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| How a Suicide Prevention Team Leader Spends His Sundays | How a Suicide Prevention Team Leader Spends His Sundays |
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| Between the pandemic, rising unemployment, widespread protests, looting and curfews, the city is facing dire challenges on all fronts. It’s a lot to process. As the director of public education for Samaritans of New York, a 24-hour suicide-prevention agency, Daron Marino is one of the many mental health workers helping New Yorkers cope right now. | Between the pandemic, rising unemployment, widespread protests, looting and curfews, the city is facing dire challenges on all fronts. It’s a lot to process. As the director of public education for Samaritans of New York, a 24-hour suicide-prevention agency, Daron Marino is one of the many mental health workers helping New Yorkers cope right now. |
| Mr. Marino is active in the Mental Health Wellness Support Line, a free new service introduced by the Samaritans on April 15. Because of the coronavirus outbreak, the nonprofit’s anonymous suicide hotline, which required volunteers to take calls at a center, had to be put on “temporary hold” for the first time in 37 years, the organization said. | Mr. Marino is active in the Mental Health Wellness Support Line, a free new service introduced by the Samaritans on April 15. Because of the coronavirus outbreak, the nonprofit’s anonymous suicide hotline, which required volunteers to take calls at a center, had to be put on “temporary hold” for the first time in 37 years, the organization said. |
| “Now people leave their name, number, and a time they’d like us to call them back” on a voice mail service, Mr. Marino said. Volunteers, all working from home, return calls within 24 hours. “Even though anonymity is no longer a factor, we’ve found people still want to talk and be supported.” | “Now people leave their name, number, and a time they’d like us to call them back” on a voice mail service, Mr. Marino said. Volunteers, all working from home, return calls within 24 hours. “Even though anonymity is no longer a factor, we’ve found people still want to talk and be supported.” |
| Mr. Marino, 31, lives with his wife, Sarah, 34, a nanny, Owen, their dog, and Ms. Jackson, their cat, in Astoria, Queens. | Mr. Marino, 31, lives with his wife, Sarah, 34, a nanny, Owen, their dog, and Ms. Jackson, their cat, in Astoria, Queens. |
| AN EARLY, SLOW START I set the bedtime function on my iPhone for 7 a.m., but I usually wake at 6:30 and try to sleep for 30 more minutes. I take Owen out. Then I check the messages that people have left from last night. There are usually five to 10. | AN EARLY, SLOW START I set the bedtime function on my iPhone for 7 a.m., but I usually wake at 6:30 and try to sleep for 30 more minutes. I take Owen out. Then I check the messages that people have left from last night. There are usually five to 10. |
| Intervention is standing on the edge. We are focused on prevention, connecting with people who are pulled to the edge but aren’t there yet. Unless someone is specifically requesting an early morning time, I don’t return calls until 10. | Intervention is standing on the edge. We are focused on prevention, connecting with people who are pulled to the edge but aren’t there yet. Unless someone is specifically requesting an early morning time, I don’t return calls until 10. |
| SOUNDS AND IMAGES We bought a cold brew contraption off Amazon, which brews coffee overnight in the fridge. We have that in the morning. I add oat milk; Sarah likes half and half. We play the Beach Boys album “Pet Sounds,” which is calming, and talk before starting the day. This crisis has made me more sentimental. | SOUNDS AND IMAGES We bought a cold brew contraption off Amazon, which brews coffee overnight in the fridge. We have that in the morning. I add oat milk; Sarah likes half and half. We play the Beach Boys album “Pet Sounds,” which is calming, and talk before starting the day. This crisis has made me more sentimental. |
| Both of us have taken up photography. At 8 we take Owen for a long walk around the neighborhood. We zig down into different streets, I take people’s photos from a distance in my mask. | Both of us have taken up photography. At 8 we take Owen for a long walk around the neighborhood. We zig down into different streets, I take people’s photos from a distance in my mask. |
| THE CALLS START We’re home by 9. I shower, dress and make a smoothie with spinach, oat milk, peanut butter, chia seeds, strawberries, blueberries and bananas. I’m at the phone by 10, returning people’s calls. I confer with our director of programs and services about who to reach out to. When I call someone back I confirm who I’m talking to, then I dive in. Calls can last 20 to 30 minutes. | THE CALLS START We’re home by 9. I shower, dress and make a smoothie with spinach, oat milk, peanut butter, chia seeds, strawberries, blueberries and bananas. I’m at the phone by 10, returning people’s calls. I confer with our director of programs and services about who to reach out to. When I call someone back I confirm who I’m talking to, then I dive in. Calls can last 20 to 30 minutes. |
