huffpost--2020-06-15--Coronavirus Live Updates: Read The Latest About The COVID-19 Outbreak

HuffPost reporters around the world are tracking the pandemic and its effects .
Read the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic below .
( To see the latest updates , you may need to refresh the page .
All times are Eastern .
For earlier updates on the pandemic , go here . )
Texas , Arizona And Florida See Record High In Daily Coronavirus Infections — 6/17/2020 , 6 a.m. After implementing and then lifting stay-at-home orders , Texas , Arizona and Florida all reported record increases in daily coronavirus infections on Tuesday .
The increases come as President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Republican leaders try to downplay the ongoing spread of the virus , using misleading talking points like saying the cases are only rising because of increased testing .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis ( R ) said he wasn ’ t considering another shutdown because of the rise in cases .
U.S. Open Will Be Played Without Fans — 6/16/20 , 12:48 p.m .
ET This year ’ s U.S. Open in New York City will be held on its usual dates , from Aug. 31 to Sept. 13 , but without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cuomo confirmed at his daily COVID-19 briefing Tuesday .
The U.S. Tennis Association , which administers the Grand Slam tournament held in Queens , is finalizing new procedures for players , including frequent coronavirus tests and a limited number of people on players ’ support teams , The New York Times reported Monday night .
The pandemic has upended the tennis season .
The French Open , normally held in late spring , was postponed to late September .
For the first time since World War II , organizers of Wimbledon canceled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t Spoken To Trump In 2 Weeks — 6/16/20 , 12:05 p.m .
ET Dr. Anthony Fauci , the top infectious disease expert on the White House ’ s coronavirus task force , said Tuesday that he hasn ’ t spoken with President Donald Trump in two weeks .
Meanwhile , coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are on the rise in several states .
“ I spoke with him when we made the presentation to explain to him our vaccine development effort , ” Fauci told NPR in response to a question about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ So it was two weeks ago.
” Vice President Mike Pence , whom Trump appointed to lead the task force , said last month that the White House may wind down the group in early June .
The task force isn ’ t gathering as often as it used to , Fauci said earlier this month , adding that the frequency of his meetings with Trump has been “ dramatically decreased.
” Some of the states that have reopened haven ’ t followed the federal guidelines for doing so , likely causing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Fauci said Tuesday .
“ Congregating together without wearing a mask , that clearly is a risky procedure , ” he said .
“ That ’ s troublesome because that clearly is increasing the risk and likely explaining some of the upticks that you ’ re seeing in certain of those states.
” Against the advice of many public health experts , Trump ’ s reelection campaign has planned a rally in a 19,000-seat arena in Tulsa , Oklahoma , on Saturday .
The campaign included waiver language on the rally registration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sue the campaign if they contract the virus .
Beijing Closes Schools , Reimposes Some Restrictions As New Outbreak Emerges — 6/16/20 , 11:41 a.m .
ET Officials in Beijing have ordered schools to close starting Wednesday and are encouraging people to work from home , in response to more than 100 new reported cases since Friday .
China ’ s capital city raised its COVID-19 emergency response from level 3 to level 2 , Reuters and Bloomberg reported , citing Chinese state media .
Residents living in medium- or high-risk areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and anyone entering the city will be required to get tested and self-quarantine .
Just two weeks ago , officials had lowered the emergency response to level 3 , which allowed schools to reopen .
Low-Cost Drug Improves Chances Of COVID-19 Survival , Study Shows — 6/16/20 , 10:55 a.m .
ET Researchers at Oxford University in England said they have the first evidence that a drug can improve COVID-19 patients ’ chances of survival .
A cheap , widely available steroid called dexamethasone reduced deaths by up to one-third in severely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results of a study released Thursday .
While the drug did not appear to help mildly ill patients , it reduced deaths by 35 % in patients who needed breathing machines and by 20 % in those only needing supplemental oxygen .
“ This is an extremely welcome result , ” Oxford researcher Peter Horby said in a statement .
“ The survival benefit is clear and large in those patients who are sick enough to require oxygen treatment , so dexamethasone should now become standard of care in these patients .
Dexamethasone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide.
” Read more from the Associated Press here .
COVID-19 Patients With Underlying Health Conditions Are 12 Times More Likely To Die : CDC — 6/16/20 , 8:42 a.m .
ET People with underlying medical conditions are 12 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than healthy people and six times more likely to be hospitalized , according to a federal health report released Monday .
The findings , released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , underscored the CDC ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with health issues are at greater risk of death and hospitalization .
The most common underlying health conditions among those with more serious complications include cardiovascular disease ( 32 % ) , diabetes ( 30 % ) , and chronic lung disease ( 18 % ) .
The report also highlighted the disproportionate rate that the disease affects the country ’ s minorities .
Among roughly 600,000 cases with known race information , 33 % were Hispanic or Latino and 22 % were Black — despite the fact that Hispanics and Latinos make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Blacks make up 13 % .
“ These preliminary findings underscore the need to build on current efforts to collect and analyze case data , especially among those with underlying health conditions , ” the CDC said .
New Zealand No Longer COVID-Free After Passengers Fly In From UK — 6/16/20 , 6:15 a.m .
ET New Zealand is no longer free from coronavirus after health officials said two women who flew from London to see a dying parent had tested positive .
Before they were tested the women had been given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grounds and had traveled from Auckland to Wellington by car .
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said that as part of their travel plan , the women had no contact with any people or any public facilities on their road trip .
Nevertheless , the new cases have sparked a round of testing in New Zealand for anybody who might have been close to the women .
That includes passengers and staff on their flights , which arrived via Brisbane in Australia , other people at the Auckland hotel they initially stayed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they met in Wellington .
The women remain in isolation in Wellington and have delayed the funeral of their parent until they have recovered .
Until Tuesday , New Zealand had gone more than three weeks without any new cases .
The country has reported 22 deaths from the disease .
Rep. Ilhan Omar ’ s Father Dies From Complications Of COVID-19 — 6/16/2020 , 5:45 a.m .
ET Rep. Ilhan Omar said Monday that her father , Nur Omar Mohamed , has died from complications of COVID-19 .
“ No words can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all who knew him , ” the Minnesota Democrat said in a statement .
The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 116,000 people in the United States .
More than 2.1 million people have tested positive for the virus , which is still ravaging parts of the country as infections spike in nearly two dozen states .
There Have Now Been More Than 8 Million COVID-19 Cases ― 6/15/2020 8:02 p.m .
ET More than 8 million people have been infected with the coronavirus , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those cases are in the U.S. , where more than 116,000 people have died of COVID-19 .
Infections are surging in the U.S. and in Latin America , while China is starting to see a second outbreak .
Globally , the disease has claimed more than 430,000 lives .
Germany Gears Up To Launch Coronavirus Tracing App — 6/15/20 , 4:26 p.m .
ET German Health Minister Jens Spahn said Sunday that the country is ready to roll out its coronavirus tracing app sometime this week .
The app uses bluetooth to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 .
Proponents of the technology hope reliance on bluetooth helps address privacy concerns , as it circumvents the need for a centralized database .
Public health officials hope the app will prove useful in combating a second wave of infections , which would lead to another wave of shutdowns .
Many European countries , including Germany , lifted travel bans to other European Union members on Monday .
FDA Revokes Emergency Use Authorization For Hydroxochloroquine – 6/15/20 , 12:21 p.m .
ET The U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency use authorizations for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine , anti-malarial drugs that President Donald Trump has falsely touted as a potential COVID-19 treatment .
After reviewing data from recent clinical trials , FDA officials concluded the drugs “ are unlikely to produce an antiviral effect , ” and “ the known and potential benefits of these products outweigh their known and potential risks.
” The risks can include increased heart problems .
Beijing Braces For Resurgence Of Virus — 6/15/2020 , 6 a.m .
ET More than 100 new cases of the coronavirus have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after about a month of no local transmission , the Associated Press reported .
The cases have been linked to the Xinfadi wholesale market , which supplies much of the meat and vegetables for the capital city .
In response , Beijing has closed the market , put nearby neighborhoods on lockdown , and tested more than 76,000 people .
The resurgence in China , where the virus first appeared , underscores the difficulties countries around the world are having in containing the virus .
More than 7.93 million cases have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths attributable to the disease .
Fauci : Ban On China , U.K. Travelers Likely To Last Months — 6/14/20 , 3:25 p.m .
ET Dr. Anthony Fauci , the top infectious disease expert on the White House coronavirus task force , said he believes restrictions on travel from the United Kingdom , China and other countries to the United States will likely continue for “ months.
” “ It ’ s going to be really wait and see , ” he told the British newspaper The Telegraph .
“ I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be an immediate pullback for those kinds of restrictions .
My feeling , looking at what ’ s going on with the infection rate , I think it ’ s more likely measured in months rather than weeks.
