| #JustWearScrubs: GOP chairwoman tells anti-lockdown protesters to impersonate health care workers Posted: 27 Apr 2020 11:37 AM PDT  Dr. Kelli Ward, chairwoman of the Arizona Republican Party, is urging would-be demonstrators at rallies against social restrictions to wear personal protective equipment to punk the press.
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| Trump says he knows about Kim Jong Un's health 'but I can't talk about it now' Posted: 27 Apr 2020 04:43 PM PDT  President Trump was asked about the widespread speculation surrounding the health of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a White House news conference on coronavirus on Monday. Trump suggested he knew "exactly" how Kim is doing, but declined to reveal that information.
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| Tara Reade: What are the sex attack allegations against Joe Biden? Posted: 28 Apr 2020 03:10 PM PDT  A former aide to the presidential candidate finds support for her sexual assault claim against him.
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| Erdogan defends Turkey religious chief's anti-gay sermon Posted: 27 Apr 2020 11:55 AM PDT  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday defended a top religious official who claimed homosexuality caused diseases, corrupted people and was condemned in Islamic teaching. Ali Erbas, head of a state-funded agency called the Diyanet, which runs mosques and appoints imams, also claimed during his weekly sermon that homosexuality caused HIV. The Ankara bar association of lawyers accused him of inciting hatred against gay people while ignoring child abuse and misogyny.
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| Australia rejects Chinese 'economic coercion' threat amid planned coronavirus probe Posted: 27 Apr 2020 02:17 AM PDT  Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne has cautioned China against attempts at "economic coercion" as Australia pushes for an investigation into the coronavirus pandemic that China opposes. Chinese ambassador to Australia, Cheng Jingye, said in a newspaper interview on Monday the "Chinese public" could avoid Australian products and universities. Australia last week called for all members of the World Health Organization (WHO) to support an independent review into the origins and spread of the coronavirus, and is lobbying world leaders.
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| Judge blocks 30-day extension of Illinois stay-at-home order Posted: 28 Apr 2020 08:53 AM PDT  Governor J.B. Pritzker, however, has vowed to appeal the ruling.
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| Andrew Cuomo wishes he had 'blown the bugle' on coronavirus earlier Posted: 28 Apr 2020 06:22 AM PDT  New York governor discussed US reactions to first news of the outbreak from China in interview with Axios on HBO * Coronavirus – live US updates * Live global updates * See all our coronavirus coverageNew York's governor, Andrew Cuomo, has said he wishes he had "blown the bugle" about Covid-19 earlier.According to figures from Johns Hopkins University, New York state has confirmed more than 290,000 coronavirus cases and approaching 23,000 deaths. Countries such as France, Italy and Spain have recorded more deaths but not by much, and New York City alone has the fifth-highest death total in the world, with the UK in fourth.Speaking to Axios on HBO, Cuomo discussed US reactions to the first news of the outbreak, from China in December."When we heard in December that China had a virus problem," he said, "and China said basically, 'It was under control, don't worry,' we should've worried."When China says, 'Don't worry, I have a fire in my backyard,' you don't hang up the phone and go back to sleep, right? You get out of your house and you walk two houses over to make sure I have the fire under control. Where was every other country walking out of their home to make sure China had it under control?"Cuomo added: "I wish someone stood up and blew the bugle. And if no one was going to blow the bugle, I would feel much better if I was a bugle blower last December and January … I would feel better sitting here today saying, 'I blew the bugle about Wuhan province in January.' I can't say that."Cuomo's handling of the outbreak has nonetheless met with widespread approval, even fueling talk of an unlikely presidential run – speculation he has consistently turned down.The governor has given daily media briefings widely praised and contrasted with those delivered by Donald Trump at the White House, and demonstrated a grip on governance of his state that has kept it on lockdown while he manages its often fractious relationship with the federal government.Still, questions are increasingly being asked about whether New York's heavy death toll might have been avoided.Cuomo first voiced fears the New York healthcare system would be overwhelmed but that has not turned out to be so."I don't think New Yorkers feel or Americans feel that government failed them here," Cuomo said. "I think they feel good about what government has done … their healthcare system did respond. This was not Italy, with all due respect … There were not people in hallways who didn't get healthcare treatment."Cuomo also said he thought the US would be better prepared for the next such public health crisis."This will change society," he said. "Society will not allow this to happen again. They will want to be more prepared. They will want to move more quickly. And government will follow that social instinct."Cuomo is now considering how to reopen the state economy, a process he has indicated will be done in stages.
