Ashamedly, I closed my eyes

To keep out the darkening sky

Shadows have stolen my sight

And my dreams vanished in the night

As I knelt to open the crack

I saw a messiah in black

He said Let there be light

The World is not your fight

The power of the sun breathes

Upon our life giving trees

Let the doves deliver your message

Your words of love, beyond the wreckage

Ivor Steven (c) May 2020

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G'day, and welcome to my blog site. My name is Ivor Steven, I live in Geelong, Australia. I'm an ex-industrial chemist, and a retired plumber, and a former Carer of my wife(Carole), for 30 years, who suffered from severe MS. I Write poetry about those personal thoughts, throughout and beyond my life as a Carer. I've been blogging for over 2 years, and writing poems for 19 years. Of course a lot of my poems are about my favourite subject Carole, but since I've been blogging my writings have become quite varied, humourous, mystical, observational, and even a few monster/horror poems.View all posts by ivor20

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Beyond The Wreckage - stopthefud

PAXINOS LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc. has been providing great service at affordable prices for 30 years.

Located at 5231 Route 61, Paxinos, the business is owned and operated by Leon Supsic, who serves as president of the corporation.

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LTS Plumbing & Heating providing great services at affordable prices for 30 years - News Item

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA TV) - Despite more people staying home, plumbing issues can still happen.

The general manager of Loyal Plumbing, Jason White, says business has been about the same during the pandemic, and they're staying pretty busy.

According to White, they've seen more sewer lines getting clogged or broken, and the reason could be people are using their bathrooms and plumbing more often.

Now when workers do go into homes, they're taking extra precautions.

And due to social distancing, the staff started a program called "plumber in a pocket."

If someone doesn't feel comfortable having a tech in their home, they can set up a meeting through zoom, and a tech can walk them through the steps to diagnose problems and try to fix it.

"So that's had some good traction and good results. And it's kind of cost savings for people with the economy and stuff and some people wondering how they will get stuffed fixed. So it's been nice for them to have that," says White.

White says they do about two zoom calls a week and says most people don't want to mess with the plumbing themselves.

Read the original:
Staff at Loyal Plumbing continue to get the job done during the pandemic - Kotatv

The Low Density Plumber Tape market research encompasses an exhaustive analysis of the market outlook, framework, and socio-economic impacts. The report covers the accurate investigation of the market size, share, product footprint, revenue, and progress rate. Driven by primary and secondary researches, the Low Density Plumber Tape market study offers reliable and authentic projections regarding the technical jargon.All the players running in the global Low Density Plumber Tape market are elaborated thoroughly in the Low Density Plumber Tape market report on the basis of proprietary technologies, distribution channels, industrial penetration, manufacturing processes, and revenue. In addition, the report examines R&D developments, legal policies, and strategies defining the competitiveness of the Low Density Plumber Tape market players.The report on the Low Density Plumber Tape market provides a birds eye view of the current proceeding within the Low Density Plumber Tape market. Further, the report also takes into account the impact of the novel COVID-19 pandemic on the Low Density Plumber Tape market and offers a clear assessment of the projected market fluctuations during the forecast period.

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The following manufacturers are covered:3MSaint-GobainHenkelBerryNittoTechnetics GroupA. W. Chesterton CompanyDixon ValveOateyDeWAL Industries (Rogers)RectorSealSSP CorporationGasoila ChemicalsJC Whitlam ManufacturingElectro Tape

Segment by RegionsNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapan

Segment by TypeWhiteYellowPinkOthers

Segment by ApplicationAerospaceApplianceAutomotiveChemicalElectronic and ElectricalPlumbing and PipeOthers

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Objectives of the Low Density Plumber Tape Market Study:To define, describe, and analyze the global Low Density Plumber Tape market based on oil type, product type, ship type, and regionTo forecast and analyze the Low Density Plumber Tape market size (in terms of value and volume) and submarkets in 5 regions, namely, APAC, Europe, North America, Central & South America, and the Middle East & AfricaTo forecast and analyze the Low Density Plumber Tape market at country-level for each regionTo strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trends and their contribution to the global Low Density Plumber Tape marketTo analyze opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying high growth segments of the global Low Density Plumber Tape marketTo identify trends and factors driving or inhibiting the growth of the market and submarketsTo analyze competitive developments, such as expansions and new product launches, in the global Low Density Plumber Tape marketTo strategically profile key market players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategiesThe Low Density Plumber Tape market research focuses on the market structure and various factors (positive and negative) affecting the growth of the market. The study encloses a precise evaluation of the Low Density Plumber Tape market, including growth rate, current scenario, and volume inflation prospects, on the basis of DROT and Porters Five Forces analyses. In addition, the Low Density Plumber Tape market study provides reliable and authentic projections regarding the technical jargon.

