huffpost--2020-04-27--Coronavirus Live Updates: Dr. Fauci Says U.S. May Have Enough Tests By June

Spain has announced a four-stage plan for life to return to normal by the end of June , signaling a potential end to one of the toughest coronavirus lockdowns in the world .
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the lifting of the restrictions that have halted public life since March 14 and nearly paralyzed the economy , will begin May 4 and vary from province to province .
HuffPost Spain reports ( in Spanish ) that each phase will last two weeks and will then advance to the next stage if key data points indicate that it ’ s safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the initial phase , hairdressers and other businesses that operate via appointment will open , while restaurants will be able to offer takeaway services .
In the next stage , envisaged to begin on May 11 for most of Spain , bars will reopen their terraces but will be limited to a third of their capacity .
Spain ’ s daily death toll is now at around 300 , less than a third of a record high of 950 in early April .
Total fatalities since the start of the outbreak sit at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have risen to 210,773 - the world ’ s second-highest after the United States .
Virus Sweeps Unabated Through Michigan Prison — 4/29/2020 , 6:50 a.m .
ET A lawsuit to be filed Wednesday on behalf of 37,000 Michigan state inmates alleges that the Michigan Department of Corrections ( MDOC ) has failed to protect them from the spread of coronavirus , and inmates at the Lakeland Correctional Facility accuse the MDOC of knowingly allowing them to get sick .
“ We weren ’ t sentenced to death , but as of now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their way , ” said Lakeland inmate Patrick Wilson .
About 57 % of Lakeland ’ s 1,400 prisoners have tested positive .
Read more at HuffPost .
COVID-19 ‘ Significantly More Lethal ’ Than Seasonal Flu , Early Antibody Test Results Suggest — 4/29/2020 , 2:20 a.m .
ET The novel coronavirus is more lethal than the seasonal flu , according to preliminary COVID-19 antibody test results , The Washington Post reported .
In New York state , for instance , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) said Monday that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death rate from the virus appears to be around 0.5 % .
Columbia University researchers have estimated that the national fatality rate is around 0.6 % .
That rate “ is way more than a usual flu season and I would think way more than the ’ 57 or 1968 [ influenza ] pandemic death toll , too , ” epidemiologist Cecile Viboud told the Post .
Coronavirus Deaths In U.S .
Exceed Toll From Vietnam War — 4/28/20 , 6:53 p.m .
ET The death toll in the United States from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation ’ s death toll from the Vietnam War , with Johns Hopkins University reporting 58,365 confirmed COVID-19 deaths as of Tuesday evening .
The Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File of the Defense Casualty Analysis System Extract Files contains records of at least 58,220 U.S. military fatalities from the Vietnam War , according to the National Archives , which has had custody of the records since 2008 .
The Vietnam War lasted nearly two decades , and the records show that the deaths spanned about 50 years .
The COVID-19 death toll comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed U.S. death from the virus .
While the total fatalities in the U.S. during the pandemic and during the war is almost the same now , the nation ’ s actual death rate from COVID-19 is much higher , at about 17.6 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants , according to NPR .
The death toll in 1968 — the deadliest year for the U.S. in Vietnam — was 16,899 , or 8.5 troops killed for every 100,000 U.S. residents .
The nation has a Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington , D.C. , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written on a wall .
The coronavirus fatality count in the U.S. now exceeds the count on that wall .
Dr. Fauci Says U.S. May Have Enough Tests By June — 4/28/20 , 5:28 p.m .
ET Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s leading expert on infectious disease , said Tuesday that officials on the White House ’ s coronavirus task force predict everyone who needs a test will be able to get one by June .
“ As we get into May and June , from what we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force that deal directly with the companies and the major firms that make the tests … we will have a very , very increased production , ” Fauci told CNN .
“ I ’ m always the skeptic in the group.
” Early June would mark three months after President Donald Trump falsely stated that “ anybody that needs a test gets a test.
” “ Everyone who needs a test , according to the way we ’ re approaching the identification , isolation , contact tracing — keeping the country safe and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as we get towards the end of May , the beginning of June , ” Fauci said .
Trump has made misleading public statements claiming that the coronavirus response is up to individual governors , but Fauci emphasized Tuesday that the response to the outbreak “ has to be a partnership between the federal government and the states.
” Confirmed Cases In U.S. Top 1 Million — 4/28/2020 , 2:15 p.m .
ET The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States surpassed 1 million on Tuesday , doubling in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
The United States , home to about 4 % of the global population , has reported around one-third of the world ’ s more than 3 million known coronavirus infections .
More than 57,000 deaths linked to the virus have been confirmed nationwide .
Alabama To Begin Reopening Its Economy Thursday ― 4/28/2020 , 1:11 p.m .
ET Alabama Gov .
Kay Ivey ( R ) announced that her state will begin the process of reopening businesses and allowing more gatherings starting Thursday at 5 p.m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order will allow all retail businesses to reopen with a 50 % occupancy limit .
Beaches will also reopen with a ban on gatherings of 10 or more people .
All medical procedures , including elective ones , will be allowed to proceed .
Gyms , salons , entertainment venues and other spaces deemed “ close contact ” zones will remain closed .
As of Tuesday , there have been more than 6,539 COVID-19 cases in Alabama and 228 deaths associated with the virus .
British Airways To Make Up To 12,000 Workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ET British Airways is set to make up to 12,000 workers redundant , according to parent company IAG .
The announcement also revealed that revenues plunged 13 % in the first quarter of 2020 .
“ In light of the impact of COVID-19 on current operations and the expectation that the recovery of passenger demand to 2019 levels will take several years , British Airways is formally notifying its trade unions about a proposed restructuring and redundancy programme , ” IAG said in a statement .
BA has about 42,000 staff members , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the workforce .
More Than 30 % Of Americans Have Witnessed Anti-Asian Racism Related To COVID-19 , New Survey Finds — 4/28/20 , 9:36 a.m .
ET Nearly a third of Americans have “ witnessed someone blaming Asian people for the coronavirus epidemic , ” according to a new survey from Ipsos and the Center for Public Integrity , consistent with a recent surge in reports of racist attacks against Asian Americans .
The survey , released Tuesday , also found that among the respondents who identified themselves as Asian American , 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asian people .
Last week , a group of advocacy organizations and researchers working to track incidents of racism against people of Asian descent said nearly 1,500 incidents had been reported within a four-week period , from respondents in 45 U.S. states and the District of Columbia .
Read more on the survey from the Center for Public Integrity .
U.S. FDA Commissioner Warns Against Ingesting Hand Sanitizer — 4/28/20 , 8:44 a.m .
ET The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asked manufacturers of hand sanitizers to add “ denatured alcohol ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bitter taste ” in order to prevent people , especially children , from ingesting the products , Reuters reported .
“ Hand sanitizers are not proven to treat COVID-19 , and like other products meant for external use , are not for ingestion , inhalation or intravenous use , ” FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement Monday .
Last week , U.S. President Donald Trump dubiously suggested that ingesting disinfectant products could treat COVID-19 .
Local and national poison control hotlines have reported an increase in calls over the last few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand sanitizer .
Scotland Becomes First UK Nation To Recommend Face Coverings — 4/28/20 , 8:15 a.m .
ET Scotland has become the first U.K. nation to officially recommend the use of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic .
A government document published Tuesday said the evidence backing the use of face coverings was “ limited , ” but conceded : “ There may be some benefit in wearing a facial covering when you leave the house and enter enclosed spaces , especially where physical distancing is more difficult and where there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people you do not usually meet.
” “ We are recommending that you consider using face coverings in the limited circumstances described above as a precautionary measure , ” the document said .
Other situations include traveling on public transportation or entering a food shop where it is not always possible to maintain a two-meter distance from another customer .
A total of 1,332 patients in Scotland have died after testing positive for the coronavirus , up by 70 from 1,262 on Monday .
UK Holds Minute ’ s Silence For Key Workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A minute ’ s silence was held in the U.K. at 11 a.m. to remember key workers who have died during the coronavirus pandemic .
Dame Donna Kinnair , chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing , said the tribute came from “ a somber but grateful nation.
” Prime Minister Boris Johnson , who is only just back at work after he ended up in intensive care with the virus , was among those to pay respects , with government workers also having been asked to join in .
On Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 82 NHS workers and 16 social care staff had lost their lives to COVID-19 .
Bus drivers are also among those who have died carrying out their work during the pandemic .
Subway and bus networks were also asked to pause for the silence so workers could honor their colleagues .
Read more Some U.S. Airlines Ask Or Require Customers To Wear Masks On Board — 04/28/2020 ; 5:50 a.m .
ET JetBlue said Monday that all customers on its flights will be required to wear face coverings while traveling beginning on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covering isn ’ t about protecting yourself , it ’ s about protecting those around you , ” Joanna Geraghty , JetBlue ’ s president and chief operating officer , said in a statement .
“ This is the new flying etiquette.
” American Airlines said it would begin handing out masks to some customers on the same day ; but while it said it was taking the action to look out for customers ’ wellbeing , travelers would not be required to wear the masks .
“ We are looking out for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace of mind while they travel with us , ” Kurt Stache , a vice president at American Airlines , said in a statement .
Texas Governor Will Let Stay-Home Order Expire , Allowing Many Businesses To Reopen — 4/27/20 , 5:30 p.m .
ET Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott ( R ) announced that the state ’ s stay-at-home order meant to prevent further spread of the coronavirus will expire on Thursday , after which many businesses will be allowed to reopen with restrictions on occupancy .
Under the new measures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and malls will be able to reopen Friday , though these will be limited to 25 % occupancy .
The governor says he aims to reopen other businesses , like bars , hair salons and gyms , in mid-May .
Public health experts have warned about the dangers of states reopening too early without adequate capacity to conduct widespread testing and “ contact tracing ” of positive COVID-19 cases .
In Texas , there have been more than 25,000 confirmed coronavirus cases so far , and at least 663 deaths as of Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― 4/27/2020 , 1:33 p.m .
ET President Donald Trump ’ s evening press briefing with the coronavirus task force is back on the calendar for Monday , the White House informed reporters .
The briefing was canceled earlier for the third day in a row .
At the last one Trump held , he walked out of the room after 20 minutes without taking any questions ― a stark difference from the hourslong press conferences he typically hosts .
He has repeatedly gotten himself into hot water at those daily briefings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injected with disinfectant or sunlight to cure COVID-19 .
His advisers have reportedly told him to scale back the appearances .
Airbnb To Require Hosts To Wait 24 Hours Between Guests — 04/27/2020 , 11:30 a.m .
ET Airbnb has announced new cleaning procedures for hosts that include requiring a 24-hour wait period in between guests .
The new vacancy requirement , which will take effect in May , follows a CDC recommendation meant to “ address the possibility of particles that may remain airborne for a few hours , ” the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are encouraged to enroll in a “ Cleaning Protocol ” initiative that provides information on COVID-19 prevention and enhanced cleaning practices .
Guests will be able to identify which hosts are enrolled in the program and book accommodations accordingly .
“ We are working with leading experts in health and hygiene so that our community ’ s trademark hospitality can incorporate official guidance and fulfill new personal preferences , with hosts and guests uniting to offer , manage and enjoy cleaner accommodations , ” Greg Greeley , the president of homes at Airbnb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s updated cleaning guidelines come as the travel and hospitality industries suffer major losses amid the pandemic .
Only 23.4 % of U.S. hotel rooms were occupied between April 14 and April 20 , a decline of 64.4 % compared to the same time period a year ago , USA Today reported .
Airbnb , which is privately held , hasn ’ t disclosed its booking numbers .
The company announced earlier this month that it received a $ 1 billion loan from investors during the pandemic and has created a $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , CNN reported .
The White House has canceled President Donald Trump ’ s daily coronavirus briefing for the third consecutive day .
Typically held around 5 p.m. Eastern time , the briefings have increasingly turned into Trump airing grievances and disseminating lies and misleading information about the pandemic , leading White House officials to advise reducing them or curtailing Trump ’ s involvement in them .
On Thursday , Trump preposterously suggested a possible COVID-19 treatment could involve ingesting disinfectant products .
He later claimed he was being sarcastic .
On Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s briefing without taking questions from reporters .
He may speak at a 4 p.m. event , according to the White House ’ s schedule for Monday .
Boris Johnson Returns To Work After COVID-19 Battle — 4/27/2020 , 4:43 a.m .
ET U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has returned to work after recovering from COVID-19 , HuffPost UK reports .
Speaking at 10 Downing Street on Monday , Johnson , who spent three days in intensive care earlier this month battling the virus , said the U.K. was “ beginning to turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned it was too early to lift the country ’ s lockdown .
This is not the time “ to go easy ” on social distancing , Johnson said , as it would “ throw away all the effort and sacrifice of the British people ” and risk another wave of illness .
New Zealand Eases Restrictions As New COVID-19 Cases Fall Below 1 % — 4/27/2020 , 4:30 a.m .
ET New Zealand , which has been under one of the strictest national lockdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic , said it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the daily rate of new cases has slowed to below 1 % .
Around 400,000 people are expected to return to work after the country lifts restrictions at midnight on Monday , Reuters reported .
Some outdoor activities like fishing and surfing will be allowed , and parliament and courts are preparing to reopen .
Many restrictions will remain , however .
Public gatherings are still banned , and shops and restaurants will remain closed .
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has warned the fight against the virus is very much still ongoing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pre COVID-19 life , ” she said .
“ That day will come , but it ’ s not here yet.
” USNS Comfort Discharges Last Patient , Prepares To Leave NYC — 4/27/2020 .
12:46 a.m .
ET Naval hospital ship USNS Comfort , which treated more than 180 COVID-19 patients over a four-week period , will soon be leaving New York City ’ s harbor .
The ship discharged its last patient on Sunday , ABC News reported .
The vessel — a fully functioning hospital with 70 ventilators — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Norfolk , Virginia , to prepare for its next mission .
There has been no indication that the ship will be used elsewhere to treat coronavirus patients .
Gov .
Cuomo Announces Phased Plan To Reopen New York As Death Rate Slows — 4/26/20 , 7 p.m .
ET New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said that he plans to reopen parts of the state in coordinated phases , likely beginning with the construction and manufacturing industries .
New York is currently under a strict stay-at-home order until at least May 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regions of the state that have seen the CDC-recommended 14-day decline in hospitalizations could start to open in some areas of the construction and manufacturing sectors .
The state government will monitor the effects of the first phase of reopening the economy for at least two weeks , which will include the hospitalization rate , the infection rate , the number of positive antibody tests and the overall public health impact .
After that , Cuomo said the second phase will be based on how “ essential ” businesses ’ services are and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintaining social distancing guidelines for customers and employees .
The governor stressed that New York City and the surrounding region will be the most “ problematic ” to reopen , but that the state will work specifically to make sure the area ’ s transportation systems , schools , beaches and parks all follow the same guidelines .
The effort will hopefully also be in coordination with neighboring states .
On Sunday , New York ’ s statewide hospitalizations dropped to 12,839 — the first time since March 31 that the number has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported 367 COVID-19 deaths in the past day , down from 437 the previous day .
For earlier updates on the pandemic , go here .

