both women were foreign-born guest workers who came to the U.S. on temporary H-2B visas to work at Acadia Processors, a crawfish wholesaler in Crowley, Louisiana. The company has denied the allegations, saying the women quit their jobs.
Seafood processors along the Gulf Coast use the H-2B workers, and claims about poor working conditions and substandard housing are not uncommon. The program ties a worker’s employment to a particular company for the duration of the visa, an arrangement that can prevent workers from seeking other jobs or speaking up about working and living conditions.
Alvarez Navarro and Hernandez Villadares say they slept at company-provided housing while working on the nearby crawfish farm, a common arrangement in H-2B relationships. According to their complaints, workers in the plant began to show symptoms of COVID-19 in late March, and their supervisors soon imposed a “strict quarantine” and told them not to leave their living quarters.
“I felt like I was in the hands of the bosses.” - Reyna Isabel Alvarez Navarro
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Alvarez Navarro and Hernandez Villadares said they became “extremely sick” in mid-May, but were told to transfer to quarantine housing instead of seeking medical treatment. “I told my coworkers that I did not trust the company to take care of us and I thought we would all be safer going to the hospital immediately,” Alvarez Navarro wrote in her charge with the NLRB.
The two said they went to Acadia General Hospital for treatment on May 15 and did not return to the company housing. They were fired, and supervisors told them that the company was going to report them to immigration because they no longer worked for the company that held their visa, the pair said in their filings.
Three days after the women say they went to the hospital, the Louisiana Department of Health publicly announced severe coronavirus outbreaks had occurred among the workforces at three crawfish plants in Acadia and Lafayette parishes.
Aly Neel, a spokesperson for the state health department, said the agency would not confirm whether Acadia Processors was one of the trio of plants with major outbreaks. She said a total of about 100 cases were reported at the three.
“We worked closely with the facilities to minimize infection, ensure access to testing and provide technical support, including assisting with temporary housing for those who were unable to isolate,” Neel said in an email. “Fortunately, in the past month there have been no new cases.”
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Acadia did not respond to messages left seeking comment on the women’s allegations. But after the publication of this article, the company’s owner, Scott Broussard, denied the women’s claims in an interview with the Lafayette Daily Advertiser, claiming Alvarez Navarro and Hernandez Villadares abandoned their jobs. Broussard said the company had been following the state’s guidelines on the pandemic. Dr. Tina Stefanski, a regional director for the Office of Public Health, told the Daily Advertiser that Acadia Processors had been a “model employer” in handling coronavirus cases.
“We’ve done everything in our power to treat these people the way I would want to be treated or how you would want to be treated,” Broussard told the outlet.
The Baton Rouge-based news site The Advocate reported on the outbreaks at unnamed plants last month, finding that the crowded living quarters for guest workers likely played a significant role. “If one person gets it, there’s a good chance everyone’s going to get sick,” one crawfish farmer told the outlet.
According to Labor Department records, Acadia Processors requested at least 100 guest workers for 2020, to be paid a base rate of $9.75 per hour, though workers can earn more depending on how fast they peel crawfish. The housing provided would be “voluntary” and “low cost,” the company said in its application, with the company deducting $50 per week from those who opted for it.
In an interview with HuffPost, Alvarez Navarro said she and others worked so close to one another in the plant that their shoulders touched, and they often slept six or seven to a room in the dorm-style company housing. “One kitchen for everyone, one dining area where we eat together,” she said in Spanish through an interpreter.
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Alvarez Navarro said it seemed as if everyone was infected, with so much of the workforce showing flu-like symptoms. She said supervisors took her and other workers to a clinic to get tested for the coronavirus, but she never received the results. She said tests also were offered at the plant, but workers were being charged for them.
She said a friend who lived in town took her and Hernandez Villadares to the hospital, adding that she felt “like I was going to die.”
Company officials said “no one can leave the house nor could anyone come in,” she said. “I felt like I was in the hands of the bosses. When people were infected… I had no resources to get tested. I just wanted to know.”
She said she received positive test results from the hospital about four days later.
Alvarez Navarro and Hernandez Villadares say they were processing crawfish at a Louisiana plant when they and other workers got sick with COVID-19. Chris Graythen via Getty Images
Daniel Costa, an immigration law expert at the Washington-based Economic Policy Institute, said that in general, the living and working conditions for H-2B workers are “tailor-made” for spreading the coronavirus.
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The workers “are always easily fire-able if they speak up about wages or working conditions ― which leads to them losing their visa status and becoming deportable ― and most are terrified of losing their jobs because they’ve paid hefty recruitment fees,” Costa said in an email. “Now on top of that they have to worry about getting sick and the virus spreading in the workplace and in living quarters, and their employers not caring and not taking adequate precautions or implementing safety measures.”
Alvarez Navarro and Hernandez Villadares have received legal assistance from Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, a worker center for migrant workers from Mexico, which arranged the interview with Alvarez Navarro. In a letter to OSHA, the group argued that the women’s refusal to stay in company-ordered quarantine housing is protected under safety whistleblower law: They feared for their lives and had no reasonable alternative.
If their firings were found to be illegal, the two women would be entitled to back pay and job reinstatement.
The Seafood Workers Alliance, a New Orleans-based worker center, has been organizing guest workers in an attempt to improve the jobs inside seafood processing plants in the area. Sabina Hinz-Foley Trejo, an organizer for the group, said coronavirus outbreaks were “inevitable” considering the working standards and H-2B arrangements.
“The majority of crawfish peeler and harvesters are guest workers. That whole system just allows for very little enforcement, very little worker protections, and a lot of retaliation,” she said. “There are a lot of really horrible labor practices.”
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Hinz-Foley Trejo also criticized the state for not disclosing the names of the plants where workers had high infection rates, saying it was a matter of public health to know where major outbreaks occurred.
“To keep this secret and to protect employers through this, essentially the state is complicit,” she said.
Kate Sheppard contributed reporting.


huffpost--2020-06-17--9-Year-Old 'Magic: The Gathering' Player Champions Age And Gender Diversity

Enter Dana Fischer , a 9-year-old from San Diego challenging such stereotypes .
Born in 2010 and a dedicated Magic enthusiast since the age of 3 , Dana began garnering media attention in 2017 for her forays along the game ’ s competitive circuit , where she routinely found herself facing opponents more than three times her age .
A video released by Wizards of the Coast , the company behind the game , in 2018 described her as “ the vanguard of the next generation of Magic.
” In January , she set a new record and became the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the MagicFest Austin Grand Prix — a victory that she later wrote about on the Magic site Channel Fireball , with a little editing help from her father , Adam Fischer .
“ I think that the biggest thing that spoke to me [ after my Grand Prix win ] was showing other girls and women that even though more men play this game , young and old women can play the game too and do well at it if they really want to , ” she said in an interview with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former competitive Magic player in 2002 and 2003 , initially taught the game to both Dana and her older sister , Sadie , as a Father ’ s Day activity before they could fully read .
The girls learned to play by associating each card ’ s function with its accompanying picture , and in the years to come , Dana ’ s passion for Magic only increased .
This interest has remained unabated despite recent obstacles like the COVID-19 lockdown , Fischer said .
“ The coronavirus sidelined her aspirations with big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been canceled for now , and the online events have at least a 13 if not 16-18 minimum age , ” Fischer told HuffPost .
“ However , Dana ’ s using the different situation to reach out to the community in other ways , specifically her just-launched YouTube and family Twitch channels.
” Both channels show Dana revealing new cards , commentating on matches and playing the digital version of the game , Magic : The Gathering Arena , alongside her father , who vets the Twitch chat for potentially inappropriate remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dana plays in tournaments , where her father sits on the sidelines , helps her shuffle cards ( an occasional challenge for her self-described “ tiny hands ” ) and offers a combination of parental supervision and coachlike support .
“ There ’ s so many benefits that she ’ s gotten in her development because of Magic , ” Fischer said , pointing out that the game has increased Dana ’ s math skills , expanded her vocabulary with its often-complex fantasy terms and provided important learning experiences .
These include an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as highlighted in 2019 by Autumn Burchett , the first non-binary player to have won a prestigious Magic Pro Tour , as well as a frank discussion on the discrimination suffered by Tania Russell , a female player who took to Twitter in February with a thread about “ internalized sexism ” at competitive Magic events .
“ There have been a couple people who have been skeptical of Dana , saying it ’ s her parents — specifically her dad — making her do this , ” Fischer said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t want to be those parents to force our child into anything if they don ’ t want to do it .
Magic is something that ’ s optional .
We want it to come from her.
” Balancing Dana ’ s interests with those of her big sister , Sadie , has also been a priority for the family .
Now 12 years old , Sadie prefers ice skating , baking , science and experimenting with video editing over Magic , and though “ it was a bit tricky finding the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fischer isn ’ t traveling to tournaments with Dana , he carves out time to visit science museums in different cities with Sadie .
With the advent of Dana ’ s YouTube channel , both sisters have also had the chance to collaborate on a project related to the game that their father taught them so long ago .
With Dana ’ s video presence ramping up , the 9-year-old is hoping that she can “ do more stuff in the gaming industry ” as she grows older — preferably via a future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or Riot Games , the company where her father works .
Most of all , though , she hopes that her presence in the Magic hobby can encourage more kids — especially young girls — to take the plunge and become planeswalkers .
“ Some people are like , ‘ I can ’ t play this game because it ’ s all men and adults and it ’ s [ recommended for ages ] 13+ , ’ ” Dana said .
“ But that ’ s just a suggestion of how complex it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and you can still play competitively , too .
At a tournament , you know that you ’ re there to play the game and you know what you think about yourself .
Don ’ t let anyone change that .
”

