huffpost--2020-03-13--Impact Of Coronavirus Pandemic Stretches From Schools To World's Leaders

NEW YORK ( AP ) — Schools shut down across much of Europe .
Gatherings were canceled or banned from California to Germany .
And the coronavirus reached directly into the world ’ s centers of power Thursday , with politicians in Canada , Brazil , Spain and elsewhere either testing positive for the new virus or putting themselves in quarantine as fallout from the pandemic further upended daily life .
The crisis has wreaked havoc on businesses and financial markets , sending U.S. stocks to their worst losses since the Black Monday crash of 1987 .
European markets closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history .
Trump defended his decision to not notify all EU leaders ahead of the announcement .
“ When they raise taxes on us , they don ’ t consult us , ” Trump said .
“ I think that ’ s probably one in the same.
” The virus , first detected in December in China , has produced crippling outbreaks in Asia , Europe and the Middle East , ignited financial panic and in the last week has seen dizzying developments erupt by the hour .
European soccer leagues , American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school terms for hundreds of millions of students , weddings , baptisms , funerals , nightlife , culture high and low — all fell by the wayside with a swiftness and scope that was becoming increasingly difficult to grasp .
Amid the fear , it can be easy to forget that more than half those infected with the virus have already recovered from COVID-19 , the disease it causes .
Most patients have only mild or moderate symptoms such as a fever or cold , though severe symptoms including pneumonia can occur , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existing health problems .
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was isolating himself after his wife tested positive .
She said she was experiencing uncomfortable symptoms but “ I will be back on my feet soon.
” Trudeau ’ s office said he has no symptoms of COVID-19 but will stay in isolation for 14 days .
Developments in the pandemic have spilled across continents and countries , from China ’ s ongoing lockdown of the original epicenter of the illness , to the shuttering of the Los Angeles Zoo , to Belgium ordering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clubs to close .
Across Italy , restaurants , cafes and retail shops closed after the prime minister imposed a lockdown on personal movement .
Grocery stores , pharmacies and outdoor markets were allowed to operate .
In Italy ’ s Lombardy region , the virus ’ s European epicenter , hospitals were overwhelmed with both the sick and the dead .
In the U.S. , even a Federal Reserve pledge to inject up to $ 2 trillion into short-term lending markets did not halt the bleeding on Wall Street .
The S @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a total drop of 26.7 % .
That puts it way past the 20 % threshold for a bear market , snapping an unprecedented , nearly 11-year bull-market run .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 10 % for its worst day since a nearly 23 % drop on Oct. 19 , 1987 .
More than 128,000 people have been infected , the vast majority in just four countries : China and South Korea — where new cases are declining —and Iran and Italy , where they are not .
The spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government sent a medical crew to Italy and offered surplus supplies to Iran .
In the United States , restrictions on gatherings were enacted from New York to California , and dozens of cultural hubs were closed .
Disneyland and Disney World are both shutting down in the next few days .
Broadway theaters went dark .
The Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center , the New York Philharmonic , Carnegie Hall , the Apollo Theater and the Kennedy Center in Washington all canceled events through March 31 .
France , Ireland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Slovakia joined countries shutting down their schools , and Europe ’ s most successful soccer team , Real Madrid , put all its players into quarantine after one tested positive .
The Czech government said it would reimpose border checks and bar entry to people from 13 countries , including Britain and several in the European Union .
Slovakia closed its international airports and ground transport hubs .
“ We were going to get married in Las Vegas , with Elvis .
It was going to be epic , ” said Sandrine Reynaert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 20 ceremony .
Her future husband already has the date engraved on his ring .
Britain and Ireland were exempt from the U.S. policy , despite imposing far fewer restrictions than many EU countries , raising questions about the policy ’ s coherence .
Trump accused Europe of not acting quickly enough to address the “ foreign virus .
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NEW YORK (AP) — Schools shut down across much of Europe. Gatherings were canceled or banned from California to Germany. And the coronavirus reached directly into the world’s centers of power Thursday, with politicians in Canada, Brazil, Spain and elsewhere either testing positive for the new virus or putting themselves in quarantine as fallout from the pandemic further upended daily life.
The crisis has wreaked havoc on businesses and financial markets, sending U.S. stocks to their worst losses since the Black Monday crash of 1987. European markets closed with one of the worst days in history.
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“We are in a global panic,” said Estelle Brack, an economist in Paris. “We are in the deep unknown.”
The European Union pushed back against President Donald Trump’s sharp restrictions on travel from Europe to the United States, slamming Trump’s “unilateral” decision and declaring the virus a “global crisis, not limited to any continent, and it requires cooperation.”
Trump defended his decision to not notify all EU leaders ahead of the announcement. “When they raise taxes on us, they don’t consult us,” Trump said. “I think that’s probably one in the same.”
The vast majority of new cases of the COVID-19 illness are now linked to Europe. Deaths in Italy topped 1,000, with more than 15,000 testing positive.
The virus, first detected in December in China, has produced crippling outbreaks in Asia, Europe and the Middle East, ignited financial panic and in the last week has seen dizzying developments erupt by the hour. European soccer leagues, American basketball, hockey and baseball games, school terms for hundreds of millions of students, weddings, baptisms, funerals, nightlife, culture high and low — all fell by the wayside with a swiftness and scope that was becoming increasingly difficult to grasp.
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Amid the fear, it can be easy to forget that more than half those infected with the virus have already recovered from COVID-19, the disease it causes. Most patients have only mild or moderate symptoms such as a fever or cold, though severe symptoms including pneumonia can occur, especially in older adults and people with existing health problems.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was isolating himself after his wife tested positive. She said she was experiencing uncomfortable symptoms but “I will be back on my feet soon.” Trudeau’s office said he has no symptoms of COVID-19 but will stay in isolation for 14 days.
In Spain, a leading member of a far-right party tested positive for the virus. In the United States, several politicians were quarantining themselves as a protective measure.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian president’s communications director tested positive just days after meeting with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
Despite that, Trump has no immediate plans to be tested or go into self-quarantine, the White House said.
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Developments in the pandemic have spilled across continents and countries, from China’s ongoing lockdown of the original epicenter of the illness, to the shuttering of the Los Angeles Zoo, to Belgium ordering schools, cafes, restaurants and night clubs to close.
Across Italy, restaurants, cafes and retail shops closed after the prime minister imposed a lockdown on personal movement. Grocery stores, pharmacies and outdoor markets were allowed to operate. In Italy’s Lombardy region, the virus’s European epicenter, hospitals were overwhelmed with both the sick and the dead.
In the U.S., even a Federal Reserve pledge to inject up to $2 trillion into short-term lending markets did not halt the bleeding on Wall Street. The S&P 500 plummeted 9.5%, for a total drop of 26.7%. That puts it way past the 20% threshold for a bear market, snapping an unprecedented, nearly 11-year bull-market run. The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 10% for its worst day since a nearly 23% drop on Oct. 19, 1987.
European markets also closed one of their worst days in history, unswayed by European Central Bank stimulus measures to buy up 120 billion euros ($132 billion) in bonds.
More than 128,000 people have been infected, the vast majority in just four countries: China and South Korea — where new cases are declining —and Iran and Italy, where they are not. The spread has slowed so much in China that the government sent a medical crew to Italy and offered surplus supplies to Iran.
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More than 4,700 people have died worldwide.
In the United States, restrictions on gatherings were enacted from New York to California, and dozens of cultural hubs were closed. Disneyland and Disney World are both shutting down in the next few days. Broadway theaters went dark. The Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center, the New York Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater and the Kennedy Center in Washington all canceled events through March 31.
Congress closed the U.S. Capitol and House and Senate office buildings to the public until April 1, the White House canceled tours and the Supreme Court also will be closed to the public.
France, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Lithuania Algeria and Slovakia joined countries shutting down their schools, and Europe’s most successful soccer team, Real Madrid, put all its players into quarantine after one tested positive. The Czech government said it would reimpose border checks and bar entry to people from 13 countries, including Britain and several in the European Union. Slovakia closed its international airports and ground transport hubs.
Europeans were adjusting to the U.S. travel restrictions, which affected some of the world’s most heavily traveled routes and threw plans into chaos.
“We were going to get married in Las Vegas, with Elvis. It was going to be epic,” said Sandrine Reynaert of Paris who had to cancel the April 20 ceremony. Her future husband already has the date engraved on his ring.
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Britain and Ireland were exempt from the U.S. policy, despite imposing far fewer restrictions than many EU countries, raising questions about the policy’s coherence. Trump accused Europe of not acting quickly enough to address the “foreign virus.”
Across the U.S., where cases have topped 1,600, a sense of urgency was pervasive.
Schools emptied of students and workplace cubicles went vacant. A rite of spring, college basketball’s NCAA tournament was canceled, while the NBA and NHL also decided their pros won’t play for now. Major League Baseball canceled spring training and postponed opening day for at least two weeks.
Concerts were canceled around the world.
“The idea of listening to and experiencing music together is gone — for now,” the Russian-German pianist Igor Levit wrote after giving a live concert on Twitter’s Periscope platform. “It’s necessary, yet so sad.”
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Hinnant reported from Paris and Sullivan from Minneapolis. Contributing were Associated Press writers Maria Cheng and Jill Lawless in London; Jamey Keaten in Geneva; Samuel Petrequin in Brussels; John Leicester in Paris; Colleen Barry in Soave, Italy; Nicole Winfield and Frances D’Emilio in Rome; Rachel La Corte in Olympia, Washington; Chris Grygiel and Lisa Baumann in Seattle; and David B. Caruso and Theo Wayt in New York.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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huffpost--2020-03-13--Top Disease Expert: Virus Testing Is A 'Failing,' Leaving Cases Uncounted