” President Donald Trump restricted travel from China in later January , about a month after the first documented coronavirus case in the Chinese city of Wuhan .
He followed up in mid-March with a ban on travel from the U.K. , Ireland and 26 other countries in Europe .
His delayed decision to shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many public health experts .
The virus could “ go on for a couple of cycles , coming back and forth , ” Fauci told The Telegraph .
But a so-called second wave isn ’ t inevitable if local and state officials take the proper precautions , he said .
There have been more than 2 million confirmed cases of the virus in the U.S. , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
At least 115,000 people have died nationwide .
As President Donald Trump prepares for his first campaign rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event could lead to a new outbreak of the coronavirus .
The upcoming rally , which is slated to be held in a 19,000-seat arena in Tulsa , Oklahoma , could prove to be “ an extraordinarily dangerous move for the people participating and the people who may know them and love them and see them afterward , ” Dr. Ashish Jha , director of Harvard ’ s Global Health Institute , told the Associated Press .
Trump ’ s reelection campaign , in a recognition of the risk , has included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rally that essentially says you can ’ t sue the campaign if you contract the coronavirus during event .
“ By attending the Rally , you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold Donald J. Trump for President , Inc. ; BOK Center ; ASM Global ; or any of their affiliates , directors , officers , employees , agents , contractors , or volunteers liable for any illness or injury , ” the waiver states .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus task force , cautioned Friday that attending rallies or protests at this time is “ risky ” and poses “ a danger.
” He urged rallygoers to wear masks and socially distance as much as possible .
Read more from the Associated Press here .
Oregon Governor To Halt Reopening As New Cases Rise — 6/12/20 , 9:46 a.m .
ET Oregon will “ press pause ” on and reevaluate its reopening process for the next seven days “ to ensure that the virus is not spreading too quickly , ” Gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Thursday , the state reported a new single-day high in the number of new COVID-19 infections .
It ’ s one of at least a dozen states that have seen a rise in cases , which many experts attribute to loosening restrictions .
For more on the pandemic , go here .

HuffPost reporters around the world are tracking the pandemic and its effects.
Read the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic below. (To see the latest updates, you may need to refresh the page. All times are Eastern. For earlier updates on the pandemic, go here.)
Texas, Arizona And Florida See Record High In Daily Coronavirus Infections — 6/17/2020, 6 a.m.
After implementing and then lifting stay-at-home orders, Texas, Arizona and Florida all reported record increases in daily coronavirus infections on Tuesday.
The increases come as President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Republican leaders try to downplay the ongoing spread of the virus, using misleading talking points like saying the cases are only rising because of increased testing.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said he wasn’t considering another shutdown because of the rise in cases.
— Nick Visser
U.S. Open Will Be Played Without Fans — 6/16/20, 12:48 p.m. ET
This year’s U.S. Open in New York City will be held on its usual dates, from Aug. 31 to Sept. 13, but without fans, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo confirmed at his daily COVID-19 briefing Tuesday.
The U.S. Tennis Association, which administers the Grand Slam tournament held in Queens, is finalizing new procedures for players, including frequent coronavirus tests and a limited number of people on players’ support teams, The New York Times reported Monday night.
The pandemic has upended the tennis season. The French Open, normally held in late spring, was postponed to late September. For the first time since World War II, organizers of Wimbledon canceled the tournament altogether.
— Marina Fang
Fauci Says He Hasn’t Spoken To Trump In 2 Weeks — 6/16/20, 12:05 p.m. ET
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert on the White House’s coronavirus task force, said Tuesday that he hasn’t spoken with President Donald Trump in two weeks. Meanwhile, coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are on the rise in several states.
“I spoke with him when we made the presentation to explain to him our vaccine development effort,” Fauci told NPR in response to a question about his last conversation with the president. “So it was two weeks ago.”
Vice President Mike Pence, whom Trump appointed to lead the task force, said last month that the White House may wind down the group in early June. The task force isn’t gathering as often as it used to, Fauci said earlier this month, adding that the frequency of his meetings with Trump has been “dramatically decreased.”
Some of the states that have reopened haven’t followed the federal guidelines for doing so, likely causing a spike in cases in those areas, Fauci said Tuesday.
“Congregating together without wearing a mask, that clearly is a risky procedure,” he said. “That’s troublesome because that clearly is increasing the risk and likely explaining some of the upticks that you’re seeing in certain of those states.”
Against the advice of many public health experts, Trump’s reelection campaign has planned a rally in a 19,000-seat arena in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday. The campaign included waiver language on the rally registration website that requires attendees to agree not to sue the campaign if they contract the virus.
― Hayley Miller
Beijing Closes Schools, Reimposes Some Restrictions As New Outbreak Emerges — 6/16/20, 11:41 a.m. ET
Officials in Beijing have ordered schools to close starting Wednesday and are encouraging people to work from home, in response to more than 100 new reported cases since Friday.
China’s capital city raised its COVID-19 emergency response from level 3 to level 2, Reuters and Bloomberg reported, citing Chinese state media. Residents living in medium- or high-risk areas will be barred from leaving the city, and anyone entering the city will be required to get tested and self-quarantine.
Just two weeks ago, officials had lowered the emergency response to level 3, which allowed schools to reopen.
— Marina Fang
Low-Cost Drug Improves Chances Of COVID-19 Survival, Study Shows — 6/16/20, 10:55 a.m. ET
Researchers at Oxford University in England said they have the first evidence that a drug can improve COVID-19 patients’ chances of survival.
A cheap, widely available steroid called dexamethasone reduced deaths by up to one-third in severely ill hospitalized patients, according to the results of a study released Thursday. While the drug did not appear to help mildly ill patients, it reduced deaths by 35% in patients who needed breathing machines and by 20% in those only needing supplemental oxygen.
“This is an extremely welcome result,” Oxford researcher Peter Horby said in a statement. “The survival benefit is clear and large in those patients who are sick enough to require oxygen treatment, so dexamethasone should now become standard of care in these patients. Dexamethasone is inexpensive, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide.”
Read more from the Associated Press here.
— Hayley Miller
COVID-19 Patients With Underlying Health Conditions Are 12 Times More Likely To Die: CDC — 6/16/20, 8:42 a.m. ET
People with underlying medical conditions are 12 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than healthy people and six times more likely to be hospitalized, according to a federal health report released Monday.
The findings, released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, underscored the CDC’s earlier warnings that older adults and those with health issues are at greater risk of death and hospitalization. The most common underlying health conditions among those with more serious complications include cardiovascular disease (32%), diabetes (30%), and chronic lung disease (18%).
The report also highlighted the disproportionate rate that the disease affects the country’s minorities.
Among roughly 600,000 cases with known race information, 33% were Hispanic or Latino and 22% were Black — despite the fact that Hispanics and Latinos make up 18% of the U.S. population and Blacks make up 13%.
“These preliminary findings underscore the need to build on current efforts to collect and analyze case data, especially among those with underlying health conditions,” the CDC said.
― Nina Golgowski
New Zealand No Longer COVID-Free After Passengers Fly In From UK — 6/16/20, 6:15 a.m. ET
New Zealand is no longer free from coronavirus after health officials said two women who flew from London to see a dying parent had tested positive. Before they were tested the women had been given an exemption to leave quarantine on compassionate grounds and had traveled from Auckland to Wellington by car.
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said that as part of their travel plan, the women had no contact with any people or any public facilities on their road trip. Nevertheless, the new cases have sparked a round of testing in New Zealand for anybody who might have been close to the women.
That includes passengers and staff on their flights, which arrived via Brisbane in Australia, other people at the Auckland hotel they initially stayed at in quarantine, and a family member they met in Wellington. The women remain in isolation in Wellington and have delayed the funeral of their parent until they have recovered.
Until Tuesday, New Zealand had gone more than three weeks without any new cases. The country has reported 22 deaths from the disease.
— Sara Nelson
Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Father Dies From Complications Of COVID-19 — 6/16/2020, 5:45 a.m. ET
Rep. Ilhan Omar said Monday that her father, Nur Omar Mohamed, has died from complications of COVID-19.
“No words can describe what he meant to me and all who knew him,” the Minnesota Democrat said in a statement.
The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 116,000 people in the United States. More than 2.1 million people have tested positive for the virus, which is still ravaging parts of the country as infections spike in nearly two dozen states.
— Nick Visser
There Have Now Been More Than 8 Million COVID-19 Cases ― 6/15/2020 8:02 p.m. ET
More than 8 million people have been infected with the coronavirus, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University on Monday.
More than 2 million of those cases are in the U.S., where more than 116,000 people have died of COVID-19. Infections are surging in the U.S. and in Latin America, while China is starting to see a second outbreak. Globally, the disease has claimed more than 430,000 lives.
― Lydia O’Connor
Germany Gears Up To Launch Coronavirus Tracing App — 6/15/20, 4:26 p.m. ET
German Health Minister Jens Spahn said Sunday that the country is ready to roll out its coronavirus tracing app sometime this week.
