huffpost--2020-05-13--Biden Plans To Continue Campaigning Virtually From Home

The virtual campaign Biden is waging from Wilmington , Delaware , is a stark contrast with President Donald Trump , who is planning travel despite warnings from public health experts about the coronavirus ’ s spread .
It also intensifies the spotlight on how Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee , will manage his campaign , with some in his party fretting that his still-developing approach isn ’ t reaching enough voters .
For now , Biden and his aides are brushing back hand-wringing from Democrats and mockery from Republicans who argue that the 77-year-old is “ hiding in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give a s―- about where he ’ s filming from , ” campaign manager Jen O ’ Malley Dillon told The Associated Press .
“ What they care about is what he ’ s saying and how we connect with them.
” “ The idea that somehow we are being hurt by my keeping to the rules and following the instructions that ( have ) been put forward by doctors is absolutely bizarre , ” he told ABC ’ s “ Good Morning America.
” O ’ Malley Dillon took the helm of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just as coronavirus shutdowns commenced .
She recently beefed up the campaign ’ s digital and finance teams and said she ’ ll unveil battleground state leadership in coming weeks .
She also pointed to budding “ partnerships ” that include the national party ’ s battleground state program .
But those moves haven ’ t prevented critiques from prominent Democrats , including the architects of President Barack Obama ’ s 2008 campaign , who question Biden ’ s digital savvy and capacity to build the national vote-by-mail effort that might be necessary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies David Plouffe and David Axelrod wrote in a recent New York Times op-ed that Biden ’ s home studios resemble “ an astronaut beaming back to earth from the International Space Station.
” They encouraged Biden to make wider use of platforms from Facebook and Twitter to Snapchat , Instagram and TikTok .
Yvette Simpson , who leads the progressive group Democracy for America , said she ’ s “ very concerned ” she can not see “ how we ’ re going to engage people.
” She said the campaign has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the primary in early March .
To some degree , the naysaying reflects Democrats ’ desperation to beat Trump – who holds a clear early lead in fundraising and organizing – and the reality that Biden emerged from a haphazard primary campaign and must now play catch-up .
Tara McGowan , founder and CEO of the Democrat-aligned digital firm ACRONYM , credited the campaign with making progress .
“ You can ’ t just snap your fingers and create an entirely different culture in their campaign , ” she said .
Biden raised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in April he combined with the Democratic National Committee to raise $ 60.5 million .
Trump and the Republican National Committee have far outraised Democrats this cycle , and they have more than $ 250 million cash on hand , but Biden ’ s April total nearly pulled even with Trump ’ s monthly total of $ 61.7 million .
Erskine Bowles , one of Biden ’ s fundraisers and a former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton , said the question isn ’ t whether Biden will catch Trump in total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but whether he will have the resources to build a winning campaign .
From inside the campaign , the outside worries seem as much about timing and perception as about reality : The April and May fundraising windfall is just now being put into hiring .
Biden has ramped up his social media presence , including a recent Instagram appearance with soccer star Megan Rapinoe and an economic speech on NowThis , a digital news medium targeting younger voters .
Critics , Biden allies say , also gloss over how Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empathy , making a moral and competence case against Trump , and promising to “ rebuild the middle class ” – won over Democratic primary voters even before the coronavirus upended daily life .
Now , Biden ’ s argument against Trump is sharpened but stems from the same roots , with recent polling suggesting it ’ s reaching voters .
Indeed , days before his co-signed critique was published , Plouffe appeared at a Biden fundraiser that pulled in more than $ 1 million .
On that call , Plouffe agreed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s turbulent presidency alongside Biden ’ s candidacy means “ an expanded map ” of battleground states .
On a call with reporters Tuesday , the president ’ s daughter-in-law , Lara Trump , called it the “ largest field and data program ” in GOP campaign history .
And while O ’ Malley Dillon has spent two months building a general election campaign in a new digital environment , Brad Parscale has long been established in his role as Trump ’ s campaign manager .
And now the president wants to return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travels next on Thursday to Pennsylvania , and aides say he wants to travel at least once a week .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Joe Biden has no foreseeable plans to resume in-person campaigning amid a pandemic that is testing whether a national presidential election can be won by a candidate communicating almost entirely from home.
The virtual campaign Biden is waging from Wilmington, Delaware, is a stark contrast with President Donald Trump, who is planning travel despite warnings from public health experts about the coronavirus’s spread. It also intensifies the spotlight on how Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, will manage his campaign, with some in his party fretting that his still-developing approach isn’t reaching enough voters.
Advertisement
For now, Biden and his aides are brushing back hand-wringing from Democrats and mockery from Republicans who argue that the 77-year-old is “hiding in his basement.”
“Voters don’t give a s―- about where he’s filming from,” campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon told The Associated Press. “What they care about is what he’s saying and how we connect with them.”
Biden was more diplomatic in assessing the situation on Tuesday.
“The idea that somehow we are being hurt by my keeping to the rules and following the instructions that (have) been put forward by doctors is absolutely bizarre,” he told ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
O’Malley Dillon took the helm of Biden’s campaign in mid-March, just as coronavirus shutdowns commenced. She recently beefed up the campaign’s digital and finance teams and said she’ll unveil battleground state leadership in coming weeks. She also pointed to budding “partnerships” that include the national party’s battleground state program.
Advertisement
But those moves haven’t prevented critiques from prominent Democrats, including the architects of President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, who question Biden’s digital savvy and capacity to build the national vote-by-mail effort that might be necessary to win during a pandemic.
Obama allies David Plouffe and David Axelrod wrote in a recent New York Times op-ed that Biden’s home studios resemble “an astronaut beaming back to earth from the International Space Station.” They encouraged Biden to make wider use of platforms from Facebook and Twitter to Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok.
In a similar piece, Lis Smith, media strategist behind Pete Buttigieg’s 2020 campaign, touted the virtues of local-market media and using celebrities more on other platforms.
Yvette Simpson, who leads the progressive group Democracy for America, said she’s “very concerned” she cannot see “how we’re going to engage people.” She said the campaign has squandered time since Biden took command of the primary in early March.
House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, a close Biden friend whose endorsement helped spur his run of primary victories, said he’s “very worried” about Democrats building a voter turnout operation that balances in-person voting with absentee balloting.
Advertisement
Clyburn, however, emphasized that it’s not Biden’s place to worry over the details.
“His job is to be the candidate,” Clyburn said.
To some degree, the naysaying reflects Democrats’ desperation to beat Trump – who holds a clear early lead in fundraising and organizing – and the reality that Biden emerged from a haphazard primary campaign and must now play catch-up.
Tara McGowan, founder and CEO of the Democrat-aligned digital firm ACRONYM, credited the campaign with making progress. “You can’t just snap your fingers and create an entirely different culture in their campaign,” she said.
Clyburn argued there’s been a turnaround, especially in fundraising. “Winning is a great tonic,” he said.
Biden raised $46.7 million in March, and in April he combined with the Democratic National Committee to raise $60.5 million. Trump and the Republican National Committee have far outraised Democrats this cycle, and they have more than $250 million cash on hand, but Biden’s April total nearly pulled even with Trump’s monthly total of $61.7 million.
Erskine Bowles, one of Biden’s fundraisers and a former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, said the question isn’t whether Biden will catch Trump in total fundraising – he won’t – but whether he will have the resources to build a winning campaign.
Advertisement
“People are giving to make sure he does,” Bowles said.
From inside the campaign, the outside worries seem as much about timing and perception as about reality: The April and May fundraising windfall is just now being put into hiring. Biden has ramped up his social media presence, including a recent Instagram appearance with soccer star Megan Rapinoe and an economic speech on NowThis, a digital news medium targeting younger voters.
O’Malley Dillon said she has “zero concern that we’re not at pace.”
Critics, Biden allies say, also gloss over how Biden’s core pitch – touting his experience and empathy, making a moral and competence case against Trump, and promising to “rebuild the middle class” – won over Democratic primary voters even before the coronavirus upended daily life. Now, Biden’s argument against Trump is sharpened but stems from the same roots, with recent polling suggesting it’s reaching voters.
“Joe’s got the right message,” Clyburn said.
Indeed, days before his co-signed critique was published, Plouffe appeared at a Biden fundraiser that pulled in more than $1 million. On that call, Plouffe agreed with O’Malley Dillon that Trump’s turbulent presidency alongside Biden’s candidacy means “an expanded map” of battleground states.
Trump is answering with a daunting reelection behemoth.
On a call with reporters Tuesday, the president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, called it the “largest field and data program” in GOP campaign history. And while O’Malley Dillon has spent two months building a general election campaign in a new digital environment, Brad Parscale has long been established in his role as Trump’s campaign manager.
The Trump campaign hasn’t had to worry about money, with the president pulling in more than $700 million so far this cycle.
Advertisement
“The Trump campaign never skipped a beat” when the emphasis shifted to digital, Lara Trump said.
And now the president wants to return to a conventional travel schedule. He travels next on Thursday to Pennsylvania, and aides say he wants to travel at least once a week.
Biden, meanwhile, is “anxious to go out and campaign” but is staying home “to set an example … with this health and economic crisis.”
“This is not politics,” Biden said. “This is life.”
___
Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Julie Pace and Will Weissert contributed from Washington.
___


