huffpost--2020-04-12--Billie Eilish Reacts To Being Body-Shamed Over Bikini Pic: 'I Can't Win'

Billie Eilish is a multiplatinum , Grammy-winning teen musical sensation , but , of course , all anyone can talk about is what she ’ s wearing .
The 18-year-old , who prefers to sport baggy clothes that cover up her body , has faced public scrutiny over her signature sense of style ever since she popped up on the music scene .
But whenever she wears something out of character ― say , for example , a totally normal bathing suit ― the trolls come knocking on her virtual door with predictably misogynistic vitriol .
Eilish told Dazed magazine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slut-shamed for posting a photo of herself in a bikini , leaving her feeling like she “ can ’ t win ” in in the public eye .
“ ’ I saw comments like , ‘ How dare she talk about not wanting to be sexualized and wear this ?
!
’ ” she told the outlet about the backlash .
“ It was trending .
There were comments like , ‘ I don ’ t like her anymore because as soon as she turns 18 she ’ s a whore.
’ Like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win .
I can not win.
” The post from the “ Bad Guy ” singer ’ s trip to Kaua ’ i , Hawaii , in January is completely innocuous .
She ’ s just showing a bit more skin that usual .
“ There was a point last year where I was naked and I didn ’ t recognize my body ’ cause I hadn ’ t seen it in a while , ” she said .
“ I would see it sometimes and be like , ‘ Whose body is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not that I like [ my body ] now , ” she added .
“ I just think I ’ m a bit more OK with it.
” Eilish has been candid about the sometimes “ toxic relationship ” she has with her body , saying she has experienced periods of body dysmorphia , depression and self-harm over the years .
“ If I wore a dress to something , I would be hated for it , ” she told Dazed .
“ People would be like , ‘ You ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ ve always rebelled against ?
’ I ’ m like , ‘ I ’ m not rebelling against anything , really.
’ I can ’ t stress it enough .
I ’ m just wearing what I wan na wear .
If there ’ s a day when I ’ m like , ‘ You know what , I feel comfortable with my belly right now , and I wan na show my belly , ’ I should be allowed to do that.
” Eilish directly addressed her critics during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Go ?
” tour in Miami last month , which has since been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic .
In a powerful video interlude , the singer said she would “ never be able to move ” if she let everybody ’ s opinions “ about my music , about my clothes , about my body ” go unchecked .
“ If what I wear is comfortable , I am not a woman .
If I shed the layers , I am a slut , ” she said in the clip , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herself into a pool of black water .
“ Is my value based only on your perception ?
Or is your opinion of me not my responsibility ?
”

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Billie Eilish is a multiplatinum, Grammy-winning teen musical sensation, but, of course, all anyone can talk about is what she’s wearing.
The 18-year-old, who prefers to sport baggy clothes that cover up her body, has faced public scrutiny over her signature sense of style ever since she popped up on the music scene.
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But whenever she wears something out of character ― say, for example, a totally normal bathing suit ― the trolls come knocking on her virtual door with predictably misogynistic vitriol.
Eilish told Dazed magazine this week that she is still being slut-shamed for posting a photo of herself in a bikini, leaving her feeling like she “can’t win” in in the public eye.
“’I saw comments like, ‘How dare she talk about not wanting to be sexualized and wear this?!’” she told the outlet about the backlash. “It was trending. There were comments like, ‘I don’t like her anymore because as soon as she turns 18 she’s a whore.’ Like, dude. I can’t win. I cannot win.”
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The post from the “Bad Guy” singer’s trip to Kaua’i, Hawaii, in January is completely innocuous. She’s just showing a bit more skin that usual.
The negative comments and her own struggle with insecurities issues led Eilish to fixate on her self-image.
“There was a point last year where I was naked and I didn’t recognize my body ’cause I hadn’t seen it in a while,” she said. “I would see it sometimes and be like, ‘Whose body is that?’”
“It’s not that I like [my body] now,” she added. “I just think I’m a bit more OK with it.”
Eilish has been candid about the sometimes “toxic relationship” she has with her body, saying she has experienced periods of body dysmorphia, depression and self-harm over the years.
She has naturally gravitated toward baggier clothes, which Eilish said has introduced problems as well.
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“If I wore a dress to something, I would be hated for it,” she told Dazed. “People would be like, ‘You’ve changed, how dare you do what you’ve always rebelled against?’ I’m like, ‘I’m not rebelling against anything, really.’ I can’t stress it enough. I’m just wearing what I wanna wear. If there’s a day when I’m like, ‘You know what, I feel comfortable with my belly right now, and I wanna show my belly,’ I should be allowed to do that.”
VIDEO: In an interlude, Billie takes off her hoodie and blouse, while speaking about body shaming. #WDWGMiamipic.twitter.com/XY9L00ntlb — Eilish Tour News (@EilishTourNews) March 10, 2020
Eilish directly addressed her critics during the kickoff of her “Where Do We Go?” tour in Miami last month, which has since been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In a powerful video interlude, the singer said she would “never be able to move” if she let everybody’s opinions “about my music, about my clothes, about my body” go unchecked.


huffpost--2020-03-25--The Megan Thee Stallion-Approved ‘Savage Challenge’ Is Helping Keep Us All Sane

That ’ s thanks to Keara Wilson , the 19-year-old creator of the viral “ Savage ” challenge .
For the past month , the native of Mansfield , Ohio , had been creating and posting original choreography to different songs .
She first posted her dance on TikTok on March 10 .
She posted a second video of herself doing the dance the following day with the caption “ day 2 doing my dance till it goes viral.
” “ I was like OK , this is wild .
I was in disbelief the whole day .
I didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was in tears .
It was just a dream come true , ” she told HuffPost .
“ I ’ m still speechless now .
This has been an accomplishment for me .
This is crazy .
And it ’ s MY dance .
That ’ s what makes it crazy.
” Wilson , who danced competitively for 10 years and cheered for four , said it took her about an hour or two to create the choreography for the challenge .
She changed the ending a few times to see which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a hype , energetic dance with Wilson ’ s personality etched into its DNA .
“ In my dancing , I do a lot of facial expressions , and I think that ’ s why I get a lot of attention , ” she told HuffPost .
“ I ’ m hitting every beat with a different facial expression or , like , making a different face or something that goes with it.
” Since March 11 , Wilson ’ s video has been watched about 4.1 million times on TikTok and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thee Stallion ’ s Instagram .
Social media users have flooded TikTok and Instagram with hundreds of thousands of videos putting their own creative spin on the challenge .
The rapper has posted several compilations of the dance on her Instagram , including the moves of celebrities like Marsai Martin , Ryan Destiny , Normani , Keke Palmer and , of course , her own .
The “ Savage ” challenge has provided a great escape for those stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Wilson said many of her followers have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of levity .
“ I actually have had a lot of people tell me , ‘ Thank you so much for making up this dance , we needed this , this is perfect for this time , ’ ” she said .
“ I ’ ve gotten comments like , when people don ’ t tag me when they do the dance , other people would be like , ‘ You should tag the creator ’ and stuff .
It ’ s great .
I have so much support from my fans.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just as helpful for her .
She planned on enlisting in the Air Force before the pandemic struck , but those plans have been put on pause for now .
In the meantime , she ’ s been spending time with her sister in Texas , making TikTok videos and focusing on her passion , choreography .
Over the weekend , “ Savage ” hit No .
1 on the iTunes Hip-Hop/Rap chart .
A big part of that success is thanks to Wilson ’ s TikTok video .
She said that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to contribute to someone else ’ s art .
Though she hasn ’ t met Megan yet , she ’ s hoping that will change soon .
She has a message ready for her if she ever gets the chance : “ I would like to thank [ Megan ] for posting me and I would love to be in her next music video and to teach her my dance face to face , ” Wilson said .
“ I just want to meet her .
”

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Megan Thee Stallio n’s single “Savage” is quickly becoming a part of the soundtrack to social distancing.
That’s thanks to Keara Wilson, the 19-year-old creator of the viral “Savage” challenge. For the past month, the native of Mansfield, Ohio, had been creating and posting original choreography to different songs.
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She first posted her dance on TikTok on March 10. She posted a second video of herself doing the dance the following day with the caption “day 2 doing my dance till it goes viral.”
And shortly after, it did. It gained so much traction that the “Suga” rapper herself shared Wilson’s video on Instagram on March 15.
Wilson said she was in shock when she saw Megan’s post, and she still is.
“I was like OK, this is wild. I was in disbelief the whole day. I didn’t know what to say, I was in tears. It was just a dream come true,” she told HuffPost. “I’m still speechless now. This has been an accomplishment for me. This is crazy. And it’s MY dance. That’s what makes it crazy.”
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Wilson, who danced competitively for 10 years and cheered for four, said it took her about an hour or two to create the choreography for the challenge. She changed the ending a few times to see which version was the best. The result is a hype, energetic dance with Wilson’s personality etched into its DNA.
“In my dancing, I do a lot of facial expressions, and I think that’s why I get a lot of attention,” she told HuffPost. “I’m hitting every beat with a different facial expression or, like, making a different face or something that goes with it.”
Since March 11, Wilson’s video has been watched about 4.1 million times on TikTok and has nearly 4 million views on Megan Thee Stallion’s Instagram. Social media users have flooded TikTok and Instagram with hundreds of thousands of videos putting their own creative spin on the challenge.
The rapper has posted several compilations of the dance on her Instagram, including the moves of celebrities like Marsai Martin, Ryan Destiny, Normani, Keke Palmer and, of course, her own.
Advertisement
The “Savage” challenge has provided a great escape for those stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wilson said many of her followers have expressed gratitude for her creating a source of levity.
“I actually have had a lot of people tell me, ‘Thank you so much for making up this dance, we needed this, this is perfect for this time,’” she said. “I’ve gotten comments like, when people don’t tag me when they do the dance, other people would be like, ‘You should tag the creator’ and stuff. It’s great. I have so much support from my fans.”
Wilson also said the attention has been just as helpful for her. She planned on enlisting in the Air Force before the pandemic struck, but those plans have been put on pause for now. In the meantime, she’s been spending time with her sister in Texas, making TikTok videos and focusing on her passion, choreography.
Over the weekend, “Savage” hit No. 1 on the iTunes Hip-Hop/Rap chart. A big part of that success is thanks to Wilson’s TikTok video. She said that it’s a blessing to be able to contribute to someone else’s art. Though she hasn’t met Megan yet, she’s hoping that will change soon. She has a message ready for her if she ever gets the chance:
“I would like to thank [Megan] for posting me and I would love to be in her next music video and to teach her my dance face to face,” Wilson said. “I just want to meet her.”


