huffpost--2020-06-19--Bartenders Share What Their Jobs, Lives Look Like In A COVID-19 World

During a global pandemic when wearing masks and self-isolating have become the new norm, we ― the thirsty and social ― have wondered: Will bar culture ever be the same again?
What were once bustling and energetic spaces, bars returning to their pre-coronavirus operations seems impossible now: Squeezing through a crowd to order a drink; waiting in a congested bathroom line; leaning over the bar to tell the bartender what you’d like to order; kissing a stranger you only met minutes earlier.
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When this became obvious in April, HuffPost talked to seven bartenders about their livelihoods and how our favorite dives and cocktail spots might open back up. Now, with many patrons rejecting new health precautions as bars, restaurants and retail stores slowly reopen, their musings feel particularly relevant. They also talked about how financially precarious it is to work in the hospitality industry these days, and whether they actually think bar life can return to normal.
These interviews have been edited for clarity.
Siobahn Jones, 29
Detroit
Bartender at The Peterboro in Midtown
HuffPost US
Did you lose your job because of the coronavirus?
I was technically laid off because of the shelter-in-place order. Although we are open for takeout with limited hours, they wanted us to all be able to apply for unemployment. [As of April 10], I’ve applied for unemployment but still haven’t received any funds. In the meantime, I’m getting by doing odd jobs and a tiny bit of savings.
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What do you miss about your work?
I miss every single thing about bartending. I miss connecting with my guests and creating an amazing experience for them. I miss the rhythm my coworkers and I have. I miss the exhilarating chaos of the three of us behind the bar, managing a full 20-seat rail while also servicing a packed dining room. I miss making someone their perfect cocktail. I miss the late-night adventures in the city after we’ve all clocked out.
Will you continue bartending when bars reopen?
Our bar is set to reopen July 10, and I will be returning. They don’t want to rush the opening so they’re giving us a chance to tell them what we need to feel safe in the space, while making sure to take all the precautions they possibly can.
But it’s hard to visualize what this will look like. The restaurant and food industry won’t ever be the same after this. We operate on the thinnest margins of almost any industry. Turning a profit is incredibly difficult, especially in the early years. We are underinsured, underpaid and often underappreciated. We provide a setting for others to celebrate, to entertain, to be nourished, to be libated and most importantly to be together. So as things take a turn for the better, and we’re able to come together again, let’s not forget the very places that have made that possible in the past.
Are you nervous about being exposed to COVID now and/or when you return?
I definitely have my own fears about being around people who aren’t also wearing a mask. I definitely feel anxious about my interactions with guests. I just hope people understand that we’re all doing our best. I also worry that because we’re only allowed to be at 50% capacity, our incomes will suffer because we won’t be able to turn tables/seats as quickly.
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Matthew Schierle, 37
Brooklyn, New York
Bartender at Bushwick Country Club in Williamsburg
HuffPost US
Did you lose your job because of the pandemic?
I lost my job when bars and restaurants became take-out/delivery only. Since then, I have just stayed home. Every year my friend and I do a Sober February, which was moved to March this year. So when I ended up without a job, I didn’t fall into a “might as well get drunk at noon” routine. According to Instagram, that seems to be something a lot of people have been doing.
Does your job have financial aid for you if you can’t work?
My job has the same system for medical financial aid that any bar has for medical expenses: We set up a GoFundMe and ask for help.
Unemployment helps, but it hasn’t been the easiest for a lot of people to get through and actually apply. I have friends who have called hundreds of times a day.
What do you miss about bartending?
We have a great community of friends and regulars. We still have Facebook chats and text chains, but it isn’t quite the same. There isn’t the tactile experience of clinking tequila shots. My idiot friends can’t drunkenly play Big Buck Hunter and make fools of themselves.
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The only real positive with this whole thing is that I am actually getting proper sleep. This is the first time in years that I go to bed before 2 a.m. and wake up at like 8:45 in the morning.
Has your bar reopened?
My bar has not officially reopened. The owner has done a couple of pop-up to-go things, but nothing permanent. Many of my friends at different bars have been running to-go programs.
Are you nervous about being exposed to coronavirus when you return?
I am not too nervous about being exposed. I wear a mask when I am out, and I will wear one when I am back at work. I don’t completely understand why everyone is wearing gloves. I see a lot of people wearing gloves but then touching their face. If you aren’t going to put on a new pair each time you interact with a new person, then you’re just contaminating things with your dirty gloves. You’re much better off sanitizing and washing your hands over and over again.
Shae Minnillo, 34
New Orleans
Bartender at a restaurant in the French Quarter
HuffPost US
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Did you lose your job because of the pandemic?
My restaurant, along with all other bars and restaurants in New Orleans, closed down on Monday, March 16. I filed for unemployment a day or two later, thankfully. The website and phone lines got flooded after.
Did you or any of your workers get coronavirus?
Anyone I know or worked with that exhibited symptoms was denied testing. I can remember two or three coworkers who reported fever or shortness of breath a week or two before New Orleans shut down. I’m pretty sure they were denied tests because their fevers were considered mild.
Does your job have financial aid for you if you can’t work?
The benefits/insurance program I was paying into was cut off immediately. A lot of major liquor brands and bartender “clubs” or “guilds” have donated a lot of money to an emergency relief fund and shown face on social media but I don’t know many individuals who have received grants. Sitting on millions of dollars while some people still haven’t been able to receive unemployment checks seems a bit wacky.
For me, this is truly a moment of asking the person you used to work beside, “Do you have enough food this week? Need a plate?” I think a lot of us are working on the micro a little bit more than usual.
What do you miss about the job?
I started bartending ― or at least working in a restaurant ― almost 10 years ago. At first it was a way to make money no matter what city I happened to be in. I graduated from college in 2008 to an economic depression and for two years worked a shitty job that underpaid and never gave me more than 30 hours a week. I learned very early on that I greatly appreciated “hospitality” as an overarching way of life — tragic servitude mentality, I know. It helped me adapt away from the shy kid I was for the early part of my life. Suddenly, I could confidently bullshit with any schmuck and not dwell on the exchange for too long after. Essentially, bartending helped me socialize myself to the world around me.
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So what I end up missing about bartending seems to be: camaraderie with the handful of people you end up spending most of your time. I have lifelong respect and love for a number of fellow bartenders, barbacks, and barbacks-turned-bartenders. And the after — by which I mean dropping by your local after-work bar to grab a round, give a deep nod of mutual respect for the bog we all reside in, tip appropriately, and move yourself home so you can do it all again tomorrow.
Will you continue bartending when bars reopen?
My restaurant has reopened. I haven’t been recalled yet — probably not until July if the numbers stay low. Bars that don’t have food licenses are now open. I’ve noticed a lot of tourists since Phase 2 started. Also, not a lot of masks and not as much distancing.
I’m fairly certain I will end up bartending again. It’s definitely a time for a large chunk of the population to recalibrate, but I just don’t know what I would want to do otherwise this very moment.
As for where and why I would return to work, that largely depends on what reopens and how many places do not. I think the job market for food and beverages is going to be flooded. You will see former executive chefs taking line cook jobs that they spent a decade to get out of. I think you’ll also see a lot of former sous chefs take on barback roles or something comparable in front-of-house. If my former spot doesn’t reopen I’m looking to the bars/restaurants that have been giving out family meals to laid-off industry folks, the homeless, things like that. See which people are being human — those are the ones you go and work for, if you’re able to.
Are you nervous about being exposed to the virus when you return?
I think a lot of restaurants and bars will implement procedures to cut down potential mass exposure. Masks and gloves are basic necessities for reopening right now. But I also think we’ll be hit with at least one more massive wave of infection. If you’ve ever worked at a restaurant, worked in an office, been in a classroom ... One person walks in with a cold or flu and by the end of week everyone has it. Of course I’m nervous. You’d be a damn fool if you’re not.
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Pietro Scorsone, 45
Brooklyn, New York
Bartender at Metropolitan Bar in Williamsburg for 16 years
Did you lose your job because of stay-at-home measures?
Yes. Right now I’m collecting unemployment while looking for other work. It’s hard with the stay-at-home order in place.
What do you miss about bartending?
A lot of us are drawn to this work because we enjoy interacting with people. I miss the running jokes with regulars, goofing about watching Grindr dates gone wrong, the laughs — more than anything, the laughs. The upside to all this is the amount of time I’ve been able to spend with my husband. While working we were on very opposite schedules.