huffpost--2020-05-13--CDC Reopen Document Vastly Differs From White House's Plan

GAINESVILLE , Fla. ( AP ) — Advice from the nation ’ s top disease control experts on how to safely reopen businesses and institutions in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic included detailed instructive guidance and some more restrictive measures than the plan released by the White House last month .
The guidance , which was shelved by Trump administration officials , also offered recommendations to help communities decide when to shut facilities down again during future flareups of COVID-19 .
The Associated Press obtained a 63-page document that is more detailed than other , previously reported segments of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Disease Control and Prevention .
It shows how the thinking of the CDC infection control experts differs from those in the White House managing the pandemic response .
By contrast , the organizational tool created by the CDC advocates for a coordinated national response to give community leaders step-by-step instructions to “ help Americans re-enter civic life , ” with the idea that there would be resurgences of the virus and lots of customization needed .
The White House said last week that the document was a draft and not ready for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushing for reopening but the truth of the matter is the White House has just not had a comprehensive plan where all the pieces fit .
They ’ re doing it piecemeal , ” said Dr. Georges Benjamin , executive director of the American Public Health Association .
“ Many different places are considering how to safely develop return-to-work procedures .
Having more guidance on that earlier on might have been more reassuring to people .
And it might have have prevented some cases , ” Morse said .
From the start , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncomfortable tying it specifically to reopening , and voiced their objections to the White House officials tasked with approving the guidance for release , according to a CDC official granted anonymity because they were not cleared to speak with the press .
The CDC ’ s detailed guidance was eventually shelved by the administration April 30 , according to internal government emails and CDC sources who were granted anonymity because they were not cleared to speak to the press .
After The AP reported about the burying of the guidance last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revive parts of it , which were sent back for approval , according to emails and interviews .
The shelved CDC guide advises communities to avoid all nonessential travel in phases of reopening until the last one , when cases are at the lowest levels .
Even then , the CDC is cautious and advises only a “ consideration ” of the resumption of nonessential travel after 42 continuous days of declining cases of COVID-19 .
Another stark difference in the final White House plan and that designed by epidemiologists at the CDC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 cases will likely surge after states reopen , and that local governments need to continuously monitor their communities closely .
The White House ’ s final reopening plan lacks guidance on how local communities can track information beyond positive cases .
But the CDC document offers thoughts on how to plan for where case increases might occur more quickly , using demographic information .
The CDC says local leaders could take special notice of the number of households with limited English literacy in an area , how many people live in poverty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and even what it calls areas of “ civic strain ” caused by the virus , such as places where many workers were sick or lost wages due to shutdowns .
The White House plan offers few such specifics and instead provides broad guidance , such as “ Protect the health and safety of workers in critical industries , ” and advises states to “ protect the most vulnerable ” by developing “ appropriate policies .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Advice from the nation’s top disease control experts on how to safely reopen businesses and institutions in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic included detailed instructive guidance and some more restrictive measures than the plan released by the White House last month. The guidance, which was shelved by Trump administration officials, also offered recommendations to help communities decide when to shut facilities down again during future flareups of COVID-19.
The Associated Press obtained a 63-page document that is more detailed than other, previously reported segments of the shelved guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It shows how the thinking of the CDC infection control experts differs from those in the White House managing the pandemic response.
Advertisement
The White House’s “Opening Up America Again” plan that was released April 17 included some of the CDC’s approach, but made clear that the onus for reopening decisions was solely on state governors and local officials.
By contrast, the organizational tool created by the CDC advocates for a coordinated national response to give community leaders step-by-step instructions to “help Americans re-enter civic life,” with the idea that there would be resurgences of the virus and lots of customization needed. The White House said last week that the document was a draft and not ready for release.
It contains the kinds of specifics that officials need to make informed decisions, some experts said.
“The White House is pushing for reopening but the truth of the matter is the White House has just not had a comprehensive plan where all the pieces fit. They’re doing it piecemeal,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.
Advertisement
Such detailed advice should have been available much earlier, said Stephen Morse, a Columbia University expert on the spread of diseases.
“Many different places are considering how to safely develop return-to-work procedures. Having more guidance on that earlier on might have been more reassuring to people. And it might have have prevented some cases,” Morse said.
From the start, CDC staffers working on the guidance were uncomfortable tying it specifically to reopening, and voiced their objections to the White House officials tasked with approving the guidance for release, according to a CDC official granted anonymity because they were not cleared to speak with the press.
The CDC’s detailed guidance was eventually shelved by the administration April 30, according to internal government emails and CDC sources who were granted anonymity because they were not cleared to speak to the press. After The AP reported about the burying of the guidance last week, the White House asked the CDC to revive parts of it, which were sent back for approval, according to emails and interviews.
On Tuesday, CDC Director Robert Redfield testified before a U.S. Senate committee that the recommendations would be released “soon.” He provided no further details. Internal government emails show that Redfield had repeatedly sought White House approval for CDC’s guidance, starting as early as April 10.
Advertisement
Both the CDC document and the White House’s published plan recommend communities reopen in phases as local cases of coronavirus subside.
One of many differences, however, is advice for when communities should allow for the resumption of nonessential travel.
The shelved CDC guide advises communities to avoid all nonessential travel in phases of reopening until the last one, when cases are at the lowest levels. Even then, the CDC is cautious and advises only a “consideration” of the resumption of nonessential travel after 42 continuous days of declining cases of COVID-19.
The White House plan, by contrast, recommends that communities “minimize” travel in Phase 1, and that in Phase 2, after 28 consecutive days of decline, “Non-essential travel can resume.”
As of Tuesday, CDC’s web page on travel guidance during the pandemic still linked to the White House plan. The stricter guidance is not there.
Advertisement
Another stark difference in the final White House plan and that designed by epidemiologists at the CDC is the latter’s acknowledgement that COVID-19 cases will likely surge after states reopen, and that local governments need to continuously monitor their communities closely.
The White House’s final reopening plan lacks guidance on how local communities can track information beyond positive cases. But the CDC document offers thoughts on how to plan for where case increases might occur more quickly, using demographic information. The CDC says local leaders could take special notice of the number of households with limited English literacy in an area, how many people live in poverty or have no health insurance coverage, and even what it calls areas of “civic strain” caused by the virus, such as places where many workers were sick or lost wages due to shutdowns.
The White House plan offers few such specifics and instead provides broad guidance, such as “Protect the health and safety of workers in critical industries,” and advises states to “protect the most vulnerable” by developing “appropriate policies.”
On Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, warned that lifting stay-at-home orders too quickly could lead to serious consequences, both in deaths and economic hardship. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has continued to push states to act to right a free-falling economy.
The CDC’s guidelines stress the dangers of states and regions going it alone in such perilous times. The agency advises a national approach, rather than a patchwork, because policies in one state will in time affect others.
Advertisement
“Travel patterns within and between jurisdictions will impact efforts to reduce community transmission too. Coordination across state and local jurisdictions is critical ― especially between jurisdictions with different mitigation needs,” the report states.
—-


huffpost--2020-05-12--When Is It Safe For Parents To Send Their Kids To Day Care?

My son ’ s day care has not actually closed during the pandemic .
Like many child care centers around the country , it has remained open throughout the crisis , largely to provide care for children of essential workers , though I don ’ t know how many families are actually using it .
My husband and I are fortunate .
We have just enough flexibility in our jobs that we ’ ve been able to keep our children home and find ways to juggle work , remote learning and toddler care .
But it does not feel like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we can not afford one-on-one care . )
There are no clear-cut answers .
Beyond that , decisions about sending your child back to day care have a lot to do with your family ’ s particular situation , weighing a lot of complicated considerations .
Some parents have no choice but to send their kids in , and have been doing so throughout the crisis .
Others have to make their own calculations about their particular situations and what level of risk they can tolerate .
Before you send your kid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is handling social distancing .
Ask what other COVID-19-specific safety measures they ’ re taking .
All day care centers should be doing daily temperature checks , the CDC and AAP say .
And to avoid putting staff at risk , they should be done with at least six feet of distance — so , when you drop your kiddo off in the morning , you might swipe his or her forehead with a thermometer while a staff member watches .
Know that things could open and close in waves .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centers reopen , cases will spike .
If that happens , individual centers and local health departments might make the decision to close things down again .
Or if your child ’ s day care has a staff member or relative who has COVID-19 , it will likely have to close so it can be cleaned to keep everyone safe .
Going back to day care is likely to be a big transition for young kids who have been at home with you for several months .
Goza told HuffPost it will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay close attention to how children are coping .
Don ’ t be caught off-guard by a big increase in clinginess , for example .
“ To help children prepare to return to their child care center , parents can explain to their children that school might look a little different than the last time they were there , ” Kramer said .
“ You can make up a game or silly song about temperature checks to make them feel comfortable with the new step at drop-off .
Parents can also prepare their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home .
”