The app uses bluetooth to track and notify people who come into close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19. Proponents of the technology hope reliance on bluetooth helps address privacy concerns, as it circumvents the need for a centralized database.
Public health officials hope the app will prove useful in combating a second wave of infections, which would lead to another wave of shutdowns. Many European countries, including Germany, lifted travel bans to other European Union members on Monday.
― Ryan Grenoble
FDA Revokes Emergency Use Authorization For Hydroxochloroquine – 6/15/20, 12:21 p.m. ET
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has revoked its emergency use authorizations for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, anti-malarial drugs that President Donald Trump has falsely touted as a potential COVID-19 treatment.
After reviewing data from recent clinical trials, FDA officials concluded the drugs “are unlikely to produce an antiviral effect,” and “the known and potential benefits of these products outweigh their known and potential risks.” The risks can include increased heart problems.
Read the FDA’s memo here.
— Marina Fang
Beijing Braces For Resurgence Of Virus — 6/15/2020, 6 a.m. ET
More than 100 new cases of the coronavirus have been reported in recent days in Beijing, after about a month of no local transmission, the Associated Press reported.
The cases have been linked to the Xinfadi wholesale market, which supplies much of the meat and vegetables for the capital city. In response, Beijing has closed the market, put nearby neighborhoods on lockdown, and tested more than 76,000 people.
The resurgence in China, where the virus first appeared, underscores the difficulties countries around the world are having in containing the virus. More than 7.93 million cases have been reported worldwide, with more than 433,000 deaths attributable to the disease.
— Liza Hearon
Fauci: Ban On China, U.K. Travelers Likely To Last Months — 6/14/20, 3:25 p.m. ET
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert on the White House coronavirus task force, said he believes restrictions on travel from the United Kingdom, China and other countries to the United States will likely continue for “months.”
“It’s going to be really wait and see,” he told the British newspaper The Telegraph. “I don’t think there’s going to be an immediate pullback for those kinds of restrictions. My feeling, looking at what’s going on with the infection rate, I think it’s more likely measured in months rather than weeks.”
President Donald Trump restricted travel from China in later January, about a month after the first documented coronavirus case in the Chinese city of Wuhan. He followed up in mid-March with a ban on travel from the U.K., Ireland and 26 other countries in Europe. His delayed decision to shut down travel from Europe prompted criticism from many public health experts.
The virus could “go on for a couple of cycles, coming back and forth,” Fauci told The Telegraph. But a so-called second wave isn’t inevitable if local and state officials take the proper precautions, he said.
There have been more than 2 million confirmed cases of the virus in the U.S., according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. At least 115,000 people have died nationwide.
—Hayley Miller
Health Expert Calls Trump’s Tulsa Rally An ‘Extraordinarily Dangerous Move’ — 6/14/20, 3:05 p.m. ET
As President Donald Trump prepares for his first campaign rally in months, health experts are warning the event could lead to a new outbreak of the coronavirus.
The upcoming rally, which is slated to be held in a 19,000-seat arena in Tulsa, Oklahoma, could prove to be “an extraordinarily dangerous move for the people participating and the people who may know them and love them and see them afterward,” Dr. Ashish Jha, director of Harvard’s Global Health Institute, told the Associated Press.
Trump’s reelection campaign, in a recognition of the risk, has included a notice to those registering to attend the rally that essentially says you can’t sue the campaign if you contract the coronavirus during event.
“By attending the Rally, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.; BOK Center; ASM Global; or any of their affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, or volunteers liable for any illness or injury,” the waiver states.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, an infectious disease expert on the White House coronavirus task force, cautioned Friday that attending rallies or protests at this time is “risky” and poses “a danger.”
He urged rallygoers to wear masks and socially distance as much as possible.
Read more from the Associated Press here.
― Hayley Miller
Oregon Governor To Halt Reopening As New Cases Rise — 6/12/20, 9:46 a.m. ET
Oregon will “press pause” on and reevaluate its reopening process for the next seven days “to ensure that the virus is not spreading too quickly,” Gov. Kate Brown announced Thursday night.
On Thursday, the state reported a new single-day high in the number of new COVID-19 infections. It’s one of at least a dozen states that have seen a rise in cases, which many experts attribute to loosening restrictions.
— Marina Fang
For more on the pandemic, go here.


huffpost--2020-06-15--As Summer Season Heats Up, Migrant Workers Confront Compounded Coronavirus Risks

“ The ones that leave here go there , ” Carrera Juarez , 38 , who also travels as the harvest dictates , said in Spanish .
“ And sometimes those that leave from here are infected .
They get there , get another person sick , and that can move around to another place or back here .
The sickness keeps on moving.
” There are plenty of reasons why migrant farm workers are particularly susceptible to contracting the coronavirus .
They tend to live together in packed trailers or apartments due to their low wages , or in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often share kitchens and other common areas and take crowded buses and vans to and from the fields each day .
They work inside packing houses where they stand shoulder to shoulder .
And many lack access to health care and face language barriers that can make outreach and education more difficult .
If Immokalee is any indication , the farming communities in other parts of the country may see a spike in new COVID-19 cases if they haven ’ t taken safety precautions .
As The Washington Post reported last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Immokalee is vastly higher than in Florida generally ― 36 % versus less than 6 % .
The more well-to-do pockets of Collier County , which includes Immokalee , have been largely spared from the virus .
Nely Rodriguez , a former farm worker now employed as an organizer with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers , said the response of the local government has improved after a sluggish start when the virus first appeared .
Testing has ramped up , and the county is now setting aside dormitories to isolate those who don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so themselves .
“ You can find two or three families in a single trailer … And that ’ s where the vulnerability for workers starts , by living piled up on top of one another , ” Rodriguez said .
“ And then you have to get into that bus and sit one one top of the other for them to take you to work.
” The Coalition of Immokalee Workers has been doing outreach to workers on the coronavirus since March , when it began passing out literature in Spanish and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipment .
It has also pushed for more testing and resources from local and state officials in Florida , which is now setting new records for daily confirmed cases as the state reopens .
Rodriguez wonders what lies in store for other communities to the north as the tomato harvest in Immokalee winds down .
“ Here , at least , we know people ; folks know where they can find help , ” she said in Spanish .
“ But when we ’ re hearing that they go to other states , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another route for COVID infection … and we don ’ t really know what resources they ’ ve got over there in other states.
” Advocates say this has resulted in some farms failing to implement safeguards , and farm workers having to supply their own masks and hand sanitizer .
Farmworker Justice has partnered with other advocacy groups to both secure personal protective equipment and better educate farmworkers about ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
To date , the organization has helped distribute 3,500 masks by connecting volunteer mask makers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her first case in early May , Talbot set up a test site at her office , with a line of farm workers snaking out the door .
She tested some 200 workers over the course of five days and found a 17 % positivity rate .
She personally knows and treats the farmers in her area and spoke to them about developing plans to isolate workers who carried the virus .
“ I haven ’ t had any more positives , ” Talbot said on the call .
“ I think I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in my sphere of influence .
I don ’ t have thousands and thousands of workers .
Acting right away and testing them quickly , I think I was able to help stop the spread.
” But Talbot said she worries the virus will not be headed off so easily in other areas .
She said the state has issued well-meaning guidelines meant to create social distance within living quarters , but she knows in reality they remain crowded .
And even though testing has picked up , the capacity is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influx of workers .
The concerns aren ’ t limited to farms on the East Coast .
Last month , all of the nearly 200 employees at a Tennessee vegetable farm tested positive for coronavirus , and a separate strawberry farm in the state confirmed this month that dozens of its workers were infected .
There have been similar outbreaks at agricultural operations in California and Washington .
Produce workers in Yakima County , Washington , went on strike last month to demand better workplace safety and hazard pay .
“ What we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t feel that they have been equipped with either the appropriate information or the equipment for their own protection , ” said Diana Tellefson , executive director of United Farm Workers Foundation .
That ongoing lack of information , including about access to paid sick leave , is “ incredibly dangerous ” and has left many workers confused about what to do if they contract the virus , she said .
“ It ’ s not fear , but at the same time it is , ” she said .
“ Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick , and then you ’ ve got to be going all over the place trying to get them to a doctor and there ’ s so many people sick at the same time .
It ’ s risking the health of my kids .
It ’ s the reason I can ’ t stand it anymore .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Alejandrina Carrera Juarez knows at least a dozen people who have had the coronavirus in Immokalee, a largely poor, agricultural community in Southwest Florida that the pandemic has hit hard.
Many migrant farm workers from that area are now heading north to follow the summer harvest to Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey. Carrera Juarez fears not only for the health of her fellow Immokalee laborers, but for all the migrant camps along the East Coast that will fill in the coming weeks.