NEW YORK ( AP ) — Seven weeks have passed since the first U.S. case of coronavirus was announced , and the government is failing to account for what could be thousands of additional infections because of ongoing problems with testing .
“ The system is not really geared to what we need right now , ” said Dr. Anthony Fauci , the top infectious disease expert at the National Institutes of Health .
“ That is a failing .
It is a failing , let ’ s admit it.
” The effort initially was hobbled by delays in getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the stumbles have continued , leading scientists to conclude that the virus has taken root in more places than government officials say .
But some experts believe any number based on test results of individual patients is a dramatic undercount .
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles this week estimated that the true count of infections was close to 9,000 — about two weeks ago .
“ I expect there are more infected individuals now , ” said one of the researchers , Dr. Jonathan Braun .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. is much greater than has been reported by actual testing.
” There are no official numbers from the federal government on the country ’ s overall testing capacity .
One of the only comprehensive estimates comes from Dr. Scott Gottlieb , the former FDA commissioner who is now a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute , a conservative think tank .
As of Thursday , his group estimated U.S. labs could process results for more than 20,000 patients per day .
The figure is based on a combination of publicly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , private and academic labs .
It reflects the total number of patient results that could be processed in a day , not the current number being run .
South Korea , a country one-sixth the size of the U.S. in population , is reportedly testing 15,000 people per day .
CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield noted that officials there are using automated , high-volume testing systems capable of processing thousands of samples at a time .
In contrast , the equipment used by most U.S. state and local labs requires technicians to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sometimes 100 or fewer per day .
The testing process in the U.S. requires mixing various chemicals to setup chain reactions that extract genetic information from patients ’ swabs .
Each lab must fine-tune the process on its own equipment , something experts have likened to perfecting a new recipe .
U.S. officials have boasted of shipping well over 1 million tests to labs across the country .
But it ’ s unclear how many have actually been used on patients , because tests have gone to some private labs and hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC , Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told reporters earlier this week .
Government officials have pledged that large private testing companies like Quest Diagnostics will drastically expand U.S. capacity .
A Quest spokeswoman on Wednesday said it could take up to six weeks to ramp up to testing tens of thousands of samples per week .
The company expects to complete several thousand tests by the end of this week .
On Feb. 14 , the CDC ’ s Dr. Nancy Messonnier said the agency planned in the coming weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide a good look at whether coronavirus might be appearing .
The idea : When patients test negative for flu , their specimens would go through coronavirus testing to see if the new bug caused their symptoms .
In its initial announcement , the CDC said the work would begin in Chicago , Los Angeles , New York City , San Francisco and Seattle .
On Thursday , it said it instead had begun in Chicago and four sites in California — Los Angeles , San Diego , San Francisco and Santa Clara @

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NEW YORK (AP) — Seven weeks have passed since the first U.S. case of coronavirus was announced, and the government is failing to account for what could be thousands of additional infections because of ongoing problems with testing.
“The system is not really geared to what we need right now,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert at the National Institutes of Health. “That is a failing. It is a failing, let’s admit it.”
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The effort initially was hobbled by delays in getting testing kits out to public health labs, but the stumbles have continued, leading scientists to conclude that the virus has taken root in more places than government officials say.
U.S. health officials, for example, promised nearly a month ago to tap into a national network of labs that monitor for flu. That system is only just getting started.
Large-scale testing is a critical part of tracking the spread of infectious diseases and allocating resources for treatment. The lack of comprehensive figures means U.S. health providers could quickly be overwhelmed by undetected cases.
As of Thursday afternoon, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported about 1,260 U.S. illnesses — a number that trailed independent researchers, who are adding reports from individual states more quickly.
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But some experts believe any number based on test results of individual patients is a dramatic undercount. Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles this week estimated that the true count of infections was close to 9,000 — about two weeks ago.
“I expect there are more infected individuals now,” said one of the researchers, Dr. Jonathan Braun. “This means that the level of disease in the U.S. is much greater than has been reported by actual testing.”
The problem, these experts say: The U.S. simply isn’t testing enough people.
There are no official numbers from the federal government on the country’s overall testing capacity. One of the only comprehensive estimates comes from Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former FDA commissioner who is now a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank.
As of Thursday, his group estimated U.S. labs could process results for more than 20,000 patients per day. The figure is based on a combination of publicly reported information and historical estimates from government, private and academic labs. It reflects the total number of patient results that could be processed in a day, not the current number being run.
Whatever the actual number, the U.S. effort is trailing other nations.
South Korea, a country one-sixth the size of the U.S. in population, is reportedly testing 15,000 people per day. CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield noted that officials there are using automated, high-volume testing systems capable of processing thousands of samples at a time. In contrast, the equipment used by most U.S. state and local labs requires technicians to manually process each sample in small batches, sometimes 100 or fewer per day.
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The testing process in the U.S. requires mixing various chemicals to setup chain reactions that extract genetic information from patients’ swabs. Each lab must fine-tune the process on its own equipment, something experts have likened to perfecting a new recipe.
Unlike countries with centralized, government-based health care systems, the U.S. response is fragmented between public labs and private efforts by hospitals, universities and diagnostic companies.
U.S. officials have boasted of shipping well over 1 million tests to labs across the country. But it’s unclear how many have actually been used on patients, because tests have gone to some private labs and hospitals that don’t report into the CDC, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told reporters earlier this week.
Azar said the government is working to set up a system to combine government testing figures with those of outside laboratories.
Government officials have pledged that large private testing companies like Quest Diagnostics will drastically expand U.S. capacity. A Quest spokeswoman on Wednesday said it could take up to six weeks to ramp up to testing tens of thousands of samples per week. The company expects to complete several thousand tests by the end of this week.
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On Feb. 14, the CDC’s Dr. Nancy Messonnier said the agency planned in the coming weeks to use labs in five cities to provide a good look at whether coronavirus might be appearing. The idea: When patients test negative for flu, their specimens would go through coronavirus testing to see if the new bug caused their symptoms.
“Results from this surveillance would be an early warning signal, to trigger a change in our response strategy” if cases started appearing, she said.
But earlier this week, nearly a month after the announcement, doctors and scientists were still awaiting word on whether that surveillance system was up and running.
On Thursday, the CDC revealed that some labs had begun the testing. But the list of test sites had changed, and the agency did not explain why.
In its initial announcement, the CDC said the work would begin in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco and Seattle. On Thursday, it said it instead had begun in Chicago and four sites in California — Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Santa Clara.
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Five other locations are working to get surveillance testing going, a CDC spokeswoman said. They are New York City; Orange County and Solano in California; and the states of Hawaii and Washington.
The agency did not immediately detail what the so-called sentinel testing sites have found.
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Perrone reported from Washington. Lauran Neergaard in Washington also contributed to this report.
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huffpost--2020-03-13--I Live In Seattle. No One Can Tell Me What It Costs To Get A COVID-19 Test.