I also miss my LGBTQIA+ family so much! I’m looking forward to seeing the hilarious sloppy drunk hookups and follow-up walks of shame when this all ends. You know some people are going to make some highly comedic choices coming out of isolation!
Do you plan to go back to bartending?
The Metropolitan Bar has not reopened yet. I’m still collecting unemployment theoretically, but I haven’t received any benefits since May 3 because of a computer error. I have some colleagues who have only just started receiving benefits after months of attempting to file. This has been a frightening experience. It’s also been quite the emotional ride.
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The idea of returning is also a bit unnerving. I’d guess there’ll be some sort of gradual reopen with diminished capacity. Will that be profitable enough to make a decent living? The prospect of working full shifts in a mask is also tough. My morning jog is tough enough in a mask; working will be a nightmare. I think the biggest change will be the re-socialization of crowds. A lot of people aren’t used to much direct human interaction anymore.
As a native New Yorker, I already have trepidation with regard to riding the subway again, let alone being in a crowd with drunk people. These are things I’ve always felt comfortable with as part of my everyday life.
Meryl Gellman, 30
Brookyn, New York
Bartender at Butter & Scotch, a cocktail bar/bakery in Crown Heights, for more than a year
HuffPost US
Did you lose your job because of the pandemic?
I did, we were a part of the big shutdown of New York City. My full-time job after the closure was finding a way to successfully apply for unemployment. Before self-quarantining, my creative partner and I were getting ourselves ready to start pitching a television series that we wrote, so I have been able to focus a lot of energy on that project.
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Do you get any kind of financial aid?
Butter & Scotch is a small business and can’t offer financial aid, but half of all gift card sales are going directly to the employees and the other half back to the business to help us towards reopening.
What do you miss about bartending?
The most obvious void in my life is the lack of social interaction. Secondly, going from running around and shaking cocktails for 10 hours a day, five days a week to moving between three rooms of my apartment has been a major shock to my system. That’s not to say there haven’t been upsides. Quite the contrary; I feel like I keep finding little upsides all over the place. Most importantly, I’d say the shiniest silver lining has been having the ability to shift my focus from taking care of others to taking care of myself.
Are you nervous about being exposed to coronavirus when you go back to work?
A fair amount of friends have gone back to work and it’s not all sunshine and rainbows for the bars that are open now. Along with the chaos of implementing new systems, they’re still dealing with customers who scream at them because they’re not allowed to use the bathroom, who sneak onto the patio to drink the cocktails they just purchased, who want to have their margarita exactly how they want it despite everything being pre-made.
I was very nervous about exposure going back to work for quite a while, but as more research becomes available. I feel more confident that the standard safety measures (masks, gloves, social distancing) will at least keep industry workers safe while our storefronts are open for to-go orders. I expect we will be receiving a new standardized set of health guidelines from the Department of Health once bars and restaurants in New York City go back to regular service, and that everyone’s first DOH inspection will be pretty wild.
It’s hard to know exactly how all of this will affect how bartenders do their jobs. It can seem like no big deal to bartend with a mask on when you’re just batching cocktails in an empty bar all day, but once the music is on and seats are filled, something as simple as communicating with your guests while wearing a mask could present difficulties and frustrations.
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Do you feel differently about the job now?
No, in that the reason I do this job will never change. I love it. I love to bartend. I love meeting new people, I love being a neighborhood presence that people can depend on when they need a shoulder or a smile or a safe space or a shot. Now more than ever, people need to feel community, acceptance and validation, which is the true service that bartenders provide.
Yes, in that everything will become more complicated. Stricter regulations, cumbersome bartending accessories like masks and gloves, explaining to people what has changed and why it’s changed and why they can’t do or have all the things they’re used to, even more difficulty addressing the “Karen” mentality.
This also means that people who bartend just for money and don’t really care about what they do may discover that they need to find something else to do since this is no longer the “chill” job they once knew. Chances are, we’re not going to be financially compensated for that extra work, certainly not by the businesses and likely not in tips either. We just have to do it because we love it.
Doug Dawson, 50
Charlotte, North Carolina
General Manager of The Workman’s Friend Irish Pub in Plaza Midwood
Douglas Dawson HuffPost US
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Did your bar close because of the pandemic?
On March 14 the annual St. Patrick’s bar crawl and the parade were scheduled to take place in uptown Charlotte. Both the crawl and parade were shut down the day before. In hindsight, I do believe our coronavirus numbers in Charlotte would have been so much worse had they gone off as planned. People still came out that weekend, but there was a sense of dread about things. People were going out into crowded spaces, and my staff, especially the younger ones, really didn’t understand what was coming.
The night before St. Pat’s, the owners contacted the general managers of each location with the news that in anticipation of the governor’s order to shut down bars and restaurants, we were ceasing operations. I’ll never forget how hard it was hitting the owners, men just trying to do their best for their family of employees. That Friday we divided up my inventory amongst our staff. That next week the owners started a fundraiser for staff by selling gift cards. They are putting 50% of the proceeds into a need-based fund.
My wife is a bartender/manager at a restaurant called the Crepe Cellar in our neighborhood. She is still working part time, as they have gone to take-out service. We are grateful that she is still able to work, considering all of our income is from the hospitality industry.
I hear horror stories from my staff and others about getting jammed up with unemployment. My daughter is taking it all pretty well, but she is so restless. As the child of two restaurant vets, she is not used to having both of us hovering around all the time.
What do you miss about your job?
I worry so much about my employees, and feel helpless. I worry how they will make out financially. I miss the controlled chaos of a Saturday night, coordinating all the moving parts.
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As far as being patriotic, sitting at home is a lot easier than hitting the beach at Normandy. It’s the least we can do for our neighbors, our families and our communities. I do understand that the landscape will have changed dramatically in the wake of all this — some bars and restaurants won’t survive, peoples habits may change. The better we prepare for those changes now, the less shocking they will be when they happen.
Having to shut down like this only strengthens my Irish/Sottish resolve — no way are we going out like this! Eventually it will end, and we will go back to doing what we do best — taking care of people, and sharing good food, drink and laughter.
When will your bar reopen?
The ownership of my group of bars decided we were going to open at the end of June. Even though the state is in Phase 2 of reopening, which includes restaurants at 50% capacity, we decided to wait it out. At this point we have more questions than answers as far as how to operate safely.
Are you nervous about being exposed to the virus when you return?
I am relieved that we did not reopen as soon as we were allowed. Some places were open the moment the governor allowed. I find it hard to believe that the locations that did open that quickly were able to implement procedures, and thoroughly train their staff.
I am definitely nervous about going back to work. My health and the health of my family, and my employees are dependent on the good will of people who just had to go out to eat and drink. I have no illusions about the young, barhopping clientele operating with anything other than self interest.
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Do you feel differently about the job now, in COVID world?
We are in a tough spot — return to “normal” with packed houses and be a part of keeping the virus going, or operate with fewer customers and see profits and wages go down. Neither path is an answer.
The nature of bars — groups of people standing around yelling, singing — is kind of frightening to me. How do you police that? How do you keep people safe while staying true to what we are? I don’t have answers, and I’m not seeing them being offered by anyone else. Until a vaccine drops into our lap, there is going to be long-term unemployment in the industry.
Lyn Holland, 47
Washington, D.C.
Assistant general manager at 3 Stars Brewing Company, and bar manager at Beau Thai
Was your job affected by the pandemic?
So, I work(ed) in two spots. One, a restaurant, has opened for delivery and takeout; I have not been as a bartender. At the second spot, a brewery, I am working, packing to-go beer orders. Several colleagues have not come back to work as they live with frail/elderly/immunocompromised relatives. They will not take the risk.
Are you nervous about being exposed to coronavirus at work?
Very nervous. And a little paranoid. All of our staff wear masks and gloves and change gloves regularly. We also sanitize our hands often, as sometimes we need to remove gloves to use our point of sale.
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Guests coming in to purchase beer must wear masks/face coverings and be 6 feet away from my staff and other guests. Basically we only serve two guests at a time. We clean, clean, clean.
Do you think this will change bar culture?


