huffpost--2020-03-31--Epidemiologist Slams ‘Malpractice’ In New York Times' Trump Coverage

A Yale epidemiologist hit The New York Times on Tuesday morning over its coronavirus coverage after the paper ran a headline misrepresenting a claim by President Donald Trump on the state of coronavirus testing across America as true .
“ Trump Suggests Lack of Testing Is No Longer a Problem .
Governors Disagree , ” read the headline to a March 30 story that was also featured prominently on the paper ’ s website homepage .
The headline for the New York Times story that sparked outrage .
“ If we don ’ t have scale-up of testing , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months , ” he went on .
“ There is no debate on this , why frame it like there is one ?
Next : Trump says earth flat , scientists say otherwise.
” Later , he added : “ It matters that you ’ re failing , and it ’ s not about a lowly reader trying to score points , but the fact that @ NYTimes [ is ] eliding , equivocating on the federal response has consequences for millions of people.
” The Times is often accused of engaging in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weight to both sides of a particular argument when the facts heavily favor one side .
( Think : when a cable news station would ask a climate change denier for comment , when we know climate change is real . )
In its coverage of Trump , the Times is often accused of “ balancing ” a story by printing Trump ’ s comments as fact — he did say those things , after all — even as it describes the reality of a situation , a practice that can be particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health crisis , though , means that getting the correct information out to readers comes with extremely high stakes .
By The New York Times ’ own reporting , officials are still struggling to make up for lost time on testing for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
Due to flaws in testing kits , regulatory delays , a “ business-as-usual ” approach and a lack of leadership , the federal government royally botched America ’ s response to the virus , several Times reporters wrote in a story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 50 sources .
The end result is that an unknown number of people have not been able to get tested for COVID-19 , exacerbating the spread of the virus .
This is journalistic malpractice .
If we do n't have scale-up of testing , we will be in lock-down for months & months .
There is no debate on this , why frame it like there is one ?
Next : Trump says earth flat , scientists say otherwise .
@ jmartNYT & @ maggieNYT https : //t.co/T8OFxwITef — Gregg Gonsalves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 As the criticism gained more attention , Jonathan Martin , one of the reporters who worked on the story that sparked the tweets , took time to respond : “ you ’ re picking the wrong fight , move along.
” Martin ’ s remark took the wrong tone , setting Gonsalves off on a series of tweets explaining the problem with the Times ’ coverage .
“ From [ Times reporter Peter Baker ’ s ] now infamous hot take of @ realDonaldTrump as he ‘ struggles to find the balance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your collective reporting on the political aspects of this have been off-the-mark , ” he wrote .
( Baker ’ s story was titled “ For Trump , Coronavirus Proves to Be an Enemy He Can ’ t Tweet Away.
” ) Gonsalves went on : “ Everything is a Punch & Judy Show , and the real story of the absolute and continuing failure of the response to # coronavirus gets obscured in your reporting as ‘ who ’ s winning the day ’ in DC.
” Sorry Jonathan , I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are , how important you think the @ NYTimes is as a newspaper , but the political desk has been abysmal on this .
I say this as someone who has worked on infectious diseases for 30+ years .
1/ — Gregg Gonsalves ( @ gregggonsalves ) March 31 , 2020 And on : “ There is tremendous reporting going on on the pandemic , but it ’ s from places like @ statnews or @ propublica who take their task with a bit more seriousness than your political reporters.
” He also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one headline , describing how the problem of allowing the politics of the day lead the front page during a pandemic does readers a disservice by limiting their knowledge of how the disease is spreading .
“ This is an emergency , act like it , ” he said .
Later , he added : “ The political desk is out of their league on this .
When you ’ re in DC and also a hammer everything looks like a nail , so you get no context , deeper understanding of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of practice.
” To prove he wasn ’ t “ a 100 % hater ” Gonsalves peppered in a little praise for the paper ― for its health reporters and select opinion columnists , anyway .

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A Yale epidemiologist hit The New York Times on Tuesday morning over its coronavirus coverage after the paper ran a headline misrepresenting a claim by President Donald Trump on the state of coronavirus testing across America as true.
“Trump Suggests Lack of Testing Is No Longer a Problem. Governors Disagree,” read the headline to a March 30 story that was also featured prominently on the paper’s website homepage.
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“This is journalistic malpractice,” tweeted Gregg Gonsalves, assistant professor of epidemiology at Yale and co-director of the school’s Global Health Justice Partnership.
The headline for the New York Times story that sparked outrage. The New York Times
“If we don’t have scale-up of testing, we will be in lock-down for months & months,” he went on. “There is no debate on this, why frame it like there is one? Next: Trump says earth flat, scientists say otherwise.”
Later, he added: “It matters that you’re failing, and it’s not about a lowly reader trying to score points, but the fact that @NYTimes [is] eliding, equivocating on the federal response has consequences for millions of people.”
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The Times is often accused of engaging in “both-sides-ism” — or giving improper weight to both sides of a particular argument when the facts heavily favor one side. (Think: when a cable news station would ask a climate change denier for comment, when we know climate change is real.) In its coverage of Trump, the Times is often accused of “balancing” a story by printing Trump’s comments as fact — he did say those things, after all — even as it describes the reality of a situation, a practice that can be particularly glaring in its headlines. The current public health crisis, though, means that getting the correct information out to readers comes with extremely high stakes.
By The New York Times’ own reporting, officials are still struggling to make up for lost time on testing for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Due to flaws in testing kits, regulatory delays, a “business-as-usual” approach and a lack of leadership, the federal government royally botched America’s response to the virus, several Times reporters wrote in a story first published March 28 that drew on more than 50 sources.
The end result is that an unknown number of people have not been able to get tested for COVID-19, exacerbating the spread of the virus.
This is journalistic malpractice. If we don't have scale-up of testing, we will be in lock-down for months & months. There is no debate on this, why frame it like there is one? Next: Trump says earth flat, scientists say otherwise. @jmartNYT & @maggieNYT https://t.co/T8OFxwITef — Gregg Gonsalves (@gregggonsalves) March 31, 2020
As the criticism gained more attention, Jonathan Martin, one of the reporters who worked on the story that sparked the tweets, took time to respond: “you’re picking the wrong fight, move along.”
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The New York Times did not respond to a request for comment.
you’re picking the wrong fight, move along — Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) March 31, 2020
Martin’s remark took the wrong tone, setting Gonsalves off on a series of tweets explaining the problem with the Times’ coverage.
“Sorry, Jonathan, I don’t care how important you think you are,” Gonsalves began.
“From [Times reporter Peter Baker’s] now infamous hot take of @realDonaldTrump as he ‘struggles to find the balance between public reassurance and Panglossian dismissiveness’ your collective reporting on the political aspects of this have been off-the-mark,” he wrote. (Baker’s story was titled “For Trump, Coronavirus Proves to Be an Enemy He Can’t Tweet Away.”)
Gonsalves went on: “Everything is a Punch & Judy Show, and the real story of the absolute and continuing failure of the response to #coronavirus gets obscured in your reporting as ‘who’s winning the day’ in DC.”
Sorry Jonathan, I don't care how important you think you are, how important you think the @NYTimes is as a newspaper, but the political desk has been abysmal on this. I say this as someone who has worked on infectious diseases for 30+ years. 1/ — Gregg Gonsalves (@gregggonsalves) March 31, 2020
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And on: “There is tremendous reporting going on on the pandemic, but it’s from places like @statnews or @propublica who take their task with a bit more seriousness than your political reporters.” He also made clear that his criticism went beyond one headline, describing how the problem of allowing the politics of the day lead the front page during a pandemic does readers a disservice by limiting their knowledge of how the disease is spreading.
“This is an emergency, act like it,” he said. Later, he added: “The political desk is out of their league on this. When you’re in DC and also a hammer everything looks like a nail, so you get no context, deeper understanding of the issues that science/health reporters understand by years of practice.” To prove he wasn’t “a 100% hater” Gonsalves peppered in a little praise for the paper ― for its health reporters and select opinion columnists, anyway.


huffpost--2020-03-31--Judges Stymie Abortion Bans In Several States Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

