U.S. NEWS A25
Thursday 26 March 2020
Some U.S. leaders take ‘do as I say, not as I do’ virus stance Continued from Front
Even as the country has largely hunkered down, heeding the guidance of health experts and the directives of state leaders, some powerful people in Washington have defied preventative measures aimed at curbing the spread. Their business-as-usual actions are at odds with the restrictions everyday Americans find themselves under, and with the government’s own messaging. Some human behavior experts say the “do as I say, not as I do”’ ethos seemingly on display is common among powerful officials, who may be inclined to think they don’t have to follow rules for the general public in the same way or who can easily dissociate their own actions from what they say is best for others. “When we have high power, we think of ourselves as exceptional as if the rules don’t apply to us,” said Maurice Schweitzer, a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania who has researched behavior and decision-making. “We’re much more prone to do what we want because we don’t feel constrained in the way that less powerful people do.” In Pompeo’s case, the State Department says the unan-
In this March 23, 2020, file photo Nebraska Senators Tony Vargas of Omaha, left, and Mark Kolterman of Seward, bump elbows at the State Capitol in Lincoln, Neb. Associated Press
nounced trip — coming amid a near-global travel shutdown — was necessary and urgent because of political turmoil in Afghanistan that U.S. officials fear could threaten a recent U.S.Taliban peace deal that calls for American troop withdrawals. Pompeo left Kabul on Monday without being able to secure a power-sharing deal. People traveling with Pompeo had their temperatures taken and were given bags containing a face mask, hand sanitizer, bleach wipes and mini-disposable thermometers. A State Department medical official told reporters Pompeo and his staff would not be quarantining themselves because Afghanistan is not considered a high-risk country for the virus and
because Pompeo’s movements on the trip were controlled. For most people, 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. Some of the behavior by other officials has drawn rebukes. Asked in a Science Magazine interview about Trump shaking hands, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he tells White House staff that “we should not be doing that. Not only that — we should be physically
separating a bit more on those press conferences.” Several senators, scolded Paul, R-Ky., for refusing to self-quarantine after he’d been tested. The doctor overseeing the government’s coronavirus response suggested that Paul’s actions fell short of model “personal responsibility.” More than two dozen senators are in their 70s and 80s, putting them at high risk if exposed. Still, despite risk to senators and the fact that gyms across the country have been closed as a precaution, Paul and other senators were able to continue going to the Senate gym, using a keypad for access. Paul went into quarantine Sunday after learning his results. His announcement led Utah’s two GOP senators, Mike Lee and Mitt Romney, to place themselves into quarantine. Sen. Sherrod Brown, DOhio, said in an interview with Newsy, an online and streaming news site, that Paul’s actions were “irresponsible” and that senators in general have been acting as if they were somehow immune to getting sick. Brown cited what he said was a “photo opp” for senators held over the weekend. “I think that senators must think that they’re invincible,” Brown said.
Paul said he thought it “highly unlikely” he was sick before getting the test results and had no symptoms of the illness. He said he did not have contact with anyone who tested positive for the virus or was sick. He was at the Senate gym Sunday morning, though Paul’s staff says he left the Senate once he received the results. Asked about Paul, Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, said people can spread the virus while being asymptomatic, so social distancing is imperative. She noted that she herself stayed home over the weekend when she felt ill. She took a coronavirus test that came back negative. “These are the kinds of things that we have to do for one another. This is the personal responsibility that I’m talking about that we all have to practice,” Birx said. Trump raised eyebrows among public health specialists when he shook the hands of retail and health industry specialists at a Rose Garden news conference two weeks ago. He acknowledged Monday that shaking hands has been a hard habit to break, having become accustomed as president to doing so with “literally thousands of people a week.” q
U.S. Justice Department: Don’t treat trans athletes as girls By PAT EATON-ROBB AP Sports Writer HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department is getting involved in a federal civil rights lawsuit that seeks to block transgender athletes in Connecticut from competing as girls in interscholastic sports.Attorney General William Barr signed what is known as a statement of interest Tuesday, arguing against the policy of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference, the board that oversees the state's high school athletic competitions. The conference allows athletes to compete as
