huffpost--2020-03-03--Pro-Trump Media Is Pushing Coronavirus Conspiracies To Defend Trump

The coronavirus outbreak has spread to nearly a 100,000 people across at least 71 countries , resulting in its first deaths in the United States .
But while public health officials rush to contain the virus and inform the public , the pro-Trump media world has been spreading misinformation and downplaying the disease in a fevered attempt to defend the president and his administration .
Trump-aligned media and pundits have variously suggested that the virus is a Democratic hoax , a Chinese bioweapon , an attempt to destabilize the stock market or is no more harmful than the common cold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any of these conspiratorial claims , some of which are directly misinforming the public about the dangers of a potentially deadly disease .
Radio host and recent presidential medal of freedom honoree Rush Limbaugh , along with far-right media outlet Gateway Pundit , groundlessly suggested that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was overblowing the threat of COVID-19 in an attempt to damage Trump .
Their attacks focused on top CDC official Nancy Messonnier , the sister of former deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein who oversaw the special counsel investigation into foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family connection ― earlier noticed by QAnon conspiracy supporters ― was enough to baselessly allege Messonnier ’ s accurate warnings about the virus were attacks on Trump .
But pro-Trump media and officials haven ’ t settled on one cohesive narrative , instead reaching for anything that deflects from criticism of the administration ’ s haphazard handling of the virus and falling stock markets to refocus the story on familiar targets .
Sen. Tom Cotton ( R-Ark . )
and pro-Trump sites have pushed a debunked conspiracy that the virus is a Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went even further to suggest it may involve billionaire George Soros ― a favorite target of anti-Semitic conspiracies and the far-right .
The right-wing coverage of the virus has created a dangerous echo chamber filled with claims that public health officials are not to be trusted and anyone contradicting Trump on the outbreak is a target for derision .
It ’ s exactly the kind of misinformation that experts warn can make it harder to contain the disease and create confusion among the public .
And as is often the case , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message .
Donald Trump Jr. on Fox and Friends last week accused Democrats of “ [ trying ] to take a pandemic and seemingly hope that it comes here and kills millions of people , so that they could end Donald Trump ’ s streak of winning.
” Vice President Mike Pence defended Trump Jr. ’ s comments on Monday , saying he was merely “ pushing back ” against Democrats .
Trump , who has tried to gut global health budgets and forced out top disease prevention officials , has claimed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States .
He has consistently tried to dismiss the severity of the outbreak and claimed at a rally on Friday that Democrats were politicizing the coronavirus as “ their new hoax ” ― likening it to the impeachment proceedings against him .

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The coronavirus outbreak has spread to nearly a 100,000 people across at least 71 countries, resulting in its first deaths in the United States. But while public health officials rush to contain the virus and inform the public, the pro-Trump media world has been spreading misinformation and downplaying the disease in a fevered attempt to defend the president and his administration.
Trump-aligned media and pundits have variously suggested that the virus is a Democratic hoax, a Chinese bioweapon, an attempt to destabilize the stock market or is no more harmful than the common cold. There is no factual basis for any of these conspiratorial claims, some of which are directly misinforming the public about the dangers of a potentially deadly disease.
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Radio host and recent presidential medal of freedom honoree Rush Limbaugh, along with far-right media outlet Gateway Pundit, groundlessly suggested that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was overblowing the threat of COVID-19 in an attempt to damage Trump. Their attacks focused on top CDC official Nancy Messonnier, the sister of former deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein who oversaw the special counsel investigation into foreign interference in the 2016 election. This family connection ― earlier noticed by QAnon conspiracy supporters ― was enough to baselessly allege Messonnier’s accurate warnings about the virus were attacks on Trump.
Rush Limbaugh shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump in West Palm Beach, Florida on Dec. 21, 2019. Limbaugh has pushed misinformation about the COVID-19 outbreak. NICHOLAS KAMM via Getty Images
But pro-Trump media and officials haven’t settled on one cohesive narrative, instead reaching for anything that deflects from criticism of the administration’s haphazard handling of the virus and falling stock markets to refocus the story on familiar targets. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and pro-Trump sites have pushed a debunked conspiracy that the virus is a Chinese bioweapon, while a GOP congressional candidate went even further to suggest it may involve billionaire George Soros ― a favorite target of anti-Semitic conspiracies and the far-right.
The right-wing coverage of the virus has created a dangerous echo chamber filled with claims that public health officials are not to be trusted and anyone contradicting Trump on the outbreak is a target for derision. It’s exactly the kind of misinformation that experts warn can make it harder to contain the disease and create confusion among the public. And as is often the case, Trump and his top surrogates have embraced the message.
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Donald Trump Jr. on Fox and Friends last week accused Democrats of “[trying] to take a pandemic and seemingly hope that it comes here and kills millions of people, so that they could end Donald Trump’s streak of winning.” Vice President Mike Pence defended Trump Jr.’s comments on Monday, saying he was merely “pushing back” against Democrats.


huffpost--2020-03-03--Tornadoes, Coronavirus Fears Impact Super Tuesday Voting In Some States

Scattered reports of polling places opening late , machines malfunctioning or voter rolls being down temporarily marred voting in some of the 14 states voting Tuesday , but there were no reports of voters being unable to cast a ballot or security breaches .
Just hours before polls were set to open in Tennessee , tornadoes tore through parts of the state , destroying at least 140 buildings and killing at least 22 .
With more than a dozen polling sites in Nashville ’ s Davidson County damaged , voters were sent to other locations , where some of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urged state officials to extend voting hours .
Voting got off to a slow start in Travis County , Texas , because many election workers did not show up , with some citing fears of contracting the coronavirus , according to the county clerk ’ s office .
The election office says it began implementing emergency procedures , with elections staff and other employees filling in as poll workers .
Another county , in California , addressed concerns over the coronavirus by sending bottles of hand sanitizer to polling places and asking poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health department on how to avoid spreading the virus .
Jesse Salinas , the chief elections official in Yolo County , just west of Sacramento , said about 10 % of poll workers backed out at the last minute , and he pointed to concerns about getting the virus .
He said that ’ s about double what is normal for an election , and sent his team scrambling for replacements .
Super Tuesday marked the first major security test since the 2018 midterm elections , with state and local election officials saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from equipment problems to false information about the coronavirus .
States have been racing to shore up cybersecurity defenses , replace aging and vulnerable voting equipment , and train for worst-case scenarios since it became clear that Russia had launched a sweeping and systematic effort to interfere in the 2016 presidential election .
U.S. officials said they were on alert and ready to respond to any efforts to disrupt the 2020 elections .
Voter file databases were down briefly in some counties in California , Texas and elsewhere , but access was restored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency , described the glitches as “ intermittent I.T .
issues ” that had since been resolved .
In Minnesota , a poll-finding tool on the secretary of state ’ s website was briefly inaccessible on Tuesday .
Republicans cried foul when visitors to the site were redirected to a left-leaning website that also supplied polling place information .
Secretary of State Steve Simon said a staff member had linked to the partisan site in what he called “ a serious lapse of judgment.
” It wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was inaccessible .
Simon said there was no evidence the state ’ s voting systems were hacked or interfered with , but his office didn ’ t immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press about the reason for the website outage .
U.S. intelligence chiefs have warned that foreign interference remains a threat for the 2020 election , but the national agency that oversees election security said Tuesday it had not detected any notable uptick in either misinformation by foreign nations or targeted attacks on voting equipment during the first hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency says it has taken steps since the 2016 elections to improve overall security and develop better coordination with state and local election officials , and it praised authorities in Tennessee for quickly making contingency plans to help voters in areas devastated by the severe weather in that state .
Davidson County Administrator of Elections Jeff Roberts said voters from anywhere in the county can go to two so-called “ supersites ” to cast their ballots .
The route to those sites is a main thoroughfare that ’ s not closed due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sites in Nashville and in Davidson and Wilson counties opened an hour late but were still set to close at 8 p.m. EST as scheduled , Secretary of State Tre Hargett said .
The Lawyers ’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law called on Tennessee officials to extend primary election voting through at least the end of the week in certain parts of Tennessee affected by the storms .

