New story in Health from Time: ‘Of Course Not.’ Fauci Says He Wouldn’t Attend Trump’s Oklahoma Rally Amid Pandemic

Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and a top U.S. infectious disease expert, said he would not attend rallies for President Donald Trump—events where large crowds are expected as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

“No,” Fauci told The Daily Beast in a recent interview when asked if he would be appearing at Trump’s upcoming rallies in Tulsa, Okla. and Phoenix, Ariz. “I’m in a high risk category. Personally, I would not. Of course not.” Older adults and those who have certain underlying health conditions, such as diabetes or chronic lung disease, are at a higher risk of becoming severely ill from COVID-19 than others.

Fauci’s comments come as state and city officials grapple with continued questions surrounding their reopening procedures amid the spread of coronavirus. While COVID-19 infection rates have somewhat slowed down nationwide in recent months following a peak in April, some regions have seen spikes in cases, including in Oklahoma and Arizona, areas where Trump has planned to hold rallies.

Arizona, along with Texas and Florida, reported its largest one-day increase in coronavirus cases on Tuesday, with a spike of 2,392 in one day and a total of 39,097 cases. Will Humble, executive director of the state’s Public Health Association, said in a news conference on Monday that Arizona’s hospitals could see a surge in patients, leading to stretched resources and lower quality care.

While restrictions put into place to prevent people from coming into close contact with each other are easing throughout the country, Fauci said earlier in June that gathering in large groups is still “risky.” In a radio interview with NPR’s 1A on Tuesday, Fauci said cases in some states were likely rising because people are “not really adhering to the structured type of guidelines that belong to the phase that they’re in.”

A second wave of the coronavirus was “not inevitable,” he said as long as people “do what we need to do to prevent it from happening.”

Fauci spoke just days before Trump is expected to greet a large crowd in Tulsa in an indoor arena that can fit about 20,000 people during a Saturday rally. Health officials in the city have warned that the rally could make the spread of coronavirus worse. Those who want to attend the rally in Tulsa are required to agree that they will not sue the Trump Campaign if they contract the virus at the event; during a press briefing on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said those in attendance would be provided with masks, but not required to wear them.

During an interview Wednesday morning, Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford said he did not believe people “with underlying health conditions” should attend the rally.

Fauci told NPR he hasn’t spoken with Trump in about two weeks and added, in reference to a question about the nationwide protests against racism and police brutality, that people should still continue to avoid crowds and wear masks.

“That clearly has a positive effect, so when you pull away from that and you still have viral dynamics in your community, that’s not a good idea,” he said. “So rather than blame one or the other, just listen to what I’m saying: It’s risky when you do that, so please avoid doing that.”

New story in Health from Time: COVID-19 Has Been ‘Apocalyptic’ for Public Transit. Will Congress Offer More Help?

While trying to get to work over the past few months, Brittany Williams, a Seattle home care worker, has often been passed by two or three buses before one stops to let her board. Buses in her area that once carried anywhere from about 50 to 100 passengers have been limited to between 12 and 18 to prevent overcrowding in response to coronavirus, and Williams’ commute, typically a half-hour ride, now takes more than double that time. Other Seattle transit riders have described budgeting as much as an extra hour per trip to account for the reduced capacity, eating into their time at work, school or with family. Even with the ridership limits in place, Williams, 34, doesn’t feel safe on public transit. Some passengers don’t wear face coverings, and bus drivers sometimes ignore capacity limits, she says. On one ride with her seven-year-old son, she decided to get off at a stop far from her home after a driver allowed a crowd of people to board. “It’s very trying. I’ll put...

New story in Health from Time: Why You Should Add Rest to Your Workout Routine

Most fitness advice urges people to squeeze in more workouts. That’s reasonable, considering government data show that only about a quarter of American adults meet the current guidelines for adequate physical activity : 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week, plus two bouts of muscle-strengthening exercise. Meeting these guidelines is important, since getting enough exercise can improve an individual’s physical and mental health . But when it comes to exercise, it is possible to have too much of a good thing . In fact, research suggests taking strategic time off from your workout routine can maximize the benefits of physical activity, and minimize the risks. “Rest and recovery absolutely are necessary,” says Hunter Paris, an associate professor of sports medicine at Pepperdine University in California. “Fatigue, to a degree, is beneficial [because it signifies progress]. But there comes a point where fatigue can accumulate and ove...

New story in Health from Time: 265 Million People Could Face Hunger in ‘Unprecedented’ Crisis, World Food Program Expert Warns

The world faces an “unprecedented” food crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused both severe job losses and major disruptions in food supply chains, the U.N. World Food Programme’s Chief Economist warns. “When you have these severe job losses, or you have big lockdowns, that means that those people become vulnerable,” Arif Husain tells TIME. An estimated 265 million people could go hungry in 2020, nearly double the 2019 figures, according to WFP’s projection in April. As millions around the world are losing their jobs or seeing their incomes cut , it’s increasingly difficult for them to afford food, Husain says. At the same time, lockdown measures and trade restrictions are making it harder to transport food from where it’s produced to where it’s needed, resulting in food going to waste in the field. Refugees and people in conflict zones like Yemen, Syria, and Burkina Faso and those already living hand-to-mouth prior to the coronavirus outbreak are parti...

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