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After reading the Low Density Plumber Tape market report, readers can:Identify the factors affecting the Low Density Plumber Tape market growth drivers, restraints, opportunities and trends.Examine the Y-o-Y growth of the global Low Density Plumber Tape market.Analyze trends impacting the demand prospect for the Low Density Plumber Tape in various regions.Recognize different tactics leveraged by players of the global Low Density Plumber Tape market.Identify the Low Density Plumber Tape market impact on various industries.

More:
Low Density Plumber Tape Market to Slip Due to Delays in Production Amidst Coronavirus Outbreak - Cole of Duty

The report on the Plumbing Fitting market provides a birds eye view of the current proceeding within the Plumbing Fitting market. Further, the report also takes into account the impact of the novel COVID-19 pandemic on the Plumbing Fitting market and offers a clear assessment of the projected market fluctuations during the forecast period. The different factors that are likely to impact the overall dynamics of the Plumbing Fitting market over the forecast period (2019-2029) including the current trends, growth opportunities, restraining factors, and more are discussed in detail in the market study.

The recent published research report sheds light on critical aspects of the global Plumbing Fitting market such as vendor landscape, competitive strategies, market drivers and challenges along with the regional analysis. The report helps the readers to draw a suitable conclusion and clearly understand the current and future scenario and trends of global Plumbing Fitting market. The research study comes out as a compilation of useful guidelines for players to understand and define their strategies more efficiently in order to keep themselves ahead of their competitors. The report profiles leading companies of the global Plumbing Fitting market along with the emerging new ventures who are creating an impact on the global market with their latest innovations and technologies.

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The recent published study includes information on key segmentation of the global Plumbing Fitting market on the basis of type/product, application and geography (country/region). Each of the segments included in the report is studies in relations to different factors such as market size, market share, value, growth rate and other quantitate information.

The competitive analysis included in the global Plumbing Fitting market study allows their readers to understand the difference between players and how they are operating amounts themselves on global scale. The research study gives a deep insight on the current and future trends of the market along with the opportunities for the new players who are in process of entering global Plumbing Fitting market. Market dynamic analysis such as market drivers, market restraints are explained thoroughly in the most detailed and easiest possible manner. The companies can also find several recommendations improve their business on the global scale.

The readers of the Plumbing Fitting Market report can also extract several key insights such as market size of varies products and application along with their market share and growth rate. The report also includes information for next five years as forested data and past five years as historical data and the market share of the several key information.

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Global Plumbing Fitting Market by Companies:

The company profile section of the report offers great insights such as market revenue and market share of global Plumbing Fitting market. Key companies listed in the report are:

Regional and Country-level AnalysisThe report offers an exhaustive geographical analysis of the global Plumbing Fitting market, covering important regions, viz, North America, Europe, China, Japan and Australia. It also covers key countries (regions), viz, U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Mexico, Brazil, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, UAE, etc.The report includes country-wise and region-wise market size for the period 2015-2026. It also includes market size and forecast by each application segment in terms of volume for the period 2015-2026.Competition AnalysisIn the competitive analysis section of the report, leading as well as prominent players of the global Plumbing Fitting market are broadly studied on the basis of key factors. The report offers comprehensive analysis and accurate statistics on sales by the player for the period 2015-2020. It also offers detailed analysis supported by reliable statistics on price and revenue (global level) by player for the period 2015-2020.On the whole, the report proves to be an effective tool that players can use to gain a competitive edge over their competitors and ensure lasting success in the global Plumbing Fitting market. All of the findings, data, and information provided in the report are validated and revalidated with the help of trustworthy sources. The analysts who have authored the report took a unique and industry-best research and analysis approach for an in-depth study of the global Plumbing Fitting market.The following manufacturers are covered in this report:ViegaVictaulicMeide GroupAnvil InternationalAliaxisLESSOSaint-GobainAllied GroupJM EagleRWCMcWaneGF Piping SystemsHitachiMueller IndustriesJFE Pipe FittingCharlotte PipeUponorPennsylvania MachinePipelifeAquathermPlumbing Fitting Breakdown Data by TypeMetal Pipe FittingsPlastic Pipe FittingsPlumbing Fitting Breakdown Data by ApplicationResidential FittingWater SupplySewage SystemsOil and GasHVACManufacturingAgricultural ApplicationsOthers

