Tag: corona virus
Two Missouri hairstylists who had coronavirus saw 140 clients but no one got infected
Two Missouri hairstylists who worked while they had coronavirus did not infect the 140 clients they served even though they had symptoms at the time, local health officials said.
Both stylists worked at the same Great Clips location in Springfield for more than a week in mid-May.
The clients and the stylists all wore face coverings, and the salon had set up other measures such as social distancing of chairs and staggered appointments, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department said this week.
Of the 140 clients and seven co-workers potentially exposed, 46 took tests that came back negative. All the others were quarantined for the duration of the coronavirus incubation period. The 14-day incubation period has now passed with no new infections linked to the salon, county health officials said.
During the quarantine, those who did not get tested got a call twice a day from health officials asking whether they had symptoms related to Covid-19, said Kathryn Wall, a spokeswoman for the Springfield-Green County Health Department.
County health officials called the results encouraging, and said they’re looking into the case for insight on how to stop the spread and help with efforts on future research.
“This is exciting news about the value of masking to prevent Covid-19,” said Clay Goddard, the county’s director of health. “We are studying more closely the details of these exposures, including what types of face coverings were worn and what other precautions were taken to lead to this encouraging result.”
Studies have found that physical distancing and the use of a mask are the two best ways to prevent coronavirus transmission.
This month, a study published in the Lancet medical journal found people should stay six feet apart and wear face coverings. It said the chance of transmission without a face mask was 17.4%, while that fell to 3.1% when a mask was worn. The World Health Organization has urged nations to encourage the general public to wear fabric masks in areas where coronavirus is spreading.
One hairstylist had worked with 56 clients at the salon while the second one had seen 84 customers and seven coworkers. They went to the salon for about eight days ending on May 20.
The salon kept impeccable records that made contact tracing possible, Goddard said. But he cautioned about the risks of overwhelming resources in such incidents.
“We can’t have many more of these,” he said last month. “We can’t make this a regular habit or our capabilities as a community will be strained.”
In a statement, Great Clips said it welcomed the results.
“All customers who were tested for Covid-19 after visiting a franchised Great Clips salon in Springfield have confirmed negative test results. Together with our 1,100 independent franchisees, we care deeply about the well-being of customers, salon staff and the communities we serve, and we are grateful for the health of these individuals,” it said in a statement to CNN affiliate KYTV.
More than 112,000 people have died from coronavirus in the United States, where the number of confirmed cases is more than 2 million, according to Johns Hopkins. In Missouri, the virus has killed more than 850 people and infected over 15,000 others.
Article via MSN
Miley Cyrus has ‘no idea’ what the coronavirus pandemic is like
Miley Cyrus admitted her privilege as a celebrity has sheltered her from how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting everyday people.
“I know I’m in a unique position, and my experience with this pandemic is not like most everyone else’s in my country and around the world,” she told WSJ. magazine. “My life has been pushed pause on, but really I have no idea what this pandemic is like. I am comfortable in my space and able to put food on my table and [I am] financially stable, and that’s just not the story for a lot of people.”
Cyrus, 27, speculated that some celebrities have said no to appearing on her Instagram Live show, “Bright Minded,” because of their privilege.
“I’m sure a lot of the hesitation for other people saying yes to doing the show is because it almost doesn’t feel right for celebrities to share our experience,” she said. “Because it just doesn’t compare.”
The “Malibu” singer launched the program to connect with people while they’re stuck at home and said she’s continuously surprised by who responds to her Instagram DMs and who ignores her.
“I am the ultimate slide-into-the-DMs! This is the way that I have communicated and actually gotten things done for years,” Cyrus explained. “I ended up thinking, ‘S–t, I might as well send one to Reese Witherspoon. She’s probably not going to answer, but OK.’ And then she answered and said she would love to give me a couple minutes.
Article via PageSix
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Auto insurance companies return $800 million in premiums because no one is driving
Two insurers — Allstate and American Family Insurance — announced Monday they will give back about $800 million to their auto insurance customers because people are driving far less during the coronavirus crisis.Allstate (ALL) said it will refund about 15% of premiums paid by its customers in April and May, which comes to a total of about $600 million.”Given an unprecedented decline in driving, customers will receive a Shelter-in-Place Payback,” said Allstate CEO Tom Wilson “This is fair because less driving means fewer accidents.”Allstate’s payments will go to all US and Canadian customers with personal auto insurance, whether or not their state has any kind of stay-at-home order. American Family, which only serves customers in 19 states, also said its payments would go to all of its customers.American Family Insurance said it will give back about $50 per car that a household has insured with the company via a one-time payment. It said that will total about $200 million.
