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| Putin Sets New Date for Vote on Extending His Rule | Putin Sets New Date for Vote on Extending His Rule |
| (25 days later) | |
| MOSCOW — Pushing to get his political program back on track, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said on Monday that a referendum on constitutional changes that would allow him to dispense with term limits and stay in office until 2036 would be held on July 1. | MOSCOW — Pushing to get his political program back on track, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said on Monday that a referendum on constitutional changes that would allow him to dispense with term limits and stay in office until 2036 would be held on July 1. |
| The vote — whose outcome in favor of Mr. Putin sticking around instead of bowing out in 2024 is in little doubt — was originally scheduled for April 22 but got called off because of the coronavirus pandemic, which has left Russia the third hardest-hit country after the United States and Brazil. | The vote — whose outcome in favor of Mr. Putin sticking around instead of bowing out in 2024 is in little doubt — was originally scheduled for April 22 but got called off because of the coronavirus pandemic, which has left Russia the third hardest-hit country after the United States and Brazil. |
| The pandemic cast a pall of uncertainty over the Kremlin’s carefully choreographed plans, forcing the cancellation of not only the referendum but also military parades in Moscow and other Russian cities to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Red Army’s victory over Nazi Germany in May 1945. | The pandemic cast a pall of uncertainty over the Kremlin’s carefully choreographed plans, forcing the cancellation of not only the referendum but also military parades in Moscow and other Russian cities to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Red Army’s victory over Nazi Germany in May 1945. |
| Insisting that the peak of the outbreak had passed, despite a daily increase of around 9,000 new infections, Mr. Putin last week announced that the Victory Day parades would go ahead on June 24. The decision announced on Monday to hold the constitutional referendum a week later completes the Kremlin’s efforts to return Russia to its regular political programing. | Insisting that the peak of the outbreak had passed, despite a daily increase of around 9,000 new infections, Mr. Putin last week announced that the Victory Day parades would go ahead on June 24. The decision announced on Monday to hold the constitutional referendum a week later completes the Kremlin’s efforts to return Russia to its regular political programing. |
| With his approval rating at its lowest level since he first took power 20 years ago, Mr. Putin, cooped up in his country residence outside Moscow for most of the past two months, has been eager to get the country and his own plans out of limbo. | With his approval rating at its lowest level since he first took power 20 years ago, Mr. Putin, cooped up in his country residence outside Moscow for most of the past two months, has been eager to get the country and his own plans out of limbo. |
| Describing July 1 as an “impeccable date” for a referendum, Mr. Putin urged all Russian voters to endorse the constitutional amendments. They include a raft of popular provisions like a ban on senior officials holding foreign bank accounts and mandatory increases in social benefits. | Describing July 1 as an “impeccable date” for a referendum, Mr. Putin urged all Russian voters to endorse the constitutional amendments. They include a raft of popular provisions like a ban on senior officials holding foreign bank accounts and mandatory increases in social benefits. |
| But their main purpose is to let Mr. Putin stay in office long beyond the end of what was supposed to be his last term as president in 2024. | But their main purpose is to let Mr. Putin stay in office long beyond the end of what was supposed to be his last term as president in 2024. |
| Russia’s docile Parliament, which invariably approves Kremlin proposals, enacted all the proposed changes in March but a popular vote would give much-needed legitimacy to what the Kremlin’s critics have denounced as a constitutional coup designed to keep Mr. Putin in power indefinitely. | Russia’s docile Parliament, which invariably approves Kremlin proposals, enacted all the proposed changes in March but a popular vote would give much-needed legitimacy to what the Kremlin’s critics have denounced as a constitutional coup designed to keep Mr. Putin in power indefinitely. |
| To calm concerns that the Kremlin is gambling with public health in pursuit of its political agenda, Anna Popova, the head of the state agency leading the battle against the coronavirus, spoke at a video conference of officials along with Mr. Putin and offered assurances that holding the referendum on July 1 would be safe for the public. | To calm concerns that the Kremlin is gambling with public health in pursuit of its political agenda, Anna Popova, the head of the state agency leading the battle against the coronavirus, spoke at a video conference of officials along with Mr. Putin and offered assurances that holding the referendum on July 1 would be safe for the public. |
| The head of the Central Election Commission, Alla Pamfilova, suggested that the vote could be spread over six days to avoid crowds at polling stations. | The head of the Central Election Commission, Alla Pamfilova, suggested that the vote could be spread over six days to avoid crowds at polling stations. |
| Moscow city authorities also helped on Monday to prepare the way for the vote, the centerpiece of the Kremlin’s political plans for the year. After nine weeks in lockdown, Moscow reopened parks, shopping malls, car dealerships and many other businesses but restricted entry to people wearing masks and gloves. | Moscow city authorities also helped on Monday to prepare the way for the vote, the centerpiece of the Kremlin’s political plans for the year. After nine weeks in lockdown, Moscow reopened parks, shopping malls, car dealerships and many other businesses but restricted entry to people wearing masks and gloves. |
| The Russian capital, the epicenter of the country’s coronavirus outbreak, has accounted for more than 40 percent of Russia’s total number of reported infections, which numbered 414,878 on Monday, and more than half of all deaths attributed to coronavirus across the country. | The Russian capital, the epicenter of the country’s coronavirus outbreak, has accounted for more than 40 percent of Russia’s total number of reported infections, which numbered 414,878 on Monday, and more than half of all deaths attributed to coronavirus across the country. |
| Updated June 24, 2020 | |
| 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. | |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | |
| 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.) | |
| 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. | |
| Unusually cool weather and steady rain kept many residents indoors despite the partial lifting of restrictions, which, on paper at least, had been among the world’s most severe. Restaurants, bars and coffee shops remained closed, except for takeout service. | Unusually cool weather and steady rain kept many residents indoors despite the partial lifting of restrictions, which, on paper at least, had been among the world’s most severe. Restaurants, bars and coffee shops remained closed, except for takeout service. |
| Elaborate and often confusing new rules governing when and where taking a walk is now allowed also helped keep people off the streets. An announcement by the Moscow city government that it would set a “walking schedule” for each building to fix the times residents can go out for a stroll depending on where they live provoked dismay and mockery on social media. | Elaborate and often confusing new rules governing when and where taking a walk is now allowed also helped keep people off the streets. An announcement by the Moscow city government that it would set a “walking schedule” for each building to fix the times residents can go out for a stroll depending on where they live provoked dismay and mockery on social media. |
| In a video posted on Instagram, Maksim Galkin, a prominent television presenter and comedian, impersonated Mr. Putin and the mayor of Moscow, Sergei S. Sobyanin, discussing a “breathing schedule” to decide when and where Muscovites can freely inhale fresh air. | In a video posted on Instagram, Maksim Galkin, a prominent television presenter and comedian, impersonated Mr. Putin and the mayor of Moscow, Sergei S. Sobyanin, discussing a “breathing schedule” to decide when and where Muscovites can freely inhale fresh air. |