And while I don ’ t have symptoms of COVID-19 ( *makes sign of the cross three times* ) , thousands of people in this city do .
Many of them do not have $ 1,600 lying around .
Some do not have $ 100 .
But all of them need clear information from politicians and public health workers and , yes , even people who work in hospitals , about the cost implications of getting tested .
America ’ s pandemic response relies on getting this right .
After my visit to the University of Washington Medical Center , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed up at Swedish and Harborview , two of the city ’ s largest hospitals , with the same story : I was having symptoms and needed a test .
Staffers assured me that I would pay something but that no one at the ER , in the building or on the phone would know how much .
After an impressively short wait , I was connected with an operator who told me that she was concerned about my symptoms but that nowhere in Seattle offered walk-in testing .
Any individual who earns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ineligible for state health care subsidies , so I would have to pay for the test myself .
She didn ’ t know , however , what the test would cost me .
If I couldn ’ t afford it , she said , I should “ hunker down and wait it out.
” When she first showed up at the ER , they told her it was probably pneumonia and sent her home .
When she had to take an ambulance back to the hospital a few days later , the paramedics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towel as a face mask .
Everyone thinks their common cold is the coronavirus , they said .
She could see their smirks because they weren ’ t wearing masks .
Five days later , the bill came .
The COVID-19 test was $ 907 , a tiny fraction of the $ 33,000 total cost of being tested and treated for the virus .
At the hospital , doctors had told Askini that she couldn ’ t get the COVID-19 test until she came up negative for nearly a dozen other illnesses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fees alone were $ 801 .
She also had to pay for X-rays and other diagnostics .
The generic “ emergency department ” charge was $ 1,804 .
Plus , she had to pay for all the other services she received .
The Toradol , the oxygen , the drip , everything .
Her out-of-pocket total came to $ 2,800 .
Askini is on Medicaid and confident she can get her costs waived with a couple of phone calls , but , as a nurse , she knows intimately how poorly the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a virus that makes no distinction on the basis of wealth , insurance status or tolerance for medical bill negotiations .
Time To Get Some Generic Political Responses I am a person who reads and writes words for a living , and I had to read those two sentences roughly 25 times to understand them .
After three hospital visits and more than 20 phone calls , this was my definitive answer : Hospitals should not be charging patients for costs related to COVID-19 but are still allowed to charge them for other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is presumably up to insurance companies to decide the difference .

SEATTLE — Nearly six weeks after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first coronavirus case here, people living in the U.S. epicenter of the epidemic are still waiting for clear information about how to get tested for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and what it will cost.
Last week, things seemed to be moving forward. Gov. Jay Inslee (D) announced that the state would cover testing costs for uninsured patients. The state’s insurance commissioner, Mike Kreidler, said he had ordered insurance companies to waive all copays and deductibles.
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But political orders rarely match the realities of the American healthcare system. Starting on Wednesday, first posing the inquiry as a potential patient and then as a journalist, I spent two days trying to get a clear answer to a simple, essential, possibly lifesaving question: What does it cost to get a COVID-19 test?
First stop: the University of Washington Medical Center. Last week, the hospital announced that it had established a drive-through COVID-19 testing center. I arrived at the main entrance and told the Walmart-style greeter that I had coronavirus symptoms and wanted to get tested. She directed me to the hospital’s emergency department, where I told the front desk staffer the same thing: coughing, fever, shortness of breath.
(I should mention here that all of the emergency rooms I visited were eerily empty and that I never waited in line to speak with staff or received any services. None of my conversations with health care workers for this article exceeded a few minutes. I’m not a monster, the last thing I want to do is make it even harder for real COVID-19 patients to get care.)
As the receptionist handed me an N95 mask, I asked how much getting the test would cost me. If I had insurance, he replied, probably somewhere between $100 and $500. If I didn’t, it would be roughly $1,600.
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“I thought the governor had given assurances that the test would be free,” I said.
“Yeah, I’ve been hearing some crazy stuff,” he replied.
Later, when I called the UW Medical Center’s press team and told them about this interaction, they said the receptionist was “misinformed” and apologized for the error. Instead of asking someone at the hospital, I should have called the billing department.
This is common in the American health care system ― doctors, nurses and hospital staff often don’t have answers to what medical care will cost. That’s a major impediment to people getting care in all situations, and a serious problem during the coronavirus outbreak, when it’s vital for people to access tests and treatment to avoid spreading the virus further.
And while I don’t have symptoms of COVID-19 (*makes sign of the cross three times*), thousands of people in this city do. Many of them do not have $1,600 lying around. Some do not have $100. But all of them need clear information from politicians and public health workers and, yes, even people who work in hospitals, about the cost implications of getting tested. America’s pandemic response relies on getting this right.
After my visit to the University of Washington Medical Center, I tried other emergency rooms. I showed up at Swedish and Harborview, two of the city’s largest hospitals, with the same story: I was having symptoms and needed a test. Staffers assured me that I would pay something but that no one at the ER, in the building or on the phone would know how much.
Two more free masks later, I decided to try my luck with phone calls.
“There are currently no medications to treat COVID-19, so whether you test positive or negative, your health care provider’s recommendations will be the same.” - Washington State Health Department's COVID-19 hotline
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Swedish Hospital’s billing department transferred me to the “patient financial advocate,” who informed me that the test was available only through the emergency room and that getting it would cost me roughly $8,000 — with a 30% discount and financial assistance if I was uninsured.
When I asked why the cost was so high, the operator replied that the doctors would want to perform a battery of other tests (draw blood, get X-rays, etc.) alongside the COVID-19 test. She also told me that I could pop down to the UW Medical Center and get a free drive-through test, which is not true.
Then I called UW Medical Center’s billing department. The operator told me that the COVID-19 test had not been assigned a “CPT code,” so she couldn’t tell me the price. I gave the (extremely personable!) operator my number, and she said she would call me back.
While I waited, I kept calling around. An operator at Providence, the largest hospital in Snohomish County, where some of the first COVID-19 cases in the Seattle area had been discovered, told me to contact my primary care doctor. Another operator in the emergency department told me she had no idea about costs whatsoever.
At Virginia Mason, another major Seattle hospital, the operator directed me to a “financial navigator,” who told me that a consultation for the test would cost $41 to $132. I gave her my number so she could call me back with a cost estimate for the virus test. I still haven’t heard back.
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Schools in Seattle, including the University of Washington, have been closed. Karen Ducey via Getty Images
Next up: the Washington State Health Department. In lieu of hold music, the agency’s COVID-19 hotline has a spoken message about how to stay safe. “While anyone can be tested,” it says, “there are currently no medications to treat COVID-19, so whether you test positive or negative, your health care provider’s recommendations will be the same.”
After an impressively short wait, I was connected with an operator who told me that she was concerned about my symptoms but that nowhere in Seattle offered walk-in testing. Any individual who earns more than $17,232 per year is ineligible for state health care subsidies, so I would have to pay for the test myself. She didn’t know, however, what the test would cost me. If I couldn’t afford it, she said, I should “hunker down and wait it out.”
Just after I hung up, the nice lady from the UW Medical Center called back. $250. According to its new CPT (common procedural technology) code, the COVID-19 test costs $250.
Finally, some clarity.
Not So Fast
“They’re lying,” said Danni Askini, a public health nurse and social worker from Seattle who moved to Boston a few months ago for lymphoma treatment. She tested positive for COVID-19 on March 6. “They might not know they’re lying, but they’re lying.”
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That $250 charge, Askini told me, refers only to the test itself. It doesn’t include all of the other costs that come with an emergency room visit.
Askini contracted the virus in late February, probably from sharing a hospital waiting room with COVID-19 patients when she was in the middle of chemotherapy. Her illness started with chest pain, high blood pressure and a screaming migraine. On Day 3, it turned into a dry cough, cold sweats and a 103.5 degree fever.
When she first showed up at the ER, they told her it was probably pneumonia and sent her home. When she had to take an ambulance back to the hospital a few days later, the paramedics laughed at her for wearing a dish towel as a face mask. Everyone thinks their common cold is the coronavirus, they said. She could see their smirks because they weren’t wearing masks.
Nursing homes in the Seattle area are at the center of the outbreak of COVID-19 in Washington state. ASSOCIATED PRESS
She didn’t get tested for COVID-19 until Day 7 of her symptoms. By then she could hear the water in her lungs every time she coughed, like gargling mouthwash. After the test came back positive, her doctors sent her home with an IV drip, an oxygen tank, Toradol for her migraine and a generic anti-viral medication. She started feeling better.
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Five days later, the bill came. The COVID-19 test was $907, a tiny fraction of the $33,000 total cost of being tested and treated for the virus. At the hospital, doctors had told Askini that she couldn’t get the COVID-19 test until she came up negative for nearly a dozen other illnesses, including influenza and SARS. The lab fees alone were $801. She also had to pay for X-rays and other diagnostics. The generic “emergency department” charge was $1,804.
Plus, she had to pay for all the other services she received. The Toradol, the oxygen, the drip, everything. Her out-of-pocket total came to $2,800. Askini is on Medicaid and confident she can get her costs waived with a couple of phone calls, but, as a nurse, she knows intimately how poorly the U.S. health care system is set up for a virus that makes no distinction on the basis of wealth, insurance status or tolerance for medical bill negotiations.
“The insurance system isn’t set up for this,” she says. “It’s all automatic. Hospital staff just type in the codes and it goes straight to billing. If you have a high deductible, one visit is going to hit your max.”
Time To Get Some Generic Political Responses
After my patient experience was complete, I put on my HuffPost hat and started calling politicians, hospitals and public health agencies to put it into perspective.
If the costs of COVID-19 tests had been waived, why didn’t health care workers know that? How come symptomatic patients couldn’t get clear info on how much a diagnostic test would cost them? It’s not too much to ask for hospitals to send a clear, consistent message about the financial implications of doing the right thing for public health.
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Unfortunately, I never got the chance to make this speech to anyone who could do anything about it. Inslee’s press team didn’t answer my nice email, so I sent a salty one and they replied: Ask the insurance commissioner. The King County Department of Health referred me to the Washington State Department of Health, which sent me the following soup:
“Commissioner Kreidler instructed health insurers to waive copays and deductibles for people needing testing for novel coronavirus, COVID-19. If you don’t have health insurance, contact the Washington Health Benefit Exchange to find out if you qualify for free health coverage or a special enrollment for individual health insurance.”
Tina Mankowski, UW Medicine’s senior director and associate vice president for medical affairs, confirmed what Askini had told me: The hospital was billing patients as normal. It was insurance companies’ responsibility to waive the fees rather than pass them on to patients.
The Washington state insurance commissioner’s office said the same thing, but with an important caveat. Stephanie Marquis, the commissioner’s media and outreach manager, sent me the following statement via email: “The commissioner’s executive order applies to the testing for coronavirus and the office visit associated with it. It does not apply to tests and other services for other conditions that may occur as part of the visit.”
I am a person who reads and writes words for a living, and I had to read those two sentences roughly 25 times to understand them. After three hospital visits and more than 20 phone calls, this was my definitive answer: Hospitals should not be charging patients for costs related to COVID-19 but are still allowed to charge them for other costs they incur during the same visit. It is presumably up to insurance companies to decide the difference.
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huffpost--2020-03-12--If You Suddenly Work Remotely, This Matters More Than Anything

