IN THIS ISSUE
Animal Crossing
COVID-19 & Students
Keep busy with internet games during shelter in place. PAGE 7.
How do students react to the pandemic?. PAGE 8.
No Graduation
Graduation has been postponed for SSU students. PAGE 3.
SINCE 1979
VOLUME 84 // ISSUE 9 MARCH 31 - APRIL 6, 2020
THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER
@SONOMASTATESTAR
Global shutdown
TAYLOR HUMMEL
STAFF WRITER
The world is on lockdown under the grip of the COVID-19 virus with no clear end in sight. As some countries begin to lighten their societal restrictions, other countries are just beginning to enact their own. The new hotspot for COVID-19 is within the borders of the United States, and according to the Worldometers’ coronavirus tracker, the U.S. now has over 100,000 cases of the virus across its 50 states. California, the third largest case holder, led the COURTESY // Alexey_Hulsov wave of shelter-in-place orders, followed closely by New York, which has the largest number of cases. New More than one-third of the globe ordered home.
York’s cases account for nearly half of the cases in the United States. According to The New York Times’ interactive map, 24 of the 50 states have declared a statewide shelter-in-place order. However, 14 states have specific counties with the highest rates under stay at home orders. The remaining states have not yet declared any specific orders to its population. The New York Times calculated that almost “seven in 10 Americans are or will soon be under instructions to stay at home.” see SHUTDOWN on pg. 4
Coronavirus contagion spreads CARES TRAVIS GILLMORE NEWS EDITOR
P
resident Trump announced Sunday, March 29 that the United States Government is revising the social distancing guidelines put in place on March 13 to extend until at least April 30. The administration had been publicly touting a return to normal by Easter weekend, but the decision comes on the heels of Dr. Anthony Fauci making alarming statements regarding the potential number of infections and deaths. Dr. Fauci estimated that 100,000-200,000 Americans could die from COVID-19, and he forecast that millions will test positive before the situation is under control. Dr. Deborah Birx, after analyzing the data, said the “ models predicted anywhere between 1.6 and 2.2 million fatalities, if we didn’t mitigate...Some of them predicted half of the United States would get infected and have that level of morCOURTESY // NIH tality.” Scanning electron microscope photo of SARS-CoV-2. President Trump said, “The peak, the to a reporter or the question they are asking. highest point of death rates — remember this PBS NewsHour Reporter Yamiche Alcindor found — is likely to hit in two weeks...We can expect that, by herself berated by President Trump when she asked a June 1st, we will be well on our way to recovery.” The International Committee on Taxonomy of Virus- question about the president’s interview with Sean Hannies officially named the novel coronavirus as ‘severe acute ty where he suggested that the governor of New York did respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2.” The not really need 30,000 ventilators. The president compared his ratings to Monday Night disease that it causes was named coronavirus disease, Football and the finale of the Bachelor, and critics argue COVID-19, by the World Health Organization. The announcement to extend the shelter-in-place rec- that he is using the platform as virtual campaign rallies ommendations was made during the Coronavirus Task since the social distancing rules prevent candidates from Force’s daily press briefing, an event that has become stumping in the traditional manner. A Seattle station, KUOW, said they will no lonmust-see reality television for millions of people thanks to President Trump’s combative nature when he objects ger carry the White House briefings live “due to a pattern
Act: cui bono?
SALVADOR FERNANDEZ STAFF WRITER
C
ongress is set to bail out corporations that have avoided taxes and safety regulations with a $500 billion aid package. Airlines, hotels, cruise lines, coal mining companies and others that are tangled up in the coronavirus shutdowns are in line to receive aid packages, all included in a $2 trillion bill funded by taxpayers. Many of these companies operated in ways before the current economic crisis that caused their current predicament, yet taxpayers are being asked to pay the price. The bill includes the appointment of a new special inspector general to oversee the disbursement of funds as well as to ensure that the companies qualify. The legislation would also create a five-person oversight panel that would monitor whether companies that received the
see CORONAVIRUS on pg. 4
Mask shortage spurs action TAYLOR CLARK
STAFF WRITER
I
t all started when New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo tweeted that hospitals were in dire need of masks. Christian Siriano, a well renowned fashion designer, responded with his own tweet saying, “I have a full sewing team still on staff working from home that can help.” Siriano and his 10 seamstresses have been making masks for nurses and doctors who are running low within the New York state area, which has been hit the hardest by the new coronavirus. Christian Sirano blossomed on Project Runway’s fourth season in 2008. He won the competition and was the youngest to win at only 22 years old. Since then, he has become a well-respected designer, and he has worked with Michelle Obama, Taylor Swift, Emily Blunt, and many more. Today, he has momentarily switched from making glamorous red carpet gowns to medical masks that will save lives.