Spain has announced a four-stage plan for life to return to normal by the end of June, signaling a potential end to one of the toughest coronavirus lockdowns in the world. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the lifting of the restrictions that have halted public life since March 14 and nearly paralyzed the economy, will begin May 4 and vary from province to province.
HuffPost Spain reports (in Spanish) that each phase will last two weeks and will then advance to the next stage if key data points indicate that it’s safe to continue removing the lockdown.
During the initial phase, hairdressers and other businesses that operate via appointment will open, while restaurants will be able to offer takeaway services. In the next stage, envisaged to begin on May 11 for most of Spain, bars will reopen their terraces but will be limited to a third of their capacity.
Spain’s daily death toll is now at around 300, less than a third of a record high of 950 in early April. Total fatalities since the start of the outbreak sit at 23,822, while the number of cases have risen to 210,773 - the world’s second-highest after the United States.
— James Martin
Virus Sweeps Unabated Through Michigan Prison — 4/29/2020, 6:50 a.m. ET
A lawsuit to be filed Wednesday on behalf of 37,000 Michigan state inmates alleges that the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) has failed to protect them from the spread of coronavirus, and inmates at the Lakeland Correctional Facility accuse the MDOC of knowingly allowing them to get sick.
“We weren’t sentenced to death, but as of now everyone feels like they’re on their way,” said Lakeland inmate Patrick Wilson. About 57% of Lakeland’s 1,400 prisoners have tested positive. Read more at HuffPost.
— Liza Hearon
COVID-19 ‘Significantly More Lethal’ Than Seasonal Flu, Early Antibody Test Results Suggest — 4/29/2020, 2:20 a.m. ET
The novel coronavirus is more lethal than the seasonal flu, according to preliminary COVID-19 antibody test results, The Washington Post reported.
In New York state, for instance, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said Monday that, based on the latest antibody numbers, the death rate from the virus appears to be around 0.5%. Columbia University researchers have estimated that the national fatality rate is around 0.6%.
That rate “is way more than a usual flu season and I would think way more than the ’57 or 1968 [influenza] pandemic death toll, too,” epidemiologist Cecile Viboud told the Post.
— Dominique Mosbergen
Coronavirus Deaths In U.S. Exceed Toll From Vietnam War — 4/28/20, 6:53 p.m. ET
The death toll in the United States from the coronavirus pandemic has officially surpassed the nation’s death toll from the Vietnam War, with Johns Hopkins University reporting 58,365 confirmed COVID-19 deaths as of Tuesday evening.
The Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File of the Defense Casualty Analysis System Extract Files contains records of at least 58,220 U.S. military fatalities from the Vietnam War, according to the National Archives, which has had custody of the records since 2008. The Vietnam War lasted nearly two decades, and the records show that the deaths spanned about 50 years. The COVID-19 death toll comes not even three months since the first confirmed U.S. death from the virus.
While the total fatalities in the U.S. during the pandemic and during the war is almost the same now, the nation’s actual death rate from COVID-19 is much higher, at about 17.6 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, according to NPR. The death toll in 1968 — the deadliest year for the U.S. in Vietnam — was 16,899, or 8.5 troops killed for every 100,000 U.S. residents. The nation has a Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., where the name of each U.S. fatality is written on a wall. The coronavirus fatality count in the U.S. now exceeds the count on that wall.
— Sanjana Karanth
Dr. Fauci Says U.S. May Have Enough Tests By June — 4/28/20, 5:28 p.m. ET
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious disease, said Tuesday that officials on the White House’s coronavirus task force predict everyone who needs a test will be able to get one by June.
“As we get into May and June, from what we’re hearing from the people in the task force that deal directly with the companies and the major firms that make the tests … we will have a very, very increased production,” Fauci told CNN. “I’m always the skeptic in the group.”
Early June would mark three months after President Donald Trump falsely stated that “anybody that needs a test gets a test.”
“Everyone who needs a test, according to the way we’re approaching the identification, isolation, contact tracing — keeping the country safe and healthy — hopefully we should see that as we get towards the end of May, the beginning of June,” Fauci said.
Trump has made misleading public statements claiming that the coronavirus response is up to individual governors, but Fauci emphasized Tuesday that the response to the outbreak “has to be a partnership between the federal government and the states.”
— Sara Boboltz
Confirmed Cases In U.S. Top 1 Million — 4/28/2020, 2:15 p.m. ET
The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States surpassed 1 million on Tuesday, doubling in less than three weeks, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
The United States, home to about 4% of the global population, has reported around one-third of the world’s more than 3 million known coronavirus infections. More than 57,000 deaths linked to the virus have been confirmed nationwide.
— Hayley Miller
Alabama To Begin Reopening Its Economy Thursday ― 4/28/2020, 1:11 p.m. ET
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced that her state will begin the process of reopening businesses and allowing more gatherings starting Thursday at 5 p.m.
The “Safer At Home” order will allow all retail businesses to reopen with a 50% occupancy limit. Beaches will also reopen with a ban on gatherings of 10 or more people. All medical procedures, including elective ones, will be allowed to proceed.
Gyms, salons, entertainment venues and other spaces deemed “close contact” zones will remain closed.
As of Tuesday, there have been more than 6,539 COVID-19 cases in Alabama and 228 deaths associated with the virus.
— Lydia O’Connor
British Airways To Make Up To 12,000 Workers Redundant — 4/28/20, 1:10 p.m. ET
British Airways is set to make up to 12,000 workers redundant, according to parent company IAG. The announcement also revealed that revenues plunged 13% in the first quarter of 2020.
“In light of the impact of COVID-19 on current operations and the expectation that the recovery of passenger demand to 2019 levels will take several years, British Airways is formally notifying its trade unions about a proposed restructuring and redundancy programme,” IAG said in a statement.
BA has about 42,000 staff members, with 12,000 representing about 29% of the workforce.
Read more on HuffPost UK.
— Chris York
More Than 30% Of Americans Have Witnessed Anti-Asian Racism Related To COVID-19, New Survey Finds — 4/28/20, 9:36 a.m. ET
Nearly a third of Americans have “witnessed someone blaming Asian people for the coronavirus epidemic,” according to a new survey from Ipsos and the Center for Public Integrity, consistent with a recent surge in reports of racist attacks against Asian Americans.
The survey, released Tuesday, also found that among the respondents who identified themselves as Asian American, 60% of them had witnessed someone blaming Asian people.
Last week, a group of advocacy organizations and researchers working to track incidents of racism against people of Asian descent said nearly 1,500 incidents had been reported within a four-week period, from respondents in 45 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
Read more on the survey from the Center for Public Integrity.
— Marina Fang
U.S. FDA Commissioner Warns Against Ingesting Hand Sanitizer — 4/28/20, 8:44 a.m. ET
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asked manufacturers of hand sanitizers to add “denatured alcohol” to their products, creating “a bitter taste” in order to prevent people, especially children, from ingesting the products, Reuters reported.
“Hand sanitizers are not proven to treat COVID-19, and like other products meant for external use, are not for ingestion, inhalation or intravenous use,” FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement Monday.
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump dubiously suggested that ingesting disinfectant products could treat COVID-19.
Local and national poison control hotlines have reported an increase in calls over the last few weeks, including a significant number involving hand sanitizer.
Read more from Reuters.
— Marina Fang
Scotland Becomes First UK Nation To Recommend Face Coverings — 4/28/20, 8:15 a.m. ET
Scotland has become the first U.K. nation to officially recommend the use of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A government document published Tuesday said the evidence backing the use of face coverings was “limited,” but conceded: “There may be some benefit in wearing a facial covering when you leave the house and enter enclosed spaces, especially where physical distancing is more difficult and where there is a risk of close contact with multiple people you do not usually meet.”
“We are recommending that you consider using face coverings in the limited circumstances described above as a precautionary measure,” the document said.
Other situations include traveling on public transportation or entering a food shop where it is not always possible to maintain a two-meter distance from another customer.