If you are one of the workers who is making a sudden and new transition to full-time remote work , you may be getting a lot of opinions and advice about working from home , as I have been from old-timers who love it and haters who find the routine overrated .
I could give you basic , pragmatic tips to create boundaries between work and home , like changing out of pajamas , showering and choosing actions to signal the beginning and end of the workday .
For me , mealtimes are my scheduler .
Making tea tells me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dinner tells my body that I am no longer going to keep typing .
But on a fundamental level , how you communicate and maintain relationships with your co-workers should be your priority , whether you are a manager or not , so that no one feels isolated .
The transition is happening because of a pandemic crisis , and your workflow needs to reflect that urgency .
“ As an employee transitioning into the social distance and isolation phase , if it ’ s not provided , they should ask their employer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Questions to ask your team leader can include “ How often should we be expecting to hear from you about the pandemic ?
” or “ What ’ s the way I should be communicating to you if I am hearing things or confused about them ?
” Bwarie said .
Last week , I signed up , along with 500 others , for a crash course on managing people over distance co-taught by Nicole Sanchez , the founder and managing partner of Vaya Consulting , and Cate Huston , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Huston ’ s hourlong webinar anticipated offices closing due to COVID-19 , and one piece of advice that stayed with me came from Sanchez .
The remote paranoia workers may feel , she said , can lead to thoughts like “ My manager hasn ’ t reached out to me all week .
I haven ’ t talked to her .
Am I getting fired ?
” To prevent this remote anxiety , team managers need to re-clarify how and when information will be communicated , such as “ Slack is for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours , ” “ Text is for ‘ This is immediate ’ ” or “ Video-conferencing is for when there ’ s no other way to exchange information but also for making sure people stay connected to each other because there is no replacement for face-to-face , ” Sanchez said in the webinar .
The point in clarifying these different modes of communication is to make sure employees can filter the signal from the noise .
Establishing a consistent cadence of communication also means not backing out of group meetings you scheduled if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A team meeting is super important .
It ’ s the kind of thing that sometimes people cancel if they don ’ t have an agenda , ” Huston said .
“ The purpose of your team meeting is really to feel like a team , so never cancel your team meeting .
Find things to talk about even if it ’ s just people sharing the stuff that they ’ re doing that isn ’ t as relevant to other people.
“ Anticipate technical difficulties as more people suddenly use digital communication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues with more people using communication software like Zoom in neighborhoods that don ’ t have the bandwidth .
In those cases , be prepared to switch to landlines and no-video chats that take up less bandwidth , she said .
If you want people to share , make small social groups an option .
Establishing a social group of no more than eight people , in which people can be vulnerable , can be a more effective way to find out how co-workers are really feeling than by sending an all-hands email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , Bwarie said .
How the small group communicates can be tailored to the company ’ s level of digital communication , but it needs to have a leader who can hold people accountable and check in with them .
It also needs to be small so participants can share their feelings more comfortably .
“ You are not going to process your emotions in a large group because no one is going to respond to you .
They are going to go on to the next person , ” Bwarie said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small group can limit misinformation spreading during a pandemic : “ That misinformation on a large Slack group is going to cause more rumors of ‘ I heard , I heard , I heard , ’ ” he said .
Instead , Bwarie recommended giving the small social groups a channel to raise questions and know that those questions will be answered by management .
Small talk that has nothing do with work is a big deal .
Maintaining these social connections can remind you that you are part of a community that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the marketing director for SquareFoot , a New York City-based real estate company that transitioned to remote work this week due to the coronavirus outbreak .
She said she is now trying to replicate the social interactions she had in the office by calling up her work friends during the lunch hour .
If you ’ re seeking buddies to chat with , you can also frame your request for connection as a generic invitation colleagues can opt into , Huston said .
In this case , Huston recommended the tool Donut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to randomly pair team members so that they can meet each other and chat once they have opted into a Donut Slack channel .
Be understanding about the stress and loss of productivity .
Instead , remind people of why they are at the company and how they are meaningfully making a difference .
“ We ’ re seeing a situation where it feels like the world is ending and it feels like work is trivial , ” Huston said .
“ If you can kind of make people feel more connected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than less connected , then that will be a really powerful tool for engagement .
And it will also help people direct what needs to be done .
”

