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Feeding Essential Workers, and Putting Restaurants Back to Work Feeding Essential Workers, and Putting Restaurants Back to Work
(7 days later)
As the coronavirus outbreak took hold in America last month, volunteers in San Francisco and New York sprang to action to feed overwhelmed health care workers and help struggling local restaurant workers.As the coronavirus outbreak took hold in America last month, volunteers in San Francisco and New York sprang to action to feed overwhelmed health care workers and help struggling local restaurant workers.
Within weeks, similar efforts sprouted elsewhere, and those independent groups decided to come together under the organization Frontline Foods. Its roughly 400 volunteers have since delivered more than 50,000 meals to hospitals in 40 cities.Within weeks, similar efforts sprouted elsewhere, and those independent groups decided to come together under the organization Frontline Foods. Its roughly 400 volunteers have since delivered more than 50,000 meals to hospitals in 40 cities.
“It’s been an incredible experience,” said Alexis Perlmutter, one of the Frontline Foods volunteers leading the efforts in Chicago. “This would not be possible without an army of volunteers who are really rolling up their sleeves to solve problems together.”“It’s been an incredible experience,” said Alexis Perlmutter, one of the Frontline Foods volunteers leading the efforts in Chicago. “This would not be possible without an army of volunteers who are really rolling up their sleeves to solve problems together.”
Frontline Foods is working with World Central Kitchen, a global nonprofit organization that is delivering fresh meals to essential workers and others in need.Frontline Foods is working with World Central Kitchen, a global nonprofit organization that is delivering fresh meals to essential workers and others in need.
Bringing meals to hospitals in a safe and organized fashion can be extremely difficult, said Nate Mook, the chief executive of World Central Kitchen. But World Central Kitchen has the expertise to help. Having served communities ravaged by disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes, it has stepped in to coordinate these separate fund-raising initiatives and offer logistical support amid the pandemic.Bringing meals to hospitals in a safe and organized fashion can be extremely difficult, said Nate Mook, the chief executive of World Central Kitchen. But World Central Kitchen has the expertise to help. Having served communities ravaged by disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes, it has stepped in to coordinate these separate fund-raising initiatives and offer logistical support amid the pandemic.
To help organizations like World Central Kitchen as they assist some of those most impacted by the coronavirus, The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund has started a Covid-19 Relief Campaign. This monthlong campaign will benefit World Central Kitchen and three other agencies offering support to those affected by the outbreak.To help organizations like World Central Kitchen as they assist some of those most impacted by the coronavirus, The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund has started a Covid-19 Relief Campaign. This monthlong campaign will benefit World Central Kitchen and three other agencies offering support to those affected by the outbreak.
Over the past month, World Central Kitchen has served more than one million meals, to essential workers and the hungry, in at least 95 cities across the country. It has also been working in seven cities in Spain, which has one of the world’s highest coronavirus mortality rates.Over the past month, World Central Kitchen has served more than one million meals, to essential workers and the hungry, in at least 95 cities across the country. It has also been working in seven cities in Spain, which has one of the world’s highest coronavirus mortality rates.
Many of those on the receiving end are front-line workers. In one week, the Chicago-based chapter of Frontline Foods has teamed up with 10 restaurants and delivered more than 1,000 meals to six hospitals.Many of those on the receiving end are front-line workers. In one week, the Chicago-based chapter of Frontline Foods has teamed up with 10 restaurants and delivered more than 1,000 meals to six hospitals.
“We want to thank our front-line workers for getting up and going to work each morning, and we want to bring the economy back for our local restaurants,” Ms. Perlmutter said. “It’s all about community.”“We want to thank our front-line workers for getting up and going to work each morning, and we want to bring the economy back for our local restaurants,” Ms. Perlmutter said. “It’s all about community.”
In New York, World Central Kitchen recently set up a distribution site at Hudson Yards to serve the staff at the makeshift hospital in the Jacob K. Javits Center. The organization is also planning to bring daily meals to roughly 30,000 professionals working in the city’s public hospitals and health clinics, with support from Michael R. Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York.In New York, World Central Kitchen recently set up a distribution site at Hudson Yards to serve the staff at the makeshift hospital in the Jacob K. Javits Center. The organization is also planning to bring daily meals to roughly 30,000 professionals working in the city’s public hospitals and health clinics, with support from Michael R. Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York.