the gender with which they identify, arguing it is following a state law that requires high school students be treated according to their gender identity. It also argues the policy is in accordance with Title IX, the federal law that allows girls equal educational opportunities, including in athletics. The Justice Department, in its filing, disagrees. "Under CIAC's interpretation of Title IX, however, schools may not account for the real physiological differences between men and women. Instead, schools must have certain biological males — name-
In this Feb. 7, 2019 file photo, Bloomfield High School transgender athlete Terry Miller, second from left, wins the final of the 55-meter dash over transgender athlete Andraya Yearwood, far left, and other runners in the Connecticut girls Class S indoor track meet at Hillhouse High School in New Haven, Conn. Associated Press
ly, those who publicly identify as female — compete against biological fe-
males," Barr and the other department officials write. "In so doing, CIAC deprives
those women of the singlesex athletic competitions that are one of the marquee accomplishments of Title IX." The lawsuit was filed in February by runners Selina Soule, a senior at Glastonbury High School; Chelsea Mitchell, a senior at Canton High School; and Alanna Smith, a sophomore at Danbury High School, against the conference and several local boards of education. They argue they have been deprived of wins, state titles and athletic opportunities by being forced to compete against transgender athletes.q
A26
Thursday 26 March 2020
HEALTH
Pressing Down SANTA CRUZ - In the late fifties attending the Miami Country Day School or Boys in Miami Shores, I woke up one morning in my dormitory with a fever and the classical symptoms of measles the three Cs—cough, coryza (runny nose) and conjunctivitis (red eyes). Of course those were the days, before the MMS vaccine when children were still allowed to get measles. I duly reported to the infirmary to sweat out my fever that would last at least three days. Five days later, I was still in the infirmary. My bout with the virus had been uncomplicated, yet the physician who came in every afternoon hearing I was still sleeping most of the day, would not order my discharge from the school infirmary. The doctor made sure I had not had diarrhea checked me carefully with his stethoscope for pneumonia. He knew complications are usually more severe amongst adults who catch the virus and that the fatality rate from measles in children or for otherwise healthy people in developed countries is low. Why was I still lethargic? Asking some questions about my home back in Aruba, I heard the good doctor, on his way out of the infirmary arguing with the school nurse. Several minutes later with much complaining the nurse brought me a cup of coffee laden with milk and sugar. Even though she had been told that coffee and milk was usual break-
fast beverage for Hispanic children; this matron was devoutly against giving coffee to children. Astutely aware of cultural differences among Hispanics, even before the Cuban exodus to Miami, the school doctor had chosen correctly a food that would pull me out of my funk. Within an hour I was wide awake a clamoring to be able to join my schoolmates. What the insightful school doctor had realized is that I was clinically depressed. Our word depression comes from the Latin word “deprimere” which means to “press down”. Perhaps this comes from the realization that people can feel that life is pressing them down. Many people identify the feeling of being depressed as "being blue", "feeling sad for no reason", or "having no motivation to do anything". Indeed, many symptoms of depression include feeling sad or blue, anxiety or irritability, or feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt. When a person has thoughts of death or suicide they usually can figure out that something is not right with them. In our clinic, I diagnose patients as suffering from a stagnation of Liver chi. This indicates that the energy within the body is not flowing smoothly and results in the symptoms of depression even when patients themselves do not recognize this. As a result of Liver Chi Stagnation, the Heart, Spleen a/or Kidney systems may also be affected. Symptoms may include
significant weight loss or weight gain, explained by Tradition Chinese Medical physicians as weaknesses in the Spleen, short-term, it may lead to problems with fatigue and digestion. Long-term problems related to mucus, which could affect the mind in ways such as muddling the thinking. Longer-term weaknesses in the Spleen may also begin to affect the quality of blood in the body, which can strongly influence the heart system, causing symptoms such as insomnia and/or restlessness. Insomnia or excessive sleeping, are additional symptoms of depression. Fatigue or loss of energy can reflect an imbalance in the Kidney energy. If left untreated, the Kidneys inability to nourish Liver energy produces a definite loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities. People who have lost their interest and pleasure in sex usually excuse their position as being “too tired”. The Kidneys, being strongly related to the foundations of Yin and Yang, the combined forms of energy in your body, are also likely to play a role in the ability to climax and vaginal lubrication Some of the common lifestyle habits which may contribute to this are: lack of exercise, poor dietary habits - especially fried foods and foods not meant for our metabolic type, alcohol and other drugs, including some prescription medications and repressed or overly expressed emotions, especially anger or