Global Plumbing Fitting Market by Geography:

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Some of the Major Highlights of TOC covers in Plumbing Fitting Market Report:

Chapter 1: Methodology & Scope of Plumbing Fitting Market

Chapter 2: Executive Summary of Plumbing Fitting Market

Chapter 3: Plumbing Fitting Industry Insights

Chapter 4: Plumbing Fitting Market, By Region

Chapter 5: Company Profile

And Continue

Original post:
Plumbing Fitting Market to be Moderately Disrupted by Covid-19 Outbreak, Owing to Abc Issues - Jewish Life News

"I've got five minutes left on a drive from Iowa to Florida. I've managed to squeeze myself into a Mustang GT and do this 21-hour trek, so my body isn't loving it right now."

That first sentence Matt Leo uttered on a call back in January tells you all you need to know about the South Australian's persistence on his road to the NFL.

Leo had just been invited to be part of the 2020 International Player Pathway Program, after three years at Iowa State and two years prior with junior college Arizona Western.

Courtesy of a temporary car swap with a friend, he'd switched out his snow-tested Nissan Ultima for a more Florida-friendly Mustang and made the near 3000km solo expedition to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Flash forward three months and that program has now placed the 6'6," 270 pound (122kg) defensive end with the Philadelphia Eagles, and the GT has a return journey back north on the odometer.

"She's got a few chips on the front bonnet. She surprisingly killed the trip on the way back ... she was a little more filled up than heading down," Leo tells ESPN.

"When everything closed down at IMG (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) I was either going to go back to Australia or back to Iowa, but I knew everything was going to be locked down no matter what. I made it back in two days."

Long-haul drives along Americans highways don't carry an ounce of frustration for the 28-year-old Adelaide native, whose desire to take a leap into American football started with a chance glance at Super Bowl XLVII during a 'smoko' (a 'cigarette break' in the Australian tradie vernacular) when he was an apprentice plumber. That, and watching the series Friday Night Lights.

"Watching [Friday Night Lights] was an incredible thing for me. It was almost that thought of wishing you had grown up in America, gone to high school and college there," he says.

"The physicality is something that shone out to me. I didn't know what position would suit me, but you think to yourself, 'what an incredible sport to be a part of'. It's something we lack in Australia ... so having the opportunity where I actually got to attend university here was like living out that dream."

The word 'dream' certainly isn't a new one for athletes making the cross-code switch, but for Leo it was more than a throwaway line. There were no college scholarships on the table for him back in 2015, and thousands of dollars in junior college tuition fees were waiting on the other end of a hopeful flight to the U.S.

"I managed to save up and sell my car. I had a bit of savings in the bank to make it possible for me for my first year at junior college. After that I've been fortunate enough to be on scholarship," Leo says.

"It was something that I'd never done in any terms before, taking such a big leap never having played the sport. I knew that because it was a dream, I was willing to take the chance on anything and trust that I'd give my all, and if it didn't work out then I could obviously hold my head up high."

With a sporting background that spans the three major 'footy' codes in Australia -- rugby league, rugby union and Aussie rules -- the physicality he got a glimpse of on TV was never going to be an issue, and that's precisely the trait that stood out to the coaching staff at Iowa State after his two years at the junior college (JUCO) level.

"My coaches love to see my physicality, my hands, just shocking and shedding, putting my paws on people and trying to move furniture," he says.

"I just really worked on earning trust within the whole building, until they could count on me in those crucial times. It was something that didn't come overnight or in one semester, gradually getting that opportunity to step on the field. I knew that I couldn't waste it."

From his senior season as part of the defensive line rotation for the Cyclones straight into the International Player Pathway, Leo arrived with a deeper football background than most of his class, as well as the two Australians that had previously come through the program: Jordan Mailata and Valentine Holmes.

"I definitely felt like I was more polished in some areas. Playing at a Division 1 school in a Power 5 conference is definitely an advantage," he says.

