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| On the Road With the French Foreign Legion | On the Road With the French Foreign Legion |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| GAO, Mali — Six rifles, in my line of sight. Eleven bodies, only one (mine) female. Eleven flak jackets and helmets, slowly absorbing sweat. Eleven camp beds, mosquito nets and backpacks, hooked behind dark green seats alongside some wooden crates of ammunition. Thousands of baby wipes, as our next shower would be many days away. | GAO, Mali — Six rifles, in my line of sight. Eleven bodies, only one (mine) female. Eleven flak jackets and helmets, slowly absorbing sweat. Eleven camp beds, mosquito nets and backpacks, hooked behind dark green seats alongside some wooden crates of ammunition. Thousands of baby wipes, as our next shower would be many days away. |
| This was a squad in a fearsome desert battle group trundling through the Malian steppe — soldiers of the legendary French Foreign Legion, which welcomes recruits from anywhere in the world. | This was a squad in a fearsome desert battle group trundling through the Malian steppe — soldiers of the legendary French Foreign Legion, which welcomes recruits from anywhere in the world. |
| They were a small part of Operation Barkhane — France’s mission to fight a terrorist insurgency in the vast stretch of land south of the Sahara known as the Sahel — in the belly of a tank-like infantry fighting vehicle. | They were a small part of Operation Barkhane — France’s mission to fight a terrorist insurgency in the vast stretch of land south of the Sahara known as the Sahel — in the belly of a tank-like infantry fighting vehicle. |
| A photographer and I were along for the ride with the soldiers, our legs entangled in polite negotiations with each other. | A photographer and I were along for the ride with the soldiers, our legs entangled in polite negotiations with each other. |
| Rudimentary hygiene. Casual human proximity. This was the pre-coronavirus era. After a long reporting trip, during which a few coronavirus cases began to be reported in countries across Africa, I arrived home and opened my notebooks to find a time capsule, portraits of a bygone time full of body contact and shared surfaces. | Rudimentary hygiene. Casual human proximity. This was the pre-coronavirus era. After a long reporting trip, during which a few coronavirus cases began to be reported in countries across Africa, I arrived home and opened my notebooks to find a time capsule, portraits of a bygone time full of body contact and shared surfaces. |
| A cheerful, strapping young Brazilian stroking his Nepali comrade’s cheek, teasing him in accented French for not shaving properly. | A cheerful, strapping young Brazilian stroking his Nepali comrade’s cheek, teasing him in accented French for not shaving properly. |
| The Nepali holding the Brazilian’s gun while he fished behind his seat for some chocolate. | The Nepali holding the Brazilian’s gun while he fished behind his seat for some chocolate. |
| A precious cup of coffee shared between four men. | A precious cup of coffee shared between four men. |
| It was the squad’s first time in the field together, and these elite soldiers of all nations were building camaraderie. | It was the squad’s first time in the field together, and these elite soldiers of all nations were building camaraderie. |
| “Come here, baby,” the Brazilian said to his assault rifle, hoisting it up through the hatch in the roof and aiming it at the horizon for what he and everyone called Les G.A.T.s — the French acronym for Armed Terrorist Group. A Hungarian sergeant held the Brazilian’s leg steady as he got his balance. | “Come here, baby,” the Brazilian said to his assault rifle, hoisting it up through the hatch in the roof and aiming it at the horizon for what he and everyone called Les G.A.T.s — the French acronym for Armed Terrorist Group. A Hungarian sergeant held the Brazilian’s leg steady as he got his balance. |
| Standing in the hatch was the one opportunity in our four-day journey for a little privacy, or what we might now call social distancing. My turn to stick my torso up — while my legs stayed down below — coincided with that of the Nepali soldier, almost totally concealed in desert battle uniform, looking for G.A.T.s through his gun sights. | Standing in the hatch was the one opportunity in our four-day journey for a little privacy, or what we might now call social distancing. My turn to stick my torso up — while my legs stayed down below — coincided with that of the Nepali soldier, almost totally concealed in desert battle uniform, looking for G.A.T.s through his gun sights. |
| This soldier, who under the rules of the trip can be identified only as Private Binod, turned out to be a Hindu-Buddhist. He preferred Buddhism, but ate a lot of meat, so didn’t think of himself as a very good follower of Buddha. | This soldier, who under the rules of the trip can be identified only as Private Binod, turned out to be a Hindu-Buddhist. He preferred Buddhism, but ate a lot of meat, so didn’t think of himself as a very good follower of Buddha. |