A total of 1,332 patients in Scotland have died after testing positive for the coronavirus, up by 70 from 1,262 on Monday.
Read more.
— Sara C. Nelson
UK Holds Minute’s Silence For Key Workers — 4/28/20, 6:15 a.m. ET
A minute’s silence was held in the U.K. at 11 a.m. to remember key workers who have died during the coronavirus pandemic.
Dame Donna Kinnair, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said the tribute came from “a somber but grateful nation.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is only just back at work after he ended up in intensive care with the virus, was among those to pay respects, with government workers also having been asked to join in.
On Monday, U.K. health secretary Matt Hancock confirmed that 82 NHS workers and 16 social care staff had lost their lives to COVID-19.
Bus drivers are also among those who have died carrying out their work during the pandemic. Subway and bus networks were also asked to pause for the silence so workers could honor their colleagues. Read more
— Jasmin Gray
Some U.S. Airlines Ask Or Require Customers To Wear Masks On Board — 04/28/2020; 5:50 a.m. ET
JetBlue said Monday that all customers on its flights will be required to wear face coverings while traveling beginning on May 4. “Wearing a face covering isn’t about protecting yourself, it’s about protecting those around you,” Joanna Geraghty, JetBlue’s president and chief operating officer, said in a statement. “This is the new flying etiquette.”
American Airlines said it would begin handing out masks to some customers on the same day; but while it said it was taking the action to look out for customers’ wellbeing, travelers would not be required to wear the masks. “We are looking out for our customers’ wellbeing to give them peace of mind while they travel with us,” Kurt Stache, a vice president at American Airlines, said in a statement.
— Dominique Mosbergen
Texas Governor Will Let Stay-Home Order Expire, Allowing Many Businesses To Reopen — 4/27/20, 5:30 p.m. ET
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced that the state’s stay-at-home order meant to prevent further spread of the coronavirus will expire on Thursday, after which many businesses will be allowed to reopen with restrictions on occupancy.
Under the new measures, retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters and malls will be able to reopen Friday, though these will be limited to 25% occupancy. The governor says he aims to reopen other businesses, like bars, hair salons and gyms, in mid-May.
Public health experts have warned about the dangers of states reopening too early without adequate capacity to conduct widespread testing and “contact tracing” of positive COVID-19 cases.
In Texas, there have been more than 25,000 confirmed coronavirus cases so far, and at least 663 deaths as of Monday.
— Sarah Ruiz-Grossman
Trump Press Briefing Now Back On ― 4/27/2020, 1:33 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump’s evening press briefing with the coronavirus task force is back on the calendar for Monday, the White House informed reporters.
The briefing was canceled earlier for the third day in a row. At the last one Trump held, he walked out of the room after 20 minutes without taking any questions ― a stark difference from the hourslong press conferences he typically hosts. He has repeatedly gotten himself into hot water at those daily briefings, most recently for suggesting that people be injected with disinfectant or sunlight to cure COVID-19. His advisers have reportedly told him to scale back the appearances.
― Lydia O’Connor
Airbnb To Require Hosts To Wait 24 Hours Between Guests — 04/27/2020, 11:30 a.m. ET
Airbnb has announced new cleaning procedures for hosts that include requiring a 24-hour wait period in between guests.
The new vacancy requirement, which will take effect in May, follows a CDC recommendation meant to “address the possibility of particles that may remain airborne for a few hours,” the company said in a press release.
Hosts are encouraged to enroll in a “Cleaning Protocol” initiative that provides information on COVID-19 prevention and enhanced cleaning practices. Guests will be able to identify which hosts are enrolled in the program and book accommodations accordingly.
“We are working with leading experts in health and hygiene so that our community’s trademark hospitality can incorporate official guidance and fulfill new personal preferences, with hosts and guests uniting to offer, manage and enjoy cleaner accommodations,” Greg Greeley, the president of homes at Airbnb, said in a statement.
Airbnb’s updated cleaning guidelines come as the travel and hospitality industries suffer major losses amid the pandemic. Only 23.4% of U.S. hotel rooms were occupied between April 14 and April 20, a decline of 64.4% compared to the same time period a year ago, USA Today reported.
Airbnb, which is privately held, hasn’t disclosed its booking numbers. The company announced earlier this month that it received a $1 billion loan from investors during the pandemic and has created a $250 million fund to pay affected hosts, CNN reported.
― Hayley Miller
White House Cancels Daily Coronavirus Briefing — 4/27/20, 11:08 am ET
The White House has canceled President Donald Trump’s daily coronavirus briefing for the third consecutive day.
Typically held around 5 p.m. Eastern time, the briefings have increasingly turned into Trump airing grievances and disseminating lies and misleading information about the pandemic, leading White House officials to advise reducing them or curtailing Trump’s involvement in them.
On Thursday, Trump preposterously suggested a possible COVID-19 treatment could involve ingesting disinfectant products. He later claimed he was being sarcastic. On Friday, he abruptly ended that day’s briefing without taking questions from reporters.
He may speak at a 4 p.m. event, according to the White House’s schedule for Monday.
— Marina Fang
Boris Johnson Returns To Work After COVID-19 Battle — 4/27/2020, 4:43 a.m. ET
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has returned to work after recovering from COVID-19, HuffPost UK reports.
Speaking at 10 Downing Street on Monday, Johnson, who spent three days in intensive care earlier this month battling the virus, said the U.K. was “beginning to turn the tide” against the virus but warned it was too early to lift the country’s lockdown.
This is not the time “to go easy” on social distancing, Johnson said, as it would “throw away all the effort and sacrifice of the British people” and risk another wave of illness.
— Dominique Mosbergen
New Zealand Eases Restrictions As New COVID-19 Cases Fall Below 1% — 4/27/2020, 4:30 a.m. ET
New Zealand, which has been under one of the strictest national lockdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic, said it will start easing some restrictions this week as the daily rate of new cases has slowed to below 1%.
Around 400,000 people are expected to return to work after the country lifts restrictions at midnight on Monday, Reuters reported. Some outdoor activities like fishing and surfing will be allowed, and parliament and courts are preparing to reopen. Many restrictions will remain, however. Public gatherings are still banned, and shops and restaurants will remain closed.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has warned the fight against the virus is very much still ongoing.
“It can’t be return to pre COVID-19 life,” she said. “That day will come, but it’s not here yet.”
— Dominique Mosbergen
USNS Comfort Discharges Last Patient, Prepares To Leave NYC — 4/27/2020. 12:46 a.m. ET
Naval hospital ship USNS Comfort, which treated more than 180 COVID-19 patients over a four-week period, will soon be leaving New York City’s harbor.
The ship discharged its last patient on Sunday, ABC News reported. The vessel — a fully functioning hospital with 70 ventilators — will soon head back to its homeport in Norfolk, Virginia, to prepare for its next mission.
There has been no indication that the ship will be used elsewhere to treat coronavirus patients.
— Dominique Mosbergen
Gov. Cuomo Announces Phased Plan To Reopen New York As Death Rate Slows — 4/26/20, 7 p.m. ET
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that he plans to reopen parts of the state in coordinated phases, likely beginning with the construction and manufacturing industries.
New York is currently under a strict stay-at-home order until at least May 15. After that date, Cuomo said regions of the state that have seen the CDC-recommended 14-day decline in hospitalizations could start to open in some areas of the construction and manufacturing sectors.
The state government will monitor the effects of the first phase of reopening the economy for at least two weeks, which will include the hospitalization rate, the infection rate, the number of positive antibody tests and the overall public health impact. After that, Cuomo said the second phase will be based on how “essential” businesses’ services are and how they are able to operate while maintaining social distancing guidelines for customers and employees.
The governor stressed that New York City and the surrounding region will be the most “problematic” to reopen, but that the state will work specifically to make sure the area’s transportation systems, schools, beaches and parks all follow the same guidelines. The effort will hopefully also be in coordination with neighboring states.
On Sunday, New York’s statewide hospitalizations dropped to 12,839 — the first time since March 31 that the number has been fewer than 13,000. The state reported 367 COVID-19 deaths in the past day, down from 437 the previous day.
— Sanjana Karanth
For earlier updates on the pandemic, go here.