"The time that I spent there, even though it was cut short (by the COVID-19 pandemic), was amazing. The relationships that I built with the other eight guys are something I cherish. I wear this program with pride going into the next phase."

Despite promising numbers at a COVID-19-hastened Pro Day -- 26 reps in the bench press, 9'10" in broad jump -- and five years of seasoning in the college system, the over-age international prospect didn't hear his name called during the NFL Draft.

But with the NFC East being randomly selected to take on an international player and roster exemption for the 2020 class, Leo landed at a franchise familiar with Australians. The Eagles are currently home to punter Cameron Johnston and fellow Pathway product Mailata, who was the first to reach out after news broke that Leo's next stop was Philadelphia.

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"Jordan's been in contact throughout this whole thing - once my name got allocated in January he hit me up. And then the minute the Eagles released it on Twitter, he was the first person to FaceTime me and go crazy," he says.

Returning from a back injury that halted his 2019 season, Mailata will be operating on the other side of the line of scrimmage to his rookie compatriot, but the prospect of a show-down in camp, whenever that begins, excites the former Cyclone.

"He said he can't wait to get to work with me so I'm excited man, we're going to work our butts off. Iron sharpens iron and you know we're going to help each other in the best way possible," Leo says of Mailata.

"I can't wait to get out with those boys. Cameron hit me up too, so knowing there's two other Aussies in Philly on the team feels like I'm going home.

"I feel like this is my perfect fit. To go out to Philly with a team that is blue collar as well as passionate to a die-hard level, it feels like I'm back with the Port Adelaide Power, my [AFL] team back home."

Being an older rookie isn't the easiest path, but Leo looked to 38-year-old edge rusher Cameron Wake as a model for the unorthodox, undrafted route to NFL success. Wake tallied 39 sacks over two seasons in the CFL before breaking through with the Miami Dolphins, ascending as one of the game's best pass rushers after entering the league at age 27.

"He was such an inspiration for me to take this leap to American football. He's just the true definition of perseverance and persistence in what he did. He's such a detailed pass rusher and he perfected his craft, that's given him the ability to play this long. He's just an absolute beast," Leo says.

"I came into this sport behind everyone, next to guys who'd been playing since they were six years old. So it was that constant feeling of 'I know I'm behind the eight ball, and I have to consistently grind to get up to speed'."

But with a family that have been with him every step of the way, tuning in on TV or radio, and the memory of crawling into tight spaces under houses, looking back to his plumbing contractor days in Adelaide and saying "I'm too big for this", Leo wants to make sure a late arrival to football doesn't mean an early exit.

"I have fallen in love with this game that much, I'm invested completely. Whatever the outcome is I'll definitely exhaust all my measures giving this opportunity a go," he says.

"There is no other option."

Excerpt from:
From smoko to the big smoke: Matt Leo lands in Philly - ESPN

Amid the daily lifestyle changes that COVID-19 has brought with it, there are still everyday fixes thar require some outside assistance.

At locally owned and operated The Gentleman Plumber, presented by McGee & Sons Plumbing, the staff has taken extra measures in maintaining customer and employee health while getting the job done.

Owner Mike McGee said his team has been trained to follow safety protocols, even before the virus started. Thats how the name gentleman plumber came into existence.

The gentleman plumber was a nickname that customers gave me when I first started, because they saw the gloves, Lysol and cleanup and the way we would do things, McGee told The Coastland Times.

Currently, McGee has taken extra steps to make his customers feel at ease. When the homeowners call, we let them know the precautions that were taking, McGee said.

The precautions include sanitizing hands and wearing gloves prior to entering a residence or business, wearing a mask while servicing customers and no hand shaking upon arrival.

McGee said his techs are washing their hands in accordance with CDC guidelines before leaving a premises. They are also offering to take photos of the work being done during a job and after completion.

Due to the fact some customers cannot be present at the time of service, McGee said he still wants to keep them informed. Were sending them pictures as we work and making sure they feel comfortable with what has gotten done and whats complete.

In addition, officer manager Christy Siefferman has been handling all the billing through QuickBooks to eliminate interaction during payment.

To further mitigate spread of the virus, McGee noted that his team has been trying to stay away from jobs that are a lot more dirtier than normal, such as drain cleaning. We are being selective with those [jobs] to protect our own guys, he said.