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“The ones that leave here go there,” Carrera Juarez, 38, who also travels as the harvest dictates, said in Spanish. “And sometimes those that leave from here are infected. They get there, get another person sick, and that can move around to another place or back here. The sickness keeps on moving.”
There are plenty of reasons why migrant farm workers are particularly susceptible to contracting the coronavirus. They tend to live together in packed trailers or apartments due to their low wages, or in dormitories on the farms themselves. They often share kitchens and other common areas and take crowded buses and vans to and from the fields each day. They work inside packing houses where they stand shoulder to shoulder. And many lack access to health care and face language barriers that can make outreach and education more difficult.
If Immokalee is any indication, the farming communities in other parts of the country may see a spike in new COVID-19 cases if they haven’t taken safety precautions. As The Washington Post reported last week, the positive rate among those tested in Immokalee is vastly higher than in Florida generally ― 36% versus less than 6%. The more well-to-do pockets of Collier County, which includes Immokalee, have been largely spared from the virus.
As the administrator of the county’s health department recently put it, “Immokalee is an entirely different thing.”
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Nely Rodriguez, a former farm worker now employed as an organizer with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, said the response of the local government has improved after a sluggish start when the virus first appeared. Testing has ramped up, and the county is now setting aside dormitories to isolate those who don’t have the money to do so themselves.
Even so, living conditions remain a problem there. And they’ll be a problem elsewhere, too.
“You can find two or three families in a single trailer … And that’s where the vulnerability for workers starts, by living piled up on top of one another,” Rodriguez said. “And then you have to get into that bus and sit one one top of the other for them to take you to work.”
A farm worker helps harvest zucchini on the Sam Accursio & Son's Farm in April in Florida City, Florida. Joe Raedle via Getty Images
Keeping Workers Healthy
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers has been doing outreach to workers on the coronavirus since March, when it began passing out literature in Spanish and Haitian Creole on social distancing and protective equipment. It has also pushed for more testing and resources from local and state officials in Florida, which is now setting new records for daily confirmed cases as the state reopens. Rodriguez wonders what lies in store for other communities to the north as the tomato harvest in Immokalee winds down.
“Here, at least, we know people; folks know where they can find help,” she said in Spanish. “But when we’re hearing that they go to other states, we get worried that it’s another route for COVID infection … and we don’t really know what resources they’ve got over there in other states.”
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Living conditions for migrant farm workers are often cramped or inadequate already, and the virus could make the situation worse, said Alexis Guild, director of health policy for Farmworker Justice, a Washington, D.C.-based group that advocates on behalf of migrant and seasonal agricultural laborers. She said she’s hearing about more and more COVID-19 outbreaks at farms and fears that trend will continue.
“If you put a pandemic on top of it,” she said, “it certainly exposes them to more danger than they already are in.”
Farm owners and operators also face unprecedented challenges. Unequipped to deal with a deadly virus outbreak, they've had to figure out how to keep workers safe while also maintaining production — often with limited or conflicting information.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and many states have issued guidance for agricultural workers and employers, there is no federal regulation specifically created to protect farm workers during COVID-19.
Advocates say this has resulted in some farms failing to implement safeguards, and farm workers having to supply their own masks and hand sanitizer. Farmworker Justice has partnered with other advocacy groups to both secure personal protective equipment and better educate farmworkers about ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. To date, the organization has helped distribute 3,500 masks by connecting volunteer mask makers to community-based farmworker organizations.
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“We should all care about farm workers,” Guild said. “Keeping farm workers healthy and preventing widespread illness will ensure a safe food supply and stability in the food chain. That’s important.”
Farm laborers from Fresh Harvest arrive for their shift on April 28, 2020 in Greenfield, California. Brent Stirton via Getty Images
‘Incredibly Dangerous’ Lack Of Information
Southern New Jersey will soon begin its blueberry harvest, bringing thousands of workers from out of state. New Jersey launched a campaign aimed at testing all migrant farm workers in the southern part of the state, which revealed troubling outbreaks similar to those in Florida. More than 50 workers at a single farm in Gloucester County tested positive for the coronavirus last month.
Doctors and farm worker advocates voiced concern about the situation on a call Wednesday hosted by the Migrant Clinicians Network, a health care nonprofit devoted to treating migrant workers. Dr. Lori Talbot, a family physician in the New Jersey town of Bridgeton, said she expects between 8,000 and 10,000 workers to show up to her area in the coming weeks to pick and pack fruits and vegetables.
After seeing her first case in early May, Talbot set up a test site at her office, with a line of farm workers snaking out the door. She tested some 200 workers over the course of five days and found a 17% positivity rate. She personally knows and treats the farmers in her area and spoke to them about developing plans to isolate workers who carried the virus.
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“I haven’t had any more positives,” Talbot said on the call. “I think I was able to contain the area that was in my sphere of influence. I don’t have thousands and thousands of workers. Acting right away and testing them quickly, I think I was able to help stop the spread.”
But Talbot said she worries the virus will not be headed off so easily in other areas. She said the state has issued well-meaning guidelines meant to create social distance within living quarters, but she knows in reality they remain crowded. And even though testing has picked up, the capacity is not where it needs to be for an influx of workers.
She has also encountered farmers who were reluctant to get onboard with mass-testing of their workforces, since they don’t want to make the news for a sky-high infection rate.
“They’re refusing to let them come onsite to test,” she said.
The concerns aren’t limited to farms on the East Coast. Last month, all of the nearly 200 employees at a Tennessee vegetable farm tested positive for coronavirus, and a separate strawberry farm in the state confirmed this month that dozens of its workers were infected. There have been similar outbreaks at agricultural operations in California and Washington. Produce workers in Yakima County, Washington, went on strike last month to demand better workplace safety and hazard pay.
“What we are hearing is that farm workers don’t feel that they have been equipped with either the appropriate information or the equipment for their own protection,” said Diana Tellefson, executive director of United Farm Workers Foundation. That ongoing lack of information, including about access to paid sick leave, is “incredibly dangerous” and has left many workers confused about what to do if they contract the virus, she said.
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Limited Options
How well protected workers are often comes down to individual growers. Seth Holmes, a physician and medical anthropologist at the University of California, Berkeley, said during the call hosted by the clinicians’ network that he’s seen a wide range of health precautions taken at farms during the pandemic.
On some of the repurposed school buses workers take to and from the fields, virtually all workers were wearing masks, Holmes said. On others, almost no one was. He even saw some workers climbing into the unventilated cargo area of a U-Haul-style truck, the pull-down door closing behind them.
Holmes said isolation remains a critical problem for those who test positive in places like Immokalee.
“Many I’ve met want to isolate,” he said, “but they don’t have a place to go.”
The pandemic has left some workers unsure of whether they should even travel for the harvest this year, pitting their need to earn money against a desire to stay home and safe. That includes Carrera Juarez. Her partner, also a farm worker, has already left to go north this summer. But Carrera Juarez worries about taking her three children northward as the pandemic continues to unfold.
She has decided to remain in Immokalee this year, even if it means financial hardship.
“It’s not fear, but at the same time it is,” she said. “Because you can get [the kids] sick, and then you’ve got to be going all over the place trying to get them to a doctor and there’s so many people sick at the same time. It’s risking the health of my kids. It’s the reason I can’t stand it anymore.”
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huffpost--2020-06-15--European Cities See Life Without Crowds Of Tourists — And Want To Keep It That Way

But it ’ s a double-edged sword .
As tourist numbers have swelled ― encouraged by cheap flights and a rash of accommodation options through platforms such as Airbnb ― so too have the problems , from drunken crowds creating an extreme nuisance to residents being forced out of city centers as housing prices soar .
Angry locals have taken to the streets in cities including Venice , Prague and Barcelona to protest what many see as an assault on their daily lives .
As with Amsterdam , Prague is keen to try to ward off the kind of antisocial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city streets .
“ We are not looking to attract the same amount of visitors as before the crisis because Prague was struggling with overtourism and its disadvantages , ” Hrubá said .
“ We will be working to change the city ’ s reputation ― currently seen in some parts of the world as a cheap party destination ― and to attract visitors mainly interested in culture and heritage.
” The city ’ s deputy mayor , Janet Sanz , expects a third of licensed tourist apartments in the city to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next three years as a result of a changed tourism industry post-pandemic .
“ What tourist apartment owners want now is stability , and they can find it through conventional rents , which in addition can help to solve the housing needs of our city , ” she said .
“ We now have a chance to rethink the city.
” This might mean changes to the red-light district , a primary draw for many tourists .
Vranken believes the capital will seriously consider measures such as restricting access to cannabis cafes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the stated aim of protecting sex workers from tourists who gather just to photograph and stare at them .
There is also a suggestion to move the windows to another area , a proposal that has been resisted by sex workers , many of whom see the red-light district as a safe place to work and who worry about the implications of driving sex work underground .
