TCPalm's Rob Landers brings you some of today's top stories on the News in 90 Seconds for April 3. Treasure Coast Newspapers

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As the novel coronovirus makes its way through Florida, hospitals on the Treasure Coast already havemore than half of theirintensive care beds filled, according to a state database.

The three counties have 164ICU adult beds;plus sixpediatric ICU beds aLawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute in Fort Pierce. As of noon Monday, patients filled 96of the adult beds, or about 59percent, plus half of Lawnwood's pediatric beds.

As of noon Monday, 55people on the Treasure Coast were admitted at hospitals related toCOVID-19.

Thursday, theAgency for Health Care Administration announced it had published a data dashboard of real-timehospital bed availability to provide the public with greater visibility on hospital capacity and census.

While the COVID-19 public health crisis is unprecedented, Florida has a strong foundation of emergency preparedness built on government collaboration at all levelsstate level emergency infrastructure to support local responses, state and county public health expertise and resources, and a high-quality, dedicated health system, said agency Secretary Mary Mayhew.

Monday, Lawnwood had 40of 54 of its adult ICU beds filled, about 74percent. But officials said they have a plan if more beds are filled.

"We stand ready to activate established and exercised surge plans, including setting up triage tents and mobilizing additional resources in collaboration with federal, state and local entities," said Lawnwood spokeswoman Tiffany Woods. "Our surge plans include using all available patient care space within our hospitals and in other settings across our healthcare system."

Overall bed availability on the Treasure Coast showed about 54percent of the 1,807 were filled Monday.

This publicly reported data will be a critical statewide resource for anticipating individual hospital needs and monitoring bed availability across Florida," Mayhew said.

Thedashboardprovides search options for counties and individual hospitals within the counties for overall beds and ICU beds.

More: Coronavirus cases: Third person dies in St. Lucie County

More: St. Lucie, Indian River, Martin counties embrace DeSantis' statewide safe-at-home order

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More than half intensive care beds filled at Treasure Coast hospitals - TCPalm

During its temporary closure, the Lone Star Flight Museum is offering virtual experiences and sharing content via its social media pages. (Courtesy of Lone Star Flight Museum)

April 7: Check out Galveston Bay Foundation's latest video

Every Monday, the local conservation nonprofit is releasing an educational video with accompanying activities geared toward elementary- and middle school-age learners. The first video, which debuted March 23, focused on oysters and oyster reefs. Other video topics, all themed around conservation, include wetlands, Bay biodiversity and The Microscopic Ecosystem.

Where to tune in: Visit this page.

April 8: Experience the Lone Star Flight Museum

While the Lone Star Flight Museum at Ellington Airport is temporarily closed, virtual visits are open 24/7, and the museum also is streaming short videos live nightly for free at 6 p.m. The museum produces daily themed social media posts about STEM, video tours of planes and exhibits, behind-the-scenes views of the archives, how-to's and more.

Where to tune in: Visit this page.

April 9: Do an earlynmorning workout

Camp Gladiator League City introduced its #HustlefromHome workout series on March 17, which includes printable 30-minute, at-home workouts for any time of day as well as live virtual hourlong classes at 5 a.m., 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Where to tune in: Visit this page.

April 10: Learn about the performing arts at a trial class

Bay Area Arts Conservatory is offering dance, musical theater, acting and voice training for ages 2-18 through virtual classes during the month of April. Instructors are uploading video content to each class every week along with other activities.

Where to tune in: Register at this page.

April 11: Stir up success with Lemonade Day

Lemonade Day Houston is a free online lesson program aiming to teach kids how to make lemonade out of lemons and build business and character skills to help them navigate lifes challenges. Kids can learn how to set up a lemonade stand in the future or start any other kid-friendly business, such as dog-walking or lawn care.

Where to tune in: Visit this page.

April 12: Color Houston-themed pictures

Numerous local artists have turned their works into coloring book pages, which are available for printout.

Where to tune in: Print the coloring book here.

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VIRTUAL TO-DO LIST: 6 Bay Area businesses, nonprofits offering activities to stream from home, April 6-12 - Community Impact Newspaper

Hair stylists canceled clients. Gardeners and construction crews showed up to work. A dog grooming business deemed itself essential and kept its door open. Some liquor stores closed. Others didnt.