huffpost--2020-06-07--Brazil’s Disastrous COVID-19 Response Exposes Profound Inequalities

Private labs : more testing for the rich Public hospitals close to collapsing despite empty beds in private hospitals “ @ @ @ @ @ that we were unable to save in the last two months .
This changes us @ @ @ @ @ something drastic and dramatic , even for those who have been working in the health @ @ @ @ @ me , ” she says .
“ Knowing that you won ’ t be able @ @ @ @ @ , three patients .
...
It hurts your soul .
”

SÃO PAULO and BRASÍLIA — Brazil’s death toll from the coronavirus surpassed Italy’s on Thursday after the nation’s health ministry reported 1,437 deaths in the previous 24 hours. The latest grim data was released three hours later than usual and came too late for evening news bulletins.
Brazil has now reported 34,021 deaths from COVID-19 as of Saturday afternoon, trailing only the United States and the United Kingdom. With 30,925 new confirmed cases reported Thursday, the total number of infections reached 614,941, second only to the United States.
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But experts consider the tally a significant undercount due to insufficient testing.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has downplayed the coronavirus, criticizing social distancing measures and urging regional governments to lift restrictions for the sake of the economy.
On Tuesday, Bolsonaro told Brazilians that death is “everyone’s destiny.” The impact of COVID-19 on Brazilians, however, has been far from equal.
From prevention measures and testing to access to health care and mortality rates, the virus is having a disproportionate impact on Brazil’s poorest and most vulnerable.
According to official figures from the Ministry of Health, coronavirus-related deaths have occurred at a higher rate in the north and the northeast of the country, regions that have a much lower GDP per capita than the rest of Brazil.
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In seven regions of the state of Amazonas in the north ― which include Manaus, the capital — there are around 300 deaths per million people. Among the capitals, Belém, in the northern state of Pará, has the highest rate: 1,016 deaths per million. São Luís and Recife are also hard hit by the disease. These numbers are much higher than the national average of 155 deaths per million.
São Paulo, the country’s biggest city and the epicenter of the epidemic in Brazil, also shows how the poor are more likely to die from COVID-19. According to data collected up to April 21, there were more cases in the poor neighborhoods of Brasilândia, Sapopemba and São Mateus than in all 14 districts in central São Paulo.
The mortality rate is also higher among the Black population.
According to a recent study, Black people who lacked a formal education were 4 times more likely to die from the coronavirus than white people with a higher education. Among Brazilians with the same level of education, Black people were still 37% more likely to die from the coronavirus than white people.
The coronavirus is also spreading fast through Brazil’s Indigenous populations, with total deaths caused by the disease increasing more than fivefold in the past month, from 28 at the end of April to 182 on June 1, according to data collected by a national association of first peoples.
These numbers reflect underlying issues that range from access to clean water to the difficulty of maintaining isolation.
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Almost 35 million Brazilians do not have access to clean water, including residents of 22 of the country’s 100 biggest cities, according to data from the National Water Agency. Without water, it is impossible to wash your hands, one of the most basic measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
“This is the result of our social inequality. Epidemics bring [social] differences to the forefront and also the lack of support from the government,” José Cássio de Moraes, an epidemiologist at the Brazilian Association of Public Health, told HuffPost Brazil. “Lack of clean water, no money to buy soap or hand sanitizer, the impossibility of being in isolation — these are all perfect conditions for the spread of respiratory diseases.”
In favelas and other vulnerable communities, hygiene essentials are difficult to come by, and social isolation is impossible.
“We are collecting donations and giving out basic hygiene items, because some families simply can’t afford them,” says Samantha Messiades, a member of the residents association for Cidade de Deus, one of Rio de Janeiro’s biggest favelas. “The other day I collected hygiene items for a friend of my neighbor. She has COVID-19, is completely isolated and did not have access to essential items.”
Patients undergo exams conducted by health care workers with Doctors Without Borders. Avener Prado/Especial para o HuffPost
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Raquel Rolnik, a professor of architecture and urbanism at the University of São Paulo, said that inequality is stark within Brazilian cities. “We’re talking about millions of people without access to basic stuff. From the homeless, who have no access to a tap with running water, to many people who see water coming out of the tap infrequently.”
Rolnik says the country must do more to support vulnerable groups. “Not only protecting them from the pandemic, because social isolation means economic hardship. We’re talking about people going hungry.”
The informal economy
The loss of income has immediately been felt in the poorer neighborhoods of big cities, where many of those who rely on the informal economy (such as street vendors) live. At least 38.3 million Brazilians do not have formal employment contracts, but take part in the country’s large informal job market.
Moraes, the epidemiologist, says that this is the hardest hit population. “Working from home is not an option for these people. We need financial support from the government to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.”
“We from the favelas are the first to be affected. It’s almost like we’re disposable. It’s very sad,” says Messiades, from Cidade de Deus.
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“Everyone around here knows someone who no longer has income. There are manicurists, hairdressers, people who bake items at home to sell — none of them can work. Also, people who collect soda cans for recycling, people who watch cars, who work selling stuff on the beach. They are not making any money.”
Messiades’ mother is one of them. She works cleaning houses in the fancy neighborhood of Barra da Tijuca. “She works informally, so they stopped calling, she’s not being paid. I try to help,” Messiades says. “In addition, I used to be an apprentice for a lawyer that works here [in the favela], but she had to let me go because there’s no demand.”
With two kids, ages 6 and 11, Messiades says she’s uncertain about her future. “The father of my daughter works at a restaurant; the father of my son makes deliveries. Both jobs are impacted by the pandemic. It’s an avalanche, a domino effect. Companies are the first pieces to fall, followed by everyone else.”
The situation is the same in other big Brazilian cities. In Cidade Estrutural, one of the poorest neighborhoods of Brasília, the capital of Brazil, unemployment is the only subject of conversation.
“Everyone is worried. Our health is fragile, because our diet is fragile,” says Coracy Coelho, a resident of the neighborhood.
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He says that people don’t want to be stuck at home. “Without work, everyone needs to rely on social programs. A lot of people depend on Bolsa Família [an assistance program run by the federal government]. Some had issues with the application process and are very anxious about it, because it is the only income source for the family,” says Coelho.
In April, the federal government announced that millions of Brazilians would be eligible for an emergency fund — 600 reais ($115) for informal sector workers and 1200 reais ($235) for mothers. The program has had some issues and delays, but now the government says 59 million people have received at least part of the money.
Private labs: more testing for the rich
There is also a huge disparity in how COVID-19 has been diagnosed. According to the preprint version of one study, which HuffPost Brazil obtained, economic inequality played a major role in limiting access to tests during the first phase of the coronavirus epidemic in Brazil.
According to the study, two-thirds (66.9%) of the tests in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro until March 25 were taken in private labs. The cost of a test was between 300 and 690 reais ($60-$130).
Up to then, four weeks after the first confirmed case of the coronavirus in the country, 67,344 other suspected cases were reported in 172 cities.
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“There was a clear link between testing and income, which revealed a big socioeconomic gap in testing as the number of cases grew,” the study says.
There was also an increase in the correlation between tested cases and income in the second, third and fourth weeks of the pandemic, according to the research.
The authors of the study say the socioeconomic barriers to testing must be addressed in order for Brazil to understand and stop the spread of the coronavirus. Universal access to testing and the success of interventions will be the keys to the fate of the pandemic in Brazil.
“Along with changes in surveillance guidelines, the socioeconomic bias in testing suggests that the number of confirmed cases can substantially underestimate the actual number of cases in the population,” the study says.
Today, Brazil counts more than 600,000 cases and 34,000 deaths, and testing capacity has been expanded.
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The federal government claims to have distributed more than 3 million tests that detect the presence of virus to state labs. More than 1.8 million tests have been taken, including serological tests — or 8,737 exams per million.
Uildeia Galvão da Silva works as a doctor at the main public hospital of Manaus, in the north of Brazil. Courtesy Uildeia Galvão da Silva
Public hospitals close to collapsing despite empty beds in private hospitals
“Look at this paradox: People dying in hospital hallways while there are empty beds,” Francisco Braga, a researcher at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Rio de Janeiro, one of Brazil’s top public health research institutions, told HuffPost Brazil, decrying the lack of resources in Brazil’s public health system.
In private hospitals in São Paulo, between 20% and 30% of beds remain open. These hospitals usually cater to people with private health insurance, which in most cases is part of an employee’s benefits package from their job.
“In Brazil, around 23% of the population has private insurance. In São Paulo, the percentage is 50%, while in some state capitals in the north and the northeast, it stays below 10%,” says Gonzalo Vecina Neto, a professor of public health at the University of São Paulo and superintendent of Sírio-Libanês, one of the biggest and better-equipped private hospitals in the city.
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This regional disparity means that the burden on the public health care system is much greater in the country’s north and northeast regions. And it also explains why states like Amazonas have been on the verge of collapse for weeks due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.
Dealing with hundreds of patients with the new coronavirus is part of the routine for Uildeia Galvão da Silva, a doctor who has been working for 12 years in the emergency room of the main public hospital in Manaus.
She tells HuffPost Brazil that her life, and those of her fellow health care workers, “has been turned upside down” since the pandemic began.
“The day-to-day is wearing us out too much. This gets to you, physically,” says Silva, who, like many other health care professionals, has marks on her face due to wearing protective gear for hours on end. “Everything hurts. And the mask makes us distant [from patients].”
The marks from the masks Silva wears the entire day. Courtesy Uildeia Galvão da Silva
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Seeing her patients struggling for life day after day, Silva says the past few weeks have been the hardest in her career.
“There were so many patients that we were unable to save in the last two months. This changes us a lot. It is something drastic and dramatic, even for those who have been working in the health sector for 25 years like me,” she says. “Knowing that you won’t be able to save one, two, three patients. ... It hurts your soul.”


huffpost--2020-06-08--New Zealand Appears To Have Eradicated Virus As Last Known Infected Person Recovers

WELLINGTON , New Zealand ( AP ) — New Zealand appears to have completely eradicated the coronavirus — at least for now — after health officials said Monday the last known infected person had recovered .
The announcement was greeted with joy around the country and means the nation of 5 million people will be among the first to welcome throngs of fans back into sports stadiums , embrace crowded concerts and remove seating restrictions from flights .
It has been 17 days since the last new case was reported , during which time an additional 40,000 people have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to about 300,000 .
Monday marked the first time since late February there have been no active cases .
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she was confident New Zealand had halted the spread of the virus but it still must be prepared for more .
“ We are confident we have eliminated transmission of the virus in New Zealand for now , but elimination is not a point in time , it is a sustained effort , ” she said at a news conference .
“ We almost certainly will see cases here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say that again , we will almost certainly see cases here again , and that is not a sign that we have failed , it is a reality of this virus .
But if and when that occurs we have to make sure — and we are — that we are prepared.
” More cases are likely to be imported as people enter the country .
For now , the border remains shut to all but citizens and residents , with some limited exceptions .
Everybody who does enter has to go into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had agreed to remove almost all remaining virus restrictions from midnight , with the exception of the border strictures .
“ We can hold public events without limitations .
Private events such as weddings , functions and funerals without limitations , ” Ardern said .
“ Retail is back without limitations .
Hospitality is back without limitations .
Public transport and travel across the country is fully opened.
” Experts say a number of factors have helped New Zealand wipe out the disease .
Its isolated location in the South Pacific gave it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus in other countries .
Ardern also acted decisively by imposing a strict lockdown early in the outbreak .
Eliminating the virus won ’ t end the economic pain for the country .
Thousands of people have lost their jobs .
The tourism industry , which accounts for about 10 % of the economy , has been particularly hard hit .
But Monday was a time of celebration for many .
Ardern said that when she heard there were no more active cases , she did a little dance in her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Neve , who turns 2 this month .
Ardern said the toddler had no idea what was going on but was happy to join her .

