huffpost--2020-05-28--My Half Siblings Found Me On 23andMe. I Wasn't Prepared For What Happened Next.

I exchanged emails back and forth throughout that first day with my half-sibling , Sam ( whose name has been changed ) , and discovered that we had so many things in common .
It was the first time in my life that I actually experienced similarities with a relative .
All of my life , I had very little in common with my cousins and even my ( adoptive ) brother ― which made more than a little sense when I found out that I was adopted .
I accused them both of lying , writing a scathing email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could he expect to start a relationship with me after leaving out the truth about our family ?
How did he expect me to trust them , when they lied by omission about the existence of another sibling ?
How did they think I would feel after finding out that they had looked me up online and decided together that it would be best to lie to me ?
They had both known about me for months , looked up my blog , and social media , and they had both decided that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell me about the eldest of the two , Jamie ( her name has also been changed ) .
Sam wanted to try for a relationship with me , and Jamie wanted no part of it .
For them it was the best solution to pretend Jamie didn ’ t exist .
The anger was all-consuming .
It was a tidal wave I couldn ’ t control , and I sent very angry emails asking for an apology for the lie .
We fought .
They refused to see it as a lie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other because Jamie wasn ’ t ready for a relationship with me .
Their bond , from growing up together , and being biologically related , is something I could never have .
And I realized that that was why I was so hurt .
I felt rejected and alone .
Adoption removed me from a life in an orphanage … but it also took my first family away .
Over the last year , I didn ’ t have any regret about learning about them , and I held out hope that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the road .
But now , the COVID-19 pandemic has given us an additional push to work on our relationship .
Our adoptions have left trauma for all of us in entirely different ways , but we have moved past what happened , as much as we can , since we do not want to lose the chance to get to know one another .
There ’ s nothing like a pandemic to show how important family is , and having a relationship with both siblings during this time has filled some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left .
I ’ m beyond glad to have them in my life , and only hope that one day soon the world is a little less dangerous so we can all meet in person .

The author. Courtesy of Melissa Guida-Richards
When I first found out at age 19 that I was adopted, my life turned into a telenovela. I was no longer my parents’ perfect little Italian daughter but a Colombian adoptee, raised to know nothing about her birth culture. All I knew was my birth mother’s name from my adoption paperwork, that I was a lighter-medium skinned Colombian and that the orphanage said I was likely a mestiza (mixed race).
In 2017, about four years after I found out that I was an international adoptee, I decided to do a 23andMe DNA test. I was tired of not knowing any answers about who I was at my very core. I had no idea how to go from being a proud Italian woman to a Latina who didn’t know the first thing about Colombian culture. All I knew was that I felt somehow less than.
Advertisement
I didn’t belong to my family anymore. How could I when they lied to me for so long? When they often made fun of Latinos like me?
After I knew about my adoption, my family would tell me that I was white like them, so I had no right to complain. When strangers told me to get out of their country, I “must have misunderstood.” They didn’t believe that racism existed. For most of my life, I was forced to study the Italian language in school, work at my dad’s Italian restaurant and eat pasta more days than I could count.
It had been all I’d known of my culture growing up, but it always felt wrong. Like there was more to me. And just four years after discovering my adoption, I could finally say that I was a woman of color. A Latina with Indigenous, Eastern Asian and some African roots. That less than half of my genetic makeup was Italian or even European.
Finally, I had some answers. Finally, I felt like I could really make connections with other adoptees of color through online groups on Facebook and Twitter. Finally, I knew why I felt different from my entirely European family that was straight off the boat from Italy and Portugal.
Advertisement
“Finally, I knew why I felt different from my entirely European family that was straight off the boat from Italy and Portugal.”
Before I knew I was adopted I had grown up on stories of my father tending goats in Italy and my mother washing clothes in a stream in Portugal. It was always instilled into me to have pride in our culture ... just not my birth culture.
Looking back at their decision, and now knowing I am adopted, it hurts more knowing that they also spoke Spanish and could have taught me my birth language. The frustration over the way I was raised built up until I went into therapy while I was in college. Eventually, I was able to come to terms with some things, while pushing others aside since it was easier.
It took a long time for me to come to peace with the fact that not everything is black and white. Now I’m 26 and being a parent of two sons is more than enough for me to feel like I have a connection with my biological family. I am starting to heal.
Then in 2019, just two years after my DNA test and because of it, I received an email. “Hi, this may be weird and I don’t mean to bother you but I’m your half-sibling.” In a matter of seconds, I went from having zero biological relatives other than my children, to having a sibling only a few years older than me.
Advertisement
Finally, there was someone else out there like me. After years of feeling like the broken, weird, outsider in my adoptive family, there was someone else.
“In a matter of seconds, I went from having zero biological relatives other than my children, to having a sibling that was only a few years older than me.”
Initially, I was overwhelmed with joy, but I soon realized that it went hand in hand with grief. How was it fair that I had no idea of this? That we, two siblings, were separated and yet adopted to the same country? Why did the world think that that was okay? Why did my parents act threatened when they found out about my sibling?
I exchanged emails back and forth throughout that first day with my half-sibling, Sam (whose name has been changed), and discovered that we had so many things in common. It was the first time in my life that I actually experienced similarities with a relative. All of my life, I had very little in common with my cousins and even my (adoptive) brother ― which made more than a little sense when I found out that I was adopted.
I really tried to not get my hopes up, but I had started to think about the possibility of visiting my sibling once we got to know each other better. And I had hope of finally having someone in my family that I could get along with.
Advertisement
I was entirely too eager, and not thinking things through. All I had known about adoption reunions came from television shows and news reports showing happy biological family members hugging and crying in each other’s arms. I had jumped into these conversations over email with such trust, joy, and excitement because I expected the same response.
“All I had known about adoption reunions came from television shows and news reports showing happy biological family members hugging and crying in each other’s arms.”
In the brief exchanges over a couple of days, I told Sam about finding out at 19 that I was adopted, how I loved to read and that I had two children ― his nephews! I could tell we both were eager to have a birth sibling to talk to since we were both adopted.
I told practically everyone in my life about the exchange. My husband, parents, friends and my group of mom friends online. I was that excited. The only one who had a hard time with it was my mother. She grew quiet the first time I mentioned it to her over the kitchen table at her house, as my dad urged me to visit this sibling I had just “met” online.
I felt like my head was going to explode when I received another message from the DNA site, that I had yet another half-sibling.
Advertisement
I should have realized that this was more than a coincidence, but I naively asked Sam if he knew anything about the other sibling, with whom we shared a biological mother. He did — because they were both adopted and raised by the same adoptive family.
Due to my past with my parents lying about my adoption, I couldn’t handle such a simple lie of omission, so things escalated quickly.
I accused them both of lying, writing a scathing email about how I felt wronged. How could he expect to start a relationship with me after leaving out the truth about our family? How did he expect me to trust them, when they lied by omission about the existence of another sibling? How did they think I would feel after finding out that they had looked me up online and decided together that it would be best to lie to me?
We argued back and forth trying to explain our sides, but the damage had already been done in just a few days. I was distraught. Angry. Frustrated. Heartbroken. Once again, my family thought that it would be best to lie to me. But this time was worse, in a way.
They had both known about me for months, looked up my blog, and social media, and they had both decided that it would be easier to just not tell me about the eldest of the two, Jamie (her name has also been changed). Sam wanted to try for a relationship with me, and Jamie wanted no part of it. For them it was the best solution to pretend Jamie didn’t exist.
Advertisement
“As adoptees I would have thought they would understand how any information about my birth family was vital to me. That hiding any part of our family would hurt me, or any other adoptee.”
As adoptees I would have thought they would understand how any information about my birth family was vital to me. That hiding any part of our family would hurt me, or any other adoptee. But since they had grown up together and knew about their adoptions since they were small, it didn’t really process for them why it felt like such a betrayal to me
The anger was all-consuming. It was a tidal wave I couldn’t control, and I sent very angry emails asking for an apology for the lie. We fought. They refused to see it as a lie. It was one sibling protecting the other because Jamie wasn’t ready for a relationship with me. Their bond, from growing up together, and being biologically related, is something I could never have. And I realized that that was why I was so hurt. I felt rejected and alone. Adoption removed me from a life in an orphanage … but it also took my first family away.
When it comes to reunions of birth families, they are often not like the movies. There’s heartbreak, anger, numbness and general confusion. People often expect an instant connection with their biological relatives because they share blood, but that can take some time or often never fully develops.
I was never really interested in finding my birth family until the opportunity presented itself. International adoptions are often chosen because the process can be easier, and adoptive parents don’t have to worry about the birth family becoming involved. Which meant that I really didn’t expect to find my birth family unless I spent a lot of money on a private investigator in Colombia.
Advertisement
“People often expect an instant connection with their biological relatives because they share blood, but it can take some time or often never even fully develop.”
Adoption has left some deep scars. Scars that I know that others share. Scars that don’t just go away when we finally get to connect with a person who shares the same genes. Adoption is more complicated than the movies make it out to be, and reunions with your birth families are even more so.
My biological siblings and I may have come from the same mother, but we don’t share the same experiences. Society has pressured us to immediately connect upon meeting one another when we barely could pick the other out from a crowd of strangers. It’s okay for reunions to be imperfect and painful because not all things in life are meant to be the way the movies portray.
Over the last year, I didn’t have any regret about learning about them, and I held out hope that we could heal and connect further down the road. But now, the COVID-19 pandemic has given us an additional push to work on our relationship. Our adoptions have left trauma for all of us in entirely different ways, but we have moved past what happened, as much as we can, since we do not want to lose the chance to get to know one another. There’s nothing like a pandemic to show how important family is, and having a relationship with both siblings during this time has filled some of the holes in my heart that adoption left. I’m beyond glad to have them in my life, and only hope that one day soon the world is a little less dangerous so we can all meet in person.
Ultimately, it took longer than I thought it would for our relationship to prosper, as well as many, many, hours of therapy to get to a stable place. Reunions with biological relatives can be beautiful but there are so many layers to everything — which made me determined to share my story and help protect adoptees from rushing into things without the proper support.
Advertisement
We may never be what we were supposed to be. But we are still family ― flaws and all.