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Deadly tornadoes knocked out polling places in Tennessee while fears over the coronavirus left some polling places in California and Texas short of election workers as Super Tuesday voting was underway around the country.
Scattered reports of polling places opening late, machines malfunctioning or voter rolls being down temporarily marred voting in some of the 14 states voting Tuesday, but there were no reports of voters being unable to cast a ballot or security breaches.
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Just hours before polls were set to open in Tennessee, tornadoes tore through parts of the state, destroying at least 140 buildings and killing at least 22. With more than a dozen polling sites in Nashville’s Davidson County damaged, voters were sent to other locations, where some of them encountered long lines. Voting rights groups urged state officials to extend voting hours.
Voting got off to a slow start in Travis County, Texas, because many election workers did not show up, with some citing fears of contracting the coronavirus, according to the county clerk’s office. The election office says it began implementing emergency procedures, with elections staff and other employees filling in as poll workers.
Another county, in California, addressed concerns over the coronavirus by sending bottles of hand sanitizer to polling places and asking poll workers to post fliers from the public health department on how to avoid spreading the virus.
Jesse Salinas, the chief elections official in Yolo County, just west of Sacramento, said about 10% of poll workers backed out at the last minute, and he pointed to concerns about getting the virus. He said that’s about double what is normal for an election, and sent his team scrambling for replacements.
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“We are hoping people remain calm and still participate in the election process,” Salinas said.
Super Tuesday marked the first major security test since the 2018 midterm elections, with state and local election officials saying they are prepared to deal with everything from equipment problems to false information about the coronavirus.
States have been racing to shore up cybersecurity defenses, replace aging and vulnerable voting equipment, and train for worst-case scenarios since it became clear that Russia had launched a sweeping and systematic effort to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. U.S. officials said they were on alert and ready to respond to any efforts to disrupt the 2020 elections.
Voter file databases were down briefly in some counties in California, Texas and elsewhere, but access was restored relatively quickly. Christopher Krebs, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, described the glitches as “intermittent I.T. issues” that had since been resolved.
“All the systems are back up online,” he said. “We’re not aware of any persistent, long-term issues associated with with the election infrastructure of the United States right now.”
In Minnesota, a poll-finding tool on the secretary of state’s website was briefly inaccessible on Tuesday. Republicans cried foul when visitors to the site were redirected to a left-leaning website that also supplied polling place information. Secretary of State Steve Simon said a staff member had linked to the partisan site in what he called “a serious lapse of judgment.”
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It wasn’t immediately clear why the poll-finder was inaccessible. Simon said there was no evidence the state’s voting systems were hacked or interfered with, but his office didn’t immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press about the reason for the website outage.
U.S. intelligence chiefs have warned that foreign interference remains a threat for the 2020 election, but the national agency that oversees election security said Tuesday it had not detected any notable uptick in either misinformation by foreign nations or targeted attacks on voting equipment during the first hours of voting across the country.
The agency says it has taken steps since the 2016 elections to improve overall security and develop better coordination with state and local election officials, and it praised authorities in Tennessee for quickly making contingency plans to help voters in areas devastated by the severe weather in that state.
In that state, election officials scrambled to make sure people could still cast their ballots. Nashville Mayor John Cooper said alternate sites were arranged for 15 polling places out of the 169 precincts in Nashville’s combined city-county area.
Davidson County Administrator of Elections Jeff Roberts said voters from anywhere in the county can go to two so-called “supersites” to cast their ballots. The route to those sites is a main thoroughfare that’s not closed due to damage, he said.
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Some polling sites in Nashville and in Davidson and Wilson counties opened an hour late but were still set to close at 8 p.m. EST as scheduled, Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law called on Tennessee officials to extend primary election voting through at least the end of the week in certain parts of Tennessee affected by the storms.
High winds also briefly disrupted voting in central Alabama. In rural Bibb County, southwest of Birmingham, cellphone alerts began going off with a tornado warning about 6:45 a.m., just as poll workers were getting ready to open a polling place in a senior center, said volunteer Gwen Thompson.
The storm knocked out electricity, she said, but the precinct’s two electronic voting machines had battery backups and a few people had cast ballots less than an hour later.
“We’re voting by flashlight,” Thompson said.
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Cassidy reported from Atlanta.
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Associated Press writers Frank Bajak in Boston, Jill Bleed in Little Rock, Arkansas, Jake Bleiberg in Dallas, Kate Brumback in Atlanta, Ben Fox and Eric Tucker in Washington, D.C., Doug Glass in Minneapolis, Jonathan Mattise in Nashville and Jay Reeves in Birmingham, Alabama, and contributed to this report.


huffpost--2020-03-03--Tokyo 2020 Games Could Be Postponed Due To Coronavirus: Olympic Minister

Seiko Hashimoto ’ s response to a question in the upper house of parliament implies the Olympics could be held later in the year and would not have to start on July 24 as planned .
The Paralympics open on Aug. 25 .
The Tokyo Olympics are being threatened by a fast-spreading virus that has been blamed for 12 deaths in Japan and has shut down most schools , sports competitions and Olympic-related events in the country .
The virus that started in China has been detected in at least 70 countries , with 90,000 cases and 3,100 deaths reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cancel the games only if they are not held during 2020 , ” Hashimoto told parliament .
“ This can be interpreted to mean the games can be postponed as long as they are held during the calendar year.
” IOC President Thomas Bach and Tokyo organizers have repeatedly said they expect the Olympics to open on schedule .
Others have suggested the spreading virus could force cancellation , postponement or moving events to other cities .
In an interview last week with only Japanese media , Bach said : “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are continuing with a view to having successful Olympic Games this summer in Tokyo.
” Hashimoto was asked if she believed the Olympics should be held even if the coronavirus outbreak is worse than it is now .
A tourist wearing a protective mask takes a photo with the Olympic rings in the background in Tokyo on Tuesday .
The spreading virus from China has put the Tokyo Olympics at risk .
The International Olympic Committee gets 73 % of its $ 5.7 billion income in a four-year Olympic cycle from selling broadcast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income is from American network NBC .
The 1964 Tokyo Olympics were held in October .
But the games have now shifted to summer , largely because it ’ s the only time slot open for sports broadcasters .
North America in the fall is filled with the NFL , college football , baseball , basketball and hockey .
Europe is jammed with soccer in England , Spain , Germany , France and Italy , not to mention rugby and cricket where those sports are popular .
A woman with a mask pauses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the New National Stadium , a venue for the opening and closing ceremonies at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics , is seen in the background in Tokyo .
Former IOC vice president Dick Pound told The Associated Press in an interview last week that a decision about the Olympics probably has to be made in the next several months .
Kevan Gosper , another former IOC vice president and now an honorary IOC member , also said cancellation was feasible .
Tokyo organizers have 17 test events remaining on their schedule .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8 .
Most are small events featuring only local athletes .
The most significant is a gymnastics test on April 4-6 that is expected to have non-Japanese athletes competing .