Westend61 via Getty Images
As the number of COVID-19 coronavirus cases increase, more U.S employers in technology and other industries are encouraging or preparing their employees to work remotely for an indefinite period.
If you are one of the workers who is making a sudden and new transition to full-time remote work, you may be getting a lot of opinions and advice about working from home, as I have been from old-timers who love it and haters who find the routine overrated.
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I could give you basic, pragmatic tips to create boundaries between work and home, like changing out of pajamas, showering and choosing actions to signal the beginning and end of the workday. For me, mealtimes are my scheduler. Making tea tells me my workday is starting, and cooking dinner tells my body that I am no longer going to keep typing.
But on a fundamental level, how you communicate and maintain relationships with your co-workers should be your priority, whether you are a manager or not, so that no one feels isolated. The transition is happening because of a pandemic crisis, and your workflow needs to reflect that urgency.
Keeping communication predictable and consistent is critical.
John Bwarie is the CEO of Stratiscope, a community engagement and activation company with expertise in community crisis response who has written tips for how businesses can preserve relationships through a pandemic.
Bwarie’s one major tip for employees suddenly going remote is to ask for structured lines of communication.
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“As an employee transitioning into the social distance and isolation phase, if it’s not provided, they should ask their employer to provide structure and clarity,” he said. Questions to ask your team leader can include “How often should we be expecting to hear from you about the pandemic?” or “What’s the way I should be communicating to you if I am hearing things or confused about them?” Bwarie said.
Workers need consistent updates when they are away from central information because, without them, they can tell stories in their head that may not be true, I learned in a recent remote work webinar.
Last week, I signed up, along with 500 others, for a crash course on managing people over distance co-taught by Nicole Sanchez, the founder and managing partner of Vaya Consulting, and Cate Huston, an engineering lead at Automattic. Sanchez and Huston’s hourlong webinar anticipated offices closing due to COVID-19, and one piece of advice that stayed with me came from Sanchez. The remote paranoia workers may feel, she said, can lead to thoughts like “My manager hasn’t reached out to me all week. I haven’t talked to her. Am I getting fired?”
To prevent this remote anxiety, team managers need to re-clarify how and when information will be communicated, such as “Slack is for things I need in the next three hours,” “Text is for ‘This is immediate’” or “Video-conferencing is for when there’s no other way to exchange information but also for making sure people stay connected to each other because there is no replacement for face-to-face,” Sanchez said in the webinar. The point in clarifying these different modes of communication is to make sure employees can filter the signal from the noise.
Establishing a consistent cadence of communication also means not backing out of group meetings you scheduled if you’re a leader. “A team meeting is super important. It’s the kind of thing that sometimes people cancel if they don’t have an agenda,” Huston said. “The purpose of your team meeting is really to feel like a team, so never cancel your team meeting. Find things to talk about even if it’s just people sharing the stuff that they’re doing that isn’t as relevant to other people.“
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Anticipate technical difficulties as more people suddenly use digital communication. Sanchez noted that there could be issues with more people using communication software like Zoom in neighborhoods that don’t have the bandwidth. In those cases, be prepared to switch to landlines and no-video chats that take up less bandwidth, she said.
If you want people to share, make small social groups an option.
When you suddenly cannot see or be around your co-workers, having an ability to connect with them outside of deadlines and deliverables is essential to feeling heard and staving off social isolation.
Establishing a social group of no more than eight people, in which people can be vulnerable, can be a more effective way to find out how co-workers are really feeling than by sending an all-hands email or hosting one big messaging group about it, Bwarie said. How the small group communicates can be tailored to the company’s level of digital communication, but it needs to have a leader who can hold people accountable and check in with them. It also needs to be small so participants can share their feelings more comfortably.
“You are not going to process your emotions in a large group because no one is going to respond to you. They are going to go on to the next person,” Bwarie said.
Bwarie also noted that having a small group can limit misinformation spreading during a pandemic: “That misinformation on a large Slack group is going to cause more rumors of ‘I heard, I heard, I heard,’” he said. Instead, Bwarie recommended giving the small social groups a channel to raise questions and know that those questions will be answered by management.
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Small talk that has nothing do with work is a big deal.
Maintaining these social connections can remind you that you are part of a community that cares about your well-being. Jo Cipolla is the marketing director for SquareFoot, a New York City-based real estate company that transitioned to remote work this week due to the coronavirus outbreak. She said she is now trying to replicate the social interactions she had in the office by calling up her work friends during the lunch hour.
“The people who I’m friends with at work, we will set up a lunchtime chat and speak... It’s nice,” Cipolla said. “What’s good is that people are figuring out ways to get around the work-from-home and ensure we are still socially engaging with each other.”
If you’re seeking buddies to chat with, you can also frame your request for connection as a generic invitation colleagues can opt into, Huston said. In this case, Huston recommended the tool Donut, which uses the Slack messaging app to randomly pair team members so that they can meet each other and chat once they have opted into a Donut Slack channel.
Be understanding about the stress and loss of productivity.
If you are in management, prioritize your team’s well-being over their productivity during this abrupt transition.
“People are really struggling emotionally. They’re not going to do their best work,” Huston told HuffPost. When the office is closed and your immediate concern is that people are not working a full 40-hour week, “are you worrying about the right thing?” she said.
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huffpost--2020-03-13--Right-Wing Media’s Coronavirus Response: Sycophancy, Racism And Misinformation

But now that the reality of the virus as a public health crisis and economic disaster is becoming unavoidable , some partisan media outlets have refocused on a different message : Trump is doing a great job of handling a serious outbreak .
He ’ s always been doing a great job .
The pivot began after Trump gave his first national address about the coronavirus on Wednesday night and declared a travel ban on a number of European countries .
Although Trump ’ s confusing statements did not address key issues like the dearth of tests for the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most direct remarks he has made so far acknowledging the severity of the outbreak .
But the damage may have already been done .
Right-wing outlets and personalities diminishing the coronavirus could lead to more illness and more deaths if the public ignores warnings from health officials or credible news reports .
Given that Fox ’ s viewers tend to be older , they are also especially vulnerable for coming down with COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus .
These attempts by the partisan media to downplay the crisis could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now these outlets and media figures are facing a challenge : how to maintain an information bubble that calls any criticism of Trump a liberal hoax , while there are clear and tangible effects of the coronavirus on everyday lives .
It was one thing to argue Trump did nothing wrong when he solicited foreign aid in an election , but as markets plummet , major events are canceled , schools are closed , and workers are sent home , it ’ s nearly impossible to ignore that something very bad is happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After Trump ’ s remarks on Wednesday , some of his key supporters in partisan media gave sycophantic praise of the president .
Fox News host Sean Hannity claimed that Trump had been on top of the virus “ from day one ” and “ no president has ever done more , acted more quickly to stop the spread of a disease.
” Hannity also altered some of his usual dismissive rhetoric about the virus ― he ’ d previously called coverage of it a “ hoax ” ― to acknowledge it carries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all what Hannity and other Fox News pundits have been telling audiences since the start of the outbreak .
The overwhelming message from the outlet has been that professional journalists are “ weaponizing ” the coronavirus to attack Trump .
Hannity claimed on Monday that “ the coverage we are seeing from the media and the mob is beyond despicable and political.
” He spread the claim on his radio show as well , even promoting a conspiracy about the “ deep state ” using the outbreak fears to manipulate markets .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hannity ’ s claims . )
Elsewhere in the right-wing media ecosystem , radio host Rush Limbaugh falsely stated that “ the coronavirus is the common cold.
” ( Health officials believe it is actually around 10 times deadlier than the flu . )
At the extreme edge of right-wing media , hosts on conspiracy site InfoWars are peddling fake coronavirus cures to profit off disaster .
This misinformation has the potential for real harm .
There is evidence that Trump ’ s rhetoric and right-wing media messaging has divided public perceptions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early March found that Democrats are about twice as likely to believe coronavirus posed an imminent threat to the United States than Republicans were .
Trump-aligned media have struggled to find a coherent narrative to explain away the visible havoc caused by the virus .
Although many pundits , including Hannity , haven ’ t entirely given up the dangerous message that the virus is overblown , some have also shifted the narrative toward common right-wing targets .
Fox and Friends gave airtime to Trump ally Jerry Falwell Jr. , who floated a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a North Korean and Chinese bioweapon .
Fox News host Tucker Carlson has meanwhile fallen back on xenophobia and criticism of “ wokeness , ” blaming China for the disease and repeating the common white nationalist slogan “ diversity is not our strength.
” National Review editor Rich Lowry also blamed China and called coronavirus “ the first pandemic of the woke era.
” Trump has recently hinted at blaming China for the outbreak after initially praising its efforts , and on Wednesday referred to coronavirus as a “ foreign virus ” while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Other far-right leaders around the world and their supporters in the media have similarly attempted to refocus the coronavirus outbreak on familiar enemies and downplay government responsibility in preventing COVID-19 cases from spreading .
In Hungary , Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned the public in February that the greater threat to worry about was migration .
After Orbán ’ s government declared a state of emergency this week , he claimed there was a clear link between illegal immigration and the outbreak .
The leader of Italy ’ s far-right Lega party , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus on migrants from Africa .
As Brazil ’ s coronavirus outbreak worsened in recent days , far-right President Jair Bolsonaro claimed the disease was “ not all the mainstream media makes it out to be ” and echoed Trump ’ s talking point that the flu is also deadly .
One of Bolsonaro ’ s top officials tested positive on Thursday for COVID-19 following a trip to Trump ’ s Mar-A-Lago resort , and the Brazilian president also had to be tested .
( Bolsanaro said on Friday that his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; he and his son have lashed out about a media report claiming he tested positive . )