Sirano recently appeared on CNN in an interview with Chris Cuomo to discuss his recent endeavor. After being asked how many masks he and his team are able to make, Sirano responded by saying, “We are up to almost 500 a day.” He stated that the reason he wanted to help was that “We can sew. We can try to help. Even if we help 2,000 people that is still more than if we didn’t before so why not?” Sirano has a team of 10 women who work together, six feet apart, tirelessly to produce these masks. He also has men and women working who feel more comfortable being at home with their families. He mentioned that his masks have a better, more snug fit specifically because there is a small piece of metal in the middle that fits comfortably around the nose. The masks come in white and grey colors. There are no glamourous Sirano labels to be found on any of the masks whatsoever. They are also washable and therefore reusable. When doctors and nurses are running low on disposable masks worldwide, reusable masks might be the savior of many precious lives. When asked if the masks were up to medical standards regarding their washability, Sirano was very honest and transparent when he said, “We can’t guarantee anything because at the end of the day we are not medical mask makers. This is really just to help and help prevent as much as we can . . . even just peace of mind people will be able to go home thinking like, ‘ah I feel a little better not having nothing.’” Sirano’s example has created a ripple effect reminding other designers and Americans that they too can help. Ralph Lauren has now come forward on Instagram saying that they are “starting the production of 250,000 masks and 25,000 isolation gowns to aid in the fight against COVID-19.” Ralph Lauren has also pledged to donate $10 million to the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity ReCOURTESY // Rhododendrites sponse Fund, the Emergency Assistance
Christian Siriano’s team are sewing masks for first responders.
see SEWING COMPASSION on pg. 5
COURTESY // WhiteHouse.gov
President Trump signs H.R. 748 on March 27. bailout money were living up to the obligations of the bill to retain workers and limit executive pay. Treasury loans and investments would be prohibited from going to businesses controlled by the President, Vice President and members of Congress, but President Trump will be able to benefit from tax breaks given to real estate developers. The steps taken by lawmakers are similar to those put in place for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) during the 2008 financial crisis. Critics argue that if federal money is quickly thrown into the economy in the midst of a fast-moving public health crisis, there is a high opportunity for fraud to occur. As of now, Congress has debated the details of the bailout and lawmakers are still figuring out how the money would be used to help other American corporate giants. These funds come only two years after the tax reform that benefited big business and following the financial and automobile industry bailouts during the Great Recession. The options as presented by the legislators are to bail out some corporations or have them put more people out of work. Unemployment is expected to reach as high as 20% this year. Cruise lines are facing potential cash shortages, but they are residing in the area of Panama to avoid almost all U.S. taxes and safety regulations. Health officials say cruise operators should have done more to stop the transmission of the virus among passengers and crew members. Coal mining companies have also asked for help and requested that the government revoke a $220 million tax increase designed to support 25,700 disabled coal miners. The industry employs around 51,000 miners and they represent more than half of the working population in some counties. These companies have been repeatedly sued for putting their workers in harm’s way, yet they are asking to get out of a tax that generates revenue to compensate former miners who have black lung disease. Boeing, the aerospace manufacturer, is accused of misleading pilots and federal safety inspectors about lapses that caused two of its 737 jets to crash. They are set to receive a $17 billion loan as part of a program for businesses that are considered “critical to maintaining see RELIEF PACKAGE on pg. 5