Allstate and American Family also said their customers who are having financial problems because of a loss of income can delay payments on insurance premiums without penalty if they contact the companies.Both are also expanding insurance coverage for customers who use their personal vehicles to deliver food, medicine and other goods. Standard personal auto insurance policies typically exclude coverage that is used for a customer’s car.And Allstate says it is also offering anyone in the United States, whether or not they are an Allstate customer, free identity protection for the rest of the year “since our lives have become more digital.”
Is it enough?
But Allstate is probably giving back only a fraction of the money it is likely to save from reduced insurance claims during the crisis said Dan Karr, the CEO of ValChoice, a data analytics company that acts as a watchdog on the insurance industry. Figures reported by Allstate to state insurance regulators show it pays out a little more than $1 billion a month in auto insurance claims, he said. Karr’s modeling suggests that those claims are likely falling by about 85% due to the reduced number of accidents.”I think it’s great what Allstate did. But where’s the rest of savings?” Karr told CNN Business. He said American Family Insurance’s refund will probably equal even less of the average premium than Allstate’s target of a 15% reduction.
It’s too soon to know exactly how far claims will decline because of the drop in driving, said Allstate spokesman Justin Herndon. He said the company may give additional payments to customers as it gets more data on claims.”We decided to act quickly to put our customers first. This is something we’ll keep looking at,” he said.American Family said it has seen between a 20% to 40% in claims on a weekly basis between the pandemic declaration on March 11 through last Friday. Other consumer groups praised the moves by the insurers.”Is it enough? Probably not,” said J. Robert Hunter, director of insurance for the Consumer Federation of America. “[But] Allstate and American Family deserve praise for their industry leadership on this vital first step. While it’s too early to tell if the amounts promised are enough to reflect the big drop in auto accidents, the actions by American Family and Allstate are the right thing to do to help policyholders beleaguered by Covid-19 restrictions and job loss. We urge other insurers to take similar actions quickly.”
Will others follow suit?
Karr said he wouldn’t be surprised to see other insurers follow Allstate’s lead. Industry leader State Farm, which is a mutual insurance company owned by customers, is “closely monitoring our automobile insurance losses and are considering how best to take this into account and return value to our auto insurance policyholders,” according to a statement from the company. It said it expects a decision by the end of the week. Progressive (PGR) said it is “exploring how to best return some premium to customers to reflect the decreased exposure that comes with less frequent driving during the pandemic and expect to have those plans in place soon.” Spokespeople with Geico, owned by Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA), did not immediately respond to a request for comment on their plans. An 85% drop in the number of accidents is a conservative estimate, Karr said. He said that data confirms that is the percentage of accidents that happens during periods of heavy traffic, which are almost completely absent in areas with stay-at-home orders.
Auto insurance companies will probably continue to benefit from reduced driving even after stay-at-home orders are lifted in some states, he said, noting a large number of people will continue to work from home either full or part-time. Others will continue to be out of work because their employer went out of business during the crisis. Workers driving or riding in cars to and from work makes up for about 28% of miles driven by vehicles in a normal time, according to the Federal Highway Administration.”Data shows accident rates go up exponentially as traffic increases, and even a 5% reduction in traffic will make a difference,” he said. “Even people who are still driving because they are essential workers, the accidents rates will be way down.”
For those whose insurers are not offering money back, Karr said those customers should call their insurer and change the coverage on the vehicle from use for work to personal use, assuming they are staying home. That will produce savings as well. But they should be sure to change it back to commuting use once they are using the car to get to and from work once again.
Article via CNN
US Postal Service could shut down by June, lawmakers warn
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, postal workers have been on the front lines, considered “essential workers” who must continue to do their jobs as usual while others stay home. But some lawmakers are warning that without more support, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) could completely shut down in the next few months, threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Americans.
Last week, Representatives Carolyn B. Maloney, the chair of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Gerry Connolly, chair of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, said in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that the COVID-19 crisis is threatening the future of mail service in the U.S.
“The Postal Service is in need of urgent help as a direct result of the coronavirus crisis,” they said. “Based on a number of briefings and warnings this week about a critical fall-off in mail across the country, it has become clear that the Postal Service will not survive the summer without immediate help from Congress and the White House. Every community in America relies on the Postal Service to deliver vital goods and services, including life-saving medications.”
The lawmakers said USPS, which is a quasi-governmental agency that relies on fees rather than taxes, may be forced to shutter as early as June, less than three months from now. They noted that postal workers delivered more than a billion shipments of prescription drugs last year, and ceasing operations during the virus outbreak could have dire consequences for the health of people around the country.
“The Postal Service needs America’s help, and we must answer this call,” they said.
“These negative effects could be even more dire in rural areas, where millions of Americans are sheltering in place and rely on the Postal Service to deliver essential staples,” the lawmakers warned.
Americans are also counting on postal service workers to deliver millions of coronavirus relief checks — a process that won’t start until the end of April and isn’t scheduled to finish until September. However, it’s unclear if it will have the funding needed to do so.