huffpost--2020-05-28--Conservative News Site Slams Trump's 'Vile Slander,' Questions His Fitness To Lead

The Washington Examiner published an editorial on Wednesday condemning President Donald Trump ’ s “ vile slander ” of MSNBC host Joe Scarborough and raising questions about his fitness for office .
In the column , titled “ Trump ’ s slanderous attack on Joe Scarborough is incompatible with leadership , ” the conservative news outlet categorically breaks down why Trump ’ s claims against Scarborough , an outspoken Trump critic , are false .
Over the weekend , as the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic climbed toward 100,000 in the U.S. , the president spent time tweeting multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congressman , murdered a staffer who died in his Florida office in 2001 .
Lori Klausutis ’ death was ruled an accident by authorities ; no foul play was suspected .
“ This story is not just false , but verifiably so .
It is also illogical and bizarre , ” the editorial states .
The site criticized the “ loathsome individuals ” who amplified the conspiracy theory “ as part of a bad-faith , cheap-shot ad hominem argument against Scarborough , ” adding that it was “ far , far more unfortunate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeat this vile slander is the president supposedly leading this nation through a time of crisis.
” The right-wing site , which is often friendly to Trump , also blasted the president in March for demonstrating how “ deeply unsuited he is to deal with a genuine crisis that he can ’ t bluff his way through ” in his handling of the pandemic .
“ Whatever his issues with Scarborough , President Trump ’ s crazed Twitter rant on this subject was vile and unworthy of his office , ” this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will undoubtedly shrug it off as Trump being Trump , but one could hardly be blamed for reading it and doubting his fitness to lead.
” The site is one of several conservative voices to speak out against Trump ’ s grotesque tweets , which are widely perceived to be an effort to distract the public from his administration ’ s fumbling response to the coronavirus outbreak that has now claimed more than 100,000 lives .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The Washington Examiner published an editorial on Wednesday condemning President Donald Trump’s “vile slander” of MSNBC host Joe Scarborough and raising questions about his fitness for office.
In the column, titled “Trump’s slanderous attack on Joe Scarborough is incompatible with leadership,” the conservative news outlet categorically breaks down why Trump’s claims against Scarborough, an outspoken Trump critic, are false.
Advertisement
Over the weekend, as the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic climbed toward 100,000 in the U.S., the president spent time tweeting multiple suggestions that Scarborough, a former Republican congressman, murdered a staffer who died in his Florida office in 2001. Lori Klausutis’ death was ruled an accident by authorities; no foul play was suspected.
“This story is not just false, but verifiably so. It is also illogical and bizarre,” the editorial states.
The site criticized the “loathsome individuals” who amplified the conspiracy theory “as part of a bad-faith, cheap-shot ad hominem argument against Scarborough,” adding that it was “far, far more unfortunate that the latest person to trumpet and repeat this vile slander is the president supposedly leading this nation through a time of crisis.”
The right-wing site, which is often friendly to Trump, also blasted the president in March for demonstrating how “deeply unsuited he is to deal with a genuine crisis that he can’t bluff his way through” in his handling of the pandemic.
Advertisement
“Whatever his issues with Scarborough, President Trump’s crazed Twitter rant on this subject was vile and unworthy of his office,” this week’s editorial said. “Some will undoubtedly shrug it off as Trump being Trump, but one could hardly be blamed for reading it and doubting his fitness to lead.”
The site is one of several conservative voices to speak out against Trump’s grotesque tweets, which are widely perceived to be an effort to distract the public from his administration’s fumbling response to the coronavirus outbreak that has now claimed more than 100,000 lives.