huffpost--2020-04-12--Republican Gov. Disputes Trump Claim About Medical Equipment Availability

Hogan , chair of the National Governors Association , said on ABC ’ s “ This Week ” that governors still have “ tremendous needs , ” and that it was inaccurate to suggest otherwise .
The Trump administration has tried to cobble together a belated response to the pandemic after initially dismissing concerns being raised about the coronavirus as a “ hoax ” and downplaying its impact .
As death and infection numbers have grown and states have shuttered due to stay-at-home orders , Trump and many administration officials have altered their rhetoric to suggest they have been doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beginning .
“ This Week ” host Martha Raddatz asked Hogan about Trump ’ s claim at a Friday White House briefing that “ we ’ re in great shape with ” ventilators and claimed not to have received “ any calls ” from governors in need of critical medical supplies .
Seconds later , Trump said his administration was receiving “ very few ” calls from governors or “ anybody else needing anything.
” “ Well , I get calls every day ” on the need for supplies , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Pence had participated in some of those conference calls with various governors .
“ I ’ d hate to say that everybody ’ s completely happy and that we have everything we need , ” Hogan said , while noting the federal response has improved .
“ Everybody still has tremendous needs on personal protective equipment and ventilators and all of these things that you keep hearing about , ” he said .
“ Everybody ’ s fighting to find these things all over the nation and all over the world.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on needs of governors , NGA Chair Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan says states have “ certainly seen an improvement , ” but “ to say that everybody ’ s completely happy and that we have everything we need is not quite accurate.
” https : //t.co/MEryDN0P8i pic.twitter.com/jJjFAuLOjy — This Week ( @ ThisWeekABC ) April 12 , 2020 New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy ( D ) echoed Hogan ’ s comments in a Sunday interview on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union ” , saying his state is struggling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just about every item needed to combat the virus , from ventilators to medicine .
NJ Gov .
Murphy on his state 's needs : `` We 're fighting to stay ahead on bed capacity , ventilators that are constantly running thin , the medicine you need for those ventilators , the personal protective equipment and the relief from the bullpen for our health care workers '' # CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/k4VhOBdl9m — State of the Union ( @ CNNSotu ) April 12 , 2020 As of Friday , all 50 states plus the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Washington , D.C. , Guam and Puerto Rico were under a federal disaster declaration simultaneously for the first time in U.S. history .
More than 500,000 cases of COVID-19 , the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus , have been reported in the nation resulting in more than 20,000 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to advise Americans to practice social distancing― or self-isolation ― to curb the spread of the virus .
The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end to social distancing measures by the end of this month to “ reopen ” the economy by May 1 , alarming public health officials .
Murphy , whose state has been among the hardest hit by the pandemic , said on CNN that doing so could be disastrous .
“ I fear , if we open up too early , and we have not sufficiently made that health recovery and cracked the back of this virus , that we could be pouring gasoline on the fire , ” he said .

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Gov. Larry Hogan (R-Md.) on Sunday contradicted President Donald Trump’s rosy reviews of the federal government’s ability to provide states with the vital medical equipment needed to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Hogan, chair of the National Governors Association, said on ABC’s “This Week” that governors still have “tremendous needs,” and that it was inaccurate to suggest otherwise.
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The Trump administration has tried to cobble together a belated response to the pandemic after initially dismissing concerns being raised about the coronavirus as a “hoax” and downplaying its impact. As death and infection numbers have grown and states have shuttered due to stay-at-home orders, Trump and many administration officials have altered their rhetoric to suggest they have been doing all they could to fight it from the beginning.
Gov. Larry Hogan (R-Md.) took early and aggressive action to stem the spread of the coronavirus in his state. Baltimore Sun via Getty Images
“This Week” host Martha Raddatz asked Hogan about Trump’s claim at a Friday White House briefing that “we’re in great shape with” ventilators and claimed not to have received “any calls” from governors in need of critical medical supplies. Seconds later, Trump said his administration was receiving “very few” calls from governors or “anybody else needing anything.”
Hogan disputed that characterization.
“Well, I get calls every day” on the need for supplies, he said, adding neither Trump nor Vice President Mike Pence had participated in some of those conference calls with various governors.
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“I’d hate to say that everybody’s completely happy and that we have everything we need,” Hogan said, while noting the federal response has improved.
“Everybody still has tremendous needs on personal protective equipment and ventilators and all of these things that you keep hearing about,” he said. “Everybody’s fighting to find these things all over the nation and all over the world.”
In response to President Trump's comments on needs of governors, NGA Chair Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says states have “certainly seen an improvement,” but “to say that everybody’s completely happy and that we have everything we need is not quite accurate.” https://t.co/MEryDN0P8i pic.twitter.com/jJjFAuLOjy — This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 12, 2020
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) echoed Hogan’s comments in a Sunday interview on CNN’s “State of the Union”, saying his state is struggling to keep up with the demand for just about every item needed to combat the virus, from ventilators to medicine.
NJ Gov. Murphy on his state's needs: "We're fighting to stay ahead on bed capacity, ventilators that are constantly running thin, the medicine you need for those ventilators, the personal protective equipment and the relief from the bullpen for our health care workers" #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/k4VhOBdl9m — State of the Union (@CNNSotu) April 12, 2020
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As of Friday, all 50 states plus the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Washington, D.C., Guam and Puerto Rico were under a federal disaster declaration simultaneously for the first time in U.S. history.
More than 500,000 cases of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus, have been reported in the nation resulting in more than 20,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to advise Americans to practice social distancing― or self-isolation ― to curb the spread of the virus.
The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Trump has floated the idea of encouraging an end to social distancing measures by the end of this month to “reopen” the economy by May 1, alarming public health officials.
Murphy, whose state has been among the hardest hit by the pandemic, said on CNN that doing so could be disastrous.
“I fear, if we open up too early, and we have not sufficiently made that health recovery and cracked the back of this virus, that we could be pouring gasoline on the fire,” he said.


huffpost--2020-04-12--Kate McKinnon's Ruth Bader Ginsburg Comes Back To 'SNL' With A Wild Workout Video

Kate McKinnon brought one of her most popular characters to “ Saturday Night Live ” this weekend for the program @ @ @ @ @ due to coronavirus .
While acting as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a @ @ @ @ @ a collar and a sweatshirt reading “ Super Diva.
” She explained she ’ d @ @ @ @ @ muscle groups : “ abs , gams , tuchus and chicken wings — and critical @ @ @ @ @ off her “ Kavanaugh and Gorsuch ” punching bags ― named after two conservative justices @ @ @ @ @ as weights .
McKinnon ’ s Ginsburg said that apparently coronavirus came from a “ @ @ @ @ @ makes me wonder : What was Giuliani doing in China ?
” she asked .
@ @ @ @ @ .
Check it out in the video above .