DES MOINES , Iowa ( AP ) — Federal judges on Monday temporarily blocked efforts in Texas and Alabama to ban abortions during the coronavirus pandemic , handing Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers a victory as clinics across the U.S. filed lawsuits to stop states from trying to shutter them during the outbreak .
A new Ohio order is also unconstitutional if it prevents abortions from being carried out , a separate judge ruled Monday .
The ruling instructed clinics to determine on a case-by-case basis if an abortion can be delayed to maximize resources — such as preserving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
If the abortion is deemed necessary and can ’ t be delayed , it ’ s declared legally essential .
The rulings indicated judges were pushing back on Republican-controlled states including abortion in sweeping orders as the outbreak grows in the U.S .
In Texas , the ruling came down after state Attorney General Ken Paxton , a Republican , said abortion was included in a statewide ban on nonessential surgeries .
But U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel said the “ Supreme Court has spoken clearly ” on a woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortion provider in Texas , Whole Woman ’ s Health , said it had canceled more than 150 appointments in the days after the Texas order went into effect .
We are grateful for today ’ s emergency order , which provides our patients with relief as they try to manage their personal lives amidst the COVID-19 pandemic .
People must be allowed to get the healthcare they need especially now during these unsettling times .
# abortionishealthcare pic.twitter.com/hDiCvMyfTC — Planned Parenthood ( @ PPsouthtexas ) March 31 , 2020 The rulings happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa and Oklahoma , after governors in those states similarly ordered a stop to non-emergency procedures and specifically included abortion among them .
The lawsuits were filed by Planned Parenthood , the American Civil Liberties Union , the Center for Reproductive Rights and local lawyers in each state .
Their aim , like abortion providers in Texas , is to stop state officials from prohibiting abortions as part of temporary policy changes related to the coronavirus pandemic .
Oklahoma Gov .
Kevin Stitt announced Friday that abortions were included in his executive order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procedures until April 7 , unless the procedure was necessary to prevent serious health risks to the mother .
Stitt said the order was needed to help preserve the state ’ s limited supply of personal protective equipment , like surgical masks and gloves .
“ My office will vigorously defend the governor ’ s executive order and the necessity to give precedence to essential medical procedures during this daunting public health crisis , ” Hunter ’ s statement said .
“ Make no mistake , this lawsuit will itself drain significant resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts , and likely , directly and indirectly , bring harm to Oklahomans as a result.
” Thompson wrote the state ’ s concerns about conserving medical equipment during the pandemic , does not “ outweigh the serious , and , in some cases , permanent , harms imposed by the denial of an individual ’ s right to privacy.
” “ Patients that have already had their appointments canceled have been devastated ; in many instances the calls cancelling the appointments have ended in tears , ” lawyers for the clinics wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortion clinics that sued last year to try to thwart a law that bans most abortions after a first detectable fetal heartbeat are asking a court to speed up its decision in that case and to consider a recent coronavirus order by the state health director .
In filings Monday , the groups ’ attorneys argued “ the state is again attempting to ban abortions ” through Dr. Amy Acton ’ s directive barring all “ non-essential ” procedures and Attorney General Dave Yost ’ s threats that it will be rigidly enforced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delayed , and in some cases , denied altogether , ” the lawsuit states .
“ As a result , Iowa patients will be forced to carry pregnancies to term , resulting in a deprivation of their fundamental right to determine when and whether to have a child or to add to their existing families .
”

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Federal judges on Monday temporarily blocked efforts in Texas and Alabama to ban abortions during the coronavirus pandemic, handing Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers a victory as clinics across the U.S. filed lawsuits to stop states from trying to shutter them during the outbreak.
A new Ohio order is also unconstitutional if it prevents abortions from being carried out, a separate judge ruled Monday. The ruling instructed clinics to determine on a case-by-case basis if an abortion can be delayed to maximize resources — such as preserving personal protective equipment — needed to fight the coronavirus. If the abortion is deemed necessary and can’t be delayed, it’s declared legally essential.
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The rulings indicated judges were pushing back on Republican-controlled states including abortion in sweeping orders as the outbreak grows in the U.S. In Texas, the ruling came down after state Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, said abortion was included in a statewide ban on nonessential surgeries.
But U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel said the “Supreme Court has spoken clearly” on a woman’s right to abortion. One abortion provider in Texas, Whole Woman’s Health, said it had canceled more than 150 appointments in the days after the Texas order went into effect.
“There can be no outright ban on such a procedure,” Yeakel wrote. Paxton said the state would appeal.
We are grateful for today’s emergency order, which provides our patients with relief as they try to manage their personal lives amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. People must be allowed to get the healthcare they need especially now during these unsettling times. #abortionishealthcare pic.twitter.com/hDiCvMyfTC — Planned Parenthood (@PPsouthtexas) March 31, 2020
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The rulings happened Monday as lawsuits were also filed in Iowa and Oklahoma, after governors in those states similarly ordered a stop to non-emergency procedures and specifically included abortion among them.
The lawsuits were filed by Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Reproductive Rights and local lawyers in each state. Their aim, like abortion providers in Texas, is to stop state officials from prohibiting abortions as part of temporary policy changes related to the coronavirus pandemic.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Friday that abortions were included in his executive order banning all elective surgeries and minor medical procedures until April 7, unless the procedure was necessary to prevent serious health risks to the mother. Stitt said the order was needed to help preserve the state’s limited supply of personal protective equipment, like surgical masks and gloves.
A spokesman for Stitt referred questions about the challenge to Attorney General Mike Hunter, who vowed in a statement to defend the ban.
“My office will vigorously defend the governor’s executive order and the necessity to give precedence to essential medical procedures during this daunting public health crisis,” Hunter’s statement said. “Make no mistake, this lawsuit will itself drain significant resources, medical and legal, from emergency efforts, and likely, directly and indirectly, bring harm to Oklahomans as a result.”
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Monday night, U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson issued a temporary restraining order against Alabama’s order, saying the ruling with be in effect through April 13 while he considers additional arguments.
Thompson wrote the state’s concerns about conserving medical equipment during the pandemic, does not “outweigh the serious, and, in some cases, permanent, harms imposed by the denial of an individual’s right to privacy.”
Attorneys for the Alabama clinics said facilities had canceled appointments for 17 people scheduled this week.
“Patients that have already had their appointments canceled have been devastated; in many instances the calls cancelling the appointments have ended in tears,” lawyers for the clinics wrote.
Alabama closed many nonessential businesses with a state health order, effective Saturday. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said earlier Monday the state would not offer a “blanket exemption” to abortion clinics.
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In Ohio, Planned Parenthood and abortion clinics that sued last year to try to thwart a law that bans most abortions after a first detectable fetal heartbeat are asking a court to speed up its decision in that case and to consider a recent coronavirus order by the state health director. In filings Monday, the groups’ attorneys argued “the state is again attempting to ban abortions” through Dr. Amy Acton’s directive barring all “non-essential” procedures and Attorney General Dave Yost’s threats that it will be rigidly enforced.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds spokesman Pat Garrett said the governor “is focused on protecting Iowans from an unprecedented public health disaster, and she suspended all elective surgeries and procedures to preserve Iowa’s health care resources.”
Reynolds said Sunday the move was not based on her personal ideology but a broad order to halt nonessential procedures to conserve medical equipment.
The Iowa lawsuit said abortion procedures do not require extensive use of medical equipment and do not use N95 respirators, the devices in shortest supply during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Patients’ abortions will be delayed, and in some cases, denied altogether,” the lawsuit states. “As a result, Iowa patients will be forced to carry pregnancies to term, resulting in a deprivation of their fundamental right to determine when and whether to have a child or to add to their existing families.”
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huffpost--2020-03-31--Liberty University To Comply With Virus-Related Ban On In-Person Classes

RICHMOND , Va. ( AP ) — Virginia ’ s governor on Monday ordered all higher education institutions to halt any in-person instruction amid the coronavirus pandemic , a move likely directed at Liberty University , which initially declined to stop all on-campus teaching .
The evangelical college in Lynchburg led by President Jerry Falwell Jr. has faced intense criticism over its decision to welcome students back to campus last week after their spring break .
As of Monday , the only in-person teaching taking place was flight instructing , and that was going to be suspended to comply with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liberty spokesman Scott Lamb .
At least three Liberty students have been tested for COVID-19 , the school said in a statement Monday .
One of those , a recent graduate who was taking additional online classes while living in the area with family , tested positive .
One test was negative and one was pending , the statement said .
Lynchburg currently has four confirmed COVID-19 cases , according to the latest information available from the state Department of Health .
Falwell , one of President Donald Trump ’ s earliest and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ characterized concerns about the virus as overblown .
He has accused the news media of stoking fear and suggested coverage was politically motivated to hurt the president .
The university has said it will comply with all applicable governmental directives and guidance concerning COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus that has crippled economies and upended daily life around much of the world .
But it also said two week ago that certain programs such as aviation , osteopathic medicine and nursing , and certain types of performance classes , like labs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that students could only take them in person .
College officials said at the time that they would ensure no classes had more than 100 people .
Eli Best , a sophomore engineering major from Alexandria in northern Virginia , said he went home for spring break and returned to campus because he had class projects that he thought needed to be finished and required the use of the on-campus machine shop .
Best said Monday that all the shops and equipment he needed had since been shut down , and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia and death .