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TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Olympic minister said Tuesday the contract to hold the Tokyo Games only specifies the event has to be held during 2020.
Seiko Hashimoto’s response to a question in the upper house of parliament implies the Olympics could be held later in the year and would not have to start on July 24 as planned. The Paralympics open on Aug. 25.
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The Tokyo Olympics are being threatened by a fast-spreading virus that has been blamed for 12 deaths in Japan and has shut down most schools, sports competitions and Olympic-related events in the country. The virus that started in China has been detected in at least 70 countries, with 90,000 cases and 3,100 deaths reported.
A masked man works at a construction site with the Olympic rings in the background on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at Tokyo's Odaiba district in Tokyo. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“The IOC has the right to cancel the games only if they are not held during 2020,” Hashimoto told parliament. “This can be interpreted to mean the games can be postponed as long as they are held during the calendar year.”
IOC President Thomas Bach and Tokyo organizers have repeatedly said they expect the Olympics to open on schedule. Others have suggested the spreading virus could force cancellation, postponement or moving events to other cities.
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In an interview last week with only Japanese media, Bach said: “The preparations for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 are continuing with a view to having successful Olympic Games this summer in Tokyo.”
Bach declined to “fuel the flames of speculation” about reports of cancellation or postponement.
Hashimoto was asked if she believed the Olympics should be held even if the coronavirus outbreak is worse than it is now.
A tourist wearing a protective mask takes a photo with the Olympic rings in the background in Tokyo on Tuesday. The spreading virus from China has put the Tokyo Olympics at risk. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“We are making the utmost effort so that we don’t have to face that situation,” she said.
Any decision to move the games back would impact international broadcasters, who would have sway over any changes.
The International Olympic Committee gets 73% of its $5.7 billion income in a four-year Olympic cycle from selling broadcast rights. About half of that TV income is from American network NBC.
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The 1964 Tokyo Olympics were held in October. But the games have now shifted to summer, largely because it’s the only time slot open for sports broadcasters. North America in the fall is filled with the NFL, college football, baseball, basketball and hockey. Europe is jammed with soccer in England, Spain, Germany, France and Italy, not to mention rugby and cricket where those sports are popular.
A woman with a mask pauses for photos on Shibuya Sky observation deck as the New National Stadium, a venue for the opening and closing ceremonies at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, is seen in the background in Tokyo. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Former IOC vice president Dick Pound told The Associated Press in an interview last week that a decision about the Olympics probably has to be made in the next several months. Kevan Gosper, another former IOC vice president and now an honorary IOC member, also said cancellation was feasible.
The Olympics have been canceled only three times, all during wartime.
Tokyo organizers on Tuesday were forced to call off a Paralympic wheelchair rugby test event following suggestions from Prime Minister Shizo Abe to hold down large crowd events for several weeks.
Tokyo organizers have 17 test events remaining on their schedule. The last one is to end on May 8. Most are small events featuring only local athletes. The most significant is a gymnastics test on April 4-6 that is expected to have non-Japanese athletes competing.
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Japan’s professional baseball league is playing preseason games in stadiums without fans, and the soccer J-League has suspended play until March 18. The famous Tokyo Marathon was held on Sunday with only a few hundred elite runners, instead of a public party for 30,000 participants.
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huffpost--2020-03-03--The Coronavirus Is Challenging What Our Politicians Think About 'Medicare For All'

A Department of Health and Human Services official told a Senate committee Tuesday that the administration is considering how it could pay hospitals to treat uninsured coronavirus , or COVID-19 , patients .
And Republicans in Congress ― some of whom have spent their entire political careers railing against Obamacare and socialized medicine ― are sounding supportive of the idea .
Yoho , one of the most anti-Obamacare lawmakers in Congress , said it would be a “ wise thing ” for the government to pay for testing and treatment of the uninsured , while also saying he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Sometimes you have to do things that you have to do for your country , but as far as socialized medicine , no , ” Yoho said .
“ Does this fall into that ?
Yeah , I guess you could throw it in there , but hopefully it ’ s not the long-term.
” And another Republican , Brian Fitzpatrick ( R-Pa. ) , also told HuffPost he would support extraordinary measures to stop the spread of the virus .
“ I mean , this is a crisis right now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way that ’ s going to fix the problem , ” he said .
Robert Kadlec , assistant secretary for Preparedness and Response ( ASPR ) at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services ( HHS ) , and Robert R. Redfield , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , take part in a House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing on Health and Human Services oversight of the coronavirus outbreak on Feb. 26 , 2020 .
Under the Stafford Act , the president can mobilize federal resources by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And if President Trump decided it was in the public ’ s interest to offer free testing and treatment , in part to curb the spread of the disease , he could do so without Congress .
In an emergency , HHS and the Defense Department can activate a National Disaster Medical System to respond to requests from states to pay for some hospital costs .
Still , Congress would likely end up playing a role .
Even though the disaster medical system was activated in response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wound up appropriating extra funds to reimburse hospitals .
Congress could fund the treatment and testing for the uninsured in an emergency spending bill that is expected to pass the House and Senate this week .
And if such a provision made it into the bill , Republicans and Democrats would almost certainly vote for the idea overwhelmingly .
Lamb was hesitant to draw any larger point from a public health emergency like coronavirus .
“ This is pretty clearly an emergency , ” he said .
“ So I probably wouldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” But it ’ s easy to see how politicians embracing this idea could lead to more openness for socialized medicine .
Other Democratic moderates HuffPost talked to on Tuesday were cautious about supporting free testing and treatment , particularly when it was framed as a form of socialized medicine .
But they weren ’ t necessarily opposed .
Rep. Jim Cooper ( D-Tenn. ) said the key thing was to “ keep our hospitals afloat , ” and Rep. Joe Cunningham ( D-S.C. ) refused to side one way or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jared Huffman ( D-Calif. ) also thought there was a lesson from the coronavirus , and he argued the Trump administration often embraced socialism ; it was just situational ― whether it be direct payments to farmers affected by the president ’ s trade war , tax cuts for the wealthy , or now , potentially , free testing and treatment for the coronavirus .

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WASHINGTON ― With the coronavirus spreading across the globe, U.S. politicians seem to be rethinking some of their most dearly held beliefs about socialized medicine.
A Department of Health and Human Services official told a Senate committee Tuesday that the administration is considering how it could pay hospitals to treat uninsured coronavirus, or COVID-19, patients. And Republicans in Congress ― some of whom have spent their entire political careers railing against Obamacare and socialized medicine ― are sounding supportive of the idea.
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“You can look at it as socialized medicine,” Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) told HuffPost on Tuesday. “But in the face of an outbreak, a pandemic, what’s your options?”
Yoho, one of the most anti-Obamacare lawmakers in Congress, said it would be a “wise thing” for the government to pay for testing and treatment of the uninsured, while also saying he’s “not OK with socialized medicine.”
“Sometimes you have to do things that you have to do for your country, but as far as socialized medicine, no,” Yoho said. “Does this fall into that? Yeah, I guess you could throw it in there, but hopefully it’s not the long-term.”
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee, said he hadn’t heard about the administration possibly covering coronavirus hospital costs, but he didn’t exactly sound opposed.
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“I think a pandemic is a distinct issue from the overall health care proposals that have been on the table for a while,” Johnson said. “We have to put politics aside and address the problem.”
And another Republican, Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), also told HuffPost he would support extraordinary measures to stop the spread of the virus. “I mean, this is a crisis right now, so we got to respond in any way that’s going to fix the problem,” he said.
Fitzpatrick also agreed that the coronavirus was challenging some of the arguments for our current health care system. “No doubt about it,” Fitzpatrick said.
The Trump administration official who testified Tuesday ― Robert Kadlec, the assistant secretary for preparedness and response at HHS ― said the government could treat coronavirus victims as federal disaster patients, and therefore pay hospitals for their care at an above-Medicare rate.
“We are in conversations ― initial conversations with [the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] to understand if that could be utilized in this way,” Kadlec said.
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Robert Kadlec, assistant secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), and Robert R. Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, take part in a House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing on Health and Human Services oversight of the coronavirus outbreak on Feb. 26, 2020. Amanda Voisard / Reuters
Under the Stafford Act, the president can mobilize federal resources by declaring an emergency or a disaster. And if President Trump decided it was in the public’s interest to offer free testing and treatment, in part to curb the spread of the disease, he could do so without Congress.
“We’re going to be looking at the uninsured to see if we can help them out,” Trump said Tuesday, potentially referring to this idea.
In an emergency, HHS and the Defense Department can activate a National Disaster Medical System to respond to requests from states to pay for some hospital costs. Still, Congress would likely end up playing a role. Even though the disaster medical system was activated in response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Haiti earthquake in 2010, Congress wound up appropriating extra funds to reimburse hospitals.
Congress could fund the treatment and testing for the uninsured in an emergency spending bill that is expected to pass the House and Senate this week. And if such a provision made it into the bill, Republicans and Democrats would almost certainly vote for the idea overwhelmingly.
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True to form, it wasn’t just Republicans selectively embracing socialized medicine for this public health emergency. Moderate Democrats also liked the idea of the government paying for treatment and testing.
“Regardless of what you call it, it sounds like the right thing to do,” Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Pa.), who opposes “Medicare for All,” told HuffPost.
Lamb was hesitant to draw any larger point from a public health emergency like coronavirus. “This is pretty clearly an emergency,” he said. “So I probably wouldn’t draw any general political lessons from it.” But it’s easy to see how politicians embracing this idea could lead to more openness for socialized medicine.
Other Democratic moderates HuffPost talked to on Tuesday were cautious about supporting free testing and treatment, particularly when it was framed as a form of socialized medicine. But they weren’t necessarily opposed. Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) said the key thing was to “keep our hospitals afloat,” and Rep. Joe Cunningham (D-S.C.) refused to side one way or the other without knowing more details.
“It kind of comes down to the details,” he said.
Progressives in Congress, however, were very ready to endorse free testing and treatment, and they said there was a lesson to draw from coronavirus.
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“It absolutely is an argument for Medicare for All,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) told HuffPost Tuesday.
Ocasio-Cortez contended that if the government thought coronavirus was important enough to socialize care, “then what makes coronavirus different from so many other diseases, particularly ones that are transmissible?”
“What this crisis has taught us is that, our health care system and our public health are only as strong as the sickest person in this country,” she said.
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) also thought there was a lesson from the coronavirus, and he argued the Trump administration often embraced socialism; it was just situational ― whether it be direct payments to farmers affected by the president’s trade war, tax cuts for the wealthy, or now, potentially, free testing and treatment for the coronavirus.
“For a guy throwing socialist rocks,” Huffman said, “Trump lives in a glass dacha.”
Fellow California Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna was also emphatic that coronavirus was a case study in why Medicare for All is important.
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“This just highlights in extreme what’s happening every day. I mean, think about if we had better testing and treatment for the flu or other diseases,” Khanna said.
He added that the government should want treatments and tests to be at no cost to the patient because diseases are communicable, and that the current for-profit system disincentivizes people from going to the doctor and getting tested.