All the time, cases of the coronavirus kept creeping upward.

During the first day of a shelter-in-place order in seven Bay Area counties Tuesday, compliance was generally strong but uneven in places, with some businesses uncertain whether they required to close.

The order issued Monday requires residents to stay home until at least April 7. They may leave their homes only for essential needs, such as visiting grocery stores, pharmacies, doctors and relatives. Officials say the order seeks to prevent COVID-19 from overwhelming the healthcare system of a region where 7 million people live.

All nonessential businesses were ordered to close.

San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Pine said the order will likely be modified to clarify whether some businesses, such as lawn care, home construction and autism support, are affected.

My gardener called this morning and asked if he could work, said Pine.

Because gardeners and small construction crews are generally small and work outside, they are unlikely going to pose a health risk, he said.

San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed announced a declaration that would waive some civil service and charter rules for hiring health workers, including nurses.

Our health workers are on the front lines of this public health emergency and as the situation evolves, we need to make sure we have enough nurses available to care for people who need medical care, Breed said.

Typically, the citys hiring process for nurses takes six months or more, she said. The change will allow the city to hire them on the spot.

Freeways throughout the Bay Area bore only light traffic. Parking spaces were abundant at commercial centers.

At Crissy Field in San Francisco, only a few joggers, dog walkers and families took advantage of the clear sunny day to go to the beach. A lonely heron stood in a field with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

A lone heron enjoys the view at Chrissy Field in San Francisco on Tuesday.

(Susanne Rust / Los Angeles Times)

Diyar Borak, a rug store owner from Mill Valley, was standing on the pier, fishing rod bent in a tight, almost half circle. It could be a halibut, he said to a curious onlooker. I got one here a few days ago. He counted only six other fishermen, a fraction of those who normally show up.

As he talked, the line broke on his rod. Oh, well. maybe it was the big one, he said with a shrug. I just hope whatever it was, the lure isnt stuck in its mouth. We dont need anyone or anything else getting sick right now.

In the East Bay city of Walnut Creek, the normally bustling downtown was mostly deserted Tuesday as were shopping districts in Oakland and the South Bay.

Palo Altos University Avenue was a ghost town. All nonessential shops were closed, and restaurants were empty. The only visible lunch eaters were two sitting outside a Pizza My Heart.

Businesses and residents are subject to citation for violating the order, but elected officials said law enforcement was much more likely to issue warnings than citations.

Still, the threat of a sanction proved effective in some cases.

Janine Hedlund, 37, a hair stylist who works on one client at a time at her shop in Lafayette, texted clients Tuesday that she was canceling their appointments.

What if somebody sees me doing hair and then call the police on me? she said. I want to abide by the rules.

She said 80% of her clients did not have a problem with cancellations but others insisted she could do their hair alone. One jokingly asked if she could get arm extenders.

I am torn because I want to help out my clients, and people are saying, `it is just you and me, and we are not doing a group of more than five. Is that a gray area? Am I allowed to do just one person? I dont know.

If Palo Alto police see a group of 20 construction workers huddled together, they plan to issue a gentle reminder, not a citation, said Mayor Adrian Fine. The San Francisco Police Department tweeted overnight that it would visit bars and nightclubs to ensure they were shut down.

Businesses that deemed themselves essential included Menlo Parks Abbey Flooring, which reduced hours. Bow Wow Meow, a high-end pet product and grooming shop also had its doors open.

We provide pet products and services that people need, said Amy Bearg, an executive assistant at the shops anchor store in San Francisco, describing services such as anal gland expulsion and hot spot shaving. For some animals, these services are essential, she said.

No region statewide has been hit harder by the coronavirus than the San Francisco Bay Area. As of Tuesday afternoon, authorities had reported 320 cases and five deaths in the counties where shelter-in-places orders were issued Monday Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara, as well as the neighboring county of Santa Cruz.

Overnight, the number of cases in San Mateo County rose to 64 from 42 and in San Francisco, rose to 43 from 40. Four of the deaths were in Santa Clara County, all people who were in their 50s or older. One death was in San Mateo County.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, city health authorities ordered cannabis dispensaries closed on Tuesday morning. One of them, the Apothecarium, announced on its website that its three San Francisco dispensaries were closed until April 7, or until further notice.