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“Magic: The Gathering” is a card game filled with fantasy creatures and spells, where competitors known as “planeswalkers” duke it out for dominance. It’s also a game largely assumed to have a predominately adult male audience.
Enter Dana Fischer, a 9-year-old from San Diego challenging such stereotypes. Born in 2010 and a dedicated Magic enthusiast since the age of 3, Dana began garnering media attention in 2017 for her forays along the game’s competitive circuit, where she routinely found herself facing opponents more than three times her age.
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A video released by Wizards of the Coast, the company behind the game, in 2018 described her as “the vanguard of the next generation of Magic.” In January, she set a new record and became the youngest player to win a cash prize at the MagicFest Austin Grand Prix — a victory that she later wrote about on the Magic site Channel Fireball, with a little editing help from her father, Adam Fischer.
Dana is acutely aware that she defies expectations of what a typical planeswalker might look like, and as her fame has grown, she’s embraced the goal of championing age and gender diversity within the Magic community.
“I think that the biggest thing that spoke to me [after my Grand Prix win] was showing other girls and women that even though more men play this game, young and old women can play the game too and do well at it if they really want to,” she said in an interview with HuffPost.
Dana Fischer regularly plays alongside and against opponents much older than her. Courtesy of the Fischer Family
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Adam Fischer, himself a former competitive Magic player in 2002 and 2003, initially taught the game to both Dana and her older sister, Sadie, as a Father’s Day activity before they could fully read. The girls learned to play by associating each card’s function with its accompanying picture, and in the years to come, Dana’s passion for Magic only increased. This interest has remained unabated despite recent obstacles like the COVID-19 lockdown, Fischer said.
“The coronavirus sidelined her aspirations with big events, since the in-person ones have been canceled for now, and the online events have at least a 13 if not 16-18 minimum age,” Fischer told HuffPost. “However, Dana’s using the different situation to reach out to the community in other ways, specifically her just-launched YouTube and family Twitch channels.”
Both channels show Dana revealing new cards, commentating on matches and playing the digital version of the game, Magic: The Gathering Arena, alongside her father, who vets the Twitch chat for potentially inappropriate remarks. The arrangement is similar to how Dana plays in tournaments, where her father sits on the sidelines, helps her shuffle cards (an occasional challenge for her self-described “tiny hands”) and offers a combination of parental supervision and coachlike support.
“There’s so many benefits that she’s gotten in her development because of Magic,” Fischer said, pointing out that the game has increased Dana’s math skills, expanded her vocabulary with its often-complex fantasy terms and provided important learning experiences. These include an introduction to the concept of non-binary gender, as highlighted in 2019 by Autumn Burchett, the first non-binary player to have won a prestigious Magic Pro Tour, as well as a frank discussion on the discrimination suffered by Tania Russell, a female player who took to Twitter in February with a thread about “internalized sexism” at competitive Magic events.
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Dana holding up an oversized card showing Nissa, a legendary figure within the game. Courtesy of the Fischer Family
Fischer, who maintains Dana’s Twitter and Facebook accounts due to social media age restrictions, also added that both he and his wife Rachelle are aware of the toxicity, “colorful language” and skepticism that occasionally crops up in a competitive gaming scene dominated by men.
“There have been a couple people who have been skeptical of Dana, saying it’s her parents — specifically her dad — making her do this,” Fischer said. “But my wife and I don’t want to be those parents to force our child into anything if they don’t want to do it. Magic is something that’s optional. We want it to come from her.”
Balancing Dana’s interests with those of her big sister, Sadie, has also been a priority for the family. Now 12 years old, Sadie prefers ice skating, baking, science and experimenting with video editing over Magic, and though “it was a bit tricky finding the right balance for a while,” when Fischer isn’t traveling to tournaments with Dana, he carves out time to visit science museums in different cities with Sadie. With the advent of Dana’s YouTube channel, both sisters have also had the chance to collaborate on a project related to the game that their father taught them so long ago.
“Sadie did most of the editing for [one of Dana’s card preview videos], as she took a TV broadcasting elective at school,” Fischer said.
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From left to right: Adam Fischer, Dana (bottom), Sadie (top) and Rachelle. Courtesy of the Fischer Family
With Dana’s video presence ramping up, the 9-year-old is hoping that she can “do more stuff in the gaming industry” as she grows older — preferably via a future career at either Wizards of the Coast or Riot Games, the company where her father works. Most of all, though, she hopes that her presence in the Magic hobby can encourage more kids — especially young girls — to take the plunge and become planeswalkers.


huffpost--2020-06-17--The First Data On COVID-19 And Teens' Mental Health Is Here — And It's Not Good

Less has been said about teenagers , who missed out on big milestones .
( Final semesters !
Final sports seasons !
Graduation !
Prom ! )
And who have also been kept from doing what is basically their full-time job : separating from their families , exploring the world and beginning to figure out who they are .
Of roughly 1,500 teenagers who took part in the survey , conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of the National 4-H Council in May , 7 out of 10 teenagers said they were struggling with their mental health in some way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of American teens meet diagnostic criteria for depression and roughly 30 % generally meet criteria for having an anxiety disorder by the time they are 18 , although that data is by no means identical .
“ It is clear to us based on the survey findings that COVID-19 has had a measurable adverse impact on teens ’ mental health , ” Jennifer Sirangelo , president and CEO of 4-H , told HuffPost .
“ For example , 61 % of teens said that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased their feelings of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the findings do indicate increases in stress and mental health concerns , similar to many adults ’ experiences.
” For example , a recent Johns Hopkins survey conducted in April of this year , comparing how adults were feeling at the same point in 2018 , found a threefold jump in the percent of adults experiencing symptoms of psychological distress .
One notable finding from the survey is that teens reported spending at least nine hours a day on screens during the pandemic , an increase of at least three hours per day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not ) establish cause and effect , but experts say it is certainly reasonable to expect that all that screen time could be exacerbating teens ’ feelings .
As one survey respondent said in press release announcing the survey ’ s findings : “ Coronavirus has been overwhelming and being on social media can be too much for me at times.
” To a certain extent , teenagers have been required to be on their devices for much of the day in order to partake in remote learning .
And that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upcoming academic year .
So Meyers suggested that one thing parents should consider is that the non-screen time they spend with their tweens and teens is really important .
“ Even though many teenagers may be on their devices for most of the day for school and recreation , it is important to spend time together , ” he said .
“ These interactions are important for reinforcing connection , creating routine , and providing in-person interaction that may not otherwise occur.
” It is also critical that parents “ check in directly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and not shy away from tough questions .
Ask how they ’ re feeling .
Ask what they are struggling with .
Perhaps open up about your own emotions and struggles to get the conversation going .
Teens are hungry for this type of communication , the survey suggests .
Roughly 80 % of the teens said that mental health concerns are major issue facing teens today .
At the same time , roughly 80 % of the survey respondents said it can feel uncomfortable to ask for help .
Yet despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look at how teens are coping with COVID-19 , there are reasons for optimism .
Children ’ s mental health experts are generally quick to point out how emotionally resilient most kids are , and the survey found something similar : Nearly 70 % of the teenagers surveyed said they consider themselves resilient .
“ It is certainly a positive sign that so many teens feel confident in their ability to deal with life ’ s challenges , ” Sirangelo said .
And there are steps parents can take to boost their child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like focusing on what is in their control and creating real space for them to talk about their emotions .