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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s governor on Monday ordered all higher education institutions to halt any in-person instruction amid the coronavirus pandemic, a move likely directed at Liberty University, which initially declined to stop all on-campus teaching.
The evangelical college in Lynchburg led by President Jerry Falwell Jr. has faced intense criticism over its decision to welcome students back to campus last week after their spring break.
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As of Monday, the only in-person teaching taking place was flight instructing, and that was going to be suspended to comply with the governor’s order, said Liberty spokesman Scott Lamb.
At least three Liberty students have been tested for COVID-19, the school said in a statement Monday. One of those, a recent graduate who was taking additional online classes while living in the area with family, tested positive. One test was negative and one was pending, the statement said. Lynchburg currently has four confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to the latest information available from the state Department of Health.
Falwell, one of President Donald Trump’s earliest and most ardent high-profile supporters, has generally characterized concerns about the virus as overblown. He has accused the news media of stoking fear and suggested coverage was politically motivated to hurt the president.
The university has said it will comply with all applicable governmental directives and guidance concerning COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus that has crippled economies and upended daily life around much of the world.
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Jerry Falwell Jr. is the president of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Jonathan Drake / Reuters
But it also said two week ago that certain programs such as aviation, osteopathic medicine and nursing, and certain types of performance classes, like labs, could not be offered online, and that students could only take them in person. College officials said at the time that they would ensure no classes had more than 100 people.
Eli Best, a sophomore engineering major from Alexandria in northern Virginia, said he went home for spring break and returned to campus because he had class projects that he thought needed to be finished and required the use of the on-campus machine shop.
“I didn’t see any other way to complete them,” he said.
Best said Monday that all the shops and equipment he needed had since been shut down, and he returned home.
Northam urged Falwell last week to rethink “his message that invites and encourages students to return to campus.” Liberty responded by accusing Northam of making ”false accusations.”
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City officials and the top local public health official have fielded complaints from concerned residents and Liberty parents about the school’s response.


huffpost--2020-03-26--Woman Charged With Terrorist Threat After Coughing On $35,000 Worth Of Groceries

A woman has been charged with several felony and misdemeanor counts , including one for a terrorist threat , after potentially contaminating more than $ 35,000 worth of produce and other items by coughing on food in a “ twisted prank ” in northeastern Pennsylvania .
On Wednesday , Gerrity ’ s Supermarket posted on Facebook about a woman who is a “ chronic problem in the community ” and how she allegedly coughed all over its “ fresh produce , and a small section of our bakery , meat case and grocery.
” “ While there is little doubt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very twisted prank , we will not take any chances with the health and well-being of our customers .
We ￼had no choice but to throw out all product she came in contact with .
Working closely with the Hanover Township health inspector , we identified every area that she was in , we disposed of the product and thoroughly cleaned and disinfected everything , ” the store ’ s co-owner , Joe Fasula , wrote in the post .
Fasula estimates that the “ total loss ” is “ well over $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ checking to see if our insurance company will cover it , but even if they do , our rates will surely go up next year.
” “ Police were called to the business after Cirko entered the store making verbal threats that she was sick while intentionally coughing and spitting saliva/bile on produce/meat/merchandise , ” according to the release .
“ Cirko continued this behavior in several aisles before attempting to steal a 12-pack of beer as she was being ordered to leave the store by employees.
” Fasula in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absolutely sick to my stomach about the loss of food .
While it is always a shame when food is wasted , in these times when so many people are worried about the security of our food supply , it is even more disturbing.
” While it ’ s unclear if the woman has COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus responsible for killing more than 20,000 people worldwide , Fasula said that the district attorney ’ s office “ will make every effort to see that she is tested.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counts of terrorist threats , threats to use a “ biological agent , ” and criminal mischief , as well as misdemeanor counts criminal attempt to commit retail theft and disorderly conduct .
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 8 .
As for Fasula , he told HuffPost that he ’ s not looking for “ justice ” but that he hopes to deter people from doing this “ anywhere , to any grocery store.
” Since yesterday , Fasula said that his team has been “ amazing ” in the aftermath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appalled .
At first stunned at what was going on , but they all jumped in .
They did everything they could to isolate the area and keep customers away from it , ” he said .
Fasula added that employees went into work at 4 a.m. on Thursday morning to restock the shelves that were affected and that the general consensus has been that “ they just can ’ t believe something like that happened .
”

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A woman has been charged with several felony and misdemeanor counts, including one for a terrorist threat, after potentially contaminating more than $35,000 worth of produce and other items by coughing on food in a “twisted prank” in northeastern Pennsylvania.
On Wednesday, Gerrity’s Supermarket posted on Facebook about a woman who is a “chronic problem in the community” and how she allegedly coughed all over its “fresh produce, and a small section of our bakery, meat case and grocery.”
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“While there is little doubt this woman was doing it as a￼ very twisted prank, we will not take any chances with the health and well-being of our customers. We ￼had no choice but to throw out all product she came in contact with. Working closely with the Hanover Township health inspector, we identified every area that she was in, we disposed of the product and thoroughly cleaned and disinfected everything,” the store’s co-owner, Joe Fasula, wrote in the post.
Fasula estimates that the “total loss” is “well over $35,000,” and that the store is “checking to see if our insurance company will cover it, but even if they do, our rates will surely go up next year.”
The Hanover Township police department posted a press release on its Facebook page about the incident on Wednesday and updated it on Thursday, identifying the woman as Margaret Cirko.
“Police were called to the business after Cirko entered the store making verbal threats that she was sick while intentionally coughing and spitting saliva/bile on produce/meat/merchandise,” according to the release. “Cirko continued this behavior in several aisles before attempting to steal a 12-pack of beer as she was being ordered to leave the store by employees.”
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Fasula in his post wrote, “I am also absolutely sick to my stomach about the loss of food. While it is always a shame when food is wasted, in these times when so many people are worried about the security of our food supply, it is even more disturbing.”
While it’s unclear if the woman has COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus responsible for killing more than 20,000 people worldwide, Fasula said that the district attorney’s office “will make every effort to see that she is tested.”
Fasula said the office also told him it “will be aggressively pursuing numerous charges.”
The woman has been charged with felony counts of terrorist threats, threats to use a “biological agent,” and criminal mischief, as well as misdemeanor counts criminal attempt to commit retail theft and disorderly conduct. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 8.
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The police department said all updates on the incident will be shared in press releases on its Facebook page.
As for Fasula, he told HuffPost that he’s not looking for “justice” but that he hopes to deter people from doing this “anywhere, to any grocery store.” Since yesterday, Fasula said that his team has been “amazing” in the aftermath.
“Everybody was beside themselves and appalled. At first stunned at what was going on, but they all jumped in. They did everything they could to isolate the area and keep customers away from it,” he said.
Fasula added that employees went into work at 4 a.m. on Thursday morning to restock the shelves that were affected and that the general consensus has been that “they just can’t believe something like that happened.”
The U.S. Justice Department earlier this week sent a memo to federal law enforcement officials saying that they can prosecute certain coronavirus-related crimes as acts of terrorism.
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huffpost--2020-03-18--Trump Invokes Act To Marshal Private Sector Against Virus

Trump , now describing himself as a “ wartime president , ” said he was employing the Defense Production Act “ in case we need it ” as the government bolsters resources for an expected surge in cases of the virus .
Trump also said he will expand the nation ’ s testing capacity and deploy a Navy hospital ship to New York City , which is rapidly becoming the epicenter of a pandemic that has rattled the U.S. economy and rewritten the rules of American society .
A second ship will be deployed to the West Coast .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developments .
The Senate was taking up a financial aid package while the administration pushed forward its economic relief plan , which proposes $ 500 billion in checks to millions of Americans , with the first checks to come April 6 if Congress approves the plan .
Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau jointly announced that the U.S.-Canada border would be closed , except for essential personnel and for trade , as the nations try to reduce the spread of a virus afflicting people in both countries .
The administration has told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 people and the elderly to stay home while a pointed reminder was given to millennials to follow the guidelines and avoid social gatherings .
Trump likened the effort to the measures taken during World War II and said it would require national “ sacrifice.
” The Defense Production Act gives the president a broad set of authorities to shape the domestic industrial base so that it is capable of providing essential materials and goods needed in a national security crisis .
The law allows the president to require businesses and corporations to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and services .
It also allows the president to provide incentives for the domestic industrial base to expand the production and supply of critical materials and goods , according to a March 2 report by the Congressional Research Service .
The president , at the briefing , also continued his recent habit of referring to the coronavirus as the “ Chinese virus , ” which has been sharply criticized as racially inflammatory .
More than eight weeks after the first U.S. case of the virus was detected , the federal government is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
Compounding the problem , laboratories are reporting shortages of key supplies needed to run tests .
“ It ’ s important to remember that people without symptoms should not get tested , ” Pence said .
“ We want to make sure the supply of testing is there for those who need it most.
” Deborah Birx , who is coordinating the White House response , cautioned there has been a backlog of swabs waiting in labs to be tested , and as that backlog clears “ we will see the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the next few days .
Birx said the science discovering how long the virus can be transmissible on hard surfaces helped prompt the administration ’ s tightening of recommendations on social distancing .
“ None of us really understood the level of surface piece , ” she said .
“ We ’ re still working out how much is it by human-human transmission and how much is it by surface.
” She said : “ Don ’ t exposure yourself to surfaces outside the home .
”