Later, the city reversed itself, stating in a tweet that cannabis is an essential medicine for many San Francisco residents.

Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, Contra Costa County deputy health officer, said an association of Bay Area health officers held telephone conferences throughout the weekend to draft the order.

He said each county communicated with its city leaders. In Contra Costa County, some of the mayors were concerned about the orders impact on the economy, but eventually agreed it was appropriate.

We felt strongly that viruses cross borders, people cross borders and public health mitigation measures must also cross borders to be effective, Radhakrishna said.

Without mentioning names, he predicted that other counties will follow suit as more cases develop.

Solano and Napa have both issued advisories, but not orders as aggressive as the other Bay Area counties. Sonoma and San Benito counties issued tough orders Tuesday.

It is hard to convince your political leaders to really shut things down if you dont have any cases yet, Radhakrishna said. We wanted to start with counties that were ready to come on board with this level of shelter in place. Early action is essential to flatten the curve.

He said the counties decided that BART trains should continue to run because they carry many essential workers.

San Mateo Supervisor Pine confessed he was scared as to whether we can prevent an Italy-like situation despite our best efforts.

Ideally, we should have done this two weeks ago, he said, but he was not sure anybody was ready for it then.

More:
Coronavirus: Parts of Bay Area resist 'shelter in place' order - Los Angeles Times

Maureen Libby, the sole caretaker for her 32-year-old son, Chad, who has cerebral palsy, has holed up with him in their Sumner home out of concern for his health.

On Thursday, Chad returned home from his day program with his United Ambulance driver, who told Maureen he was worried about the lack of precautions he was seeing in public while driving his route.

Their conversation prompted Maureen to call everyone she could think of to talk through the idea of immediately self-isolating. By the time she had heard back from the Bethel Family Heath Center office, she had decided. Chads doctor, Kevin Finley, recommended she plan to keep him at home for up to a month.

I have a feeling now, its going to be a lot longer than that, Libby said. Im nervous. Im really nervous. Chad and I were homebound last winter.

Her anxiety is heightened by the memories of a difficult winter a year ago battling the heath care system. After Chad became seriously ill, Libby brought him to multiple doctors before learning that hed been having a bad reaction to his seizure medication. The two spent the winter alone, while Maureen nursed him back to health.

He was just wasting away, she said.

This time, she is even more anxious because she hasnt stocked up in preparation for spending long periods in isolation with her son, whose needs are profound.

She isnt able to get the supplies she needs to care for him online because those items are sold out, she said. And she cant have people visit to deliver supplies due to the possibility of contacting the virus.

She has about a two weeks supply of food for her son, who can eat only formula.

Im afraid that everything is going to shut down, she said. I dont want to starve him to death.

In this trying time, she has managed to find some humanity and connection, she said.

Her neighbor, a man in his 70s who cares for an 84-year-old man, had the foresight to order canned goods, she said.

He came to her home Sunday with some tissues and canned fruit for her.

And we sat across from each other on the lawn, she said. I sat on my deck and he had his chairs out in the middle of my lawn. He sat on one side and I sat on the other.

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Through the window: Maureen Libby and her son Chad - Lewiston Sun Journal

NEW JERSEY All state employees will have the option to work from home as Gov. Phil Murphys office continues to enact measures aimed at promoting social distancing and stemming the spread of coronavirus, COVID-19.

And while that means tens of thousands will have the opportunity to stay home, an even more impactful measure the long-term shutdown of the states schools is imminent.

Murphy said he is prepared with 99% certainty to announce on Monday that schools will close their doors and switch to remote instruction. This would affect 1.4 million public school students and hundreds of thousands more in private schools.

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When asked by a reporter during this afternoons teleconference why he wasnt 100% sure, Murphy said, We have 210,000 kids in this state who rely on schools for food. Ive got to make sure every one of those kids gets a meal when this goes into effect. We have 259,000 kids in this state by survey who dont have a device or access to a device. We have significant child care realities, many of whom by the way overlap with healthcare workers.

He said he and members of his office are communicating with statewide stakeholders today and Monday to ensure a singular message and to ensure educators, parents and administrators have clear guidance and are prepared for the weeks ahead.