martin-dm via Getty Images A new survey suggests COVID-19 may be hurting teens' health.
As COVID-19 social distancing measures have worn on, a lot has been written about how younger children are coping.
Less has been said about teenagers, who missed out on big milestones. (Final semesters! Final sports seasons! Graduation! Prom!) And who have also been kept from doing what is basically their full-time job: separating from their families, exploring the world and beginning to figure out who they are.
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A new survey released this week gives a preliminary glimpse at the toll all of those changes has taken on teenagers’ mental health — and it raises an early alarm.
Of roughly 1,500 teenagers who took part in the survey, conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of the National 4-H Council in May, 7 out of 10 teenagers said they were struggling with their mental health in some way.
More than half said they’d experienced anxiety, 45% said they’d felt excess stress, and 43% identified that they’d struggled with depression.
For some context, roughly 12% of American teens meet diagnostic criteria for depression and roughly 30% generally meet criteria for having an anxiety disorder by the time they are 18, although that data is by no means identical.
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“It is clear to us based on the survey findings that COVID-19 has had a measurable adverse impact on teens’ mental health,” Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO of 4-H, told HuffPost. “For example, 61% of teens said that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased their feelings of loneliness.”
“This information reflects a quick screen for distress rather than clinical diagnoses provided by mental health professionals,” cautioned Steven Meyers, a professor of psychology at Roosevelt University in Chicago. (Meyers did not work on the survey.)
But he added that “the findings do indicate increases in stress and mental health concerns, similar to many adults’ experiences.” For example, a recent Johns Hopkins survey conducted in April of this year, comparing how adults were feeling at the same point in 2018, found a threefold jump in the percent of adults experiencing symptoms of psychological distress.
So what can parents do to help their teenagers continue to navigate this challenging situation that is unlikely to end anytime soon?
One notable finding from the survey is that teens reported spending at least nine hours a day on screens during the pandemic, an increase of at least three hours per day.
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The poll did not (and cannot) establish cause and effect, but experts say it is certainly reasonable to expect that all that screen time could be exacerbating teens’ feelings. As one survey respondent said in press release announcing the survey’s findings: “Coronavirus has been overwhelming and being on social media can be too much for me at times.”
To a certain extent, teenagers have been required to be on their devices for much of the day in order to partake in remote learning. And that could very well continue through much of the upcoming academic year. So Meyers suggested that one thing parents should consider is that the non-screen time they spend with their tweens and teens is really important.
“Even though many teenagers may be on their devices for most of the day for school and recreation, it is important to spend time together,” he said. “These interactions are important for reinforcing connection, creating routine, and providing in-person interaction that may not otherwise occur.”
It is also critical that parents “check in directly with their children,” Meyers urged — and not shy away from tough questions. Ask how they’re feeling. Ask what they are struggling with. Perhaps open up about your own emotions and struggles to get the conversation going. Teens are hungry for this type of communication, the survey suggests. Roughly 80% of the teens said that mental health concerns are major issue facing teens today. At the same time, roughly 80% of the survey respondents said it can feel uncomfortable to ask for help.
Yet despite the overall picture painted by this early look at how teens are coping with COVID-19, there are reasons for optimism. Children’s mental health experts are generally quick to point out how emotionally resilient most kids are, and the survey found something similar: Nearly 70% of the teenagers surveyed said they consider themselves resilient.
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“It is certainly a positive sign that so many teens feel confident in their ability to deal with life’s challenges,” Sirangelo said. And there are steps parents can take to boost their child’s ability to bounce back, like focusing on what is in their control and creating real space for them to talk about their emotions.


huffpost--2020-06-17--Coronavirus Live Updates: Read The Latest About The COVID-19 Outbreak