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Managing dual health and economic crises, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he will invoke emergency powers that allow the government to marshal the private sector in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump, now describing himself as a “wartime president,” said he was employing the Defense Production Act “in case we need it” as the government bolsters resources for an expected surge in cases of the virus.
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Trump also said he will expand the nation’s testing capacity and deploy a Navy hospital ship to New York City, which is rapidly becoming the epicenter of a pandemic that has rattled the U.S. economy and rewritten the rules of American society. A second ship will be deployed to the West Coast.
The president also said the Housing and Urban Development Department will suspend foreclosures and evictions through April as a growing number of Americans face losing jobs and missing rent and mortgage payments.
The announcements came on a fast-moving day of developments. The Senate was taking up a financial aid package while the administration pushed forward its economic relief plan, which proposes $500 billion in checks to millions of Americans, with the first checks to come April 6 if Congress approves the plan.
Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau jointly announced that the U.S.-Canada border would be closed, except for essential personnel and for trade, as the nations try to reduce the spread of a virus afflicting people in both countries.
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Trump dismissed talk from his own treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, who suggested that the nation could face 20% unemployment at least in the short term.
That’s an “absolute total worst case scenario,” Trump said. “We’re no way near it.”
The administration has told Americans to avoid groups of more than 10 people and the elderly to stay home while a pointed reminder was given to millennials to follow the guidelines and avoid social gatherings. Trump likened the effort to the measures taken during World War II and said it would require national “sacrifice.”
“It’s a war,” he said. “I view it as a, in a sense, a wartime president. It’s a very tough situation.”
The Defense Production Act gives the president a broad set of authorities to shape the domestic industrial base so that it is capable of providing essential materials and goods needed in a national security crisis.
The law allows the president to require businesses and corporations to prioritize and accept contracts for required materials and services. It also allows the president to provide incentives for the domestic industrial base to expand the production and supply of critical materials and goods, according to a March 2 report by the Congressional Research Service.
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The president, at the briefing, also continued his recent habit of referring to the coronavirus as the “Chinese virus,” which has been sharply criticized as racially inflammatory.
“It’s not racist at all,” Trump said. “It comes from China, that’s all.”
More than eight weeks after the first U.S. case of the virus was detected, the federal government is still struggling to conduct widescale testing for the virus. Compounding the problem, laboratories are reporting shortages of key supplies needed to run tests.
Vice President Mike Pence reiterated Wednesday that testing should give priority to those most likely to have COVID-19.
“It’s important to remember that people without symptoms should not get tested,” Pence said. “We want to make sure the supply of testing is there for those who need it most.”
Deborah Birx, who is coordinating the White House response, cautioned there has been a backlog of swabs waiting in labs to be tested, and as that backlog clears “we will see the number of people diagnosed dramatically increased” in the next few days.
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Birx said the science discovering how long the virus can be transmissible on hard surfaces helped prompt the administration’s tightening of recommendations on social distancing. “None of us really understood the level of surface piece,” she said. “We’re still working out how much is it by human-human transmission and how much is it by surface.” She said: “Don’t exposure yourself to surfaces outside the home.”
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Associated Press writers Matthew Perrone and Lauran Neergaard contributed to this report.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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huffpost--2020-03-18--Bernie Sanders Proposes $2 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Effort

Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) announced a host of ideas to address the human and economic fallout from the spread of coronavirus on Tuesday night , including having the federal government send each U.S. household $ 2,000 for every month that the COVID-19 outbreak persists and empowering Medicare to cover all medical needs during the pandemic .
Sanders estimated that the emergency policy package would cost $ 2 trillion .
“ Our country and , in fact , the world are facing an unprecedented series of crises , ” Sanders said in an address live-streamed from Washington .
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that in this moment of crisis it is imperative that we stand together.
” In addition to the cash payments to all households , the Democratic presidential hopeful proposed short-term assistance for struggling small- and medium-sized businesses to help them meet payroll and an expansion of unemployment insurance to cover 100 % of pay up to $ 75,000 a year .
And he would halt evictions , foreclosures and utility shutoffs , as well as suspend mortgage payments for primary residences , utility bill payments and student loan payments for the length @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make certain that the government is getting this money into the hands of working families and the most vulnerable as quickly as possible , ” he said .
“ In other words , we don ’ t want some kind of bureaucratic arrangement where we ’ re talking about this for weeks and months , and people do not get the help that they need.
” Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) introduced an ambitious package of policies to confront the pandemic even as he acknowledged that Congress might not get behind all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ envisions creating another temporary agency to prevent the public health crisis from becoming a “ moneymaking opportunity for Corporate America and Wall Street.
” The agency would enforce a ban on the use of any bailout money for bonuses and stock buybacks , police a ban on pharmaceutical price gouging and investigate violations of those policies .
Sanders has for days been emphasizing how the pandemic had made more obvious the need to enact his signature policy of “ Medicare for All ” in order to eliminate people ’ s reluctance to seek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he focused on the immediate relief the federal government can provide by empowering Medicare to cover the cost of any medical care during the COVID-19 outbreak , including testing , treatment and an eventual vaccine .
“ This is kind of a no-brainer ― something that should have happened in our country many , many years ago , ” he said .
“ But in the midst of this crisis , what I believe we must do is empower Medicare to cover all medical bills.
” Sanders also called for a series of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s capacity to absorb a spike in demand for urgent medical attention .
He would expand community health centers that provide care for low-income Americans ― a longstanding priority of his ― and invoke the federal government ’ s wartime powers to scale up production of essential materials in short supply , such as ventilators and protective gear for medical workers .
And Sanders joined former Vice President Joe Biden in backing the immediate mobilization of the U.S. military to assist in relief and medical infrastructure construction efforts , calling for use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular .
The speech on Tuesday , delivered moments before it became clear that Biden had scored another series of primary victories against Sanders in key states including Illinois and Florida , expanded on remarks Sanders had made in a Thursday speech about the pandemic .
For example , Sanders had outlined an unemployment insurance expansion that would cover annual pre-pandemic pay of $ 60,000 ― a lower threshold than he announced Tuesday .
Earlier on Tuesday , Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
, who dropped out of the presidential race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for any federal bailout money for corporations .
Last week she rolled out a plan to allot $ 400 billion in funding for safety net providers , paid sick leave and an economic stimulus .