Murphys continued message of social distancing keeping six feet apart at all times comes a day after the state's second COVID-19-related death.

A 58-year-old woman who was being treated at CentraState Medical Center in Freehold has died after she had contact with a confirmed case, according to Judy Persichilli, the commissioner of the states Department of Health. Persichilli said that confirmed case had a connection with a confirmed case in Bergen County.

She announced that there are 31 new positive cases of coronavirus COVID-19 in the state. That brings the total in-state number to 98 (although the number reported on Saturday was 69, one case was on the list twice and one case overlapped with another state).

Of the new cases, seven were from Bergen County, six from Hudson, four each from Monmouth and Essex, three each in Passaic and Union and one each in Ocean, Burlington, Morris and Middlesex counties. The new cases range in age from 30 to 77, and 22 of the cases are men.

Persichilli stressed that everyone should avoid small and large gatherings and pointed to the measures taken by Teaneck Mayor Mohammed Hameeduddin, who is calling for the 40,000 residents in his Bergen County town to self-quarantine.

Despite the pleas for social distancing, the Murphy administration seems resigned to the fact some will not heed his warning.

He requested on Sunday the federal government open a 60-day special enrollment period in New Jersey to allow uninsured and underinsured residents to enroll in health coverage through the federal health insurance exchange. This would allow more people access to testing and treatment, he said.

The Governors request was issued in a letter sent to U.S. Department Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma.

While I have coordinated across state agencies to take emergency action to facilitate access to screening, testing and access to care for the residents of New Jersey, more can be done to ensure every individual has access to appropriate health care during this crisis, Governor Murphy wrote. Therefore, as New Jersey transitions from a state-based exchange on the federal platform to a state-based exchange, I respectfully urge the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to authorize a special enrollment period in New Jersey to allow individuals to access affordable health insurance options through the federal platform.

Murphy is also trying to anticipate the long-range effects social-distancing might have on businesses in New Jersey.

The state has established an online portal, cv.business.nj.gov, where the 86,000 or so small-businesses owners can find answers to question and concerns.

We know that this is an uncertain time for everybody, but in this case, for businesses and in particular small businesses, Murphy said. We implore them to continue to retain workers and allow workers who are sick to stay home. Not paying employees might keep employers from being able to fully benefit from anticipated settlement relief and keep their workers from using available state benefit like earned income credit and paid family leave.

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Gov. Murphy Announces State Employees Have Option to Work From Home - TAPinto.net

Watson said the districts coronavirus response team has been meeting almost three times a week, and more recently, daily for the last three or four weeks.

Watson said the district will distribute older electronic devices for students who need them to use with the online curriculum, and that the district is working on alternate solutions for students without internet access.

While the district updated families, child care providers are still waiting on a directive and struggling to make the decision about whether they should close or stay open.

BriAnne Moline, the owner of Wild Wonders Early Learning, said she did not want to close her home-based facility, but as a pregnant mother, she has her own health concerns, in addition to concerns about the safety of her staff, and also her family, who live in the home that houses the program. Moline decided Tuesday to close by the end of the week.

Fort Courage Child Care, which normally provides care for about 70 children, also will close for two weeks, said the program's executive director Katie West. Similarly, the ASUM child care center on the University of Montana campus has closed. Kristal Burns, of Missoula Community School, said their facility closed in conjunction with public schools.

Some larger child care centers have opted to close down or cut back on the number of children they serve.

See more here:
Child care facilities question whether to remain open or close - The Missoulian

Tim Killian, a spokesman for Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash., prepares to give a daily briefing to reporters on Wednesday. Ted S. Warren/AP hide caption

Tim Killian, a spokesman for Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash., prepares to give a daily briefing to reporters on Wednesday.

It's been two weeks since the public learned about a deadly outbreak of coronavirus at Life Care Center of Kirkland a long-term care and nursing facility in Washington state and some families wait on edge over loved ones who remain there.

As of Friday afternoon, only about a third of the 120 residents who were living at the facility in mid-February remain. There are 25 people associated with Life Care who have died after being infected with coronavirus. Other residents are in the hospital.

As more nursing facilities in Washington report cases of coronavirus, the death toll at Life Care serves as an example of the vulnerability of the elderly in the growing pandemic.

"I can stay here"

Two years ago after suffering a minor stroke, June Liu had no interest in moving into a long-term care facility.