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Right-wing media outlets and pundits spent weeks dangerously minimizing the severity of the coronavirus and claiming that accurate reports on the outbreak were part of a liberal conspiracy to defame President Donald Trump.
But now that the reality of the virus as a public health crisis and economic disaster is becoming unavoidable, some partisan media outlets have refocused on a different message: Trump is doing a great job of handling a serious outbreak. He’s always been doing a great job.
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The pivot began after Trump gave his first national address about the coronavirus on Wednesday night and declared a travel ban on a number of European countries. Although Trump’s confusing statements did not address key issues like the dearth of tests for the virus in the U.S., the speech contained the most direct remarks he has made so far acknowledging the severity of the outbreak.
But the damage may have already been done. Right-wing outlets and personalities diminishing the coronavirus could lead to more illness and more deaths if the public ignores warnings from health officials or credible news reports. Given that Fox’s viewers tend to be older, they are also especially vulnerable for coming down with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. These attempts by the partisan media to downplay the crisis could quite seriously put lives at risk.
Now these outlets and media figures are facing a challenge: how to maintain an information bubble that calls any criticism of Trump a liberal hoax, while there are clear and tangible effects of the coronavirus on everyday lives. It was one thing to argue Trump did nothing wrong when he solicited foreign aid in an election, but as markets plummet, major events are canceled, schools are closed, and workers are sent home, it’s nearly impossible to ignore that something very bad is happening on the president’s watch.
After Trump’s remarks on Wednesday, some of his key supporters in partisan media gave sycophantic praise of the president. Fox News host Sean Hannity claimed that Trump had been on top of the virus “from day one” and “no president has ever done more, acted more quickly to stop the spread of a disease.” Hannity also altered some of his usual dismissive rhetoric about the virus ― he’d previously called coverage of it a “hoax” ― to acknowledge it carries actual dangers.
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“Do we need to take it all seriously? I’ve been saying we have to,” Hannity told viewers.
That is not at all what Hannity and other Fox News pundits have been telling audiences since the start of the outbreak. The overwhelming message from the outlet has been that professional journalists are “weaponizing” the coronavirus to attack Trump. Hannity claimed on Monday that “the coverage we are seeing from the media and the mob is beyond despicable and political.” He spread the claim on his radio show as well, even promoting a conspiracy about the “deep state” using the outbreak fears to manipulate markets. (There is no proof for any of Hannity’s claims.)
Other Fox hosts were similarly disdainful of the numerous, accurate reports that highlighted the Trump administration’s failures to respond to coronavirus and the global implications of the pandemic.
“The hate is boiling over. Many in the liberal media using ― and I mean using! ― coronavirus in an attempt to destroy the president,” Fox Business host Trish Regan said in a conspiracy-laden diatribe earlier this week.
On Saturday, Fox Business told HuffPost in a statement that Regan’s show and one other program will be “on hiatus until further notice” and that resources for those shows will shift to covering the spread of coronavirus “during critical market hours.”
Elsewhere in the right-wing media ecosystem, radio host Rush Limbaugh falsely stated that “the coronavirus is the common cold.” (Health officials believe it is actually around 10 times deadlier than the flu.) At the extreme edge of right-wing media, hosts on conspiracy site InfoWars are peddling fake coronavirus cures to profit off disaster.
Advertisement
This misinformation has the potential for real harm. There is evidence that Trump’s rhetoric and right-wing media messaging has divided public perceptions of the virus ― a poll conducted in early March found that Democrats are about twice as likely to believe coronavirus posed an imminent threat to the United States than Republicans were.
Fox News hosts have fervently defended Trump as reports of the administration's mishandling of the coronavirus outbreak mount. Drew Angerer via Getty Images
Trump-aligned media have struggled to find a coherent narrative to explain away the visible havoc caused by the virus. Although many pundits, including Hannity, haven’t entirely given up the dangerous message that the virus is overblown, some have also shifted the narrative toward common right-wing targets.
Fox and Friends gave airtime to Trump ally Jerry Falwell Jr., who floated a groundless conspiracy that the virus could be a North Korean and Chinese bioweapon. Fox News host Tucker Carlson has meanwhile fallen back on xenophobia and criticism of “wokeness,” blaming China for the disease and repeating the common white nationalist slogan “diversity is not our strength.” National Review editor Rich Lowry also blamed China and called coronavirus “the first pandemic of the woke era.” Trump has recently hinted at blaming China for the outbreak after initially praising its efforts, and on Wednesday referred to coronavirus as a “foreign virus” while touting his travel ban against China.
Other far-right leaders around the world and their supporters in the media have similarly attempted to refocus the coronavirus outbreak on familiar enemies and downplay government responsibility in preventing COVID-19 cases from spreading. In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned the public in February that the greater threat to worry about was migration. After Orbán’s government declared a state of emergency this week, he claimed there was a clear link between illegal immigration and the outbreak. The leader of Italy’s far-right Lega party, Matteo Salvini, groundlessly blamed the spread of the virus on migrants from Africa.
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As Brazil’s coronavirus outbreak worsened in recent days, far-right President Jair Bolsonaro claimed the disease was “not all the mainstream media makes it out to be” and echoed Trump’s talking point that the flu is also deadly. One of Bolsonaro’s top officials tested positive on Thursday for COVID-19 following a trip to Trump’s Mar-A-Lago resort, and the Brazilian president also had to be tested. (Bolsanaro said on Friday that his test for the coronavirus came back negative; he and his son have lashed out about a media report claiming he tested positive.)
On Friday morning, Trump tweeted another talking point that’s been rampant on Fox News recently and criticizes one of the president’s favorite targets: The real reason that coronavirus testing was delayed, he claimed, was Barack Obama.


huffpost--2020-03-13--Student Sent Home For Selling Hand Sanitizer By The Squirt To Classmates, Mom Says

A student in the United Kingdom was sent home from school this week for selling squirts of hand sanitizer to his peers , his mom claims .
In a post on Facebook , the boy ’ s mother , Jenny Tompkins , shared an image of her son arriving home from school after his enterprising bid went astray .
“ Why is he getting in from school at 10:53am you ask ?
” Tompkins wrote .
He had was just sent home for capitalizing on coronavirus fears by “ charging students 50p a squirt for hand sanitizer.
” She also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when his dad was calling him up to let him know he ’ s a “ legend.
” Tompkins later added that her son made just over $ 11 for his little business , selling each squirt for roughly 63 cents .
He blew his profits on a multipack of Doritos , she said , and was “ saving the rest to buy a kebab later.
” Dixons Unity Academy in Leeds denied it excluded any pupils from selling hand sanitizer , saying the boy was sent home for an unrelated incident , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which had more than 195,000 shares , were amused by the boy ’ s entrepreneurial cheek .
“ True business man in the making get him an office , ” one person wrote .
“ Give him 10 years he ’ ll be a great businessman who understands supply and demand , ” said another .
The United Kingdom has 590 confirmed cases of COVID-19 , and 10 patients have died .
Stores in the U.K. and abroad have been plagued by shortages of hand sanitizer and other household products , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends regular hand washing over hand sanitizer , as soap and water are more effective for removing a larger range of germs than the alcohol-based cleaners .
However , if soap and water are not available , hand sanitizers are OK if the products contain alcohol concentrations above 60 % .

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A student in the United Kingdom was sent home from school this week for selling squirts of hand sanitizer to his peers, his mom claims.
In a post on Facebook, the boy’s mother, Jenny Tompkins, shared an image of her son arriving home from school after his enterprising bid went astray.
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“Why is he getting in from school at 10:53am you ask?” Tompkins wrote. He had was just sent home for capitalizing on coronavirus fears by “charging students 50p a squirt for hand sanitizer.” She also said that disciplining his behavior was tough when his dad was calling him up to let him know he’s a “legend.”
Tompkins later added that her son made just over $11 for his little business, selling each squirt for roughly 63 cents. He blew his profits on a multipack of Doritos, she said, and was “saving the rest to buy a kebab later.”
Dixons Unity Academy in Leeds denied it excluded any pupils from selling hand sanitizer, saying the boy was sent home for an unrelated incident, BBC reported.
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Commenters on the post, which had more than 195,000 shares, were amused by the boy’s entrepreneurial cheek.
“True business man in the making get him an office,” one person wrote.
“Give him 10 years he’ll be a great businessman who understands supply and demand,” said another.
The United Kingdom has 590 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 10 patients have died. Stores in the U.K. and abroad have been plagued by shortages of hand sanitizer and other household products, with shoppers hoarding over virus fears.


huffpost--2020-03-13--'Total Pandemonium': Trump’s Abrupt European Travel Ban Sows Chaos