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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced a host of ideas to address the human and economic fallout from the spread of coronavirus on Tuesday night, including having the federal government send each U.S. household $2,000 for every month that the COVID-19 outbreak persists and empowering Medicare to cover all medical needs during the pandemic. Sanders estimated that the emergency policy package would cost $2 trillion.
“Our country and, in fact, the world are facing an unprecedented series of crises,” Sanders said in an address live-streamed from Washington. ”The main point to be made tonight is that in this moment of crisis it is imperative that we stand together.”
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In addition to the cash payments to all households, the Democratic presidential hopeful proposed short-term assistance for struggling small- and medium-sized businesses to help them meet payroll and an expansion of unemployment insurance to cover 100% of pay up to $75,000 a year. And he would halt evictions, foreclosures and utility shutoffs, as well as suspend mortgage payments for primary residences, utility bill payments and student loan payments for the length of the pandemic.
“We must make certain that the government is getting this money into the hands of working families and the most vulnerable as quickly as possible,” he said. “In other words, we don’t want some kind of bureaucratic arrangement where we’re talking about this for weeks and months, and people do not get the help that they need.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced an ambitious package of policies to confront the pandemic even as he acknowledged that Congress might not get behind all of them. MANDEL NGAN/Getty Images
The payment plan drew praise from entrepreneur Andrew Yang, a former Democratic presidential contender who has championed the idea of a universal basic income. “I like where Bernie’s head is,” he wrote on Twitter. (Yang endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden last Tuesday.)
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Sanders would centralize the authority for performing these functions under a new federal agency he is calling the Emergency Economic Crisis Finance Agency.
“This is kind of a no-brainer ― something that should have happened in our country many, many years ago.” - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
The senator from Vermont envisions creating another temporary agency to prevent the public health crisis from becoming a “moneymaking opportunity for Corporate America and Wall Street.” The agency would enforce a ban on the use of any bailout money for bonuses and stock buybacks, police a ban on pharmaceutical price gouging and investigate violations of those policies.
Sanders has for days been emphasizing how the pandemic had made more obvious the need to enact his signature policy of “Medicare for All” in order to eliminate people’s reluctance to seek medical attention.
On Tuesday night, he focused on the immediate relief the federal government can provide by empowering Medicare to cover the cost of any medical care during the COVID-19 outbreak, including testing, treatment and an eventual vaccine.
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“This is kind of a no-brainer ― something that should have happened in our country many, many years ago,” he said. “But in the midst of this crisis, what I believe we must do is empower Medicare to cover all medical bills.”
Sanders also called for a series of measures aimed at shoring up the country’s capacity to absorb a spike in demand for urgent medical attention. He would expand community health centers that provide care for low-income Americans ― a longstanding priority of his ― and invoke the federal government’s wartime powers to scale up production of essential materials in short supply, such as ventilators and protective gear for medical workers. And Sanders joined former Vice President Joe Biden in backing the immediate mobilization of the U.S. military to assist in relief and medical infrastructure construction efforts, calling for use of the Army Corps of Engineers in particular.
The speech on Tuesday, delivered moments before it became clear that Biden had scored another series of primary victories against Sanders in key states including Illinois and Florida, expanded on remarks Sanders had made in a Thursday speech about the pandemic. For example, Sanders had outlined an unemployment insurance expansion that would cover annual pre-pandemic pay of $60,000 ― a lower threshold than he announced Tuesday.
Sanders’s remarks are part of a burst of activity by Republican and Democratic lawmakers seeking to limit the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has sent many Americans into self-isolation.
Earlier on Tuesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who dropped out of the presidential race earlier this month, outlined stiff conditions for any federal bailout money for corporations. Last week she rolled out a plan to allot $400 billion in funding for safety net providers, paid sick leave and an economic stimulus.
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In addition, Democratic Sens. Cory Booker (N.J.), Michael Bennet (Colo.) and Sherrod Brown (Ohio) have introduced a proposal to immediately provide the vast majority of households $2,000 a month until employment rebounds to close to what it was before the pandemic.
As a presidential candidate, Sanders has insisted that his grassroots movement is capable of pressuring Congress into adopting ambitious policies.
But on Tuesday night, he flashed a bit of the legislative realism that has characterized his three-decade career in Congress. He suggested that not every idea he proposed would pass.


huffpost--2020-03-18--Trump Signs Coronavirus Aid Bill

Trump Signs Coronavirus Aid Bill

WASHINGTON ― After some changes that watered down its paid sick leave provisions over the weekend , a bipartisan bill offering financial relief to vulnerable Americans affected by the coronavirus was passed by the U.S. Senate and signed by Trump on Wednesday .
“ The Act makes emergency supplemental appropriations and other changes to law to help the Nation respond to the coronavirus outbreak , ” Trump said in a statement .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) called the measure “ well-intentioned ” and urged its passage on Wednesday .
But he said it had some “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid sick leave mandates for small business .
He pledged not to adjourn the Senate until it approves a broader bill to shore up the economy , rescue industries hit hard by the crisis , and put money directly into the hands of people who are suffering .
The House overwhelmingly passed the legislation early Saturday after changing it significantly over the weekend because of opposition by the White House and business groups to the bill ’ s paid leave provisions .
Democrats said the changes were needed to secure bipartisan support and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passage in the Republican-controlled Senate .
The bill now provides only 10 days of sick leave to workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic .
It offers paid family leave , but only to parents who are home with kids due to school closure .
The bill also includes carve-outs for many businesses , too .
Companies with more than 500 employees are exempt from the bill ’ s paid leave provisions .
Companies with fewer than 50 workers can apply for hardship relief and get out of providing both sick and family leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ price tag of the bill ― its paid leave provisions alone are estimated to cost $ 100 billion .
They also worried that mandating paid leave could bankrupt businesses , noting that many employers are already cutting jobs amid anemic demand as the economy hits a standstill .
“ My counsel is to gag and vote for it anyway , ” McConnell told reporters on Tuesday when asked about the misgivings in his caucus , urging critics to focus on addressing them in the next bailout bill .
Apart from its paid leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the coronavirus more widely available and expand unemployment insurance ― giving states more funding if there is a rise in job losses because of the virus .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) said she planned on pushing for more paid sick leave guarantees in coming negotiations with Republicans over a larger bailout package , something that is expected to take place this week .
“ The Democratic House will continue to make clear to the Administration that any emergency response package must put Families First before any aid to corporate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement on Tuesday .
One idea gaining traction on Capitol Hill is simply sending Americans cash to deal with the economic downturn sparked by the epidemic .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin gave the idea a boost on Tuesday while he announced the Trump administration was seeking at least $ 850 billion in funding from Congress to address the crisis , including aid to prop up struggling hospitality and airline industries .
“ We ’ re looking at sending checks to Americans immediately ... and I mean now , in the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a press conference at the White House .

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WASHINGTON ― After some changes that watered down its paid sick leave provisions over the weekend, a bipartisan bill offering financial relief to vulnerable Americans affected by the coronavirus was passed by the U.S. Senate and signed by Trump on Wednesday.
Forty-five Republicans joined all Democrats in voting to send the measure to his desk.
“The Act makes emergency supplemental appropriations and other changes to law to help the Nation respond to the coronavirus outbreak,” Trump said in a statement.
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The bill will make coronavirus testing free, expand unemployment insurance benefits, give paid leave to some displaced workers, and increase spending on Medicaid, food stamps and nutrition assistance.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called the measure “well-intentioned” and urged its passage on Wednesday. But he said it had some “real shortcomings,” pointing to its paid sick leave mandates for small business. He pledged not to adjourn the Senate until it approves a broader bill to shore up the economy, rescue industries hit hard by the crisis, and put money directly into the hands of people who are suffering.
“The Senate is not going to leave small business behind,” McConnell said in a floor speech on Wednesday.
The House overwhelmingly passed the legislation early Saturday after changing it significantly over the weekend because of opposition by the White House and business groups to the bill’s paid leave provisions. Democrats said the changes were needed to secure bipartisan support and increase the bill’s chances of passage in the Republican-controlled Senate.
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The bill now provides only 10 days of sick leave to workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic. It offers paid family leave, but only to parents who are home with kids due to school closure. The bill also includes carve-outs for many businesses, too. Companies with more than 500 employees are exempt from the bill’s paid leave provisions. Companies with fewer than 50 workers can apply for hardship relief and get out of providing both sick and family leave.
Senate Republicans expressed concern about the price tag of the bill ― its paid leave provisions alone are estimated to cost $100 billion. They also worried that mandating paid leave could bankrupt businesses, noting that many employers are already cutting jobs amid anemic demand as the economy hits a standstill.
“My counsel is to gag and vote for it anyway,” McConnell told reporters on Tuesday when asked about the misgivings in his caucus, urging critics to focus on addressing them in the next bailout bill.
Apart from its paid leave provisions, the bill will make testing for the coronavirus more widely available and expand unemployment insurance ― giving states more funding if there is a rise in job losses because of the virus.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she planned on pushing for more paid sick leave guarantees in coming negotiations with Republicans over a larger bailout package, something that is expected to take place this week.
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“The Democratic House will continue to make clear to the Administration that any emergency response package must put Families First before any aid to corporate America is considered,” Pelosi said in a statement on Tuesday.
One idea gaining traction on Capitol Hill is simply sending Americans cash to deal with the economic downturn sparked by the epidemic. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin gave the idea a boost on Tuesday while he announced the Trump administration was seeking at least $850 billion in funding from Congress to address the crisis, including aid to prop up struggling hospitality and airline industries.
“We’re looking at sending checks to Americans immediately ... and I mean now, in the next two weeks,” Mnuchin said at a press conference at the White House.


huffpost--2020-03-18--U.S. Immigration Courts Shut After Outcry Over Coronavirus Fears

NEW YORK , March 17 ( Reuters ) - The U.S. government canceled all deportation hearings for immigrants not in detention after immigration judges and government prosecutors complained busy courts were putting them at risk of COVID-19 infection .
Kathryn Mattingly , a spokeswoman for the Executive Office for Immigration Review , the arm of the U.S. Department of Justice that runs the nation ’ s immigration courts , said in statement just after midnight the closures were effective March 18 , 2020 , through April 10 , 2020 .
Cases of immigrants stuck in detention will be heard as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a question about whether hearings for migrants returned to Mexico under a Trump administration program known as the “ Migrant Protection Protocols ” would continue .
The decision came after unions representing immigration judges and prosecutors from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement called for the shutdown .
A dozen current government employees working in the U.S. immigration system told Reuters on Tuesday that they were concerned courts had remained open for so long despite the spreading outbreak .
U.S. President Donald Trump has made an immigration crackdown the centerpiece of his presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 re-election campaign .
A key push has been to reduce the massive backlog of pending deportation cases , with the Justice Department pushing to move migrants through the system faster .
Judge Ashley Tabaddor , head of the immigration judge ’ s union , said in an email on Tuesday a judge in Denver has been at home with symptoms that suggest infection but has not been able to take a test to verify .
And private attorney in Atlanta was experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and was under self-quarantine , Tabaddor said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ judges last week and another the week before , she added .
Separately U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services ( USCIS ) , the agency that processes visa and green card applications , sent a message to all employees late on Tuesday that in-person interviews - including for asylum seekers - and naturalization ceremonies for new citizens would be canceled around the country until at least April 1 .
Courts in Atlanta , Charlotte , North Carolina , Houston , Louisville , Kentucky , Memphis , Tennessee , New York City , Newark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles , California would shut down .
The court in Seattle - in an epicenter of the U.S. outbreak - had already been shuttered .