huffpost--2020-03-18--How To Safely Shop For Groceries Right Now

If you ’ ve been to the grocery store in the last week or so , you know it can be an extremely chaotic experience amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Clerks are running around doing their best to restock as customers are literally climbing into freezers to reach the last pack of frozen berries shoved in the very back of the top shelf .
People are swarming the canned goods sections and those preoccupied with crossing items off their lists are temporarily breaking the rule of 6-foot social distancing in order to get their hands on the ripest bananas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ touching the same produce that you are But there are steps that you can take to minimize this .
Nelken recommended for shoppers to grab a plastic produce bag and put their hand inside and use that to pick up something like a head of lettuce .
Then drop it into another bag and seal it up .
This way , he said , you ’ re not touching everyone else ’ s produce and if everyone followed this practice , it could go a long way in helping to curb the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wipes that grocery stores are providing at entry and using them to scrub down the handles of your cart .
It ’ s also a good idea , he said , to carry a bottle of hand sanitizer with you and to use it after you check out .
And if you can , use a credit card in lieu of cash , as he noted the latter has the potential to harbor more bacteria after being passed from person to person .
“ How many people do you know that bring their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spray them with disinfectants or sanitizer afterward ?
” he questioned .
“ Not many.
” Per Nelken , these bags , if not properly sanitized after use , have high levels of bacteria and potentially viral particles inside and if reused too quickly ― and without proper sanitation ― could potentially infect you .
“ If you ’ re going to reuse them , wash them out or sanitize them afterward , ” he said .
Wash your produce when you get home Wiping down your prepackaged foods is not mandatory , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too far “ Wiping down canned goods isn ’ t going to hurt them , but it won ’ t do anything to reduce your risk of infection , ” explained Brian Labus , a professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas ’ School of Public Health .
“ You can take a lot of steps like that , but they won ’ t provide anything more than a false sense of security , ” he added , noting that “ it ’ s not about the food that you buy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have with other people at the grocery store.
” “ Any item exposed to respiratory droplets can be contaminated , although the nature of typical food surfaces , the lag time between purchase and consumption , as well as any cooking , work against infection potential , ” he said .
But as an extra step , you can cleanse packaging for items that you will be using immediately , “ including cleaning/wiping down jars , soda cans , etc.
” This , he said , is always advisable on his end , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contaminants that are not easily visible.
” If you are elderly or have chronic health conditions , take extra precautions when shopping The safest option for more vulnerable individuals ( the elderly , immunocompromised , and those with chronic heart and lung diseases ) is to ask someone else to do the shopping for them , said Felicia Wu , a John A. Hannah distinguished professor in the Department of Agricultural , Food , and Resource Economics at Michigan State University .
“ If that is not possible , then I do think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stores to have dedicated hours that are for more vulnerable populations to shop ― ones in which there will be fewer people , and where cleaning can take place beforehand , ” she added .
As this is starting to happen across the nation ― Erewhon Market in Los Angeles , for example , announced it is opening locations an hour earlier to cater to this higher-risk crowd ― it ’ s a good idea for individuals in this group to shop during those hours .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
If you’ve been to the grocery store in the last week or so, you know it can be an extremely chaotic experience amid the coronavirus pandemic. Clerks are running around doing their best to restock as customers are literally climbing into freezers to reach the last pack of frozen berries shoved in the very back of the top shelf. People are swarming the canned goods sections and those preoccupied with crossing items off their lists are temporarily breaking the rule of 6-foot social distancing in order to get their hands on the ripest bananas.
But what happens if someone coughs on a head of lettuce and you end up purchasing it later? Is that box of cereal that you picked up safe from contamination? How many others before you touched it and put it back?
Advertisement
HuffPost caught up with some food safety experts and doctors to answer your questions on how to safely purchase food from the grocery store.
Know that a lot of people are touching the same produce that you are
“The people in a supermarket are all squeezing the avocados and tomatoes,” said Jeff Nelken, a food safety expert in Woodland Hills, California. He added that it’s important to realize that “by the time you get home from the market, you’ve got the germs of like 100 people on top of your produce.”
But there are steps that you can take to minimize this. Nelken recommended for shoppers to grab a plastic produce bag and put their hand inside and use that to pick up something like a head of lettuce. Then drop it into another bag and seal it up. This way, he said, you’re not touching everyone else’s produce and if everyone followed this practice, it could go a long way in helping to curb the spread of germs.
Sanitize your shopping cart
Nelken suggested taking the wipes that grocery stores are providing at entry and using them to scrub down the handles of your cart. It’s also a good idea, he said, to carry a bottle of hand sanitizer with you and to use it after you check out. And if you can, use a credit card in lieu of cash, as he noted the latter has the potential to harbor more bacteria after being passed from person to person.
Advertisement
Rethink your reusable bags
True, you’re saving the environment by forgoing the paper bags issued at checkout, but during a viral outbreak, Nelken said, disposable might be better.
RossHelen via Getty Images Paper bags may be a smarter idea than reusable bags right now.
“How many people do you know that bring their own bags clean out those bags or spray them with disinfectants or sanitizer afterward?” he questioned. “Not many.” Per Nelken, these bags, if not properly sanitized after use, have high levels of bacteria and potentially viral particles inside and if reused too quickly ― and without proper sanitation ― could potentially infect you. “If you’re going to reuse them, wash them out or sanitize them afterward,” he said.
Wash your produce when you get home
To rid yourself of any potential viral contamination, thoroughly wash your hands immediately upon returning home from the grocery store, said Jagdish Khubchandani, a health science professor at Indiana’s Ball State University who has studied the impact of viral outbreaks like SARS. Then, place your produce in a vessel and giving it a good rinse in hot water, he recommended.
“And then once you’re done, wash your hands again with soap and water,” he said.
Wiping down your prepackaged foods is not mandatory, but it isn’t necessarily going too far
“Wiping down canned goods isn’t going to hurt them, but it won’t do anything to reduce your risk of infection,” explained Brian Labus, a professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas’ School of Public Health. “You can take a lot of steps like that, but they won’t provide anything more than a false sense of security,” he added, noting that “it’s not about the food that you buy, it’s about the interaction you have with other people at the grocery store.”
Advertisement
Thus Labus said to make sure that you are following the recommended hygienic measures such as “limiting your distance to other people and make sure to wash your hands and use hand sanitizer when possible.”
Richard Vayda, restaurant and culinary management instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, added that according to the U.K.’s National Health Service, spreading the virus through packages and food is unlikely. And with most packaging materials, the time of transit also is a deterioration factor.
“Any item exposed to respiratory droplets can be contaminated, although the nature of typical food surfaces, the lag time between purchase and consumption, as well as any cooking, work against infection potential,” he said. But as an extra step, you can cleanse packaging for items that you will be using immediately, “including cleaning/wiping down jars, soda cans, etc.” This, he said, is always advisable on his end, “as there can additionally be physical contaminants that are not easily visible.”
If you are elderly or have chronic health conditions, take extra precautions when shopping
The safest option for more vulnerable individuals (the elderly, immunocompromised, and those with chronic heart and lung diseases) is to ask someone else to do the shopping for them, said Felicia Wu, a John A. Hannah distinguished professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University. “If that is not possible, then I do think it is a good idea for grocery stores to have dedicated hours that are for more vulnerable populations to shop ― ones in which there will be fewer people, and where cleaning can take place beforehand,” she added. As this is starting to happen across the nation ― Erewhon Market in Los Angeles, for example, announced it is opening locations an hour earlier to cater to this higher-risk crowd ― it’s a good idea for individuals in this group to shop during those hours.
The bottom line, said, Josie Greve-Peterson, a PSSI corporate microbiologist, is that the U.S. Department of Agriculture does not currently have any reports of human illnesses that suggest COVID-19 can be transmitted via food or food packaging.
“However, it is always important to follow good hygiene practices — i.e., wash hands and surfaces often, separate raw meat from other foods, cook to the right temperature, and refrigerate foods promptly ― when handling or preparing foods,” she said.


huffpost--2020-03-18--We've Been In Coronavirus Lockdown In China For 8 Weeks. Here's What You Should Know.

We are watching the news and talking with family and friends back in the United States and in Europe .
They have had questions about what quarantine has been like for us and what to expect as the coronavirus continues to spread and things grow more restrictive country by country .
We obviously can ’ t predict how it will play out in each different setting , and we don ’ t presume to have answers for what everyone should do .
But we do have some experience in how to stay reasonably sane and productive through the challenges of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Early in the crisis , walls were put up around our neighborhood , and roadblocks were set up to limit who can come in or out .
Curfews were established and no visitors could enter from outside the neighborhood .
We were given special IDs that show we have not left the country or traveled around China .
Until recently the only stores that were open were groceries and gas stations .
Every time we go to buy food , we have to scan an app on our phone that tells the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been closed all over China since the Chinese New Year in January .
We started working from home at the start of February , and our children have attended school remotely sitting together at our dining room table .
The initial closure was for two weeks , and then was extended into March .
As of today , the return date is still uncertain .
So while we have not been under formal quarantine , we have been very limited in where we can go and what we can do .
In this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a life very different from what we were used to .
For the kids , it has been important to set limits on how long they work .
Even though they are getting their assignments digitally from their teachers , it has been important to check in with them throughout the day .
Tasks can sprawl , and more than once we have come across one of them close to tears because they worked on an assignment far longer than required .
Their teachers are doing great work , but it can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like to a middle schooler who wants to do their best but who has no immediate feedback or classmates around to whom they can compare themselves .
We also try to stop work at a reasonable time .
The kids wrap up early in the afternoon .
As teachers , it has been trickier for us .
Many of our students are not keeping regular hours , or they dispersed to their home countries , so they are turning in work throughout the day and into the night .
Work often spreads into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours now than we would on a normal workday .
We have not found a solution to this .
But getting to watch “ The Price is Right ” has been some consolation .
See The Value In Screen Time The temptation to hit refresh on news sites over and over is very real .
It feels constructive and there is value in being informed ; but at a certain point overconsumption of the news becomes a vice , like poking at a wound .
Along with all the news , we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too long on the Johns Hopkins map of coronavirus .
Originally , we were trying to make sense of the growing numbers of cases in China , and then as they ’ ve slowed in recent weeks , we began to look at the global numbers .
It can be a dangerous rabbit hole to go down , as we moved on to academic articles on epidemiology and , worse , into online conspiracy theories .
We ’ ve also found the temptation to enter into online debates with strangers to be particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @

One of the authors working from home in China (March 2020). Courtesy of anonymous
Editor’s note: HuffPost has chosen to publish anonymously the following first-person account by an American couple living in China. Editors do this only rarely and have done so on this occasion because of the potential risks to the authors if their real names were used. This is the second piece the couple has written for HuffPost about their time living in the country during the COVID-19 outbreak. (You can read the first piece here.)
We are living in China with our children, and for the past seven and a half weeks we have been largely confined to our home, working and going to school remotely, due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
Advertisement
We are watching the news and talking with family and friends back in the United States and in Europe. They have had questions about what quarantine has been like for us and what to expect as the coronavirus continues to spread and things grow more restrictive country by country. We obviously can’t predict how it will play out in each different setting, and we don’t presume to have answers for what everyone should do. But we do have some experience in how to stay reasonably sane and productive through the challenges of being confined indoors for weeks on end.
We are both teachers at a school where our children are also students. Our city is hundreds of miles from Wuhan, the epicenter of the initial outbreak. Millions and millions of people live in the city, and the number of cases here is reported to be in the low hundreds. Still, the restrictions have been significant.
Early in the crisis, walls were put up around our neighborhood, and roadblocks were set up to limit who can come in or out. Curfews were established and no visitors could enter from outside the neighborhood. We were given special IDs that show we have not left the country or traveled around China. Until recently the only stores that were open were groceries and gas stations. Every time we go to buy food, we have to scan an app on our phone that tells the government where we are.
“We obviously can’t predict how it will play out in a different setting away from China and we don’t presume to have answers for what everyone should be doing. But we do have some experience in how to stay reasonably sane and productive through the challenging experience of being confined indoors for weeks on end.”
Advertisement
Schools have been closed all over China since the Chinese New Year in January. We started working from home at the start of February, and our children have attended school remotely sitting together at our dining room table. The initial closure was for two weeks, and then was extended into March. As of today, the return date is still uncertain. So while we have not been under formal quarantine, we have been very limited in where we can go and what we can do. In this time we have had to adjust to a life very different from what we were used to.
This is some of what has worked for us:
Set Up A Routine
We understand many people already work from home as a normal part of their jobs, but it was new for us and it took some adjustments. Teaching is typically a very face-to-face kind of work. Homeschooling is also something people do, but it was also new to us, and a challenge to keep up with while we are also working.
Early on there was a sense of “Groundhog Day,” as one day blended into another. Creating structure and routines has helped. We set an alarm and get up just a bit later than we would on a normal workday. At the start, we joked about wearing pajamas all day every day, but that soon got tiresome. So we get dressed.
We do the same with our children. It was important that they understand this is not an open-ended vacation from school. They do sleep in a little later than they would on a normal school day, but then they come downstairs, eat breakfast, and get set up in the dining room for a distinctive type of school day while we go into a spare bedroom set up as an office.
We have been taking a lunch break every day around noon. We all stop what we are doing and eat together. We have been watching “The Price is Right” or “The People’s Court” while we eat. It feels a little like the best part of staying home from school when you were sick as a kid. It’s a small pleasure, but something we couldn’t do under normal circumstances. And then we get back to work.
Advertisement
For the kids, it has been important to set limits on how long they work. Even though they are getting their assignments digitally from their teachers, it has been important to check in with them throughout the day. Tasks can sprawl, and more than once we have come across one of them close to tears because they worked on an assignment far longer than required. Their teachers are doing great work, but it can be difficult to estimate what an assignment looks like to a middle schooler who wants to do their best but who has no immediate feedback or classmates around to whom they can compare themselves.
We also try to stop work at a reasonable time. The kids wrap up early in the afternoon. As teachers, it has been trickier for us. Many of our students are not keeping regular hours, or they dispersed to their home countries, so they are turning in work throughout the day and into the night. Work often spreads into the evening, and we work longer hours now than we would on a normal workday. We have not found a solution to this. But getting to watch “The Price is Right” has been some consolation.
See The Value In Screen Time
Like a lot of parents, we are aware of our children’s screen time and worry about it, despite having watched vast amounts of TV when we were their age. If we left it up to them, we might not have an upper limit on how much time they played video games. And they would happily spend unbroken hours messaging friends and watching YouTube videos.
“We have been taking a lunch break every day around noon. We all stop what we are doing and eat together. We have been watching 'The Price Is Right' or 'The People’s Court' while we eat. It feels a little like the best part of staying home from school when you were sick as a kid.”
Under normal circumstances, we set limits and try to move them toward more productive pursuits. We have not given up on this, but we have become more forgiving and see the value in some of the games they play. Just Dance on the Playstation has them exercising. Minecraft can be a remarkably clever game. Even Fortnite has its value as we listen to them talking and strategizing with friends across town and around the world.
Advertisement
We’ve been watching more TV and Netflix than we ordinarily would. We also understand that “watch TV” is not necessarily original or helpful advice, but we have expanded into a pretty broad range of viewing habits. We have watched some really high-quality movies (“The Lighthouse” felt particularly relevant and we’ve taken to quoting from it), but also a lot of terrible reality shows and repeats of favorites. Old episodes of “The Office” and “Rick and Morty” hold up remarkably well. And as a family, we started watching “Survivor” again. (We have mixed feelings about Boston Rob.)
In an attempt to get away from our screens, we have also broken out some of our board games. It’s been really nice to transform the dining room table from a middle school classroom back to a place to be together. And in our defense, the whole family is reading a lot, from Harry Potter to “Infinite Jest.”
Follow More Cake Decorating On Instagram
The temptation to hit refresh on news sites over and over is very real. It feels constructive and there is value in being informed; but at a certain point overconsumption of the news becomes a vice, like poking at a wound. Along with all the news, we have often kept a browser tab open for too long on the Johns Hopkins map of coronavirus. Originally, we were trying to make sense of the growing numbers of cases in China, and then as they’ve slowed in recent weeks, we began to look at the global numbers. It can be a dangerous rabbit hole to go down, as we moved on to academic articles on epidemiology and, worse, into online conspiracy theories. We’ve also found the temptation to enter into online debates with strangers to be particularly poisonous.
There is value in sometimes putting your head in the sand. It’s OK to take a break. Instagram has been an excellent destination for mindlessly scrolling through pretty pictures for a reprieve. We’ve been looking at a lot of cakes. (Open Instagram and search #cakedecorating.) It is incredibly soothing to watch someone put a cake on a plate, spread icing all over it, smooth it out with an icing spatula, then swirl on brightly colored, sugary flowers, maybe add some sprinkles. They are beautiful and there is absolutely nothing to argue about.
Get Exercise Where You Can
Before all this started we had been very good about going to the gym and lifting weights. It made us stronger and was great for maintaining sanity. But the gym has been closed along with everything else, so that stopped being an option.
Advertisement
Initially, we were encouraged not to go outside at all. The virus was so new and people were scared. It was also cold and grey for a lot of January and February, so it was not such a big deal to be inside most of the time.
We tried some online workouts, doing old-fashioned calisthenics and bodyweight exercises. We found old running shoes, put on our face masks (even though they serve very little purpose when you are outdoors away from crowds) and started running.
Now that the weather is warming up and the gym is still closed, running has become a not-terrible, even pleasant, part of the routine. We have started seeing more and more of our neighbors outside with us (all of us wearing masks and keeping our distance).
“There is value in sometimes putting your head in the sand. It’s OK to take a break. Instagram has been an excellent destination for mindlessly scrolling through pretty pictures for a reprieve. We’ve been looking at a lot of cakes.”
Take Turns Fearing The Worst
We have each gone for stretches — sometimes a few days — feeling like things are OK and that this experience is just something we can patiently wait out. Then a sense of worry, shading into anxiety and even fear, creeps in and it all comes crashing down a little.
Advertisement
These fears and anxieties have ranged from simple ones related to getting work done, or concerns about doing our jobs well enough, to bigger anxieties about the effect all of this is having on our children, and onward up to crushing existential fears about worst-case scenarios. Everything feels worse when it is compounded by a sense of being trapped and isolated in your house.
So far we have done a fairly remarkable job of having these crises one at a time. One of us has a bad afternoon or whole day, while the other can be a calm voice of reason. And then a day or two later, we have to reverse roles and offer the other the same simple advice we just received.
If it happens that everyone is panicking on the same day, or if you live alone, meditation has helped us. It has also been helpful to send out texts to a wide group of friends. Surely one of them is having a moment of calm and can help you catch your breath. We have not been in this alone.
What felt intolerable at times has largely become a part of normal life. Everything we see and read says there is tremendous value in social distancing wherever possible. We recognize that while this has been exhausting and challenging, we are also fortunate that we have been able to work from home and still have jobs at all. We know this is not the case for many, many people.
What’s To Come
Over the past week, there have been some indications of changes here in China. There have not been any new active cases being reported in our city. Some deliveries have started coming into our neighborhood and, for what it’s worth, we learned this week that Apple stores in China are opening right as they are beginning to close everywhere else.
Advertisement
At the same time, rumors about the date for reopening schools keep pushing it out later, and now it may not happen until the end of April. The walls and roadblocks are still up, and restrictions on people returning to China from outside the country have grown more strict recently. Fears that the virus will start up again here are significant. And we remain almost entirely in the dark about what comes next.
For now we continue to be as calm and patient as we can, as we work to keep our sanity. We wish the best to people around the world who find themselves in a similar situation.


huffpost--2020-03-18--Blood Donations Take A Huge Hit During Coronavirus Outbreak

Jake Danna Stevens/The Times-Tribune via Associated Press Due to the flu season and the coronavirus outbreak , donations to the American Red Cross are down across the country .
Public health officials are facing a massive shortage of blood donations during the coronavirus outbreak , which could hurt the ability to care for millions of people who rely on those donations .
More than 2,700 American Red Cross blood drives have been canceled since the outbreak hit , resulting in 86,000 fewer blood donations , according to Dr. Pampee Young , the organization ’ s chief medical officer .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ college campuses close down in response to the pandemic , those institutions have had to cancel their blood drives .
Urgent recommendations to practice social distancing have also resulted in fewer people donating blood at local centers .
More than 4.5 millions people in the U.S. get a blood transfusion annually , with sickle cell disease and cancer patients needing blood and platelet transfusions regularly .
And they can ’ t simply stop treatment during another crisis .
“ All of these patients have to continue their treatment , ” Young said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pandemic.
” Unlike bars , cafes , gyms and restaurants , blood donation centers are not public gatherings , and therefore don ’ t need to be avoided during this period of distancing , Young said .
Government health agencies have echoed this .
Not only is it safe to donate blood right now ― the FDA has said there have been no reported or suspected cases of transfusion-transmitted coronavirus ― but it ’ s also crucial .
“ Part of preparedness includes a robust blood supply , ” Brett P. Giroir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , said in a statement last week .
“ It is safe to donate blood … healthy individuals should schedule an appointment to donate today to ensure that blood is available for those patients who need it , ” he said .
Red Cross blood donation centers have taken several steps to ensure that donating blood is as safe an experience as possible .
Staff members ’ temperatures are taken daily , and donors also have their temperature taken before they enter the Red Cross facilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , appointments are made so that fewer donors are in the facilities together , and once inside , the beds are spaced out to ensure limited donor interaction .