Last year , Amsterdam joined several other European cities asking for help from the European Union to tackle the effects of short-term vacation rentals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more lucratively for renting out to tourists , they disappear from the traditional housing market , ” said a statement from the city of Amsterdam , which added : “ Prices are driven up even further , and housing of citizens who live and work in our cities is hampered.
” “ In recent years , we ’ ve seen districts groaning under the weight of tourism , ” Ivens said .
“ In Amsterdam , one in 15 houses has been offered on Airbnb , and around 80 % of the residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have experienced a lot of or regular nuisance from holiday rentals .
So in the areas where liveability has been most under pressure , from July 1 , holiday rentals will be banned .
The peace and silence the city experienced because of the coronavirus also means that the city belongs to its residents again.
” Halsema said the solution is to look beyond a reliance on tourism and to stimulate the local economy by bringing Amsterdammers back to the areas that had become a tourist monoculture and supporting a diversity of local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also considering buying up property to make housing more accessible .
“ The inner city of the future is not the inner city of the past .
And we will not be driven by nostalgia , ” Halsema said , according to a report in DutchNews .

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AMSTERDAM ― Canals shimmer beside medieval cobbled streets and beneath the elegant (and mostly empty) bridges. There’s not even a whiff of cannabis in the air.
Amsterdam’s red-light district is unrecognizable from a year ago, when tourists thronged day and night around bars, window brothels, coffee shops and souvenir sellers. The coronavirus shutdown has had a devastating effect on the city’s economy. A dearth of tourists left 55,000 hotel beds unfilled, with celebrated museums closed and souvenir shops shuttered.
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For a city where international tourists spent more than $7 billion in 2015 and more than 12% of jobs are directly in the tourism sector, this has been a huge financial blow.
But there’s a flipside. Many residents are re-embracing the quiet beauty of the city. As the city takes its first tentative steps towards reopening this month, some want to use the pandemic as an opportunity to create a permanent shift.
Amsterdam's red-light district is nearly deserted on April 24 after the Dutch government imposed regulations to prevent the spread of coronavirus. AP Photo/Peter Dejong
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“Maybe [COVID-19] gives momentum to build up the visitor economy in a sustainable way,” said Geerte Udo, chief executive of amsterdam&partners, the city’s marketing organization. “We want to make sure the [tourism] industry has a more positive impact on a broader group of locals, not just a few big companies, to improve environmentally friendly mobility and consumption and long-term economic investment. We want a sustainable visitor economy that doesn’t harm the liveability of our city.”
Udo wants tourism to restart but with the “right” visitors, she said, which she defines as those who will respect the city and the people who live there rather than needing to be told not to drink, shout and pee outside.
“Never waste a good crisis,” Udo said. “[COVID-19] makes it very clear how valuable the visitor economy is. ... But we do not want to go back to the pre-corona time.”
Amsterdam’s story echoes around Europe. Tourism is the lifeblood of many of the continent’s historic cities, contributing around 11% to the European Union’s gross domestic product and accounting for 12% of employment.
But it’s a double-edged sword. As tourist numbers have swelled ― encouraged by cheap flights and a rash of accommodation options through platforms such as Airbnb ― so too have the problems, from drunken crowds creating an extreme nuisance to residents being forced out of city centers as housing prices soar. Angry locals have taken to the streets in cities including Venice, Prague and Barcelona to protest what many see as an assault on their daily lives.
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The EU predicted that the tourism industry could slump up to 70% because of the coronavirus. But many hope the pandemic will end up changing tourism for the better.
“The crisis is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for change,” Barbora Hrubá, a spokesperson for Prague City Tourism, told HuffPost.
The capital of the Czech Republic has seen tourist numbers balloon from around 2.6 million in 2000 to 8 million in 2019, filling the relatively small city and putting a huge strain on resources.
A crowd of tourists in the Old Town of Prague. Joerg Steber via Getty Images
As with Amsterdam, Prague is keen to try to ward off the kind of antisocial tourist behavior that has become common on the city streets. “We are not looking to attract the same amount of visitors as before the crisis because Prague was struggling with overtourism and its disadvantages,” Hrubá said. “We will be working to change the city’s reputation ― currently seen in some parts of the world as a cheap party destination ― and to attract visitors mainly interested in culture and heritage.”
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Barcelona, which has seen protests against overtourism, is also hoping to rebuild from the pandemic in a way that tackles some of the problems tourism has brought.
The city’s deputy mayor, Janet Sanz, expects a third of licensed tourist apartments in the city to return to the normal rental sector in the next three years as a result of a changed tourism industry post-pandemic. “What tourist apartment owners want now is stability, and they can find it through conventional rents, which in addition can help to solve the housing needs of our city,” she said. “We now have a chance to rethink the city.”
A protest in Barcelona against gentrification, short-term rentals and tourism. Laura Calonge/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
In Amsterdam, many of the calls to rethink the city are aimed at reducing the antisocial behavior of some tourists, who crowd its narrow streets on nightly bar crawls and vomit outside residents’ doors and into the canals.
Taking away some of the reasons people travel could help the city “regain control of some kinds of visitation and the behavior that goes along with it,” said Jos Vranken, managing director of NBTC Holland Marketing, the Dutch tourist board.
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This might mean changes to the red-light district, a primary draw for many tourists. Vranken believes the capital will seriously consider measures such as restricting access to cannabis cafes to locals and ending street window displays, with the stated aim of protecting sex workers from tourists who gather just to photograph and stare at them. There is also a suggestion to move the windows to another area, a proposal that has been resisted by sex workers, many of whom see the red-light district as a safe place to work and who worry about the implications of driving sex work underground.
Tourists pack Amsterdam's red-light district. In January, the city banned tours past the windows where sex workers pose to rein in the nuisance of overtourism. AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File
There are also plans to change the layout of the city. Mayor Femke Halsema warned that the city of 800,000 residents simply cannot take the 9 million overnight tourists who visited last year if everyone needs to keep 5 feet apart (the distance prescribed under Dutch lockdown rules). She has proposed dramatically changing the city’s traffic system, giving over whole streets to cafe terraces and pedestrians.
She openly voiced her concerns as the national government began taking steps to open the borders to pleasure tourists again, starting June 15.
Crowd control measures may be used to help social distancing. “The current [pandemic] protocols are all geared to changing our behavior in the public space,” Vranken said. “Knowledge about visitor management and crowd control – perfected by Disney throughout their theme parks – will be widely adopted to steer, nudge and control crowds.”
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People may take it upon themselves not to visit the most crowded places that could endanger their health, but other ideas are also under discussion.
Udo is pondering the idea of a digital city card as a kind of visa to permanently limit numbers and control access to attractions by scheduling bookings in time slots — although the details are currently hazy and would need to comply with European privacy regulations.
Overtourism has also exacerbated another big problem in the city: affordable housing. An explosion in the number of apartments being flipped into vacation rentals has been blamed for shortages and price increases for locals.
Last year, Amsterdam joined several other European cities asking for help from the European Union to tackle the effects of short-term vacation rentals. “Where homes can be used more lucratively for renting out to tourists, they disappear from the traditional housing market,” said a statement from the city of Amsterdam, which added: “Prices are driven up even further, and housing of citizens who live and work in our cities is hampered.”
The Netherlands will open its borders for tourism on June 15. The mayor of Amsterdam has proposed changing how the city accommodates tourists in an era of social distancing. Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images
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Even before COVID-19 measures were being taken. Amsterdam was requiring permits for all short-term rentals. The city will completely ban vacation rentals in three central neighborhoods beginning in July. This could be extended to other areas in the future, said Laurens Ivens, the capital’s head of housing.
Since the coronavirus started, 21% more houses were offered for long-term rent in The Netherlands than in the same period last year, an increase ascribed to the decline in use of Airbnb, according to real estate agent association figures.
“In recent years, we’ve seen districts groaning under the weight of tourism,” Ivens said. “In Amsterdam, one in 15 houses has been offered on Airbnb, and around 80% of the residents of Centrum [the city center] have experienced a lot of or regular nuisance from holiday rentals. So in the areas where liveability has been most under pressure, from July 1, holiday rentals will be banned. The peace and silence the city experienced because of the coronavirus also means that the city belongs to its residents again.”
Of course, the flatlining of tourism has had a big economic effect. Last year, Amsterdam took in 133.6 million euros ($152 million) in tourist taxes, and some experts predict that it will lose around 125 million euros ($141 million) of taxes this year. That represents a big hole in the city budget. Long-term measures to limit tourism once countries reopen could make it hard to recover to pre-pandemic levels.
Those whose livelihoods depend on tourism are certainly worried. In Amsterdam's red-light district, a solitary tourist shop open on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal street is no longer at the center of the party. “For now, it’s open again, but no tourists come,” said shop worker Sabi Riahi, cleaning the already-clean floor. “Tomorrow, I don’t know.”