grief. People who realize they are in a funk are better prepared to help themselves. Clinical depression, where physical symptoms of depression are present can be more serious than normal depressed feelings because it often leads to chronic negative thinking and substance abuse. Regardless of the cause, standard medical treatment for both acknowledged and clinical depression is antidepressant medication, which unfortunately, has risks. Already, in 2005, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning of possible increased suicide risk in adults taking antidepressants and an increased suicide risk in children. With such overwhelming evidence against the prescription of the newer antidepressants, why are such drugs still the primary medically accepted option? There are other ways to treat depression, including acupuncture treatments, counseling and natural herbal treatments. An important caution is that no food based supplement that is effective in treating depression should be taken together with antidepressant medication, since they could compound the negative side effects. This is especially relevant with St. John's wort. In our clinic we use a combination of diet and acupuncture to rebalance the energy of your body and to support you as you transition off antidepressant medication. Once the me-
By Carlos M Viana, CCN, OMD
tabolites or chemical traces of antidepressant medication are out of your body we recommend SAMe, sadenosylmethionine, and 5 –HTP, 5-Hydroxytryptophan. SAMe is a substance that occurs naturally in the body and that can be taken as a supplement. 5-HTP is a naturally-occurring amino acid. Studies have demonstrated that neither of these substances have the side effects of antidepressant medication and both are effective as natural antidepressants, appetite suppressants, and sleep aids. Get The Point! Often, individuals who live in modern society become stressed beyond the natural bounds of a healthy physiology. Regardless of the origin of the stress, or if we consciously recognize that we are depressed the effects may very well be the same. Aggressive antidepressant medication advertisement promises to get you out of your funk by taking their little pill. However, the small print paints a more dangerous picture. For a safer alternative for your symptoms, call for an appointment.q
WORLD NEWS A27
Thursday 26 March 2020
Britain's Prince Charles tests positive for the coronavirus By JILL LAWLESS and DANICA KIRKA Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, has tested positive for the new coronavirus, royal officials confirmed Wednesday — touching off debate about whether his wealth and status gave him priority in receiving a test. The 71-year-old is showing mild symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and is self-isolating at a royal estate in Scotland, the prince's Clarence House office said. His wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, has tested negative. "The Prince of Wales has tested positive for Coronavirus," Clarence House said. It said he "otherwise remains in good health and has been working from home throughout the last few days as usual." Britain's Press Association, citing a source, said the prince and the 72-year-old duchess remained in good spirits, and that Charles was not bedridden. The British government has advised people over age 70 to take social distancing measures especially seriously and warned they may need to stay home for 12 weeks. For most people, 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 be more severe, causing pneumonia and sometimes death. Charles is the latest highprofile figure to reveal a COVID-19 diagnosis. He joins a growing list of celebrities, athletes and other famous people who been tested for the novel coro-
In this Monday, March 9, 2020 file photo, Britain's Prince Charles and Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall, in the background, leave after attending the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London, Monday, March 9, 2020. Associated Press
navirus, even when they didn't have a fever or other severe tell-tale symptoms. That has fueled the perception that the wealthy and famous have been able to jump to the head of the line to get tested while others have been turned away or met with long delays. Scientists, public health and frontline medical staff officials have urged Britain to ramp up the number of people being tested for the virus. Currently the vast majority of people with mild symptoms are not being tested. The government says it tested 6,491 people on Tuesday and hopes to increase that to 25,000 tests a day within three weeks. A member of the Scottish Parliament, Joan McAlpine, expressed surprise that Charles was tested. McAlpine, a legislator with Scotland's governing Scottish National Party wished Charles a speedy recovery, but wondered aloud whether he had received special treatment.