On Wednesday night , as doctors and public health officials worried about the U.S. health system ’ s woefully inadequate testing abilities in the face of a nationwide coronavirus outbreak , President Donald Trump announced that flights from Europe to the U.S. would be halted for one month starting Friday , with an exception for flights from the U.K .
Details were hazy — it was not immediately apparent to Americans abroad that U.S. citizens were not affected by the ban , or when , exactly , it took effect .
“ First we were told that Trump said Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like , Friday in the morning or Friday at night ?
” Lee recalled .
( The ban is set to begin Friday at 11:59 p.m. ) Von Essen said that she and her parents both believed that if she did not get out of Spain immediately , she would be stuck there for the next 30 days .
She rushed to the airport to see scores of American university students waiting and trying to figure out what was going on , too .
In subsequent hours , Trump repeatedly muddied the waters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe would be screened or tested for the virus , and some would be asked to undergo voluntary quarantines .
He reiterated the policies at a press conference on Friday , though it remained unclear at press time what those policies would actually look like in practice .
The European Union , which was not consulted before Trump ’ s announcement , issued a strongly worded statement denouncing it .
The EU said coronavirus , which has devastated parts of Italy after sickening tens of thousands in China , “ is a global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action.
’ ’ The Trump administration ’ s move also came as a shock to the travel industry , Association of Flight Attendants president Sara Nelson told HuffPost .
Some planes from Europe that were only supposed to be half-full were suddenly packed , leading to food and beverage shortages on some long-haul flights .
“ There was no communication with the industry .
No coordination , ” Nelson said .
Under normal circumstances , she explained , such a ban could take months of coordination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carrying out the president ’ s order .
The industry was given mere hours .
Both passengers and flight attendants waiting on flights bound for Europe were thrown off guard .
Flight attendants , some of whom were scheduled for three-day trips , weren ’ t sure they would be allowed back into the country .
Passengers wondered the same .
“ On the flip side , ” Nelson said , “ we had stories of passengers who were buying $ 25,000 tickets from Europe because they were so concerned about getting back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of travel ban would be in place.
” The industry ’ s problems are far from over .
With so much uncertainty coupled with workplace moratoriums on nonessential travel , many people are abandoning the idea of flying altogether .
Boarding zones at airports in Newark , New Jersey , Atlanta and other cities were eerily empty following the ban .
Von Essen , who works for the University of Chicago , was able to fly from Seville to Madrid , then from Madrid to London , and finally from London to Chicago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to have had help from her parents during the ordeal .
Lee and her husband , meanwhile , were able to catch flights from Prague to Frankfurt , Germany , and from Frankfurt to Los Angeles .
The chaotic scenes sparked by the Trump administration ’ s sudden announcement struck many travelers as illogical .
After all , if the White House wanted to mitigate Americans ’ exposure to the virus , why force panicked travelers into long lines and crowds at airports ― exactly the opposite of the “ social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We ’ ll have them very heavily tested .
If an American is coming back or if anybody is coming back , we ’ re testing .
We have a tremendous testing setup where people coming in have to be tested , and if they are positive , and they ’ re able to get through , because , frankly , if they ’ re not , we ’ re not putting them on planes if it shows positive , ” Trump said Thursday afternoon .
“ If they do come here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s going to be a pretty strong enforcement of quarantine .
”

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Leah Rachel von Essen was asleep at a Spanish Airbnb in the early hours of Thursday morning, local time, when the Trump administration’s surprise European travel ban quickly sent her packing.
“I woke up at 3:30 a.m. to about four missed calls and a billion texts from my parents,” she said.
Travel writer Christine Lee, meanwhile, was in bed in Prague.
“My husband woke me up. He never wakes me up,” she told HuffPost.
On Wednesday night, as doctors and public health officials worried about the U.S. health system’s woefully inadequate testing abilities in the face of a nationwide coronavirus outbreak, President Donald Trump announced that flights from Europe to the U.S. would be halted for one month starting Friday, with an exception for flights from the U.K.
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Details were hazy — it was not immediately apparent to Americans abroad that U.S. citizens were not affected by the ban, or when, exactly, it took effect.
“First we were told that Trump said Friday at midnight, and so we were like, Friday in the morning or Friday at night?” Lee recalled. (The ban is set to begin Friday at 11:59 p.m.)
Von Essen said that she and her parents both believed that if she did not get out of Spain immediately, she would be stuck there for the next 30 days. She rushed to the airport to see scores of American university students waiting and trying to figure out what was going on, too.
Their anxieties were shared by an untold number of travelers, some of whom were in the air destined for Europe when they discovered the news.
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In subsequent hours, Trump repeatedly muddied the waters, declaring that those Americans returning from Europe would be screened or tested for the virus, and some would be asked to undergo voluntary quarantines. He reiterated the policies at a press conference on Friday, though it remained unclear at press time what those policies would actually look like in practice.
The European Union, which was not consulted before Trump’s announcement, issued a strongly worded statement denouncing it. The EU said coronavirus, which has devastated parts of Italy after sickening tens of thousands in China, “is a global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action.’’
The Trump administration’s move also came as a shock to the travel industry, Association of Flight Attendants president Sara Nelson told HuffPost. Some planes from Europe that were only supposed to be half-full were suddenly packed, leading to food and beverage shortages on some long-haul flights.
“There was no communication with the industry. No coordination,” Nelson said. Under normal circumstances, she explained, such a ban could take months of coordination between airlines and government agencies tasked with carrying out the president’s order. The industry was given mere hours.
“We had stories of passengers who were buying $25,000 tickets from Europe because they were so concerned about getting back to the United States.” - Sara Nelson, flight attendants union president
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Both passengers and flight attendants waiting on flights bound for Europe were thrown off guard. Flight attendants, some of whom were scheduled for three-day trips, weren’t sure they would be allowed back into the country. Passengers wondered the same.
“It was total pandemonium,” Nelson said. Some passengers opted not to board their flights at all rather than risk being unable to easily return.
“On the flip side,” Nelson said, “we had stories of passengers who were buying $25,000 tickets from Europe because they were so concerned about getting back to the United States before any sort of travel ban would be in place.”
The industry’s problems are far from over. With so much uncertainty coupled with workplace moratoriums on nonessential travel, many people are abandoning the idea of flying altogether. Boarding zones at airports in Newark, New Jersey, Atlanta and other cities were eerily empty following the ban.
Jennifer Berry Hawes, a reporter for South Carolina’s Post and Courier, said Wednesday night she decided to “abandon” her flight to Paris, where the same night a New York Times reporter documented scenes of “bedlam” at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport.
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Scene now at the Atlanta airport international terminal right after Trump announced no return flights from Europe for a month. @gavin_mci and I were about to board a flight out for a kick ass @postandcourier story.
One hour to decide what to do. Risk getting stranded? pic.twitter.com/NdjSsZ74Sl — Jennifer Berry Hawes (@JenBerryHawes) March 12, 2020
Von Essen, who works for the University of Chicago, was able to fly from Seville to Madrid, then from Madrid to London, and finally from London to Chicago. She called herself “extremely lucky” to have had help from her parents during the ordeal. Lee and her husband, meanwhile, were able to catch flights from Prague to Frankfurt, Germany, and from Frankfurt to Los Angeles.
The chaotic scenes sparked by the Trump administration’s sudden announcement struck many travelers as illogical. After all, if the White House wanted to mitigate Americans’ exposure to the virus, why force panicked travelers into long lines and crowds at airports ― exactly the opposite of the “social distancing” public health officials are urging?
Asked how U.S. officials were going to handle the influx of travelers who have recently visited areas affected by the coronavirus, Trump made big promises.
“We’ll have them very heavily tested. If an American is coming back or if anybody is coming back, we’re testing. We have a tremendous testing setup where people coming in have to be tested, and if they are positive, and they’re able to get through, because, frankly, if they’re not, we’re not putting them on planes if it shows positive,” Trump said Thursday afternoon. “If they do come here, they are going to be quarantined. It’s going to be a pretty strong enforcement of quarantine.”
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Lee and Von Essen both said the screening they faced upon their return to the U.S. was no more stringent than usual.
Asked whether she was hearing about any screening efforts at airports for passengers and staff, Nelson responded definitively.
“No.”


huffpost--2020-03-13--Please Stop Treating Me Like I’m Disposable When You Talk About The Coronavirus