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Halsema said the solution is to look beyond a reliance on tourism and to stimulate the local economy by bringing Amsterdammers back to the areas that had become a tourist monoculture and supporting a diversity of local shops and businesses. The city is also considering buying up property to make housing more accessible. “The inner city of the future is not the inner city of the past. And we will not be driven by nostalgia,” Halsema said, according to a report in DutchNews.
There remains some skepticism that big ideas for overhauling tourism will be able to survive the lifting of lockdowns. Stephen Hodes, a member of the think tank Amsterdam in Progress, fears economic pressures will stop radical change, such as a complete ban on vacation rentals and hotel building.
“You are talking about a major shift in thinking, and given we are already in an economic crisis, the chances of this happening are very limited,” he said. “Everyone’s going to talk about jobs, jobs, jobs, which means hotels, airlines, tour operators.”
Tourism is at a crossroads, said Shaul Bassi, director of the International Center for the Humanities and Social Change at Ca’Foscari University in Venice, who acknowledged that COVID-19 has been a disaster for the tourism industry. Cities could return to the previous model of “tourism, tourism and more tourism,” he said. But, he added, “many others, including myself, see this as a precious window of opportunity to rethink and reinvent.”
In Amsterdam, Hodes recently took an early morning walk through the red-light district and was stunned by its quiet beauty.
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“It’s very slowly opening up now, but the absolute space and lack of people on the streets is amazing,” he said. “Of course, the city cannot exist on this level economically, but it’s amazing to experience. It’s an incredible opportunity and a wake-up call.”
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huffpost--2020-06-02--6 Ways You Can Feel More In Control During The Coronavirus Pandemic

1 .
Identify what you can control in your own life .
Rather than dwelling on uncertainty , consider what is within your power .
Any time you feel anxious , Dahlen deVos suggested asking yourself three questions : What is my intention at this moment ?
What actions would I like to take right now ?
How can I respond to this trigger/event/pain/uncomfortable emotion ?
“ Taking action is within your control , ” said Tess Brigham , a marriage and family therapist and board-certified coach in California .
Brigham said to think about what change you can effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or caring right now .
That might mean donating your money to a local food bank if you have the means , picking up groceries for your neighbor or simply taking on your partner ’ s chores for the day .
Going out of your way to be of service when you ’ re feeling low can help improve your attitude and remind you of your power to create positive change .
4 .
Step back from social media every so often .
5 .
Do a project with your hands .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so taking on projects that we know we can check a box and be done with feels very satisfying , ” Dahlen deVos said .
Not only that , but “ doing projects with our hands can act as a form of mindfulness , ” she added , “ which is very regulating for the nervous system and can soothe the emotions .
”

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It's been one year since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Explore HuffPost's Bent Not Broken project to learn how the coronavirus has disrupted our mental health, and how to manage our well-being moving forward.
The coronavirus pandemic is bringing on a lot of fear for people, especially over the unknown. You might dismiss that problem in the grand scheme of things, but uncertainty can truly take a toll on your mental health.
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“Feeling helpless, scared, worried, avoidant or out of control are normal and expected reactions to sudden change, tragedy or overwhelming stressful experiences,” said Beth Marnix, a licensed clinical psychologist and the co-owner of Bright Light Counseling Center in Austin, Texas, and Chicago.
Because of this, you may experience symptoms of anxiety, depression or burnout, added Kathleen Dahlen deVos, a licensed marriage and family therapist in San Francisco. Those issues can present as fogginess, irritability, low energy or insomnia.
Fortunately, experts say there are ways to manage your emotions and feel more in control of your life during the uncertainty of the pandemic. Here are a few practical steps you can take:
1. Identify what you can control in your own life.
Living through a global pandemic may have you feeling more helpless than ever, but it’s crucial to remember that “so little of life was ever in our control to begin with,” Dahlen deVos said.
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Rather than dwelling on uncertainty, consider what is within your power. Any time you feel anxious, Dahlen deVos suggested asking yourself three questions: What is my intention at this moment? What actions would I like to take right now? How can I respond to this trigger/event/pain/uncomfortable emotion?
Focusing on your intentions, actions and responses can shift your nervous system from fight-or-flight mode back into rest-and-digest mode, she said. From there, you can make decisions from a place of calm instead of panic.
franckreporter via Getty Images
2. Lend a helping hand.
One cure for feeling helpless is taking action. If you’re weighed down by anxiety or worry, consider what you can do to help a stranger or loved one.
“Taking action is within your control,” said Tess Brigham, a marriage and family therapist and board-certified coach in California. Brigham said to think about what change you can effect and how you can be more thoughtful or caring right now.
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That might mean donating your money to a local food bank if you have the means, picking up groceries for your neighbor or simply taking on your partner’s chores for the day. Going out of your way to be of service when you’re feeling low can help improve your attitude and remind you of your power to create positive change.
3. Stabilize your routine.
The routine you relied on before the coronavirus hit may no longer exist, but it’s still important to establish a sense of normality in your day.
A routine offers relief through predictability, which can yield to a sense of control, Dahlen deVos said. “Routine allows our brains to go on autopilot a bit, which gives them a much-needed break from constantly fielding so much new information.”
Work on building consistency into your days, Dahlen deVos said, whether that means creating a work schedule or simply making lunch at the same time every afternoon.
Next, try to incorporate “one activity that increases your sense of calm, wellness or stability,” Marnix said. Think: cooking, meditating, listening to a podcast or coloring. Choose a time each day to engage in your activity and practice staying present. “Being grounded and present in the moment reduces ruminating thoughts,” Marnix said.
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Maskot via Getty Images
4. Step back from social media every so often.
It’s tempting to check the news or log on to social media every hour for updates, but being too immersed in the media can take a toll on your mental health, Marnix said.
Even mindless scrolling can lead to information fatigue, burnout and feelings of being overwhelmed, Dahlen deVos added. That’s why it’s critical to be mindful of how you consume information.
“Try limiting yourself to perusing news or social media sites to set hours of the day, when you feel more regulated and intentional, or more equipped to handle whatever you might read or come across,” Dahlen deVos said.
It’s also healthy to curate your content. In addition to limiting your news outlets to one or two sources you like and trust, Brigham said, try unfollowing or muting any social media accounts that trigger or worsen your feelings of anxiety.
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5. Do a project with your hands.
Doing something as simple as potting a plant or cleaning out your junk drawer can help calm your mind and relax your body.
“Our brains love seeing tasks completed, so taking on projects that we know we can check a box and be done with feels very satisfying,” Dahlen deVos said. Not only that, but “doing projects with our hands can act as a form of mindfulness,” she added, “which is very regulating for the nervous system and can soothe the emotions.”
To set yourself up for success, pick a fun project with low stakes. Try cooking a new recipe, organizing your pantry, hanging a shelf or doing a craft.
DragonImages via Getty Images
6. Embrace your feelings.
When you experience sadness, helplessness or anxiety, try not to judge yourself or rush through the feeling process.
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“We’re so set up for focusing on how to be happy 24/7, but that’s not realistic,” Brigham said. It’s OK to feel a sense of loss right now, she added, whether you’re grieving a job, relationship, death or simply the absence of normality.
“It’s important to accept your sad feelings and feel them just as you would with happy feelings,” Brigham said.
And remember to resist the urge to compare your situation. “Everyone is coping with this event in their own way,” Dahlen deVos said, and “there is no right way to cope.”
Make sure to check in with yourself on a regular basis. If you have difficulty functioning, feel a persistent sense of hopelessness or dread, or experience a “loss of motivation, interest or pleasure that does not seem to be resolving,” you may need to speak to a mental health professional or reach out for help, Marnix said.
This story is part of HuffPost Life’s series on coping with uncertainty during the coronavirus pandemic. Check out our other stories below.
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huffpost--2020-06-02--China Delayed Releasing Coronavirus Info, Frustrating WHO: AP Report

ASSOCIATED PRESS In this Jan. 28 , 2020 , file photo , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , director general of the World Health Organization , left , shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing .
Throughout January , the World Health Organization publicly praised China for what it called a speedy response to the new coronavirus .
It repeatedly thanked the Chinese government for sharing the genetic map of the virus “ immediately ” and said its work and commitment to transparency were “ very impressive , and beyond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there were significant delays by China and considerable frustration among WHO officials over the lack of outbreak data , The Associated Press has found .
( Naohiko Hatta/Pool Photo via AP , File ) But in fact , Chinese officials sat on releasing the genetic map , or genome , of the deadly virus for over a week after multiple government labs had fully decoded it , not sharing details key to designing tests , drugs and vaccines .
Strict controls on information and competition within the Chinese public health system were largely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found from internal documents , emails and dozens of interviews .
Health officials only released the genome after a Chinese lab published it ahead of authorities on a virology website on Jan 11 .