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand appears to have completely eradicated the coronavirus — at least for now — after health officials said Monday the last known infected person had recovered.
The announcement was greeted with joy around the country and means the nation of 5 million people will be among the first to welcome throngs of fans back into sports stadiums, embrace crowded concerts and remove seating restrictions from flights.
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It has been 17 days since the last new case was reported, during which time an additional 40,000 people have been tested, bringing the total number tested to about 300,000. Monday marked the first time since late February there have been no active cases.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she was confident New Zealand had halted the spread of the virus but it still must be prepared for more.
“We are confident we have eliminated transmission of the virus in New Zealand for now, but elimination is not a point in time, it is a sustained effort,” she said at a news conference. “We almost certainly will see cases here again, and I do want to say that again, we will almost certainly see cases here again, and that is not a sign that we have failed, it is a reality of this virus. But if and when that occurs we have to make sure — and we are — that we are prepared.”
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that New Zealand will move to COVID-19 Alert Level 1 at midnight on June 8. Hagen Hopkins via Getty Images
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More cases are likely to be imported as people enter the country. For now, the border remains shut to all but citizens and residents, with some limited exceptions. Everybody who does enter has to go into quarantine.
Ardern announced that the Cabinet had agreed to remove almost all remaining virus restrictions from midnight, with the exception of the border strictures.
“We can hold public events without limitations. Private events such as weddings, functions and funerals without limitations,” Ardern said. “Retail is back without limitations. Hospitality is back without limitations. Public transport and travel across the country is fully opened.”
Experts say a number of factors have helped New Zealand wipe out the disease. Its isolated location in the South Pacific gave it vital time to see the devastating spread of the virus in other countries. Ardern also acted decisively by imposing a strict lockdown early in the outbreak.
She said her government’s focus will be on the country’s borders, where isolation and quarantine will continue.
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Just over 1,500 people contracted the virus in New Zealand, including 22 who died.
Eliminating the virus won’t end the economic pain for the country. Thousands of people have lost their jobs. The tourism industry, which accounts for about 10% of the economy, has been particularly hard hit.


huffpost--2020-06-08--Coronavirus Live Updates: Read The Latest About The COVID-19 Outbreak

HuffPost reporters around the world are tracking the pandemic and its effects .
Read the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic below .
( To see the latest updates , you may need to refresh the page .
All times are Eastern .
For earlier updates on the pandemic , go here . )
Hospitalizations On The Rise In Several States Since Memorial Day : Report — 6/10/2020 , 8:35 a.m .
ET COVID-19 hospitalizations have been on the rise in at least nine states — including Texas , North Carolina , South Carolina , California , Oregon , Arkansas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since Memorial Day weekend , The Washington Post reported Tuesday .
The data suggests that the rise in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in these states is occurring for reasons beyond an increase in testing , according to the Post .
Texas , one of the first states to ease its stay-at-home order , has reportedly seen a 36 % increase in new cases since Memorial Day on May 25 .
As of Tuesday , the state has recorded two consecutive days of record-breaking coronavirus hospitalizations , the Post reported .
Health experts have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the anti-lockdown protests that began in mid-April and the anti-racism protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd on Memorial Day , could lead to new outbreaks of the virus .
They ’ ve encouraged attendees to wear masks and socially distance as much as possible during these demonstrations .
The United States has recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world with nearly 2 million as of Wednesday , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
More than 112,000 coronavirus-linked deaths have been reported nationwide .
Brazil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — 6/10/2020 , 6:30 a.m .
ET The Brazilian Supreme Court has ordered the government to resume publishing full data on the coronavirus pandemic in the country , the Associated Press reported .
The health ministry of President Jair Bolsonaro had stopped publishing the total numbers of deaths and confirmed cases on Friday , leading to widespread allegations that the government is trying to hide the severity of the pandemic .
According to Johns Hopkins data , Brazil has had over 739,000 confirmed cases and more than 38,000 deaths .
But a health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes to the methodology for tallying the daily death toll .
Fauci : ‘ Worst Nightmare ’ Coronavirus Pandemic Far From Over — 6/10/2020 , 5:40 a.m .
ET Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , said that the coronavirus pandemic is his “ worst nightmare ” come to life , there ’ s a lot that ’ s still unknown about it , and it ’ s far from over .
“ Oh my goodness .
Where is it going to end ?
We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Fauci told a biotechnology conference on Tuesday .
But he said he was hopeful that “ multiple ” vaccines would be created .
He praised the pharmaceutical industry for its rapid response to the crisis .
Texas Sees 36 % Increase In COVID-19 Hospitalizations Since Memorial Day — 6/9/2020 , 7:45 p.m .
ET The Texas Department of State Health Services reported 2,056 hospitalizations due to COVID-19 on Tuesday — a 36 % increase since Memorial Day , according to the Houston Chronicle .
This was the highest number of hospitalizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first confirmed there in March .
Texas was one of the earliest to begin gradually reopening businesses and other activities in early May , despite not meeting public health recommendations that there first be 14 days of declining coronavirus cases .
Last week , the state moved into Phase 3 of its reopening plan , allowing almost all businesses to operate , albeit at about 50 % capacity .
U.S. Navy Test Shows 60 % Of Carrier Crew Have Coronavirus Antibodies — 6/9/2020 , 5:30 a.m .
ET A U.S. Navy investigation has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier have coronavirus antibodies , suggesting a far higher infection rate than roughly 25 % infection rate reported as of April , according to Reuters .
The ship was a focus of attention after a leaked letter from the captain asking for stronger protective measures for his crew led to him being relieved of his command .
Canada Extends U.S. Border Restrictions , Lifts Some Travel Restrictions For Immediate Family Members — 6/8/20 , 1:30 p.m .
ET The Canadian government will now allow anyone with immediate family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they do not have COVID-19 or show symptoms , provided they self-quarantine for 14 days upon arriving .
The loosening restrictions go into effect at midnight Eastern time tonight , the government said , “ to keep families together and support unity while respecting the need for continued vigilance and border measures at this time.
“ The U.S.-Canada border , which has been closed to discretionary travel since March 21 and limited to essential purposes like deliveries of food and medical supplies , will remain restricted through at least June 21 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Once The Epicenter Of The Pandemic , New York City Begins Phased Reopening — 6/8/20 , 9:30 a.m .
ET New York City , the area of the U.S. hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic , officially begins its phased reopening process Monday , with a handful of businesses resuming operations .
It ’ s a major milestone for the city , where new COVID-19 cases have plummeted in recent weeks , after peaking in mid-April .
Across New York state , the percentage of COVID-19 tests coming back as positive has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past few days , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said over the weekend .
Businesses in phase one of the reopening include manufacturing , wholesale , construction , landscaping and some retail , if they can ensure curbside or contactless pickup .
Employers are required to provide masks to employees and follow cleaning protocols and , under a state executive order , businesses can turn away customers if they are not wearing masks .
About 400,000 New Yorkers are expected to return to work Monday .
Mayor Bill de Blasio and public transit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming up with a robust plan to ensure safety on the city ’ s buses and subways .
They initially told riders to make their own decisions on whether they feel comfortable taking mass transit , or recommended commuting via car instead , even though most workers do not have the means to do so .
Since then , the city has pledged to make masks and hand sanitizer available at stations and will increase the frequency of buses and trains to limit crowding .
The subway system will remain closed from 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further notice so that transit workers can disinfect the trains .
Study : Shutdowns Prevented 60 Million Infections In U.S. – 6/8/20 , 7:40 a.m .
ET Coronavirus restrictions such as stay-at-home orders prevented about 4.8 million confirmed infections ( and about 60 million total infections ) in the U.S. , according to a study published Monday in the scientific journal Nature .
In their study , researchers at the University of California at Berkeley examined the effects of 1,717 local , regional and national policies on the growth rate of infections in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran , Italy , South Korea and the U.S .
They found that the combined effect of these policies reduced the infection rate by “ a substantial and statistically significant amount.
” There have been over 1.9 million documented cases of the coronavirus in the U.S. and more than 110,000 deaths , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
Brazil Hides Soaring Death Toll As Government Takes Down Key Data – 6/8/20 , 6:15 a.m .
ET The Brazilian government has been accused of “ masking ” the deadly impact of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months of data from a website that had been tracking COVID-19 .
The ministry also stopped giving a total count of confirmed cases , which have shot past 685,000 – more than anywhere outside the United States – or a total death toll , which passed Italy this week , and was nearing 38,000 on Sunday .
“ The cumulative data ... does not reflect the moment the country is in , ” President Jair Bolsonaro said on Twitter .
Neither Bolsonaro nor the ministry gave a reason for erasing most of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been a key public resource for tracking COVID-19 .
Diego Iraheta , the Editor-in-Chief of HuffPost Brazil , wrote in an editorial that the move was “ yet another attack on the free press ” in the country .
“ The Bolsonaro government is trying to mask the dramatic reality of the pandemic in Brazil .
It acts with intent to restrict access to public information about public health , which should be easily available to the press to report the ( increasing ) size of the problem , ” Iraheta wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangers of the pandemic , replaced medical experts in the health ministry with military officials and argued against state lockdowns to fight the virus , hobbling the country ’ s public health response .
UK Travel Quarantine Comes Into Force – 6/8/20 , 5:45 a.m .
ET Arrivals into Britain are now required to self-isolate for two weeks under new government rules , in a bid to prevent a second wave of COVID-19 .
All passengers – bar a handful of exemptions – will have to fill out an online locator form giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as the address of where they will isolate .
People who fail to comply could be fined £1,000 ( $ 1,260 ) in England , and police will be allowed to use “ reasonable force ” to make sure they follow the rules .
The plans have been met with strong criticism from opposition parties as well as the travel industry .
British Airways has begun legal proceedings over what it calls the government ’ s “ unlawful ” quarantine measures .
Speaking about the quarantine for international arrivals , Ryanair boss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What ’ s irrational about it is all of those countries have a much lower COVID rate than the UK.
” He added : “ Millions of jobs are going to be lost in British tourism because British hotels , British guest houses , British visitor attractions – all over London , the Globe , the London Eye , Madame Tussauds – will be empty , because the hundreds of thousands of Italians and Spanish and French people you get coming to Britain every July and August simply won ’ t travel.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Have Eradicated Virus — 6/8/2020 , 2:50 a.m .
ET With the recovery of its last known COVID-19 case , New Zealand appears to have eradicated the coronavirus .
The nation of 5 million people will lift almost all lockdown restrictions but keep strict border controls in place , Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday .
Ardern said she did a little dance in her living room when she heard the news .
“ We can hold public events without limitations .
Private events such as weddings , functions and funerals without limitations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is back without limitations .
Hospitality is back without limitations .
Public transport and travel across the country is fully opened.
” Experts say that New Zealand ’ s remote location and Ardern ’ s quick action to lock down the country helped it eliminate the spread of the disease .
New Zealand has had 1,504 cases of the disease , with 22 deaths .
Number Of Documented COVID-19 Deaths Reaches 400,000 Worldwide — 6/7/20 , 10:05 a.m .
ET There have now been at least 400,000 coronavirus-linked deaths reported worldwide , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward 7 million , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
Roughly a quarter of those deaths — or about 100,000 — have occurred in the United States , largely within New York , New Jersey and Massachusetts .
The U.S. has the highest number of documented cases and deaths in the world .
Nearly 2 million cases have been reported nationwide as of Sunday , though experts believe that number is likely an undercount .
For more updates on the pandemic , go here .