huffpost--2020-03-26--Animal Hospitals, Vets And Zoos Donate Use Of Ventilators To Treat Coronavirus Patients

Hospitals in areas hard-hit by the outbreak face dire shortages as the number of cases of COVID-19 quickly climb .
As resources are stretched thin , loans of the breathing machines could save hundreds of lives .
Although the ventilators were used to treat animals , several veterinary specialists and hospital officials told HuffPost it ’ s the same equipment used for humans .
“ What was most encouraging regarding the ventilators we received was they are the same ventilator that Tufts Medical Center uses on our human patients .
This was a clear benefit as it resulted in no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therapists , ” said Leslie Lussier , director of respiratory care at the hospital .
She said that these machines were well maintained , checked for safety and thoroughly cleaned according to infection control standards , and are ready for use on patients with COVID-19 .
The Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University operates Tufts VETS and the Foster Hospital for Small Animals , and both facilities donated two ventilators to the medical care center .
Experts at the facility told HuffPost in a statement that for now they could rely on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to animals for shorter times .
In the current U.S. epicenter of the outbreak , New York City , the number of confirmed cases topped 20,000 Wednesday and 280 people had died of COVID-19 .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) said the state needed thousands more ventilators to be prepared for the “ apex ” of the caseload , which his team predicted to be in two to three weeks .
A spokesperson for the veterinary school told HuffPost they have donated more than 1,000 N95 respirator masks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and are prepping three ventilators and 19 anesthesia machines to send to the Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca as needed .
These animal hospitals are among 190 plus organizations in more than 30 states that had pitched in by Wednesday .
Others that had offered their resources include the Phoenix Zoo , the San Diego Zoo , the Detroit Zoological Society and dozens of local and university clinics .
Dr. Beth Davidow , president-elect of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care , posted a callout last week to veterinarians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ventilators they could share .
She established a centralized database for potential donors to list the resources they have available on a Google spreadsheet .
By Wednesday , nearly 250 ventilators had been listed .
At least seven facilities had already loaned the machines out , and more than 30 others had promised their ventilators to local hospitals if needed , Davidow said in an email .
An associate professor of emergency and critical care at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine , Dr. Daniel Fletcher , said he was “ very moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to share the machines , which animals , too , require .
Though many clinics are moving to emergency-only services in a bid to preserve medical supplies , it does still mean that some animals may not get treatment they require to survive .
Fletcher said that it was a difficult decision to part with the equipment but a necessary one that will save lives .

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Veterinary hospitals and colleges and even zoos around the country are offering critically needed ventilators to hospitals struggling to treat coronavirus patients.
Hospitals in areas hard-hit by the outbreak face dire shortages as the number of cases of COVID-19 quickly climb. As resources are stretched thin, loans of the breathing machines could save hundreds of lives.
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Although the ventilators were used to treat animals, several veterinary specialists and hospital officials told HuffPost it’s the same equipment used for humans.
“What was most encouraging regarding the ventilators we received was they are the same ventilator that Tufts Medical Center uses on our human patients. This was a clear benefit as it resulted in no additional time required to train our respiratory therapists,” said Leslie Lussier, director of respiratory care at the hospital.
She said that these machines were well maintained, checked for safety and thoroughly cleaned according to infection control standards, and are ready for use on patients with COVID-19.
The Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University operates Tufts VETS and the Foster Hospital for Small Animals, and both facilities donated two ventilators to the medical care center. Experts at the facility told HuffPost in a statement that for now they could rely on anesthesia ventilators that could provide breathing support to animals for shorter times.
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In the current U.S. epicenter of the outbreak, New York City, the number of confirmed cases topped 20,000 Wednesday and 280 people had died of COVID-19. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said the state needed thousands more ventilators to be prepared for the “apex” of the caseload, which his team predicted to be in two to three weeks.
New York’s Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine has offered its ventilators to local health departments in anticipation of the state’s growing crisis.
A spokesperson for the veterinary school told HuffPost they have donated more than 1,000 N95 respirator masks, as well as swabs and other supplies, and are prepping three ventilators and 19 anesthesia machines to send to the Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca as needed.
These animal hospitals are among 190 plus organizations in more than 30 states that had pitched in by Wednesday. Others that had offered their resources include the Phoenix Zoo, the San Diego Zoo, the Detroit Zoological Society and dozens of local and university clinics.
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Dr. Beth Davidow, president-elect of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, posted a callout last week to veterinarians around the country whose workplaces might have ventilators they could share.
She established a centralized database for potential donors to list the resources they have available on a Google spreadsheet. By Wednesday, nearly 250 ventilators had been listed. At least seven facilities had already loaned the machines out, and more than 30 others had promised their ventilators to local hospitals if needed, Davidow said in an email.
The spreadsheet was shared with the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the American Medical Association and the American Hospital Association so hospitals could identify potential donors.
An associate professor of emergency and critical care at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Daniel Fletcher, said he was “very moved” by the willingness of his colleagues to share the machines, which animals, too, require.
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Though many clinics are moving to emergency-only services in a bid to preserve medical supplies, it does still mean that some animals may not get treatment they require to survive. Fletcher said that it was a difficult decision to part with the equipment but a necessary one that will save lives.
“We’re making a much less difficult choice than the physicians in Italy who’ve had to make the decision between multiple people.”


huffpost--2020-03-26--Four Seasons Offers Free Rooms To NYC Health Care Workers Responding To Coronavirus

“ We ’ re not slowing it , and it ’ s accelerating on its own , ” said Cuomo @ @ @ @ @ ’ s spread to not a “ freight train ” but a “ bullet train.
@ @ @ @ @ s Javits Convention Center is currently being retrofitted to act as an extra hospital .