| Buddha said “not to kill, not to make war,” the soldier said, looking out at the savanna. This was his second week of his first trip to Africa. | Buddha said “not to kill, not to make war,” the soldier said, looking out at the savanna. This was his second week of his first trip to Africa. |
| If he spotted someone with a weapon, he was under instructions to tell his sergeant, and the information was passed up the chain of command until someone, with help from two scouts from the Malian army, decided whether it was friend or enemy. If enemy, Pvt. Binod could get the order to kill. | If he spotted someone with a weapon, he was under instructions to tell his sergeant, and the information was passed up the chain of command until someone, with help from two scouts from the Malian army, decided whether it was friend or enemy. If enemy, Pvt. Binod could get the order to kill. |
| In the vehicle, down below, soldiers lent out precious sunglasses, shook electrolytes into each others’ water bottles, helped buckle helmets. | In the vehicle, down below, soldiers lent out precious sunglasses, shook electrolytes into each others’ water bottles, helped buckle helmets. |
| Hailing from six countries, they had few shared cultural reference points — few TV shows they could reminisce about together, no dishes from back home they all missed. | Hailing from six countries, they had few shared cultural reference points — few TV shows they could reminisce about together, no dishes from back home they all missed. |
| Their common ground was the Legion, and long journeys in fortresses on giant wheels, flipping over thorn trees as if they were dandelions. | Their common ground was the Legion, and long journeys in fortresses on giant wheels, flipping over thorn trees as if they were dandelions. |
| The 17 cubic yards of air-conditioned, pistachio-green space was a cramped haven from the vast world outside. | The 17 cubic yards of air-conditioned, pistachio-green space was a cramped haven from the vast world outside. |
| A month after the trip, when the world had changed, I wondered: How are they doing this now? | A month after the trip, when the world had changed, I wondered: How are they doing this now? |
| The carrier’s interior must no longer be a refuge, but a weapon itself, each surface touched many times by many hands. Ration packs rooted through over and over to find the good snacks. | The carrier’s interior must no longer be a refuge, but a weapon itself, each surface touched many times by many hands. Ration packs rooted through over and over to find the good snacks. |
| An intimate knowledge of the dozen or so ration packs was important. Otherwise, like me, you’d get stuck eating pork with rice and pineapple three days in a row. Not recommended. | An intimate knowledge of the dozen or so ration packs was important. Otherwise, like me, you’d get stuck eating pork with rice and pineapple three days in a row. Not recommended. |
| There were some decent crackers in some of the ration packs, but interspersed with other, identical-looking atrocious ones. I have no idea how they managed to make them taste so bad. | There were some decent crackers in some of the ration packs, but interspersed with other, identical-looking atrocious ones. I have no idea how they managed to make them taste so bad. |
| But as we glided over trees, anthills and dry river beds, I began to become a pro, combining a ration pack with good crackers with another that had good canned cheese. | But as we glided over trees, anthills and dry river beds, I began to become a pro, combining a ration pack with good crackers with another that had good canned cheese. |
| The soldiers dozed off, their lullaby the sounds of the vehicle’s movement, a symphony of happy squeaks like a child having a go on a violin. | The soldiers dozed off, their lullaby the sounds of the vehicle’s movement, a symphony of happy squeaks like a child having a go on a violin. |
| Updated June 2, 2020 | |
| Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. | |
| Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. | |
| States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. | |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | |
| More than 40 million people — the equivalent of 1 in 4 U.S. workers — have filed for unemployment benefits since the pandemic took hold. One in five who were working in February reported losing a job or being furloughed in March or the beginning of April, data from a Federal Reserve survey released on May 14 showed, and that pain was highly concentrated among low earners. Fully 39 percent of former workers living in a household earning $40,000 or less lost work, compared with 13 percent in those making more than $100,000, a Fed official said. | |
| Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. | |
| The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. | |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | |
| If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. | |
| I’ve heard legionnaires described as mercenaries, and at one time, the Legion was known as a place where anyone in trouble could have a fresh start, a new name and, after three years of service, French citizenship. | I’ve heard legionnaires described as mercenaries, and at one time, the Legion was known as a place where anyone in trouble could have a fresh start, a new name and, after three years of service, French citizenship. |