huffpost--2020-04-24--Coronavirus Live Updates: Read The Latest About The COVID-19 Outbreak

HuffPost reporters around the world are tracking the pandemic and the measures being taken to flatten the curve of transmission .
Read the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic below .
( To see the latest updates , you may need to refresh the page .
All times are Eastern .
For earlier updates on the pandemic , go here . )
Boris Johnson Returns To Work After COVID-19 Battle — 4/27/2020 ; 4:43 a.m .
ET U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has returned to work after recovering from COVID-19 , HuffPost UK reports .
Speaking at 10 Downing Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three days in intensive care earlier this month battling the virus , said the U.K. was “ beginning to turn the tide ” against the virus but warned it was too early to lift the country ’ s lockdown .
This is not the time “ to go easy ” on social distancing , Johnson said , as it would “ throw away all the effort and sacrifice of the British people ” and risk another wave of illness .
New Zealand Eases Restrictions As New COVID-19 Cases Fall Below 1 % — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zealand , which has been under one of the strictest national lockdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic , said it will start easing some restrictions this week as the daily rate of new cases has slowed to below 1 % .
Around 400,000 people are expected to return to work after the country lifts restrictions at midnight on Monday , Reuters reported .
Some outdoor activities like fishing and surfing will be allowed , and parliament and courts are preparing to reopen .
Many restrictions will remain , however .
Public gatherings are still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain closed .
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has warned the fight against the virus is very much still ongoing.
“ It can ’ t be return to pre COVID-19 life , ” she said .
“ That day will come , but it ’ s not here yet.
” USNS Comfort Discharges Last Patient , Prepares To Leave NYC — 4/27/2020 ; 12:46 a.m .
ET Naval hospital ship USNS Comfort , which treated more than 180 COVID-19 patients over a four-week period , will soon be leaving New York City ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patient on Sunday , ABC News reported .
The vessel — a fully-functioning hospital with 70 ventilators — will soon head back to its homeport in Norfolk , Virginia , to prepare for its next mission .
There has been no indication that the ship will be used elsewhere to treat coronavirus patients .
Gov .
Cuomo Announces Phased Plan To Reopen New York As Death Rate Slows — 4/26/20 , 7 p.m .
ET New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said that he plans to reopen parts of the state in coordinated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and manufacturing industries .
New York is currently under a strict stay-at-home order until at least May 15 .
After that date , Cuomo said regions of the state that have seen the CDC-recommended 14-day decline in hospitalizations could start to open in some areas of the construction and manufacturing sectors .
The state government will monitor the effects of the first phase of reopening the economy for at least two weeks , which will include the hospitalization rate , the infection rate , the number of positive antibody tests and the overall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cuomo said the second phase will be based on how “ essential ” businesses ’ services are and how they are able to operate while maintaining social distancing guidelines for customers and employees .
The governor stressed that New York City and the surrounding region will be the most “ problematic ” to reopen , but that the state will work specifically to make sure the area ’ s transportation systems , schools , beaches and parks all follow the same guidelines .
The effort will hopefully also be in coordination with neighboring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s statewide hospitalizations dropped to 12,839 — the first time since March 31 that the number has been fewer than 13,000 .
The state reported 367 COVID-19 deaths in the past day , down from 437 the previous day .
FDA Has ‘ All But Given Up ’ Oversight On Antibody Testing , Top Health Expert Says ― 4/26/20 , 12:30 p.m .
ET The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has “ all but given up ” its oversight responsibility on coronavirus antibody tests , one the country ’ s top infectious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the Wild Wild West for testing right now , ” Dr. Michael Osterholm , the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota , told NBC ’ s “ Meet The Press.
” “ The FDA has all but given up its oversight responsibility for the tests we have on the market , ” he added .
“ Many of them are nothing short of a disaster .
”

HuffPost reporters around the world are tracking the pandemic and the measures being taken to flatten the curve of transmission.
Read the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic below. (To see the latest updates, you may need to refresh the page. All times are Eastern. For earlier updates on the pandemic, go here.)
Boris Johnson Returns To Work After COVID-19 Battle — 4/27/2020; 4:43 a.m. ET
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has returned to work after recovering from COVID-19, HuffPost UK reports.
Speaking at 10 Downing Street on Monday, Johnson, who spent three days in intensive care earlier this month battling the virus, said the U.K. was “beginning to turn the tide” against the virus but warned it was too early to lift the country’s lockdown.
This is not the time “to go easy” on social distancing, Johnson said, as it would “throw away all the effort and sacrifice of the British people” and risk another wave of illness.
— Dominique Mosbergen
New Zealand Eases Restrictions As New COVID-19 Cases Fall Below 1% — 4/27/2020; 4:30 a.m. ET
New Zealand, which has been under one of the strictest national lockdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic, said it will start easing some restrictions this week as the daily rate of new cases has slowed to below 1%.
Around 400,000 people are expected to return to work after the country lifts restrictions at midnight on Monday, Reuters reported. Some outdoor activities like fishing and surfing will be allowed, and parliament and courts are preparing to reopen. Many restrictions will remain, however. Public gatherings are still banned, and shops and restaurants will remain closed.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has warned the fight against the virus is very much still ongoing.“It can’t be return to pre COVID-19 life,” she said. “That day will come, but it’s not here yet.”
— Dominique Mosbergen
USNS Comfort Discharges Last Patient, Prepares To Leave NYC — 4/27/2020; 12:46 a.m. ET
Naval hospital ship USNS Comfort, which treated more than 180 COVID-19 patients over a four-week period, will soon be leaving New York City’s harbor.
The ship discharged its last patient on Sunday, ABC News reported. The vessel — a fully-functioning hospital with 70 ventilators — will soon head back to its homeport in Norfolk, Virginia, to prepare for its next mission.
There has been no indication that the ship will be used elsewhere to treat coronavirus patients.
— Dominique Mosbergen
Gov. Cuomo Announces Phased Plan To Reopen New York As Death Rate Slows — 4/26/20, 7 p.m. ET
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that he plans to reopen parts of the state in coordinated phases, likely beginning with the construction and manufacturing industries.
New York is currently under a strict stay-at-home order until at least May 15. After that date, Cuomo said regions of the state that have seen the CDC-recommended 14-day decline in hospitalizations could start to open in some areas of the construction and manufacturing sectors.
The state government will monitor the effects of the first phase of reopening the economy for at least two weeks, which will include the hospitalization rate, the infection rate, the number of positive antibody tests and the overall public health impact. After that, Cuomo said the second phase will be based on how “essential” businesses’ services are and how they are able to operate while maintaining social distancing guidelines for customers and employees.
The governor stressed that New York City and the surrounding region will be the most “problematic” to reopen, but that the state will work specifically to make sure the area’s transportation systems, schools, beaches and parks all follow the same guidelines. The effort will hopefully also be in coordination with neighboring states.
On Sunday, New York’s statewide hospitalizations dropped to 12,839 — the first time since March 31 that the number has been fewer than 13,000. The state reported 367 COVID-19 deaths in the past day, down from 437 the previous day.
— Sanjana Karanth
FDA Has ‘All But Given Up’ Oversight On Antibody Testing, Top Health Expert Says ― 4/26/20, 12:30 p.m. ET
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has “all but given up” its oversight responsibility on coronavirus antibody tests, one the country’s top infectious disease experts said Sunday.
“We have the Wild Wild West for testing right now,” Dr. Michael Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told NBC’s “Meet The Press.”
“The FDA has all but given up its oversight responsibility for the tests we have on the market,” he added. “Many of them are nothing short of a disaster.”