ChiccoDodiFC via Getty Images Many day cares are open, and some are reopening. But how can parents gauge safety?
My younger kid has had pretty much the same weekday routine since he was four months old. We walk his older brother to school, then we drop him off at day care — a sweet, family-run business in our neighborhood in New York City where he spends five full days a week.
That was until about nine weeks ago, of course, when my husband and I stopped going in to work, our local schools were canceled, and it became obvious that COVID-19 had been spreading around us for some time.
Advertisement
My son’s day care has not actually closed during the pandemic. Like many child care centers around the country, it has remained open throughout the crisis, largely to provide care for children of essential workers, though I don’t know how many families are actually using it. My husband and I are fortunate. We have just enough flexibility in our jobs that we’ve been able to keep our children home and find ways to juggle work, remote learning and toddler care. But it does not feel like a sustainable model. (And no, we cannot afford one-on-one care.)
So what comes next? How can parents like me make the confusing, high-stakes decision to send our kiddos back in? Here are some things to have in mind.
There are no clear-cut answers.
It would be truly excellent if there were reliable, universal metrics that could definitively tell day cares and parents when it’s safe for a bunch of kids to receive regular care together. There aren’t.
“Any guidance we offer is being guided by the data that is available at the moment,” Dr. Sally Goza, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, told HuffPost. The AAP has offered guidance on child care centers and COVID-19 as well as on reopening schools during the crisis.
Advertisement
“Whatever we say today could be changed by the new data that comes in every day,” Goza said. Certainly, the discovery of pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome, a Kawasaki-like disease likely linked to COVID-19 that has claimed the lives of at least three children in New York, could shift conversations about safety.
Of course, state and local health officials play an absolutely critical role in determining when it’s safe for child care centers to be open — or not. As does the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Beyond that, decisions about sending your child back to day care have a lot to do with your family’s particular situation, weighing a lot of complicated considerations. Some parents have no choice but to send their kids in, and have been doing so throughout the crisis. Others have to make their own calculations about their particular situations and what level of risk they can tolerate.
Before you send your kid in, know how your day care is handling social distancing.
Social distance is, of course, a pretty laughable concept when you’re talking about babies and toddlers. My 2-year-old’s drop-off routine generally involves him bear-hugging his teachers and then giving a slobbery kiss to at least one of his friends.
“There are many things that all child care centers should be doing once they reopen to keep children and families safe.” - Dr. Sally Goza, AAP
Advertisement
That does not mean child care centers shouldn’t try where they can. The AAP guidelines on child care centers and COVID-19 say, for example, that kids should be kept six feet apart during nap time and meals. And day cares should avoid close group-learning activities like reading circles.
The CDC, which has also issued guidelines for child care centers, says facilities should stagger arrival and pick-up times as much as possible to avoid direct contact with parents and between families.
“Young children love to hug. They like to be right up next to each other. They don’t like masks. So those are going to be challenges,” Goza said.
Ask what other COVID-19-specific safety measures they’re taking.
All day care centers should be doing daily temperature checks, the CDC and AAP say. And to avoid putting staff at risk, they should be done with at least six feet of distance — so, when you drop your kiddo off in the morning, you might swipe his or her forehead with a thermometer while a staff member watches.
Some other big considerations? Make sure you know how your child’s day care is handling hand-washing, how it’s cleaning and disinfecting the facility and toys (and getting rid of any that can’t be cleaned), and what changes it’s making in handling food prep.
Advertisement
Ask about masks. Not for kids, who aren’t supposed to wear them if they’re under the age of 2. But will staff wear masks? Stephen Kramer, CEO of Bright Horizons, the national child care provider, told HuffPost that all of its employees will wear masks while they’re working. Also, teachers and kids won’t switch classrooms throughout the day.
What you want is a clear picture of the specific safety measures your child’s day care is taking to help keep everyone healthy.
Know that things could open and close in waves.
It’s possible that as more day care centers reopen, cases will spike. If that happens, individual centers and local health departments might make the decision to close things down again. Or if your child’s day care has a staff member or relative who has COVID-19, it will likely have to close so it can be cleaned to keep everyone safe.
“There may be rolling closures, where they’re open, then they’re closed, then they’re open again,” Goza said.
Consider everyone’s mental health.
Going back to day care is likely to be a big transition for young kids who have been at home with you for several months. Goza told HuffPost it will be very important that parents and care providers pay close attention to how children are coping. Don’t be caught off-guard by a big increase in clinginess, for example.
Advertisement
Of course, that does not mean you don’t send your kid back in — particularly because your own mental health needs to be a consideration in all of this. Just be prepared to hold your child’s hands a bit.
“To help children prepare to return to their child care center, parents can explain to their children that school might look a little different than the last time they were there,” Kramer said. “You can make up a game or silly song about temperature checks to make them feel comfortable with the new step at drop-off. Parents can also prepare their child in advance by wearing a mask at home.”
Make the point that superheroes wear masks, he offered, and remind them that their teachers are heroes.
“Most importantly, remain calm and positive about the changes happening at the child care center,” Kramer urged. “Your child will pick up on that.”
Experts are still learning about the novel coronavirus. The information in this story is what was known or available as of press time, but its guidance around COVID-19 could change as scientists discover more about the virus. Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations.


huffpost--2020-05-13--World Health Organization Warns COVID-19 'May Never Go Away'