NEW YORK, March 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. government canceled all deportation hearings for immigrants not in detention after immigration judges and government prosecutors complained busy courts were putting them at risk of COVID-19 infection.
Kathryn Mattingly, a spokeswoman for the Executive Office for Immigration Review, the arm of the U.S. Department of Justice that runs the nation’s immigration courts, said in statement just after midnight the closures were effective March 18, 2020, through April 10, 2020. Cases of immigrants stuck in detention will be heard as scheduled.
Mattingly did not immediately respond to a question about whether hearings for migrants returned to Mexico under a Trump administration program known as the “Migrant Protection Protocols” would continue.
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The decision came after unions representing immigration judges and prosecutors from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement called for the shutdown. A dozen current government employees working in the U.S. immigration system told Reuters on Tuesday that they were concerned courts had remained open for so long despite the spreading outbreak.
U.S. President Donald Trump has made an immigration crackdown the centerpiece of his presidency and a major talking point of his 2020 re-election campaign. A key push has been to reduce the massive backlog of pending deportation cases, with the Justice Department pushing to move migrants through the system faster.
Judge Ashley Tabaddor, head of the immigration judge’s union, said in an email on Tuesday a judge in Denver has been at home with symptoms that suggest infection but has not been able to take a test to verify. And private attorney in Atlanta was experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and was under self-quarantine, Tabaddor said. The attorney was in contact with two judges last week and another the week before, she added.
Separately U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency that processes visa and green card applications, sent a message to all employees late on Tuesday that in-person interviews - including for asylum seekers - and naturalization ceremonies for new citizens would be canceled around the country until at least April 1.
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Courts in Atlanta, Charlotte, North Carolina, Houston, Louisville, Kentucky, Memphis, Tennessee, New York City, Newark, New Jersey and Sacramento and Los Angeles, California would shut down. The court in Seattle - in an epicenter of the U.S. outbreak - had already been shuttered.


huffpost--2020-03-18--How Korea Succeeded Where The U.S. Has Failed On Coronavirus Testing

‘ HURRY UP AND DEVELOP THE KITS ’