huffpost--2020-04-17--The Stimulus Isn’t Enough

The Stimulus Isn’t Enough

As the weeks of the COVID-19 crisis turn into months , it ’ s becoming clear that the policies aren ’ t sufficient : not the one-time stimulus payments , or pandemic unemployment insurance , or perhaps the biggest blunder , the loan program for small businesses .
And the little help offered to those who still have their jobs in the form of paid sick and family leave isn ’ t nearly enough to keep those people safe .
One-Time Payments Only Go So Far MacQuarri had just gotten on her feet .
She was a stay-at-home mother for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walked out in 2016 , leaving her to care for two young kids .
She turned to food stamps and state assistance to get by .
She drove for Uber .
Then she finally figured out a way to earn cash by watching other people ’ s kids at home .
In Europe and a few other countries , policymakers understand that ― and have figured out a way to pay workers who are sidelined .
For example , the British government is paying up to 80 % of workers ’ wages for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get the grants directly and be able to keep people on their payrolls .
( In the U.S. we ’ re doing this , bizarrely , by forcing companies to ask for loans to pay workers . )
Still Waiting For Those Steroids There are a few states that are sending out the money early because they ’ ve had experience with disaster benefits ― Texas , Louisiana and Rhode Island — but the rest of the states haven ’ t even started “ processing ” them yet , said Michele Evermore , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the National Employment Law Project .
Washington state will be processing the benefit in a few days , she said .
“ Some states , like Ohio , won ’ t be processing them until mid-May , ” Evermore said .
“ I am so scared for people scratching by month to month.
” She did say she ’ s optimistic that eventually , the pandemic benefits will start paying out .
“ I ’ m worried but also trying to look at the bright side for those who are getting through.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steroids might be manageable , as regular state unemployment insurance will help cover the bills .
But for those on the margins ― the self-employed , or independent contractors who don ’ t qualify for regular unemployment — things are terrifying .
“ It ’ s going to be a challenge to get benefits in their account by the time rent is due for May , ” Evermore said .
What about help for those still going out to work each day , risking their own health to do their jobs serving others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much to offer them , either : The paid sick leave provisions passed are so weak and riddled with loopholes that they leave out three-quarters of workers .
Small Businesses Will Disappear , Amazon Will Swoop In The idea was that small companies could get loans quickly and use them to keep their workers on the payroll .
If they do that , then the loans are forgiven .
If they can ’ t , then the loans have to be repaid at fairly low interest rates .
“ The local Chinese restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company will be best positioned to take over the spot ?
” Fischer said .
“ It ’ ll be the Panera Bread or the Tim Hortons that is deep-pocketed.
” Those larger companies have other ways to weather the recession , she pointed out ― they can tap other places to borrow money that the little guys just don ’ t have access to .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The federal government’s attempt to rescue normal people ― not banks, not airlines, but actual working Americans ― isn’t cutting it.
Congress has now taken three swings at stimulus packages meant to keep the economy afloat while Americans shelter at home and businesses are shuttered. The Federal Reserve, for its part, has done a bang-up job of helping the largest businesses stay in business. The rich got tax breaks.
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Meanwhile, the programs and policies put in place to help average individuals and small businesses get by are falling short.
As the weeks of the COVID-19 crisis turn into months, it’s becoming clear that the policies aren’t sufficient: not the one-time stimulus payments, or pandemic unemployment insurance, or perhaps the biggest blunder, the loan program for small businesses. And the little help offered to those who still have their jobs in the form of paid sick and family leave isn’t nearly enough to keep those people safe.
If something more isn’t done, the post-coronavirus United States will inevitably become a more unequal place, a land of low-paid worker cogs reporting for duty to giant chain stores and warehouses. If they’re lucky enough to make it out of this alive.
“Our delivery systems for giving money to [individuals and small businesses] are laggard, inefficient and have huge gaps,” said Amanda Fischer, a policy director at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, a think tank. Yet it’s those same individual workers and small businesses that actually make our economy work, she added.
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One-Time Payments Only Go So Far
Getting her stimulus check was a huge relief to Amber MacQuarri, a single mother of two in New Hampshire. She had to shut down her in-home child care center in March because she has lupus and the risks to her health during the coronavirus crisis were too high.
The stimulus money will help cover her expenses for the next four weeks or so, MacQuarri said. After that, it’s unclear. “Even though I’m OK now, I’m scared to death I won’t be in a month, and frankly, I don’t know what I’ll do,” she said.
MacQuarri had just gotten on her feet. She was a stay-at-home mother for about a decade, but her husband walked out in 2016, leaving her to care for two young kids. She turned to food stamps and state assistance to get by. She drove for Uber. Then she finally figured out a way to earn cash by watching other people’s kids at home.
She hopes to revive the business once the crisis ends. But when will that be? Experts say it could be a year or more until the economy can resume “as normal.”
“If something more isn’t done, the post-coronavirus United States will inevitably become a more unequal place, a land of low-paid worker cogs reporting for duty to giant chain stores and warehouses. If they’re lucky enough to make it out of this alive.”
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It’s going to take more than a one-off check to keep people like MacQuarri whole in the meantime.
In Europe and a few other countries, policymakers understand that ― and have figured out a way to pay workers who are sidelined. For example, the British government is paying up to 80% of workers’ wages for the next three months. Employers will get the grants directly and be able to keep people on their payrolls. (In the U.S. we’re doing this, bizarrely, by forcing companies to ask for loans to pay workers.)
In the U.S., the government offers little but anxiety.
Still Waiting For Those Steroids
In late March, Congress passed what Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called “unemployment insurance on steroids.” Under this new policy, jobless Americans could also get an extra $600 a week on top of regular state unemployment payments to make it through for at least four months. The new pandemic unemployment insurance would also be available to gig workers and independent contractors.
It sounded incredible and absolutely crucial. More than 21 million Americans have lost their jobs since this crisis started. These are Great Depression-level numbers.
But the checks haven’t gone out yet in most states. Some jobless folks can’t even get through to the state unemployment agency to get regular benefits.
There are a few states that are sending out the money early because they’ve had experience with disaster benefits ― Texas, Louisiana and Rhode Island — but the rest of the states haven’t even started “processing” them yet, said Michele Evermore, a senior researcher and policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project. Washington state will be processing the benefit in a few days, she said.
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“Some states, like Ohio, won’t be processing them until mid-May,” Evermore said. “I am so scared for people scratching by month to month.” She did say she’s optimistic that eventually, the pandemic benefits will start paying out. “I’m worried but also trying to look at the bright side for those who are getting through.”
For some, the delay of the steroids might be manageable, as regular state unemployment insurance will help cover the bills. But for those on the margins ― the self-employed, or independent contractors who don’t qualify for regular unemployment — things are terrifying. “It’s going to be a challenge to get benefits in their account by the time rent is due for May,” Evermore said.
“Amazon’s warehouse workers got a temporary raise of $2/hour to risk their lives at work during the pandemic. Meanwhile, CEO Jeff Bezos's net worth skyrocketed by $24 billion thanks to the increase in business from the virus.”
Most Americans don’t have enough savings to cover a $400 expense. And already, one-third of Americans failed to pay rent in April.
What about help for those still going out to work each day, risking their own health to do their jobs serving others? The stimulus doesn’t have much to offer them, either: The paid sick leave provisions passed are so weak and riddled with loopholes that they leave out three-quarters of workers.
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OSHA, the federal agency meant to protect worker safety and health, has meanwhile been largely MIA when it comes to pushing employers to keep workers from getting sick.
Small Businesses Will Disappear, Amazon Will Swoop In
Perhaps even bleaker is what’s happening with the country’s small businesses.
Equitable Growth’s Fischer put out a long research brief this week pointing out the huge gap in the way the federal government is helping the largest companies compared to how it’s decided to lend a hand to small businesses.
The Federal Reserve is pumping out trillions of dollars to help the financial system and large, public companies in truly novel ways ― enabling the big corporations to weather the storm. Meanwhile, the program to rescue small businesses has been a mess and it’s already run out of money.
The idea was that small companies could get loans quickly and use them to keep their workers on the payroll. If they do that, then the loans are forgiven. If they can’t, then the loans have to be repaid at fairly low interest rates.
Good deal. The problem is: It’s too little, too late. The money only recently started flowing, and now it’s gone, but shops have been shuttered since mid-March. Many are already closed for good.
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And loans were made on a first-come, first-serve basis. That means the businesses with the best and most established relationships with their banks got to the front of the line. There are reports of hedge funds getting small business loans; franchises of restaurant chains owned by big private equity groups are also getting money.
Those with weaker banking relationships ― more likely to be minority-owned or women-owned businesses ― missed out.
A pedestrian walks past a closed business during the coronavirus outbreak on April 16, 2020, in Seattle. More than 585,000 people in Washington state sought unemployment benefits last week, with 143,000 people filing claims for the first time. AP Photo/Elaine Thompson
What happens when these small shops go out of business? Big companies move in.
“The local Chinese restaurant may get foreclosed on, and what company will be best positioned to take over the spot?” Fischer said. “It’ll be the Panera Bread or the Tim Hortons that is deep-pocketed.” Those larger companies have other ways to weather the recession, she pointed out ― they can tap other places to borrow money that the little guys just don’t have access to.
Small businesses have been struggling already in the U.S. as conglomerates take over retail and food industries.
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The number of small retailers fell by 85,000 from 2005 to 2015, Fischer notes in her brief. Amazon already represents 38% of all online retail sales. Walmart controls one-quarter of all grocery sales in the country.
Those two companies are already dominating the COVID-19 economy as homebound shoppers struggle to buy supplies. Amazon’s stock just hit record highs. Surely, their shares of the market will expand.
These big businesses exacerbate inequalities. For small businesses, the difference in pay between managers and workers is relatively small, for example. For the big guys, the inequality is monstrous. Consider that Amazon’s warehouse workers just got a temporary raise of $2 per hour to come work and risk their lives during the pandemic.
Their boss ― CEO Jeff Bezos — has seen his net worth skyrocket by $24 billion thanks to the increase in business from the virus.
“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that local control shifting to global control at the corporate level just results in owners of that capital being able to hoard the profits,” Fischer said.