"Given that his symptoms are said to be mild, like many I wonder how he was tested when many NHS and social care workers cannot get tested,'' she said on Twitter. "My nephew, who has serious asthma and a chest infection was recently refused a test.'' Charles and Camilla's tests were carried out by the National Health Service in Scotland. Its website says that in general people will be tested if they "have a serious illness that requires admission to hospital.'' Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood defended the test. "From the information I've been given it's clear he was tested for clinical reasons,'' she said. "And I'm pleased also that he is well and as with many people who have had this virus he has had a mild illness." Charles and other senior royals kept up a busy schedule of engagements until earlier this month, when they cut off public events as the coronavirus
outbreak intensified. Buckingham Palace said Queen Elizabeth II, 93, remains at her Windsor Castle home west of London with her 98-year-old husband, Prince Philip. "Her Majesty the queen remains in good health,'' the palace said, adding that the queen last saw Charles briefly at an event on March 12 and "is following all the appropriate advice with regard to her welfare." Philip was not with the monarch when she last saw Charles, the oldest of their four children. Clarence House said it was "not possible to ascertain from whom the prince caught the virus owing to the high number of engagements he carried out in his public role during recent weeks." Charles' last public engagement was March 12. He has also had a number of private meetings, and participants at those sessions have been made aware of his condition. Charles attended a March
11 awards ceremony for his Prince's Trust charity alongside celebrities including actor Pierce Brosnan and Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones. Charles attended a round table meeting on March 10 with Monaco's Prince Albert II, who has since tested positive for COVID-19. The British royal is not believed to have shaken hands with Albert at the WaterAid Summit in London on that day. Charles has been photographed doing the namaste gesture, with hands pressed together, at public events in recent weeks, including the Commonwealth Day Service on March 9 at Westminster Abbey. The event was the last formal engagement of Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan. Charles has spoken to both his sons: Prince William, who is second in line to the throne, and Prince Harry, who is in Canada. On March 3, before governments around the world started to join China in implementing sweeping curbs on public activities to counter the COVID-19 outbreak, William joked about the virus during an official visit to Ireland with his wife, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge. "I bet everyone's like, 'I've got coronavirus, I'm dying' and you're like, 'No, you've just got a cough'," he told emergency workers at a reception hosted by Britain's Ambassador to Ireland in Dublin's Guinness Storehouse. "It does seem quite dramatic about the coronavirus. Is it being a little hyped-up in the media?" With hindsight, William may regret his remarks in Ireland, including what he said next: that he and his wife "are spreading the coronavirus" even more.q
A28 WORLD
Thursday 26 March 2020
NEWS
Boko Haram kills 92 soldiers in Chad in country’s worst toll
Brazil's Bolsonaro again says coronavirus concern overblown
N'DJAMENA, Chad (AP) — Boko Haram extremists have killed at least 92 Chadian soldiers in the deadliest attack on the nation's forces, Chad's president said. The attack took place overnight Sunday into Monday in the village of Boma in the Lac province near the border with Nigeria and Niger. President Idriss Deby gave the toll on state television late Tuesday after visiting the site. "Never in our history have we lost so many men at one time," he said. Boko Haram extremists have killed tens of thousands and forced millions from their homes during their more than decade-long insurgency. They have carried out numerous attacks in the Lake Chad region where Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria and Niger come together.q
Tsunami watch for Hawaii lifted after north Pacific quake MOSCOW (AP) — A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck in the northern Pacific on Wednesday and forecasters said tsunami waves were possible for the nearest shores. A brief tsunami watch for Hawaii was canceled. The quake struck 219 kilometers (136 miles) southsoutheast of Severo on Russia's far eastern Kuril Islands, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was 56 kilometers (37 miles) deep.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially warned hazardous waves were possible in parts of the Kurils, but later said based on further analysis that waves of less than 30 centimeters (a foot) above tide level were possible in the northern Pacific. It noted that the wave height and potential hazard may vary by geography and other local features.q
Mexico will receive cruise ships, but fumigate passengers MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican government said Wednesday it would continue to receive cruise ships "for humanitarian reasons," but that passengers would be "individually fumigated" before being taken to airports for return flights to their home countries.