Kate McKinnon brought one of her most popular characters to “Saturday Night Live” this weekend for the program’s first-ever stay-at-home episode due to coronavirus.
While acting as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a workout video, McKinnon wore a collar and a sweatshirt reading “Super Diva.” She explained she’d be addressing all the major muscle groups: “abs, gams, tuchus and chicken wings — and critical thinking.”
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She then showed off her “Kavanaugh and Gorsuch” punching bags ― named after two conservative justices ― and lifted two Q-tips as weights.
McKinnon’s Ginsburg said that apparently coronavirus came from a “sick bat.”
“Which makes me wonder: What was Giuliani doing in China?” she asked.


huffpost--2020-04-18--Grieving At Home, Kids Face Their Teachers' Deaths

Eighth grader Kiara Dokes in Detroit never knew her father , and she usually has a hard time getting along with adult men , her mom said .
But at the beginning of the school year , Kiara met Thomas Fields , the culture facilitator at her school .
He became “ like another father to me , ” Kiara said .
Hundreds of miles away , in New Jersey , high school senior Que ’ jon Malawo has spent years turning to case manager Javiera Rodriguez for help .
They first met his freshman year , and since then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go-to ” person for all things academic and personal , her office a haven of warmth and safety .
“ She was like a second mother to me , ” he said .
Fields and Rodriguez both passed away in recent weeks , falling victim to the coronavirus .
There is no official number on how many teachers and school staff members have passed .
The American Federation of Teachers , the nation ’ s second largest teachers union , has lost at least 65 of its educators and 10 retirees , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City , the American epicenter of the outbreak , at least 50 school staff members have passed away , according to the New York City Department of Education .
When teachers and school staff members die , they leave behind friends , family , colleagues .
They also leave behind hundreds of children and teenagers whom they see nearly everyday .
With widespread school closures , children have been left to grieve in isolation , sometimes experiencing the tragedy of death for the first time .
HuffPost spoke with 15 students , parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how these losses are impacting their school communities .
Sometimes , parents have been the ones to tell their kids that their favorite teacher passed .
Sometimes kids have found out on social media .
Kiara Dokes was with a friend when her mom called to tell her about the passing of Fields , a 32-year-old who worked at Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy .
But Kiara already knew .
Word spreads fast among kids .
Both mother and daughter had difficulty finding the words .
It took them two days to talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning by the door .
Parents described him as a gentle giant , and his smiling face at the entrance of the building grew to symbolize safety .
As the school culture facilitator , he was firm , but always kind .
His expectations were clear , but he laughed easily .
Parents had voted him employee of the month in February , just a few weeks before he died .
He didn ’ t live long enough to receive the plaque .
His face is now the screensaver of Kiara ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there for motivation .
When she gets upset , her mom says to look at his picture and imagine what he would do in the situation .
Another parent , Melissa Redmond , is fashioning her 13-year-old son a tag to wear around his neck with Fields ’ face on it , so that he ’ ll remember Fields as an angel watching over him .
When her son found out from social media that Fields had died , he couldn ’ t believe it and started lashing out in anger .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell him that God wanted [ Fields ] more than we did , ” said Redmond , speaking through tears .
“ I try to tell him [ Fields ] is a light now .
He ’ s always going to shine down on you.
” Fields used to play basketball with Redmond ’ s son .
Sometimes Fields would drive him home .
They would talk about grades and girls and college .
If her son got in trouble , Fields would push him to do better .
For Fields , discipline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be going on in students ’ lives that might be causing the behavior .
He was always trying to better someone , said Redmond .
Saying Goodbye To Second Families The best way Malawo can think to honor Rodriguez is to refuse to let this grief define his future decisions ; to live up to the example she set ; to make the woman who he said had a contagious smile proud from her resting place .
“ I ’ m going to be thinking about her every time I ’ m doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get there , ” said Malawo , who is set to graduate this year .
“ I ’ m going to keep going for her.
” Rodriguez started working in the district 10 years ago and counseled students with special needs or who were struggling in school .
Her students and peers call her bright , strong , charismatic and tireless , possessing a unique ability to light up any room .
She had a gift for connecting students and colleagues alike with the resources they needed and making them feel like part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leyna Ventoso recalls a time when Rodriguez called her into her office to discuss her grades .
Ventoso was on the edge of failing .
She thought Rodriguez was calling to yell at her , but it was the opposite .
Rodriguez was calling to offer a hand .
Together , they went to Ventoso ’ s teachers to work through the issues she was having .

Eighth grader Kiara Dokes in Detroit never knew her father, and she usually has a hard time getting along with adult men, her mom said. But at the beginning of the school year, Kiara met Thomas Fields, the culture facilitator at her school. He became “like another father to me,” Kiara said.
Hundreds of miles away, in New Jersey, high school senior Que’jon Malawo has spent years turning to case manager Javiera Rodriguez for help. They first met his freshman year, and since then, she’s become his “go-to” person for all things academic and personal, her office a haven of warmth and safety. “She was like a second mother to me,” he said.
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Fields and Rodriguez both passed away in recent weeks, falling victim to the coronavirus. There is no official number on how many teachers and school staff members have passed. The American Federation of Teachers, the nation’s second largest teachers union, has lost at least 65 of its educators and 10 retirees, a spokesperson told HuffPost. In New York City, the American epicenter of the outbreak, at least 50 school staff members have passed away, according to the New York City Department of Education.
When teachers and school staff members die, they leave behind friends, family, colleagues. They also leave behind hundreds of children and teenagers whom they see nearly everyday. With widespread school closures, children have been left to grieve in isolation, sometimes experiencing the tragedy of death for the first time.
Schools have been offering counseling and holding online vigils. But without face-to-face interaction, it’s hard to know which students are struggling.
“We worry constantly that a student is going to be in need and we wouldn’t know it,” said Todd Minichello, the school counseling coordinator for Rockwood School District in Missouri. The district recently lost guidance counselor Sandy Kearney, who worked in its schools for over 30 years.
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The current crisis has only further illuminated the role that schools play in neighborhoods: They feed hungry children, they provide medical and mental health care. Vigilant educators and staff members make sure that children are clean, clothed and safe. Schools are mini-universes, with classrooms providing the structure of artificial families.
When schools reopen, students’ returns may be marked by the gaping holes they find at the center of their school communities, their second mothers and fathers gone.
Tokens Of Grief
HuffPost spoke with 15 students, parents and school employees around the country about how these losses are impacting their school communities. Sometimes, parents have been the ones to tell their kids that their favorite teacher passed. Sometimes kids have found out on social media.
Kiara Dokes was with a friend when her mom called to tell her about the passing of Fields, a 32-year-old who worked at Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy. But Kiara already knew. Word spreads fast among kids. Both mother and daughter had difficulty finding the words. It took them two days to talk without crying.
Fields attended Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy as a kid. He went to college and served in the Navy before returning to work at his alma mater at the beginning of this school year. He quickly became a community staple.
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He greeted children every morning by the door. Parents described him as a gentle giant, and his smiling face at the entrance of the building grew to symbolize safety. As the school culture facilitator, he was firm, but always kind. His expectations were clear, but he laughed easily. Parents had voted him employee of the month in February, just a few weeks before he died. He didn’t live long enough to receive the plaque.
His face is now the screensaver of Kiara’s phone. She’s keeping it there for motivation. When she gets upset, her mom says to look at his picture and imagine what he would do in the situation.
“He just loved Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy. And we loved him just as much as he loved us,” said Katherine Dokes, Kiara’s mom, who works as a lunch aide at the school and is active in the PTA.
Another parent, Melissa Redmond, is fashioning her 13-year-old son a tag to wear around his neck with Fields’ face on it, so that he’ll remember Fields as an angel watching over him. When her son found out from social media that Fields had died, he couldn’t believe it and started lashing out in anger.
“I had to sit him down and tell him that God wanted [Fields] more than we did,” said Redmond, speaking through tears. “I try to tell him [Fields] is a light now. He’s always going to shine down on you.”
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Fields used to play basketball with Redmond’s son. Sometimes Fields would drive him home. They would talk about grades and girls and college. If her son got in trouble, Fields would push him to do better. For Fields, discipline was about figuring out what else could be going on in students’ lives that might be causing the behavior. He was always trying to better someone, said Redmond.
Next year, returning to school without Fields, is “going to be a struggle. The children feel like they were stripped of him. And a lot of them don’t understand,” Redmond said.
Saying Goodbye To Second Families
In New Jersey, school was never easy for Becton Regional High School senior Que’jon Malawo. The teen, at times, found himself on the edge of expulsion. But Javiera Rodriguez, a case manager on the school’s child study team, “broke her back” toiling late into the night to make sure it never happened.
The 43-year-old advocated for Malawo. She helped him find a job. She worked with him on his relationship with his father.
She was a “second mother,” a confidant, an “inspiration.”
“She taught me how to be strong,” said Malawo.
The best way Malawo can think to honor Rodriguez is to refuse to let this grief define his future decisions; to live up to the example she set; to make the woman who he said had a contagious smile proud from her resting place.
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“I’m going to be thinking about her every time I’m doing something right. How she helped me get there,” said Malawo, who is set to graduate this year. “I’m going to keep going for her.”
Rodriguez started working in the district 10 years ago and counseled students with special needs or who were struggling in school. Her students and peers call her bright, strong, charismatic and tireless, possessing a unique ability to light up any room. She had a gift for connecting students and colleagues alike with the resources they needed and making them feel like part of a close-knit family.
Tenth grader Leyna Ventoso recalls a time when Rodriguez called her into her office to discuss her grades. Ventoso was on the edge of failing. She thought Rodriguez was calling to yell at her, but it was the opposite. Rodriguez was calling to offer a hand. Together, they went to Ventoso’s teachers to work through the issues she was having.
“She was always there for everyone,” Ventoso said.
Ventoso spent nearly every lunch period in Rodriguez’s office with a group of about eight other students. Rodriguez would serve students tea; they would play board games and relax. It became a safe space amid the organized chaos of high school.
It’s hard to imagine what school will be like when it reopens without Rodriguez’s magnetic presence, said Ventoso.
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huffpost--2020-04-18--No Plan In Sight: Test Troubles Cloud Trump Recovery Effort