“We’re not slowing it, and it’s accelerating on its own,” said Cuomo, before comparing the disease’s spread to not a “freight train” but a “bullet train.”
New York City’s Javits Convention Center is currently being retrofitted to act as an extra hospital.


huffpost--2020-03-26--New York Governor Warns Hospitals Will Be Overwhelmed Under Nearly All Scenarios

NEW YORK ( Reuters ) - New York state ’ s hospitals will be overwhelmed under almost any realistic scenario in the coronavirus outbreak and authorities are adding capacity wherever possible to meet soaring demand , Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Thursday .
The need for hospital beds and ventilators was particularly acute , the governor said , as the hardest hit state in the country reported an additional 100 deaths and 6,448 positive cases between Wednesday and Thursday , increasing its death toll to 385 and total number of cases to 37,258 .
“ And since we still have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a long period of time , the experts expect that number ( of dead ) to continue to increase , ” Cuomo told a news conference .
In New York City alone , there were 3,537 new cases in the past day for a total of 21,393 .
The governor has become a leading national voice on the coronavirus pandemic as the state has accounted for roughly one-third of the national death toll and half the known number of cases .
Cuomo said the goal was to get to 140,000 hospital bed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that authorities were scouting new sites to build temporary facilities .
“ Our goal is to have 1,000 plus overflow facility in each of the boroughs downstate in the counties , ” Cuomo said .
In addition , the state has authorized “ splitting ” ventilators so that one machine could serve two patients and was looking into converting anesthesia machines to ventilators .
Of 5,327 coronavirus patients hospitalized in the state , some 1,290 were in intensive care and in need of ventilators , Cuomo said .
Tens of thousands of ventilators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The number of ventilators we need is so astronomical .
It ’ s not like they have them sitting in the warehouse ... there is no stockpile available , ” Cuomo said .
Asked about social media images of some New York City hospital personnel resorting to trash bags to protect themselves due to a lack of gowns , Cuomo said there was enough protective equipment in stock for the “ immediate need , ” but not for the longer term .
The governor also criticized the $ 2 trillion coronavirus relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday , saying it failed to provide enough aid to the states .
New York state was allotted $ 5 billion to help cover rising coronavirus costs , but the bill does not help the state recover lost revenue that will be needed to balance the budget , he said .

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York state’s hospitals will be overwhelmed under almost any realistic scenario in the coronavirus outbreak and authorities are adding capacity wherever possible to meet soaring demand, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Thursday.
The need for hospital beds and ventilators was particularly acute, the governor said, as the hardest hit state in the country reported an additional 100 deaths and 6,448 positive cases between Wednesday and Thursday, increasing its death toll to 385 and total number of cases to 37,258.
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“And since we still have a large number of people on ventilators for a long period of time, the experts expect that number (of dead) to continue to increase,” Cuomo told a news conference.
In New York City alone, there were 3,537 new cases in the past day for a total of 21,393.
The governor has become a leading national voice on the coronavirus pandemic as the state has accounted for roughly one-third of the national death toll and half the known number of cases.
Cuomo said the goal was to get to 140,000 hospital bed capacity from the current 53,000 available and that authorities were scouting new sites to build temporary facilities.
“Our goal is to have 1,000 plus overflow facility in each of the boroughs downstate in the counties,” Cuomo said.
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In addition, the state has authorized “splitting” ventilators so that one machine could serve two patients and was looking into converting anesthesia machines to ventilators.
Of 5,327 coronavirus patients hospitalized in the state, some 1,290 were in intensive care and in need of ventilators, Cuomo said. Tens of thousands of ventilators could be needed, he said.
“The number of ventilators we need is so astronomical. It’s not like they have them sitting in the warehouse ... there is no stockpile available,” Cuomo said.
Asked about social media images of some New York City hospital personnel resorting to trash bags to protect themselves due to a lack of gowns, Cuomo said there was enough protective equipment in stock for the “immediate need,” but not for the longer term.
The governor also criticized the $2 trillion coronavirus relief package approved by the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, saying it failed to provide enough aid to the states.
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huffpost--2020-04-10--Stop Obsessing Over Quarantine Weight Gain And Cut Yourself Some Slack

Recognize your weight gain fears come from messages you ’ ve internalized , and those messages aren ’ t necessarily true .
Remember the idea that everyone is going to gain weight during this pandemic is B.S .
Such a regimented approach to eating and exercising isn ’ t generally sustainable long-term .
In a 2011 review of the existing evidence about weight and weight loss , the authors found that almost no one was able to sustain significant weight loss for more than five years , and that dieting and other weight control behaviors usually just led to weight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when you start a new routine , inevitably gain it back , then find another routine that starts the cycle all over again .
Know that emotional eating is kind of to be expected .
Try intuitive eating , which can help you feel less out of control around food .
Bottom line : Know that worrying about weight gain isn ’ t doing you any favors .
The goal right now is to stay home , and to take care of your mental health by dealing with anxiety the best you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worry about weight gain , because that ’ s the culture we live in ― but putting it in perspective and giving yourself some grace can really help quell the fear .