The Gentleman Plumber is continuing to remodel and install products, such as water heaters, water mains, facets and other tankless products.

McGee said company trucks and tools are being cleaned daily and Siefferman noted that hot spots around the office, such as the bathroom, sinks, doorknobs and the like, are cleaned every day.

Its been really easy for us because we were like this before all this happened, McGee said. In a line of work that deals with daily germs, health and safety are of the utmost importance.

For more information on The Gentleman Plumber, visit http://www.mcgeeandsonsplumbing.com.

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The Gentleman Plumber on tackling germs and limiting 'dirty jobs' | The Coastland Times - The Coastland Times

In 470,000 American homes spread across every state, washing hands to prevent COVID-19 may not be as easy as turning on a faucet. They don't have showers or toilets or, in some cases, even water piped into their homes. Nearly a million U.S. homes don't have complete kitchens and millions more are overcrowded, making it much tougher for people to shelter in place and avoid infection.

In nearly half a million American homes, washing hands to prevent COVID-19 isnt as simple as soaping up and singing Happy Birthday twice while scrubbing.

In many of those homes, people cant even turn on a faucet. Theres no running water.

In 470,000 dwellings in the United States spread across every state and in most counties inadequate plumbing is a problem, the starkest of several challenges that make it tougher for people to avoid infection.

Thats according to a Kaiser Health News analysis of data from the Census Bureau and the Housing Assistance Council in Washington, D.C. The analysis reveals other ways that inadequate housing in the United States puts people at risk during this pandemic. Nearly a million homes scattered across almost all counties dont have complete kitchens, raising the risk of hunger and vulnerability to illness, even as people have been expected to eat all meals there amid stay-at-home orders. And over 4 million homes are overcrowded, with more than a person per room, making it nearly impossible to isolate the sick.

In fact, about 828,000 people have to deal with more than one of these housing problems.

We assume this is happening in Third World places, said Greg Carter, an assistant professor at the Indiana University School of Nursing. But its happening here.

Carters work takes him to southern Indianas Orange County, a community of just under 20,000 that, as of Thursday, had 107 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 14 deaths. Its also one of 322 U.S. counties with rates of inadequate plumbing at least three times the national average of four homes in every 1,000.

Phil Mininger, construction manager for Habitat for Humanity there, said he knows a man in his early 70s who lives in a dilapidated house without running water or electricity. The man walks to a Walmart about a half a mile away to use the bathroom and wash his hands.

Conditions like these also occur in states such as Colorado, Alaska and New York wherever plumbing is absent or in disrepair or water has been shut off.

Percentages are twice as high in rural areas overall, but similar conditions can be found in urban centers, too. Just under half a percent of dwellings in New York City have inadequate plumbing, for example, but thats still about 14,000 homes.

Public health experts say substandard housing reflects vast socioeconomic inequities that make America a breeding ground for the coronavirus. Poverty, and the poor health that goes with it, fuel the spread and raise the likelihood of dying from COVID-19, both in places the disease already has hit hard and those its just reaching.

The discrepancies between those with privilege and those without, they existed before our pandemic. What happens after? asked Jessica Hanson, an assistant professor of community and behavioral health at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. I hope when this is done, we as a community and as a society recognize there are people who dont have access to what they need. And that has to be addressed.

Facing the virus without running water

The federal government made huge public health gains in the early- to mid-20th century by spending heavily on water infrastructure. The result was healthier people who lived significantly longer. But that changed in the 1980s, according to a 2019 report by the US Water Alliance, Dig Deep and Michigan State University researchers. From 1977 to 2014, another report said, federal spending on water infrastructure dropped from $76 to $11 per person in inflation-adjusted dollars. Local and state spending rose, but didnt come close to meeting the need.

Then the COVID pandemic struck.

Nick Slim, tribal council administrator in the remote Yupik Eskimo village of Kipnuk, about 500 miles west of Anchorage, said people there have been doing the best we can to follow hand-washing advice, but it can be a struggle. They have no piped water; he and the other 650 residents depend on hauling ice and collecting rain.

Were all concerned about the virus, Slim said.

Just over a third of homes in the Bethel Census Area of Alaska have inadequate plumbing, the nations second-highest rate behind the adjacent Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area.