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The United States is struggling to test enough people to track and control the spread of the novel coronavirus , a crucial first step to reopening parts of the economy , which President Donald Trump is pushing to do by May 1 .
But more than a month after he declared , “ Anybody who wants a test , can get a test , ” the reality has been much different .
People report being unable to get tested .
Labs and public officials say critical supply shortages are making it impossible to increase testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep the virus in check .
“ There are places that have enough test swabs , but not enough workers to administer them .
There are places that are limiting tests because of the CDC criteria on who should get tested , ” said Dr. Megan Ranney an emergency doctor and associate professor at Brown University .
“ There ’ s just so many inefficiencies and problems with the way that testing currently happens across this country.
” This week governors , physician groups and laboratory directors called on the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gear and highly specialized laboratory chemicals needed to analyze the virus ’ genetic material .
Hospitals and state health departments report scouring the globe to secure orders , competing against each other and their peers abroad in a system that Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , D-N.Y. , described as “ mayhem.
” Trump has denied that the U.S. has fallen short , asserting that the U.S. has the “ most expansive and accurate testing system anywhere in the world.
” Only in recent days has the U.S. surpassed the rate of testing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one test for every 100 people .
Vice President Mike Pence told reporters Monday that if governors “ would simply activate ” underused high-capacity testing machines , “ we could double the amount of testing in the U.S. literally overnight.
” Democratic Gov .
Laura Kelly of Kansas , whose state has one of the lowest per capita testing rates in the country , told CNN it has been difficult to get testing supplies .
Gov .
Jim Justice , R-W.Va. , a Trump ally , said testing needs to be stepped up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rodriguez , a pharmacy technician at a major retail chain in California , said she was sent home by her employer last week after coming down with symptoms .
Her company would not test her , and she spent hours on the phone trying to find a place that would , she said .
The San Luis Obispo County health department can only test 50 samples per day , and a spokeswoman said those tests are reserved for people who are hospitalized , first responders and those who have had contact with people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t qualify .
Another clinic told her she might have to pay $ 150 if it determined she did not fit its test criteria .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .
Lab officials and health expert told The Associated Press that supply shortages have prompted them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That can leave out people who have symptoms but aren ’ t sick enough to be hospitalized , or people who have no symptoms and might unwittingly spread the virus .
Experts say it will be crucial to test those people if the economy is to reopen .
Ed Thornborrow , medical director of the University of California at San Francisco Clinical Microbiology Laboratory , said he wants to run 3,000 tests per day , but he can only do 100 to 250 now because he lacks enough nasal swabs .
He works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March , Trump announced a plan for nationwide testing via drive-thru sites at chains such as Walmart and Target , linked by a Google-affiliated website .
Six weeks later , the website is a pilot program available in just four California counties .
Few of the retailers ’ sites have opened , and executives from companies including Walgreens have said they are waiting for direction from the federal government .
Rhode Island received only 120 , much fewer than they were promised .
Raimondo said when the state tried to get more , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cartridges directed her to the federal government , which in turn told her to go directly to the companies .
The state has now received 850 tests , far fewer than it requested , Raimondo said Friday .

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is struggling to test enough people to track and control the spread of the novel coronavirus, a crucial first step to reopening parts of the economy, which President Donald Trump is pushing to do by May 1.
Trump on Thursday released a plan to ease business restriction that hinges on a downward trajectory of positive tests.
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But more than a month after he declared, “Anybody who wants a test, can get a test,” the reality has been much different. People report being unable to get tested. Labs and public officials say critical supply shortages are making it impossible to increase testing to the levels experts say is necessary to keep the virus in check.
“There are places that have enough test swabs, but not enough workers to administer them. There are places that are limiting tests because of the CDC criteria on who should get tested,” said Dr. Megan Ranney an emergency doctor and associate professor at Brown University. “There’s just so many inefficiencies and problems with the way that testing currently happens across this country.”
Trump’s plan envisions setting up “sentinel surveillance sites” that would screen people without symptoms in locations that serve older people or minority populations. Experts say testing would have to increase as much as threefold to be effective.
The plan pushes responsibility for testing onto states.
“You know, the federal government shouldn’t be forced to go and do everything,” Trump told reporters Thursday.
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But state and local officials as well as lab managers say they cannot expand testing until there are more supplies.
This week governors, physician groups and laboratory directors called on the Trump administration to address shortages of swabs, protective gear and highly specialized laboratory chemicals needed to analyze the virus’ genetic material. Hospitals and state health departments report scouring the globe to secure orders, competing against each other and their peers abroad in a system that Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y., described as “mayhem.”
“The federal government cannot wipe their hands of this and say, ‘Oh, the states are responsible for testing,’” Cuomo said Friday as he complained of a shortage of chemicals manufactured in China. “I don’t do China relations. I don’t do international supply chain.”
Trump has denied that the U.S. has fallen short, asserting that the U.S. has the “most expansive and accurate testing system anywhere in the world.” Only in recent days has the U.S. surpassed the rate of testing in South Korea, which has conducted about one test for every 100 people. Vice President Mike Pence told reporters Monday that if governors “would simply activate” underused high-capacity testing machines, “we could double the amount of testing in the U.S. literally overnight.”
“That is not the experience in Rhode Island,” said Gov. Gina Raimondo, D-R.I.
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly of Kansas, whose state has one of the lowest per capita testing rates in the country, told CNN it has been difficult to get testing supplies. Gov. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., a Trump ally, said testing needs to be stepped up before he can lift restrictions.
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Jennifer Rodriguez, a pharmacy technician at a major retail chain in California, said she was sent home by her employer last week after coming down with symptoms. Her company would not test her, and she spent hours on the phone trying to find a place that would, she said.
The San Luis Obispo County health department can only test 50 samples per day, and a spokeswoman said those tests are reserved for people who are hospitalized, first responders and those who have had contact with people who tested positive. Rodriguez didn’t qualify. Another clinic told her she might have to pay $150 if it determined she did not fit its test criteria.
“I just feel like medical workers, or even people on the front line, they should have some kind of priority,” said Rodriguez.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
Lab officials and health expert told The Associated Press that supply shortages have prompted them to limit who can be tested. That can leave out people who have symptoms but aren’t sick enough to be hospitalized, or people who have no symptoms and might unwittingly spread the virus. Experts say it will be crucial to test those people if the economy is to reopen.
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Ed Thornborrow, medical director of the University of California at San Francisco Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, said he wants to run 3,000 tests per day, but he can only do 100 to 250 now because he lacks enough nasal swabs. He works constantly to find more.
“That’s what I spend most of my time on these days,” he said.
Meghan Delaney, chief of pathology and lab medicine at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, says shortages of chemicals known as reagents are constraining how many tests her lab can perform.
Vendors, in response, are restricting what hospitals can buy, said Dr. Robin Patel of the Mayo Clinic’s infectious disease laboratory.
“It’s a little bit like rationing,” Patel said.
In early March, Trump announced a plan for nationwide testing via drive-thru sites at chains such as Walmart and Target, linked by a Google-affiliated website. Six weeks later, the website is a pilot program available in just four California counties. Few of the retailers’ sites have opened, and executives from companies including Walgreens have said they are waiting for direction from the federal government.
Trump also has promoted a 15-minute test developed by Abbott Laboratories as a “game changer.” Federal officials initially distributed 15 machines to public health labs in each of the 50 states and U.S. territories, along with 250 to the Indian Health Service. Alaska received 50.
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But governors say they didn’t get enough cartridges needed to run large numbers of the Abbott tests.
Rhode Island received only 120, much fewer than they were promised. Raimondo said when the state tried to get more, Abbott and others that make the test cartridges directed her to the federal government, which in turn told her to go directly to the companies. The state has now received 850 tests, far fewer than it requested, Raimondo said Friday.
Federal health officials declined to say how many cartridges were initially sent to states, but said more will be available as Abbott increases production. The company says it is currently producing 50,000 cartridges daily.
The U.S. bungled its initial rollout due to flaws with the test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Precious time was wasted in February as the test was corrected and redistributed. Private labs at hospitals, universities and commercial companies weren’t fully enlisted in the effort until March.
The U.S. is currently testing roughly 145,000 people daily, for a total of 3.4 million results reported, according to state data compiled by the Covid Tracking Project. Public health experts say capacity needs to be much higher, in part to repeatedly test essential workers and to isolate those who test positive and to track down their close contacts to prevent new outbreaks.
“We still probably need to be doing three times more testing than we’re doing now,” said Dr. Ashish K. Jha, director of the Global Health Institute at Harvard. “I don’t see America getting by anytime soon with 100,000 to 150,000 tests.”
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___
Smith reported from Providence, Rhode Island.
___


huffpost--2020-04-18--COVID-19 Is Leaving Its Mark On The Cannabis Industry, Insiders Say