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The “COVID-19 pounds of weight gain” memes popped up pretty much the second we started social distancing and staying home. And while it’s always infuriating when people make jokes about weight gain, the “Quarantine 15” posts and advice articles are especially gross.
There’s already enough stress right now: Unemployment is skyrocketing, hospitals are on overflow (or preparing for the possibility), many people are struggling to meet basic needs, and no one really knows when or how this will all end.
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The fear of added pounds during this time is a reflection of the diet culture we live in. We’re terrified of weight gain ― even in the midst of an unprecedented global pandemic ― because we’re constantly flooded with messages that gaining weight or living in a larger body is very, very bad. We’re collectively obsessed with diets, products and intense workout routines that feature before and after photos.
In a time of such anxiety and uncertainty, of course we cling to these weight-centric obsessions ― they’re familiar, which right now makes them feel almost comforting.
Still, this incessant, communal fear of weight gain really sucks. It’s especially harmful for anyone with a history of an eating disorder or similar mental health issues, but it’s stressful for pretty much everybody. (And, again, there are too many actually legitimate things to be stressed about right now.)
Unfortunately, the weight gain jokes aren’t going away anytime soon. In the meantime, here’s what you can do to tune them out and reframe your own perspective on weight, food and exercise during the pandemic.
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Recognize your weight gain fears come from messages you’ve internalized, and those messages aren’t necessarily true.
Lya_Cattel via Getty Images
“You’re not wrong for worrying about [weight gain], because we live in diet culture,” said Brenna O’Malley, a registered dietitian and creator of The Wellful.
Right now, diet culture is sending direct messages like “Quarantine 15” memes and tips for not gaining weight during quarantine. But there are also subtler messages everywhere ― the absence of larger bodies in the media, or comments like, “Are you sure you want to eat that?” when you’re going for a slice of office birthday cake.
The first step in ignoring messages like this is recognizing that weight gain, or living in a larger body, isn’t inherently unhealthy.
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“Health encompasses a whole variety of factors, it’s multifactorial,” said Ayana Habetmariam, a social worker, registered dietitian and founder of Truly Real Nutrition.
Social determinants (race, socioeconomic status, gender, stress, perceived stigma), genetics and other lifestyle factors also play a huge role in your overall health. Plus, the link between weight and health is complicated. A 2019 study looked at data from 100,000 Danish adults collected in various cohorts over 40 years, and found that people in the “overweight” category actually had the lowest mortality risk of all BMI categories.
Knowing this won’t instantly change the way you feel about weight gain, nor will it change the way our culture talks about it. But mentally calling out fatphobic thoughts and comments as they come up is a good place to start, O’Malley said.
Remember the idea that everyone is going to gain weight during this pandemic is B.S.
Underneath the memes is the unspoken assumption that the pandemic will automatically lead to weight gain for everyone, which just isn’t logical.
“That’s a really sweeping generalization,” O’Malley said. “I don’t think we can make that assumption.”
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In fact, if you’re worried that a disruption to your routine will automatically lead to weight gain, it might be that your routine is too strict to begin with.
“Do you assume that not having control over your eating schedule or workout schedule means that you will gain weight? Get curious about where that thought is coming from,” O’Malley said. “So many of us think we constantly need to be calculating our food intake and logging a certain number of workouts.”
We’re hyper aware of what we’re doing around movement and eating, so we worry that we’ll gain weight as soon as we loosen the reins.
Such a regimented approach to eating and exercising isn’t generally sustainable long-term. In a 2011 review of the existing evidence about weight and weight loss, the authors found that almost no one was able to sustain significant weight loss for more than five years, and that dieting and other weight control behaviors usually just led to weight cycling. Essentially, you lose weight when you start a new routine, inevitably gain it back, then find another routine that starts the cycle all over again.
If you’ve “fallen off the bandwagon” of your eating or exercise plan during this pandemic, understand that it likely would have happened anyway if it was too strict, quarantine or not.
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Know that emotional eating is kind of to be expected.
jakubzak via Getty Images
O’Malley also pointed out that of course your eating habits are a little different these days.
“A lot of things have changed recently. People’s access to food has changed, their schedules have changed, their routines have changed, and we’ve had really stressful events happening,” she said.
The food in your house is likely different than normal, too. “The idea that we’re eating differently — in a different pattern, different foods than before — makes a lot of sense when we frame it as: When things change, things change,” she said.
In the first week or so of quarantine, you may have gravitated toward comforting foods like pizza and ice cream. “We tend to equate comfort foods with foods that are rich, savory, creamy, sweet and generally more energy-dense,” Habetmariam said.
And that’s often true — these foods taste good, and can trigger a dopamine response in our brain that also makes us feel good. “But it’s also the sentimental value of a food that makes it comforting: the nostalgia, the sense of security, the happiness, or the love that the memory of it provides,” Habetmariam added.
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Eating these foods, and calling up these positive emotions, can actually be a helpful way to cope with anxiety and everything else going on.
Of course, food shouldn’t be your only coping mechanism. Sleep, movement, social connection (even if it’s virtual), and therapy are all things you can lean into for comfort and a sense of normalcy right now.
Try intuitive eating, which can help you feel less out of control around food.
When someone first lets go of food rules and starts eating more intuitively, there’s often an initial period where they go overboard on foods that had previously been off-limits, Habtemariam explained.
But soon, these foods lose their intense appeal and the person settles into a pretty normal eating routine. The same thing will likely happen with your eating patterns during quarantine.
“If people are paying attention to how they feel and just allowing themselves to eat what they want, I do think the emotional eating will eventually taper off,” Habtemariam said.
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O’Malley also pointed out that bingeing is often a response to restriction. If you allow yourself to guiltlessly eat what you want, when you want, you’ll likely feel more in control around food and be able to stop eating when you’re full. On the other hand, obsessing about weight gain and setting rules around what you eat can perpetuate that out-of-control feeling.
Focus on regular movement, not intense exercise.
oscarhdez via Getty Images
You might also be freaking out that not having access to the gym will lead to weight gain or a total loss of any progress you’ve made with fitness. Again, that isn’t really true.
“There’s a lot of research that shows doing bodyweight exercise or some high-intensity interval training can be enough for getting health benefits and maintaining aerobic capacity.” said Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist and host of the “All About Fitness” podcast. “I wouldn’t tell anyone to train for the New York Marathon by doing eight minutes of in-home bodyweight exercise. But can you maintain your fitness level that way? Yes.”
That’s not to say you need to be doing structured exercise right now. Many of us are too overwhelmed to even consider it. If that’s the case, look at this as a recovery period.
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“In my opinion, a lot of people who go to the gym six to seven times a week are chronically overtrained,” McCall said. “If nothing else, this is a chance for that nagging knee injury to get better, for that shoulder thing to finally heal.”
Instead of focusing on structured workouts, aim to get in some regular movement, which can totally include walking or yard work.
“Any kind of exercise really does help reduce the overall stress that we’re feeling,” McCall said.
Stress can raise our levels of cortisol, a hormone that affects blood pressure, blood sugar, and metabolism; movement helps keep these things in balance. And sure, after two weeks of being relatively inactive you’ll start to lose some fitness, McCall explained. But, so what? Unless you’re training to be on a podium somewhere, it really isn’t a big deal.
“For people who are relatively fit, it should only take around two to six weeks to get that fitness back when this is over,” McCall said.
And if you’re still freaking out about weight gain, know this: A 2016 review of the evidence found that exercise doesn’t have as much impact on weight as most people think, and that recreational activity (like sports or walks) was actually better for mood boosting and weight maintenance than intense exercise.
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Bottom line: Know that worrying about weight gain isn’t doing you any favors.
To be blunt, “the biggest threat to our health right now doesn’t have to do with weight or food,” O’Malley said.
The goal right now is to stay home, and to take care of your mental health by dealing with anxiety the best you can. You’re not wrong to worry about weight gain, because that’s the culture we live in ― but putting it in perspective and giving yourself some grace can really help quell the fear.


huffpost--2020-04-10--Global Coronavirus Death Toll Hits 100,000

The sad milestone comes as Christians around the globe mark a Good Friday unlike any other — in front of computer screens instead of in church pews .
Meanwhile , some countries are tiptoeing toward reopening segments of their battered economies .
NEW YORK ( AP ) — The worldwide death toll from the coronavirus closed in on 100,000 as Christians around the globe marked a Good Friday unlike any other — in front of computer screens instead of in church pews — and some countries tiptoed toward reopening segments of their battered economies .
Around the world , public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people against violating the lockdowns and social distancing rules over Easter and allowing the virus to come storming back .
Authorities resorted to roadblocks and other means to discourage travel .
In Italy , officials employed helicopters , drones and stepped-up police checks to make sure residents didn ’ t slip out of their homes .
On Thursday alone , police stopped some 300,000 people around Italy to check whether they had permission to travel .
About 10,000 were issued summonses .
Some churches held services online , while others arranged prayers at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came back to life briefly in Paris , days before the first anniversary of the April 15 inferno that ravaged it .
Services were broadcast from the closed-to-the-public cathedral .
The death toll kept by Johns Hopkins University neared another sad milestone , though the true number of lives lost is believed be much higher because of limited testing , different rules for counting the dead and cover-ups by some governments .
The number confirmed to be infected was more than 1.6 million .
But state officials said the number of people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since mid-March and hospitalizations are slowing : 290 new patients in a single day , compared with daily increases of more than 1,000 last week .
“ There is a light at the end of the tunnel , ” said Dr. Jolion McGreevy , medical director of Mount Sinai Hospital ’ s emergency department .
“ It ’ s getting better , but it ’ s not like it ’ s going to just drop off overnight .
I think it ’ s going to continue to slowly decline over the next weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 countries that use the euro currency overcame weeks of bitter divisions to agree on spending $ 550 billion to cushion the recession caused by the virus .
Mario Centeno , who heads the eurozone finance ministers ’ group , called the package “ totally unprecedented .
... Tonight Europe has shown it can deliver when the will is there.
” After a two-week freeze on all nonessential economic activity , Spain decided to allow factories and construction sites to resume work on Monday , while schools , most shops and offices will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trust that the move won ’ t cause a significant surge in infections .
In Italy , the industrial lobbies in regions representing 45 % of the country ’ s economic output urged the government to ease its two-week lockdown on all nonessential manufacturing , saying the country “ risks definitively shutting down its own motor , and every day that passes the risk grows not to be able to restart it.
” Italy reported 570 additional deaths for a running total of more than 18,800 — the highest of any country — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is falling along with the number of patients in intensive care .
In Japan , the world ’ s third-largest economy , many have criticized Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as being too slow to act against the pandemic .
In a rare rebuke , the Japanese prefecture of Aichi , home to the Toyota car company , declared its own state of emergency , saying it can not wait for the government .