HuffPost reporters around the world are tracking the pandemic and its effects .
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 . )
New York City Enters Phase 2 Of Reopening — 6/22/20 , 7:57 a.m. Once the epicenter of the pandemic , New York City begins its second phase of reopening Monday , as the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to plummet and deaths have been in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 150,000 and 300,000 New Yorkers are expected to return to work in phase 2 , which includes real estate services , some in-store retail , barber shops , salons , certain offices , and restaurants with sufficient outdoor dining space .
Phase 1 , which included manufacturing , wholesale , construction , landscaping and curbside or contactless retail , began on June 8 , with about 400,000 workers going back to work .
One major obstacle leading up to phase 2 : many restaurants in New York City are too cramped to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After much criticism from city residents , Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last week that restaurants can use curbs and sidewalks for outdoor seating .
And starting in July , restaurants will be allowed to use streets for outdoor seating .
Throughout the pandemic , city officials have shut down more and more streets to traffic as part of the city ’ s Open Streets program , designed to give pedestrians more walking space .
Virus Cases Near 9 Million Worldwide With Surges In India , U.S. — 6/22/20 , 6:00 a.m. Nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the coronavirus , according to figures from Johns Hopkins University on Monday , with a surge in cases in India ’ s rural villages as migrant workers leave major cities .
The World Health Organization reported late Sunday the largest single-day increase in cases by its count , at more than 183,000 new cases in the latest 24 hours , according to the Associated Press .
In East Asia , there were signs of progress in the fight against the disease , with South Korea and China reporting falling numbers of cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Rally In Tulsa ― 6/19/20 , 5:13 p.m .
ET Attendees at President Donald Trump ’ s rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , this weekend won ’ t be required to wear masks or follow social distancing guidelines , after the state Supreme Court rejected the requested requirements .
The request — made in part on behalf of two local residents who have compromised immune systems and are classified as more vulnerable to COVID-19 — was rejected on the grounds that the locals didn ’ t have a clear legal right to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Associated Press .
Meanwhile , Trump warned that those who planned to protest at his rally would be punished , seemingly setting the stage for huge crowds and violent clashes outside the BOK Center .
“ Any protesters , anarchists , agitators , looters or lowlifes who are going to Oklahoma please understand , you will not be treated like you have been in New York , Seattle , or Minneapolis , ” he tweeted .
“ It will be a much different scene !
” Tulsa ’ s mayor , G.T @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and set a curfew in the area for Saturday night , but the curfew reportedly has been rescinded .
Why Is Federal Coronavirus Aid Being Funneled Away From Nursing Homes Amid Sweeping Outbreaks ?
― 6/19/20 , 12:15 p.m .
ET Lawmakers are asking why the federal agency that regulates nursing homes has failed to distribute most of the money it received to respond to COVID-19 outbreaks at the facilities , NPR reports .
In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar , Sen. Patty Murray ( D-Wash. ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday demanded to know why the agency hasn ’ t doled out the $ 200 million set aside for nursing homes as part of the CARES Act .
The lawmakers claim that only $ 1.5 million of the funds have been provided to a handful of agencies in different states so far .
They also asked why the agency only allocated $ 80 million to bolster oversight of nursing home response , $ 20 million less than Congress allowed .
“ Given the emergency , we do not understand why CMS opted for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why it took so long to decide on this business-as-usual approach – when it could have quickly released funding to states and territories in need by using an expedited process , ” the letter reads .
Britain ’ s ‘ Alert Level ’ Lowered As Lockdown Measures Eased — 6/19/20 , 6 a.m .
ET The U.K. ’ s coronavirus alert level has been lowered from level 4 to level 3 , the government announced .
The Joint Biosecurity Centre said it had concluded COVID-19 was now in “ general circulation ” rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matt Hancock said the move was a “ big moment ” for the U.K. , and showed the “ government ’ s plan is working.
” “ Infection rates are rapidly falling , we have protected the National Health Service and , thanks to the hard work of millions in our health and social care services , we are getting the country back on her feet , ” he said .
The U.K. death toll now stands at 42,288 , the third highest in the world behind the U.S. and Brazil .
Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including a 13-day-old baby with no known underlying health conditions .
The U.K. announced yesterday that after months of development it had abandoned its own contact-tracing app in favor of a design by tech giants Apple and Google .
No deadline has been set on when the new app will be up and running .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) issued an order requiring people to wear masks in nearly all public settings .
Previously the guidance left mask rules up to individual counties .
There are exceptions for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a medical reason they can ’ t wear a covering .
The state , which has followed a slower reopening plan than many others , is seeing an uptick in coronavirus cases .
While state officials say that ’ s mostly due to increased testing and that COVID-19 hospitalizations remain largely steady , some counties are trending in the wrong direction .
Florida Records Its Highest Number Of New Cases Since March — 6/18/20 , 5:30 p.m. Florida has shattered its previous daily record for the number of new coronavirus infections .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state transitioned from phase 1 into phase 2 of its reopening plan .
The Florida Health Department on Thursday reported 3,207 new cases , marking the largest daily increase since early March .
The previous record occurred on Tuesday with the announcement of 2,782 new cases .
As of Thursday , Florida has recorded more than 85,000 cases and at least 3,061 deaths .
The recent spike in infections has some experts worried the state could become the next major hot spot for the virus .
“ Florida has all the makings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientists at the Children ’ s Hospital of Philadelphia ’ s PolicyLab wrote in a blog post Wednesday .
“ The risk there is the worst it has ever been in our projections.
” Several other states , including Arizona and Texas , have also seen a surge in recent days in new infections and hospitalizations .
New York City To Begin Phase 2 Of Reopening Monday — 6/18/20 , 11:18 a.m. Once the epicenter of the pandemic , New York City is set to begin the second phase of reopening next Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as the number of new cases continues to plummet .
Phase 1 , which included manufacturing , wholesale , construction , landscaping and curbside or contactless retail , began on June 8 .
Phase 2 will add more businesses , like some in-store retail , barber shops , salons and certain offices .
Restaurants will also be permitted to reopen if they have adequate outdoor seating .
On Thursday , de Blasio also announced that the city ’ s playgrounds will be allowed to reopen .
After much criticism from city residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curbs and sidewalks for outdoor seating , as many New York City restaurants are too small to have ample outdoor space .
Over the last few weeks , city officials have also closed more and more streets to traffic and made them pedestrian-only .
Starting in July , restaurants will be allowed to use those streets for outdoor seating if needed , de Blasio said Thursday .
1.5 Million More Americans Applied For Unemployment Claims Last Week — 6/18/20 , 8:55 a.m .
ET Although the U.S. economy appears to be very slowly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applied for unemployment benefits last week , and nearly 21 million Americans are officially classified as unemployed , according to the Labor Department ’ s weekly jobs report .
The number of people seeking unemployment claims has declined for 11 consecutive weeks since peaking in March , when the COVID-19 pandemic began to worsen and shut down the U.S. economy .
Now , as most states and many businesses start to reopen , more workers are returning to their old jobs .
But the number of job seekers remains high , and economists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are out of work , higher than the official government number because some people may have stopped looking for work .
In at least a dozen U.S. states , the reopenings have also caused new spikes in COVID-19 cases .
Read more from the Associated Press here .
Texas , Arizona And Florida See Record High In Daily Coronavirus Infections — 6/17/2020 , 6 a.m. After implementing and then lifting stay-at-home orders , Texas , Arizona and Florida all reported record increases in daily coronavirus infections on Tuesday .
The increases come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Pence and Republican leaders try to downplay the ongoing spread of the virus , using misleading talking points like saying the cases are only rising because of increased testing .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis ( R ) said he wasn ’ t considering another shutdown because of the rise in cases .
U.S. Open Will Be Played Without Fans — 6/16/20 , 12:48 p.m .
ET This year ’ s U.S. Open in New York City will be held on its usual dates , from Aug. 31 to Sept. 13 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Andrew Cuomo confirmed at his daily COVID-19 briefing Tuesday .
The U.S. Tennis Association , which administers the Grand Slam tournament held in Queens , is finalizing new procedures for players , including frequent coronavirus tests and a limited number of people on players ’ support teams , The New York Times reported Monday night .
The pandemic has upended the tennis season .
The French Open , normally held in late spring , was postponed to late September .
For the first time since World War II , organizers of Wimbledon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He Hasn ’ t Spoken To Trump In 2 Weeks — 6/16/20 , 12:05 p.m .
ET Dr. Anthony Fauci , the top infectious disease expert on the White House ’ s coronavirus task force , said Tuesday that he hasn ’ t spoken with President Donald Trump in two weeks .
Meanwhile , coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are on the rise in several states .
“ I spoke with him when we made the presentation to explain to him our vaccine development effort , ” Fauci told NPR in response to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president .
“ So it was two weeks ago.
” Vice President Mike Pence , whom Trump appointed to lead the task force , said last month that the White House may wind down the group in early June .
The task force isn ’ t gathering as often as it used to , Fauci said earlier this month , adding that the frequency of his meetings with Trump has been “ dramatically decreased.
” Some of the states that have reopened haven ’ t followed the federal guidelines for doing so , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those areas , Fauci said Tuesday .
“ Congregating together without wearing a mask , that clearly is a risky procedure , ” he said .
“ That ’ s troublesome because that clearly is increasing the risk and likely explaining some of the upticks that you ’ re seeing in certain of those states.
” Against the advice of many public health experts , Trump ’ s reelection campaign has planned a rally in a 19,000-seat arena in Tulsa , Oklahoma , on Saturday .
The campaign included waiver language on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree not to sue the campaign if they contract the virus .
Beijing Closes Schools , Reimposes Some Restrictions As New Outbreak Emerges — 6/16/20 , 11:41 a.m .
ET Officials in Beijing have ordered schools to close starting Wednesday and are encouraging people to work from home , in response to more than 100 new reported cases since Friday .
China ’ s capital city raised its COVID-19 emergency response from level 3 to level 2 , Reuters and Bloomberg reported , citing Chinese state media .
Residents living in medium- or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city , and anyone entering the city will be required to get tested and self-quarantine .
Just two weeks ago , officials had lowered the emergency response to level 3 , which allowed schools to reopen .
Low-Cost Drug Improves Chances Of COVID-19 Survival , Study Shows — 6/16/20 , 10:55 a.m .
ET Researchers at Oxford University in England said they have the first evidence that a drug can improve COVID-19 patients ’ chances of survival .
A cheap , widely available steroid called dexamethasone reduced deaths by up to one-third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the results of a study released Thursday .
While the drug did not appear to help mildly ill patients , it reduced deaths by 35 % in patients who needed breathing machines and by 20 % in those only needing supplemental oxygen .
“ This is an extremely welcome result , ” Oxford researcher Peter Horby said in a statement .
“ The survival benefit is clear and large in those patients who are sick enough to require oxygen treatment , so dexamethasone should now become standard of care in these patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelf , and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide.
” Read more from the Associated Press here .