HuffPost reporters around the world are tracking the pandemic and its effects.
Read the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic below. (To see the latest updates, you may need to refresh the page. All times are Eastern. For earlier updates on the pandemic, go here.)
Hospitalizations On The Rise In Several States Since Memorial Day: Report — 6/10/2020, 8:35 a.m. ET
COVID-19 hospitalizations have been on the rise in at least nine states — including Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, California, Oregon, Arkansas, Mississippi, Utah and Arizona — since Memorial Day weekend, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.
The data suggests that the rise in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in these states is occurring for reasons beyond an increase in testing, according to the Post.
Texas, one of the first states to ease its stay-at-home order, has reportedly seen a 36% increase in new cases since Memorial Day on May 25. As of Tuesday, the state has recorded two consecutive days of record-breaking coronavirus hospitalizations, the Post reported.
Health experts have warned that mass gatherings, such as the anti-lockdown protests that began in mid-April and the anti-racism protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd on Memorial Day, could lead to new outbreaks of the virus. They’ve encouraged attendees to wear masks and socially distance as much as possible during these demonstrations.
The United States has recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world with nearly 2 million as of Wednesday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. More than 112,000 coronavirus-linked deaths have been reported nationwide.
— Hayley Miller
Brazil Court Orders Government To Publish Virus Data — 6/10/2020, 6:30 a.m. ET
The Brazilian Supreme Court has ordered the government to resume publishing full data on the coronavirus pandemic in the country, the Associated Press reported. The health ministry of President Jair Bolsonaro had stopped publishing the total numbers of deaths and confirmed cases on Friday, leading to widespread allegations that the government is trying to hide the severity of the pandemic.
According to Johns Hopkins data, Brazil has had over 739,000 confirmed cases and more than 38,000 deaths. But a health ministry official said Monday there would be changes to the methodology for tallying the daily death toll.
— Liza Hearon
Fauci: ‘Worst Nightmare’ Coronavirus Pandemic Far From Over — 6/10/2020, 5:40 a.m. ET
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said that the coronavirus pandemic is his “worst nightmare” come to life, there’s a lot that’s still unknown about it, and it’s far from over.
“Oh my goodness. Where is it going to end? We’re still at the beginning of really understanding,” Fauci told a biotechnology conference on Tuesday.
But he said he was hopeful that “multiple” vaccines would be created. He praised the pharmaceutical industry for its rapid response to the crisis.
— Liza Hearon
Texas Sees 36% Increase In COVID-19 Hospitalizations Since Memorial Day — 6/9/2020, 7:45 p.m. ET
The Texas Department of State Health Services reported 2,056 hospitalizations due to COVID-19 on Tuesday — a 36% increase since Memorial Day, according to the Houston Chronicle. This was the highest number of hospitalizations reported in the state since cases were first confirmed there in March.
Texas was one of the earliest to begin gradually reopening businesses and other activities in early May, despite not meeting public health recommendations that there first be 14 days of declining coronavirus cases.
Last week, the state moved into Phase 3 of its reopening plan, allowing almost all businesses to operate, albeit at about 50% capacity.
— Sarah Ruiz-Grossman
U.S. Navy Test Shows 60% Of Carrier Crew Have Coronavirus Antibodies — 6/9/2020, 5:30 a.m. ET
A U.S. Navy investigation has found that 60% of the crew of the Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier have coronavirus antibodies, suggesting a far higher infection rate than roughly 25% infection rate reported as of April, according to Reuters.
The ship was a focus of attention after a leaked letter from the captain asking for stronger protective measures for his crew led to him being relieved of his command.
— Liza Hearon
Canada Extends U.S. Border Restrictions, Lifts Some Travel Restrictions For Immediate Family Members — 6/8/20, 1:30 p.m. ET
The Canadian government will now allow anyone with immediate family members in Canada to enter the country if they do not have COVID-19 or show symptoms, provided they self-quarantine for 14 days upon arriving.
The loosening restrictions go into effect at midnight Eastern time tonight, the government said, “to keep families together and support unity while respecting the need for continued vigilance and border measures at this time.“The U.S.-Canada border, which has been closed to discretionary travel since March 21 and limited to essential purposes like deliveries of food and medical supplies, will remain restricted through at least June 21.
Read more on the revised conditions here.
— Marina Fang
Once The Epicenter Of The Pandemic, New York City Begins Phased Reopening — 6/8/20, 9:30 a.m. ET
New York City, the area of the U.S. hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic, officially begins its phased reopening process Monday, with a handful of businesses resuming operations.
It’s a major milestone for the city, where new COVID-19 cases have plummeted in recent weeks, after peaking in mid-April. Across New York state, the percentage of COVID-19 tests coming back as positive has leveled off at about 1% for the past few days, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said over the weekend.
Businesses in phase one of the reopening include manufacturing, wholesale, construction, landscaping and some retail, if they can ensure curbside or contactless pickup. Employers are required to provide masks to employees and follow cleaning protocols and, under a state executive order, businesses can turn away customers if they are not wearing masks.
About 400,000 New Yorkers are expected to return to work Monday. Mayor Bill de Blasio and public transit officials have faced fierce criticism for not coming up with a robust plan to ensure safety on the city’s buses and subways. They initially told riders to make their own decisions on whether they feel comfortable taking mass transit, or recommended commuting via car instead, even though most workers do not have the means to do so.
Since then, the city has pledged to make masks and hand sanitizer available at stations and will increase the frequency of buses and trains to limit crowding. The subway system will remain closed from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. each night until further notice so that transit workers can disinfect the trains.
— Marina Fang
Study: Shutdowns Prevented 60 Million Infections In U.S. – 6/8/20, 7:40 a.m. ET
Coronavirus restrictions such as stay-at-home orders prevented about 4.8 million confirmed infections (and about 60 million total infections) in the U.S., according to a study published Monday in the scientific journal Nature.
In their study, researchers at the University of California at Berkeley examined the effects of 1,717 local, regional and national policies on the growth rate of infections in six countries: China, France, Iran, Italy, South Korea and the U.S. They found that the combined effect of these policies reduced the infection rate by “a substantial and statistically significant amount.”
There have been over 1.9 million documented cases of the coronavirus in the U.S. and more than 110,000 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
— Hayley Miller
Brazil Hides Soaring Death Toll As Government Takes Down Key Data – 6/8/20, 6:15 a.m. ET
The Brazilian government has been accused of “masking” the deadly impact of the pandemic after the health ministry removed months of data from a website that had been tracking COVID-19.
The ministry also stopped giving a total count of confirmed cases, which have shot past 685,000 – more than anywhere outside the United States – or a total death toll, which passed Italy this week, and was nearing 38,000 on Sunday.
“The cumulative data ... does not reflect the moment the country is in,” President Jair Bolsonaro said on Twitter. Neither Bolsonaro nor the ministry gave a reason for erasing most of the data on the covid.saude.gov.br website, which had been a key public resource for tracking COVID-19.
Diego Iraheta, the Editor-in-Chief of HuffPost Brazil, wrote in an editorial that the move was “yet another attack on the free press” in the country.
“The Bolsonaro government is trying to mask the dramatic reality of the pandemic in Brazil. It acts with intent to restrict access to public information about public health, which should be easily available to the press to report the (increasing) size of the problem,” Iraheta wrote.
Bolsonaro has long played down the dangers of the pandemic, replaced medical experts in the health ministry with military officials and argued against state lockdowns to fight the virus, hobbling the country’s public health response.
— James Martin
UK Travel Quarantine Comes Into Force – 6/8/20, 5:45 a.m. ET
Arrivals into Britain are now required to self-isolate for two weeks under new government rules, in a bid to prevent a second wave of COVID-19. All passengers – bar a handful of exemptions – will have to fill out an online locator form giving their contact and travel details, as well as the address of where they will isolate.
People who fail to comply could be fined £1,000 ($1,260) in England, and police will be allowed to use “reasonable force” to make sure they follow the rules.
The plans have been met with strong criticism from opposition parties as well as the travel industry. British Airways has begun legal proceedings over what it calls the government’s “unlawful” quarantine measures.
Speaking about the quarantine for international arrivals, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said: “What’s irrational about it is all of those countries have a much lower COVID rate than the UK.”
He added: “Millions of jobs are going to be lost in British tourism because British hotels, British guest houses, British visitor attractions – all over London, the Globe, the London Eye, Madame Tussauds – will be empty, because the hundreds of thousands of Italians and Spanish and French people you get coming to Britain every July and August simply won’t travel.” Read more.
— James Martin
New Zealand Appears To Have Eradicated Virus — 6/8/2020, 2:50 a.m. ET
With the recovery of its last known COVID-19 case, New Zealand appears to have eradicated the coronavirus. The nation of 5 million people will lift almost all lockdown restrictions but keep strict border controls in place, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday.
Ardern said she did a little dance in her living room when she heard the news. “We can hold public events without limitations. Private events such as weddings, functions and funerals without limitations,” Ardern said. “Retail is back without limitations. Hospitality is back without limitations. Public transport and travel across the country is fully opened.”
Experts say that New Zealand’s remote location and Ardern’s quick action to lock down the country helped it eliminate the spread of the disease. New Zealand has had 1,504 cases of the disease, with 22 deaths.
— Liza Hearon
Number Of Documented COVID-19 Deaths Reaches 400,000 Worldwide — 6/7/20, 10:05 a.m. ET
There have now been at least 400,000 coronavirus-linked deaths reported worldwide, as the number of documented cases globally inches toward 7 million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Roughly a quarter of those deaths — or about 100,000 — have occurred in the United States, largely within New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. The U.S. has the highest number of documented cases and deaths in the world.
Nearly 2 million cases have been reported nationwide as of Sunday, though experts believe that number is likely an undercount.
—Hayley Miller
For more updates on the pandemic, go here.