| NO JUDGMENT People’s issues haven’t shifted; they’re more heightened. People are concerned about going back to work and what that will look like and if they can social distance. They’re worried about getting food and about their finances. They’re anxious and feeling isolated. They’re still struggling through a bad day, self-harming or have suicidal behaviors. I’ve learned to check my preconceptions at the door and pay attention to my own internal dialogue before coming to any conclusions. As they open up I’m rapport building, connecting, and exploring what they’re struggling with without judgment. | NO JUDGMENT People’s issues haven’t shifted; they’re more heightened. People are concerned about going back to work and what that will look like and if they can social distance. They’re worried about getting food and about their finances. They’re anxious and feeling isolated. They’re still struggling through a bad day, self-harming or have suicidal behaviors. I’ve learned to check my preconceptions at the door and pay attention to my own internal dialogue before coming to any conclusions. As they open up I’m rapport building, connecting, and exploring what they’re struggling with without judgment. |
| OUTREACH After lunch, I check messages again. There might be five or 10 new ones. I call back anyone I need to. Then I work until 4, doing community outreach to churches, cultural or mental health organizations, the Y.M.C.A., the L.G.B.T.Q. community, various sports programs or schools. We are finding it’s particularly hard for children to process what’s going on, and a lot of programs have been suspended. The goal is to get the executive director or the principal on the phone. I leave 20 to 30 messages and hope they get back to me. If I’m feeling fatigued I go on our balcony for some fresh air. | OUTREACH After lunch, I check messages again. There might be five or 10 new ones. I call back anyone I need to. Then I work until 4, doing community outreach to churches, cultural or mental health organizations, the Y.M.C.A., the L.G.B.T.Q. community, various sports programs or schools. We are finding it’s particularly hard for children to process what’s going on, and a lot of programs have been suspended. The goal is to get the executive director or the principal on the phone. I leave 20 to 30 messages and hope they get back to me. If I’m feeling fatigued I go on our balcony for some fresh air. |
| DIALOGUE From 4 to 6 I do video interviews with possible volunteers. That can take an hour per person. I’m trying to get an understanding of what it looks like to them to help others, and why they want to. That’s a huge part. It’s a self-reflection process. And what do they feel about suicide, and providing an open and safe space for others. | DIALOGUE From 4 to 6 I do video interviews with possible volunteers. That can take an hour per person. I’m trying to get an understanding of what it looks like to them to help others, and why they want to. That’s a huge part. It’s a self-reflection process. And what do they feel about suicide, and providing an open and safe space for others. |
| Updated June 30, 2020 | |
| 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. | 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. | 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 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
| 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 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. | 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. |
| SUPPORT For the next 90 minutes I reach out to the people who are in our survivors of suicide support group. These are people who have lost someone to suicide. When the virus hit, we had to put many groups on hold. It’s a hard subject to talk about. I ask how they’re doing. Then we explore how they’re getting by day to day, if they’re utilizing any close supports, and how they’re currently processing their loss. | SUPPORT For the next 90 minutes I reach out to the people who are in our survivors of suicide support group. These are people who have lost someone to suicide. When the virus hit, we had to put many groups on hold. It’s a hard subject to talk about. I ask how they’re doing. Then we explore how they’re getting by day to day, if they’re utilizing any close supports, and how they’re currently processing their loss. |
| TURN OFF THE DAY By 8 I’m really excited to reconnect with Sarah. We spend the next hour with the dog outside. We might go bike riding or take a walk. I’m learning to compartmentalize and turn off the day, which is hard. Callers pop randomly into my head. The work is difficult because I know so many people are struggling. The hardest part is that these interactions are temporary. Sometimes I only speak one time to someone. I’m left with, “I hope they’re OK right now.” | TURN OFF THE DAY By 8 I’m really excited to reconnect with Sarah. We spend the next hour with the dog outside. We might go bike riding or take a walk. I’m learning to compartmentalize and turn off the day, which is hard. Callers pop randomly into my head. The work is difficult because I know so many people are struggling. The hardest part is that these interactions are temporary. Sometimes I only speak one time to someone. I’m left with, “I hope they’re OK right now.” |
| DE-STRESS We’re home by 9 and have dinner: roast chicken, lasagna, or chickpea pasta. Sarah is an incredible cook. Sometimes to de-stress I’ll read a photography book. I’ve been buying a bunch online like Mel Rosenthal and Jamel Shabazz. We’ve been getting into card games like Uno, or we’ll watch old movies: “Gone in 60 Seconds,” “Broken Arrow,” the “Die Hards.” I grew up in the 1990s and these are nostalgic. Safe, comfortable. | DE-STRESS We’re home by 9 and have dinner: roast chicken, lasagna, or chickpea pasta. Sarah is an incredible cook. Sometimes to de-stress I’ll read a photography book. I’ve been buying a bunch online like Mel Rosenthal and Jamel Shabazz. We’ve been getting into card games like Uno, or we’ll watch old movies: “Gone in 60 Seconds,” “Broken Arrow,” the “Die Hards.” I grew up in the 1990s and these are nostalgic. Safe, comfortable. |