About $12 million in funds slated for improvements to ventilation systems, bathrooms and cooling systems at Manhattan public schools is being used instead to address the citys budget deficit, according to the Manhattan borough president. [New York Post]
Matthew Futterman writes:
It was late March, and the leaders of tennis in the United States already knew that this years U.S. Open would be unlike anything they had ever experienced, if they could stage it at all.
The Coronavirus Outbreak
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated August 27, 2020
- What should I consider when choosing a mask?
- There are a few basic things to consider. Does it have at least two layers? Good. If you hold it up to the light, can you see through it? Bad. Can you blow a candle out through your mask? Bad. Do you feel mostly OK wearing it for hours at a time? Good. The most important thing, after finding a mask that fits well without gapping, is to find a mask that you will wear. Spend some time picking out your mask, and find something that works with your personal style. You should be wearing it whenever youre out in public for the foreseeable future. Read more: Whats the Best Material for a Mask?
- What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
- In the beginning, the coronavirus seemed like it was primarily a respiratory illness many patients had fever and chills, were weak and tired, and coughed a lot, though some people dont show many symptoms at all. Those who seemed sickest had pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome and received supplemental oxygen. By now, doctors have identified many more symptoms and syndromes. In April, the C.D.C. added to the list of early signs sore throat, fever, chills and muscle aches. Gastrointestinal upset, such as diarrhea and nausea, has also been observed. Another telltale sign of infection may be a sudden, profound diminution of ones sense of smell and taste. Teenagers and young adults in some cases have developed painful red and purple lesions on their fingers and toes nicknamed Covid toe but few other serious symptoms.
- Why does standing six feet away from others help?
- The coronavirus spreads primarily through droplets from your mouth and nose, especially when you cough or sneeze. The C.D.C., one of the organizations using that measure, bases its recommendation of six feet on the idea that most large droplets that people expel when they cough or sneeze will fall to the ground within six feet. But six feet has never been a magic number that guarantees complete protection. Sneezes, for instance, can launch droplets a lot farther than six feet, according to a recent study. It’s a rule of thumb: You should be safest standing six feet apart outside, especially when it’s windy. But keep a mask on at all times, even when you think youre far enough apart.
- I have antibodies. Am I now immune?
- As of right now, that seems likely, for at least several months. There have been frightening accounts of people suffering what seems to be a second bout of Covid-19. But experts say these patients may have a drawn-out course of infection, with the virus taking a slow toll weeks to months after initial exposure. People infected with the coronavirus typically produce immune molecules called antibodies, which are protective proteins made in response to an infection. These antibodies may last in the body only two to three months, which may seem worrisome, but thats perfectly normal after an acute infection subsides, said Dr. Michael Mina, an immunologist at Harvard University. It may be possible to get the coronavirus again, but its highly unlikely that it would be possible in a short window of time from initial infection or make people sicker the second time.
- Im a small-business owner. Can I get relief?
- The stimulus bills enacted in March offer help for the millions of American small businesses. Those eligible for aid are businesses and nonprofit organizations with fewer than 500 workers, including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and freelancers. Some larger companies in some industries are also eligible. The help being offered, which is being managed by the Small Business Administration, includes the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. But lots of folks have not yet seen payouts. Even those who have received help are confused: The rules are draconian, and some are stuck sitting on money they dont know how to use. Many small-business owners are getting less than they expected or not hearing anything at all.
- What are my rights if I am worried about going back to work?
With much of the world, and especially New York City, reeling from the coronavirus pandemic, they had no idea where or when the Open might take place, or if anyone would bother to show up for an event held in the city for more than 100 years, one of its biggest and most economically important festivals.
So Mike Dowse, the newly installed chief executive of the United States Tennis Association, set up a team to determine how to carry out the event, setting in motion a grand experiment that could show what international sports, as well as New York, might be capable of while navigating the public health threat.
[Will the U.S. Open show that big events can return to New York?]
Players, who began arriving in mid-August for a smaller tournament held before the U.S. Open begins today, are mostly cloistered in a Long Island hotel, preparing to play in cavernous stadiums without spectators at the U.S.T.A. Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens.
And at the tennis center, where some 50,000 people usually pack the stadiums each day, there are few hints of the usual food, merchandising and corporate entertainment.read more