According to state officials, most Alaska homes without running water and flush toilets are in Native Alaskan villages either not served by water utilities, or in places where water must be hauled or that have aging and deteriorating piped systems. Compared with the overall U.S. population, KHN found, Native Americans are eight times more likely to lack sufficient plumbing in their homes.

In the absence of running water, respiratory illness festers. Rates of invasive pneumococcal disease in southwestern Alaska are among the highest in the world.

Still, Alaska has had fewer confirmed cases of COVID-19 than many other states, with about 370 as of Thursday. But a University of Texas study said that if a county has just one case of COVID-19, there is a 51% chance that an outbreak is underway.

Gunnison County, Colorado, has already been hit hard by the coronavirus, with 172 confirmed cases and six deaths among just over 17,000 people. That gives the county, known for the Crested Butte ski resort, one of the highest case rates in its state. It also has one of Colorados highest rates of inadequate plumbing about 1 in 45 homes. Its a place of housing extremes, with the median owner-occupied home costing $339,000, and some mobile homes going for a tenth of that.

Loren Ahonen, a program administrator with the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority, recalled a mobile home with an unrepaired frozen water line. Water was restored about a week after county residents were told to stay home amid the pandemic, he said. But until then, he said, tenants relied on 5-gallon jugs of water from the grocery store, neighbors and good Samaritans.

As in many other communities, Ahonen said, all utilities in Gunnison County have suspended shut-offs for nonpayment during the pandemic. But emergency water shut-offs are still happening when leaks arise, as he noticed recently when he drove through a mobile home park prone to water problems.

Raising the risk of disease

Such issues compound another perennial issue in mobile homes: overcrowding. Ahonen said hes seen up to six people squeeze into a small home. A social distancing index created by the Colorado Health Institute found that 1 in 20 homes in a Gunnison County census tract were overcrowded.

Crowded housing is also a big issue in urban areas, and has been linked to higher rates of COVID-19. An analysis of New York City cases by the New York University Furman Center found that the ZIP codes with the highest rates of positive cases had more than twice the rate of renters living in overcrowded conditions as those with the lowest rates.

Pascual Pea, 33, an aide to a New York City council member, said he and seven family members are packed into a small, four-bedroom apartment in the Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights.

Recently, his parents and sister developed COVID-19 symptoms, he said, and it was difficult with so many people to separate each other. Pea said he spent most of his time in the kitchen, while his father stayed in a bedroom, his mother in the living room and his sister in her room. Everyone shares the bathroom, cleans constantly and hopes the virus wont spread further.

Indiana Universitys Carter said people living in unhealthy housing conditions are often older or suffer from chronic disease, further raising their risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19. Carter recalled a woman with diabetes who lived in an Orange County home buzzing with fruit flies, where meat rotted in a dilapidated refrigerator.

While Carter and his team were able to help her, aid is harder to come by these days, with many outreach programs on pause. Arranging repairs has been complicated by social distancing rules.

As the pandemic and its accompanying economic crisis continue, public health experts worry that people living in substandard housing may spiral further downward especially since housing is usually just one of their challenges. They may have lost low-wage jobs to COVID-19. Or they may lack medical care, steady food or other ingredients of a healthy life.

Were going to see them experience a greater lack of access to these things. Carter said. People were already dying of poverty.

Carter and other experts said policymakers, and society as a whole, must focus more on housing and health disparities. Pandemic or not, no one in America should live without the basics of indoor plumbing, said Lance George, research director for the nonprofit Housing Assistance Council, which helps build homes across rural America.

This is 2020, George said. These are problems that shouldve been solved.

KHN data reporter Hannah Recht contributed to this analysis.

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation that is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

Methodology

For estimates of households in the United States that do not have adequate plumbing or adequate kitchens or are overcrowded, KHN analyzed data from the American Community Survey (ACS) five-year estimates (2014-18), specifically the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) provided by the University of Minnesota. This data provides demographic data on individual members in each household. KHN excluded those living in group quarters.

For race/ethnicity categories, whites, American Indians, blacks and Asians include non-Hispanics only; Asians include Pacific Islanders and American Indians include Alaska Natives; and Hispanics are of any race or combination of races. Non-Hispanics who responded as representing more than one race are included in the other category.

Plumbing is considered inadequate if it lacks one or more of the following: piped hot and cold water; a bathtub or shower; or a toilet. A kitchen is considered inadequate if it lacks a refrigerator, a stove or range, or a sink with a faucet. A household is considered overcrowded if it has more than one person per room.