Due to the flu season and the coronavirus outbreak, donations to the American Red Cross are down across the country. Jake Danna Stevens/The Times-Tribune via Associated Press
Public health officials are facing a massive shortage of blood donations during the coronavirus outbreak, which could hurt the ability to care for millions of people who rely on those donations.
More than 2,700 American Red Cross blood drives have been canceled since the outbreak hit, resulting in 86,000 fewer blood donations, according to Dr. Pampee Young, the organization’s chief medical officer.
Advertisement
As more schools, workplaces, churches and college campuses close down in response to the pandemic, those institutions have had to cancel their blood drives. Urgent recommendations to practice social distancing have also resulted in fewer people donating blood at local centers.
“Issues with social distancing are making folks nervous about coming in,” Young said. But “the consequence is pretty serious.”
More than 4.5 millions people in the U.S. get a blood transfusion annually, with sickle cell disease and cancer patients needing blood and platelet transfusions regularly. And they can’t simply stop treatment during another crisis.
“All of these patients have to continue their treatment,” Young said. “It doesn’t stop in a pandemic.”
Advertisement
Unlike bars, cafes, gyms and restaurants, blood donation centers are not public gatherings, and therefore don’t need to be avoided during this period of distancing, Young said.
Government health agencies have echoed this. Not only is it safe to donate blood right now ― the FDA has said there have been no reported or suspected cases of transfusion-transmitted coronavirus ― but it’s also crucial.
“Part of preparedness includes a robust blood supply,” Brett P. Giroir, assistant secretary for health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said in a statement last week.
“It is safe to donate blood … healthy individuals should schedule an appointment to donate today to ensure that blood is available for those patients who need it,” he said.
Red Cross blood donation centers have taken several steps to ensure that donating blood is as safe an experience as possible.
Advertisement
Staff members’ temperatures are taken daily, and donors also have their temperature taken before they enter the Red Cross facilities. To comply with social distancing measures, appointments are made so that fewer donors are in the facilities together, and once inside, the beds are spaced out to ensure limited donor interaction.


huffpost--2020-03-18--Bernie Sanders To 'Assess' His Campaign After More Primary Losses

Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) will “ assess ” his bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination following another round of primary losses , his campaign said Wednesday .
“ The next primary contest is at least three weeks away , ” Sanders ’ campaign manager Faiz Shakir said in a statement .
″Sen .
Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign.
” Shakir added : “ In the immediate term , however , he is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement follows Democratic rival Joe Biden ’ s sweeping victories in Arizona , Florida , and Illinois on Tuesday , further cementing the former vice president ’ s commanding delegate lead for the party ’ s nomination .
Sanders led the Democratic pack after the first primary contests in Iowa , New Hampshire and Nevada earlier this year , but has been outperformed since Biden ’ s landslide win in South Carolina last month .
Sanders won just four of the 14 Super Tuesday states up for grabs on March 3 .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine states that have held primary contests since .
Opportunities for the Sanders campaign to make a comeback are running low .
Several states have postponed their primaries until the summer as the coronavirus continues to spread across the country .
Puerto Rico is slated to hold the next primary on March 29 , followed by Alaska , Hawaii and Wyoming , which are scheduled to hold contests on April 4 .
Before polls closed on Tuesday , Sanders delivered a sobering speech about the coronavirus and called on Americans to stand together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tell anyone viewing this program that our country and , in fact , the world are facing an unprecedented series of crises , ” Sanders said .
Sanders outlined a series of proposals aimed at increasing hospital capacity during the pandemic and protecting Americans most financially vulnerable to restrictions .
He said every household should receive $ 2,000 a month from the government to help make ends meet .
“ In this unprecedented moment , this will require an unprecedented amount of money , ” he said .
“ My own guess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 2 trillion in funding to prevent deaths , job losses , and to avoid an economic catastrophe.
” CORRECTION : An earlier version mistakenly reported Sanders won two of eight states ’ primary contests since Super Tuesday .
In fact , he has won one of nine states ’ primary contests since then .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will “assess” his bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination following another round of primary losses, his campaign said Wednesday.
“The next primary contest is at least three weeks away,” Sanders’ campaign manager Faiz Shakir said in a statement. ″Sen. Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign.”
Advertisement
Shakir added: “In the immediate term, however, he is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people and the most vulnerable.”
The statement follows Democratic rival Joe Biden’s sweeping victories in Arizona, Florida, and Illinois on Tuesday, further cementing the former vice president’s commanding delegate lead for the party’s nomination.
Sanders led the Democratic pack after the first primary contests in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada earlier this year, but has been outperformed since Biden’s landslide win in South Carolina last month. Sanders won just four of the 14 Super Tuesday states up for grabs on March 3. He’s won only one of the nine states that have held primary contests since.
Opportunities for the Sanders campaign to make a comeback are running low. Several states have postponed their primaries until the summer as the coronavirus continues to spread across the country.
Advertisement
Puerto Rico is slated to hold the next primary on March 29, followed by Alaska, Hawaii and Wyoming, which are scheduled to hold contests on April 4.
Before polls closed on Tuesday, Sanders delivered a sobering speech about the coronavirus and called on Americans to stand together.
“I don’t have to tell anyone viewing this program that our country and, in fact, the world are facing an unprecedented series of crises,” Sanders said.
Sanders outlined a series of proposals aimed at increasing hospital capacity during the pandemic and protecting Americans most financially vulnerable to restrictions. He said every household should receive $2,000 a month from the government to help make ends meet.
“In this unprecedented moment, this will require an unprecedented amount of money,” he said. “My own guess is that we’ll be spending $2 trillion in funding to prevent deaths, job losses, and to avoid an economic catastrophe.”
Advertisement
Bernie Sanders addressed the escalating coronavirus crisis on Tuesday night, saying it was an “unprecedented moment” and calling for $2,000 payments to Americans, among other proposals.
Read more. https://t.co/OFMvsCDmeH pic.twitter.com/uBhHC0Ofbi — The New York Times (@nytimes) March 18, 2020
Tara Golshan contributed reporting.


huffpost--2020-03-18--These Dog TikToks Can Make Social Isolation Feel Way Less Ruff

We get it — staying at home during the coronavirus outbreak can feel like a major puggle .
Self-isolation is @ @ @ @ @ , leaving many of us feeling lonely , bored or panicky — but don ’ @ @ @ @ @ We curated a few very good dog TikToks that will hopefully make you roll over @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re going mutts right now , think of this post as your emotional @ @ @ @ @ ’ s paws-itvely hilarious .
And if you need more funny pet content in your @ @ @ @ @ list of cat TikToks right meow ( or ya know , after you ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ ) .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
We get it — staying at home during the coronavirus outbreak can feel like a major puggle.
Self-isolation is terrier us all up inside, leaving many of us feeling lonely, bored or panicky — but don’t whimper just yet.
We curated a few very good dog TikToks that will hopefully make you roll over with laughter.
So if you’re going mutts right now, think of this post as your emotional support animal — one that’s paws-itvely hilarious.
Advertisement
And if you need more funny pet content in your life, check out our list of cat TikToks right meow (or ya know, after you’ve watch all the videos below).
So sit, stay and enjoy!
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement


huffpost--2020-03-18--Sarah Hyland Opens Up About Being At High Risk For Coronavirus