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| European doctors warn rare kids' syndrome may have virus tie Posted: 28 Apr 2020 04:29 AM PDT  Doctors in Britain, Italy, and Spain have been warned to look out for a rare inflammatory condition in children that is possibly linked to the new coronavirus. Earlier this week, Britain's Paediatric Intensive Care Society issued an alert to doctors noting that, in the past three weeks, there has been an increase in the number of children with "a multi-system inflammatory state requiring intensive care" across the country. The group said there was "growing concern" that either a COVID-19 related syndrome was emerging in children or that a different, unidentified disease might be responsible.
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| The Supreme Court has thrown out major gun rights case Posted: 27 Apr 2020 01:20 PM PDT  The Supreme Court sidestepped a major decision on gun rights Monday in a dispute over New York City's former ban on transporting guns.
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| Trump news: President denies responsibility for people drinking bleach to fight coronavirus as tweetstorm branded ‘indecent and obscene’ Posted: 28 Apr 2020 07:34 AM PDT  As the number of US coronavirus cases climbs above 1 million and the nation's death toll surpasses deaths from the Vietnam War, Donald Trump claims the country is "very close" to testing 5 million people daily, as he continues to pressure states and local governments to begin "reopening" as the economy flounders.The president also suggested during a briefing on Tuesday that states with financial deficits could be forced to give undocumented people in custody over to federal immigration authorities if they want financial relief in the wake of the public health crisis.
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| Hillary Clinton endorses Joe Biden: 'Think of what it would mean if we had a real president' Posted: 28 Apr 2020 12:52 PM PDT  Hillary Clinton joined former Vice President Joe Biden for a virtual town hall event on Tuesday to officially offer her endorsement.The former secretary of state and Democratic candidate for president was Biden's guest during a live stream on Tuesday focused on the coronavirus pandemic and its effect on women, and Biden introduced Clinton as the "woman who should be president of the United States right now.""Think of what it would mean if we had a real president, not just somebody who plays one on TV, but somebody who gets up every morning worried about the people that he's responsible for leading during this crisis," Clinton said after officially endorsing Biden.Biden, Clinton went on to say, "has been preparing for this moment his entire life," describing her experiences working with him during the Obama administration."I've been not only a colleague of Joe Biden's, I've been a friend, and I can tell you that I wish he were president right now, but I can't wait until he is, if all of us do our part to support the kind of person that we want back in the White House," Clinton said.This is the latest in a series of Democratic endorsements Biden has received since becoming the party's presumptive nominee including from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). As news of the Clinton endorsement broke, President Trump's 2020 campaign manager said in a statement, "There is no greater concentration of Democrat establishment than Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton together. President Trump beat her once and now he'll beat her chosen candidate."More stories from theweek.com Scientists are perplexed by the low rate of coronavirus hospitalizations among smokers. Nicotine may hold the answer. How Democrats blew up MeToo Biggest mall owner in U.S. reportedly preparing to reopen 49 properties over the weekend
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| Resettled Cambodian refugees still vulnerable to deportation Posted: 27 Apr 2020 01:21 PM PDT  As the U.S. commemorates the 45th anniversary of the refugee group's arrival, Southeast Asian American refugees still face hardships.
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| Coronavirus: What African countries are doing to help people to eat amid the lockdowns Posted: 28 Apr 2020 03:28 AM PDT  What African countries are doing to help people to eat amid the lockdowns.
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| Putin extends Russia's lockdown for two weeks, prepares to ease in mid-May Posted: 28 Apr 2020 12:57 AM PDT  President Vladimir Putin extended coronavirus lockdown measures for another two weeks on Tuesday, while ordering his government to begin preparations for a gradual lifting of the curbs from mid-May. Although Putin said the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus was now stabilising, he told Russians to expect the worst days of the outbreak were still ahead. The number of new cases in Russia rose by a record 6,411 on Tuesday, bringing its nationwide tally to 93,558.