I read this message or some variation of it over and over again in the early weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak .
It came from many people and many places .
It was on Twitter , on TV , in newspaper articles .
None of the people who gave this message seemed to consider the possibility that they might be delivering it to someone who could fall into one of those categories of vulnerable populations — nor did they seem to notice that it painted those populations as being disposable .
I take these types of medications because I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system mistakes healthy tissue for being “ bad stuff ” ( viruses and infections ) and attacks itself .
When my immune system is in overdrive , I am sick and my illness flares .
Weakening my immune system gives my body a chance to fight back against itself .
It also weakens my ability to fight off the actual “ bad stuff ” — for example : the coronavirus .
The lens of my experience has come into play in several ways since the outbreak — the first and foremost being that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that it would affect me in a way that would be significantly worse than if I had a healthy immune system should I contract it .
Another is that in a way , I ’ m more prepared : I ’ ve been immunosuppressed for enough time that long before the panic over COVID-19 hit , I carried around wet wipes and hand sanitizer , washed and moisturized my hands meticulously multiple times a day , made sure to stay stocked up on soap and Clorox , always looked at the free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never took one , and , yes , even learned how to be careful to not touch my face .
I think of navigating public health as being similar to driving a car : Even if you ’ re a good , safe driver , you can still get into an accident because you can ’ t be sure other people on the road are also good , safe drivers .
I learned a long time ago that I have to be careful when it comes to these sorts of precautions because other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to value my health because other people will not .
I have to take the risk seriously because other people aren ’ t .
And the way people have spoken about the coronavirus has also reminded me that I have to value my life — because other people do not .
I ’ m talking about tweets assuring people that no one of importance would be affected , the president ’ s total denial about the severity of the situation , Sen. Lamar Alexander ’ s move to block legislation that would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of paid sick leave during public health emergencies , and employers who are refusing to give paid sick leave , particularly to those in low-wage positions such as food service workers and home health aides , who especially need to be able to stay home if they get infected .
I ’ m talking about things like the lack of testing availability .
I ’ m talking about things like people disregarding the advice of scientists — advice like : You don ’ t need a mask unless you yourself are sick ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wash your hands , wash your hands , wash your hands — because they ’ re not worried about a flu .
I ’ m talking about hoarding resources , which leaves the most vulnerable populations unable to access them or afford them as sellers raise prices based on demand .
I ’ ve long known that I ’ m the No .
1 person looking out for myself , my health and my well-being when it comes to me being immunosuppressed .
But finding out that so many folks haven ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and worse , the “ Is it REALLY necessary to wash your hands after going to the bathroom ?
” conversation that erupted on Twitter — did not inspire much confidence in my fellow humans to take care of themselves or others .
Those most negatively affected by this pandemic are the most vulnerable — those who are disabled or chronically ill , those who do not have access to things like clean water and soap , those who can not avoid public transportation , who will be afraid to take a day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek medical care for fear of deportation , who will avoid getting medical attention because they simply can not afford it .
These are the people who are most affected when you decide you don ’ t have to pay attention to this , when you decide you will be fine , when you oppose paid sick leave , when you ignore what doctors are saying about how to “ flatten the curve.
” If you get sick , please stay home .
I ’ ve been homebound before , and I know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in isolation for so long .
Find some Netflix shows to binge , eat some SpaghettiOs or declutter your email inbox — just stay home , please .
( It ’ s easier said than done for those living paycheck to paycheck who ’ d lose out on two weeks of income ― I don ’ t have an answer for that , except to continue to push your government officials for paid sick leave . )
This is one of those situations where our actions become about more than just ourselves .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite feeling unwell , your neglect to wash your hands after touching the banisters in public stairwells , your dismissing the outbreak as something you don ’ t have to pay attention to because it won ’ t affect you — there is a very real likelihood that those sorts of behaviors will have a very real impact on those like me , who do have compromised immune systems .

Ada Yokota via Getty Images
“It’s fine, you don’t need to worry. It’s not a big deal. Only certain vulnerable populations, like the elderly and those with certain preexisting conditions, will be affected.”
I read this message or some variation of it over and over again in the early weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak. It came from many people and many places. It was on Twitter, on TV, in newspaper articles. None of the people who gave this message seemed to consider the possibility that they might be delivering it to someone who could fall into one of those categories of vulnerable populations — nor did they seem to notice that it painted those populations as being disposable.
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And indeed, this feeling of disposability and invisibility has been shared by many in the disability community in the wake of the coronavirus.
Today, I wiped a small patch of skin down with an alcohol swab, pinched a small section of my belly and injected my subcutaneous tissue with an immunosuppressive substance known as a biologic. I do this regularly, and I have since high school.
These medications, along with others I take — including low-dose methotrexate, a form of chemotherapy — work to intentionally suppress my immune system.
I take these types of medications because I have an autoimmune disease, meaning my immune system mistakes healthy tissue for being “bad stuff” (viruses and infections) and attacks itself. When my immune system is in overdrive, I am sick and my illness flares. Weakening my immune system gives my body a chance to fight back against itself. It also weakens my ability to fight off the actual “bad stuff” — for example: the coronavirus.
Advertisement
The lens of my experience has come into play in several ways since the outbreak — the first and foremost being that I am vulnerable to the coronavirus, and that it would affect me in a way that would be significantly worse than if I had a healthy immune system should I contract it.
Another is that in a way, I’m more prepared: I’ve been immunosuppressed for enough time that long before the panic over COVID-19 hit, I carried around wet wipes and hand sanitizer, washed and moisturized my hands meticulously multiple times a day, made sure to stay stocked up on soap and Clorox, always looked at the free samples at Costco with wistful longing but never took one, and, yes, even learned how to be careful to not touch my face.
I think of navigating public health as being similar to driving a car: Even if you’re a good, safe driver, you can still get into an accident because you can’t be sure other people on the road are also good, safe drivers. I learned a long time ago that I have to be careful when it comes to these sorts of precautions because other people won’t be. I have to value my health because other people will not. I have to take the risk seriously because other people aren’t. And the way people have spoken about the coronavirus has also reminded me that I have to value my life — because other people do not.
Disabled people, as well as the elderly, have been talked about as if we’re disposable. I’m not talking about the incredibly difficult decisions being made by the hardworking doctors in Italy and other areas who are having to figure out how to distribute supplies with a critical shortage of resources.
I’m talking about tweets assuring people that no one of importance would be affected, the president’s total denial about the severity of the situation, Sen. Lamar Alexander’s move to block legislation that would require employers to give workers two weeks of paid sick leave during public health emergencies, and employers who are refusing to give paid sick leave, particularly to those in low-wage positions such as food service workers and home health aides, who especially need to be able to stay home if they get infected.
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I’m also talking about things like the sudden availability of accessibility for remote work and remote education — despite the fact that many disabled and chronically ill people have been denied such accessibility in the past — that tell disabled people we don’t matter enough to make an effort for.
I’m talking about things like the lack of testing availability. I’m talking about things like people disregarding the advice of scientists — advice like: You don’t need a mask unless you yourself are sick; immediately begin to socially isolate yourself; wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands — because they’re not worried about a flu. I’m talking about hoarding resources, which leaves the most vulnerable populations unable to access them or afford them as sellers raise prices based on demand.
And, yes, I’m talking about things like the lack of support for policies like “Medicare for All” in light of a pandemic that demonstrates how and why free health care is so important.
Six in 10 adults in the United States have a chronic condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 4 in 10 have more than one. I’m one of those with multiple chronic illnesses (or “comorbidities,” if you want to get fancy about it).
I’ve long known that I’m the No. 1 person looking out for myself, my health and my well-being when it comes to me being immunosuppressed. But finding out that so many folks haven’t been disinfecting their phones and doorknobs — and worse, the “Is it REALLY necessary to wash your hands after going to the bathroom?” conversation that erupted on Twitter — did not inspire much confidence in my fellow humans to take care of themselves or others.
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Those most negatively affected by this pandemic are the most vulnerable — those who are disabled or chronically ill, those who do not have access to things like clean water and soap, those who cannot avoid public transportation, who will be afraid to take a day off, who will be afraid to seek medical care for fear of deportation, who will avoid getting medical attention because they simply cannot afford it. These are the people who are most affected when you decide you don’t have to pay attention to this, when you decide you will be fine, when you oppose paid sick leave, when you ignore what doctors are saying about how to “flatten the curve.”
“Show immunocompromised people that you know that we matter, and take small steps to show us we’re not alone in facing this daunting virus.”
Yes, you will have to actively change your behavior because of other people. This is going to be significantly harder since our country isn’t taking the same steps as other nations, such as guaranteeing paid sick leave, suspending mortgage payments and other measures, to discourage those infected from leaving their homes.
If you get sick, please stay home. I’ve been homebound before, and I know it can suck to be stuck inside in isolation for so long. Find some Netflix shows to binge, eat some SpaghettiOs or declutter your email inbox — just stay home, please. (It’s easier said than done for those living paycheck to paycheck who’d lose out on two weeks of income ― I don’t have an answer for that, except to continue to push your government officials for paid sick leave.)
This is one of those situations where our actions become about more than just ourselves. Your decision to go to a club despite feeling unwell, your neglect to wash your hands after touching the banisters in public stairwells, your dismissing the outbreak as something you don’t have to pay attention to because it won’t affect you — there is a very real likelihood that those sorts of behaviors will have a very real impact on those like me, who do have compromised immune systems.
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The best thing you could do to keep others safe is take precautions. Learn about social distancing. Avoid going out into crowded places, wash your hands frequently and stay home if you feel sick. Fight for paid sick leave. I’m asking for your help in keeping me and others like me safe.
Show immunocompromised people that you know that we matter, and take small steps to show us we’re not alone in facing this daunting virus.
If you care about people, then care about vulnerable people as well. Take care of others by taking care of yourself — not just now, but after COVID-19 has slowed its spread, too. How we talk and what we do now matters. We’re here, and we are not disposable.
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