“ Modern Family ” star Sarah Hyland is one of the millions of people who are at high risk of severe illness as a result of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 .
Hyland , 29 , opened up about being fearful of contracting the virus due to her health conditions during an episode of the “ Brad Behavior ” podcast set to air Wednesday , per People .
She has kidney dysplasia , a condition in which her kidneys did not properly develop before she was born .
The condition has required Hyland to have multiple surgeries and two kidney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2017 after the first failed .
“ I am obviously immunocompromised with my transplant history and am on immunosuppressants so everything in this house is sanitized , ” Hyland said .
While roughly 80 % of those infected with COVID-19 experience mild symptoms , the illness can be severe or fatal for the elderly and those with preexisting medical conditions .
Hyland explained that when she catches a bug that might only be a 24-hour sickness for the average person , it often results in her being sick for a “ week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is pretty high , ” she said .
“ But I also have a lot of health issues that are very susceptible to stress so I ’ m trying to remain calm.
” Hyland plans to socially distance herself , leaving the house only for medical appointments .
On those occasions , she will wear gloves and a face mask .
Hyland also urged people who are at low risk to contribute by practicing “ compassion , love , generosity.
” “ We ’ re literally dealing with people who could die and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a time to come together , ” she said .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
“Modern Family” star Sarah Hyland is one of the millions of people who are at high risk of severe illness as a result of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Hyland, 29, opened up about being fearful of contracting the virus due to her health conditions during an episode of the “Brad Behavior” podcast set to air Wednesday, per People. She has kidney dysplasia, a condition in which her kidneys did not properly develop before she was born. The condition has required Hyland to have multiple surgeries and two kidney transplants, one in 2012 and another in 2017 after the first failed.
Advertisement
“I am obviously immunocompromised with my transplant history and am on immunosuppressants so everything in this house is sanitized,” Hyland said.
While roughly 80% of those infected with COVID-19 experience mild symptoms, the illness can be severe or fatal for the elderly and those with preexisting medical conditions.
Sarah Hyland attends the 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles, California, in January. Leon Bennett via Getty Images
Hyland explained that when she catches a bug that might only be a 24-hour sickness for the average person, it often results in her being sick for a “week or more.”
Advertisement
“My panic level is pretty high,” she said. “But I also have a lot of health issues that are very susceptible to stress so I’m trying to remain calm.”
Hyland plans to socially distance herself, leaving the house only for medical appointments. On those occasions, she will wear gloves and a face mask.
Hyland also urged people who are at low risk to contribute by practicing “compassion, love, generosity.”
“We’re literally dealing with people who could die and I just think it’s really a time to come together,” she said.
Filming for her show, “Modern Family,” wrapped last month after 11 seasons.


huffpost--2020-03-18--Biden Overwhelms Sanders With Florida, Illinois, Arizona Victories

Former Vice President Joe Biden won smashing victories in Democratic presidential primaries in Florida , Illinois and Arizona on Tuesday night , further cementing his advantage over Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) in a nomination race soon to be frozen in place for weeks as growing fears over the coronavirus pandemic cause voters to lose interest and states to delay primaries .
The status of a fourth primary , Ohio ’ s , scheduled for Tuesday is up in the air .
Voters there did not cast ballots in person after GOP Gov .
Mike DeWine and the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election would be a threat to public health , causing the primary to be postponed .
Biden now has an advantage of nearly 300 delegates over Sanders and has won 19 of the last 24 states to vote in the race .
He was on track to win Florida by close to an astounding 40 percentage points , and he held strong double-digit leads in Illinois and Arizona .
By the end of the night , he was projected to have more than half of the 1,991 delegates needed to secure the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign has had a very good night .
And we ’ ve moved closer to securing the Democratic party ’ s nomination for president , ” Biden said in a speech live-streamed from his home in Wilmington , Delaware .
“ We ’ re doing it by building the broad coalition that we will need to win in November.
” The Biden campaign , in a memo released before polls closed , said , “ We held elections during the Civil War , the 1918 flu pandemic , and World War II .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that same challenge today and continue to uphold the core functions and values of our democracy.
” In the memo , deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield continued , “ While voter turnout on Election Day itself may be lower due to COVID-19 concerns , we believe that , with early vote and vote by mail , overall turnout will be roughly on pace for 2016 in Arizona and Florida and roughly on pace for 2018 in Illinois , and that voter turnout in all three states will reflect the population at large.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s coalition .
He won both white and non-white voters in Florida by more than 30 percentage points , and won both groups by more than 20 percentage points in Illinois .
He was winning voters both with and without college diplomas in both states .
In Florida , he even had a slight edge over Sanders among self-identified “ very liberal ” voters and was winning in every single county .
Sanders retained his advantage among younger voters , but it did him little good .
He won among voters younger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % margin over Biden in Florida , according to exit polls , by a 63 % -to-31 % margin in Illinois and by a 71 % -to-19 % margin in Arizona .
But Biden ’ s margins among voters older than 45 were even greater in Florida and Illinois , and those voters made up 70 % of the electorate in retiree-rich Florida , 65 % in Arizona and 62 % in Illinois .
Sanders is running low on opportunities to turn the race around .
Georgia , where Biden was heavily favored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 , but has opted to delay its primary until June .
That means the next election will be Puerto Rico ’ s March 29 primary , followed by Alaska , Hawaii and Wyoming on April 4 and Wisconsin ― which could function as a last stand for Sanders ― on April 7 .
That ’ s followed by another three-week break , at which point voters in a host of northeastern states will cast ballots on April 28 .
“ Senator Sanders and I may disagree on tactics , but we share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Senator Sanders and his supporters have brought remarkable passion and tenacity to these issues , and together , they have shifted the fundamental conversation in the country .
And let me say , especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Senator Sanders : I hear you .
I know what is at stake .
And I know what we have to do.
” His address focused on his $ 2 trillion plan to respond to the recession economists believe the pandemic is likely to cause and included a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embrace , including a $ 2,000-a-month stipend for all Americans , empowering Medicare to cover all medical costs during the pandemic and the suspension of mortgage and student loan payments .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Former Vice President Joe Biden won smashing victories in Democratic presidential primaries in Florida, Illinois and Arizona on Tuesday night, further cementing his advantage over Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in a nomination race soon to be frozen in place for weeks as growing fears over the coronavirus pandemic cause voters to lose interest and states to delay primaries.
The status of a fourth primary, Ohio’s, scheduled for Tuesday is up in the air. Voters there did not cast ballots in person after GOP Gov. Mike DeWine and the state’s health commissioner ruled that conducting the election would be a threat to public health, causing the primary to be postponed.
Advertisement
Biden’s wins add to his significant advantage in delegates over Sanders and showed his coalition of older voters, Black voters and ideological moderates expanding as the Democratic rank and file appear eager to end the primary battle and begin focusing on a November showdown with President Donald Trump.
Biden now has an advantage of nearly 300 delegates over Sanders and has won 19 of the last 24 states to vote in the race. He was on track to win Florida by close to an astounding 40 percentage points, and he held strong double-digit leads in Illinois and Arizona. By the end of the night, he was projected to have more than half of the 1,991 delegates needed to secure the right to challenge Trump.
“Our campaign has had a very good night. And we’ve moved closer to securing the Democratic party’s nomination for president,” Biden said in a speech live-streamed from his home in Wilmington, Delaware. “We’re doing it by building the broad coalition that we will need to win in November.”
From left, Democratic presidential candidates, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., former Vice President Joe Biden, talks before a Democratic presidential primary debate, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020, in Charleston, S.C. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Advertisement
Earlier this month, both Biden and Sanders stopped holding rallies or primary night parties because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Turnout in all three states was boosted significantly by absentee and early ballots, with fears about COVID-19, the diseased caused by the coronavirus, lowering turnout on Election Day.
The Biden campaign, in a memo released before polls closed, said, “We held elections during the Civil War, the 1918 flu pandemic, and World War II. We are confident that we can meet that same challenge today and continue to uphold the core functions and values of our democracy.”
In the memo, deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield continued, “While voter turnout on Election Day itself may be lower due to COVID-19 concerns, we believe that, with early vote and vote by mail, overall turnout will be roughly on pace for 2016 in Arizona and Florida and roughly on pace for 2018 in Illinois, and that voter turnout in all three states will reflect the population at large.”
Sanders aides, meanwhile, posted videos of voters having to wait in long lines and suggested holding the election was risking lives.
Advertisement
At the Thurgood Marshall Public Library a predominately black senior population is waiting on average 2 hrs to vote in crowded rooms. This is not safe! #COVID19 #IllinoisPrimary pic.twitter.com/q4Fav9h1nW — Abshir Omar (@AbshirDSM) March 17, 2020
Exit polls show few weaknesses in Biden’s coalition. He won both white and non-white voters in Florida by more than 30 percentage points, and won both groups by more than 20 percentage points in Illinois. He was winning voters both with and without college diplomas in both states. In Florida, he even had a slight edge over Sanders among self-identified “very liberal” voters and was winning in every single county.
Sanders retained his advantage among younger voters, but it did him little good. He won among voters younger than 45 by a 58%-to-37% margin over Biden in Florida, according to exit polls, by a 63%-to-31% margin in Illinois and by a 71%-to-19% margin in Arizona. But Biden’s margins among voters older than 45 were even greater in Florida and Illinois, and those voters made up 70% of the electorate in retiree-rich Florida, 65% in Arizona and 62% in Illinois.
Arizona painted a somewhat different picture. Sanders and Biden essentially tied among non-white voters because of Sanders’ strength with Latino voters of Mexican and Central American descent. (Biden performed stronger with Latino voters in Florida, many of whom trace their families back to Cuba or South America.)
Sanders is running low on opportunities to turn the race around. Georgia, where Biden was heavily favored, was set to vote on March 24, but has opted to delay its primary until June. That means the next election will be Puerto Rico’s March 29 primary, followed by Alaska, Hawaii and Wyoming on April 4 and Wisconsin ― which could function as a last stand for Sanders ― on April 7. That’s followed by another three-week break, at which point voters in a host of northeastern states will cast ballots on April 28.
Advertisement
The long gap between primaries, along with the pandemic’s rightful domination of the news cycle, means it could be near-impossible for Sanders to change the race’s narrative or its delegate math.
In his speech on Tuesday night, Biden began reaching out, at least rhetorically, to Sanders’s base of young and progressive voters and praising the senator for shifting the American political conversation to the left.
“Senator Sanders and I may disagree on tactics, but we share a common vision,” he said. “Senator Sanders and his supporters have brought remarkable passion and tenacity to these issues, and together, they have shifted the fundamental conversation in the country. And let me say, especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Senator Sanders: I hear you. I know what is at stake. And I know what we have to do.”
His olive branch was rejected by at least on Sanders staffer.
The gap between Sanders’s and Biden’s vision for the country was put on display when Sanders spoke at 7:15 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, before all polls had closed in any state.
Advertisement
His address focused on his $2 trillion plan to respond to the recession economists believe the pandemic is likely to cause and included a plethora of provisions Biden is unlikely to embrace, including a $2,000-a-month stipend for all Americans, empowering Medicare to cover all medical costs during the pandemic and the suspension of mortgage and student loan payments.
“In this moment of crisis, it is imperative that we stand together,” Sanders said toward the start of the address.