In Washington, dozens of World Central Kitchen staffers have been stationed in Nationals Park, cooking about 8,000 meals a day for homeless people, older residents and essential workers, including firefighters and police officers.In Washington, dozens of World Central Kitchen staffers have been stationed in Nationals Park, cooking about 8,000 meals a day for homeless people, older residents and essential workers, including firefighters and police officers.
In the process, World Central Kitchen is also helping restaurants whose business has slowed.In the process, World Central Kitchen is also helping restaurants whose business has slowed.
“You have all these folks that want to cook, and they’re out of work,” Mr. Mook said. “They just need somebody to cook for.”“You have all these folks that want to cook, and they’re out of work,” Mr. Mook said. “They just need somebody to cook for.”
To help fulfill that need, the nonprofit is providing administrative and financial backing to Frontline Foods and other grass-roots groups, like Off Their Plate, which has operations from Boston to Seattle.To help fulfill that need, the nonprofit is providing administrative and financial backing to Frontline Foods and other grass-roots groups, like Off Their Plate, which has operations from Boston to Seattle.
“We’re good at moving quickly,” said Tim Kilcoyne, the director of chef operations at World Central Kitchen. Yet given how widespread the current health crisis is, he said, “the only way we would be able to help as many people as possible is with partners.”“We’re good at moving quickly,” said Tim Kilcoyne, the director of chef operations at World Central Kitchen. Yet given how widespread the current health crisis is, he said, “the only way we would be able to help as many people as possible is with partners.”
Other collaborations are underway in Oakland, Calif. World Central Kitchen has delivered nearly 7,000 meals from a dozen local restaurants to medics at drive-through testing sites, homeless residents in transitional housing, seniors and at-risk youth.Other collaborations are underway in Oakland, Calif. World Central Kitchen has delivered nearly 7,000 meals from a dozen local restaurants to medics at drive-through testing sites, homeless residents in transitional housing, seniors and at-risk youth.
Kingston 11, a Jamaican restaurant that has been contributing to those relief efforts, has hired back more than half of its back-of-house staff, said Sam Chapple-Sokol, who works for World Central Kitchen in Oakland.Kingston 11, a Jamaican restaurant that has been contributing to those relief efforts, has hired back more than half of its back-of-house staff, said Sam Chapple-Sokol, who works for World Central Kitchen in Oakland.
Updated July 7, 2020 Updated July 23, 2020
The coronavirus can stay aloft for hours in tiny droplets in stagnant air, infecting people as they inhale, mounting scientific evidence suggests. This risk is highest in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation, and may help explain super-spreading events reported in meatpacking plants, churches and restaurants. It’s unclear how often the virus is spread via these tiny droplets, or aerosols, compared with larger droplets that are expelled when a sick person coughs or sneezes, or transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert at Virginia Tech. Aerosols are released even when a person without symptoms exhales, talks or sings, according to Dr. Marr and more than 200 other experts, who have outlined the evidence in an open letter to the World Health Organization.
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.
Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
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.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
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.)
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.
“They’re open three days a week right now, because of the limited demand and the limited ability,” he said. “But it sounds like they’re crushing it those three days. They’re super busy.”“They’re open three days a week right now, because of the limited demand and the limited ability,” he said. “But it sounds like they’re crushing it those three days. They’re super busy.”
World Central Kitchen has also been creating opportunities for food delivery workers. It has connected with Uber Eats and other delivery companies to bring meals from local restaurants to front-line workers and others in need in Los Angeles, Newark and New York, as well as Washington and Oakland.World Central Kitchen has also been creating opportunities for food delivery workers. It has connected with Uber Eats and other delivery companies to bring meals from local restaurants to front-line workers and others in need in Los Angeles, Newark and New York, as well as Washington and Oakland.
The motivation behind the organization’s work comes from the can-do attitude of its founder, the celebrity chef and activist José Andrés, said Mr. Chapple-Sokol.The motivation behind the organization’s work comes from the can-do attitude of its founder, the celebrity chef and activist José Andrés, said Mr. Chapple-Sokol.
“If somebody is hungry,” he said, “you just get in the kitchen and start cooking.”“If somebody is hungry,” he said, “you just get in the kitchen and start cooking.”
Donations to The Neediest Cases Fund’s special Covid-19 fund were collected from April 1 to May 5, 2020. To donate to our annual campaign, see our page at GoFundMe.Donations to The Neediest Cases Fund’s special Covid-19 fund were collected from April 1 to May 5, 2020. To donate to our annual campaign, see our page at GoFundMe.