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| Catholic Church angry after Italian government refuses to lift ban on religious services Posted: 27 Apr 2020 06:29 AM PDT  The Catholic Church in Italy is angry over the government's refusal to allow the faithful to attend religious services, as the country edges towards a cautious relaxation of coronavirus lockdown rules. Under a new decree announced on Sunday night by the prime minister, businesses, factories and building sites will be allowed to restart on May 4 and people will be allowed out of their homes to exercise. Public parks will be reopened and children will be allowed out for fresh air and exercise, Giuseppe Conte said. But the government said churches and cathedrals would remain closed to congregations because there remained a high risk of the virus being spread. Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 and make up a high proportion of Italy's dwindling churchgoers. "I understand that freedom of worship is a fundamental people's right," the prime minister said. "I understand your suffering. But we must continue discussing this further with the scientific committee." The Italian Bishops' Conference accused the government of "arbitrarily" compromising religious freedom. The decree also exposed divisions within the government, with some ministers calling for congregations to be allowed to return to churches. "So, we can safely visit a museum but we can't celebrate a religious service? This decision is incomprehensible. It must be changed," tweeted Elena Bonetti, the equal opportunities minister. Catholic leaders said the Church was working hard to alleviate the suffering of the poor and the marginalised during the coronavirus emergency. "It should be clear to all that the commitment to serving the poor, [which is] so significant in this emergency, stems from a faith that must be nourished at its source, especially the sacramental life", the bishops' conference said.
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| Police: Palestinian stabs Israeli woman, is shot by witness Posted: 28 Apr 2020 04:44 AM PDT  A Palestinian teenager stabbed an Israeli woman on Tuesday before being shot and wounded by a bystander, Israeli police said. The attack came on Israel's Memorial Day, when the country mourns those killed in wars and militant attacks. Israelis usually mark the occasion by visiting the graves of loved ones, but military cemeteries are closed this year and small ceremonies are being held without attendees as part of efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
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| A serious new coronavirus-related condition may be emerging in children, with UK doctors reporting growing numbers requiring intensive care Posted: 27 Apr 2020 04:48 AM PDT  There is 'growing concern' that a serious new coronavirus-related condition may be emerging in children.
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| Canceling a cruise due to coronavirus? Here’s a list of updated policies Posted: 28 Apr 2020 07:57 AM PDT  Following the COVID-19 outbreak, cruise lines like Disney, Norwegian and Viking are implementing strict travel restrictions to protect passengers and crew members.
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| if you're making a mask at home use a combination of two fabrics for better protection says study Posted: 27 Apr 2020 03:09 AM PDT  A new US study has found that if you're masking masks at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, then using a combination of two different fabrics and ensuring a good fit could offer the most effective protection. Carried out by researchers at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory, the new study set out to investigate which fabrics are best for filtering the tiny respiratory droplets that are released when a person coughs, sneezes, speaks or breathes and which are thought to spread COVID-19. The researchers looked at a variety of everyday fabrics easily found around the house including cotton, silk, flannel and polyester-spandex chiffon, which is a sheer, synthetic fabric often used for items such as evening gowns.
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| Reversing course, House won't return to D.C. next week because of coronavirus threat Posted: 28 Apr 2020 10:40 AM PDT  "We made a judgment that we will not come back next week," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said in a phone call with reporters.
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| Ivory Coast presidential candidate Soro sentenced to 20 years in prison Posted: 28 Apr 2020 07:52 AM PDT  Guillaume Soro, the former rebel leader running for president in Ivory Coast, was convicted in absentia on Tuesday of embezzlement and sentenced to 20 years in prison, a verdict likely to exclude him from October's election. The verdict was announced after a trial that lasted only a few hours and was boycotted by Soro's lawyers, who say the charges were cooked up to prevent their client from being a candidate. The Oct. 31 election is seen as a test of stability for Ivory Coast, the world's largest cocoa producer, which has emerged from a civil war in 2010-11 that killed some 3,000 people to become one of Africa's fastest-growing economies.