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March 18, SEOUL - In late January, South Korean health officials summoned representatives from more than 20 medical companies from their lunar New Year celebrations to a conference room tucked inside Seoul’s busy train station.
One of the country’s top infectious disease officials delivered an urgent message: South Korea needed an effective test immediately to detect the novel coronavirus, then running rampant in China. He promised the companies swift regulatory approval.
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Though there were only four known cases in South Korea at that point, “we were very nervous. We believed that it could develop into a pandemic,” one attendee, Lee Sang-won, an infectious diseases expert at the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told Reuters.
“We acted like an army,” he said.
A week after the Jan. 27 meeting, South Korea’s CDC approved one company’s diagnostic test. Another company soon followed. By the end of February, South Korea was making headlines around the world for its drive-through screening centers and ability to test thousands of people daily.
South Korea’s swift action stands in stark contrast to what has transpired in the United States. Seven weeks after the train station meeting, the Koreans have tested well over 290,000 people and identified over 8,000 infections. New cases are falling off: Ninety-three were reported Wednesday, down from a daily peak of 909 two weeks earlier.
The United States, whose first case was detected the same day as South Korea’s, is not even close to meeting demand for testing. About 60,000 tests have been run by public and private labs in a country of 330 million, federal officials said Tuesday.
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As a result, U.S. officials don’t fully grasp how many Americans have been infected and where they are concentrated -crucial to containment efforts. While more than 7,000 U.S. cases had been identified as of Wednesday, as many as 96 million people could be infected in coming months, and 480,000 could die, according to a projection prepared for the American Hospital Association by Dr. James Lawler, an infectious disease expert at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
“You cannot fight what you cannot see,” said Roger Klein, a former laboratory medical director at the Cleveland Clinic and previously an adviser to the U.S. Department of Health and HumanServices on clinical laboratory issues.
How the United States fell so far behind South Korea, according to infectious disease experts, clinicians and state and local officials, is a tale of many contrasts in the two nations’ public health systems: a streamlined bureaucracy versus a congested one, bold versus cautious leadership, and a sense of urgency versus a reliance on protocol.
The delayed and chaotic testing in the United States will cost lives, potentially including those of doctors and nurses, many medical experts predict. Already more than 100 people have died overall, and fears of rampant spread have led to extraordinary restrictions on social interaction, upending the U.S. economy, schools, hospitals and everyday life.
“It makes me feel like I’m living in a farce,” said Dr. Ritu Thamman, a cardiologist and clinical assistant professor at theUniversity of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Even hospital staff who may have been exposed can’t get a test, she said. “We are a rich country but we don’t have these kinds of things?”
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The administration of President Donald Trump was tripped up by government rules and conventions, former officials and public health experts say. Instead of drafting the private sector early on to develop tests, as South Korea did, U.S. health officials relied, as is customary, on test kits prepared by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some of which proved faulty. Then, sticking to its time-consuming vetting procedures, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration didn’t approve tests other than the CDC’s until Feb. 29, more than five weeks after discussions with outside labs had begun.
Meanwhile, in the absence of enough kits, the CDC insisted for weeks on narrow criteria for testing, recommending it only when a person had recently been to China or other hot spots or had contact with someone known to be infected. As a result, the federal government failed to screen an untold number ofAmericans and missed opportunities to contain the spread, clinicians and public health experts say.
South Korea took a risk, releasing briskly vetted tests, then circling back later to spot check their effectiveness. By contrast, the United States’ FDA said it wanted to ensure, upfront, that the tests were accurate before they went out to millions of Americans.
“There are always opportunities to learn from situations like this one,” FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, who has been on the job only three months, told Reuters. “But one thing I will stand firm on: We cannot compromise on the quality of the tests because what would be worse than no tests at all is wildly inaccurate test results.”
In a statement, CDC spokesman Benjamin Haynes said, “This process has not gone as smoothly as we would have liked.” But he said “more and more state labs have come online, increasing our public health system’s ability to detect and respond to cases.”
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Bombarded by criticism amid a re-election campaign, Trump vowed on Friday to ramp up production of test kits in partnership with private companies and to make the diagnostic tests more widely available at hospitals and in-store parking lots. This week, the FDA said more than 35 universities, hospitals and lab companies had begun running their own tests, under the agency’s revised policy.
But it may be weeks before enough tests are on hand to fill the need.
“The idea of anybody getting (tested) easily the way people in other countries are doing it, we’re not set up for that,”Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy andInfectious Diseases told a House committee last week. “That is a failing. Let’s admit it.”
It’s a problem many Americans, accustomed to hearing they have the most advanced medical care in the world, find hard to fathom.
“I don’t know how we messed this up so badly,” said Ruth Blodgett, 65, whose husband of the same age couldn’t get a coronavirus test on Saturday in an urgent care clinic outside Rochester, New York, even though he was coughing and the doctor ordered one for him. ”We got caught flat-footed. For America, that’s unacceptable.”
‘HURRY UP AND DEVELOP THE KITS’
At the pivotal Jan. 27 meeting at the Seoul train station,South Korean government leaders told companies they were cleared for takeoff.
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“They were told that the ‘emergency use authorization’ would be coming, so hurry up and develop the kits,” said Lee Hyukmin, head of the coronavirus task force at the Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine, who was at the meeting.
One of the companies was Kogene Biotech Co Ltd, whose test kit was the only one to work initially. The government announced its approval on Feb. 4.
“The government acted quickly,” said Myoah Baek, an executive director at Kogene. The Korean CDC “disclosed information on test methods so test kit makers were able to speed up development.”
Lee Hyukmin of the Korean laboratory society said the government was swift - but not reckless.
“Of course, a kit that’s approved in one week isn’t as good as one that goes through a year of clinical trials,” he said. So in the early days, Lee said, the government cross-checked cases to ensure the tests were working properly.
Cross-checking involved verifying that labs got the same result the government did on an initial pool of patient samples.As of last week, nearly 100 labs were available to perform tests nationwide, according to government figures.
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South Korea’s rapid response to the new coronavirus resulted from scars of the past.
In the aftermath of the 2015 outbreak of MERS, short for theMiddle East Respiratory Syndrome, critics slammed then-President Park Geun-hye and her administration for a slow response and a lack of transparency. Public confidence waned inPark, who was impeached in 2017 following an unrelated corruption scandal.
The country had 186 MERS cases, more than anywhere outside the Middle East, including 38 deaths.
“We can’t ever forget the incident. It is engraved in our mind,” the Korean CDC’s Lee Sang-won said. “We were hurt so much, and we felt remorseful.”
‘A REAL FOUL UP’
On Jan. 31, only days after the Seoul train station meeting, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared the novel coronavirus a public health emergency, citing a similar pronouncement from the World Health Organization.
HHS oversees the separate operations of the FDA and CDC, key agencies involved in responding to the pandemic. The CDC was responsible for developing the initial test kits for the virus.Then, under longstanding protocols, the FDA needed to approve the test before it could be sent to state and local labs around the country. Private labs and large hospitals could develop their own tests or work off the CDC version.
On Feb. 3, amid the preparations to address the emergency, the FDA hosted an all-day conference at its headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, which had been scheduled well before the outbreak. Regulators, researchers and industry representatives gathered to discuss the general process for putting diagnostic tests cleared under emergencies on the path to permanent approval by the FDA.
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Though coronavirus was now the hottest topic in global medicine, a broadcast of the meeting conveyed little sense of urgency about the epidemic sweeping the globe. It was mentioned in passing but regulators mostly stuck to their Powerpoint presentations.
In his remarks, Dr. Timothy Stenzel, who oversees the FDA’s review of diagnostic tests, spoke broadly about the agency’s mission to protect public health: “It’s our goal to be first in the world wherever possible to authorize new tests.”
Carolyn Hiller, a program director at the Medical DeviceInnovation Consortium, which hosted the event alongside FDA, said there were discussions with the agency about postponing the meeting because of the coronavirus outbreak, but both sides opted to go ahead.
“The whole coronavirus thing blew up in real time while this was happening,” she said.
Stenzel did not respond to a request for comment. In a statement, the FDA acknowledged that the coronavirus was not a“specific topic on the agenda.” But it said the agency already was talking to test developers and “the conference was timely and addressed issues important” to firms and institutions looking to produce a test.
The following day, Feb. 4, the FDA green lighted a CDC test kit for the virus.
Weeks of chaos would follow.
By Feb. 8, some states and other public labs were complaining that the CDC’s test wasn’t working because of a flawed component that gave inconclusive results. Three days later, the CDC told the labs that it was manufacturing a new component.
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As of mid-February, the federal government remained stuck in first gear. The CDC was the primary supplier of tests across much of the country, and other labs couldn’t immediately deploy their own without the FDA’s blessing.
HHS said it has assigned a team of outside scientists to examine what went wrong with the CDC’s initial batch of tests, such as whether there was a manufacturing defect, flawed design or contamination in the agency’s lab. The precise problem has not been identified.
The CDC didn’t send out new test kits until late February. Meanwhile, public health experts say, a crucial window was closing on containing the virus, which by then was known to have infected more than 60 people.
The U.S. emergency declaration issued in late January created additional hurdles that hindered a wider expansion in testing, according to former federal officials and lab professionals.
The declaration eased the way for drugmakers to pursue vaccines and antiviral treatments for COVID-19. But public health experts said that the same declaration made it harder to expand diagnostic testing outside the CDC.
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That’s because the declaration required diagnostic tests developed by individual labs, such as those at hospitals or universities, to undergo greater scrutiny than in non-emergencies - presumably because the stakes are higher.
“Paradoxically, it increased regulations on diagnostics while it created an easier pathway for vaccines and antivirals,“said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns HopkinsUniversity Center for Health Security. “There was a real foul-up with diagnostic tests that has exposed a flaw in the UnitedStates’ pandemic response plan.”
Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University School ofMedicine, said the CDC and FDA stuck to their conventional playbook for too long.
“Traditional public health thinking is,‘Don’t create widespread panic and don’t go over the top. Keep the testing narrow in a precision rifle approach rather than a mass, shotgun approach,’” Schaffner said. “That failed in this instance. This virus acted differently and it overwhelmed the U.S. system. South Korea had a much better sense of what was happening.”
In a statement Tuesday, the CDC said: “After finding out that some labs could not fully verify the test, CDC began working on a solution and identifying the source of the problem…. CDC, in conjunction with FDA, determined how to move forward and shared this information immediately with public health labs.”
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The CDC statement also suggested that the agency was not exclusively responsible for testing delays.
The CDC was “not an impediment” to getting large-scale commercial testing started, according to the statement. That was the role of the FDA, and as the initial U.S. cases were being detected in late January and early February, CDC director Dr.Robert Redfield highlighted the need for that agency to act, according to the CDC statement.
Alberto Gutierrez, who led the FDA’s office overseeing diagnostic testing from 2009 to 2017, said the agency proceeded with caution because it saw itself as the last line of defense against opportunistic companies looking to cash in on threats to public health. “There is money to be made in an emergency, and a lot of people try to take advantage of that,” Gutierrez said.“The problem the FDA faces is, do you let it become the Wild West?”
“The FDA had good intentions,” he said.
RAMPING UP
As U.S. efforts faltered, South Korean officials cleared a test from a second company, Seegene Inc, on Feb. 12.
With many more tests in hand, health officials were well armed to attack a fast-moving virus and aggressively track down people who may have been exposed. This testing-backed offensive helped South Korea reduce the number of new cases over a matter of weeks, serving as a model for other countries grappling with the pandemic.
In mid-February, cases spiked at a secretive church in the southeastern city of Daegu. On Feb. 26, Daegu city officials said they would test every single member of the church, including those without symptoms.
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As of March 10, Daegu said that it had tested almost all of the 10,000 members of the church in that area, and about 40% came back positive. The city, which now accounts for about three-quarters of total infections in South Korea, has seen new cases sharply drop. On Wednesday, officials announced 46 new cases compared to a peak of 741 cases on Feb. 29.
The country went from two approved test makers on Feb. 18 to five as of last week, according to the Korean CDC.
“To my surprise, test kit makers were able to boost production quickly,” Korean CDC’s Lee Sang-won said.
PLEADING WITH WASHINGTON
By Feb. 24, state and local labs in the United States were pleading with the FDA to relax its rules so the nation no longer had to rely so heavily on the CDC for testing. They asked Hahn, the FDA commissioner, for “enforcement discretion” so they could use their own lab-developed tests.
“We are now many weeks into the response with still no diagnostic or surveillance test available outside of CDC for the vast majority of our member laboratories,” Scott Becker, chief executive of the Association of Public Health Laboratories, and Grace Kubin, lab services director at the Texas Department of State Health Services, wrote to Hahn on Feb. 24 in a letter reviewed by Reuters.
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In an interview, Becker, whose group represents more than 100 state and local health laboratories, called the letter a “Hail Mary” pass, an act of desperation.
“The entire lab community was really coming unglued. We knew we could develop tests and were very capable of doing that, but we felt hamstrung” Becker told Reuters.
He said labs wanted FDA to make more tests available so they could run more patient samples at a faster pace.
Two days after receiving Becker’s letter, the FDA commissioner said his agency was ready to approve new outside tests quickly - if its requirements for accuracy were satisfied.
“False diagnostic test results can lead to significant adverse public health consequences,” Hahn wrote to the Association of Public Health Laboratories in a Feb. 26 letter, “not only serious implications for individual patient care but also serious implications for the analyses of disease progression and for public health decision-making.”
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Under increasing pressure, the FDA relented and removed many of the bureaucratic obstacles. On Feb. 29, the agency said public and private labs, including academic medical centers, could start using their own tests before the FDA had completed its full review. Laboratories had 15 business days to submit a completed application, which could be approved retroactively.
That same day, the Trump administration confirmed the first death in the United States from the coronavirus, a man in his 50s in Washington state.
On March 2, Stenzel at the FDA’s diagnostic testing office hosted a webinar for lab test developers, highlighting additional challenges, including a shortage of viral samples needed for validation of test results. Some labs also have reported shortages of other key supplies and ingredients, as well as the need for more trained personnel.
As U.S. regulators rewrote their policies, South Korean municipalities were opening roadside testing facilities across the country, collecting samples in minutes while people sat in their cars.
At a closed-door meeting last week in Congress, U.S. Representative Raul Ruiz, a Democrat from California and an emergency-room physician who treated patients during the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak, pressed the FDA commissioner and other members of the Trump administration on why South Korea was lapping the United States in its response.
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“Why don’t we have drive-through testing like South Korea?” Ruiz asked leaders of the president’s coronavirus task force.
Ruiz told Reuters the officials said they were working on it. On their own, some hospitals and communities have begun offering drive-through testing in Colorado, New York, Texas and elsewhere.
In recent days, as the public criticism grew louder, Trump appointed a testing czar to improve coordination across agencies. The FDA launched a 24-hour hotline for laboratories needing help to accelerate testing, approved two company applications for higher-volume testing and granted states the flexibility to authorize new tests so labs can bypass the FDA.
Despite the new moves, Ruiz said he fears America is still weeks away from approaching what South Korea has accomplished. “I think months have been lost here,” Ruiz said. “Maybe we should look into purchasing South Korea’s tests.”
That may happen. Both Kogene and SolGent Co, two of the COVID-19 test-makers approved in South Korea, said their companies have an eye on the U.S. market.
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“The FDA asked us to proceed with applications quickly,” Kogene executive Myoah Baek said.