BRUSSELS ( AP ) — New coronavirus clusters have surfaced around the world as nations struggle to balance reopening economies and preventing a second wave of infections , while a top global health official warned Wednesday that COVID-19 could be around for a long time .
Authorities in the Chinese city of Wuhan , where the pandemic first began late last year , reportedly were pressing ahead Wednesday to test all 11 million residents for the virus within 10 days after a handful of new infections were found .
“ This virus may never go away , ” Dr. Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Without a vaccine , he said it could take years for the global population to build up sufficient levels of immunity .
“ I think it ’ s important to put this on the table , ” he said .
“ This virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities , ” he said , noting that other previously novel diseases like HIV have never disappeared , but that effective treatments have been developed .
Despite the risk that loosening restrictions could lead to infection spikes , European nations have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly as the summer holiday season looms for countries whose economies rely on tourists flocking to their beaches , museums and historical sites .
The European Union unveiled a plan to help citizens across its 27 nations salvage their summer vacations after months of coronavirus lockdown and resurrect Europe ’ s badly battered tourism industry .
The pandemic has prompted border closures across Europe and shut down the lifeline of cheap local flights .
Austria said its border with Germany would reopen fully on June 15 , and that border checks would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Austria was aiming for similar agreements with Switzerland , Liechtenstein and its eastern neighbors “ as long as the infection figures allow.
” The tension in balancing people ’ s safety against the severe economic fallout is playing out across the world .
Italy partially lifted lockdown restrictions last week only to see a big jump in confirmed coronavirus cases in its hardest-hit region .
Pakistan reported 2,000 new infections in a single day after crowds of people crammed into local markets as restrictions were eased .
European countries have begun slowly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopening next week in Belgium to some schools starting up again soon in Portugal .
But a raft of safety rules are being put in place , including reducing the number of children in Belgian preschool classes and various forms of social distancing .
In Sweden , which has taken a relatively soft approach to fighting the coronavirus , allowing primary schools and restaurants to remain open with some social distancing rules , officials urged Swedes not to travel abroad for non-essential trips and to limit movement inside the country .
Travel within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two hours by car can be made , ” Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said .
“ But it does not mean that everything is as it used to be — common sense and great caution apply.
” The situation remains unclear in some countries .
The U.S. says Tanzania has not publicly released any data on COVID-19 in two weeks .
The World Health Organization also has expressed worry about Tanzania , whose president has questioned his own government ’ s virus testing and refused to close churches in the belief that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the body of Christ .
A new U.S. Embassy statement warns that the risk of being infected in Tanzania ’ s commercial hub , Dar es Salaam , is “ extremely high ” and says many hospitals in the city have been overwhelmed .
Maria Van Kerkhove , WHO ’ s technical lead for COVID-19 , added that she recognized some people were “ in a state of feeling quite some despair , ” but pointed out that stopping the virus even without medical interventions was possible .
“ There is a real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you may not be able to control , ” Dr. Anthony Fauci said in Senate testimony Tuesday after more than two dozen U.S. states began to lift lockdowns .
His comments were a sharp pushback to President Donald Trump , who wants to right a free-falling economy that has seen 33 million Americans lose their jobs .
The U.S. has the largest coronavirus outbreak in the world by far : 1.37 million infections and over 82,000 deaths , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
China , the first nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under lockdown and the first to ease those restrictions , has been strictly guarding against any resurgence .
In January , it put the entire city of Wuhan and the surrounding region , home to more than 50 million people , under a strict lockdown .
A cluster of six new cases recently emerged , the first local infections in Wuhan since before the lockdown was eased in early April .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
BRUSSELS (AP) — New coronavirus clusters have surfaced around the world as nations struggle to balance reopening economies and preventing a second wave of infections, while a top global health official warned Wednesday that COVID-19 could be around for a long time.
Authorities in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the pandemic first began late last year, reportedly were pressing ahead Wednesday to test all 11 million residents for the virus within 10 days after a handful of new infections were found.
Advertisement
In Lebanon, authorities reinstated a nationwide lockdown for four days beginning Wednesday night after a spike in reported infections and complaints from officials that social distancing rules were being ignored.
A top World Health Organization official, meanwhile, warned that it’s possible the new coronavirus may be here to stay.
“This virus may never go away,” Dr. Michael Ryan said in a press briefing Wednesday. Without a vaccine, he said it could take years for the global population to build up sufficient levels of immunity.
“I think it’s important to put this on the table,” he said. “This virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities,” he said, noting that other previously novel diseases like HIV have never disappeared, but that effective treatments have been developed.
Advertisement
Despite the risk that loosening restrictions could lead to infection spikes, European nations have been seeking to restart cross-border travel, particularly as the summer holiday season looms for countries whose economies rely on tourists flocking to their beaches, museums and historical sites.
The European Union unveiled a plan to help citizens across its 27 nations salvage their summer vacations after months of coronavirus lockdown and resurrect Europe’s badly battered tourism industry. The pandemic has prompted border closures across Europe and shut down the lifeline of cheap local flights.
The EU’s executive arm, the European Commission, laid out its advice for lifting ID checks at closed borders, helping to get airlines, ferries and buses running while ensuring the safety of passengers and crew, and preparing health measures for hotels.
It’s not clear whether EU nations will follow that advice, since they, not Brussels, have the final say over health and security matters.
Some European countries have sought bilateral agreements with their neighbors.
Austria said its border with Germany would reopen fully on June 15, and that border checks would be reduced starting Friday. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Austria was aiming for similar agreements with Switzerland, Liechtenstein and its eastern neighbors “as long as the infection figures allow.”
Advertisement
German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass said his country will lift a blanket warning against foreign travel for European destinations before other places, but didn’t specify when. Germany’s warning against all non-essential tourist travel abroad runs until at least June 14.
The tension in balancing people’s safety against the severe economic fallout is playing out across the world. Italy partially lifted lockdown restrictions last week only to see a big jump in confirmed coronavirus cases in its hardest-hit region. Pakistan reported 2,000 new infections in a single day after crowds of people crammed into local markets as restrictions were eased.
European countries have begun slowly easing their lockdowns, from barber shops reopening next week in Belgium to some schools starting up again soon in Portugal. But a raft of safety rules are being put in place, including reducing the number of children in Belgian preschool classes and various forms of social distancing.
In Sweden, which has taken a relatively soft approach to fighting the coronavirus, allowing primary schools and restaurants to remain open with some social distancing rules, officials urged Swedes not to travel abroad for non-essential trips and to limit movement inside the country.
Travel within Sweden “of up to one to two hours by car can be made,” Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said. “But it does not mean that everything is as it used to be — common sense and great caution apply.”
Advertisement
The situation remains unclear in some countries. The U.S. says Tanzania has not publicly released any data on COVID-19 in two weeks. The World Health Organization also has expressed worry about Tanzania, whose president has questioned his own government’s virus testing and refused to close churches in the belief that the virus can’t survive in the body of Christ. A new U.S. Embassy statement warns that the risk of being infected in Tanzania’s commercial hub, Dar es Salaam, is “extremely high” and says many hospitals in the city have been overwhelmed.
Meanwhile, Ryan, the World Health Organization’s chief of health emergencies, had a grim warning about coronavirus: Even though an effective vaccine might be developed, it would require immense work to produce sufficient doses and distribute them worldwide.
“Every single one of those steps is fraught with challenges,” he said.
Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical lead for COVID-19, added that she recognized some people were “in a state of feeling quite some despair,” but pointed out that stopping the virus even without medical interventions was possible.
“The trajectory of this outbreak is in our hands,” she said. “We have seen some countries bring the virus under control.”
In the United States, the country’s top infectious disease expert issued a blunt warning that cities and states could see more COVID-19 deaths and economic damage if they lift stay-at-home orders too quickly.
Advertisement
“There is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said in Senate testimony Tuesday after more than two dozen U.S. states began to lift lockdowns.
His comments were a sharp pushback to President Donald Trump, who wants to right a free-falling economy that has seen 33 million Americans lose their jobs. The U.S. has the largest coronavirus outbreak in the world by far: 1.37 million infections and over 82,000 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
China, the first nation to put a large number of citizens under lockdown and the first to ease those restrictions, has been strictly guarding against any resurgence. In January, it put the entire city of Wuhan and the surrounding region, home to more than 50 million people, under a strict lockdown. A cluster of six new cases recently emerged, the first local infections in Wuhan since before the lockdown was eased in early April.
Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 4.2 million people and killed some 292,000, according to the Johns Hopkins tally. Experts say the actual numbers are likely far higher.
___
Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece. Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.
Advertisement
___


huffpost--2020-05-13--Gay Bars Around The World Facing Collapse Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

LONDON/NEW YORK/BERLIN , May 13 ( Thomson Reuters Foundation ) - From pulsating gay super clubs to basement drag cabarets and dimly-lit lesbian bars , the new coronavirus has shuttered LGBT+ nightlife venues worldwide , with some already forced to close permanently while others are scrambling to avoid the same fate .
As strict shutdowns have dried up cash to pay vital bills and wages , the future of a vibrant nightlife scene - already hit by rising rents and competition from dating apps before the pandemic - now hangs in the balance , industry figures said .
“ LGBTQ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s where we form and nurture our community and the individuals within that , ” said John Sizzle , a “ Drag DJ ” who co-owns The Glory , an LGBT+ bar in east London known for its avant-garde cabaret acts .
As social acceptance of LGBT+ people has grown over the last decade , the number of gay bars in the United States fell by almost 40 % to about 800 , according to Greggor Mattson , a sociologist at Oberlin College in Ohio .
Britain has experienced a similar decline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial pressure as they often operate with thin profit margins due to their “ niche ” market , said Sizzle , who sports a long blonde wig and mustache when in drag .
“ We can afford to reopen with 50 % of our full capacity , although only a few of us can .
But with a third we ’ ll die , ” said Joaquin Pena , owner of Madrid gay bar Marta Carino , adding that all of the city ’ s LGBT+ event promoters felt it was impossible .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a global hotspot for LGBT+ nightlife , bars have been closed since March 23 and the government has not said anything about when they might reopen .
The mayor of London - which has seen its LGBT+ nightspots plummet to 56 this year from 124 in 2006 - has announced a 2.3 millon pound fund for cultural venues at risk due to the impact of the coronavirus , 10 % of which is earmarked for LGBT+ spaces .
“ The landlords are dictating what can happen , it really is luck of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose G-A-Y Group owns three venues in London and one in Manchester , with one landlord agreeing to forego rent and two others to rent reductions .
The Video Pub in Jerusalem is lucky to have a landlord who has waived rent , said owner Avi Goldberger , who emphasized its importance as the only LGBT+ bar in the divided Israeli city for the nine years it has been open .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
LONDON/NEW YORK/BERLIN, May 13 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - From pulsating gay super clubs to basement drag cabarets and dimly-lit lesbian bars, the new coronavirus has shuttered LGBT+ nightlife venues worldwide, with some already forced to close permanently while others are scrambling to avoid the same fate.
As strict shutdowns have dried up cash to pay vital bills and wages, the future of a vibrant nightlife scene - already hit by rising rents and competition from dating apps before the pandemic - now hangs in the balance, industry figures said.
Advertisement
That will leave gay, bisexual and transgender people with fewer safe spaces to express themselves freely, meet like-minded friends and find respite from the discrimination they often experience in their day-to-day lives, bar and club owners said.
“LGBTQ venues are our own churches. It’s where we form and nurture our community and the individuals within that,” said John Sizzle, a “Drag DJ” who co-owns The Glory, an LGBT+ bar in east London known for its avant-garde cabaret acts.
Countries across the world are feeling the human and economic pain wrought by the coronavirus, which has infected 4.2 million people and killed almost 300,000, and is likely to trigger a global recession.
Once-crowded bars and clubs fear they will collapse, despite government grants, if they have to remain closed for a prolonged period and have to adopt social distancing when they re-open.
Advertisement
LGBT+ venues that have already closed for good include theDC Eagle, Washington D.C.’s oldest continuously operating gay bar, which opened in 1971, and the gay-focused hotel and bar Legends in the British seaside town of Brighton.
As social acceptance of LGBT+ people has grown over the last decade, the number of gay bars in the United States fell by almost 40% to about 800, according to Greggor Mattson, a sociologist at Oberlin College in Ohio.
Britain has experienced a similar decline and the remaining venues are under great financial pressure as they often operate with thin profit margins due to their “niche” market, said Sizzle, who sports a long blonde wig and mustache when in drag.
“Our long-term future is not clear at all, it’s a week by week discussion,” said Sizzle, who has put The Glory’s 11 staff on furlough.
WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN
Many LGBT+ venues said they could not afford to re-open at a lower capacity if social distancing rules were mandated.
Advertisement
This week marks the 17th birthday of Therapy, a sprawling two-story gay bar in Hell’s Kitchen, the hub of New York’s LGBT+ culture, home to many performers who found fame on the TV show “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” like Monet X Change and Bianca Del Rio.
But there will not be a party. Therapy closed and let go of all of its employees in mid-March.
It may never re-open, according to owner Tom Johnson.
“It’s like a baby dying,” said Johnson. “You just never imagine that your world would just be turned upside down, seemingly overnight.”
The U.S. government’s $660 billion small business rescue program allows lenders to issue forgivable, government-guaranteed loans to firms shuttered by the virus.
But Johnson said the real problem would be if Therapy was told to re-open at half capacity to prevent COVID-19 spreading.
“Trying to run at 50%, you’re never going to make the kind of money you need to make electric, rent and payroll,” he said.
Advertisement
The news emerging from Europe is not promising. Spain plans to allow late night bars and clubs to re-open at a third of their capacity at the end of June.
“We can afford to reopen with 50% of our full capacity ,although only a few of us can. But with a third we’ll die,” said Joaquin Pena, owner of Madrid gay bar Marta Carino, adding that all of the city’s LGBT+ event promoters felt it was impossible.
LUCK OF THE DRAW
In the German capital, Berlin, a global hotspot for LGBT+ nightlife, bars have been closed since March 23 and the government has not said anything about when they might reopen.
Paul Graebner, co-owner of Silver Future, a hipster bar popular with lesbians, and Curly, an LGBT+ cafe, has applied for a government grant of 5,000 euros ($5,399), while about 100 people have made private donations to support Silver Future.
“With that, we could stay afloat until the end of July. After that we would run out of money,” he said.
Advertisement
Like Johnson, social distancing was his biggest worry.
“A bar lives off being crowded, on people being close, on people being able to flirt with each other,” he said.
“If they have to keep a 1.5 meter distance, we will have to ask ourselves if it’s worth it.”
The mayor of London - which has seen its LGBT+ nightspots plummet to 56 this year from 124 in 2006 - has announced a 2.3 millon pound fund for cultural venues at risk due to the impact of the coronavirus, 10% of which is earmarked for LGBT+ spaces.
The money will target those “most in need,” said Amy Lame, the mayor’s night-time industries adviser, although the criteria for and timing of grants has yet to be confirmed.
Meanwhile, rents are proving a flashpoint expense.
“The landlords are dictating what can happen, it really is luck of the draw,” said Jeremy Joseph, whose G-A-Y Group owns three venues in London and one in Manchester, with one landlord agreeing to forego rent and two others to rent reductions.
The Video Pub in Jerusalem is lucky to have a landlord who has waived rent, said owner Avi Goldberger, who emphasized its importance as the only LGBT+ bar in the divided Israeli city for the nine years it has been open.
Advertisement
“Before there was The Video, the hangout places for LGBTQ people were parks, public restrooms, you know, not the friendliest places,” he said.
″(For) a lot of people who are in the closet ... like orthodox Jews or traditional Palestinians, a place like TheVideo is very important for them to be able to live the kind of life they want to.”
While Goldberger is using savings he had squirreled away because of the uncertainty of living in the disputed city, The Video’s future isn’t secure.
“I can’t say we’re safe,” he said.