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| Trump to Sign DPA Order to Force Meat Processing Plants to Remain Open Due to Supply Chain Fears Posted: 28 Apr 2020 11:55 AM PDT  President Trump plans to sign an executive order invoking the Defense Production Act to compel meat processing plants to remain open during the coronavirus pandemic, Bloomberg first reported Tuesday.The order would classify meat processing plants as essential infrastructure, with federal government officials providing protective gear and guidance to workers. Government officials have reportedly estimated that up to 80 percent of the country's meat supply could be shut down during the pandemic.The plan could face opposition from workers at the facilities. Stuart Appelbaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union which represents meat-production workers, said the Trump administration had not developed safety requirements that could have prevented plant shutdowns."We only wish that this administration cared as much about the lives of working people as it does about meat, pork and poultry products," Appelbaum told Bloomberg.Several large processing facilities have already been forced to close because of coronavirus outbreaks among workers."As pork, beef and chicken plants are being forced to close, even for short periods of time, millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain," John Tyson, Chairman of the Board of Tyson Foods, wrote in a full-page advertisement in the New York Times on Sunday. "As a result, there will be limited supply of our products available in grocery stores until we are able to reopen our facilities that are currently closed."In addition to supply-chain disruptions, the agriculture industry also faces upheaval from restaurant and school closures, which decrease demand of the quantity of certain foods.
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| El Salvador: Gangs 'taking advantage of pandemic' Posted: 27 Apr 2020 06:21 AM PDT  President Nayib Bukele authorises the police and army to use lethal force to contain the violence.
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| California governor: "This virus doesn't take the weekends off" Posted: 28 Apr 2020 01:10 PM PDT  Newsom warned residents that despite the summer-like temperatures, the coronavirus is not through.
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| Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Wall Street-backed Democratic challenger lived in a Trump property for years before moving to Queens in late 2019 Posted: 27 Apr 2020 05:41 PM PDT  The candidate, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, also renounced several of the conservative positions she took in her 2010 book promoting small government.
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| Trump ‘can't imagine why’ there are increased reports of people misusing disinfectants Posted: 27 Apr 2020 04:30 PM PDT  President Trump on Monday said he "can't imagine why" there have been more reports of people misusing disinfectants after his comments on the subject last week.
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| Prague mayor under protection after reports of Russian plot Posted: 27 Apr 2020 05:18 PM PDT  Prague's mayor said on Monday that he was under police protection, but stopped short of confirming Czech media reports that he had been targeted by Russia for removing a statue of a Soviet war hero. Zdenek Hrib clashed with Moscow earlier this month after he oversaw the removal of a controversial Cold War-era statue dedicated to Soviet general Ivan Konev, a move Russian diplomats called an "unfriendly" act of "vandalism by unhinged municipal representatives."
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| Sweeping Mexican factory shutdown strains U.S. production of critical supplies Posted: 27 Apr 2020 04:55 PM PDT  A range of U.S. companies — from N95 mask supplier 3M to defense contractors — say they're affected by the factory shutdowns in Mexico.
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| Supreme Court sidesteps major Second Amendment case, a setback for NRA Posted: 27 Apr 2020 09:12 AM PDT  The justices ruled that New York City's repeal of gun restrictions rendered the case moot. But other Second Amendment cases are in the pipeline.
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| South Korea minister, U.S. sources, say Kim may be sheltering from virus Posted: 27 Apr 2020 11:14 PM PDT  Fear of the coronavirus could have been keeping North Korean leader Kim Jong Un out of public sight, a South Korean minister and U.S. sources said on Tuesday, following intense speculation and concern as to his whereabouts and health. Under Kim's rule since 2011, North Korea has expanded its arsenal of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles, and with no obvious successor, any change in leadership in the secretive, authoritarian state would raise concerns about instability that could impact other North Asian countries and the United States. Speculation about Kim's health erupted after his unprecedented absence from April 15 celebrations to mark the birthday of his late grandfather and North Korea's founder, Kim Il Sung.
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| Retired Republican Senator Jeff Flake will vote for Biden over Trump and says GOP needs 'a sound defeat' in 2020 election Posted: 28 Apr 2020 12:12 PM PDT  Retired Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona will not be voting for Donald Trump this November. No, he'll be voting for a Democrat for president for the first time in his life."This won't be the first time I've voted for a Democrat — though not for president [before]. Last time I voted for a third-party candidate. ... But I will not vote for Donald Trump," Mr Flake said in an interview with The Washington Post.
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| A 101-year-old woman who was born during the Spanish flu survived COVID-19 Posted: 28 Apr 2020 10:41 AM PDT  Angelina Friedman, a resident at North Westchester Restorative Therapy and Nursing Center in New York state, turns 102 this year.