The lockdowns have forced cannabis insiders like Jones and others to rethink their 420 plans .
Although Jones may still be able to continue performing as the reggae legend online , he ’ s now focusing his business efforts on selling watches that have been permanently set at 4:20 for $ 4.20 each .
COVID-19 has had some interesting effects on the cannabis industry , including some that might be seen as positive , according to Emma Spivey , founder of Her Royal Hempress , a cannabis beauty brand .
“ The value of cannabis is much harder to dismiss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cope with one of the most stressful events of our lifetime , ” Spivey told HuffPost .
“ The pandemic has validated what many regular cannabis lovers have known for years — this healing plant is essential AF.
” But the need to self-quarantine has also changed how the wacky weed is enjoyed , admits Valarie Sakota , a co-founder of Barbari , a blend of herbal supplements designed to be smoked with marijuana .
“ Cannabis , especially smoking , is often such a social activity , ” Sakota told HuffPost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requires at least one other companion , and 4/20 has always been a day to meet up with friends or make new friends and celebrate the mind-opening , giggly , musky goodness that weed provides.
” “ I see a market split developing , ” Sadler told HuffPost .
“ There ’ s always going to be a demand for cannabis , but what people are willing to pay will change .
I think cannabis companies will have to adapt to this , whether it be through entry-level products offered at a lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a different demo.
” “ With a respiratory virus going around , I think anything that is not inhaled will be more popular than it was before COVID-19 with cannabis consumers , ” DeAngelo told HuffPost .
“ I love to inhale cannabis , but even I have cut down .
I see that trend holding.
” “ The issue with heavy users versus people with lower tolerance and less frequent use is basic economics , ” DeAngelo explained .
“ If you are a heavy user , you can not afford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the legal market , not here in California .
And the issue with the less frequent user is , you can not build a business on their backs .
You can supplement a business with them , but you need those heavy users to buy any retail product .
I don ’ t care what it is , the heavy user drives it .
Cannabis is no different.
” But growing the pot market in states where cannabis is legal will remain a challenge as long as it is illegal at the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vertosa , a company that makes cannabis infusions for beverages and other products .
“ In my eyes , the federal government has been criminally negligent in their classification of cannabis as a Schedule I drug , ” he told HuffPost .
“ There is a litany of evidence for the use of cannabis in medicine , and they have been aware of it for decades .
There is an industry attempting to play by the rules created by the states , yet no guaranteed banking for those organizations .
”

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Like many people working in the cannabis industry, Stephen Jones expected to make a lot of green around 420 this year.
Jones, a cannabis marketer and professional Bob Marley impersonator in San Diego, California, figured there would be massive 420 celebrations throughout April 2020.
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“The whole month is 420!” Jones told HuffPost, who said he was trying to organize a series of concerts and events before the coronavirus shut down public gatherings.
The lockdowns have forced cannabis insiders like Jones and others to rethink their 420 plans. Although Jones may still be able to continue performing as the reggae legend online, he’s now focusing his business efforts on selling watches that have been permanently set at 4:20 for $4.20 each.
San Diego-based cannabis marketer Stephen Jones also makes a living as a Bob Marley impersonator. Courtesy of Stephen Jones
COVID-19 has had some interesting effects on the cannabis industry, including some that might be seen as positive, according to Emma Spivey, founder of Her Royal Hempress, a cannabis beauty brand.
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“The value of cannabis is much harder to dismiss when millions of Americans use it daily to cope with one of the most stressful events of our lifetime,” Spivey told HuffPost. “The pandemic has validated what many regular cannabis lovers have known for years — this healing plant is essential AF.”
But the need to self-quarantine has also changed how the wacky weed is enjoyed, admits Valarie Sakota, a co-founder of Barbari, a blend of herbal supplements designed to be smoked with marijuana.
“Cannabis, especially smoking, is often such a social activity,” Sakota told HuffPost. “‘Puff puff pass’ requires at least one other companion, and 4/20 has always been a day to meet up with friends or make new friends and celebrate the mind-opening, giggly, musky goodness that weed provides.”
That lack of social contact is requiring cannabis companies to predict how it will affect future sales, according to George Sadler, president of Platinum, a San Diego-based cannabis company.
“I see a market split developing,” Sadler told HuffPost. “There’s always going to be a demand for cannabis, but what people are willing to pay will change. I think cannabis companies will have to adapt to this, whether it be through entry-level products offered at a lower price point or shifting their marketing dollars to a different demo.”
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The coronavirus may also shift cannabis sales toward products that don’t need to be smoked or vaped, according to cannabis industry consultant Andrew DeAngelo.
“With a respiratory virus going around, I think anything that is not inhaled will be more popular than it was before COVID-19 with cannabis consumers,” DeAngelo told HuffPost. “I love to inhale cannabis, but even I have cut down. I see that trend holding.”
“I think CBD will have a place in every medicine cabinet in the country, either as a topical or ingestible.” - Katie Stem, CEO of Peak Extracts
DeAngelo also said marijuana marketers are split between focusing on hardcore potheads or trying to capture the vast market of occasional users.
“The issue with heavy users versus people with lower tolerance and less frequent use is basic economics,” DeAngelo explained. “If you are a heavy user, you cannot afford to buy all of your cannabis in the legal market, not here in California. And the issue with the less frequent user is, you cannot build a business on their backs. You can supplement a business with them, but you need those heavy users to buy any retail product. I don’t care what it is, the heavy user drives it. Cannabis is no different.”
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But growing the pot market in states where cannabis is legal will remain a challenge as long as it is illegal at the federal level, according to Ben Larson of Vertosa, a company that makes cannabis infusions for beverages and other products.
“In my eyes, the federal government has been criminally negligent in their classification of cannabis as a Schedule I drug,” he told HuffPost. “There is a litany of evidence for the use of cannabis in medicine, and they have been aware of it for decades. There is an industry attempting to play by the rules created by the states, yet no guaranteed banking for those organizations.”
“The deliberate blind eye of the federal government has created an unsafe environment where patients aren’t guaranteed the medicine they need and businesses are often forced to operate with cash.”
One thing that is staying the same ― coronavirus or not ― is the continuing rise of CBD, according to Katie Stem, CEO of Peak Extracts, a Portland, Oregon-based edibles and topicals company.
“I think CBD will have a place in every medicine cabinet in the country, either as a topical or ingestible because it can have such a positive impact on people’s sleep, anxiety, pain and inflammation,” she said.
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However, she predicted a decline in products like CBD-infused clothing or pillows that “have little demonstrable utility other than novelty.”


huffpost--2020-04-17--U.N. Urges LGBTQ Anti-Discrimination Measures Amidst Coronavirus Crisis

NEW YORK , April 17 ( Thomson Reuters Foundation ) - The United Nations on Friday urged countries to protect LGBT+ people against discrimination when seeking health care during the pandemic , saying they may be hesitant to seek medical services and be especially vulnerable to the coronavirus .
Members of the LGBT+ community with HIV or AIDS may have compromised immune systems or a higher chance of being homeless than the wider population , making social distancing and safe hygiene difficult , the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a statement .
“ LGBTI people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in many societies , and among those most at risk from COVID-19 , ” Bachelet said .
“ We know that efforts to tackle the pandemic will only work if everyone ’ s rights to life and health are protected.
” LGBT+ people regularly face stigma and discrimination while seeking health services , which affects their access to quality care , the U.N. said .
And under medical systems strained by the coronavirus , “ decisions about scaling back services should be medically based and data-driven and should not reflect bias against LGBTI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to halt the spread of the virus have forced the closing of many LGBT+ centers that often provide health care .
Reported cases of the coronavirus have topped 2.18 million globally , and more than 147,000 people have died , according to a Reuters tally on Friday .
The U.N. also said nations must enact measures to protect LGBT+ people who are vulnerable to domestic violence and abuse and live in poverty during the pandemic .

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NEW YORK, April 17 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The United Nations on Friday urged countries to protect LGBT+ people against discrimination when seeking health care during the pandemic, saying they may be hesitant to seek medical services and be especially vulnerable to the coronavirus.
Members of the LGBT+ community with HIV or AIDS may have compromised immune systems or a higher chance of being homeless than the wider population, making social distancing and safe hygiene difficult, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a statement.
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“LGBTI people are among the most vulnerable and marginalized in many societies, and among those most at risk from COVID-19,” Bachelet said.
“We know that efforts to tackle the pandemic will only work if everyone’s rights to life and health are protected.”
LGBT+ people regularly face stigma and discrimination while seeking health services, which affects their access to quality care, the U.N. said.
And under medical systems strained by the coronavirus,“decisions about scaling back services should be medically based and data-driven and should not reflect bias against LGBTI people,” it said.
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Efforts to halt the spread of the virus have forced the closing of many LGBT+ centers that often provide health care.
Reported cases of the coronavirus have topped 2.18 million globally, and more than 147,000 people have died, according to a Reuters tally on Friday.
The U.N. also said nations must enact measures to protect LGBT+ people who are vulnerable to domestic violence and abuse and live in poverty during the pandemic.