Even then , China stalled for at least two weeks more on giving WHO the details it needed , according to recordings of multiple internal meetings held by the U.N. health agency in January — all at a time when the outbreak arguably might have been dramatically slowed .
The story behind the early response to the pandemic comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency is under siege .
U.S. President Trump cut ties with WHO on Friday , after blasting the agency for allegedly colluding with China to hide the extent of the epidemic .
Chinese President Xi Jinping said China has always provided information to WHO and the world “ in a most timely fashion.
” The new information does not support the narrative of either the U.S. or China , but portrays an agency now stuck in the middle that was urgently trying to solicit more data .
Although international law obliges countries to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an impact on public health , the U.N. agency has no enforcement powers .
Instead , it must rely on the cooperation of member states .
The AP has found rather than colluding with China , WHO was itself largely kept in the dark , as China gave it only the minimal information required .
But the agency did attempt to portray China in the best light , most likely to coax the country into providing more outbreak details .
WHO officials worried about how to press China for more information without angering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they praised for decoding the genome with astonishing speed .
Dr. Michael Ryan , WHO ’ s emergencies chief , said the best way to “ protect China ” was for WHO to do its own independent analysis , because otherwise the spread of the virus between people would be in question and “ other countries will take action accordingly.
” In this Monday , March 9 , 2020 file photo , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , second left , director-general of the World Health Organization speaks during a news conference on updates regarding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Geneva , Switzerland .
At left is Michael Ryan , executive director of WHO 's Health Emergencies program , and at third left is Maria van Kerkhove , technical lead of WHO 's Health Emergencies program .
( Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP ) China ’ s National Health Commission and Ministry of Foreign Affairs had no comment .
But in the past few months , China has repeatedly defended its actions , and many other countries — including the U.S. — have responded to the virus with even longer delays of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December , doctors noticed mysterious clusters of patients with unusual pneumonia .
Seeking answers , they sent samples to commercial labs .
By Dec. 27 , one company , Vision Medicals , had pieced together most of the genome of a new virus with striking similarities to SARS .
They alerted Wuhan officials , who , days later , issued internal notices warning of the unusual pneumonia .
But when it came to sharing the genome with the world , things went awry .
China ’ s top medical authority , the National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forbidding labs from publishing about the virus without authorization .
The order barred Shi ’ s lab from publishing the sequence or warning of the possible danger .
By Jan. 5 , two other government labs sequenced the virus , and another lab in Shanghai led by Zhang Yongzhen had also decoded it .
Zhang warned the National Health Commission the virus was “ likely infectious.
” The Chinese CDC raised its emergency level to the second highest , but did not have the authority to alert the public .
Suspicious cases starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , airport officials pulled aside a woman traveling from Wuhan with a runny nose , sore throat and high temperature .
Scientists at Chulalongkorn University soon figured out she was infected with a new coronavirus , but did not have a sequence from China to match it .

In this Jan. 28, 2020, file photo, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, left, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Throughout January, the World Health Organization publicly praised China for what it called a speedy response to the new coronavirus. It repeatedly thanked the Chinese government for sharing the genetic map of the virus “immediately” and said its work and commitment to transparency were “very impressive, and beyond words.” But behind the scenes, there were significant delays by China and considerable frustration among WHO officials over the lack of outbreak data, The Associated Press has found. (Naohiko Hatta/Pool Photo via AP, File) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Throughout January, the World Health Organization publicly praised China for what it called a speedy response to the new coronavirus and thanked the Chinese government for sharing the genetic map of the virus “immediately.”
But in fact, Chinese officials sat on releasing the genetic map, or genome, of the deadly virus for over a week after multiple government labs had fully decoded it, not sharing details key to designing tests, drugs and vaccines. Strict controls on information and competition within the Chinese public health system were largely to blame, The Associated Press has found from internal documents, emails and dozens of interviews.
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Health officials only released the genome after a Chinese lab published it ahead of authorities on a virology website on Jan 11. Even then, China stalled for at least two weeks more on giving WHO the details it needed, according to recordings of multiple internal meetings held by the U.N. health agency in January — all at a time when the outbreak arguably might have been dramatically slowed.
Although WHO continued to publicly commend China, the recordings obtained by the AP show they were concerned China was not sharing enough information to assess the risk posed by the new virus, costing the world valuable time.
“We’re currently at the stage where yes, they’re giving it to us 15 minutes before it appears on CCTV,” said WHO’s top official in China, Dr. Gauden Galea, referring to the state-owned China Central Television, in one meeting.
Gao Fu, bottom, the head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), speaks to journalists after a press conference about a virus outbreak at the State Council Information Office in Beijing, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The story behind the early response to the pandemic comes at a time when the U.N. health agency is under siege. U.S. President Trump cut ties with WHO on Friday, after blasting the agency for allegedly colluding with China to hide the extent of the epidemic. Chinese President Xi Jinping said China has always provided information to WHO and the world “in a most timely fashion.”
The new information does not support the narrative of either the U.S. or China, but portrays an agency now stuck in the middle that was urgently trying to solicit more data. Although international law obliges countries to report information to WHO that could have an impact on public health, the U.N. agency has no enforcement powers. Instead, it must rely on the cooperation of member states.
The AP has found rather than colluding with China, WHO was itself largely kept in the dark, as China gave it only the minimal information required. But the agency did attempt to portray China in the best light, most likely to coax the country into providing more outbreak details.
WHO officials worried about how to press China for more information without angering authorities or jeopardizing Chinese scientists, whom they praised for decoding the genome with astonishing speed. Dr. Michael Ryan, WHO’s emergencies chief, said the best way to “protect China” was for WHO to do its own independent analysis, because otherwise the spread of the virus between people would be in question and “other countries will take action accordingly.”
In this Monday, March 9, 2020 file photo, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, second left, director-general of the World Health Organization speaks during a news conference on updates regarding on the COVID-19 coronavirus at WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. At left is Michael Ryan, executive director of WHO's Health Emergencies program, and at third left is Maria van Kerkhove, technical lead of WHO's Health Emergencies program. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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From the time the virus was first decoded on Jan. 2 to when WHO declared a global emergency on Jan. 30, the outbreak grew by a factor of 100 to 200 times, according to retrospective Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention data.
WHO and officials named in this story declined to answer questions asked by the AP without audio or written transcripts of the recorded meetings, which the AP was unable to supply to protect its sources.
“Our leadership and staff have worked night and day….to support and share information with all Member States equally, and engage in frank and forthright conversations with governments at all levels,” a WHO statement said.
China’s National Health Commission and Ministry of Foreign Affairs had no comment. But in the past few months, China has repeatedly defended its actions, and many other countries — including the U.S. — have responded to the virus with even longer delays of weeks and even months.
In late December, doctors noticed mysterious clusters of patients with unusual pneumonia. Seeking answers, they sent samples to commercial labs. By Dec. 27, one company, Vision Medicals, had pieced together most of the genome of a new virus with striking similarities to SARS. They alerted Wuhan officials, who, days later, issued internal notices warning of the unusual pneumonia.
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On Dec. 30, Shi Zhengli, a renowned coronavirus expert at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, was alerted to the disease, and by Jan. 2, her team had fully decoded it.
But when it came to sharing the genome with the world, things went awry. China’s top medical authority, the National Health Commission, issued a confidential notice forbidding labs from publishing about the virus without authorization. The order barred Shi’s lab from publishing the sequence or warning of the possible danger.
Commission officials later said the order was to prevent any accidental release of the then-unknown pathogen, and to ensure consistent results by giving it to four state labs to identify at the same time.
Delegates applaud as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives for the opening session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Friday, May 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, Pool) ASSOCIATED PRESS
By Jan. 5, two other government labs sequenced the virus, and another lab in Shanghai led by Zhang Yongzhen had also decoded it. Zhang warned the National Health Commission the virus was “likely infectious.” The Chinese CDC raised its emergency level to the second highest, but did not have the authority to alert the public.
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Suspicious cases starting surfacing across the region. In Thailand, airport officials pulled aside a woman traveling from Wuhan with a runny nose, sore throat and high temperature. Scientists at Chulalongkorn University soon figured out she was infected with a new coronavirus, but did not have a sequence from China to match it.
WHO officials, meanwhile, grumbled in internal meetings that China was stalling on providing crucial outbreak details even though it was technically meeting its obligations under international law. Ryan, WHO’s emergencies chief, said it was time to “shift gears” and push for more information.
“The danger now is that despite our good intent...there will be a lot of finger-pointing at WHO if something does happen,” he said.
On Jan. 11, Shanghai’s Zhang finally published the coronavirus sequence ahead of health authorities on virological.org, used by researchers to swap tips on pathogens. It was only then that the Chinese CDC, Wuhan Institute of Virology and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences raced to publish their sequences, doing so on Jan. 12.
On Jan. 20, Chinese authorities warned the virus spread between people. WHO dispatched a small team to Wuhan from its Asia offices. China representative Galea told colleagues the Chinese were “talking openly and consistently about human-to-human transmission.”