huffpost--2020-04-17--Trump Won’t Stop Contradicting Medical Professionals In Twitter Rant

President Donald Trump let loose a tirade on Twitter Friday morning that included spreading misinformation and seemingly undermined the social distancing advice given by the health experts on the White House coronavirus task force .
His targets included the Obama administration and its vice president , Joe Biden , who ’ s also the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee this year , as well New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) .
The most controversial tweets said “ LIBERATE ” three states ― Michigan , Minnesota , Virginia .
While Trump has used his Twitter account to urge Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the White House ’ s coronavirus task force , his Friday rant shows how he also uses the platform to lash out at others and sow discontent .
Friday afternoon , Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee blasted him “ for fomenting domestic rebellion.
” He inflated the number of deaths due to the swine flu pandemic .
As he has done periodically , he targeted former President Barack Obama and Biden for criticism over how they dealt with a previous health crisis .
He tweeted that “ Biden/Obama were a disaster ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the H1N1 virus , also known as the swine flu pandemic .
In his latest attack , Trump falsely claimed that 17,000 died during that pandemic , which lasted between April 2009 to April 2010 .
On March 4 , Trump told Fox News that the death toll for the swine flu was “ over 13,000 ” while also pointing out that the conservative news network had suggested it was 17,000 .
However , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the number of deaths in the U.S. during that outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 75,000 people died ofthe swine flu worldwide .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the Trump administration ’ s top infectious disease expert , has warned people against comparing COVID-19 to H1N1 , telling Fox News in early March that the swine flu was “ less lethal than the regular seasonal flu .
”

President Donald Trump let loose a tirade on Twitter Friday morning that included spreading misinformation and seemingly undermined the social distancing advice given by the health experts on the White House coronavirus task force.
His targets included the Obama administration and its vice president, Joe Biden, who’s also the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee this year, as well New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D). The most controversial tweets said “LIBERATE” three states ― Michigan, Minnesota, Virginia.
While Trump has used his Twitter account to urge Americans to follow the guidance of health officials on the White House’s coronavirus task force, his Friday rant shows how he also uses the platform to lash out at others and sow discontent. Friday afternoon, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee blasted him “for fomenting domestic rebellion.”
Here’s what Trump said:
He inflated the number of deaths due to the swine flu pandemic.
As he has done periodically, he targeted former President Barack Obama and Biden for criticism over how they dealt with a previous health crisis. He tweeted that “Biden/Obama were a disaster” in their handling of the spread of the H1N1 virus, also known as the swine flu pandemic.
In his latest attack, Trump falsely claimed that 17,000 died during that pandemic, which lasted between April 2009 to April 2010. On March 4, Trump told Fox News that the death toll for the swine flu was “over 13,000” while also pointing out that the conservative news network had suggested it was 17,000.
However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the number of deaths in the U.S. during that outbreak was 12,469. The CDC also estimates that 75,000 people died ofthe swine flu worldwide.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Trump administration’s top infectious disease expert, has warned people against comparing COVID-19 to H1N1, telling Fox News in early March that the swine flu was “less lethal than the regular seasonal flu.”


huffpost--2020-04-17--The Paycheck Protection Program Hasn't Served Restaurants Well

But the most recent numbers suggest the food service industry is not among the top three beneficiaries of the Paycheck Protection Program , a new initiative that could turn out to be the federal government ’ s most important effort to reduce the economic damage of the coronavirus outbreak .
The construction industry , which lost 29,000 jobs in March , according to payroll data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics , received the most money ― 13.7 % of the $ 247 billion in approved loans .
The accommodation and food services industry , with 15 times as many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the pie .
On Thursday , the program reached its statutory limit of $ 350 billion in loan approvals , and the Trump administration has said it will approve no more until Congress comes up with more money .
Republicans want to add another $ 250 billion immediately ; Democrats want to make sure the funds are distributed equitably .
The program has operated on a first-come , first-served basis since it opened two weeks ago , a chaotic process that likely disadvantaged firms with weaker relationships with banks , such those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are essentially in charge of the program and some have restricted applications to current customers .
As for the economic crisis at hand , it ’ s not hard to see why restaurants have laid so many people off .
As the coronavirus spread across the country , state and local governments ordered nonessential businesses to close .
Social distancing means not sitting at a table in a room full of strangers , and if you ’ re a waiter , you can ’ t work from home .
The paycheck program offers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cover two months of payroll costs to any company with fewer than 500 workers .
If the company avoids layoffs during that time and uses 75 % of the money to cover employee pay , the loan is forgiven .
The terms of the program might be one reason more restaurants haven ’ t won loans , Kennedy said .
Restaurants know they might not even be able to open two months from now , meaning they could be at risk of having to pay back the loan if they can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nobody knows how soon state and local governments might relax their social distancing rules , the restaurant association has asked Congress to extend the program to the end of the year and let eateries use the loans within 90 days of their eventual reopening date .
Another proposed change : Let restaurants use 50 % of the loan for things other than payroll since rent can be a proportionately bigger expense .
Plenty of restaurant owners have no doubt applied for the program ― some successfully , such as the subsidiaries of giant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House ( which are indeed eligible ) .
Some smaller companies have had less luck .
Scott Cavendish , owner of a brewery in Gastonia , North Carolina , sought a loan on the program ’ s first day , and as far as he knows , his application has not been approved .
The brewery is a combination of a beer manufacturing facility and a bar that Cavendish said makes up 80 % of his company ’ s revenue — or at least it used to .
He said someone at his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem with his application as far as they knew .
“ It seems to be stuck in the funding phase , ” Cavendish said .
“ For whatever reason , the funds have not been released .
This of course means that I can ’ t bring my employees back to work as there ’ s no money to pay them with .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
More than 417,000 restaurant and bar workers lost their jobs in March ― the biggest job loss in any industry by a mile.
But the most recent numbers suggest the food service industry is not among the top three beneficiaries of the Paycheck Protection Program, a new initiative that could turn out to be the federal government’s most important effort to reduce the economic damage of the coronavirus outbreak.
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The Small Business Administration said this week that as of Monday, it had approved 108,179 loans to accommodation and food service firms, ranking it fourth among industries.
The construction industry, which lost 29,000 jobs in March, according to payroll data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, received the most money ― 13.7% of the $247 billion in approved loans. The accommodation and food services industry, with 15 times as many job losses, got only 9.1% of the pie.
On Thursday, the program reached its statutory limit of $350 billion in loan approvals, and the Trump administration has said it will approve no more until Congress comes up with more money. Republicans want to add another $250 billion immediately; Democrats want to make sure the funds are distributed equitably.
The program has operated on a first-come, first-served basis since it opened two weeks ago, a chaotic process that likely disadvantaged firms with weaker relationships with banks, such those that are smaller or minority-owned. Banks are essentially in charge of the program and some have restricted applications to current customers.
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Restaurants are empty on the river walk on April 1, 2020, in downtown San Antonio, Texas, amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. MARK FELIX via Getty Images
As for the economic crisis at hand, it’s not hard to see why restaurants have laid so many people off. As the coronavirus spread across the country, state and local governments ordered nonessential businesses to close. Social distancing means not sitting at a table in a room full of strangers, and if you’re a waiter, you can’t work from home.
Sean Kennedy, an executive with the National Restaurant Association lobbying group, praised Congress for quickly approving a $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill, but said restaurants deserve to be first in line for help.
“There’s no other industry that’s as socially facing as restaurants,” Kennedy said.
The paycheck program offers loans of up to $10 million to cover two months of payroll costs to any company with fewer than 500 workers. If the company avoids layoffs during that time and uses 75% of the money to cover employee pay, the loan is forgiven.
The terms of the program might be one reason more restaurants haven’t won loans, Kennedy said. Restaurants know they might not even be able to open two months from now, meaning they could be at risk of having to pay back the loan if they can’t maintain their staffing levels.
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Since nobody knows how soon state and local governments might relax their social distancing rules, the restaurant association has asked Congress to extend the program to the end of the year and let eateries use the loans within 90 days of their eventual reopening date. Another proposed change: Let restaurants use 50% of the loan for things other than payroll since rent can be a proportionately bigger expense.
Plenty of restaurant owners have no doubt applied for the program ― some successfully, such as the subsidiaries of giant franchises like Ruth’s Chris Steak House (which are indeed eligible). Some smaller companies have had less luck.
Scott Cavendish, owner of a brewery in Gastonia, North Carolina, sought a loan on the program’s first day, and as far as he knows, his application has not been approved. The brewery is a combination of a beer manufacturing facility and a bar that Cavendish said makes up 80% of his company’s revenue — or at least it used to. He said someone at his lender told him Wednesday there was no problem with his application as far as they knew.
“It seems to be stuck in the funding phase,” Cavendish said. “For whatever reason, the funds have not been released. This of course means that I can’t bring my employees back to work as there’s no money to pay them with.”