huffpost--2020-04-18--5 Common Types Of Coronavirus Dreams, Decoded By Experts

You ’ re not alone , either .
Google searches of the question “ Why am I having weird dreams lately ?
” have quadrupled in the United States in the past week as all of us struggle to understand why the pandemic and being on lockdown have seeped into our subconscious .
Research has shown that increased anxiety during the day can lead to more negative content in dreams ― especially during a global crisis like this .
After 9/11 , researchers found that the collective trauma made our dreams more intense and memorable in the days following the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone if you recall having a plane crash dream back then . )
1 .
“ I ’ ve been having coronavirus dreams every night .
Mostly they involve me out in public places that we used to visit .
Disneyland , Las Vegas , movie theaters .
My three young kids are running around in crowds of people , touching everything while I chase after them , crying.
” 2 .
“ In one dream , my husband threw a surprise birthday party for a friend ( and I had no idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started to arrive and I was horrified , thinking about how many of them will then die from COVID-19 .
In another dream , it was our wedding day ( at a venue I didn ’ t recognize ) , and I yelled in my dream , ‘ This wedding can ’ t happen , lots of people will die !
’ ” 3 .
“ I had a dream I went to Disneyland and realized I forgot to wear pants .
I rushed to a store in Downtown Disney to buy something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forgot to wear a mask .
And then I realized I really shouldn ’ t be at Disneyland at all , anyway .
I chalked it up to my fears of being unprepared for a pandemic.
” As for the Disneyland dreams , “ Disney is quite often synonymous with innocence , fun and good memories , back in the day when things were good , ” Singh Bais said .
“ Running around there in your dream suggests you miss the freedoms that we maybe took for granted .
Now there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place feels safe.
” 1 .
“ I ’ m having survivalist dreams .
I ’ m buying the kind of stuff I know they wished they had on ‘ The Walking Dead.
’ There are multiple tornadoes coming from [ all directions ] .
I ’ m trying to keep everyone safe but there ’ s too many people , so I have to make choices.
” 2 .
“ I had a dream a few nights ago where life was a combo of ’ 1984 ’ and ‘ Hunger Games.
’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released the virus as a ‘ Hunger Games ’ -type contest to see which nation found a cure first .
My dream had media coverage , too , but it appeared to be gameshow hosts instead of news anchors on air .
Life was very much like ‘ 1984 ’ in observation .
It was really weird.
” 1 .
“ In my dream , Stormtroopers ( wearing yellow armor instead of white ) from the CDC were raiding houses and confiscating everyone ’ s personal hoards of Crystal Pepsi , as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine .
They were pounding on the door to my house , which I found weird because I only drank Coca-Cola Clear back in the day , and had neither since 1980-something.
” 2 .
“ I ’ m in my 38th day of isolation because I had experienced symptoms .
I really just dream about snacks .
I ran out of snacks in week one !
” 1 .
“ I ’ ve had dreams about the coronavirus a few times , each of them different .
The most memorable one was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sleep one night and begin to doze myself .
I was in an auditorium that had a deep red curtain .
It was fairly dark there .
A few people were in there , none of whom I noticed nor did I really recognize .
What I noticed was , in the far corner , a slender human body with an ominous , giant black rabbit head was just silently watching in the back .
It was wearing a vertical black and white striped outfit .
It made me incredibly uneasy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dream ; it was a visual manifestation of this virus that ’ s currently lurking everywhere .
The dream was brief but left me uneasy for days .
It was early on in the stay-at-home order .
I just felt its presence and like it was silently calculating who to come after , no one else aware of its presence .
I ’ ve always been weirded out by artwork or displays of human bodies with mascot heads on , but this was pretty out of the ordinary for me , in terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I still feel uneasy when recalling it.
” 2 .
“ I dreamt I was in my living room when something broke into my home right through the wall .
I was running from this beast with a loud roar .
I hid in the bushes outside while it stomped around my yard threatening everyone and everything I loved .
I ’ m guessing my mind was processing the virus and gave it a visible form.
” 3 .
“ Every night , I dream that I ’ m sheltering in place in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faceless man that I don ’ t know .
At first I have fun exploring the house and finding secret rooms and passageways .
Toward the end of the dream , furniture starts moving around by itself , doors slam shut on their own , and the piano starts playing by itself .
I wake up right as I ’ m about to run out of the house and just take my chances with the virus .
Each night , I dream about this same house .
Sometimes , I show the man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in previous nights ’ dreams .
For some reason , the faceless man is only wearing a towel around his waist , like he just got out of the shower .
He never has clothes on .
Awkward .
Glad to see that I ’ m not the only one having weird dreams right now !
” “ The dreamer , like all of us , may be eager for this show to be over , to close the curtains on this nightmare , ” she said .
“ Also , the dream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place in the dark , it is often because the dreamer ’ s emotions are dark at the time or the dreamer is uncertain or ‘ in the dark ’ about a certain issue in his or her life .
Both of these could certainly apply.
” “ I ’ ve been dreaming of my childhood home at the age my son is now ( 9 ) and of my deceased father .
In my dreams , my parents are both alive , healthy and strong , and I feel cocooned by their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning to that time in my life as the antithesis of the anxiety and fear I feel now .
My nearly 74-year-old mother lives alone , in the Bronx , and I am terrified of her becoming ill .
I am no longer the child , but the parent who must provide love , stability and calm .
I awake feeling alarmed and winded , as if I have literally traveled through time and space .
Despite my fears , however , I know I am among the lucky and for that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking for a solution to the problem of her anxiety and finds just that in her memory of being cocooned by her parents , Anderson said .
The dreamer is taking comfort in an era when her mother was healthy , strong and capable of protecting her daughter .
It ’ s interesting that the dreamer is thinking of her 9-year-old son ; when our children reach specific ages that resonate with our own childhood , we often dream of being that age again , Anderson said .
“ There may be something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she needs to revisit , ” Anderson said , “ It ’ s helpful to look at everyone and everything in a dream as representing something about the dreamer : her ‘ alive , healthy , strong ’ parents in the dream may represent her own healthy parenting abilities , and the child , in the dream , is the part of herself that needs cocooning even though now she ’ s the mother .
”