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WHO’s emergency committee of independent experts met twice that week and decided against recommending an emergency. But the agency’s concern prompted an unusual trip to Beijing by WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and top scientists.
At the end of Tedros’ trip, WHO convened another emergency meeting, finally declaring a global emergency on Jan. 30. Tedros thanked China profusely, declining to mention any of WHO’s earlier frustrations.
“We should have actually expressed our respect and gratitude to China for what it’s doing,” he said. “It has already done incredible things to limit the transmission of the virus to other countries.”
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huffpost--2020-06-02--Company Denied Woman Coronavirus Sick Leave, Then Fired Her: Lawsuit

An embroiderer in Florida is suing her former employer , alleging it did not provide her with paid sick days while she quarantined at home with COVID-19 symptoms and then fired her via text message the day before she was to return to work .
That should have applied to Barrier Technologies , a small manufacturer in Davie , Florida , with around 26 employees .
The company makes gear like vests , gloves and aprons that protect medical workers from radiation from X-rays and other machines .
Graham was paid $ 14 an hour to embroider company logos and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its website , Barrier says it is COVID-19 “ compliant ” because the material it uses to make gear is made of an antibacterial fabric that is easy to disinfect .
After Graham left work sick , she consulted a doctor via telemedicine , according to the suit .
She doesn ’ t have a car , so she wasn ’ t able to physically be tested for the disease .
But the doctor told her to stay home for at least seven days , according to the suit .
Graham forwarded the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s general email address and received an acknowledgment from Barrier ’ s vice president of sales , the lawsuit alleges .
But the company did not offer to pay sick leave and did not want to bring her back to work , she says .
In the suit , filed in U.S. District Court in southern Florida , Graham says that the company owes her sick pay for the time she was at home and that her firing was unlawful .
“ They recruit her and the minute she happens to fall victim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the door .
That just seems horrible , ” said Parisis G. Filippatos , a partner at the law firm Wigdor who is representing Graham along with Bryan Arbeit , a senior associate at Wigdor .
“ We don ’ t feel we did anything wrong , ” the company ’ s owner and managing director , Marc Glickman , told HuffPost .
He said that Graham never told the company she had COVID symptoms , and that she was fired because business is down considerably at his company right now .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It had nothing to do with her ailment , ” he said .
“ Our business was down significantly .
We were going to have to let her go .
We weren ’ t happy about it.
” The case may be the first of many disputes between companies and workers as businesses start to reopen in an ailing economy .
It also demonstrates how tricky it will be for workers to actually access the sick leave benefits ― already weakened by the White House ― in the coronavirus legislation .
Yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House and Senate Republicans at the behest of big business and ended up covering only a small fraction of Americans .
If every company took the available exemptions , 83 % of the workforce would be left out , according to an estimate from the Center for American Progress , a liberal think tank .
Graham told HuffPost she was “ flabbergasted ” by the text .
In shock , the only reply she could think of was a message about the pineapple-shaped clock she kept at her workstation .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote .
Glick said that after Graham went home sick , she never updated her employer on her condition .
They tried reaching her once , he said .
“ We tried calling her and never heard back and we had no choice but to contact her via text message , ” he said .

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An embroiderer in Florida is suing her former employer, alleging it did not provide her with paid sick days while she quarantined at home with COVID-19 symptoms and then fired her via text message the day before she was to return to work.
The suit, filed Tuesday by Tracey Graham against Barrier Technologies, appears to be the first over the sick leave provisions in the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act, one of the stimulus bills passed in March to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
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Under the new law, employers with fewer than 500 workers are required to provide up to 80 hours of paid sick time to anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 or under doctor’s orders to quarantine or isolate because of the disease.
That should have applied to Barrier Technologies, a small manufacturer in Davie, Florida, with around 26 employees. The company makes gear like vests, gloves and aprons that protect medical workers from radiation from X-rays and other machines. Graham was paid $14 an hour to embroider company logos and other things onto the gear. On its website, Barrier says it is COVID-19 “compliant” because the material it uses to make gear is made of an antibacterial fabric that is easy to disinfect.
After Graham left work sick, she consulted a doctor via telemedicine, according to the suit. She doesn’t have a car, so she wasn’t able to physically be tested for the disease. But the doctor told her to stay home for at least seven days, according to the suit.
Graham forwarded the doctor’s letter to Barrier’s general email address and received an acknowledgment from Barrier’s vice president of sales, the lawsuit alleges. But the company did not offer to pay sick leave and did not want to bring her back to work, she says. In the suit, filed in U.S. District Court in southern Florida, Graham says that the company owes her sick pay for the time she was at home and that her firing was unlawful.
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“They recruit her and the minute she happens to fall victim to the pandemic they kick her out the door. That just seems horrible,” said Parisis G. Filippatos, a partner at the law firm Wigdor who is representing Graham along with Bryan Arbeit, a senior associate at Wigdor.
Barrier Technologies fired Tracey Graham via text. Courtesy of Tracy Graham
The company said Graham’s firing was due to a loss of business during the pandemic and economic downturn, not her illness.
“We don’t feel we did anything wrong,” the company’s owner and managing director, Marc Glickman, told HuffPost. He said that Graham never told the company she had COVID symptoms, and that she was fired because business is down considerably at his company right now.
Hospitals have canceled elective surgery and aren’t amenable to sales calls right now, Glickman said. The company has taken out a small business loan through the new Paycheck Protection Program, also part of the federal response to the pandemic.
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“We didn’t have a choice. It had nothing to do with her ailment,” he said. “Our business was down significantly. We were going to have to let her go. We weren’t happy about it.”
The case may be the first of many disputes between companies and workers as businesses start to reopen in an ailing economy. It also demonstrates how tricky it will be for workers to actually access the sick leave benefits ― already weakened by the White House ― in the coronavirus legislation.
Limited Protections
The sick leave provisions in the coronavirus relief law were originally intended to cover the entire workforce and enable people to stay home and avoid infecting others with the virus. Such a provision was deemed critical. Unlike other developed countries, the U.S. has no paid sick leave policy ― a big vulnerability during a pandemic.
Yet the provisions were whittled down by the White House and Senate Republicans at the behest of big business and ended up covering only a small fraction of Americans. If every company took the available exemptions, 83% of the workforce would be left out, according to an estimate from the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank.
The Department of Labor further weakened the law by making it easier for companies ― particularly health care providers ― to exempt themselves from providing leave. (The bill also includes provisions for a longer-term leave to care for children at home because of school closures.)
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Considering all this, it’s fairly remarkable that a case has popped up already.
In fact, Graham did not know at first she was entitled to paid sick leave. She just believed she’d been mistreated by her employer.
“I knew it was wrong. It was something I’d never do to someone else,” Graham told HuffPost.
The company fired her via text message on April 16, the day before she was to return to work. Thankfully her COVID-19 symptoms had been mild ― a sore throat, nausea, fever ― and she was OK to go back.
“They recruit her and the minute she happens to fall victim to the pandemic they kick her out the door. That just seems horrible.” - Parisis G. Filippatos, a partner at the law firm representing Tracey Graham
“Tracy [sic]... due to the current economic conditions related to the COVID-19 crisis we have made the difficult decision to eliminate your position effective immediately,” reads the text sent to Graham.
Graham told HuffPost she was “flabbergasted” by the text. In shock, the only reply she could think of was a message about the pineapple-shaped clock she kept at her workstation. “I do need my clock,” she wrote.
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Glick said that after Graham went home sick, she never updated her employer on her condition. They tried reaching her once, he said. “We tried calling her and never heard back and we had no choice but to contact her via text message,” he said.
Graham does not believe that the company was hurting financially. She started looking for a lawyer soon after she got the text.
Graham loved her work as an embroiderer, she said. She learned the skill from her grandmother when she was growing up, splitting her time between Washington state and Alaska, where they stayed in a remote area without running water or electricity.
She was recruited to her job by Glickman and started in February, with $14-per-hour pay and medical benefits after 60 days. She was only there for 34 days, Glickman pointed out.
Some of the masks Tracey Graham has made recently, now that she's been fired from her job. Tracey Graham
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Graham’s attorneys said the firm expects to see more cases like this as more companies open back up and employees start going back to work.
Employers are going to want to cut staff, and it’s inevitable that discrimination allegations will crop up.
In her lawsuit, Graham claims that under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the company should have worked with her on a reasonable accommodation so that she could keep her job.
Right now Graham is managing to get by with some help from her grown sons ― something she can barely talk about without crying.
“That one really does hurt,” she said.
And she also got her stimulus check recently, part of another relief measure enacted to mitigate the losses from COVID-19 shutdowns. She filed for unemployment but, like so many other Florida workers, hasn’t been able to get through to file a claim.
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She’s spending her time now making masks and watching Disney movies.