The now 93-year-old lived alone, rode the bus and shunned the use of a walker. But Liu's daughter Su Wilson says it didn't take long for Life Care Center of Kirkland to become her mother's home.

"She kept telling me they are very nice to me, they are good, I can stay here," Wilson says.

Wilson and her husband Arnie live 10 minutes away from the Kirkland facility.

Several times a week, she'd bring her mother over to their bustling home where chickens roam around the yard, to see her great-grandchildren. On Sundays, her mother would be ready at 9:30 a.m. for church.

"It's just like life had such joyful meaning to her," Wilson says. "I would always laugh and say, 'mother you are going to live longer than me.'"

Wilson holds her smartphone and scrolls through photos of her mother out with their family some taken just a few months ago.

"We went out to the Chinese restaurant, we were all eating together, the whole family," Wilson says with a smile.

Wilson can't make sense of how these happy routines could change so fast.

Last month, she and other families discovered coronavirus had begun to sweep through this suburban community on the banks of Lake Washington.

Wilson's mother and many others who lived and worked at Life Care eventually tested positive for the virus.

"As soon as she [found] out she's positive, she no longer [wanted] to talk on the phone," Wilson says. "It [was] hard to understand her on the phone... her voice [was] so weak."

Wilson worries her mother's health is deteriorating. While she believed the nurses were doing the best they could, her mother was isolated: stuck in a room, unable to visit with her family and only able to understand a little bit of English. Liu watched other residents being wheeled away on stretchers, unlikely to return.

"I think [she was] in shock and also to find out she's going to die," Wilson says. "I think she [knows] because she's clear."

Wilson finds herself in a heartrending predicament as her mother lingers at the facility until she's no longer contagious.

No hospital beds

Outside Life Care Center, neighbors wrap blue ribbons around pine trees and flowers frame the welcome sign.

Bridget Parkhill's 76-year-old mother, Susan Hailey, was living there during rehab after knee replacement.

Parkhill says her mother went to the hospital when her symptoms worsened and tested positive for the virus. Once she was stabilized, Hailey was then brought back to Life Care.

"The hospitals don't have any beds for people who don't have acute respiratory distress," Parkhill says.

Parkill and her sister, Carmen Gray, wait outside her mother's window in the cold to check on her.

"We're hoping that mom is strong and going to come out of this on the other side OK," Gray says.

She worries the facility's staff are overstretched, and her mother isn't able to move around or bathe properly.

'We felt like it was a death sentence"

Life Care does not prohibit anyone from leaving, but families can't necessarily bring their loved ones home and run the risk of exposing others to the virus.

"There is nowhere else for these patients to go, it has been deemed that it's best to keep them on site and being treated here," says Timothy Killian, a public information liaison for Life Care Center of Kirkland.

Killian says local hospitals won't admit patients unless they have severe symptoms and other nursing home facilities are "unwilling" to take them because of their exposure to coronavirus.

And families aren't necessarily equipped to care for their relatives outside of the facility.

Laura Rightmyer says her family decided to pull her 93-year-old mother out of Life Care as the situation grew more dire.

"We felt like it was a death sentence for my mom... that her chances of getting it were obviously great," Rightmyer says.

Now her mother is living with her.

Rightmyer, who's a nurse practitioner, says she's doing better and doesn't appear to have the virus.

"I think we made the right decision for ourselves and for our mom," Rightmyer says.

Rightmyer says it's now proving difficult to find a doctor who will see her mother because she was associated with Life Care.

Su Wilson sends her mother homecooked meals and writes cards to cheer her up.

She hasn't been in the same room with her mother for more than three weeks.

"We worry about my mother, and I just feel like everybody [has] to die," Wilson says. "She [lived] a happy long life."

Wilson says she doesn't blame anyone.

"I just want to hold her hand," she says. "She's not frightened back in the loneliness."

Link:
Coronavirus Hit This Long-Term Care Facility Hard, But Moving Residents Isn't Easy - NPR

Say they did not have a mortgage and, after closing and moving costs, clear $480,000, which they invest in a portfolio divided equally between stocks and bonds. Their investments generate an inflation-adjusted $19,200 a year, based on a 4 percent distribution, so although they are spending more each year on rent, their annual cash flow rises by $7,200.