To compare rural and non-rural areas, KHN used data from the Housing Assistance Council, which coded census tracts as rural, urban, or exurban/suburban and provided household estimates by census tract for inadequate plumbing and kitchens, based on ACS five-year estimates (2013-17).

Read more from the original source:
Millions stuck at home with no plumbing, kitchen or space to stay safe - The Times

Plumbers, electricians, AC mechanics, carpenters, domestic help and caregivers can apply for work passes from the Greater Chennai Corporation online. These workers will have to apply through the website http:/tnepass.tnega.org, said Corporation Commissioner G. Prakash in a release on Sunday.

Standalone and neighbourhood shops selling articles such as hardware, electrical items, mobile phones and computer peripherals, except salons and beauty parlours, will be permitted to stay open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, residents are apprehensive about the process of getting the passes.

Santosh, a resident of Kilpauk who runs a shop in Broadway, said he had applied for an e-pass on the website and the application was pending. He is not sure if the police would allow him to travel to this shop. Shops selling essential commodities will operate from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hotels are permitted to supply food parcels from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

But all restrictions pertaining to the lockdown will be in force in all containment zones until May 17, Mr. Prakash said. The restrictions would be relaxed in areas other than containment zones. As many as 68 of the 200 wards in the city have not yet delineated any containment zones so far.

Work on relaying roads, construction of public buildings and bridges will begin on Monday in areas which have not been classified as containment zones. The Corporation Commissioner will inspect units in SEZ, and export units before issuance of permits for operations. Units will be permitted with 25% workforce with a minimum of 20 workers.

IT and ITeS units will operate with 10% workforce with a minimum of 20 workers. Micro, small and medium enterprises will be permitted with 33% workforce. Amma canteens, banks and ATMs will remain open.

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Plumbers, mechanics and caregivers need to get e-passes - The Hindu

Advanced Remediation Services (ARS), a subsidiary of Elk Grove Plumbing and Drain, is fighting the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) by disinfecting surfaces with thermal foggers.

ARS, which focuses on fire, water damage, sewer and mold remediation, is certified to use thermal foggers, which fumigate the interiors of buildings with a light mist that the company says is effective in killing this coronavirus.

Linda Fassett, remediation specialist with Advanced Remediation Services, spoke about her companys efforts to help keep the community safe through foggers.

This is a great way to sanitize and disinfect, whether it be hard surfaces, soft goods, whether it be your home office, its an easy, quick and efficient way to go ahead and keep you safe, she said.

Joe Stillwell, co-owner of Elk Grove Plumbing and Drain, told the Citizen that most customers who have called the company for their fogging service have done so as a preventative measure against COVID-19.

So far, most of them have had us come to be proactive, he said. You never know, like property management companies, for instance, or even plumbers will go into somebodys house. They might be infected and dont even know or they find out after we left that they were exposed to somebody that was infected. Well, they would call us.

Stillwell noted that the oil- or water-based solutions used with the foggers are 100% green and can kill viruses within four minutes.

He added that in the case of the novel coronavirus, it can remain on paper products for 24 hours, most other surfaces for 96 hours, and some hard surfaces such as plastics and hardwoods for two to three days.

Fassett, who recently gained further knowledge on COVID-19 through a symposium with the World Health Organization, said that it is important to eliminate the coronavirus from environments.

Thats the ultimate goal is to stop the spread, to minimize it and get us to that level plain, so we can get back to some kind of normality, she said.

Fassett added that disinfecting through smoggers is additionally beneficial due to its ability to reach hard-to-reach places.

But she stressed that the use of foggers alone will not kill the virus, and her company wipes down the oil of surfaces, and fogs a buildings interior twice just to make sure.

Its just extremely important to be detailed, to be efficient and to know your equipment and your products that you are using, she said.

Because the solutions used by Advanced Remediation Services for their foggers are plant-based, customers can safely reenter their buildings an hour or less after their buildings are disinfected.

Elk Grove Plumbing and Drain co-owner Mark Hutchason told the Citizen that his company strives to keep Elk Grove safe.

Of course, were in business to make money, but our number one priority is to take care of our community, he said.

For additional information about this service, call (916) 714-4357 or visit http://www.advancedremediationservices.com.

Read the original post:
Fogging out the coronavirus | News - Elk Grove Citizen