huffpost--2020-05-04--Trump Pushes For Economic Reopening In Televised Town Hall

The president , fielding questions from Americans in a virtual town hall from the Lincoln Memorial , acknowledged valid fears on both sides of the issue .
Some people are worried about getting sick ; others are reeling from lost jobs and livelihoods .
But while Trump increased his projection for the total U.S. death total to 80,000 or 90,000 — up by more than 20,000 fatalities from what he had suggested just a few weeks ago — he struck a note of urgency to restart the nation ’ s economy , declaring “ we have to reopen our country.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vaccine is probably a year to 18 months away .
But Dr. Anthony Fauci said in late April that it is conceivable , if a vaccine is soon developed , that it could be in wide distribution as early as January .
Though the administration ’ s handling of the pandemic , particularly its ability to conduct widespread testing , has come under fierce scrutiny , the president defended the response and said the nation was ready to begin reopening .
“ I ’ ll tell you one thing .
We did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we saved a million and a half lives , ” the president said .
But he also broke with the assessment of his senior adviser and son-in-law , Jared Kushner , saying it was “ too soon to say ” the federal government had overseen a “ success story.
” Trump ’ s impatience also flashed .
While noting that states would go at their own pace in returning to normal , with ones harder hit by the coronavirus going slower , he said that “ some states , frankly , I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He singled out Virginia , which has a Democratic governor and legislature .
And he urged the nation ’ s schools and universities to return to classes this fall .
Debate continued over moves by governors to start reopening state economies that tanked after shopping malls , salons and other nonessential businesses were ordered closed in attempt to slow a virus that has killed more than 66,000 Americans , according to a tally of reported deaths by Johns Hopkins University .
The president ’ s advisers have nervously watched Trump ’ s support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he was presented with polls late last month that , if the election were held that day , had him losing to Democrat Joe Biden .
The president ’ s aides believe restarting the economy , even with its health risks , is essential to a victory in November and are pushing for him to pivot away from discussions about the pandemic and onto an American comeback story .
Larry Kudlow , Trump ’ s top economic adviser , said on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union ” that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the effectiveness of trillions in economic relief spending before making any decision on whether additional aid is needed .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , said Thursday that state and local governments are seeking up to $ 1 trillion for coronavirus costs , The Senate planned to reopen Monday , despite the Washington area ’ s continued status as a virus hot spot and with the region still under stay-at-home orders .
The House remains shuttered .
The pandemic is forcing big changes at the tradition-bound Supreme Court : The justices will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telephone for the first time since Alexander Graham Bell patented his invention in 1876 .
Despite the opposition of Michigan ’ s Republican-controlled Legislature , Whitmer has extended a state of emergency declaration and directed most businesses statewide to remain closed .
Trump on Sunday night singled out her and Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee , also a Democrat , for criticism even as he praised the federal coordination with most governors .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — Anxious to spur an economic recovery without risking lives, President Donald Trump on Sunday insisted that “you can satisfy both” — see some states gradually lift lockdowns while also protecting people from the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 60,000 Americans.
The president, fielding questions from Americans in a virtual town hall from the Lincoln Memorial, acknowledged valid fears on both sides of the issue. Some people are worried about getting sick; others are reeling from lost jobs and livelihoods.
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But while Trump increased his projection for the total U.S. death total to 80,000 or 90,000 — up by more than 20,000 fatalities from what he had suggested just a few weeks ago — he struck a note of urgency to restart the nation’s economy, declaring “we have to reopen our country.”
“We have to get it back open safely but as quickly as possible,” Trump said.
After more than a month of being cooped up at the White House, Trump returned from a weekend at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland for the virtual town hall hosted by Fox News Channel.
The president said of his backdrop: “We never had a more beautiful set than this.”
As concerns mount about his reelection bid, Trump stuck to his relentlessly optimistic view of the nation’s ability to rebound soon.
“It is all working out,” Trump said. “It is horrible to go through, but it is working out.”
Many public health experts believe the nation cannot safely reopen fully until a vaccine is developed. Trump declared Sunday that he believed one could be available by year’s end.
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U.S. public health officials have said a vaccine is probably a year to 18 months away. But Dr. Anthony Fauci said in late April that it is conceivable, if a vaccine is soon developed, that it could be in wide distribution as early as January.
Though the administration’s handling of the pandemic, particularly its ability to conduct widespread testing, has come under fierce scrutiny, the president defended the response and said the nation was ready to begin reopening.
“I’ll tell you one thing. We did the right thing and I really believe we saved a million and a half lives,” the president said. But he also broke with the assessment of his senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, saying it was “too soon to say” the federal government had overseen a “success story.”
Trump’s impatience also flashed. While noting that states would go at their own pace in returning to normal, with ones harder hit by the coronavirus going slower, he said that “some states, frankly, I think aren’t going fast enough.” He singled out Virginia, which has a Democratic governor and legislature. And he urged the nation’s schools and universities to return to classes this fall.
Federal guidelines that encouraged people to stay at home and practice social distancing expired late last week.
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Debate continued over moves by governors to start reopening state economies that tanked after shopping malls, salons and other nonessential businesses were ordered closed in attempt to slow a virus that has killed more than 66,000 Americans, according to a tally of reported deaths by Johns Hopkins University.
The U.S. economy has suffered, shrinking at a 4.8% annual rate from January through March, the government estimated last week. It was the sharpest quarterly drop since the 2008 financial crisis.
Roughly 30.3 million people have filed for unemployment aid in the six weeks since the outbreak forced employers to shut down and slash their workforces. It was the worst string of layoffs on record.
The president’s advisers have nervously watched Trump’s support slip in a number of battleground states and he was presented with polls late last month that, if the election were held that day, had him losing to Democrat Joe Biden. The president’s aides believe restarting the economy, even with its health risks, is essential to a victory in November and are pushing for him to pivot away from discussions about the pandemic and onto an American comeback story.
To that, he will begin traveling again, with a trip to a mask factory in Arizona planned for Tuesday. And the grand setting of Sunday night’s town hall was meant to evoke patriotism and overcoming national adversity.
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Larry Kudlow, Trump’s top economic adviser, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that the administration would “pause” to review the effectiveness of trillions in economic relief spending before making any decision on whether additional aid is needed. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Thursday that state and local governments are seeking up to $1 trillion for coronavirus costs,
The Senate planned to reopen Monday, despite the Washington area’s continued status as a virus hot spot and with the region still under stay-at-home orders. The House remains shuttered. The pandemic is forcing big changes at the tradition-bound Supreme Court: The justices will hear arguments, beginning Monday, by telephone for the first time since Alexander Graham Bell patented his invention in 1876.
The leaders of California and Michigan are among governors under public pressure over lockdowns still in effect while states such as Florida, Georgia and Ohio are reopening.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, said Sunday that the armed protesters who demonstrated inside her state’s Capitol “depicted some of the worst racism” and “awful parts” of U.S. history by showing up with Confederate flags, nooses and swastikas.
Despite the opposition of Michigan’s Republican-controlled Legislature, Whitmer has extended a state of emergency declaration and directed most businesses statewide to remain closed. Trump on Sunday night singled out her and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, also a Democrat, for criticism even as he praised the federal coordination with most governors.
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Some people participating in other public protests across the U.S. have not kept their distance from one another and have rallied without masks, not heeding public health recommendations.
Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, called that behavior “devastatingly worrisome.” She said people will feel guilty for the rest of their lives if they end up infected and unwittingly spread the virus to vulnerable family members.
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