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No, you’re not imagining it: Your dreams really have been more vivid and intense since the coronavirus pandemic began.
You’re not alone, either. Google searches of the question “Why am I having weird dreams lately?” have quadrupled in the United States in the past week as all of us struggle to understand why the pandemic and being on lockdown have seeped into our subconscious.
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Poor sleep quality is partly to blame. According to a recent survey of 1,014 Americans conducted by SleepStandards, a site that reviews mattresses, 76.8% admitted their sleep has been affected.
We have dreams every night, but the better we sleep, the less likely we are to remember them in the morning. Stress fragments sleep and increases our ability to recall our dreams.
Research has shown that increased anxiety during the day can lead to more negative content in dreams ― especially during a global crisis like this. After 9/11, researchers found that the collective trauma made our dreams more intense and memorable in the days following the attacks. (You’re not alone if you recall having a plane crash dream back then.)
In this case, all those pent-up thoughts you have about you or your loved ones catching COVID-19 are bound to make it into your nightmares.
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“We dream at night what we can’t think or feel during the day ― and there is a lot of unthinkable shit happening right now,” said Emily Anhalt, a clinical psychologist and co-founder of Coa, a “gym for mental fitness.”
“Add to that the guilt we feel for complaining while people are dying, and our emotions have nowhere to go,” she said. “So where do those thoughts go? They present themselves in our dreams, disguised by symbol and metaphor.”
Is it just me or has everyone been having like super vivid dreams over quarantine. I can’t remember a night where I haven’t had atleast 2 dreams. They have complete story lines, a full arc and ending... not mad. Just suspicious. — SofiA bRyANt (@sofiakbryant) April 13, 2020
Interestingly, the symbols and metaphors that pop up in our own respective dreams are pretty universal. When we recently asked readers to share some of their most vivid dreams, many of them touched on the same themes.
To better understand our coronavirus dreams, we asked dream experts to decode some of the most common themes readers sent us. Read their analysis below.
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Responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.
Dreams About Public Gatherings
1. “I’ve been having coronavirus dreams every night. Mostly they involve me out in public places that we used to visit. Disneyland, Las Vegas, movie theaters. My three young kids are running around in crowds of people, touching everything while I chase after them, crying.” 2. “In one dream, my husband threw a surprise birthday party for a friend (and I had no idea who this friend was). Guests started to arrive and I was horrified, thinking about how many of them will then die from COVID-19. In another dream, it was our wedding day (at a venue I didn’t recognize), and I yelled in my dream, ‘This wedding can’t happen, lots of people will die!’” 3. “I had a dream I went to Disneyland and realized I forgot to wear pants. I rushed to a store in Downtown Disney to buy something to put on, then realized I forgot to wear a mask. And then I realized I really shouldn’t be at Disneyland at all, anyway. I chalked it up to my fears of being unprepared for a pandemic.”
Weddings and birthdays are milestone events that usually involve a plurality of people. Dreams about them suggest the dreamer is preoccupied with how COVID-19 will affect people en mass, said psychologist Anjhula Mya Singh Bais.
“They’re thinking not individualistically, as they would be if it were a dream about a job promotion, but rather, events that involve love and community like birthdays and weddings,” Singh Bais told HuffPost.
Both events also embody ideas around life and death.
“Birthdays are when you came into the world, which means an automatic countdown has begun toward when we will die, and wedding vows involve ideas like ‘until death do us part,’” she said.
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As for the Disneyland dreams, “Disney is quite often synonymous with innocence, fun and good memories, back in the day when things were good,” Singh Bais said. “Running around there in your dream suggests you miss the freedoms that we maybe took for granted. Now there’s a new world order where no place feels safe.”
As for the missing pants in the last dream? “Forgetting to wear pants as opposed to a shirt or cap symbolizes the naked truth that you feel vulnerable,” she said.
Survivalist, Pop Culture-Inspired Dreams
1. “I’m having survivalist dreams. I’m buying the kind of stuff I know they wished they had on ‘The Walking Dead.’ There are multiple tornadoes coming from [all directions]. I’m trying to keep everyone safe but there’s too many people, so I have to make choices.” 2. “I had a dream a few nights ago where life was a combo of ’1984’ and ‘Hunger Games.’ The 10 richest families in the world released the virus as a ‘Hunger Games’-type contest to see which nation found a cure first. My dream had media coverage, too, but it appeared to be gameshow hosts instead of news anchors on air. Life was very much like ‘1984’ in observation. It was really weird.”
Tornadoes often symbolize destruction and life upended, Singh Bais said.
“The world as we knew it has come to an end like it did in ‘The Walking Dead,’” she said. “COVID throws up many questions. Your dreams are playing out survival scenarios in a bid to maintain hope, preparedness and stability.”
In the case of the “Hunger Games” dream, seeing the pandemic as a game likely helps this person step away from her emotions and take a more objective view, said dream analyst Jane Teresa Anderson.
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“One strategy for surviving and even thriving in crisis is to switch into cool, objective mode,” she said. “The dreamer might be exploring a ‘cure’ for losing her job, a cure for issues around her relationship that are heightened due to self-isolation, or a cure for any number of personal challenges.”
Missing Snacks
1. “In my dream, Stormtroopers (wearing yellow armor instead of white) from the CDC were raiding houses and confiscating everyone’s personal hoards of Crystal Pepsi, as it was a needed ingredient for the COVID-19 vaccine. They were pounding on the door to my house, which I found weird because I only drank Coca-Cola Clear back in the day, and had neither since 1980-something.” 2. “I’m in my 38th day of isolation because I had experienced symptoms. I really just dream about snacks. I ran out of snacks in week one!”
Dreams about missing snacks are related to feelings of being deprived, depleted and unrewarded, said Carla Marie Manly, author of “Joy from Fear: Create the Life of Your Dreams by Making Fear Your Friend.”
“Having one’s snacks taken away reflects the fear of being robbed or deprived of what we want and need in life,” she said. “The Stormtrooper dream also reflects anger and irritation at the government-imposed restrictions which may feel overreaching and invasive.”
A Mysterious Figure
1. “I’ve had dreams about the coronavirus a few times, each of them different. The most memorable one was when I was patting my 2-year old to sleep one night and begin to doze myself. I was in an auditorium that had a deep red curtain. It was fairly dark there. A few people were in there, none of whom I noticed nor did I really recognize. What I noticed was, in the far corner, a slender human body with an ominous, giant black rabbit head was just silently watching in the back. It was wearing a vertical black and white striped outfit. It made me incredibly uneasy. I knew what it was in my dream; it was a visual manifestation of this virus that’s currently lurking everywhere. The dream was brief but left me uneasy for days. It was early on in the stay-at-home order. I just felt its presence and like it was silently calculating who to come after, no one else aware of its presence. I’ve always been weirded out by artwork or displays of human bodies with mascot heads on, but this was pretty out of the ordinary for me, in terms of dreams. Even weeks later, I still feel uneasy when recalling it.” 2. “I dreamt I was in my living room when something broke into my home right through the wall. I was running from this beast with a loud roar. I hid in the bushes outside while it stomped around my yard threatening everyone and everything I loved. I’m guessing my mind was processing the virus and gave it a visible form.” 3. “Every night, I dream that I’m sheltering in place in a run-down, abandoned mansion with some faceless man that I don’t know. At first I have fun exploring the house and finding secret rooms and passageways. Toward the end of the dream, furniture starts moving around by itself, doors slam shut on their own, and the piano starts playing by itself. I wake up right as I’m about to run out of the house and just take my chances with the virus. Each night, I dream about this same house. Sometimes, I show the man the different rooms that I have found in previous nights’ dreams. For some reason, the faceless man is only wearing a towel around his waist, like he just got out of the shower. He never has clothes on. Awkward. Glad to see that I’m not the only one having weird dreams right now!”
In the first, the auditorium setting is meaningful, said Lauri Loewenberg, author of “Dream on It: Unlock Your Dreams, Change Your Life.” The dreamer may feel like our current situation is more like a show, not real life.
“The dreamer, like all of us, may be eager for this show to be over, to close the curtains on this nightmare,” she said. “Also, the dream was dark. Whenever a dream takes place in the dark, it is often because the dreamer’s emotions are dark at the time or the dreamer is uncertain or ‘in the dark’ about a certain issue in his or her life. Both of these could certainly apply.”
The dreamer’s subconscious is using imagery that has always creeped her out to give form to the virus, Loewenberg said. “And the rabbit head may be a reference to how this virus is multiplying like rabbits are known to do.”
In the second dream, the dreamer is right on the money in their interpretation: The virus has taken visible form in the beast.
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“The beast ― or the virus ― broke into the dreamer’s living room,” Loewenberg said. “The living room represents that which do on a daily basis, our day-to-day lives. The dreamer ran out of her living room because her daily, living routine has been vastly disrupted.”
“COVID throws up many questions. Your dreams are playing out survival scenarios in a bid to maintain hope, preparedness and stability.” - Anjhula Mya Singh Bais, psychologist
The house is incredibly significant in the last dream. Houses ― whether they’re our actual home or imagined ones ― tend to represent the self, Loewenberg said. The type of house and the condition of it says a lot about the dreamer’s current state of mind.
“Mansions often symbolize a big part of the dreamer, a part of the self the dreamer is proud of,” she said. “Since the mansion is abandoned and she is excited to explore the rooms, this may be a part of the dreamer that she has neglected but is excited to get back to now that quarantine has likely given her tons of extra time.”
Despite the dreamer’s good intentions, the more difficult parts of quarantine are likely starting “to haunt” her since the mansion becomes so creepy she wants to make a run for it.
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“I think the man is a part of herself as well and is most likely her male energy: the part of her that is no-nonsense, with assertive energy. On the other hand, unknown women in dreams tend to represent creative, emotional and nurturing energy,” Loewenberg explained. “Just as the man seemed to have just gotten out of the shower, her no-nonsense, ‘get-er done’ side is telling her to cleanse herself of her frustrations and negativity and get back to what she was originally excited about.”
A Return To Childhood
“I’ve been dreaming of my childhood home at the age my son is now (9) and of my deceased father. In my dreams, my parents are both alive, healthy and strong, and I feel cocooned by their mere presence. I interpret my subconscious returning to that time in my life as the antithesis of the anxiety and fear I feel now. My nearly 74-year-old mother lives alone, in the Bronx, and I am terrified of her becoming ill. I am no longer the child, but the parent who must provide love, stability and calm. I awake feeling alarmed and winded, as if I have literally traveled through time and space. Despite my fears, however, I know I am among the lucky and for that, I am grateful.”
This dreamer is looking for a solution to the problem of her anxiety and finds just that in her memory of being cocooned by her parents, Anderson said. The dreamer is taking comfort in an era when her mother was healthy, strong and capable of protecting her daughter. It’s interesting that the dreamer is thinking of her 9-year-old son; when our children reach specific ages that resonate with our own childhood, we often dream of being that age again, Anderson said.
“There may be something around being 9 in her own childhood that she needs to revisit,” Anderson said, “It’s helpful to look at everyone and everything in a dream as representing something about the dreamer: her ‘alive, healthy, strong’ parents in the dream may represent her own healthy parenting abilities, and the child, in the dream, is the part of herself that needs cocooning even though now she’s the mother.”
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huffpost--2020-04-18--U.S. Coronavirus Crisis Takes Sharp Political Turn As Trump Blasts States

NEW YORK ( Reuters ) - The U.S. coronavirus crisis took a sharp political turn on Friday as President Donald Trump lashed out at four Democratic governors over their handling of the pandemic after having conceded that states bear ultimate control of restrictions to contain the outbreak .
The Republican president targeted three swing states critical to his re-election bid - Michigan , Minnesota and Virginia - where his conservative loyalists have mounted pressure campaigns challenging those governors ’ stay-at-home orders .
Amplifying a theme that his supporters have trumpeted this week in street protests at the state capitals of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump issued a series of matching Twitter posts touting the slogans : “ LIBERATE MICHIGAN !
” “ LIBERATE MINNESOTA !
” and “ LIBERATE VIRGINIA !
” Michigan has become a particular focus of agitation to relax social-distancing rules that rank among the strictest in the nation after Governor Gretchen Whitmer , widely seen as a potential running mate for presumed Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden , extended them through the end of April .
Whitmer said on Friday she was hopeful her state , which suffered one of the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can begin to restart parts of its economy on May 1 .
But she urged doing so cautiously to avoid reigniting the outbreak just as it was being brought to heel .
Responding to Trump ’ s critique later in the day , Whitmer said Michigan will re-engage its economy when it ’ s safe , adding : “ The last thing I want to do is to have a second wave here.
” Trump also took renewed aim at one of his favorite political foils , New York Governor Andrew Cuomo , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. epicenter of the outbreak , had asked for too much assistance that was never fully used .
At his daily news briefing , Cuomo shot back saying Trump should “ maybe get up and go to work ” instead of watching TV , and accused the president of favoring the airline industry and business cronies in a recent bailout package that left little for the states .
The flare-up in political sparring came as the number of known coronavirus infections in the United States surpassed 700,000 , the most of any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tally of lives lost from COVID-19 , the highly contagious lung disease caused by the virus , has soared to more than 35,000 .
New York state accounts for nearly half those deaths .
While the death toll continued to climb , the rate of hospitalizations and other indicators have been leveling off , a sign that drastic social-distancing restrictions imposed in 42 of the 50 U.S. states were working to curtail the outbreak .
Stay-at-home orders and the closure of non-essential businesses have also strangled U.S. commerce , triggering millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for its deepest recession since the economic collapse of the 1930s .
The result has been mounting pressure to ease the shutdowns , leading to clashes between Trump , who had touted the strength of the U.S. economy as the best case for his re-election in November , and governors in hard-hit states who warned against lifting restrictions too quickly .
Trump , who played down the coronavirus threat in its early stages , had been pressing to restart idled businesses as soon as May 1 , at first declaring “ total ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who resisted his approach , many of them Democrats , as “ mutineers.
” In the end Trump acknowledged it was up to the governors to decide when and how to relax the restrictions they themselves had imposed since last month , presenting new federal guidelines on Thursday as recommendations .
While the guidelines call for a phased-in , science-based strategy in keeping with the advice of leading health experts , the plan hinges on widespread testing to gauge the scope of infections and how many people might have developed immunity to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have the capacity in the United States to do a sufficient amount of testing for states to move into phase one in the time and manner that they deem appropriate , ” Vice President Mike Pence told reporters .
“ Is there any funding so I can do these things that you want us to do ?
No .
That is passing the buck without passing the bucks , ” Cuomo said .