Maloney and Connelly proposed a bill that would provide a $25 billion in emergency funding for the postal service, eliminating its debt with the stipulation that it would prioritize medical deliveries during the crisis. They said the funding would save the jobs of more than 600,000 Americans.
A USPS spokesperson told CBS News on Friday, “The United States Postal Service appreciates the inclusion of limited emergency borrowing authority during this COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Postal Service remains concerned that this measure will be insufficient to enable the Postal Service to withstand the significant downturn in our business that could directly result from the pandemic.”
The statement continued, “Under a worst-case scenario, such downturn could result in the Postal Service having insufficient liquidity to continue operations.”
According to the spokesperson, USPS has experienced a significant loss in needed revenues during the pandemic and subsequent decline in economic activity, but it continues to work with lawmakers to ensure Americans’ access to mail during this time.
However, when President Donald Trump signed into law the $2 trillion coronavirus emergency spending bill, it allowed USPS to borrow just $10 billion from the Treasury Department.
“That is woefully inadequate,” said Fredric V. Rolando, president of the National Associated of Letter Carriers, in a plea for more funding in the next round of legislation. “The administration clearly does not understand the importance of the Postal Service, especially now.”
Democrats are working to put together a fourth coronavirus spending bill that would give USPS more funding, primarily in order to boost the ability to vote by mail in the upcoming election, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.
Post offices have so far remained open throughout the crisis, along with hospitals, pharmacies, supermarkets and other essential businesses. According to a New York Times report, at least 20 postal workers had tested positive for the virus by last Friday — a number that has likely increased given the rate of U.S. diagnoses.
With over 266,000 confirmed positive tests, the U.S. now has the most cases of COVID-19 in the world, contributing to the global total of more than 1 million cases, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. So far, over 6,900 people have died in the U.S. from the virus.
Article via MSN
Kylie Jenner Is Being Slammed for Using $450 Chopsticks During These Times
The coronavirus pandemic has put major stress on the global economy. Many businesses around the world have been forced to shut down as the government tries to stem the spread of the disease, leaving thousands of people out of work and without any means of income.
That’s why people are so upset at Kylie Jenner, who recently flaunted an expensive pair of chopsticks on social media. They say that she’s insensitive and tone-deaf and have held no punches in calling her out online.
See Kylie Jenner’s post about her chopsticks
On March 22, Jenner took to her Instagram Story and shared a video of her opening up a fancy pair of Louis Vuitton chopsticks. They were packaged in a dainty plexiglass case adorned with the brand’s signature brown print. According to Us Weekly, the utensils carry a hefty price tag of $450.
“Gotta start traveling with these,” Jenner captioned the post. The video has since expired from her Instagram Story but a clip can be seen below.
Fans are giving Kylie Jenner an earful over her pricey chopsticks
Usually, fans let celebrities live their luxury lives without saying too much about their spending habits. But considering everything going on in the world, many people are not having it this time.
They quickly rushed to social media platforms such as Twitter and called Jenner out for splurging on expensive chopsticks instead of helping out people who are in need amid the coronavirus crisis.
One person tweeted: “It’s funny how influencers like Kylie Jenner post about needing to remember to travel with her louis vuitton chopsticks while there are people being laid off and wondering how they will earn their next paycheck during this pandemic.”
Another said it makes them “sick” to see Jenner spending money on luxury items like that.
“We in the middle of a pandemic with lack of funding for basically everything and then there’s Kylie Jenner showing off her LV chopsticks,” read a third tweet.
“Idk what’s worse: the coronavirus or Kylie Jenner copping Louis Vuitton chopsticks,” said another person.
“I can’t believe I still have to try to convince my friends that billionaires shouldn’t exist after Kylie Jenner posted a picture of her LOUIS VUITTON CHOPSTICKS after donating a grand $0 to help fight a global pandemic…???” said someone else.
As of writing, the makeup star has yet to respond to the backlash. But she has acknowledged the pandemic. She recently called on her fans to practice social distancing in a bid to stop the spread of the disease and shared that she had been quarantining at her massive Hidden Hills, California home.
It’s not the first time Kylie Jenner has faced criticism for her expensive habits
Jenner faced criticism back in December 2019 for getting her then-1-year-old daughter, Stormi Webster, a lavish diamond ring. Fans were outraged and appalled that Jenner would get a child something so pricey, as kids tend to lose or misplace their possessions, and called her out on social media.
“What exactly is she going to do with that!?” one person wondered.
“All that money for her to flush it down the toilet,” another comment read.
Other people were more concerned about Stormi’s wellbeing, with one person writing, “That’s a choking hazard!!!!”
But Jenner brushed the criticism off and went on to share several posts on her Instagram of Stormi wearing the sparkler.
Perhaps she’ll do the same with those chopsticks.
Article via CheatSheet