HuffPost reporters around the world are tracking the pandemic and its effects.
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.)
New York City Enters Phase 2 Of Reopening — 6/22/20, 7:57 a.m.
Once the epicenter of the pandemic, New York City begins its second phase of reopening Monday, as the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to plummet and deaths have been in the single digits.
City officials say between 150,000 and 300,000 New Yorkers are expected to return to work in phase 2, which includes real estate services, some in-store retail, barber shops, salons, certain offices, and restaurants with sufficient outdoor dining space.
Phase 1, which included manufacturing, wholesale, construction, landscaping and curbside or contactless retail, began on June 8, with about 400,000 workers going back to work.
One major obstacle leading up to phase 2: many restaurants in New York City are too cramped to have enough space for outdoor dining. After much criticism from city residents, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last week that restaurants can use curbs and sidewalks for outdoor seating. And starting in July, restaurants will be allowed to use streets for outdoor seating. Throughout the pandemic, city officials have shut down more and more streets to traffic as part of the city’s Open Streets program, designed to give pedestrians more walking space.
— Marina Fang
Virus Cases Near 9 Million Worldwide With Surges In India, U.S. — 6/22/20, 6:00 a.m.
Nearly 9 million people worldwide have been infected with the coronavirus, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University on Monday, with a surge in cases in India’s rural villages as migrant workers leave major cities.
The World Health Organization reported late Sunday the largest single-day increase in cases by its count, at more than 183,000 new cases in the latest 24 hours, according to the Associated Press.
In East Asia, there were signs of progress in the fight against the disease, with South Korea and China reporting falling numbers of cases.
— Liza Hearon
No Mask Requirement For Trump’s Rally In Tulsa ― 6/19/20, 5:13 p.m. ET
Attendees at President Donald Trump’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, this weekend won’t be required to wear masks or follow social distancing guidelines, after the state Supreme Court rejected the requested requirements.
The request — made in part on behalf of two local residents who have compromised immune systems and are classified as more vulnerable to COVID-19 — was rejected on the grounds that the locals didn’t have a clear legal right to the relief they sought, according to the Associated Press.
Meanwhile, Trump warned that those who planned to protest at his rally would be punished, seemingly setting the stage for huge crowds and violent clashes outside the BOK Center.
“Any protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes who are going to Oklahoma please understand, you will not be treated like you have been in New York, Seattle, or Minneapolis,” he tweeted. “It will be a much different scene!”
Tulsa’s mayor, G.T. Bynum, declared a civil emergency and set a curfew in the area for Saturday night, but the curfew reportedly has been rescinded.
Read more.
— Andy Campbell
Why Is Federal Coronavirus Aid Being Funneled Away From Nursing Homes Amid Sweeping Outbreaks? ― 6/19/20, 12:15 p.m. ET
Lawmakers are asking why the federal agency that regulates nursing homes has failed to distribute most of the money it received to respond to COVID-19 outbreaks at the facilities, NPR reports.
In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) on Wednesday demanded to know why the agency hasn’t doled out the $200 million set aside for nursing homes as part of the CARES Act.
The lawmakers claim that only $1.5 million of the funds have been provided to a handful of agencies in different states so far. They also asked why the agency only allocated $80 million to bolster oversight of nursing home response, $20 million less than Congress allowed.
“Given the emergency, we do not understand why CMS opted for a slow, burdensome process – or why it took so long to decide on this business-as-usual approach – when it could have quickly released funding to states and territories in need by using an expedited process,” the letter reads.
— Andy Campbell
Britain’s ‘Alert Level’ Lowered As Lockdown Measures Eased — 6/19/20, 6 a.m. ET
The U.K.’s coronavirus alert level has been lowered from level 4 to level 3, the government announced.
The Joint Biosecurity Centre said it had concluded COVID-19 was now in “general circulation” rather than “rising exponentially.” Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the move was a “big moment” for the U.K., and showed the “government’s plan is working.”
“Infection rates are rapidly falling, we have protected the National Health Service and, thanks to the hard work of millions in our health and social care services, we are getting the country back on her feet,” he said.
The U.K. death toll now stands at 42,288, the third highest in the world behind the U.S. and Brazil. Another 135 deaths were recorded on Thursday, including a 13-day-old baby with no known underlying health conditions.
The U.K. announced yesterday that after months of development it had abandoned its own contact-tracing app in favor of a design by tech giants Apple and Google. No deadline has been set on when the new app will be up and running.
Read more here.
— Ned Simons
California Issues Stricter Statewide Mask Requirement — 6/18/20, 6:30 p.m.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) issued an order requiring people to wear masks in nearly all public settings. Previously the guidance left mask rules up to individual counties.
There are exceptions for people who are exercising or dining or who have a medical reason they can’t wear a covering.
The state, which has followed a slower reopening plan than many others, is seeing an uptick in coronavirus cases.
While state officials say that’s mostly due to increased testing and that COVID-19 hospitalizations remain largely steady, some counties are trending in the wrong direction.
— Sarah Ruiz-Grossman
Florida Records Its Highest Number Of New Cases Since March — 6/18/20, 5:30 p.m.
Florida has shattered its previous daily record for the number of new coronavirus infections. The report comes roughly two weeks after the state transitioned from phase 1 into phase 2 of its reopening plan.
The Florida Health Department on Thursday reported 3,207 new cases, marking the largest daily increase since early March. The previous record occurred on Tuesday with the announcement of 2,782 new cases. As of Thursday, Florida has recorded more than 85,000 cases and at least 3,061 deaths.
The recent spike in infections has some experts worried the state could become the next major hot spot for the virus.
“Florida has all the makings of the next large epicenter,” scientists at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s PolicyLab wrote in a blog post Wednesday. “The risk there is the worst it has ever been in our projections.”
Several other states, including Arizona and Texas, have also seen a surge in recent days in new infections and hospitalizations.
— Hayley Miller
New York City To Begin Phase 2 Of Reopening Monday — 6/18/20, 11:18 a.m.
Once the epicenter of the pandemic, New York City is set to begin the second phase of reopening next Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday, as the number of new cases continues to plummet.
Phase 1, which included manufacturing, wholesale, construction, landscaping and curbside or contactless retail, began on June 8. Phase 2 will add more businesses, like some in-store retail, barber shops, salons and certain offices. Restaurants will also be permitted to reopen if they have adequate outdoor seating. On Thursday, de Blasio also announced that the city’s playgrounds will be allowed to reopen.
After much criticism from city residents, de Blasio said restaurants can use curbs and sidewalks for outdoor seating, as many New York City restaurants are too small to have ample outdoor space. Over the last few weeks, city officials have also closed more and more streets to traffic and made them pedestrian-only. Starting in July, restaurants will be allowed to use those streets for outdoor seating if needed, de Blasio said Thursday.
— Marina Fang
1.5 Million More Americans Applied For Unemployment Claims Last Week — 6/18/20, 8:55 a.m. ET
Although the U.S. economy appears to be very slowly recovering, just over 1.5 million workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, and nearly 21 million Americans are officially classified as unemployed, according to the Labor Department’s weekly jobs report.
The number of people seeking unemployment claims has declined for 11 consecutive weeks since peaking in March, when the COVID-19 pandemic began to worsen and shut down the U.S. economy. Now, as most states and many businesses start to reopen, more workers are returning to their old jobs. But the number of job seekers remains high, and economists estimate that as many as 32.5 million people are out of work, higher than the official government number because some people may have stopped looking for work.
In at least a dozen U.S. states, the reopenings have also caused new spikes in COVID-19 cases.
Read more from the Associated Press here.
— Marina Fang
Texas, Arizona And Florida See Record High In Daily Coronavirus Infections — 6/17/2020, 6 a.m.
After implementing and then lifting stay-at-home orders, Texas, Arizona and Florida all reported record increases in daily coronavirus infections on Tuesday.
The increases come as President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Republican leaders try to downplay the ongoing spread of the virus, using misleading talking points like saying the cases are only rising because of increased testing.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said he wasn’t considering another shutdown because of the rise in cases.
— Nick Visser
U.S. Open Will Be Played Without Fans — 6/16/20, 12:48 p.m. ET
This year’s U.S. Open in New York City will be held on its usual dates, from Aug. 31 to Sept. 13, but without fans, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo confirmed at his daily COVID-19 briefing Tuesday.
The U.S. Tennis Association, which administers the Grand Slam tournament held in Queens, is finalizing new procedures for players, including frequent coronavirus tests and a limited number of people on players’ support teams, The New York Times reported Monday night.
The pandemic has upended the tennis season. The French Open, normally held in late spring, was postponed to late September. For the first time since World War II, organizers of Wimbledon canceled the tournament altogether.
— Marina Fang
Fauci Says He Hasn’t Spoken To Trump In 2 Weeks — 6/16/20, 12:05 p.m. ET
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert on the White House’s coronavirus task force, said Tuesday that he hasn’t spoken with President Donald Trump in two weeks. Meanwhile, coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are on the rise in several states.
“I spoke with him when we made the presentation to explain to him our vaccine development effort,” Fauci told NPR in response to a question about his last conversation with the president. “So it was two weeks ago.”
Vice President Mike Pence, whom Trump appointed to lead the task force, said last month that the White House may wind down the group in early June. The task force isn’t gathering as often as it used to, Fauci said earlier this month, adding that the frequency of his meetings with Trump has been “dramatically decreased.”
Some of the states that have reopened haven’t followed the federal guidelines for doing so, likely causing a spike in cases in those areas, Fauci said Tuesday.
“Congregating together without wearing a mask, that clearly is a risky procedure,” he said. “That’s troublesome because that clearly is increasing the risk and likely explaining some of the upticks that you’re seeing in certain of those states.”
Against the advice of many public health experts, Trump’s reelection campaign has planned a rally in a 19,000-seat arena in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday. The campaign included waiver language on the rally registration website that requires attendees to agree not to sue the campaign if they contract the virus.
― Hayley Miller
Beijing Closes Schools, Reimposes Some Restrictions As New Outbreak Emerges — 6/16/20, 11:41 a.m. ET
Officials in Beijing have ordered schools to close starting Wednesday and are encouraging people to work from home, in response to more than 100 new reported cases since Friday.
China’s capital city raised its COVID-19 emergency response from level 3 to level 2, Reuters and Bloomberg reported, citing Chinese state media. Residents living in medium- or high-risk areas will be barred from leaving the city, and anyone entering the city will be required to get tested and self-quarantine.
Just two weeks ago, officials had lowered the emergency response to level 3, which allowed schools to reopen.
— Marina Fang
Low-Cost Drug Improves Chances Of COVID-19 Survival, Study Shows — 6/16/20, 10:55 a.m. ET
Researchers at Oxford University in England said they have the first evidence that a drug can improve COVID-19 patients’ chances of survival.
A cheap, widely available steroid called dexamethasone reduced deaths by up to one-third in severely ill hospitalized patients, according to the results of a study released Thursday. While the drug did not appear to help mildly ill patients, it reduced deaths by 35% in patients who needed breathing machines and by 20% in those only needing supplemental oxygen.
“This is an extremely welcome result,” Oxford researcher Peter Horby said in a statement. “The survival benefit is clear and large in those patients who are sick enough to require oxygen treatment, so dexamethasone should now become standard of care in these patients. Dexamethasone is inexpensive, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide.”
Read more from the Associated Press here.
— Hayley Miller


huffpost--2020-06-22--Can Your Blood Type Actually Predict Your Coronavirus Risk?