| But before I’d even asked, the press officer — who kept a close eye on me throughout this journey — assured me that background checks are stringent and that the force no longer takes rapists, murderers or serious drug dealers. | But before I’d even asked, the press officer — who kept a close eye on me throughout this journey — assured me that background checks are stringent and that the force no longer takes rapists, murderers or serious drug dealers. |
| Recently, Mali’s ambassador to Paris implied that the legionnaires were troublemakers — “tattooed all over” — wreaking havoc in the streets of Bamako, Mali’s capital. It was a curious observation given, as the French defense minister pointed out, that there are almost no legionnaires stationed in Bamako. | Recently, Mali’s ambassador to Paris implied that the legionnaires were troublemakers — “tattooed all over” — wreaking havoc in the streets of Bamako, Mali’s capital. It was a curious observation given, as the French defense minister pointed out, that there are almost no legionnaires stationed in Bamako. |
| But tattoos are traditional, as is cursing — in French, Moldovan or Ukrainian, as the case may be. | But tattoos are traditional, as is cursing — in French, Moldovan or Ukrainian, as the case may be. |
| The legionnaires took much better care of me than of themselves. Almost every night, they made up my own cot for me. Perhaps now I would insist on doing it myself, worrying about being infected. At the time, I felt nothing but gratitude. | The legionnaires took much better care of me than of themselves. Almost every night, they made up my own cot for me. Perhaps now I would insist on doing it myself, worrying about being infected. At the time, I felt nothing but gratitude. |
| They also reminded me to eat, made me tea on a tiny disposable stove, helped me find an unoccupied bathroom bush at night, and shared a precious, technically forbidden bottle of wine. | They also reminded me to eat, made me tea on a tiny disposable stove, helped me find an unoccupied bathroom bush at night, and shared a precious, technically forbidden bottle of wine. |
| I lent the young Brazilian my camping fork to tuck into one of the three 3,700-calorie ration packs I watched him eat in a day. When he was done, he took out one of his rationed tissues and wiped it with great care before giving it back. Now, seeing everything through a viral lens, it’s a poignant memory. | I lent the young Brazilian my camping fork to tuck into one of the three 3,700-calorie ration packs I watched him eat in a day. When he was done, he took out one of his rationed tissues and wiped it with great care before giving it back. Now, seeing everything through a viral lens, it’s a poignant memory. |
| After four days, a helicopter with a Danish crew roared in to drop supplies. I caught a ride out. | After four days, a helicopter with a Danish crew roared in to drop supplies. I caught a ride out. |
| As we zoomed away, the carrier faded into the vast Sahel, the color of weak tea, empty but not empty. The desert is full of things you don’t see when you’re down below in a windowless vehicle, or concentrating on spotting G.A.T.s. | As we zoomed away, the carrier faded into the vast Sahel, the color of weak tea, empty but not empty. The desert is full of things you don’t see when you’re down below in a windowless vehicle, or concentrating on spotting G.A.T.s. |
| Houses made of stick frames with mats draped over them for walls. Little boys fetching water. Tracks, everywhere. Tiny hills, sprinkled with volcanic pebbles like confectioner’s sugar through a sieve. Goats and camels and long-horned cattle. | Houses made of stick frames with mats draped over them for walls. Little boys fetching water. Tracks, everywhere. Tiny hills, sprinkled with volcanic pebbles like confectioner’s sugar through a sieve. Goats and camels and long-horned cattle. |
| After four days of sun-warmed water, I’d be lying if I said the cold Coke a Dane handed me wasn’t the best thing I’ve ever drunk. A shower, an incredible luxury. | After four days of sun-warmed water, I’d be lying if I said the cold Coke a Dane handed me wasn’t the best thing I’ve ever drunk. A shower, an incredible luxury. |
| But I half wanted to stay with the legionnaires, whose voyage through the savanna continued. I’d begun to be enveloped in their camaraderie, and to understand why it’s so important to them. I’d wonder about their well-being until, a few weeks later, some of them popped up on Instagram, sending me cheery messages. | But I half wanted to stay with the legionnaires, whose voyage through the savanna continued. I’d begun to be enveloped in their camaraderie, and to understand why it’s so important to them. I’d wonder about their well-being until, a few weeks later, some of them popped up on Instagram, sending me cheery messages. |
| Then the French military announced that four soldiers with Operation Barkhane had tested positive. Are any of them soldiers I got to know? The statement gave no names. | Then the French military announced that four soldiers with Operation Barkhane had tested positive. Are any of them soldiers I got to know? The statement gave no names. |