huffpost--2020-05-13--These People Will Be Vital In Slowing COVID-19 Spread After Reopening

Contact tracing involves tracking the origin of an illness and making sure people take proper measures if they ’ ve been exposed .
Operating a bit like detectives , contact tracers are tasked with interviewing a sick person ― in this case , someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 ― to identify all the people they ’ ve been in contact with during the period where they were likely to be most infectious , and then quickly reaching out to those contacts to let them know they ’ ve been exposed .
Contact tracers always maintain privacy , never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Contacts are provided with education , information , and support to understand their risk , what they should do to separate themselves from others who are not exposed , monitor themselves for illness , and the possibility that they could spread the infection to others even if they themselves do not feel ill , ” the CDC notes on its website .
Contact tracing is one of the best tools we have to reduce the spread of COVID-19 .
It helps us break links in the chain of transmission so we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the spread of disease .
The more contacts that can be identified and the more links that can be broken , the easier it is to reduce transmission .
We need thousands of contact tracers in order for the system to work .
You need a specific skillset to be hired as a contact tracer Contact tracing is an important public health tool , but it doesn ’ t come without challenges or limitations .
For some people , recalling these contacts can be pretty tricky .
Sure , it may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people you live or work with , but there are scenarios that might not be easy to remember .
For example , many essential workers interact with a significant sum of people throughout the day .
And as social distancing restrictions lift , the amount of contacts each of us encounter each day is likely to grow .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A vaccine is likely our best bet for stopping the spread of COVID-19. But since that’s still likely a long way off, one of a few next-best strategies for slowing the transmission of the coronavirus is contact tracing.
You’ve probably heard the term “contact tracing” a lot lately in conversations about controlling the novel coronavirus pandemic and lifting lockdown restrictions. However, you may be a little unclear on what contact tracing actually means.
Advertisement
Fortunately, we have you covered. Here’s what you need to know about this crucial part of reopening:
Contact tracing involves tracking the origin of an illness and making sure people take proper measures if they’ve been exposed.
As one of the most tried and true disease control measures in public health, contact tracing has been used to stop the transmission of disease for decades.
Operating a bit like detectives, contact tracers are tasked with interviewing a sick person ― in this case, someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 ― to identify all the people they’ve been in contact with during the period where they were likely to be most infectious, and then quickly reaching out to those contacts to let them know they’ve been exposed. Contact tracers always maintain privacy, never identifying the infected case to their contacts.
But contact tracing doesn’t simply stop after a contact tracer lets someone know they have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Contact tracers also support people by helping them safely quarantine and access testing ― both of which are key in preventing further transmission of the disease, experts say.
Advertisement
“Contacts are provided with education, information, and support to understand their risk, what they should do to separate themselves from others who are not exposed, monitor themselves for illness, and the possibility that they could spread the infection to others even if they themselves do not feel ill,” the CDC notes on its website.
Contacts of the person who is sick are also encouraged to socially distance for 14 days following their last exposure to an infected case, monitoring for symptoms throughout. If any of the identified contacts develop symptoms or test positive, the contact tracer will repeat the process to identify and get in touch with their contacts.
“The concept is simple but it is challenging to put into practice. You can’t always talk to the sick person or their contacts, and you are always fighting the clock to do the work before the next generation of disease occurs,” said Brian Labus, assistant professor in the School of Public Health at University of Nevada Las Vegas.
This tactic has been used time and time again to help control the spread of infectious disease, playing an important role in the eradication of smallpox as well as in the control of sexually transmitted infections, measles and tuberculosis.
“It serves the purpose of warning people who have been exposed and also breaking the transmission chain, which contributes to the overall control of the outbreak,” said Adam Karpati, senior vice president of public health programs at Vital Strategies.
Advertisement
Contract tracing helps break up community transmission.
Contact tracing is one of the best tools we have to reduce the spread of COVID-19. It helps us break links in the chain of transmission so we can stop, or at least slow, the spread of disease. The more contacts that can be identified and the more links that can be broken, the easier it is to reduce transmission.
As states and cities look to lift social distancing guidelines, strong contact tracing programs will play an important role in identifying new cases and minimizing further spread of the disease.
“But it has to be done at the right scale and with the right level of intensity and speed,” Karpati said. “When done like that it can have a strong effect.”
More broadly, contact tracing also gives health authorities clues about how the disease is spreading among our communities and can help them identify scenarios where the disease is spreading on a large scale among a workplace, homeless shelter or another setting with potential for widespread transmission.
“It’s really important in understanding where a community is in terms of the transmission of the virus,” said Lorna Thorpe, director of the division of epidemiology in the department of population health at NYU Langone Health.
Advertisement
zubada via Getty Images
We need thousands of contact tracers in order for the system to work.
Ramping up contact tracing is no simple task ― the National Association of County and City Health Officials projects we will need 30 contact tracers for every 100,000 Americans, which equates to at least 100,000 total. Though this number could easily change depending on the number of cases: Regions with more patients will need more contact tracers than areas where the disease isn’t spreading as quickly.
Having a sufficient amount of contact tracers is key to acting quickly and effectively reducing the spread of the virus.
“The challenge is that we only have a few days to find people after they have been exposed, so surges of cases place huge demands on the system in a short time,” Labus said.
You need a specific skillset to be hired as a contact tracer
“Good contact tracers are part nurse, part health educator and part detective,” Labus said. “We can easily find people with one of these skill sets, but it is difficult to find people that have all of them. Call center workers haven’t been trained in medicine, nurses aren’t trained to be detectives, and police officers aren’t trained in health education.”
Advertisement
Contact tracers need a broad skillset that includes interviewing, engendering trust, understanding symptoms and the spread of the disease, cultural sensitivity, empathy, resourcefulness and attention to detail. Contact tracers also need to be able to effectively communicate with people who speak various languages and come from all walks of life, which could include being cognitively impaired or marginalized in some way.
“The key is to be well-trained and professional in how you approach people, how you engage people and how you maintain their trust,” Thorpe said.
Many state and local governments, some in cooperation with universities and other organizations, are now in the process of hiring and training contact tracers to help in the fight against COVID-19.
Contact tracing is an important public health tool, but it doesn’t come without challenges or limitations.
If a contact tracer gets in touch with you, they’ll usually ask for the names of people you’ve been with for a prolonged period of time. The exact definition of “prolonged period of time” can vary, but usually means 10 minutes or longer.
Advertisement
For some people, recalling these contacts can be pretty tricky. Sure, it may be easy to come up with a list of people you live or work with, but there are scenarios that might not be easy to remember. For example, many essential workers interact with a significant sum of people throughout the day. And as social distancing restrictions lift, the amount of contacts each of us encounter each day is likely to grow.
The next challenge is that many of us rarely pick up our phones unless we’re familiar with the number. Blame it on conditioning from a few too many spam calls, but refusing to answer a call from an unknown number inserts a pretty significant roadblock when a contact tracer is relying on that phone call as their primary method for getting in touch with you.
“The current context is tricky in that the general public is wary of phone calls in general from people they don’t know,” Thorpe said. “They often screen calls and don’t answer calls that they’re not familiar with.”
When contact tracing for other illnesses, it’s not uncommon for a contact tracer to visit someone’s home if they’re having trouble reaching them, but since COVID-19 is highly contagious, this isn’t as much of an option right now.
Another problem is that most people in the U.S. simply aren’t familiar with contact tracing and its importance, and others lack trust in government or public health. For either reason, people may not be open to speaking with contact tracers, which can inhibit a contact tracer’s ability to do their job.
Advertisement
“In different levels across the country, there is a general loss of trust in government,” Thorpe said. “And so we will have to build that trust through effective communication messaging campaigns.”
Experts are still learning about the novel coronavirus. The information in this story is what was known or available as of press time, but it’s possible guidance around COVID-19 could change as scientists discover more about the virus. Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations.