huffpost--2020-04-17--Kate Middleton Jokingly Reveals Why She Feels 'Mean' Homeschooling Her Kids

Kate Middleton and Prince William are worried about their family and trying to keep their kids occupied as the coronavirus pandemic surges on .
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge talked about how their three kids ― Prince George , 6 , Princess Charlotte , 4 , and Prince Louis , who is nearly 2 ― are coping with social distancing in a candid interview with BBC Breakfast on Friday .
“ It ’ s been ups and downs , like lots of families self-isolating , ” Middleton said with a smile and a laugh .
“ George is much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aware.
” “ You don ’ t want to scare them and make it too overwhelming .
I think it ’ s appropriate to acknowledge it in the simple ways and in age-appropriate ways , ” she added .
The duchess has said that while normally the kids would have had a break from school over the long Easter weekend , she kept their studies up .
“ But don ’ t tell the children , we ’ ve actually kept it going through the holidays .
I feel very mean !
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have got such stamina , I don ’ t know how , ” Middleton said .
“ Honestly , you get to the end of the day and you write down the list of all the things that you ’ ve done in that day.
” “ So , you pitch a tent , take the tent down again , cook , bake .
You get to the end of the day , they ’ ve had a lovely time , but it is amazing how much you can cram into one day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The duke and duchess added that they ’ ve been keeping in touch with family online , though there are occasionally some technical difficulties .
“ It ’ s been a really good way of keeping in touch and seeing each other , ” William said .
Kate added , “ I think your father , and my parents and our families ... have really loved keeping in touch with the children , because they know it ’ s really hard.
” The Prince of Wales has since recovered and recently reunited with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her husband while he was sick ) for their 15th wedding anniversary .

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Kate Middleton and Prince William are worried about their family and trying to keep their kids occupied as the coronavirus pandemic surges on.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge talked about how their three kids ― Prince George, 6, Princess Charlotte, 4, and Prince Louis, who is nearly 2 ― are coping with social distancing in a candid interview with BBC Breakfast on Friday.
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The duchess joked that part of their recent homeschooling schedule even left her feeling a bit “mean.”
“It’s been ups and downs, like lots of families self-isolating,” Middleton said with a smile and a laugh. “George is much older than Louis ... but they are aware.”
Prince William, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince Louis during Trooping The Colour on June 8, 2019 in London. Mark Cuthbert via Getty Images
“You don’t want to scare them and make it too overwhelming. I think it’s appropriate to acknowledge it in the simple ways and in age-appropriate ways,” she added.
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The duchess has said that while normally the kids would have had a break from school over the long Easter weekend, she kept their studies up.
“But don’t tell the children, we’ve actually kept it going through the holidays. I feel very mean!” she said laughing.
William said the experience was “fun.”
“The children have got such stamina, I don’t know how,” Middleton said. “Honestly, you get to the end of the day and you write down the list of all the things that you’ve done in that day.”
“So, you pitch a tent, take the tent down again, cook, bake. You get to the end of the day, they’ve had a lovely time, but it is amazing how much you can cram into one day, that’s for sure.”
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The duke and duchess added that they’ve been keeping in touch with family online, though there are occasionally some technical difficulties.
“It’s been a really good way of keeping in touch and seeing each other,” William said.
Kate added, “I think your father, and my parents and our families ... have really loved keeping in touch with the children, because they know it’s really hard.”
The royal family had a personal brush with COVID-19 themselves, as Prince Charles announced he’d tested positive last month and was experiencing “mild symptoms.”
The Prince of Wales has since recovered and recently reunited with Camilla (who was self-isolating away from her husband while he was sick) for their 15th wedding anniversary.


huffpost--2020-04-17--Women Detained On Rikers Are Scared For Their Lives

Rikers Island , a sprawling complex of eight jails in New York , is one of the worst places to be during the coronavirus pandemic .
In these facilities , the virus is spreading at a rate eight times faster than in New York City .
There are more than 600 positive cases , including staff , and two people detained on Rikers have already died of COVID-19 .
It ’ s no mystery why New York ’ s biggest jail complex has become an epicenter of the pandemic .
It ’ s like a cruise ship without any of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tightly together with no hope of social distancing , and they don ’ t have access to the soap , masks and gloves necessary to protect themselves and others .
There also isn ’ t sufficient medical care to treat an outbreak .
People are scared for their lives .
Like others detained at Rikers , they feel as if their safety is being ignored by the staff and the politicians with the power to release them , despite the fact that many are awaiting their trials or are locked up on parole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempts to quarantine people with the disease , men and women told HuffPost that people who test positive , negative or are awaiting their results are all getting mixed together .
Even those who are sick and in quarantine said they have to wait up to a week for any medical attention .
I ’ m transgender and have a chronic illness .
I ’ m supposed to be first priority for release since I ’ m HIV-positive .
If I catch the coronavirus , I can die .
It ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight at one time , right ?
I already have a virus in me .
Can you imagine if I have to try and fight two viruses ?
I can barely fight off a cold or flu .
A lot of officers here are calling out sick .
People in here are sick .
But we ’ re not being tested the way we should be .
We have to beg .
Every time I ask the nurses to test me , they don ’ t .
They say I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I feel a little bit sick .
They put people who test positive in quarantine , but then they come back to our unit .
We eat and sleep together .
You can open your legs and touch another person ’ s bed .
There ’ s not enough space ― it ’ s like a small alley lane .
That ’ s how close we can be each other in this dorm with 15 or 14 other people .
All the houses on Rosie ’ s ( the Rose M. Singer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve been on lockdown since March 25th or the 23rd .
We know we can ’ t go outside .
We can ’ t do nothing .
So we ’ re stuck in the unit .
We ’ re going crazy in here .
There was a really bad food fight , and I got pushed on the floor .
No nurses came for seven days .
No sick call doctors have come here to take our temperatures or nothing since last Monday .
A few weeks ago I got sick and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the doctor .
I was throwing up .
I had the hot sweats .
They didn ’ t didn ’ t send me to quarantine or nothing .
So I sat in my bed for three days really sick .
I have asthma and hepatitis C. I ’ m worried that I can die in here .
Some of us don ’ t have our families .
Some of us don ’ t have nobody .
So I don ’ t want to die and be put in potter ’ s field or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what I mean ?
I think about my son .
He ’ s 20 .
You don ’ t think about yourself when you think about death .
You think about the people that ’ s around you .
The first thing that pops in my head is not me .
It ’ s my family .
You know what I mean ?
It ’ s the people that I ’ m leaving behind .
I ’ m a grandmother .
I ’ ve never seen my grandbaby .
I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting the chance to tell my daughter I ’ m sorry about the shit I ’ ve done .
That I wish I was there for her pregnancy .
Just things I wasn ’ t there for that a mother should have been .
I have asthma and I got bronchitis .
I have my lawyer right now trying to get me out of here .
I ’ m very sick .
I ’ m in Building 1 with all the girls who have health problems .
A few weeks ago , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moved me to this smaller dorm where I ’ m less likely to get sick .
My blood pressure was pretty high .
That ’ s why they did four EKGs on me .
They was going to take me out of the jail , but I told them that , you know , I got stabbed in my heart and my lungs .
That ’ s part of why my heart rate is so rapid .
Last Friday I got my results back , and they were negative .
I was sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us on some type of restriction where we can ’ t go outside .
You know , it ’ s quarantine .
We don ’ t have us any masks .
It ’ s really not safe for us to be in here .
We have limited services .
It ’ s really hard .
You have to really be sick in order to get to the clinic .
To get anything you want , like social services , we have to call in this number .
It takes two or three days @ @ @ @