If this couple had a mortgage, the improvement in cash flow from renting could be even larger, Mr. Hopkins said. They eliminate the mortgage payments and other ownership costs and can invest the equity.

That is a huge benefit for someone who has less than an ideal amount of money saved up in retirement accounts and is likely relying heavily on Social Security, Mr. Hopkins said.

Retirees should also consider changes in the tax laws. Many home buyers who in the past would have deducted mortgage interest on a new home will be better off taking the standard deduction.

In 2020, married couples filing jointly can claim a standard deduction of $24,800, plus $1,300 for each spouse 65 and older. Congress also replaced the unlimited federal deduction for state and local taxes with a $10,000 annual cap. Residents in high-tax states, such as New York, Connecticut and California, are hit the hardest.

To help with a decision, retirees could ask a financial adviser to review the pros and cons of each option, and the impact on retirement savings and spending. Retirees can also use The New York Timess buy-versus-rent calculator to work out relative costs.

Heres how the calculator works: Say a retiree is thinking of moving to Charlotte, N.C., and has a choice between renting a recently advertised two-bedroom apartment or buying a similar one in the same building. The condo is priced at $349,000 while the monthly rent runs $1,650.

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Youre Retired. Should You Rent or Buy Your Home? - The New York Times

Consumer healthcare company Reckitt Benckiser is among the FMCG giants working around the clock to ensure a constant supply of hygiene products to Australian retailers amid growing fears over global health pandemic, COVID-19.

In recent weeks, consumers have flooded supermarkets to stock up on healthcare product and household essentials, leaving shelves of most supermarkets stripped bare for hours on end.

Glenn Cochran, regional directorRBHealthANZ told Inside FMCG that the business is working globally to ensure supplies to retailers and end-consumers are impacted as little as possible during this volatile time.

We have seen an unprecedented increase in demand for a range of products since COVID-19 began, he said. We have also seendemand increase across otherRBHealthproducts including Dettol household cleaners and personal wash solutions, as well as Nurofen and Nurofen for Children products.

We areworking around the clock with our various global teams to provide Australians with hand hygiene and analgesic products.

Demand surged following therecommendation from the WorldHealthOrganisation(WHO)to practice good hand hygienebyfrequently washing hands using soap and water andbyusing an alcohol-based hand sanitiser, Cochran explained.

With consumers growing increasingly anxious over the limited access to health products, Cochran said the company is doing its best to ensure fair distribution.

We are maintaining ongoing conversations throughout our supply chain toensure ongoing supply is shared equitably among retailers so that consumers have accessibility to the available stock, while weexpedite anincrease in production.

He also highlighted the importance of educating consumers on health and self-care during times like this.

RBHealths mission is to makeaccesstothe highest quality hygiene and wellnesssolutions for all Australiansa right not a privilege.Our goal is forRBHealthbrands, including Dettol, to use its brand footprint to educate consumers on self-care and we will continue to do so throughout this current situation and for the long term, he added.

Dettol runs a HealthyHabits school education initiative to teach kids good hygiene practices.

Bubs Australia has also applied additional measures to its supply chain for its infant formula product range such as Bubs Goat Milk formula and Bubs Organic Cow Milk formula to meet increased demand from parents who need to secure supplies for their babies.

We have greatly increased our capacity and are working to expand our inventory cover and meet the supply needs of our retail partners across both goat milk and organic grass-fed cows milk-based formula, moving to two shifts per day, with capacity to move to three shifts if required, said Carr.

The infant formula maker is working with retailers such as Coles, Woolworths, Big W and Chemist Warehouse to ensure the supply of Bubs Organic 365 days Grass Fed Infant Formula range and Bubs Australian Goat Milk infant formula range.

Carr said Bubs has extended free shipping offer for all orders of baby food and infant formula via their website.

As always, our first concern is for the health and safety of the Bubs Family. For our Bubs Corporate office, we have implemented arrangements to underpin business continuity and the continued health and well being of our people to the greatest extent possible in these testing times, Carrsaid.

Earlier this month, toilet paper manufacturers including Kimberly-Clark were the first to ramp up production to meet the surge in demand from panicked consumers.

Supermarkets were forced to suspend online services this week as shortages hampered their ability to fulfill orders.