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| COVID-19 and gun violence: Mayors fight double health crisis Posted: 27 Apr 2020 12:21 PM PDT  Everytown for Gun Safety offers new guidelines for mayors struggling with a "perfect storm"
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| Groceries could see meat shortages by end of week Posted: 27 Apr 2020 12:31 PM PDT  Consumers could start seeing shortages by Friday at supermarket meat counters, expert say.
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| El Salvador gangs: 'No ray of sunlight for inmates' Posted: 28 Apr 2020 03:56 AM PDT  El Salvador, already criticised by rights groups, cracks down further on imprisoned gang members.
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| Italians in revolt over slow pace of lockdown easing as government takes cautious approach Posted: 28 Apr 2020 05:14 AM PDT  Italians are in revolt over the government's cautious lockdown exit strategy, with the mayor of Venice saying the World Heritage city is a "social bomb" ready to explode with anger and frustration. Italy has been under draconian restrictions since March 9 in Europe's longest coronavirus lockdown, and the strain is beginning to tell for millions of people as the nation's death tolls climbs above 27,000. The collapse of tourism has brought the lagoon city to its knees, said Luigi Brugnaro, a businessman who has been Venice's mayor for the last five years. "We're unfortunately facing a social bomb which is already primed. People are tired and angry and we are struggling to hold it together," he said.
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| McConnell to Move Quickly on Confirming His 38-Year-Old Protégé to the Bench Posted: 27 Apr 2020 03:50 PM PDT  When the U.S. Senate returns from a lengthy absence next week, one of its first orders of business will be advancing the nomination of a 38-year-old ally of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to the second highest court in the land. According to two Democratic aides, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is expected to schedule a committee hearing for May 6 for Justin Walker, a federal judge in Kentucky whom President Trump has nominated to the influential D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. McConnell announced on Monday that the Senate would return to session on May 4 for its first full week of legislative business after the CARES Act passed in late March. And he has not been shy about his desire to start confirming judges as soon as his chamber is back in session. "I haven't seen anything that would discourage me from doing that. And as soon as we get back in session, we'll start confirming judges again," he told Hugh Hewitt in a recent interview. McConnell's office had no comment. Graham's office did not return a request for comment. Mitch McConnell Turned the Courts Conservative—and Democrats Helped HimWalker is a McConnell protégé who has close ties to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and played a high-profile role defending him during his contentious confirmation hearings. Walker moved up the ranks of conservative legal circles before landing a judgeship on the United States District Court of the Western District of Kentucky. There, his record has been distinguished by conservative jurisprudence and a flair for unorthodox rulings. "On Holy Thursday, an American mayor criminalized the communal celebration of Easter," Walker wrote in ruling against ordinances restricting attendance at religious services do to the coronavirus pandemic, "that sentence is one that this Court never expected to see outside the pages of a dystopian novel, or perhaps the pages of The Onion."Walker's lack of experience and partisan background has earned him "not qualified" ratings from the American Bar Association and the opposition of Democrats, who see his nomination as a thinly veiled attempt to place young ideological allies in key judicial positions. "If Graham/McConnell go forward with this, it would show that Senate Rs are rushing the Senate back to confirm an unqualified, anti-health care judge instead of responding to the pandemic and conducting oversight," said a Senate Democratic aide.McConnell and Kavanaugh attended Walker's swearing-in on March 13 in Louisville. There, the majority leader and Walker, his former intern, praised each other effusively in public remarks.In his Monday announcement on the May 4 return, McConnell said the Senate "must focus on concrete steps to strengthen our response to this complex crisis," adding that lawmakers "cannot get distracted by pre-existing partisan wish-lists."Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Here's how to apply to be a contact tracer in New York City and make $57,000 with benefits Posted: 28 Apr 2020 10:56 AM PDT  The CDC describes contact tracing, which tracks who infected people have had contact with, "part of a multipronged approach" to tackle COVID-19.