The department said Mexico's position is that "cruise ships can disembark for strictly humanitarian reasons, without endangering the port's population." It is unclear whether there are any more stranded passengers aboard cruise ships in Mexican waters.q
Wearing masks, Brazil's Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta, right, applies alcohol gel on hands of President Jair Bolsonaro's hands during a press conference on the new coronavirus, at the Planalto Presidential Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, March 18, 2019. Associated Press
By DAVID BILLER Associated Press RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday stuck with his contention that concern about the new coronavirus is overblown, and accused Brazilian media of trying to stoke nationwide hysteria. Bolsonaro said in a nationally televised address that the media had seized on the death toll in Italy, which he said is suffering so severely because of its elderly population and colder climate. “The virus arrived, we are confronting it, and it will pass shortly. Our lives have to continue, jobs should be maintained,” the president said. Bolsonaro added that certain Brazilian states should abandon their “scorched earth” policy of prohibiting public transport, closing business and schools, and calling for mass confinement at home for their residents. He did say people should be “extremely worried” about transmitting the virus to others, particularly to parents and grandparents. As he spoke, some Brazil-
ians who are home in selfisolation protested what they view as his blasé attitude toward the pandemic by leaning from their windows to bang pots and pans. Bolsonaro has drawn criticism, initially for referring to the virus that causes COVID-19 disease as a “fantasy” and then, as authorities including his own health ministry instructed people to avoid gatherings, for going to a March 15 rally where he shook supporters’ hands. On March 20, he called COVID-19 “a little flu.” About 2,200 people in Brazil have been infected so far, with 46 dead. For most people, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The vast majority of people recover. Bolsonaro traveled to the U.S. earlier this month and met with President Donald Trump. Since then, roughly
two dozen members of Bolsonaro’s delegation have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to local media reports. Bolsonaro has said he tested negative for the virus. “In my particular case, with my history as an athlete, if I were infected by the virus, I wouldn’t need to worry,” Bolsonaro said in the address Tuesday. “I wouldn’t feel anything or, if very affected, it would be like a little flu or little cold.” After the address, the head of Brazil’s Senate, Davi Alcolumbre, said that the country requires “serious, responsible leadership” and that now isn’t the time to attack the press or other public officials. Alcolumbre is in isolation at home himself, having been diagnosed with the virus. “We consider grave the position expressed by the president today, on national networks, of attacking COVID-19 containment measures,” Alcolumbre said. “The position runs against the actions adopted by other countries and suggested by the World Health Organization.q
business A29
Thursday 26 March 2020
Aetna waives patient payments for coronavirus hospital stays By TOM MURPHY AP Health Writer One of the nation's biggest health insures is waiving patient payments for hospital stays tied to the coronavirus. CVS Health's insurer Aetna said Wednesday that many of its customers will not have to make copayments or other forms of cost sharing if they wind up admitted to a hospital in the insurer's provider network. The move could save those patients thousands of dollars, depending on their coverage and how much health care they've used so far this year. The waiver lasts through June 1. It applies to the insurer's 3.6 million customers who have fully-insured coverage, which is usually offered through a small business. Big employers that offer Aetna coverage also can chose to waive those payments, a spokesman for the insurer said. The new coronavirus has caused a global pandemic that has infected more than 428,000 people and killed over 19,000 world-
In this Dec. 4, 2017 file photo, the CVS Health logo appears above a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Associated Press
wide, crippled economies and forced restrictions on the movement of millions of people in an effort to stop the virus from spreading further and overwhelming health care systems. CVS Health Executive Vice President Karen Lynch said in a statement the company is trying to ensure that its customers have "simple
and affordable access" to treatment during the pandemic. Many insurers have waived patient costs for testing or doctor visits and telemedicine to encourage people to get help with coronavirus symptoms. But Aetna, which covers nearly 23 million people, is the first major insurer to ex-
tend a payment waiver to the bills many patients will fear most if they become sick. For most people, 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 prob-