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NEW YORK (AP) — The worldwide death toll from the coronavirus has hit 100,000, according to the running tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.
The sad milestone comes as Christians around the globe mark a Good Friday unlike any other — in front of computer screens instead of in church pews. Meanwhile, some countries are tiptoeing toward reopening segments of their battered economies.
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Public health officials are warning people against violating the social distancing rules over Easter and allowing the virus to flare up again. Authorities are using roadblocks and other means to discourage travel.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
NEW YORK (AP) — The worldwide death toll from the coronavirus closed in on 100,000 as Christians around the globe marked a Good Friday unlike any other — in front of computer screens instead of in church pews — and some countries tiptoed toward reopening segments of their battered economies.
Around the world, public health officials and religious leaders alike warned people against violating the lockdowns and social distancing rules over Easter and allowing the virus to come storming back. Authorities resorted to roadblocks and other means to discourage travel.
In Italy, officials employed helicopters, drones and stepped-up police checks to make sure residents didn’t slip out of their homes. On Thursday alone, police stopped some 300,000 people around Italy to check whether they had permission to travel. About 10,000 were issued summonses.
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Some churches held services online, while others arranged prayers at drive-in theaters. Fire-scarred Notre Dame Cathedral came back to life briefly in Paris, days before the first anniversary of the April 15 inferno that ravaged it. Services were broadcast from the closed-to-the-public cathedral.
The death toll kept by Johns Hopkins University neared another sad milestone, though the true number of lives lost is believed be much higher because of limited testing, different rules for counting the dead and cover-ups by some governments. The number confirmed to be infected was more than 1.6 million.
In the U.S., deaths climbed past 16,700, with close to half in New York state. Still, there were signs of hope.
New York state reported 777 new deaths, down slightly from the day before, for an overall toll of more than 7,800.
“I understand intellectually why it’s happening,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “”It doesn’t make it any easier to accept.”
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But state officials said the number of people in intensive care dropped for the first time since mid-March and hospitalizations are slowing: 290 new patients in a single day, compared with daily increases of more than 1,000 last week.
Cuomo said if the trend holds, New York might not need the overflow field hospitals that officials have been scrambling to construct.
“There is a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Dr. Jolion McGreevy, medical director of Mount Sinai Hospital’s emergency department. “It’s getting better, but it’s not like it’s going to just drop off overnight. I think it’s going to continue to slowly decline over the next weeks and months.”
With the pandemic slamming economies, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned that the global economy is headed for the worst recession since the Depression.
In Europe, the 19 countries that use the euro currency overcame weeks of bitter divisions to agree on spending $550 billion to cushion the recession caused by the virus. Mario Centeno, who heads the eurozone finance ministers’ group, called the package “totally unprecedented. ... Tonight Europe has shown it can deliver when the will is there.”
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As weeks of lockdowns were extended in nation after nation, governments were pressed to ease restrictions on key businesses and industries.
After a two-week freeze on all nonessential economic activity, Spain decided to allow factories and construction sites to resume work on Monday, while schools, most shops and offices will remain closed. Spanish authorities said they trust that the move won’t cause a significant surge in infections.
“We wouldn’t be adopting them otherwise,” said María José Sierra of Spain’s health emergency center.
The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned that a premature lifting of restrictions could “lead to a deadly resurgence.”
In Italy, the industrial lobbies in regions representing 45% of the country’s economic output urged the government to ease its two-week lockdown on all nonessential manufacturing, saying the country “risks definitively shutting down its own motor, and every day that passes the risk grows not to be able to restart it.”
Italy reported 570 additional deaths for a running total of more than 18,800 — the highest of any country — but said the number of hospital admissions is falling along with the number of patients in intensive care.
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Malaysia’s prime minister announced a two-week extension to the country’s lockdown but said selected economic sectors can reopen in phases while following strict hygiene rules.
In the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, people desperate for food stampeded, pushing through a gate at a district office in the Kibera slum. Police fired tear gas, injuring several people.
In Japan, the world’s third-largest economy, many have criticized Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as being too slow to act against the pandemic. In a rare rebuke, the Japanese prefecture of Aichi, home to the Toyota car company, declared its own state of emergency, saying it cannot wait for the government.
“The situation is critical,” said Aichi Gov. Hideaki Omura. “We decided to do everything we can to protect Aichi residents’ lives and health.”
Japan has the world’s oldest population, and COVID-19 can be especially serious for the elderly.
In some of the worst-hit countries, Italy and Spain, new infections, hospitalizations and deaths have been leveling off. But the daily tolls remain shocking.
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The 605 new deaths announced in Spain were the lowest in more than two weeks. The coronavirus has claimed more than 15,800 lives there, though the rates of contagion and deaths are dropping.
Britain recorded 980 new deaths, its highest daily total, for close to 9,000 in all.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was moved out of intensive care on Thursday after spending three nights there being treated for the virus. The 55-year-old remained hospitalized in London. His father, Stanley Johnson, said the prime minister needs to “rest up” before returning to work.
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huffpost--2020-04-04--Coronavirus Is Upending Many Of The World's Biggest Religious Holidays

There ’ s no minyan , the quorum of 10 men needed for communal prayer , so congregants won ’ t be able to hear special scriptures recited for Passover , the synagogue ’ s Rabbi Menachem Genack told HuffPost .
Instead of meeting Genack in person to sell their chametz , the leavened foods prohibited during Passover , congregants will have to fill out forms online .
Plus , the community ’ s keilim mikva , a small pool used to purify dishes and utensils for use in a kosher kitchen , is closed ― which complicates preparations for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point .
But the biggest difference will be the empty seats around the table when Passover begins on April 8 .
Genack said was he planning to celebrate with his elderly mother-in-law , his children and their families .
The rabbi was looking forward to hearing his grandchildren ask the four questions , a part of the feast that is always assigned to the youngest guests .
As Americans enter another month of fighting COVID-19 , the country ’ s major religious groups are heading into one of the holiest seasons on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group has a holiday in April .
Christians , Jews and Muslims , will observe Easter , Passover and Ramadan .
Hindus honor the birth of the Lord Rama on Rama Navami this month .
Buddhists who belong to the Jodo Shinshu tradition are preparing for Hanamatsuri , which celebrates the birth of the Buddha .
Sikhs will commemorate Vaisakhi in recognition of the moment Sikhism was born as a collective faith .
And at the end of April , Bahá ’ ís will celebrate Ridvan , to honor when their faith ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manifestation of God .
Many Hindus opened this month by celebrating Chaitra Navaratri , a nine-night festival devoted to the divine feminine that began on March 25 this year .
The festival is particularly popular among Hindu Americans who trace their ancestry to north and northeastern India , where the goddess Durga is a treasured form of the divine , according to Anantanand Rambachan , a scholar of Hinduism at Minnesota ’ s St. Olaf College .
During Chaitra Navaratri , devotees fast , perform nightly worship , and recite sacred texts about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which fell on April 2 , is set aside as Rama Navami , the birth of the Lord Rama .
On this day , devotees rock icons of Rama as a baby in cradles with lullabies and listen to a recital of the story of his birth from the ancient Sanskrit epic , the Ramayana .
The birth of Rama ’ s most famous servant , Hanuman , will be celebrated on April 8 .
Holy Week , which commemorates the events leading up to Jesus ’ resurrection on Easter , is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Episcopalians , Methodists , and members of other Christian denominations .
Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday on April 5 this year , but many of the beloved traditions that make this period special won ’ t be possible .
Churches won ’ t be holding Palm Sunday processions .
Priests can ’ t perform the rite of foot washing for parishioners , in imitation of what Jesus did for his disciples on Holy Thursday .
There will be no candlelit , communal Easter vigil services and no festive Easter brunches with family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ livestreaming their services .
In Seattle , the Rev .
Steven Thomason , dean of Saint Mark ’ s Episcopal Cathedral , advised parishioners to look for ways to replicate some Holy Week rituals at home .
In a YouTube video , he advised members to assemble home altars , find branches in their yards to use in place of palms , and to wash each other ’ s feet at home in basins .
For those living alone , the washing of one ’ s own hands during this time is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ In this time of a pandemic , when we wash our hands , we ’ re actually serving others by caring for them and wanting to keep them healthy , ” Thomason said .
“ And that , of course , is what Maundy [ Holy ] Thursday is about , the call into our servanthood , one with another.
” “ It ’ s a confusing and frightening time as far as the reality of every day , but the values that we abide by and the traditions we abide by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to be creative and energetic , ” Solomon said .
“ We have seen cancellations or postponing of major events in accordance with local city and state recommendations , and we expect to see more , given that the community is working hard to take serious precautions against COVID-19 , ” Kaur told HuffPost .
“ Sikhs will instead participate in prayer and reflection at home as well as online spaces created to bring communities together .
”