huffpost--2020-03-18--U.S. Spanish Speakers May Not Be Getting Timely Coronavirus Updates

PHOENIX ( AP ) — As government officials across the country warn about the dangers of the coronavirus , they ’ re doing so predominantly in English .
They ’ re potentially not reaching the millions of Spanish speakers in the U.S. who aren ’ t proficient in English to make sure they know how to stay healthy during a global pandemic .
Advocacy groups and Spanish-language media have stepped up to fill in the gaps as cities and states say they ’ re working to translate guidance about hand washing and the effects of closing schools and businesses into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The health department was still translating coronavirus updates , Director Cara Christ said Monday .
By Wednesday , there was still no Spanish .
No media briefings have been broadcast in Spanish , although health officials have done Spanish-language interviews with Hispanic media .
“ This has been a rapidly evolving situation and so things update almost daily , ” Christ said .
“ We are working on getting a lot of our hard materials translated into Spanish and working on getting Spanish in our social media.
” Thomas Saenz , president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Educational Fund , a civil rights organization , said he ’ s not surprised that some states are behind on Spanish-language messaging , especially those like Arizona , where immigrants and Hispanics have faced hostility from laws and raids meant to crack down on illegal immigration .
To help , an advocacy group is providing workers at a day labor work center in Pasadena , California , with information in Spanish to help them reduce their risk of infection and be ready in case they get sick or the government orders a lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also streamed a radio show on social media dedicated to the virus , addressing hygiene strategies , how to talk with children about the disease and the drastic drop in hirings the center has seen .
“ I prefer the information in Spanish because it is our language , ” said Carlos , a day laborer who was getting information at the center and didn ’ t want to share his last name out of fear he would be targeted by immigration authorities .
“ They are advising us on how to act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face this , especially those of us who have children , so that we don ’ t take this home because the children are out of school.
” While states have started adding Spanish to their health department websites , it can be hard to find .
A day after The Associated Press asked the New Mexico governor ’ s office about a lack of Spanish on the health department website , it ’ s Spanish-language site went live and Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham tweeted about it in Spanish .
A purple-highlighted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ page has , in small letters , a link to Spanish updates .
The outreach to Spanish-speaking communities has been mixed .
The federal government has done little , but the CDC does have coronavirus information available in Spanish on its website , although it is hard to find .
Critics say it ’ s taken too long to post updates in Spanish .
For example , the CDC ’ s Spanish-language Twitter account hasn ’ t tweeted about the coronavirus , instead retweeting a message about the virus from the CDC Environment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has had the most deaths in the U.S. , has information and news releases posted in both English and Spanish on its health department website .
Health officials there are working with a translation firm and with independent translators to get the word out in over 40 languages , spokeswoman Kathleen Meehan said .
Meehan added that it ’ s the first time the state health department created a community engagement task force to address things like language barriers .
And while government officials have had to communicate in other languages before , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak is unprecedented , she said .
Raquel Terán , an Arizona lawmaker and longtime community activist , said she asked state officials two weeks ago whether information would be delivered in Spanish .
Now , as the warnings ramp up — state officials have closed all schools and continue to urge people to stay home — messaging in more than just English is essential , Terán said .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
PHOENIX (AP) — As government officials across the country warn about the dangers of the coronavirus, they’re doing so predominantly in English. They’re potentially not reaching the millions of Spanish speakers in the U.S. who aren’t proficient in English to make sure they know how to stay healthy during a global pandemic.
Advocacy groups and Spanish-language media have stepped up to fill in the gaps as cities and states say they’re working to translate guidance about hand washing and the effects of closing schools and businesses into the second-most spoken language in the U.S.
Advertisement
In Arizona, where 30% of residents are Hispanic, the Department of Health Services website offers a page with coronavirus updates — but none of the information is in Spanish.
The health department was still translating coronavirus updates, Director Cara Christ said Monday. By Wednesday, there was still no Spanish. No media briefings have been broadcast in Spanish, although health officials have done Spanish-language interviews with Hispanic media.
“This has been a rapidly evolving situation and so things update almost daily,” Christ said. “We are working on getting a lot of our hard materials translated into Spanish and working on getting Spanish in our social media.”
Thomas Saenz, president of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, a civil rights organization, said he’s not surprised that some states are behind on Spanish-language messaging, especially those like Arizona, where immigrants and Hispanics have faced hostility from laws and raids meant to crack down on illegal immigration.
Advertisement
He said Hispanic and immigrant communities already face barriers to health care, including fear of seeking treatment because of their immigration status.
“The lack of bilingual material sort of exacerbates some of those issues that create uneven access to information and services,” Saenz said.
To help, an advocacy group is providing workers at a day labor work center in Pasadena, California, with information in Spanish to help them reduce their risk of infection and be ready in case they get sick or the government orders a lockdown. The National Day Laborer Organizing Network also streamed a radio show on social media dedicated to the virus, addressing hygiene strategies, how to talk with children about the disease and the drastic drop in hirings the center has seen.
“I prefer the information in Spanish because it is our language,” said Carlos, a day laborer who was getting information at the center and didn’t want to share his last name out of fear he would be targeted by immigration authorities. “They are advising us on how to act, and how to get ready to face this, especially those of us who have children, so that we don’t take this home because the children are out of school.”
Spanish-language media outlet Noticias Telemundo says it’s adding a national weekday newscast focused on the coronavirus. It’s also expanding its morning show and midday newscast to include segments on the virus.
Advertisement
While states have started adding Spanish to their health department websites, it can be hard to find. A day after The Associated Press asked the New Mexico governor’s office about a lack of Spanish on the health department website, it’s Spanish-language site went live and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham tweeted about it in Spanish. A purple-highlighted banner atop the website’s main page has, in small letters, a link to Spanish updates.
The nation’s most Hispanic state also has had a Spanish educator and health official at every news conference to do an interviews with Spanish-language media.
The outreach to Spanish-speaking communities has been mixed. The federal government has done little, but the CDC does have coronavirus information available in Spanish on its website, although it is hard to find.
Critics say it’s taken too long to post updates in Spanish. For example, the CDC’s Spanish-language Twitter account hasn’t tweeted about the coronavirus, instead retweeting a message about the virus from the CDC Environment account Tuesday.
In Hispanic-heavy states like Florida, many news conferences held by state officials have been bilingual, and the state health department has Spanish-speaking agents available round the clock at its coronavirus call center, spokesman Alberto Moscoso said.
Advertisement
Washington state, which has had the most deaths in the U.S., has information and news releases posted in both English and Spanish on its health department website. Health officials there are working with a translation firm and with independent translators to get the word out in over 40 languages, spokeswoman Kathleen Meehan said.
Meehan added that it’s the first time the state health department created a community engagement task force to address things like language barriers. And while government officials have had to communicate in other languages before, such as during wildfires, the virus outbreak is unprecedented, she said.
“Our messaging isn’t effective if people can’t understand it,” Meehan said.
In the California wine region of Sonoma County, officials are giving news updates in both languages, broadcasting them on Facebook Live.
And in El Paso, Texas, where roughly 80% of residents are Hispanic, authorities have conducted news conferences in both languages. Mayor Dee Margo posts updates in Spanish and English to his official Facebook page.
Raquel Terán, an Arizona lawmaker and longtime community activist, said she asked state officials two weeks ago whether information would be delivered in Spanish. Now, as the warnings ramp up — state officials have closed all schools and continue to urge people to stay home — messaging in more than just English is essential, Terán said.
Advertisement
She said the state should hire Spanish translators, noting that although not all Hispanics speak Spanish, many do.
The community wants “to hear a trusted voice,” Terán said. “They want the trusted messenger in Spanish. That’s the reality.”
___


huffpost--2020-03-18--Judi Dench Channels 'Cats' Movie In Adorable Coronavirus Message