It ’ s looking increasingly likely that having blood type O might give you some protective effects against COVID-19 , while blood type A may be linked to more severe illness from the virus .
A new European study involving 1,980 patients with COVID-19 revealed people with blood group A had a higher risk of catching coronavirus and developing severe symptoms than other blood groups .
However , among those with blood group O , there appeared to be some form of “ protective effect.
” Another preprint study involving 1,559 coronavirus patients in New York found those with blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to test positive for Covid-19 than other blood types , and those with O-negative and O-positive blood types were less likely to test positive .
Why might this be happening ?
“ People have seen that O blood group people are likely to be more protected against Sars-CoV previously compared to people with A blood type , ” explains Sakthivel Vaiyapuri , an associate professor in cardiovascular and venom pharmacology at the University of Reading .
“ This was suggested to occur due to the presence of anti-A and anti-B antibodies in people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Hong Kong hospital reported that anti-A antibodies were able to inhibit , or even block , the binding of the virus to the host cell , which may provide some explanation as to why being in the O blood group could offer more protection .
Should people with blood type A be worried ?
He pointed out that no one has so far reported that those with blood group O are 100 % protected against the virus and those with blood group A are 100 % susceptible .
“ Only a small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are several other factors associated with this disease , and therefore further research is required to establish this link , ” he says .
Danny Altmann , a professor at Imperial College London ’ s Department of Medicine , adds that in terms of the study , “ there ’ s not much you can do in terms of behavioural change , knowing that you ’ re slightly higher or lower risk.
” But he does say the findings “ open doors to whole new directions for medical research and drug discovery to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be working.
” People with A blood group should not panic about these results , and at the same time , those in the O blood group should not be too relaxed about it , says Vaiyapure .
Everyone should continue to stick to the lockdown rules : social distancing , washing hands regularly , not touching your face when out in public and wearing face covers where social distancing isn ’ t possible .
How do you find out what blood group you are ?
If you are don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you can ask your doctor ― however you will only be able to find out if you ’ ve previously had a sample of blood taken and tested .
Failing that , you can find out your blood type if you give blood .
Ask your local blood bank what your options are .
Experts are still learning about the novel coronavirus .
The information in this story is what was known or available as of press time , but it ’ s possible guidance around COVID-19 could change as scientists discover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations .

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It’s looking increasingly likely that having blood type O might give you some protective effects against Covid-19, while blood type A may be linked to more severe illness from the virus.
Two new studies published in the journal Blood Advances suggest people with blood type O might have a lower risk of Covid-19 infection and reduced likelihood of becoming severely ill. Previous studies have also noted the pattern.
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What did the studies find?
One of the studies compared Danish health registry data from more than 473,000 individuals tested for Covid-19 to data from a control group of more than 2.2 million people from the general population.
They found fewer people with blood type O tested positive for the virus, and more people with A, B, and AB types did. This led them to suggest people with blood type O might be less likely to become infected with the virus than those with blood types A, B, or AB.
There wasn’t any significant difference in the rate of infection between A, B, and AB types, the researchers found.
Another European study involving 1,980 patients with Covid-19 based at seven hospitals in Italy and Spain unearthed a similar pattern and revealed people with blood group A had a higher risk of catching coronavirus and developing severe symptoms than other blood groups. Among those with blood group O, there appeared to be some form of “protective effect”.
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Another set of researchers examined data from 95 critically ill Covid-19 patients hospitalised in Vancouver, Canada, and found people with blood groups O or B appear to suffer less severely than those with blood groups A or AB if they do contract the virus.
They found that patients with blood groups A or AB were more likely to require mechanical ventilation, suggesting that they had greater rates of lung injury from Covid-19. They also found more patients with blood group A and AB required dialysis for kidney failure.
“The unique part of our study is our focus on the severity effect of blood type on Covid-19,” said study author Mypinder Sekhon, of the University of British Columbia. “We observed this lung and kidney damage, and in future studies, we will want to tease out the effect of blood group and Covid-19 on other vital organs.
“Of particular importance as we continue to traverse the pandemic, we now have a wide range of survivors who are exiting the acute part of Covid-19, but we need to explore mechanisms by which to risk stratify those with longer-term effects.”
bortonia via Getty Images
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Why might this be happening?
There are four main blood groups. These are:
Blood group A, which has A antigens on the red blood cells with anti-B antibodies in the plasma.
Blood group B, which has B antigens with anti-A antibodies in the plasma.
Blood group O, which has no antigens, but both anti-A and anti-B antibodies in the plasma.
Blood group AB, which has both A and B antigens, but no antibodies.
Previous research into other forms of coronavirus found that certain antibodies linked to blood group O helped to fight off the virus better than others.
“People have seen that O blood group people are likely to be more protected against Sars-CoV previously compared to people with A blood type,” explains Dr Sakthivel Vaiyapuri, associate professor in cardiovascular and venom pharmacology at the University of Reading. “This was suggested to occur due to the presence of anti-A and anti-B antibodies in people with O blood group.”
Doctors at a Hong Kong hospital reported that anti-A antibodies were able to prevent, or even block, the binding of the virus to the host cell, which may provide some explanation as to why being in the O blood group could offer more protection.
How do you find out what blood group you are?
If you are don’t already know what blood group you are, you can ask your GP – however you will only be able to find out if you’ve previously had a sample of blood taken and tested.
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huffpost--2020-06-22--Trump Expands Immigration Ban To Suspend Foreign Worker Visas

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) - U.S. President Donald Trump will suspend the entry of certain foreign workers , a senior administration official said on Monday , a move the official said would help the economy , but which business groups strongly oppose .
Trump will block the entry of foreign workers on H-1B visas for skilled workers and L-1 visas for workers being transferred within a company through the end of the year , the official said .
Trump will also block seasonal workers on H-2B visas , with an exception for workers in the food service industry .
Businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chamber of Commerce have said the visa suspension would stifle the economic recovery after the damage done by the novel coronavirus pandemic .
Critics of the measure say Trump is using the pandemic to enact his longstanding goal to limit immigration into the United States .
Trump owned- or Trump branded businesses have used the H-2B program to hire seasonal guest workers .
The immediate effects of the proclamation will likely be limited , as U.S. consulates around the world remain closed for most routine visa processing .
A senior Department of Homeland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affect valid visa holders already in the United States .
Republican Trump is running for re-election on Nov. 3 and has made his tough immigration stance a central pitch to voters , although the coronavirus , faltering economy and nationwide protests over police brutality have overshadowed that issue .
The visa suspension announced on Monday will open up 525,000 jobs for U.S. workers , the senior official said on a call with reporters , saying it was geared at “ getting Americans back to work as quickly as possible.
” The official did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that figure .
BSA , The Software Alliance , whose members include Microsoft and Slack , strongly urged the administration to “ refrain from restricting employment of highly-skilled foreign professionals ” , adding that “ these restrictions will negatively impact the US economy ” and decrease job opportunities for Americans .
Doug Rand , co-founder of Boundless , a pro-migrant group that helps families navigate the U.S. immigration system , said the fact that H2-A visas used to bring in foreign farmworkers were exempt signals that “ big agriculture interests are the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this administration.
” “ The immigration restrictionists would like us all to believe that every single company bringing over foreign-born workers is nefarious and just wants to bring in people who are underpaid , ” said Rand .
“ That is a false premise.
” Trump also will renew an April proclamation that temporarily blocks some foreigners from permanent residence in the United States , the senior administration official said on Monday .
The official said that proclamation freed up roughly 50,000 jobs for Americans , but did not provide details .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ visa program so that the 85,000 visas available in the program each year go to the highest-paid applicants , instead of the current lottery system .
In addition , the administration plans to issue rules that make it harder for companies to use the H-1B visa program to train foreign workers to perform the same job in another country , the official said .