huffpost--2020-06-08--Houston To Hold 6-Hour Public Viewing Of George Floyd's Casket

HOUSTON ( AP ) — Mourners will be able to view George Floyd ’ s casket Monday in his hometown of Houston , the final stop of a series of memorials in his honor .
A six-hour viewing will be held at The Fountain of Praise church in southwest Houston .
The viewing is open to the public , though visitors will be required to wear a mask and gloves to comply with coronavirus-related guidelines .
Floyd ’ s funeral will be Tuesday , followed by burial at the Houston Memorial Gardens cemetery in suburban Pearland , where he will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mother , Larcenia Floyd .
George Floyd died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped responding .
His death has inspired international protests and drawn new attention to the treatment of African Americans by police and the criminal justice system .
Former Vice President Joe Biden plans to travel to Houston to meet with Floyd ’ s family and will provide a video message for Floyd ’ s funeral service .
A Biden aide on Sunday described the plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not include attending the service .
Bryan Smart plants American flags along Hillcroft Ave. as he walks toward The Fountain of Praise church on June 7 , 2020 , in Houston .
Biden expects to give the family his condolences , said the aide , who discussed Biden ’ s plans on condition of anonymity .
Previous memorials have taken place in Minneapolis and Raeford , North Carolina , near where Floyd was born .
At the Minneapolis tribute Thursday , those in attendance stood in silence for 8 minutes , 46 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say Floyd was pinned to the ground under the officer ’ s knee before he died .
Floyd was raised in Houston ’ s Third Ward and was a well-known former high school football player who rapped with local legend DJ Screw .
He moved to Minneapolis several years ago to seek work and a fresh start .
His face now appears on a mural in his old neighborhood , and his name was chanted by tens of thousands last week at a protest and march in downtown Houston .

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HOUSTON (AP) — Mourners will be able to view George Floyd’s casket Monday in his hometown of Houston, the final stop of a series of memorials in his honor.
A six-hour viewing will be held at The Fountain of Praise church in southwest Houston. The viewing is open to the public, though visitors will be required to wear a mask and gloves to comply with coronavirus-related guidelines.
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Floyd’s funeral will be Tuesday, followed by burial at the Houston Memorial Gardens cemetery in suburban Pearland, where he will be laid to rest next to his mother, Larcenia Floyd.
George Floyd died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped responding. His death has inspired international protests and drawn new attention to the treatment of African Americans by police and the criminal justice system.
Former Vice President Joe Biden plans to travel to Houston to meet with Floyd’s family and will provide a video message for Floyd’s funeral service. A Biden aide on Sunday described the plans of the Democratic presidential candidate. They did not include attending the service.
Bryan Smart plants American flags along Hillcroft Ave. as he walks toward The Fountain of Praise church on June 7, 2020, in Houston. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Biden expects to give the family his condolences, said the aide, who discussed Biden’s plans on condition of anonymity.
Previous memorials have taken place in Minneapolis and Raeford, North Carolina, near where Floyd was born. At the Minneapolis tribute Thursday, those in attendance stood in silence for 8 minutes, 46 seconds, the length of time prosecutors say Floyd was pinned to the ground under the officer’s knee before he died.
Floyd was raised in Houston’s Third Ward and was a well-known former high school football player who rapped with local legend DJ Screw. He moved to Minneapolis several years ago to seek work and a fresh start. His face now appears on a mural in his old neighborhood, and his name was chanted by tens of thousands last week at a protest and march in downtown Houston.
___


huffpost--2020-02-07--Coronavirus Cases On Quarantined Cruise Ship Rise To 61

TOKYO ( Reuters ) - Dozens more people onboard a cruise ship quarantined in the port of Yokohama , Japan , tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday and thousands of passengers remained confined to their cabins , only allowed on deck briefly for fresh air .
The Diamond Princess , owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp ( CCL.N ) , was placed on a two-week quarantine on arriving at Yokohama on Monday after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong was diagnosed with the virus .
Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato told a news conference that 41 people on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , bringing the total of confirmed cases to 61 .
Twentyone of the new cases were Japanese .
Those infected were taken off the ship and moved to hospitals in Tokyo and neighbouring towns , the health ministry said .
Blue and white tarpaulin sheets were hung up to screen them from the view of other passengers .
Operator Princess Cruises ’ website describes the ship as “ your home away from home ” and it will remain so for most passengers at last until Feb. 19 .
The quarantine period could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Japanese government official told a media briefing .
The 61 cases came from a sample of 273 people who had been tested because they had showed symptoms or been in close contact with those who did .
More tests will be done if any more passengers developed symptoms , Kato said .
Passengers were finding out about the new infections from the internet before they were announced on the ship , said the Hong Kong man , who declined to be identified .
Ashley Rhodes-Courter , an American whose parents are on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be able to help her parents get off it .
The cruise ship Diamond Princess is anchored at Yokohama Port in Yokohama , south of Tokyo , Friday , Feb. 7 , 2020 .
Japan on Friday reported 41 new cases of a virus on the cruise ship that 's been quarantined .
About 3,700 people have been confined aboard the ship .
( AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko ) The Japanese official said the government saw no risk of the virus being spread by the Diamond Princess ’ s ventilation system because transmission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread by droplets from coughs or sneezes that can stick to surfaces and infect other people .
But Paul Hunter , an expert in infectious disease at Britain ’ s University of East Anglia , said the potential for cruise ships spreading the epidemic across the world was now becoming a serious concern .
The governor of the U.S. island territory of Guam , in the Pacific Ocean , earlier on Friday rejected a U.S. State Department request to allow the Westerdam to dock there .
The new ship cases take the total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 80 , according to Reuters calculations .
Health Minister Kato said Japan was not including those cases in its national count , which stands at 21 .