huffpost--2020-05-13--10 Photos Show How Restaurants Around The World Are Social Distancing

Places around the world are trying to reopen after months of being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic , and restaurants are looking at different ways to preserve social distancing as they obey local laws and try to keep customers and employees safe .
Photos from the past few months show some of the creative ideas that restaurants have devised in their attempts to reopen .
You can see a few of the images below .
Customers wait on social distancing markers at a prototype McDonald ’ s location in Arnhem , Netherlands .
The markers put patrons at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apart .
A Swedish couple is opening a “ COVID-19-safe ” pop-up restaurant — with one chair and one table —in a meadow in Ransater , Sweden .
There are no waiters : Food is brought to the table in a basket via a pulley system from a window in the restaurant .
The Inn at Little Washington — a restaurant in Washington , Virginia — puts mannequins dressed in theatrical clothing at unoccupied tables between those used by patrons as a way to preserve social distancing .
The Inn at Little Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurant with three Michelin stars to reopen in the U.S. Waitresses wear protective masks , face shields and gloves as they perform for a similarly attired customer at the cheerleader-themed restaurant Cheers One in Tokyo .
Customers of the Maison Saigon restaurant in Bangkok sit next to stuffed panda dolls deployed as seat fillers to preserve social distancing .
Workers place plastic-and-steel dining tables outside a canteen at a university in Zhengzhou , China , as it prepared to reopen .
The canteen will also deliver meals to students ’ dorms .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its tables after the Thai government relaxed lockdown measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus .

Eva Plevier/Reuters "Quarantine greenhouses" are tested at a restaurant in Amsterdam.
Places around the world are trying to reopen after months of being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and restaurants are looking at different ways to preserve social distancing as they obey local laws and try to keep customers and employees safe.
Photos from the past few months show some of the creative ideas that restaurants have devised in their attempts to reopen. You can see a few of the images below.
Advertisement
REUTERS
Customers wait on social distancing markers at a prototype McDonald’s location in Arnhem, Netherlands. The markers put patrons at least 1 1/2 meters (5 feet) apart.
Linda Karlsson/Handout
A Swedish couple is opening a “COVID-19-safe” pop-up restaurant — with one chair and one table —in a meadow in Ransater, Sweden. There are no waiters: Food is brought to the table in a basket via a pulley system from a window in the restaurant.
Advertisement
The Inn at Little Washington — a restaurant in Washington, Virginia — puts mannequins dressed in theatrical clothing at unoccupied tables between those used by patrons as a way to preserve social distancing. The Inn at Little Washington is on track to be the first restaurant with three Michelin stars to reopen in the U.S.
Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters
Waitresses wear protective masks, face shields and gloves as they perform for a similarly attired customer at the cheerleader-themed restaurant Cheers One in Tokyo.
Sakchai Lalit/AP
Advertisement
Customers of the Maison Saigon restaurant in Bangkok sit next to stuffed panda dolls deployed as seat fillers to preserve social distancing.
Barcroft Media via Getty Images
Workers place plastic-and-steel dining tables outside a canteen at a university in Zhengzhou, China, as it prepared to reopen. The canteen will also deliver meals to students’ dorms.
AGF via Getty Images
A Milan restaurant demonstrates plexiglass dividers between tables, with employees acting as customers.
Advertisement
MLADEN ANTONOV via Getty Images
A Bangkok street restaurant placed plastic dividers on its tables after the Thai government relaxed lockdown measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
Callaghan O'Hare / Reuters


huffpost--2020-05-13--6 Ways Restaurants Will Be Different When They Reopen After COVID Closures