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will suspend the entry of certain foreign workers, a senior administration official said on Monday, a move the official said would help the economy, but which business groups strongly oppose.
Trump will block the entry of foreign workers on H-1B visas for skilled workers and L-1 visas for workers being transferred within a company through the end of the year, the official said. Trump will also block seasonal workers on H-2B visas, with an exception for workers in the food service industry.
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Businesses including major tech companies and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have said the visa suspension would stifle the economic recovery after the damage done by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Critics of the measure say Trump is using the pandemic to enact his longstanding goal to limit immigration into the United States. Trump owned- or Trump branded businesses have used the H-2B program to hire seasonal guest workers.
The immediate effects of the proclamation will likely be limited, as U.S. consulates around the world remain closed for most routine visa processing. A senior Department of Homeland Security official said the proclamation will not affect valid visa holders already in the United States.
Republican Trump is running for re-election on Nov. 3 and has made his tough immigration stance a central pitch to voters, although the coronavirus, faltering economy and nationwide protests over police brutality have overshadowed that issue.
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The visa suspension announced on Monday will open up 525,000 jobs for U.S. workers, the senior official said on a call with reporters, saying it was geared at “getting Americans back to work as quickly as possible.” The official did not explain how the administration arrived at that figure.
The temporary visa suspension will include work-authorized J visas, which are available for cultural exchange opportunities in the United States, and visas for the spouses of H-1B workers.
BSA, The Software Alliance, whose members include Microsoft and Slack, strongly urged the administration to “refrain from restricting employment of highly-skilled foreign professionals”, adding that “these restrictions will negatively impact the US economy” and decrease job opportunities for Americans.
Doug Rand, co-founder of Boundless, a pro-migrant group that helps families navigate the U.S. immigration system, said the fact that H2-A visas used to bring in foreign farmworkers were exempt signals that “big agriculture interests are the only stakeholder with any sway over immigration policy in this administration.”
Many other business groups were lobbying against a temporary visa ban before it was announced.
“The immigration restrictionists would like us all to believe that every single company bringing over foreign-born workers is nefarious and just wants to bring in people who are underpaid,” said Rand. “That is a false premise.”
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Trump also will renew an April proclamation that temporarily blocks some foreigners from permanent residence in the United States, the senior administration official said on Monday. The official said that proclamation freed up roughly 50,000 jobs for Americans, but did not provide details.
An exemption for medical workers in Trump’s April ban on permanent residence will be narrowed to people working on coronavirus research and care, the official said.
In addition to the new visa suspension, the Trump administration will take several other moves to tighten rules around temporary work visas.
The administration plans to rework the H-1B visa program so that the 85,000 visas available in the program each year go to the highest-paid applicants, instead of the current lottery system.
In addition, the administration plans to issue rules that make it harder for companies to use the H-1B visa program to train foreign workers to perform the same job in another country, the official said.
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Both moves would likely require regulatory changes.
Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia will use the department’s statutory authority to investigate abuse of the H-1B visa program, the senior official said.
The Trump administration also finalized a regulation on Monday that will lift a requirement to process work permits for asylum seekers within 30 days, a move that will likely result in longer waits for work authorization.
Trump rolled out new health-focused rules in March that allow for the rapid deportation of immigrants caught at the border and virtually cut off access to the U.S. asylum system.
At the same time, he announced the land borders with Canada and Mexico would be closed to non-essential crossings, a measure that has been extended several times.
(Reporting by Ted Hesson and Steve Holland in Washington; Additional reporting by Raphael Satter in Washington and Mica Rosenberg in New York Editing by Sandra Maler and Grant McCool)


huffpost--2020-05-01--6 Foods With Expiration Dates You Can Probably Ignore

But are there times when it ’ s OK to eat foods after their marked expiration dates ?
We asked a group of food safety experts , and they gave us an explanation — and a list of six foods that don ’ t go bad as quickly as you think .
“ The ‘ best by , ’ ‘ sell by ’ or ‘ use by ’ terms are linked to quality standards set by the manufacturer , ” said Gary Weber , senior director for food safety and contamination prevention at the risk management company WorldAware .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foods , with the notable exception of infant formula — and even in this case , the concern is nutritional quality and palatability.
” Six foods that you can safely use past their “ sell by ” or “ use by ” dates Like dried pasta , canned goods undergo preparation and packaging processes focused on keeping them shelf-stable for long periods of time .
“ Canned goods , as long as the can itself is in good condition and air has not leaked in , can be safe after their suggested ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Elis Owens , director of technical services at the food safety consulting firm Birko .
“ Most eggs [ in the United States ] are processed with mineral oil , since the shells are porous , ” food safety consultant Steven Chevalier of CloudBreak Advisory told HuffPost .
“ This helps to seal the shell and helps to keep out bacteria .
If kept refrigerated at 41 F or below , eggs may last up to three weeks past their expiration date .
However , if they have been washed or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they will only last about a week.
” Eggs are usually packed one to two days after a hen lays them , so you can determine on which date the eggs were packed by looking at the U.S. Department of Agriculture grade shield , Chevalier added .
“ It will have a three-digit number representing the consecutive day of the year , with Jan. 1 having a code of 001 and Dec. 31 with a code of 365.
” The department advises that “ sell by ” dates can not exceed 45 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purposes , he said .
OK , so you have a couple of weeks of leeway with eggs .
But you need to follow the dates on milk cartons , right ?
Not so , Chevalier said : “ If stored correctly ( under 41 F ) , milk can last up to a week after the expiration date.
” Still , Chevalier recommends abiding by expiration dates when possible .
“ There are other factors that play into milk ’ s longevity : whether the milk has been stored correctly during transport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what type of processing method was used to make it , the fat content , the exposure to light and heat , and so on , ” he said .
It ’ s always best to use your senses — give it a sniff !
— to determine if you can continue using it past the expiration date .
Owens urges shoppers to take the “ freeze by ” dates at face value .
“ A fresh pack of ground beef may have a 14-day shelf life , with an expiration date expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you freeze it constantly at zero degrees Fahrenheit or lower , the food will stay safe due to the inactivity of microbes present in food .
When food is frozen , it slows molecule movement and causes microbes , such as bacteria , mold or yeast , to enter a dormant stage , which prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause food spoilage or illness.
” Before tossing a food item that ’ s past its marked date , do a visual or smell test for quality “ Sell by ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shoppers useful guidelines for optimal food storage times ― with , as our experts suggest , a certain amount of wiggle room .
But how else can grocery buyers determine whether their ingredients can stick it out for a little bit longer or whether they need to surrender their milk or flour to the trash can ?
Public health dietitian Stephanie Hodges of The Nourished Principles recommends sight and smell tests .
“ As a public health dietitian , I always encourage consumers to examine the food if it is past the date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Does it look OK ?
Does it smell OK ?
Many times , the date listed on a food is there to ensure the quality of a product and is not an indicator of whether or not the food is safe to eat .
”

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The ongoing coronavirus lockdown is limiting everyone’s access to grocery stores, so responsible shoppers are making fewer trips to the store and buying larger quantities than usual.
Having extra boxes of pasta and cartons of milk seems like a great plan, but when the “sell by” dates on these items go by, fully stocked households may throw away food products that haven’t actually gone bad, creating unnecessary food waste.
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But are there times when it’s OK to eat foods after their marked expiration dates? We asked a group of food safety experts, and they gave us an explanation — and a list of six foods that don’t go bad as quickly as you think.
“Best by” and “sell by” dates aren’t strictly “expiration dates”
First, most foods don’t include hard-and-fast expiration dates. Instead, you’ll see terms like “best by” and “sell by” in front of the dates. In most cases, those terms have little to do with safety standards.
“The ‘best by,’ ‘sell by’ or ‘use by’ terms are linked to quality standards set by the manufacturer,” said Gary Weber, senior director for food safety and contamination prevention at the risk management company WorldAware. “These are not linked to safety for foods, with the notable exception of infant formula — and even in this case, the concern is nutritional quality and palatability.”
Kameleon007 via Getty Images "Best by" dates indicate when a product is at its best quality — not an indication of safety.
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Others agree. “Many consumers are unaware that the food labels are used by manufacturers to indicate when the product is at its peak for best flavor,” said Jory Lange, a lawyer who specializes in food poisoning cases.
A “sell by” date tells a retailer how long to display a product, and a “use by” date is the final date by which a consumer should use the item while it’s at peak quality, Lange told HuffPost. “This, too, is not a safety date, unless it is infant formula,” he added.
Six foods that you can safely use past their “sell by” or “use by” dates
Dried Pasta
Cooking up that linguine or penne after the indicated day won’t put you in any danger. The dates refer to a company’s good-faith guarantee rather than to any science-based safety concerns.
“For some dry goods, the ‘best by’ date can be a bit artificial and [is] more an indication of how long a company will stand behind the product. A good example is dried pasta,” said Scott Riefler, chief science officer at SoRSE Technology.
Canned Goods
Like dried pasta, canned goods undergo preparation and packaging processes focused on keeping them shelf-stable for long periods of time. “Canned goods, as long as the can itself is in good condition and air has not leaked in, can be safe after their suggested ‘best if used by’ date,” said Elis Owens, director of technical services at the food safety consulting firm Birko.
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Dry Baking Ingredients
Dry goods for baking, such as flour and sugar, don’t present safety concerns if eaten past their marked dates. A quick visual inspection will let you know whether you should toss out the bag or use it in your sourdough or cake batter.
“Just like dry processed foods (like oats, grains, and pasta), dry baking ingredients have little or no moisture, so they’re less vulnerable to bacterial growth. Just don’t eat any dry ingredients that have an unnatural smell or signs of a pest infestation,” said food scientist Janilyn Hutchings of StateFoodSafety.
But leavening agents such as baking powder or baking soda will lose their effectiveness after their dates have expired.
Eggs
You may assume that you can never use dairy products or eggs after their expiration dates, since they’re more prone to spoiling than shelf-stable groceries. That’s not necessarily so.
“Most eggs [in the United States] are processed with mineral oil, since the shells are porous,”food safety consultant Steven Chevalier of CloudBreak Advisory told HuffPost. “This helps to seal the shell and helps to keep out bacteria. If kept refrigerated at 41 F or below, eggs may last up to three weeks past their expiration date. However, if they have been washed or cooked (removing the mineral oil), they will only last about a week.”
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Eggs are usually packed one to two days after a hen lays them, so you can determine on which date the eggs were packed by looking at the U.S. Department of Agriculture grade shield, Chevalier added. “It will have a three-digit number representing the consecutive day of the year, with Jan. 1 having a code of 001 and Dec. 31 with a code of 365.” The department advises that “sell by” dates cannot exceed 45 days past the pack date for quality purposes, he said.
Milk
OK, so you have a couple of weeks of leeway with eggs. But you need to follow the dates on milk cartons, right? Not so, Chevalier said: “If stored correctly (under 41 F), milk can last up to a week after the expiration date.”
Still, Chevalier recommends abiding by expiration dates when possible. “There are other factors that play into milk’s longevity: whether the milk has been stored correctly during transport, sale and by the consumer, what type of processing method was used to make it, the fat content, the exposure to light and heat, and so on,” he said. It’s always best to use your senses — give it a sniff! — to determine if you can continue using it past the expiration date.
jpgfactory via Getty Images You'll notice that most packages of ground beef feature a "freeze by" date, not an expiration date.
Ground Beef
In certain instances, ground beef doesn’t have a “sell by” or “best by” date on its packaging. Instead, it will have a “freeze by” date, which some shoppers mistake for an expiration date.
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Owens urges shoppers to take the “freeze by” dates at face value. “A fresh pack of ground beef may have a 14-day shelf life, with an expiration date expressed as a ‘freeze by’ date. If you freeze it constantly at zero degrees Fahrenheit or lower, the food will stay safe due to the inactivity of microbes present in food. When food is frozen, it slows molecule movement and causes microbes, such as bacteria, mold or yeast, to enter a dormant stage, which prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause food spoilage or illness.”
Before tossing a food item that’s past its marked date, do a visual or smell test for quality
“Sell by” and “use by” dates offer shoppers useful guidelines for optimal food storage times ― with, as our experts suggest, a certain amount of wiggle room. But how else can grocery buyers determine whether their ingredients can stick it out for a little bit longer or whether they need to surrender their milk or flour to the trash can?
Public health dietitian Stephanie Hodges of The Nourished Principles recommends sight and smell tests. “As a public health dietitian, I always encourage consumers to examine the food if it is past the date listed on the package,” she said. “Does it look OK? Does it smell OK? Many times, the date listed on a food is there to ensure the quality of a product and is not an indicator of whether or not the food is safe to eat.”