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TOKYO (Reuters) - Dozens more people onboard a cruise ship quarantined in the port of Yokohama, Japan, tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday and thousands of passengers remained confined to their cabins, only allowed on deck briefly for fresh air.
The Diamond Princess, owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp (CCL.N), was placed on a two-week quarantine on arriving at Yokohama on Monday after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong was diagnosed with the virus.
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Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato told a news conference that 41 people on the liner had tested positive for coronavirus on Friday, bringing the total of confirmed cases to 61. Twentyone of the new cases were Japanese.
Those infected were taken off the ship and moved to hospitals in Tokyo and neighbouring towns, the health ministry said. Blue and white tarpaulin sheets were hung up to screen them from the view of other passengers.
About 3,700 people are aboard the Diamond Princess, which usually has a crew of 1,100 and a passenger capacity of 2,670.
Operator Princess Cruises’ website describes the ship as “your home away from home” and it will remain so for most passengers at last until Feb. 19. The quarantine period could be extended if need be, a Japanese government official told a media briefing.
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The 61 cases came from a sample of 273 people who had been tested because they had showed symptoms or been in close contact with those who did. More tests will be done if any more passengers developed symptoms, Kato said.
For the stranded passengers, who were promised “a treasure trove of exceptional delights” in the ship’s brochure, the new infections spelled only more gloom.
Staff distributed thermometers and passengers were told that mental health experts were available for telephone consultations around the clock.
“We have instructions to monitor our temperatures and report if we’re above 37.5,” one man, a 43-year-old Hong Kong resident on the ship with his family, told Reuters.
Normal human body temperature is generally accepted to be 37 Celsius (98.6 Fahrenheit).
Passengers were finding out about the new infections from the internet before they were announced on the ship, said the Hong Kong man, who declined to be identified.
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Ashley Rhodes-Courter, an American whose parents are on the ship, said she hoped U.S. officials would be able to help her parents get off it.
“They are all breathing circulated contaminated air so they could be getting everyone infected,” Rhodes-Courter said.
The cruise ship Diamond Princess is anchored at Yokohama Port in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. Japan on Friday reported 41 new cases of a virus on the cruise ship that's been quarantined. About 3,700 people have been confined aboard the ship. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) ASSOCIATED PRESS
CRUISE SHIP CONCERN
The Japanese official said the government saw no risk of the virus being spread by the Diamond Princess’s ventilation system because transmission is not airborne. Rather it is spread by droplets from coughs or sneezes that can stick to surfaces and infect other people.
But Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious disease at Britain’s University of East Anglia, said the potential for cruise ships spreading the epidemic across the world was now becoming a serious concern.
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“Cruise ships are environments where respiratory infections can spread very quickly,” he said.
They also carry the further risk of transmitting a viral infection to other countries as passengers embark and disembark.
“I would be surprised if we don’t see more problems with cruise ships in the coming weeks,” Hunter said.
Transport Minister Kazuyoshi Akaba told reporters Japan had asked another cruise ship, the Westerdam, not to make a port call in the country.
The governor of the U.S. island territory of Guam, in the Pacific Ocean, earlier on Friday rejected a U.S. State Department request to allow the Westerdam to dock there.
The new ship cases take the total number of coronavirus infections in Japan to more than 80, according to Reuters calculations. Health Minister Kato said Japan was not including those cases in its national count, which stands at 21.
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The outbreak, which has killed almost 640 people in mainland China and two elsewhere, has also stoked concern about the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which begin on July 24.


huffpost--2020-02-07--China Investigates Treatment Of Deceased Whistleblower Doctor

ASSOCIATED PRESS A TV crew film a cruise ship Diamond Princess anchoring off the Yokohama Port Tuesday , Feb. 4 , 2020 , in Yokohama , near Tokyo .
Japanese health officials are conducting extensive medical checks on all 3,700 passengers and crew of the cruise ship that returned to the country after one passenger tested positive for the new coronavirus .
( AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko ) BEIJING ( AP ) — China ’ s top Communist Party investigators are looking into “ relevant issues raised by the public ” about a whistleblower doctor who was threatened by police after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has now died from it .
The party ’ s announcement Friday came as the death toll in mainland China rose to at least 636 .
The outbreak has now infected more than 31,200 people worldwide .
President Xi Jinping spoke by phone with President Donald Trump , who said the U.S. was working closely with China to help .
Xi urged the U.S. to “ respond reasonably ” to the outbreak , echoing complaints that some countries are overreacting by restricting Chinese travelers .
Those complaints come even while China keeps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of Wuhan and surrounding areas under indefinite quarantine .
Following an online uproar over the government ’ s treatment of Dr. Li Wenliang , the ruling Communist Party said it was sending an investigation team to “ fully investigate relevant issues raised by the public ” regarding the case .
Li , 34 , was one of eight medical professionals in Wuhan who tried to warn colleagues and others when the government did not .
He wrote on his Weibo microblog account that on Dec. 3 he saw a test sample that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to SARS , which killed nearly 800 people in a 2002-2003 outbreak .
Li wrote that after he reported seven patients had contracted the virus , he was visited on Jan. 3 by police , who forced him to sign a statement admitting to having spread falsehoods and warning him of punishment if he continued .
Li wrote that he developed a cough on Jan. 10 , fever on Jan. 11 and was hospitalized on Jan. 12 , after which he began having trouble breathing .
His death was confirmed early Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and outrage at the way he and the seven others were treated .
Even the staunchly pro-government Global Times newspaper noted the eight whistleblowers ’ treatment “ was evidence of local authorities ’ incompetence to tackle a contagious and deadly virus.
” Most of the deaths from the virus have been of older people with existing health problems , but disease specialists said Li ’ s work may have increased his exposure and made his illness severe .
“ It ’ s generally believed that an increased dose of a virus or pathogen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of disease , ” said Dr. David Heymann , a professor of infectious diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine .
Paul Hunter , a professor of health protection at the University of East Anglia , noted that opthamologists sit very close to their patients during examinations .
“ One would expect that an opthamologist would be exposed to a much higher dose of the virus if he was treating a patient who was actually infected , ” he said .
” It ’ s plausible his death was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t know for certain.
” “ Everyone is starting to reject the ship and we are getting desperate , ” she said .
“ We hope we can go somewhere so that passengers can land.
” At least four other cruise ships , two foreign and two Japanese-operated , are headed to Japan by the end of the month , Transport Minister Kazuyoshi Akaba said , urging port authorities around the country to turn them away .
“ A people ’ s war against the virus has been launched , ” Xi was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using timeworn communist terminology .
“ We hope the U.S. side can assess the epidemic in a calm manner and adopt and adjust its response measures in a reasonable way.
” WUHAN RESIDENTS SAY GETTING HELP NOT EASY Wuhan has added thousands of treatment beds by building two new hospitals and converting gymnasiums and other spaces into places where patients can be housed in isolation .
Thousands of military and civilian medical workers have been sent to the city .
Chen Jiaxin , 22 , told The Associated Press by phone from Wuhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28 but had to return home because no hospital would accept him .
When he called for an ambulance after his father ’ s fever spiked on Thursday morning , Chen said he was told 400 people were waiting ahead of him .