lems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. A recent study put together by researchers with the Covered California health insurance exchange found that a lengthy hospital stay of 12 days could cost a total of $72,000 on average nationally, depending on factors like how long a patient stays in an intensive care unit. Insured patients would only pay a slice of that bill, but that slice could amount to as much as $6,000 depending on their coverage. Many plans have deductibles that patients must pay before most of their coverage starts. They also have out-ofpocket maximums, or limits for how much each patient has to spend on care each year. Experts say one hospital stay could easily push a patient up to the plan's limits. "If you end up in a hospital you are going to blow through your deductible," said Peter Lee, the California exchange's executive director.q
Stocks jump, heading for first back-to-back gain in 6 weeks By STAN CHOE, DAMIAN J. TROISE and ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writers NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are leaping to more big gains on Wednesday, as Congress moves closer to approving a $2 trillion rescue plan for the economy. The S&P 500 was up more than 3% in afternoon trading and was on track for its first back-to-back gain since the coronavirus outbreak set off a brutal selloff five weeks ago. The big gains mean the stock market is now down by about a quarter from its record high set last month after earlier being down by more than a third. The White House and Senate leaders announced an agreement on the aid bill early Wednesday, and a vote was expected in the Senate by the end of the day. Investors were anxiously waiting for this kind of aid, which will help blunt
In this image provided by Jonathan Corpina, Jonathan Corpina, Senior Managing Partner at Meridian Equity Partners Inc., who normally works on the New York Stock Exchange trading floor, works in his home office in Armonk, NY., Wednesday, March 25, 2020. Associated Press
the blow to the economy as businesses shut down to slow the spread of the coronavirus. "They're hitting on all the right elements of what the U.S. economy needs during the shutdown to bridge itself to the other side to
open up economic activity," said Darrell Cronk, chief investment officer of Wells Fargo Wealth and Investment Management. But even optimists say the package provides just the second leg of three that markets need to regain
lasting confidence. The Federal Reserve and central banks are also offering tremendous aid by cutting interest rates and supporting lending markets, but investors say they need to see the number of new infections peak before they can feel comfortable knowing how deep the looming economic downturn will be. "There's a lot of bad news, there's very little tangible good news and there's a lot of uncertainty in between," said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Cresset. Investors are also still waiting to see the details of Washington's plan, which will include direct payments to most Americans and aid for hard-hit industries. It's unclear when the House of Representatives could vote on the plan. "It's too early to call a bottom because there's way
too much uncertainty," said Tony Rodriguez, head of fixed income strategy at Nuveen. "The bottom implies it's not going lower, and I don't think that," he said. "For it to become a bottom, you would need to see much better news coming out on the health care side of this." The number of known infections has leaped past 450,000 people worldwide, and more than 20,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. Overall, more than 112,000 have recovered. For most people, 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. q
A30
Thursday 26 March 2020
FEATURE
Rural America watches pandemic erupt in cities as fear grows By GILLIAN FLACCUS Associated Press DUFUR, Ore. (AP) — The social distancing rules repeated like a mantra in America's urban centers, where the coronavirus is spreading exponentially, might seem silly in wide-open places where neighbors live miles apart and "working from home" means another day spent branding calves or driving a tractor alone through a field. But as the pandemic spreads through the U.S., those living in rural areas,
In this photo taken March 20, 2020, cattle rancher Mike Filbin stands on his property in Dufur, Ore., after herding some cows and talks about the impact the new coronavirus is having on his rural community. Associated Press
too, are increasingly threatened. Tiny towns tucked into Oregon's windswept plains and cattle ranches miles from anywhere in South Dakota might not have had a single case of the new coronavirus, but their main streets are also empty and their medical clinics overwhelmed by the worried. Residents from rural Alabama to the woods of Vermont to the frozen reaches of Alaska fear the spread of the disease from outsiders, the social isolation that comes when the town's only diner closes, and economic collapse in places where jobs were already tough to come by. "Nobody knows what to do and they're just running in circles, so stay away from me is what I'm saying," said Mike Filbin, a 70-year-old cattle rancher in Wasco County, Oregon, one of the few parts of the state that has yet to see a case of COVID-19. "Right now, we're pretty clean over here, but we're not immune to nothin' — and if they start bringing it over, it'll explode here." To make matters worse, some of the most remote communities have limited or no internet access and spotty cellphone service. That makes telecommuting and online learning challenging in an era of blanket