huffpost--2020-04-30--Workers Forced To Choose Between Infection Or Losing Unemployment Checks

But Price , who has yet to receive any unemployment benefits , is wrestling with what do .
He said he is “ highly susceptible ” to respiratory illness and was hospitalized with pneumonia as a child .
“ I know what it feels like to be in a hospital , to be drowning in your own lungs , ” said Price , who moved in with his mother near St. Louis after getting laid off .
“ It ’ s horrifying .
It ’ s terrible .
I don ’ t want to find myself there.
” Fear of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t providing adequate infection protection are generally not reasons someone can file for benefits .
The latter concern is getting more complicated because some businesses are lobbying to keep employees and customers from suing them over coronavirus transmission .
Lacey Ward , a hairstylist in Omaha , Nebraska , filed for unemployment benefits in mid-March and is still waiting for the first payment .
She ’ s been forced to drain her family ’ s savings and feels increasing pressure to return to work .
Still , she is worried that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let salons reopen Monday could put her , her husband and two young sons at risk .
Ward , 38 , said she would prefer to collect unemployment until the risk from the virus subsides and it ’ s clearer whether she can offer services like shampooing .
She co-owns the salon but makes money only off her own clients .
“ I would rather be safe than sorry , ” Ward said .
“ We are not an essential field .
I haven ’ t had my hair done in three or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what does it matter ?
Who are people seeing ?
” She knows she may make less at work because of reduced business and would like a way for those with fears of the virus to stay home .
But she said she wants to go back out of loyalty to the owner and because she ’ s not interested in trying to maximize her unemployment benefits .
Other workers may be tempted to hold on to unemployment .
Especially in some low-wage regions , laid-off workers may receive more money with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week provided by Congress than they were on the job .
The federal boost ends July 31 .
Georgia labor officials are trying to balance the needs of business owners with the genuine concerns of workers .
State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said he ’ s telling businesses that are easing into reopening and don ’ t need all their employees to call in those who are willing to work and leave the others to the unemployment system .

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ATLANTA (AP) — Some of the millions of American workers laid off because of the coronavirus are beginning to face a tough choice — return to work and risk infection, or stay home and risk losing unemployment payments.
The decision is most pressing in states where governors have started allowing businesses such as restaurants to reopen with social-distancing restrictions.
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Tyler Price, 26, was called back to his job at Del Frisco’s Grille in the Nashville suburb of Brentwood. Tennessee allowed restaurants to open dining rooms at 50% capacity, with servers wearing masks and being tested for fever.
But Price, who has yet to receive any unemployment benefits, is wrestling with what do. He said he is “highly susceptible” to respiratory illness and was hospitalized with pneumonia as a child.
“I know what it feels like to be in a hospital, to be drowning in your own lungs,” said Price, who moved in with his mother near St. Louis after getting laid off. “It’s horrifying. It’s terrible. I don’t want to find myself there.”
He said waiting tables “is impossible to do under social distancing guidelines,” and he would prefer to draw unemployment payments.
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On Thursday, the Labor Department reported that the business shutdowns and stay-at-home orders caused by the pandemic have led 30 million Americans to file for unemployment insurance, or roughly 1 of every 6 workers.
The design of the unemployment system adds to the pressure. If an employer calls back laid-off workers, they must report to work or are likely to lose their benefits.
That’s because unemployment insurance is designed to tide people over until they can get back to a job, said Michele Evermore, a senior policy analyst with the National Employment Law Project in New York.
“An unemployed worker cannot refuse suitable work and still continue to collect unemployment insurance,” Evermore said. “Presumably, the job you used to have is suitable.”
Fear of getting sick or worries that an employer isn’t providing adequate infection protection are generally not reasons someone can file for benefits. The latter concern is getting more complicated because some businesses are lobbying to keep employees and customers from suing them over coronavirus transmission.
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Lacey Ward, a hairstylist in Omaha, Nebraska, filed for unemployment benefits in mid-March and is still waiting for the first payment. She’s been forced to drain her family’s savings and feels increasing pressure to return to work. Still, she is worried that Gov. Pete Ricketts’ decision to let salons reopen Monday could put her, her husband and two young sons at risk.
Ward, 38, said she would prefer to collect unemployment until the risk from the virus subsides and it’s clearer whether she can offer services like shampooing. She co-owns the salon but makes money only off her own clients.
“I would rather be safe than sorry,” Ward said. “We are not an essential field. I haven’t had my hair done in three or four months at this point. But what does it matter? Who are people seeing?”
Ward said she’s so concerned about spreading the virus that she plans to change clothes and wash her hair before she returns home.
“We’re playing with fire, physically touching another person,” she said.
Some workers are ready to go back. Kathryn Marsilli, 33, is a manager and server at The Collins Quarter restaurant in Savannah, Georgia.
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She knows she may make less at work because of reduced business and would like a way for those with fears of the virus to stay home. But she said she wants to go back out of loyalty to the owner and because she’s not interested in trying to maximize her unemployment benefits.
“My future where I work is more important to me than trying to get what I can now,” Marsilli said.
Other workers may be tempted to hold on to unemployment. Especially in some low-wage regions, laid-off workers may receive more money with the state benefit and the additional $600 a week provided by Congress than they were on the job. The federal boost ends July 31.
Georgia labor officials are trying to balance the needs of business owners with the genuine concerns of workers. State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said he’s telling businesses that are easing into reopening and don’t need all their employees to call in those who are willing to work and leave the others to the unemployment system.
Georgia also is allowing people to earn up to $300 a week before it begins to eat into their state unemployment benefit, meaning workers could earn more than $1,200 a week in total.
“It was a way we could get more people back to work at reduced hours,” Butler said. “Otherwise, why would you go back to work at all?”
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Jennifer Holliday is a manager at a restaurant in Oklahoma City called Zio’s Italian Kitchen, which plans to reopen its dining room Friday. She said getting furloughed employees to return has been difficult. Many are not returning her phone calls or messages.
“There are some who want to just ride it out (until July) and take the unemployment,” Holliday said. “They don’t even have to apply” for other jobs.
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