A TV crew film a cruise ship Diamond Princess anchoring off the Yokohama Port Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020, in Yokohama, near Tokyo. Japanese health officials are conducting extensive medical checks on all 3,700 passengers and crew of the cruise ship that returned to the country after one passenger tested positive for the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) ASSOCIATED PRESS
BEIJING (AP) — China’s top Communist Party investigators are looking into “relevant issues raised by the public” about a whistleblower doctor who was threatened by police after publicizing his concerns about the new virus and has now died from it. The party’s announcement Friday came as the death toll in mainland China rose to at least 636. The outbreak has now infected more than 31,200 people worldwide.
Cruise ship passengers faced more woe as Japan reported 41 new cases on a quarantined ship and turned away another.
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President Xi Jinping spoke by phone with President Donald Trump, who said the U.S. was working closely with China to help. Xi urged the U.S. to “respond reasonably” to the outbreak, echoing complaints that some countries are overreacting by restricting Chinese travelers. Those complaints come even while China keeps around 50 million residents of the hardest-hit city of Wuhan and surrounding areas under indefinite quarantine.
A look at the latest developments:
TREATMENT OF WHISTLEBLOWER DOCTOR INVESTIGATED
Following an online uproar over the government’s treatment of Dr. Li Wenliang, the ruling Communist Party said it was sending an investigation team to “fully investigate relevant issues raised by the public” regarding the case.
Li, 34, was one of eight medical professionals in Wuhan who tried to warn colleagues and others when the government did not. He wrote on his Weibo microblog account that on Dec. 3 he saw a test sample that indicated the presence of a coronavirus similar to SARS, which killed nearly 800 people in a 2002-2003 outbreak.
Li wrote that after he reported seven patients had contracted the virus, he was visited on Jan. 3 by police, who forced him to sign a statement admitting to having spread falsehoods and warning him of punishment if he continued.
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Li wrote that he developed a cough on Jan. 10, fever on Jan. 11 and was hospitalized on Jan. 12, after which he began having trouble breathing. His death was confirmed early Friday, prompting a deluge of messages of mourning and outrage at the way he and the seven others were treated. Even the staunchly pro-government Global Times newspaper noted the eight whistleblowers’ treatment “was evidence of local authorities’ incompetence to tackle a contagious and deadly virus.”
Most of the deaths from the virus have been of older people with existing health problems, but disease specialists said Li’s work may have increased his exposure and made his illness severe.
“It’s generally believed that an increased dose of a virus or pathogen in some persons can cause increased severity of disease,” said Dr. David Heymann, a professor of infectious diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Paul Hunter, a professor of health protection at the University of East Anglia, noted that opthamologists sit very close to their patients during examinations. “One would expect that an opthamologist would be exposed to a much higher dose of the virus if he was treating a patient who was actually infected,” he said. ”It’s plausible his death was a dose-related issue, but we don’t know for certain.”
CRUISE SHIP WOES
Japan confirmed 41 new cases of the virus on the quarantined Diamond Princess, adding to 20 escorted off the ship earlier. The nearly 3,700 passengers and crew still on board remain under 14-day quarantines.
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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said foreign passengers on another ship, Holland America’s Westerdam, won’t be allowed into Japan. He said suspected virus patients were on board, but the Seattle-based operator denied anyone had virus.
The ship with more than 2,000 people was currently near Ishigaki, one of Okinawa’s outer islands, and was seeking another port, said Overseas Travel Agency official Mie Matsubara.
“Everyone is starting to reject the ship and we are getting desperate,” she said. “We hope we can go somewhere so that passengers can land.”
At least four other cruise ships, two foreign and two Japanese-operated, are headed to Japan by the end of the month, Transport Minister Kazuyoshi Akaba said, urging port authorities around the country to turn them away.
XI, TRUMP TALK VIRUS RESPONSE, TRADE
China’s state media said President Xi Jinping urged the U.S. to “respond reasonably” to the virus outbreak in a phone call with President Donald Trump.
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“A people’s war against the virus has been launched,” Xi was quoted as saying by broadcaster CCTV, using timeworn communist terminology. “We hope the U.S. side can assess the epidemic in a calm manner and adopt and adjust its response measures in a reasonable way.”
Beijing has complained that the U.S. was flying its citizens out of Wuhan but not providing any assistance to China.
Trump later tweeted that “great discipline is taking place in China” and Xi was leading strongly in the fight against the virus.
Xi said China has “made the most comprehensive and strict measures of prevention and control” and the efforts are “gradually yielding positive results.”
WUHAN RESIDENTS SAY GETTING HELP NOT EASY
Wuhan has added thousands of treatment beds by building two new hospitals and converting gymnasiums and other spaces into places where patients can be housed in isolation. Thousands of military and civilian medical workers have been sent to the city.
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Still, those inside the quarantine area speak of a medical system completely overwhelmed.
Chen Jiaxin, 22, told The Associated Press by phone from Wuhan that his father fell ill on Jan. 28 but had to return home because no hospital would accept him. When he called for an ambulance after his father’s fever spiked on Thursday morning, Chen said he was told 400 people were waiting ahead of him.
“We were just told to wait and wait,” he said.
Mother-of-two Rong Qin, 32, said she was told by local officials that even those with a positive diagnosis have to wait for beds.
“As far as I know, there have already been many people queuing up for help,” said Rong, whose 67-year-old father has been feeling unwell and is awaiting his test results.
“What I am hoping now is to put my father in a public quarantine facility so that he doesn’t pass the infection on to other family members,” she said.
Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo. Associated Press writer Foster Klug in Yokohama, Japan, contributed to this report.


huffpost--2020-04-08--Ellen DeGeneres Slammed For Comparing Mansion Quarantine To 'Being In Jail'

Today in which celebrity embarrasses themselves in quarantine : Ellen DeGeneres would like your attention .
The daytime talk show host relaunched her eponymous talk show after a three-week hiatus amid the coronavirus pandemic and offered up the expected platitudes ( “ I want to set you free ” ) and some celebrity guests ( John Legend and Chrissy Teigen , of course ) .
But she also managed to spark some backlash for joking , from her palatial mansion in Southern California , that “ One thing I ’ ve learned from being in quarantine is that ... this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mostly because I ’ ve been wearing the same clothes for 10 days and everyone in here is gay , ” she quipped in a YouTube video that ’ s racked up hundreds of thousands of views .
While making the underfunded and crumbling criminal justice system the punchline of a joke isn ’ t the best move in any climate , the incarcerated population is particularly in jeopardy during the ongoing public health crisis , as coronavirus sweeps through prisons across the country at an alarming rate .
Amid calls for nonviolent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic , steadily increasing numbers of inmates have tested positive for the respiratory virus .
The Rikers Island jail complex in New York has been one of the hardest-hit facilities , with confirmed cases for 167 inmates and 137 staff members , as social distancing is a near impossibility due to overcrowding .
On Sunday , an inmate at the Rikers became the first in a city jail to die after contracting COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
So , naturally , DeGeneres ’ joke didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What a great look for Ellen as thousands of people sit in actual jail cells just hoping for the best without soap and basic protections https : //t.co/RBytt0Kl4B — Caroline Darya Framke ( @ carolineframke ) April 7 , 2020 People so far from being impacted by the criminal justice system love to use it as free labor and punch lines .
Fuck you Ellen .
Quarantine isn ’ t jail .
Fame isn ’ t jail .
Jail is jail .
https : //t.co/sgea84nk0q — gia onomatopoeia ( @ missgiagiagia ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old daughter is considered an `` essential employee '' .
She 's a fast food worker .
She 's exposed EVERY DAY .
No one GAF about Ellen 's privilege pampers a $ $ stuck in her mansion .
Show me @ ellen working the lines @ the grocery store .
NO mask , NO gloves .
Then I might care .
— Share the Realness🌹🦺✊🏽 # Bernie2020 ( @ opnmindtexas ) April 7 , 2020 Her prison crack notwithstanding , DeGeneres offered her gratitude toward essential workers and others on the frontlines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I walk out and people applaud me , but today I ’ m applauding you — nurses , doctors , hospital staff , first responders , supermarket employees , truck drivers , everyone who keeps us going , thank you so much , ” she said .
DeGeneres has yet to respond to the backlash , but she ’ s not exactly a stranger to the internet turning against her .
She courted a fair bit of controversy last year stemming from photos of herself palling around with former President George W. Bush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights , among other issues .
Most recently , she was accused of being “ one of the meanest people alive ” in a viral Twitter thread that asked people to submit their own stories about her alleged behavior .

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Today in which celebrity embarrasses themselves in quarantine: Ellen DeGeneres would like your attention.
The daytime talk show host relaunched her eponymous talk show after a three-week hiatus amid the coronavirus pandemic and offered up the expected platitudes (“I want to set you free”) and some celebrity guests (John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, of course).
Advertisement
But she also managed to spark some backlash for joking, from her palatial mansion in Southern California, that “One thing I’ve learned from being in quarantine is that ... this is like being in jail.”
“Mostly because I’ve been wearing the same clothes for 10 days and everyone in here is gay,” she quipped in a YouTube video that’s racked up hundreds of thousands of views.
While making the underfunded and crumbling criminal justice system the punchline of a joke isn’t the best move in any climate, the incarcerated population is particularly in jeopardy during the ongoing public health crisis, as coronavirus sweeps through prisons across the country at an alarming rate.
Advertisement
Amid calls for nonviolent offenders to be released on bail during the pandemic, steadily increasing numbers of inmates have tested positive for the respiratory virus. The Rikers Island jail complex in New York has been one of the hardest-hit facilities, with confirmed cases for 167 inmates and 137 staff members, as social distancing is a near impossibility due to overcrowding.
On Sunday, an inmate at the Rikers became the first in a city jail to die after contracting COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
So, naturally, DeGeneres’ joke didn’t sit well with many on social media.
What a great look for Ellen as thousands of people sit in actual jail cells just hoping for the best without soap and basic protections https://t.co/RBytt0Kl4B — Caroline Darya Framke (@carolineframke) April 7, 2020
People are literally dying in jail from COVID-19 while Ellen is out here making jokes about it. https://t.co/Z8cdnMDF5b — Rebecca Kavanagh (@DrRJKavanagh) April 8, 2020
People so far from being impacted by the criminal justice system love to use it as free labor and punch lines. Fuck you Ellen. Quarantine isn’t jail. Fame isn’t jail. Jail is jail. https://t.co/sgea84nk0q — gia onomatopoeia (@missgiagiagia) April 7, 2020
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My 19 year old daughter is considered an "essential employee". She's a fast food worker. She's exposed EVERY DAY.
No one GAF about Ellen's privilege pampers a$$ stuck in her mansion.
Show me @ellen working the lines @ the grocery store. NO mask, NO gloves. Then I might care. — Share the Realness🌹🦺✊🏽#Bernie2020 (@opnmindtexas) April 7, 2020
Her prison crack notwithstanding, DeGeneres offered her gratitude toward essential workers and others on the frontlines during the coronavirus crisis.