school and work closures, and it eliminates the possibility of the FaceTime card games and virtual cocktail hours that urban Americans have turned to in droves to stay connected. The routine ways that rural Americans connect — a bingo night, stopping in at a local diner or attending a potluck — are suddenly taboo. "Rural people are reliant on their neighbors and have more confidence and trust in their neighbors," said Ken Johnson, a senior demographer at the Carsey School of Public Policy and professor of sociology at the University of New Hampshire. "Now you have people who are supposed to self-isolate themselves. What does that mean when people you depend on, in order to help you, are going to put themselves and their families at risk? I don't know what that will do in rural America." Neil Bradshaw, the mayor of Ketchum, Idaho, is starting to see the answer in his own community. The rural resort town has struggled since the arrival of COVID-19, and he fears if the virus lingers too long, it could devastate it. The town is nestled next door to the tony skiing destination Sun Valley Resort and is known as the second-
home haven for dozens of celebrities. It's also become the epicenter of Idaho's caseload, with at least 35 cases and known community spread of the virus. At least 14 of the cases are among health care workers, forcing the town's small medical workers to bring in replacement staffers from nearby cities. "Our town thrives on people coming to town, and for the first time in our history we are discouraging visitors," said Bradshaw, of the town of 2,700 people. "Initially people had different levels of adoption, but there's tremendous community pressure that we're all in this together. We've gone from being a vibrant town to a ghost town." The town's coffers rely on a local option tax, and if that drops by half the city will have lost $700,000 in revenue, he said. Some communities have pushed back on shutdowns that have brought daily life to a standstill. Leaders from seven Utah counties, for example, sent a letter earlier this week to Gov. Gary Herbert urging a "return to normalcy," and said the closure of schools and business was causing panic and hurting the economy. "As of (Monday), the total deaths attributed to the virus in the United States
stands at ninety," the letter states. "Not nine hundred, not nine thousand, not ninety thousand. Ninety. This number is sure to rise in the near future but we need to keep our wits about us." Others worry about outsiders bringing the disease to truly remote areas that aren't equipped to deal with it. Across the nation, there are over 51,000 general intensive care beds in urban counties, compared with just 5,600 in rural counties, according to data compiled by The Associated Press. Those beds serve a smaller population than in urban areas, but it would still take fewer people in rural areas to overwhelm a typical hospital. In fiscal year 2018, the average rural hospital had eight ICU beds, compared with 20 for a typical hospital in an urban area. In Georgiana, a small town in southern Alabama, the only hospital closed last year and residents have now been forced to flock to the health clinic instead when a person in a town 5 miles (8 kilometers) away was diagnosed with COVID-19. More than 30% of Georgiana's 1,600 residents are over age 60, putting them at higher risk with limited medical facilities to serve them, said Mayor Jerome Antone. The town's older residents, he said, are "aggressively upset" even though no one there has been diagnosed yet. In Alaska's Point Hope, an Inupiat whaling village at the edge of the Arctic Ocean nearly 700 miles (1,130 kilometers) north of Anchorage, tribal leaders have been preparing and discussing potential issues such as air travel into town. The state's limited road system doesn't reach the community of 900 people, which relies on planes for much of its connection to the outside world. This week, one of the two airlines that serve Point Hope will begin restricting flights to cargo and passengers with medical or other essential needs.q
LOCAL A31
Thursday 26 March 2020
S&P Global Ratings:
Stress Scenario: The Sovereigns Most Vulnerable To a COVID-19Related Slowdown in Tourism NEW YORK, US — Standard & Poor's (S&P) is a leading index provider and data source of independent credit ratings. It is the provider of the popular S&P 500 Index as well as several other global market indices. With the following scenario analysis they give a general estimate of how a slowdown in tourism--in isolation from other coronavirus effects-- might affect the sovereigns we rate. The full article is to be read on: spglobal.com. Key takeaways: • COVID-19 will take a major toll on the world's largest tourism exporters. • S&P has run 122 of their rated sovereigns through three scenarios-"limited", "extensive", and "extreme"--under which tourism receipts decline by 11%, 19%, and 27% as per similar stresses modelled by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). • Despite the uncertainty, under their baseline expectation that this is a one-year shock, most sovereign ratings would be resilient to a temporary slide in tourism flows. • Their scenario analysis suggests "Sun, Sea, and Sand"-focused island economies in the Caribbean and elsewhere would be the most heavily exposed to a uniform slowdown in global tourist footfall. • The second heaviest-affected region globally would be the Balkans, where even under the lower stress scenario, falling tourism arrivals would shave 1.9-2.2 percentage points (ppts) off headline GDP
growth (excluding second-round effects). • Even larger more diversified exporters of tourism, such as Portugal, Turkey, Spain, and Australia could see negative GDP contributions to tourism of between 0.9-2.5 ppts from full-year GDP growth under the extreme shock scenario, which is less unrealistic than a few weeks ago in light of national quarantines and travel bans. q