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| Trump campaign slams Senate GOP for memo advising candidates 'don't defend Trump' on COVID-19 response Posted: 28 Apr 2020 03:26 AM PDT  President Trump has not gotten the steep polling bump other Western leaders and proactive U.S. governors have seen as they fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and in fact, more Americans disapprove than approve of Trump's coronavirus response, probably feeding a drop in his overall approval rating and electoral standing. But any Republican candidates who fail to defend Trump's coronavirus handling will pay a price, the Trump campaign told the National Republican Senatorial Committee on Monday, Politico reports.Last week, Politico and The Washington Post reported that a 57-page memo prepared by GOP strategist Brett O'Donnell's consulting firm advised Senate candidates that when asked about the pandemic, "don't defend Trump, other than the China Travel Ban — attack China." When pressed, the candidates should respond: "I wish that everyone acted earlier — that includes our elected officials, the World Health Organization, and the CDC." The NRSC distributed the memo to Republican campaigns.The Trump campaign was furious, and top officials — including campaign manager Brad Parscale, communications director Tim Murtaugh, and political advisers Justin Clark, Bill Stepien, and Chris Carr — expressed their displeasure to the NRSC, Politico reports. "Candidates will listen to the bad advice in this memo at their own peril," Clark said in a statement. "President Trump enjoys unprecedented support among Republican voters," and GOP candidates "who want to win will be running with the president."Underscoring his point, NRSC executive director Kevin McLaughlin insisted Monday "there is no daylight between the NRSC and President Trump" and GOP Senate candidates aren't being advised to not defend Trump's response. O'Donnell issued a similar statement: "I never advise candidates not to defend the president, and the media shouldn't take one line out of context." Democrats would have to pick up four seats to win a majority in the Senate, and that no longer seems implausible.More stories from theweek.com Scientists are perplexed by the low rate of coronavirus hospitalizations among smokers. Nicotine may hold the answer. How Democrats blew up MeToo Biggest mall owner in U.S. reportedly preparing to reopen 49 properties over the weekend
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| Prague's mayor, a critic of Russia, is under police protection after a magazine alleged a Russian assassin had entered the country to kill him Posted: 27 Apr 2020 08:10 PM PDT  The report hasn't been confirmed by Czech authorities, and Russian leader Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the report was "fake."
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| Japan's beleaguered nurses face wave of aggressive "corona-bullying" Posted: 28 Apr 2020 06:56 AM PDT  Nurses have been refused daycare for their children and asked to keep away from other families on playgrounds amid wave of "corona-bullying."
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| JetBlue, Delta seek U.S. OK to suspend flights to 25 U.S. airports Posted: 28 Apr 2020 08:41 AM PDT |
| Anti-vaxxer apologizes after refusing to leave children's playground Posted: 27 Apr 2020 03:27 AM PDT  An anti-vaccination activist in Idaho who was arrested for refusing to leave a children's playground has apologized to police.
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| Coronavirus: US Congress abandons return to Washington Posted: 28 Apr 2020 05:46 PM PDT  The Democratic-controlled House postpones its return as US Covid-19 cases pass one million.
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| Europe Eases Virus Curbs and Hopes It Won’t Have to Retreat Posted: 27 Apr 2020 12:08 PM PDT |
| Bill De Blasio Appoints Wife as Co-Chair of Coronavirus Racial Inequality Task Force Posted: 27 Apr 2020 07:04 AM PDT  New York mayor Bill de Blasio on Sunday announced that he would appoint First Lady Chirlane McCray as co-chair of a task force on coronavirus racial inequality.De Blasio will form the "Task Force on Racial Inclusion and Equity" as part of the city's plan to reopen businesses that have been closed during the pandemic. Many of New York's poorest zip codes have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, with black and Hispanic patients dying at higher rates than white residents."The economic and racial disparities that have been made so clear by this crisis, we knew about them before," de Blasio, who was elected mayor six years ago, said at a press conference. "A powerful, painful exclamation point has been put on them by this crisis."McCray's appointment to the task force has raised eyebrows amid rumors that she is planning a run for the presidency of New York's Brooklyn borough."This is political. I wish de Blasio would stop doing this," City Councilman Robert Holden (D., Queens) told the New York Post. "Let her win the Brooklyn borough presidency on her own merits."McCray has presided over ThriveNYC, an initiative designed to improve the city's mental health care, which has spent over $1 billion since its founding in 2015. Between 2015 and 2018, the number of police complaints in the city involving mentally disturbed people rose 23 percent, and the number of mentally ill homeless individuals rose by over 2,000 over the same period.
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