Even after shutdown orders elapse , many restaurants will take their time to reopen their dining rooms .
“ Right now , the landscape in Atlanta is mixed , with some restaurants that have resumed operations and some that have yet to do so , ” explained Mandy Slater , co-owner of 9 Mile Station .
“ Some restaurateurs are hesitant , but for varying reasons ― some have small , intimate dining rooms and can ’ t make it work with our current restrictions .
Some have a thriving takeout business currently and don ’ t need or want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now , so they are taking their time to open up in the way that makes the most sense for their business .
And others just don ’ t feel that they can open safely right now.
” Social distancing is here to stay .
Outdoor seating is a major boon to restaurants eager to resume “ normal ” operations .
Curbside pickup and delivery will likely become a regular occurrence , even at high-end restaurants .
Restaurant staffers will undergo regular health screenings and wear protective gear for the foreseeable future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now only seat parties up to six and are now spaced 10 to 12 feet apart to ensure ample room for safe distancing , ” Heaney said .
“ Our guests are asked to wear masks as they come and go from their tables .
We have patio staff to answer questions about our menu and share details about our new operations , and all ordering and payment is done online .
Our staff — wearing masks and gloves — deliver food and drinks by tray to a cart that is set six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The staff discusses what ’ s on the tray , answers any questions , and then leaves the guests to pick up their items from the tray .
Our staff are all temp checked before their shifts and interviewed to confirm they are neither experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms nor have they made any known contact with a coronavirus carrier.
” Especially in large cities , the government needs to step up and help restaurants regain their footing .
“ But what came after that was a disgrace , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fees and sent in Consumer Affairs , the Sanitation Department and the Health Department to extract erroneous nickels and dimes from us .
There was something else at every turn .
We do not want to see that again .
Our industry was arguably one of the hardest-hit , and we hope the city does not attempt to recoup lost revenue by coming after us struggling restaurants .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
As stay-at-home orders elapse in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, restaurateurs will need to formulate plans for when, how and whether to fully reopen to the public. But what will the restaurant world look like then, and how will businesses adjust to an entirely new set of expectations and norms?
Restaurant reopenings will undoubtedly be trying endeavors, given the state of public health and the natural apprehension many Americans are feeling right now. But the food and beverage industry has a track record of resilience and determination, and that’s why plenty of chefs and restaurateurs feel confident in their ability to weather this storm.
Advertisement
“I think challenging and unknown times still lie ahead, but I do know and have faith in the passion and creativity of the restaurant industry and the appreciation [people] have for food and for keeping our food culture unique,” executive chef Heena Patel of Besharam in San Francisco told HuffPost. “As an industry, we will all adjust and do everything we can to keep/bring back our staff and do what we love the most, feeding our community.”
Andreas Rentz via Getty Images A waitress at Miebachs restaurant in Cologne, Germany, serves guests on May 12, 2020, the day after restaurants and cafes were allowed to reopen for the first time since March. The effort is part of a careful easing of restrictions as German authorities seek to raise economic activity while still monitoring the rates of coronavirus infection.
So what will this new frontier of restaurant culture look like? We spoke with a group of restaurant owners, chefs and managers to get their thoughts on this matter.
Even after shutdown orders elapse, many restaurants will take their time to reopen their dining rooms.
In states like Georgia and Texas, restaurants have the legal ability to reopen their dining rooms to those who’d like to dine onsite. But even if state law doesn’t prohibit this move, many restaurateurs in major foodie areas like Atlanta and Austin are choosing to delay their reopenings until post-quarantine conditions seem more stable.
“Right now, the landscape in Atlanta is mixed, with some restaurants that have resumed operations and some that have yet to do so,” explained Mandy Slater, co-owner of 9 Mile Station. “Some restaurateurs are hesitant, but for varying reasons ― some have small, intimate dining rooms and can’t make it work with our current restrictions. Some have a thriving takeout business currently and don’t need or want to undertake an entirely new operational plan right now, so they are taking their time to open up in the way that makes the most sense for their business. And others just don’t feel that they can open safely right now.”
For co-owner Adam Orman of L’Oca d’Oro in Austin, reopening his dining room right now doesn’t add up financially, and he feels that using that space for other endeavors is a better way to channel his resources.
“If we put our tables six feet apart, we will have about 40 seats, including outdoor seating, which is only about one-third capacity,” Orman told HuffPost. “We’re not about to try and put them closer together, and we hope that our colleagues won’t either because we can’t afford, financially or emotionally, to shut down again.”
He also explained that if his restaurant rearranges the dining room to accommodate sit-down diners, it would have to sacrifice its to-go business and food bank contributions, which are all put together in the dining room space.
Advertisement
Social distancing is here to stay.
Restaurants generally agree that their dine-in businesses can’t safely restart unless their staff and clientele maintain social distancing measures and standards.
“We know we will need to minimize our table count in order to spread them further apart and maintain as much social distancing as possible,” said general manager Gina Buck of Concord Hill in the New York City borough of Brooklyn.
NurPhoto via Getty Images People dine outdoors in Kyiv, Ukraine, on May 11, 2020. Ukraine is allowing visits to parks, squares, recreational areas and some businesses as it starts a gradual exit from COVID-19 quarantine.
New York City-based restaurateur David Burke agrees that spacing needs to be a massive priority when his restaurants reopen, and he plans to apply social distancing rules to staff and vendors as well as guests.
“We’ll be limiting staff and hours and looking at traffic patterns,” Burke told HuffPost. “At our townhouse where David Burke Tavern is located, the landlord has been very kind in allowing us to use her door so we can create one-way traffic for our guests, like the grocery stores’ one-way aisles.”
Advertisement
In addition, Burke said the stools at the bar will be removed and no vendors will be allowed inside. Instead, restaurant employees will accept product deliveries on the sidewalk, unpacking them there and disposing of the packaging outside.
Outdoor seating is a major boon to restaurants eager to resume “normal” operations.
Outdoor dining spaces seem like a natural solution to distancing concerns since they typically offer customers more opportunities to spread out and avoid close contact.
“Our business is unique in that it’s very large and nearly all outdoors,” Slater said of her Atlanta space. “Social distance of six feet is easily achieved and crowd and occupancy control is something we do on a daily basis.”
Chef/owner Max Hardy of Coop Detroit also sees the value in outdoor seating, especially if the restaurant occupancy limits are similar to the ones already being enforced in reopened states. “The 25% capacity limit won’t work in Detroit, in my opinion,” he told HuffPost. “Most restaurants operate on small margins already. Some owners and restaurateurs take home about 25% profit only, after expenses and taking care of their staff. Outdoor seating will help ease concerns and give guests peace of mind; it will also allow restaurants more curb appeal to attract additional guests.”
Curbside pickup and delivery will likely become a regular occurrence, even at high-end restaurants.
For many upscale restaurants, the pandemic-related shutdowns prompted their first-ever forays into delivery and takeout. Co-owner Rick Wahlstedt of Le Bilboquet and Le Colonial in Atlanta believes that these to-go operations will persist long after restaurants resume full service because “the home has become a sanctuary of safety and will remain that way.”
Advertisement
“With this in mind, I believe that curbside pickup and take-out from high-end restaurants will continue and even develop post pandemic and the years to come,” he said.
Washington, D.C., chef and restaurateur Spike Mendelsohn also sees a bright future for high-end food delivery, but he hopes that third-party delivery vendors will reduce their commission rates and allow for more manageable relationships with restaurants: “Pre-COVID, many restaurants looked at working with third-party delivery services (UberEats, GrubHub, Doordash, Postmates) as a supplemental revenue stream,” Mendelsohn told HuffPost, “and we were willing to take a hit with the huge marketplace commissions they charged us (30% and higher) as a way to introduce at-home customers to our product.”
“I believe increased delivery will persist long past the pandemic, and it will become a primary revenue stream for many restaurants,” he continued. “I am hopeful that these third party facilitators will drop their commissions to more reasonable rates long-term.”
Restaurant staffers will undergo regular health screenings and wear protective gear for the foreseeable future.
Social distancing and the willingness of guests to wear masks will contribute to a safer post-pandemic dining experience, as will screening policies and protective equipment for restaurant employees.
Advertisement
Andreas Rentz via Getty Images A customer sits outdoors a day after restaurants and cafes were allowed to reopen for the first time since March in Cologne, Germany.
“In preparation for our reopening, we put new measures in place and held a meeting with all of our employees to address any concerns and discuss new policies,” said Daniel DeLeon, owner of Grumpy’s Restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida.
“We made the decision to implement temperature checks on all staff members every morning before they clock in, as well as a health screening to make sure they are feeling well before interacting with any customers or fellow employees,” DeLeon explained. “As always, everyone wears gloves and all kitchen staffers are now required to wear masks. We have also put in five new hand sanitizing stations for both guests and employees throughout the restaurant, positioned by entrances and high-contact areas.”
Owner Kristen Heaney of Yard Bar in Austin reopened her establishment on May 1 by taking clear precautionary steps to ensure the safety of her staff and her customers.
“Tables that were once communal now only seat parties up to six and are now spaced 10 to 12 feet apart to ensure ample room for safe distancing,” Heaney said. “Our guests are asked to wear masks as they come and go from their tables. We have patio staff to answer questions about our menu and share details about our new operations, and all ordering and payment is done online. Our staff — wearing masks and gloves — deliver food and drinks by tray to a cart that is set six feet away from the guests’ table. The staff discusses what’s on the tray, answers any questions, and then leaves the guests to pick up their items from the tray. Our staff are all temp checked before their shifts and interviewed to confirm they are neither experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms nor have they made any known contact with a coronavirus carrier.”
Advertisement
“We can’t afford, financially or emotionally, to shut down again.” - Adam Orman of L’Oca d’Oro in Austin, Texas
Chef Nicola Blaque of The Jerk Shack in San Antonio, Texas, has justifiable concerns about larger groups attempting to gather in her restaurant, and while she’s still holding off on reopening her restaurant, citing a wish to see a more substantial decrease in the virus’ spread before taking that chance, she hopes that guests will exercise caution and a healthy dose of common sense before meeting their friends for a bite.
“Guests should expect to eat in smaller groups. You don’t have to eat with 10 friends,” she said. “I understand why people would want to eat out with all their friends, but we value our guests’ safety.”
Especially in large cities, the government needs to step up and help restaurants regain their footing.
As the nation’s largest coronavirus hot spot and also one of its most expensive cities, New York City faces unique challenges when it comes to restarting its legendary dining and drinking scene.
For that reason, chef/owner Ron Silver of Bubby’s in Manhattan urges the city and state governments to work with the restaurant industry to support viable reopening plans.
“I hope and trust that the city will give their full support to the restaurant industry. I want the mayor, governor, and city council to really work with us and provide us with the necessary financial safeguards and consideration that will allow us to rebuild and reestablish ourselves.”
Most of all, Silver hopes the city handles post-COVID better than it has handled past disasters. Working with Bubby’s since 1990, Silver saw Bubby’s become a distribution hub for first responders after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
“But what came after that was a disgrace,” he said. “The city tripled our sidewalk café fees and sent in Consumer Affairs, the Sanitation Department and the Health Department to extract erroneous nickels and dimes from us. There was something else at every turn. We do not want to see that again. Our industry was arguably one of the hardest-hit, and we hope the city does not attempt to recoup lost revenue by coming after us struggling restaurants.”