Send us your positive message from home ORANJESTAD — In these difficult times we would like to reach out to our friends abroad who were supposed to spend their tropical vacation on Aruba or who had to break up their vacation due to the COVID-19 situation. Aruba Today invites you to send us your picture and words expressing your memory of our island or your dream vacation for the future. You may also just say hello and show us how you feel because we are all in the same boat right now. Send us your picture(s) together with completing the sentence: Aruba to me is …….. (Email: news@ arubatoday.com). Please do note: By submitting photos, text or any other materials, you give permission to The Aruba Today newspaper, Caribbean Speed Printers and any of its affiliated companies to use said materials, as well as names, likeness, etc. for promotional purposes without compensation. Take a look at the pictures we received from our readers these last days. Thank you for sharing and do keep them coming. Last but not least: check out our website and Facebook page! Thank you for supporting our free newspaper, we strive to make you a happy reader every day again and look forward to have you here with us soon again! Stay healthy and keep safe! q
“Aruba to me is the most wonderful place in the world. It is truly my island of love. We have visited 6 fabulous times and we were planning our seventh visit on May 16. We are so very saddened that we had to cancel our trip that we have so been looking forward to. We had started our countdown 220 days ago. The only thing that makes this disappointment slightly tolerable, but only slightly, is that we will rebook and visit your beautiful island in October. So as we begin another long countdown to visit Aruba, we will keep our memories in our hearts and look forward to creating more very soon! Aruba is the Best!” Paula Hutchinson
“My wife and I have been coming to Aruba for the last fifteen years, and we are very sad to learn that your wonderful island is essentially shut down. We know how important tourism is to your One Happy Island, and we hope you can find the strength and safety to make it through this. Since you have always been so warm and friendly to us, I’m sure those positive qualities will help you all get through this.
Well, we were supposed to leaving this Friday for a week. We are sooooo disappointed! We’ll be back soon!
We plan on returning next January - our trip is already booked - and in the meantime all of us worldwide will do what it takes to get to the other side of the corona virus.
John Goodey
Flip Brown & Sandy Post form Burlington”
Masha danki,
A32
Thursday 26 March 2020
local
NOW: Peru’s Rotisserie Chicken for take-out
EAGLE BEACH — “With the development of the corona virus (COVID-19) we are faced with a pandemic which means a greater risk of exposure for our employees and guests alike. In the light of this concern we are closing Asi es mi Peru and The Kitchen Table as of March 18 till April 7, 2020,’ informs owner of Asi Es Mi Peru restaurant Jan van Nes. However, their soft and juicy Peruvian roasted chicken is now offered for a great price to take-out. This is not your ordinary fast food chicken, but a high-quality, finger-licking dish accompanied by fries and salad. Try it and support our local restaurant at the same time. Las Brasas Peruanas is the new kid on
the block, part of the restaurant, Asi es mi Peru, at Paradise Beach Villas. Offering authentic Peruvian roasted chicken that gives you a mouthwatering experience, moreover because this is a dish prepared with love by the Peruvian chef, presented with pride by the Peruvian owner Roxana van Nes and her Dutch-Surinam husband Jan. You will encounter soft and juicy meat, a crispy skin and that special taste because of a 24-hour marinade_ a must-try. “Pollo a la Brasa, roasted chicken, is a very popular dish in Peru and the first
thing my wife does when she visits her home country is paying a visit to Pardos, a well-known chicken rotisserie in Lima. She realized she never found a place like this on the island of Aruba”, says Jan. “The seasoning makes the difference and when it lacks the chicken will be dry and without taste. That was our motivation to bring our own charcoal burning rotisserie from Peru, eco-friendly as it traps heat and steam internally meaning there is no smoke.” In the United States roasted chicken is a popular dish, now visitors can have a taste of their favorite home-dish, but with the Peruvian twist.
Take it all out “Our chicken is marinated 24 hours in a special mix of Peruvian herbs and spices including garlic, cumin and Peruvian pepper and roasted for one hour and 10 minutes while preserving its full flavor. Another important element of our newest product is that the price is a bargain right now.” It is ideal for families with children, kids love roasted chicken. Normally it comes with a fresh garden salad and fries, but we offer as well ‘chaufa’ (Peru’s version of Chinese Fried Rice) and other side dishes. There will be more surprises in the future. Original combos with Inca cola, very well-known in Peru, are on the menu. We just opened and we already sense that it is a niche we found.” To make the happy take-out meal complete there is homemade ice-cream, for sure a hit with the little ones. A family-oriented restaurant is what Asi es mi Peru strives for, and with this extra value of delicious roasted chicken they make this a fact. For more information check the Facebook page: AsíEsMiPerú or website www.asiesmiperuenaruba.com.q