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Members of Congregation Shomrei Emunah, a small Orthodox Jewish synagogue in northern New Jersey, are preparing for a Passover that will be different from any other in recent memory.
There’s no minyan, the quorum of 10 men needed for communal prayer, so congregants won’t be able to hear special scriptures recited for Passover, the synagogue’s Rabbi Menachem Genack told HuffPost. Instead of meeting Genack in person to sell their chametz, the leavened foods prohibited during Passover, congregants will have to fill out forms online. Plus, the community’s keilim mikva, a small pool used to purify dishes and utensils for use in a kosher kitchen, is closed ― which complicates preparations for a holiday where food is a focal point.
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But the biggest difference will be the empty seats around the table when Passover begins on April 8. Genack said was he planning to celebrate with his elderly mother-in-law, his children and their families. The rabbi was looking forward to hearing his grandchildren ask the four questions, a part of the feast that is always assigned to the youngest guests.
Those plans have been scrapped because of COVID-19, the fast-spreading illness caused by a novel strain of coronavirus. Not having family around during the holiday is going to be a tough change ― but a mandatory one, Genack said, given the seriousness of the disease.
“That’s something we’re just going to have to adjust to,” he said. “The impact is quite profound, but quite necessary.”
Chaitra Navaratri is a nine-night festival that celebrates the divine feminine. It is especially popular with Hindu Americans who trace their ancestry to north and northeastern India, where Durga is a treasured form of the divine. Elizabeth Shafiroff / Reuters
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As Americans enter another month of fighting COVID-19, the country’s major religious groups are heading into one of the holiest seasons on their calendars. Nearly ever major American religious group has a holiday in April. Christians, Jews and Muslims, will observe Easter, Passover and Ramadan. Hindus honor the birth of the Lord Rama on Rama Navami this month. Buddhists who belong to the Jodo Shinshu tradition are preparing for Hanamatsuri, which celebrates the birth of the Buddha. Sikhs will commemorate Vaisakhi in recognition of the moment Sikhism was born as a collective faith. And at the end of April, Bahá’ís will celebrate Ridvan, to honor when their faith’s founder declared himself to be a manifestation of God.
In normal circumstances, these holidays would be occasions for large gatherings ― parades, concerts, packed houses of worship, living rooms full of visiting extended family and friends. But this year, the parades are canceled, pews will lie empty, and many people of faith are counting on watching livestreamed services while staying at home.
Many Hindus opened this month by celebrating Chaitra Navaratri, a nine-night festival devoted to the divine feminine that began on March 25 this year. The festival is particularly popular among Hindu Americans who trace their ancestry to north and northeastern India, where the goddess Durga is a treasured form of the divine, according to Anantanand Rambachan, a scholar of Hinduism at Minnesota’s St. Olaf College. During Chaitra Navaratri, devotees fast, perform nightly worship, and recite sacred texts about the goddess.
The final night, which fell on April 2, is set aside as Rama Navami, the birth of the Lord Rama. On this day, devotees rock icons of Rama as a baby in cradles with lullabies and listen to a recital of the story of his birth from the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Ramayana. The birth of Rama’s most famous servant, Hanuman, will be celebrated on April 8.
These rituals are usually performed in Hindu temples and homes ― but they’ve been affected by limitations on social gatherings caused by the virus, Rambachan said. His own temple in Maple Grove, Minnesota, livestreamed rituals performed by priests.
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“Clearly, while there are limits, such as not being able to receive the sacred flames (arati), sip the water used in worship (charanamrit), receive food offerings made to God (prasada), and join in congregational singing (bhajan), Hindus are utilizing technology to adapt worship in a pandemic,” Rambachan told HuffPost in an email.
Worshippers walk with palms during a Palm Sunday procession from St. Paul's Chapel in Manhattan on April 9, 2017. Shannon Stapleton / Reuters
Holy Week, which commemorates the events leading up to Jesus’ resurrection on Easter, is a particularly sacred time for Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, Methodists, and members of other Christian denominations. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday on April 5 this year, but many of the beloved traditions that make this period special won’t be possible. Churches won’t be holding Palm Sunday processions. Priests can’t perform the rite of foot washing for parishioners, in imitation of what Jesus did for his disciples on Holy Thursday. There will be no candlelit, communal Easter vigil services and no festive Easter brunches with family.
Instead, most churches will be livestreaming their services. In Seattle, the Rev. Steven Thomason, dean of Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, advised parishioners to look for ways to replicate some Holy Week rituals at home. In a YouTube video, he advised members to assemble home altars, find branches in their yards to use in place of palms, and to wash each other’s feet at home in basins. For those living alone, the washing of one’s own hands during this time is also a powerful gesture, he said.
“In this time of a pandemic, when we wash our hands, we’re actually serving others by caring for them and wanting to keep them healthy,” Thomason said. “And that, of course, is what Maundy [Holy] Thursday is about, the call into our servanthood, one with another.”
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Passover begins on April 8 this year. The highlight of the holiday is the seder, a ritual-packed feast that dramatically retells the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt.
America’s largest Jewish denomination, the Reform movement, has put together a set of online resources for those who are celebrating Passover in quarantine, along with tips for how to host or attend virtual seders.
This year’s holiday will be particularly tough on elderly Jewish Americans, who are left to clean their houses of chametz and assemble what’s needed for the Passover table all by themselves. In addition, more traditionally observant Jewish Americans forgo electricity during the seder, which means they can’t join family members online.
Rabbi Janet Ozur Bass breaks a piece of matzo at an Interfaith Passover seder on April 24, 2019, in Rockville, Maryland. Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images
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In Miami-Dade County, which has a significant number of Holocaust survivors, the Jewish Community Services of South Florida has teamed up with a local caterer to deliver 500 seder boxes to homebound community members. The boxes contain all the essentials for a Passover meal, including fresh-cooked food, wine and a Passover Haggadah (the text recited at the seder), according to Jacob Solomon, president of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, which oversees JCS.
Solomon said he’s been inspired by how his community is coming together to make sure everyone’s spiritual and physical needs are met.
“It’s a confusing and frightening time as far as the reality of every day, but the values that we abide by and the traditions we abide by are still really important and they challenge us to be creative and energetic,” Solomon said.
Young Sikhs practice traditional Indian martial arts during an annual parade marking Vaisakhi on April 14, 2019, in Los Angeles. Mario Tama via Getty Images
One of the Sikh’s community’s most significant annual gatherings, Vaisakhi, falls in mid-April. Vaisakhi honors the day in 1699 when Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh guru, established the Khalsa, the community of baptized Sikhs. Sikhs mark the date by gathering at houses of worship, or gurdwaras, for religious services. Many communities will also hold large processions involving the singing of hymns.
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Satjeet Kaur, executive director of the advocacy group Sikh Coalition, said that many Sikh American communities were holding on to the hope that social distancing guidelines would be lifted by the time Vaisakhi arrived. But it’s clear that’s no longer possible, she said.
“We have seen cancellations or postponing of major events in accordance with local city and state recommendations, and we expect to see more, given that the community is working hard to take serious precautions against COVID-19,” Kaur told HuffPost. “Sikhs will instead participate in prayer and reflection at home as well as online spaces created to bring communities together.”
People pray outside a mosque to mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Brooklyn, New York, on June 4, 2019. Stephanie Keith via Getty Images
For Muslims, the holy month of Ramadan is expected to begin on April 23. Ramadan commemorates the revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. Along with fasting during daylight hours, many observe the month by studying the Quran, increasing their charitable giving and attending daily services at their mosques.
During the last 10 days of Ramadan, some Muslims decide to participate in an intensive spiritual retreat known as itikaf, in which they spend several days in the mosque worshiping, praying and studying. That won’t be possible this year.
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It’s also common to visit the houses of extended family members and friends for iftar, an evening meal that breaks the daily fast.
Losing the social elements of Ramadan is going to be the toughest adjustment this year, according to Hossam AlJabri, a board member and lay imam for the Muslim American Society of Boston.
He’s encouraging members of his community to concentrate on the positive. An unexpected plus of social distancing and quarantine will be the opportunity to strengthen the bonds within one’s immediate family and focus on one’s own spirituality, he said.
“Everyone’s praying, not just Muslims, everyone’s praying for God to take this harm away from us,” he said. “I think there’s such a huge potential for faith to play a really anchoring and positive role, to give people courage and strength, to give people hope and to give people a solution.”