huffpost--2020-06-14--Joe Biden Has Problems He Can’t Solve From His Basement

The months Vice President Joe Biden spent in his basement were good ones for his campaign .
From March 10 , the day Biden retreated to his recreation room-turned-broadcast center , until May 26 , when he and his wife emerged to attend a Memorial Day service , Biden ’ s lead over incumbent Republican President Donald Trump in public polling swelled .
Since then , Biden hasn ’ t exactly started criss-crossing the country .
All of his public events in recent weeks have been in the Philadelphia metro area , and he flew to Houston to meet privately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And in that time , which coincided with Trump ’ s near-constant delivery of divisive rhetoric about the death of George Floyd , racism and police brutality , Biden ’ s lead has grown even more .
This trend has led to a loose conventional wisdom that Biden should continue to shun the spotlight .
After all , Biden has a penchant for gaffes or cringe-worthy lines , and campaign officials have long said a straight-up referendum on Trump is a race they win ― an idea many Republican strategists agree with .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ Oh , we got to get the vice president out of the basement , ’ ” former Virginia Gov .
Terry McAuliffe , a Biden ally and advisor , told a group of Democrats in footage obtained by Fox News .
“ He ’ s fine in the basement .
Two people see him a day : his two body people .
That ’ s it .
Let Trump keep doing what Trump ’ s doing.
” Biden ’ s team and other Democrats , however , are increasingly battling for more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While Biden ’ s lead in public polling is substantial ― essentially every political forecaster of note believes Biden is a heavy favorite to win the presidency at the moment ― he still has weaknesses that can ’ t be solved by simply sitting back and hoping Trump ’ s racism and lack of interest in battling the coronavirus continue to alienate swing voters .
A CNN poll earlier this week that showed Biden with an enormous lead over Trump also found that a significant majority of his supporters , 60 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to vote against Trump .
By comparison , 70 % of the Trump backers said they were voting mostly as a way to support the president .
So while Biden ’ s dominance among swing voters has given him a formidable lead , the lack of enthusiasm for the Democrat ― especially among young , progressive and Latino voters ― could dog him if that dominant position weakens in the fall .
And while Biden has moved to the left on a host of issues , including student debt , and will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s difficult for his campaign to fix its enthusiasm problems without voters hearing from him directly .
Guy Cecil , the chair of Priorities USA , the largest Democratic super PAC , downplayed Biden ’ s enthusiasm problems , pointing out that Trump was able to win in 2016 even though most of his supporters said they were primarily casting ballots against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton .
But he was also pleased that Biden had adopted a more active posture .
“ What you ’ re starting to see over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign , the vice president himself getting out there more ... and more public activities , ” Cecil told reporters during a briefing earlier this week , noting the Biden campaign had dramatically increased its spending on Facebook .
( In the past week , Biden has spent $ 2.6 million on the platform , more than twice what the Trump campaign has spent . )
The Biden team argues that the vice president has never been as absent as some of his critics claim ; he ’ s participated in more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
But Biden ’ s increased activity doesn ’ t mean much if voters don ’ t see it , and campaign staffers are often frustrated by the lack of coverage many of the vice president ’ s events receive , especially when a stray Trump utterance while waiting for Marine One can drive a news cycle .
“ There are two candidates running for president of the United States , and they both deserve to make their case to the American people , ” said T.J. Ducklo , a Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not piloting a mini-series here .
This is about our country ’ s future.
” Essentially , Democrats and the Biden campaign are arguing that news organizations allowing Trump to dominate coverage are putting a thumb on the scale in the same way they did in 2016 , when Trump won the GOP nomination on the back of $ 2 billion ’ s worth of earned media .
“ In 2016 , the networks greatly advantaged Trump with billions of dollars worth of free airtime , and that ’ s a large part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s been no reckoning since , ” said Eric Schultz , a former White House spokesman and an adviser to former President Barack Obama .
“ There ’ s been no sign of soul-searching ever since .
Executives have been clear that he ’ s good for business , that he ’ s good for profits.
” Behind the scenes , the Biden campaign has been pushing the cable news networks to take him live more frequently , and for nightly network newscasts to increase coverage of his events after-the-fact , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden gave a speech on race , which was heavily covered , but most of his subsequent events have gotten little live coverage .
But two stray comments from Biden ― questioning whether Trump would accept an election loss during an interview with Trevor Noah on “ The Daily Show , ” and calling the president ’ s coronavirus failures “ almost criminal ” during a tele-town hall with members of the American Federation of State , County and Municipal Employees ― picked up some attention .
“ We formally join Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the national news media , particularly cable and broadcast television outlets , to carry Biden ’ s remarks and unscripted events in their entirety , ” Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale said in a statement .
“ The failure to expose the American people to these rambling displays of incoherence , ineptitude , and forgetfulness is depriving voters of a clear picture of Biden ’ s inability to execute the duties of the office he seeks .
Stop protecting Biden .
Air the events .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The months Vice President Joe Biden spent in his basement were good ones for his campaign. From March 10, the day Biden retreated to his recreation room-turned-broadcast center, until May 26, when he and his wife emerged to attend a Memorial Day service, Biden’s lead over incumbent Republican President Donald Trump in public polling swelled.
Since then, Biden hasn’t exactly started criss-crossing the country. All of his public events in recent weeks have been in the Philadelphia metro area, and he flew to Houston to meet privately with the family of George Floyd. And in that time, which coincided with Trump’s near-constant delivery of divisive rhetoric about the death of George Floyd, racism and police brutality, Biden’s lead has grown even more.
Advertisement
This trend has led to a loose conventional wisdom that Biden should continue to shun the spotlight. After all, Biden has a penchant for gaffes or cringe-worthy lines, and campaign officials have long said a straight-up referendum on Trump is a race they win ― an idea many Republican strategists agree with.
“People say all the time, ‘Oh, we got to get the vice president out of the basement,’” former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Biden ally and advisor, told a group of Democrats in footage obtained by Fox News. “He’s fine in the basement. Two people see him a day: his two body people. That’s it. Let Trump keep doing what Trump’s doing.”
Biden’s team and other Democrats, however, are increasingly battling for more news coverage of the former vice president. While Biden’s lead in public polling is substantial ― essentially every political forecaster of note believes Biden is a heavy favorite to win the presidency at the moment ― he still has weaknesses that can’t be solved by simply sitting back and hoping Trump’s racism and lack of interest in battling the coronavirus continue to alienate swing voters.
A CNN poll earlier this week that showed Biden with an enormous lead over Trump also found that a significant majority of his supporters, 60%, were backing Biden primarily as a way to vote against Trump. By comparison, 70% of the Trump backers said they were voting mostly as a way to support the president.
Advertisement
So while Biden’s dominance among swing voters has given him a formidable lead, the lack of enthusiasm for the Democrat ― especially among young, progressive and Latino voters ― could dog him if that dominant position weakens in the fall. And while Biden has moved to the left on a host of issues, including student debt, and will unveil a plan for Latinos soon, it’s difficult for his campaign to fix its enthusiasm problems without voters hearing from him directly.
Guy Cecil, the chair of Priorities USA, the largest Democratic super PAC, downplayed Biden’s enthusiasm problems, pointing out that Trump was able to win in 2016 even though most of his supporters said they were primarily casting ballots against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. But he was also pleased that Biden had adopted a more active posture.
“What you’re starting to see over the last week is an increasingly public Biden campaign, the vice president himself getting out there more ... and more public activities,” Cecil told reporters during a briefing earlier this week, noting the Biden campaign had dramatically increased its spending on Facebook. (In the past week, Biden has spent $2.6 million on the platform, more than twice what the Trump campaign has spent.)
The Biden team argues that the vice president has never been as absent as some of his critics claim; he’s participated in more than 50 television interviews since the start of the pandemic. But Biden’s increased activity doesn’t mean much if voters don’t see it, and campaign staffers are often frustrated by the lack of coverage many of the vice president’s events receive, especially when a stray Trump utterance while waiting for Marine One can drive a news cycle.
“There are two candidates running for president of the United States, and they both deserve to make their case to the American people,” said T.J. Ducklo, a Biden campaign spokesman. “We’re not piloting a mini-series here. This is about our country’s future.”
Advertisement
Essentially, Democrats and the Biden campaign are arguing that news organizations allowing Trump to dominate coverage are putting a thumb on the scale in the same way they did in 2016, when Trump won the GOP nomination on the back of $2 billion’s worth of earned media.
“In 2016, the networks greatly advantaged Trump with billions of dollars worth of free airtime, and that’s a large part of why he was elected. There’s been no reckoning since,” said Eric Schultz, a former White House spokesman and an adviser to former President Barack Obama. “There’s been no sign of soul-searching ever since. Executives have been clear that he’s good for business, that he’s good for profits.”
Behind the scenes, the Biden campaign has been pushing the cable news networks to take him live more frequently, and for nightly network newscasts to increase coverage of his events after-the-fact, with mixed results. Earlier this month, Biden gave a speech on race, which was heavily covered, but most of his subsequent events have gotten little live coverage.
The Thursday rollout of a plan to reopen the economy, which included provisions to guarantee coronavirus testing and personal protective equipment for workers and the creation of a workforce of 100,000 contract tracers, did little to drive the news cycle.
But two stray comments from Biden ― questioning whether Trump would accept an election loss during an interview with Trevor Noah on “The Daily Show,” and calling the president’s coronavirus failures “almost criminal” during a tele-town hall with members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees ― picked up some attention.
Advertisement
Republicans have reacted to Biden’s push for more media coverage with at least a facade of glee, reflecting how Biden’s increasing visibility will almost certainly generate more moments for the Republican National Committee to clip and blast out on Twitter.
“We formally join Joe Biden’s campaign in their call for the national news media, particularly cable and broadcast television outlets, to carry Biden’s remarks and unscripted events in their entirety,” Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale said in a statement. “The failure to expose the American people to these rambling displays of incoherence, ineptitude, and forgetfulness is depriving voters of a clear picture of Biden’s inability to execute the duties of the office he seeks. Stop protecting Biden. Air the events.”