It wasn ’ t exactly a sequel to the movie “ Cats ” ― it was better .
Acting legend @ @ @ @ @ reason to smile amid the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday when she doffed what looked like @ @ @ @ @ took to Twitter .
The reason : She wanted to send an important message as @ @ @ @ @ bad news and worry .
“ Keep laughing , ” the Oscar-winning actor said as @ @ @ @ @ perked up .
“ That ’ s all we can do.
” Dench ’ s @ @ @ @ @ received loud and clear .
Within hours , it was retweeted more than 10,000 times @ @ @ @ @ a star of the widely panned screen version of “ Cats , ” has been @ @ @ @ @ outbreak , including this video with actor Gyles Brandreth that shows them reciting the Edward @ @ @ @ @ And The Pussy-cat ” for 20 seconds while they demonstrate proper hand-washing .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
It wasn’t exactly a sequel to the movie “Cats” ― it was better.
Acting legend Judi Dench gave fans a reason to smile amid the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday when she doffed what looked like a fluffy dog-themed hat and took to Twitter.
The reason: She wanted to send an important message as the world is buffeted by bad news and worry.
“Keep laughing,” the Oscar-winning actor said as her long, fuzzy ears perked up. “That’s all we can do.”
Advertisement
Dench’s message seemed to have been received loud and clear. Within hours, it was retweeted more than 10,000 times.
Dench, 85, a star of the widely panned screen version of “Cats,” has been posting other messages during the outbreak, including this video with actor Gyles Brandreth that shows them reciting the Edward Lear poem “The Owl And The Pussy-cat” for 20 seconds while they demonstrate proper hand-washing.
A Public Service Poem - from Judi Dench & Gyles Brandreth pic.twitter.com/jocgJtjvVd — Gyles Brandreth (@GylesB1) March 15, 2020


huffpost--2020-03-18--17 Simple Food Swaps For When You Run Out Of Ingredients

Under normal circumstances , it ’ s frustrating to discover you ’ re out of a key ingredient mid-recipe .
When you ’ re coronavirus-quarantined , it can ruin your day .
Obviously , you can ’ t just run out to the grocery store to pick up what you ’ re missing .
But with a few key substitutions , you should be able to muddle through .
We ’ ve consulted in-the-know sources and “ The Food Substitutions Bible ” to find suitable swaps for ingredients you ’ re most likely to deplete .
They ’ re not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll do the job .
And who knows , maybe you ’ ll discover you prefer a recipe this way !
For cooking , any oil will do .
For baking , use an equivalent amount of : If you ’ ve only got half the amount of butter you need for a baked good recipe , applesauce can work for the rest .
For each egg in a baking recipe , swap in : For each tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs , use : For each 1 cup of uncooked white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount of the uncooked substitute : For each pound of fresh tomatoes , use : For each cup of red , use :

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Under normal circumstances, it’s frustrating to discover you’re out of a key ingredient mid-recipe. When you’re coronavirus-quarantined, it can ruin your day. Obviously, you can’t just run out to the grocery store to pick up what you’re missing. But with a few key substitutions, you should be able to muddle through.
We’ve consulted in-the-know sources and “The Food Substitutions Bible” to find suitable swaps for ingredients you’re most likely to deplete. They’re not all perfect flavor matches, but they’ll do the job. And who knows, maybe you’ll discover you prefer a recipe this way!
Advertisement
Butter
For cooking, any oil will do. For baking, use an equivalent amount of:
Regular (not light) margarine
Lard
Coconut oil (solid)
If you’ve only got half the amount of butter you need for a baked good recipe, applesauce can work for the rest.
Eggs
For each egg in a baking recipe, swap in:
1/3 cup applesauce
1/2 pureed banana (1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds or chia seeds + 3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup blended silken tofu
3 tablespoons vegetable oil + 1 tablespoon water
2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (for cakes)
Sour Cream
Replace each cup with:
Plain Greek yogurt, an equivalent amount
3/4 cup cream cheese + 3 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup melted unsalted butter + 3/4 cup milk + 1 teaspoon lemon juice (for baking)
Dairy Products
1 cup milk = 1/2 cup evaporated milk + 1/2 cup water
1 cup half & half = 1 cup whole milk + 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter OR 1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream = 2/3 cup whole milk + 1/3 cup melted unsalted butter
1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup milk + 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
Garlic
For each clove, use:
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (omit 1/2 teaspoon salt from the recipe)
1/2 teaspoon jarred minced garlic
1/2 to 1 teaspoon minced shallots
Onions
For each medium onion, use:
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons onion powder
1 cup chopped shallots
1 1/4 cups chopped leeks, green onions or scallions (white and light green parts only)
1 cup frozen chopped onions
Lemon
For each tablespoon of juice, use 1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar, sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar
For each teaspoon of zest, use 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
Fresh Herbs
For each tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs, use:
1 teaspoon dried
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground or powdered
Breadcrumbs
For each cup, use:
3 to 4 slices oven-dried bread, crushed in a food processor
1 1/4 cups croutons or stuffing cubes, crushed
3/4 cup cracker crumbs
1 cup crushed tortilla or potato chips
1 cup crushed pretzels
1 cup crushed cornflakes
Flour
1 cup all-purpose flour = 1 cup + 3 tablespoons cake flour OR 1 cup self-rising flour (omit baking powder + salt from recipe) OR 1 1/2 cups dry breadcrumbs
1 cup of cake flour = 1 cup pastry flour OR 1 cup minus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour + 3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup pastry flour = 2/3 cup all-purpose flour + 1/3 cup cake flour
1 cup self-rising flour = 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon salt
Sugar
1 cup granulated sugar = 1 3/4 cup unsifted confectioners’ sugar OR 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar OR 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons honey, agave nectar, or brown rice syrup + 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (reduce liquid in recipe by 3 tablespoons and lower oven temperature by 25°F)
1 cup dark brown sugar = 1 packed cup light brown sugar + 1 tablespoon molasses OR 1 cup granulated sugar + 2 to 3 tablespoons molasses
1 cup light brown sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 to 2 tablespoons molasses OR 1/2 cup dark brown sugar + 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup confectioners’ sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon cornstarch, processed in a food processor
Cocoa Powder
For every 3 tablespoons, use:
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate (decrease fat in recipe by 1 tablespoon)
2 ounces semisweet chocolate (decrease fat in recipe by 1 tablespoon and sugar in recipe by 3 tablespoons)
For each teaspoon, use:
1 1/2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
2 teaspoons soy sauce
Rice
For each 1 cup of uncooked white or brown rice, use the following amount of the uncooked substitute:
2 cups orzo pasta
1 1/4 cups couscous
3/4 cup barley
1 cup quinoa
1 cup bulgur
1 1/3 cups wheatberries
1 1/2 cups kasha
Tomatoes
For each pound of fresh tomatoes, use:
1 1/2 cups canned whole tomatoes
6 to 8 sun-dried tomato halves, reconstituted in hot water
3 tablespoons tomato paste (you may need to add liquid)
Broth
1 cup of broth = 1 bouillon cube + 1 cup boiling water OR 1 teaspoon bouillon granules + 1 cup boiling water
To replace chicken or vegetable broth, use an equivalent amount of dry white wine, vermouth or water (in small amounts).
To replace beef broth, use an equivalent amount of vegetable broth, red wine or beer.
Wine
For each cup of red, use:
3/4 cup red grape juice + 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice + 2 tablespoons of water (for marinades)
1 cup beef broth (for sauces and stews)
1 cup beer (for stews)
For each cup of white, use:
3/4 cup white grape juice, apple juice, or apple cider + 1/4 cup white wine vinegar or lemon juice (for marinades)
1 cup sherry, vermouth, sake, mirin, or chicken or vegetable broth (for sauces and stews)
Unfortunately, these substitutes won’t help if you just want to drink ― this is purely a cooking substitute.