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. coronavirus crisis took a sharp political turn on Friday as President Donald Trump lashed out at four Democratic governors over their handling of the pandemic after having conceded that states bear ultimate control of restrictions to contain the outbreak.
The Republican president targeted three swing states critical to his re-election bid - Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia - where his conservative loyalists have mounted pressure campaigns challenging those governors’ stay-at-home orders. Amplifying a theme that his supporters have trumpeted this week in street protests at the state capitals of Lansing, St. Paul, and Richmond, Trump issued a series of matching Twitter posts touting the slogans: “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!” “LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” and “LIBERATE VIRGINIA!”
LIBERATE MICHIGAN! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020
LIBERATE MINNESOTA! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020
LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020
Michigan has become a particular focus of agitation to relax social-distancing rules that rank among the strictest in the nation after Governor Gretchen Whitmer, widely seen as a potential running mate for presumed Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, extended them through the end of April.
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Protesters defying the restrictions from the steps of the state Capitol on Wednesday shouted “lock her up,” a chant that was a staple of Trump’s campaign rallies and originally referred to his 2016 Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.
‘WHEN IT’S SAFE’
Whitmer said on Friday she was hopeful her state, which suffered one of the country’s fastest-growing coronavirus infection rates, can begin to restart parts of its economy on May 1. But she urged doing so cautiously to avoid reigniting the outbreak just as it was being brought to heel.
Responding to Trump’s critique later in the day, Whitmer said Michigan will re-engage its economy when it’s safe, adding: “The last thing I want to do is to have a second wave here.”
Trump also took renewed aim at one of his favorite political foils, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, suggesting on Twitter that his state, the U.S. epicenter of the outbreak, had asked for too much assistance that was never fully used.
At his daily news briefing, Cuomo shot back saying Trump should “maybe get up and go to work” instead of watching TV, and accused the president of favoring the airline industry and business cronies in a recent bailout package that left little for the states.
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The flare-up in political sparring came as the number of known coronavirus infections in the United States surpassed 700,000, the most of any country. At the same time, the tally of lives lost from COVID-19, the highly contagious lung disease caused by the virus, has soared to more than 35,000. New York state accounts for nearly half those deaths.
While the death toll continued to climb, the rate of hospitalizations and other indicators have been leveling off, a sign that drastic social-distancing restrictions imposed in 42 of the 50 U.S. states were working to curtail the outbreak.
Stay-at-home orders and the closure of non-essential businesses have also strangled U.S. commerce, triggering millions of layoffs and forecasts that America is headed for its deepest recession since the economic collapse of the 1930s.
The result has been mounting pressure to ease the shutdowns, leading to clashes between Trump, who had touted the strength of the U.S. economy as the best case for his re-election in November, and governors in hard-hit states who warned against lifting restrictions too quickly.
Trump, who played down the coronavirus threat in its early stages, had been pressing to restart idled businesses as soon as May 1, at first declaring “total” authority to do so and branding governors who resisted his approach, many of them Democrats, as “mutineers.”
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STATE CONTROL AND TESTING
In the end Trump acknowledged it was up to the governors to decide when and how to relax the restrictions they themselves had imposed since last month, presenting new federal guidelines on Thursday as recommendations.
While the guidelines call for a phased-in, science-based strategy in keeping with the advice of leading health experts, the plan hinges on widespread testing to gauge the scope of infections and how many people might have developed immunity to the virus.
At a White House briefing on Friday, Trump’s coronavirus task force members, through statements and graphics, pushed back against criticism from some governors and lawmakers that limited testing ability is impeding the country’s return to normalcy.
“We believe today that we have the capacity in the United States to do a sufficient amount of testing for states to move into phase one in the time and manner that they deem appropriate,” Vice President Mike Pence told reporters.
Cuomo argued earlier that the Trump administration was foisting responsibility for a massive testing program on the states without providing necessary financial resources.
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“Is there any funding so I can do these things that you want us to do? No. That is passing the buck without passing the bucks,” Cuomo said.
Even as Cuomo was addressing reporters, Trump immediately took to Twitter in Washington to fire back, saying he “should spend more time ‘doing’ and less time ‘complaining.’”
Trump struck a more conciliatory tone during the White House briefing. Asked about criticism leveled at him earlier in the day by Washington state Governor Jay Inslee, a Democrat who accused Trump of “fomenting domestic rebellion” with his “LIBERATE” tweets, the president demurred.
Trump denied he was suggesting that Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia lift their stay-at-home orders altogether, but added, “I think elements of what they’ve done are too much.”
Of the protesters, Trump said, “These are people expressing their views.” He added, “They seem to be very responsible to me. ... But they’ve been treated a little bit rough.”
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huffpost--2020-04-18--25 Kids Test Positive For Coronavirus At Virginia Juvenile Detention Center

BON AIR , Va. ( AP ) — Coronavirus has erupted inside a juvenile detention center in Virginia with 25 kids testing positive , accounting for a quarter of all cases reported at youth facilities nationwide , officials said Friday .
Children ’ s rights advocates and health experts have warned state officials for weeks that it was just a matter of time before the virus took off inside juvenile facilities .
They have called on Gov .
Ralph Northam to start releasing as many children as safely possible from centers , including at the newly hit Bon Air Juvenile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , those sworn to protect our vulnerable youth have failed , ” said Liz Ryan , head of the Washington-based nonprofit Youth First Initiative .
“ It ’ s clear that refusing to listen to public health experts has put our youth and communities at extreme risk.
” So far , 97 kids have tested positive nationwide , more than half of them in Virginia and Louisiana .
On April 2 , officials in Virginia announced two staffers at Bon Air had tested positive , but contact with residents was limited .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms and later tested positive .
Chris Moon , chief physician at Virginia ’ s Department of Juvenile Justice , said 21 of the 25 infected kids in Bon Air exhibited no outward symptoms and only four showed signs that were more severe than a cold or a flu .
The facility has around 280 kids , from 11 years old to 20 .
“ Any resident who tested positive was immediately placed in medical isolation , ” Moon said , adding that 13 have already been released .
America locks up more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world , with more than 2.2 million men , women and children in detention .
Experts say that prisons and jails can act as petri-dishes for the coronavirus .
Social distancing is almost impossible , many institutions have only recently started providing inmates with masks and many do not have access to hand sanitizer .
The coronavirus has already ripped through several adult county jails along with state and federal institutions for adults .

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BON AIR, Va. (AP) — Coronavirus has erupted inside a juvenile detention center in Virginia with 25 kids testing positive, accounting for a quarter of all cases reported at youth facilities nationwide, officials said Friday.
Children’s rights advocates and health experts have warned state officials for weeks that it was just a matter of time before the virus took off inside juvenile facilities. They have called on Gov. Ralph Northam to start releasing as many children as safely possible from centers, including at the newly hit Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center outside Richmond.
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“Unfortunately, those sworn to protect our vulnerable youth have failed,” said Liz Ryan, head of the Washington-based nonprofit Youth First Initiative. “It’s clear that refusing to listen to public health experts has put our youth and communities at extreme risk.”
So far, 97 kids have tested positive nationwide, more than half of them in Virginia and Louisiana.
On April 2, officials in Virginia announced two staffers at Bon Air had tested positive, but contact with residents was limited. A day later, a kid started showing symptoms and later tested positive.
Chris Moon, chief physician at Virginia’s Department of Juvenile Justice, said 21 of the 25 infected kids in Bon Air exhibited no outward symptoms and only four showed signs that were more severe than a cold or a flu.
The facility has around 280 kids, from 11 years old to 20.
“Any resident who tested positive was immediately placed in medical isolation,” Moon said, adding that 13 have already been released.
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America locks up more people than any other country in the world, with more than 2.2 million men, women and children in detention. Experts say that prisons and jails can act as petri-dishes for the coronavirus. Social distancing is almost impossible, many institutions have only recently started providing inmates with masks and many do not have access to hand sanitizer.