Rikers Island, a sprawling complex of eight jails in New York, is one of the worst places to be during the coronavirus pandemic. In these facilities, the virus is spreading at a rate eight times faster than in New York City. There are more than 600 positive cases, including staff, and two people detained on Rikers have already died of COVID-19.
It’s no mystery why New York’s biggest jail complex has become an epicenter of the pandemic. It’s like a cruise ship without any of the luxury amenities. People are packed tightly together with no hope of social distancing, and they don’t have access to the soap, masks and gloves necessary to protect themselves and others. There also isn’t sufficient medical care to treat an outbreak. People are scared for their lives.
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That includes the 160 women currently held in the Rose M. Singer Center, the only place specifically for female detainees on Rikers. Three of them, all with serious health conditions, spoke to HuffPost about what it’s like being behind bars as the coronavirus rapidly spreads throughout the facility.
Like others detained at Rikers, they feel as if their safety is being ignored by the staff and the politicians with the power to release them, despite the fact that many are awaiting their trials or are locked up on parole violations. Though the jail has made attempts to quarantine people with the disease, men and women told HuffPost that people who test positive, negative or are awaiting their results are all getting mixed together. Even those who are sick and in quarantine said they have to wait up to a week for any medical attention.
Multiple women who tested positive for COVID-19 told HuffPost they were transferred back to general population units before the recommended 14-day quarantine period was finished, which means they could infect others. And as more Rikers staff get sick and can’t show up to work, there aren’t enough correctional officers, doctors and nurses to stave off the outbreak or treat the most critical patients.
In their own words, women share what it’s like inside Rikers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Naomi Christopher, right, and her boyfriend George in 2017. Handout
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Naomi Leonard, 26.
She is awaiting trial and has been on Rikers Island for 13 months.
I’m transgender and have a chronic illness. I’m supposed to be first priority for release since I’m HIV-positive. If I catch the coronavirus, I can die. It’s going to give my body too much to fight at one time, right? I already have a virus in me. Can you imagine if I have to try and fight two viruses? I can barely fight off a cold or flu.
I’m a thousand percent scared. I’m really scared for my life and for my safety.
They don’t give us the proper supplies. We’re running out of soap; it’s unsanitary. There is not enough masks going around. We don’t get hand sanitizer. We don’t get what we need to keep ourselves safe. The guards only worry about themselves.
A lot of officers here are calling out sick. People in here are sick. But we’re not being tested the way we should be. We have to beg. Every time I ask the nurses to test me, they don’t. They say I don’t have a fever or any telltale signs. I feel a little bit sick.
They put people who test positive in quarantine, but then they come back to our unit. We eat and sleep together. You can open your legs and touch another person’s bed. There’s not enough space ― it’s like a small alley lane. That’s how close we can be each other in this dorm with 15 or 14 other people.
There’s people in here that have immune deficiencies and heart problems who are still walking around. On Wednesday, a judge denied my release knowing that I have a chronic illness. At the end of the day, my health should come first. While you’re quarantined I’m in jail dying or getting sick.
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I feel like it’s the end of the world for me. Everybody deserves a second chance in life, no matter what you do. I feel like I really deserve a second chance.
Brandy Mills, 41.
Mills is awaiting trial and has been held on Rikers for almost a year.
All the houses on Rosie’s (the Rose M. Singer Center building) are quarantined. We’ve been on lockdown since March 25th or the 23rd. We know we can’t go outside. We can’t do nothing. So we’re stuck in the unit. We’re going crazy in here. There was a really bad food fight, and I got pushed on the floor.
The staff are separating the girls that have corona, but they only leave them in the solitary unit for like 5 or 10 days and then they put them back with us. (Multiple women who tested positive for COVID-19 told HuffPost they spent less than two weeks in quarantine.)
No nurses came for seven days. No sick call doctors have come here to take our temperatures or nothing since last Monday. A few weeks ago I got sick and they would not let me go to the doctor. I was throwing up. I had the hot sweats. They didn’t didn’t send me to quarantine or nothing. So I sat in my bed for three days really sick.
I have asthma and hepatitis C. I’m worried that I can die in here. Some of us don’t have our families. Some of us don’t have nobody. So I don’t want to die and be put in potter’s field or wherever they put us. You know what I mean?
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I think about my son. He’s 20. You don’t think about yourself when you think about death. You think about the people that’s around you. The first thing that pops in my head is not me. It’s my family. You know what I mean? It’s the people that I’m leaving behind.
I’m a grandmother. I’ve never seen my grandbaby. I don’t want to die in prison not even getting the chance to tell my daughter I’m sorry about the shit I’ve done. That I wish I was there for her pregnancy. Just things I wasn’t there for that a mother should have been.
I don’t want to die in prison without getting to know my family.
Gabrielle Foster, 31.
Foster is awaiting trial and has been on Rikers for 14 months.
I have asthma and I got bronchitis. I have my lawyer right now trying to get me out of here. I’m very sick. I’m in Building 1 with all the girls who have health problems. A few weeks ago, when the outbreak hit really bad, they moved me to this smaller dorm where I’m less likely to get sick.
I had an asthma flare-up, and I was coughing. Everybody was staying away from me because they said I had the corona. I was using my asthma pump, but I was running out.
I told the staff I was having chest pain. I went to the medical clinic, and then I got the corona test. They quarantined me from Monday to Friday. They put me in Building 5 with other sick people.
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My blood pressure was pretty high. That’s why they did four EKGs on me. They was going to take me out of the jail, but I told them that, you know, I got stabbed in my heart and my lungs. That’s part of why my heart rate is so rapid. Last Friday I got my results back, and they were negative. I was sent back to Building 1.
They got us on some type of restriction where we can’t go outside. You know, it’s quarantine. We don’t have us any masks. It’s really not safe for us to be in here. We have limited services. It’s really hard. You have to really be sick in order to get to the clinic. To get anything you want, like social services, we have to call in this number. It takes two or three days for anyone to respond
I don’t know if they quarantined the unit to keep people out or if they’re doing this because somebody’s in here sick. Everybody thought it was me. I’m having to, you know, go through a lot of physical and emotional abuse. I went through this yesterday where a girl was saying that they closed down the unit because of me.


huffpost--2020-04-17--Michael Cohen To Be Released From Federal Prison Due To Coronavirus

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — President Donald Trump ’ s former lawyer and longtime fixer Michael Cohen will be released from federal prison to serve the remainder of his sentence in home confinement amid the coronavirus pandemic , a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press .
Cohen is currently locked up at FCI Otisville in New York after pleading guilty to numerous charges , including campaign finance fraud and lying to Congress .
He will remain under quarantine for 14 days before he is released .
Federal statistics show 14 inmates and seven staff members at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After he is released , Cohen will serve the remainder of his sentence at home , according to the person , who could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity .
Cohen ’ s release comes as prison advocates and congressional leaders have been pressing the Justice Department for weeks to release at-risk inmates ahead of a potential outbreak , arguing that the public health guidance to stay 6 feet ( 1.8 meters ) away from other people is nearly impossible behind bars .
Attorney General @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this month to increase the use of home confinement and expedite the release of eligible high-risk inmates , beginning at three prisons identified as coronavirus hot spots .
Otisville is not one of those facilities .
As of Thursday , 473 federal inmates and 279 Bureau of Prisons staff members had tested positive for coronavirus at facilities across the U.S. Eighteen inmates have died since late March .
Many federal inmates have been seeking home confinement as the number of coronavirus cases grows in the federal prison system , but advocates have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too slowly to release inmates .
The Bureau of Prisons said it had moved more than 1,000 inmates to home confinement since March 26 , when Barr first issued a directive to increase its use in late March .
The agency said it is a “ tremendous logistical lift that was accomplished through the marshaling of all of BOP ’ s resources.
” A federal judge had denied Cohen ’ s attempt for an early release to home confinement after serving 10 months in prison and said in a ruling earlier this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another effort to inject himself into the news cycle.
” But the Bureau of Prisons can take action to move him to home confinement without a judicial order .
Other high-profile inmates have also been released as the number of coronavirus cases soars .
Last week , a judge ordered Michael Avenatti — the attorney who rose to fame representing porn star Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against Trump — to be temporarily freed from a federal jail in New York City and stay at a friend ’ s house in Los Angeles .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of getting the coronavirus because he had a recent bout with pneumonia and his cellmate at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan was removed due to flu-like symptoms .
Former New York state Senate leader Dean Skelos , 72 , who was also serving a sentence at Otisville , is also expected to be released soon from prison to home confinement after testing positive for the coronavirus , prosecutors told a judge Wednesday .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s former lawyer and longtime fixer Michael Cohen will be released from federal prison to serve the remainder of his sentence in home confinement amid the coronavirus pandemic, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
Cohen is currently locked up at FCI Otisville in New York after pleading guilty to numerous charges, including campaign finance fraud and lying to Congress. He will remain under quarantine for 14 days before he is released. Federal statistics show 14 inmates and seven staff members at the prison have tested positive for coronavirus.
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After he is released, Cohen will serve the remainder of his sentence at home, according to the person, who could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
Cohen’s release comes as prison advocates and congressional leaders have been pressing the Justice Department for weeks to release at-risk inmates ahead of a potential outbreak, arguing that the public health guidance to stay 6 feet (1.8 meters) away from other people is nearly impossible behind bars.
Attorney General William Barr ordered the Bureau of Prisons earlier this month to increase the use of home confinement and expedite the release of eligible high-risk inmates, beginning at three prisons identified as coronavirus hot spots. Otisville is not one of those facilities.
As of Thursday, 473 federal inmates and 279 Bureau of Prisons staff members had tested positive for coronavirus at facilities across the U.S. Eighteen inmates have died since late March.
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Many federal inmates have been seeking home confinement as the number of coronavirus cases grows in the federal prison system, but advocates have accused the Bureau of Prisons of moving too slowly to release inmates. The Bureau of Prisons said it had moved more than 1,000 inmates to home confinement since March 26, when Barr first issued a directive to increase its use in late March. The agency said it is a “tremendous logistical lift that was accomplished through the marshaling of all of BOP’s resources.”
A federal judge had denied Cohen’s attempt for an early release to home confinement after serving 10 months in prison and said in a ruling earlier this month that it “appears to be just another effort to inject himself into the news cycle.” But the Bureau of Prisons can take action to move him to home confinement without a judicial order.
Cohen began serving his sentence last May and was scheduled to be released from prison in November 2021.
Other high-profile inmates have also been released as the number of coronavirus cases soars. Last week, a judge ordered Michael Avenatti — the attorney who rose to fame representing porn star Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against Trump — to be temporarily freed from a federal jail in New York City and stay at a friend’s house in Los Angeles. Avenatti had said he was at high risk of getting the coronavirus because he had a recent bout with pneumonia and his cellmate at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan was removed due to flu-like symptoms.
Former New York state Senate leader Dean Skelos, 72, who was also serving a sentence at Otisville, is also expected to be released soon from prison to home confinement after testing positive for the coronavirus, prosecutors told a judge Wednesday.
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CNN first reported Cohen was being released to home confinement.