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Reckitt Benckiser working 'around the clock' to maintain supply of hygiene products - Inside FMCG

I watched in horror as the half cup of uncooked Jasmine rice slipped from my hands and scattered across the carpet floor. The metal measuring cup ricocheted off the ground, projecting rice in every which way. This was my first attempt to prepare a Zen cuisine meal and, from a Zen perspective, I was having an abysmal start. My mind raced to my closet where my vacuum sat waiting and without hesitation my legs meandered to the corner. It was the quick and effortless solution. The uncooked rice that laid on the ground had already changed names, from food to trash. How did throwing away perfectly edible food become so natural to me?

That label-change is all too familiar in our consumerist world. The moment we dislike food or feel full, the excess is considered trash. The USDA reports that in the U.S., 30 to 40 percent of the food supply becomes food waste. Thats over $160 billion worth of wholesome food that could help feed the world is instead thrown out each year in the U.S. alone. Once again, we choose the quick and effortless solution to deal with our excess of food.

At that moment a quote from Instruction for the Tenzo, a Buddhist historical text I had been reading by Zen Master Dgen began to echo through my head.

Treat food as if they are your own eyeballs.

I acknowledge that the saying is both striking and quirky; however, it holds a short and powerful message. Food should be respected and cared for, not wasted. Uncooked rice that falls to the ground shouldnt become trash; it remains as food and something to be treasured. The root of this saying comes from Zen teachings; however my imagination at the time interpreted it more directly and flew to a mental image of a small suburban town of hazel-eyed residents being terrorized and sucked into the sky by a vacuum cleaner. I quickly shrugged it off. Maybe the thing I should be worried about is how I (and many others) have been conditioned to view excess food as trash.

I got down on my knees and began collecting the tiny eyeballs, piece by piece. I scanned the floor; my attention narrowed as I pinched and plucked from the tightly corded carpet. My movement became rhythmic and soothing. The experience reminded me of weeding. I once despised the task as my parents dragged me outside to the family garden to remove blades of grass from the mulchy soil. However, as I got older it became a practice I learned to appreciate. Both while weeding and rice collecting, I enjoyed slowly creating order out of chaos. Once again, the measuring cup was filled with rice.

For the last several weeks, I have reflected on the principles of Zen Buddhism. Zen philosophy emphasizes mindfulness, choosing to act thoughtfully and not impulsively, a life of meditation and reflection, acknowledging the interconnectedness between all forms of existence and living in simplicity and tranquility. These ideas may sound convoluted or foreign; however, they are applicable to how we treat unwanted food. Zen Buddhism asserts a holistic dogma of the world, stating that all actions and events are inherently connected. It is understood that the food on our plate is not only there to feed ourselves, but to feed all beings on Earth.

In Instruction for the Tenzo, Dgen describes the role of the Tenzo, which is the position of head cook. He claims that the Tenzo is the most important position held within the monastery and emphasizes the attention to detail and respect for food needed to perform the job. When explaining how to cook with varying ingredients, he says, your attitude towards things should not be contingent upon their quality.

We spend most of our lives preparing, washing, cooking, gathering and eating food. Food is a direct reflection on how we treat ourselves and the ecological impact of our daily lives. It is important to respect food in the same way we respect ourselves. When we waste or throw out food, it reveals the disconnect between ourselves and nature, the disconnect between us and the resources and labor needed to transport the food onto our plate. Zen philosophy challenges that disconnect and forces us to acknowledge that the food we waste could easily fill the stomach of another being in need.

I hope you reconsider the next time you have leftover food on your plate or when uncooked hazel-eyeballs cover your living room floor. Resist the dumpster and vacuum cleaner. The unused is not trash it is food. If we hope to create a future free from malnutrition, starvation and food insecurity, we first must look inward and cultivate that change from within ourselves. It begins with our food.

For students that want to discover more ways they can reduce their own food waste, please reach out to the Cornell Food Recovery Network via cornellfrn@gmail.com or on their website cornellfoodrecoverynetwork.com!

Danyeh Gutema is a junior in the College of Engineering. He can be reached at dlg96@cornell.edu.

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Food Ethics | Zen Instructions on How to Treat Your Eyeballs - Cornell University The Cornell Daily Sun