Amid pandemic, Christians celebrate an Easter like no other
David Crary and Nicole Winfield
The Associated Press
Published Sunday, April 12, 2020 7:21AM EDT
Last Updated Sunday, April 12, 2020 4:59PM EDT

NEW YORK -- Christians around the world celebrated Easter Sunday isolated in their homes by the coronavirus while pastors preached the faith's joyous news of Christ's resurrection to empty pews. One Florida church drew a large turnout for a drive-in service in a parking lot.

In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the first major world leader to test positive for the virus, was released from a London hospital after a week in which he spent some time in the intensive care unit and was given oxygen at one point. He credited health workers for saving his life and especially thanked two nurses who stood by his bedside for 48 hours "when things could have gone either way."

The strangeness of this Easter was evident at the Vatican. St. Peter's Square, where tens of thousands would normally gather to hear Pope Francis, was empty of crowds, ringed by police barricades. Francis celebrated Easter Mass inside the largely vacant basilica,

In his address, the pope called for global solidarity to confront the "epochal challenge" of the pandemic. He urged political leaders to give hope and opportunity to the millions laid off work.

Worldwide, families who normally would attend church in their Easter best and later gather for festive meals instead were hunkered down at home. Police checkpoints in Europe and outside closed churches elsewhere left the faithful with few worship options other than watching services online or on TV.

Some U.S. pastors went ahead with in-person services despite state or local bans on large gatherings.

At the Happy Gospel Church in Bradenton, Florida, about 100 cars carrying 250 people gathered in the parking lot to hear Pastor Bill Bailey's Easter sermon. Some sat in lawn chairs or on tailgates, but families stayed at least 6 feet apart; those in their cars occasionally honked to convey agreement with Bailey's remarks.

In Louisiana, a pastor who is facing misdemeanour charges for holding services despite a ban on gatherings said people from every state and all but one continent attended his Easter service Sunday morning.

"My hope is not in a vaccine for a virus, but all my hope is in Jesus," Rev. Tony Spell said during the service shown online at Life Tabernacle Church in the city of Central.

Worshipers could be heard clapping, singing and responding "amen" during the service, though it was not clear how many attended.
President Donald Trump had said he planned to watch an online service led by the Rev. Robert Jeffress of the Southern Baptist megachurch First Baptist Dallas, although the White House wouldn't confirm whether he did. The pastor, a staunch ally of the president, mentioned Trump in his remarks,

"We are going to get through this crisis with your continued strong leadership and the power of God," Jeffress said.

In their own Easter message, Trump and his wife, Melania, paid tribute to the medical professionals, first responders and other essential workers striving to combat the pandemic.

Back on March 24, at a Fox News virtual town hall, Trump broached the possibility that the U.S. could emerge from widespread lockdowns by this weekend.

"I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter," he said.

"Wouldn't it be great to have all of the churches full?" Trump said in a subsequent interview. "You'll have packed churches all over our country."

Instead, most churches were empty, including St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City which is now the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan. who led a televised Mass, said he was pleased congregants could have a virtual celebration.

"We miss you though," he added. "We'd rather you be here physically."

In the morning, members of churches from across New York sang "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" from balconies and windows.

"Even if you didn't hear everyone, God heard everyone," said Kathy Keller, of Reedemer Presbyterian Church, who helped organize the event online.

In Europe, countries used roadblocks, fines and other tactics to keep people from travelling over an Easter weekend with beautiful spring weather.

The Italian government said weekend police patrols resulted in more than 12,500 people being sanctioned and 150 facing criminal charges for allegedly violating lockdown measures.

On the hopeful side, officials said Italy recorded the lowest number of new coronavirus victims in three weeks, with 431 people dying in the past day to bring its total to 19,899. It was the lowest day-to-day toll since March 19.

As hard-hit countries like Italy and Spain see reduced daily virus infections and deaths, economic pressures are mounting to loosen the tight restrictions on daily life.

Southern Europe and the United States, whose death toll of over 20,600 is now the world's highest, have been the recent focal points of the pandemic. But coronavirus hot spots have been shifting, with new concerns rising in Japan, Turkey and Britain, where the death toll passed 10,000.

Uncertainties loomed about the months ahead, with a top European Union official suggesting people hold off on making any summer vacation plans.

Some European nations started tentative moves to ease their shutdowns. Spain, which on Sunday reported its lowest daily growth in infections in three weeks, will allow workers in some nonessential industries to return to factories and construction sites Monday.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for others, especially older people and the infirm, it can cause severe symptoms and lead to death.

More than 1.79 million infections have been reported and 110,000 people have died worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. has the highest numbers, with over 530,000 confirmed cases. The figures certainly understate the true size and toll of the pandemic, due to limited testing, uneven counting of the dead and some governments' desire to play down the extent of outbreaks.

In Britain, where the death toll passed the 10,000 mark, Johnson paid an emotional tribute to the National Health Service workers who treated him ahead of his release Sunday from St. Thomas' Hospital. His week in the hospital included three nights in the ICU.

"I can't thank them enough. I owe them my life," said Johnson, 55, in his first public statement since he was moved from intensive care Thursday. His office said he will continue his recovery at Chequers, the prime minister's country home.

In the United States, about half the deaths are in the New York metropolitan area, but hospitalizations are slowing in the state and other indicators suggest that lockdowns and social distancing are "flattening the curve" of infections.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said the economy in parts of the country could be allowed to reopen as early as next month.

While he said there's no light switch that will be clicked to turn everything back, he told CNN's "State of the Union" that "rolling re-entry" will be required based on the status of the pandemic in various parts of the country.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that 758 people died in the state Saturday, the sixth day in a row the toll topped 700. That raised the total number of virus-related deaths in New York to 9,385.

A security guard stands in front of a banner as residents clap and sing from their windows to pay tribute to health workers, essential personnel and security forces during an enhanced community quarantine to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in Manila, Philippines, Sunday, April 12, 2020. AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

网上看见数字时，会下意识地去翻手机。
其实如常的日子里，分分秒秒里，亦是有生命的来去，但是以一种从容有准备的方式吧。



只是现今这样的方式，至亲至爱的人亦难以接近更不容分辩。

看今天纽约州州长的每日简报(daily briefing)时，做了几张截图：

看这Social Distancing。


这些措施是在为复工做准备。

@涉江采芙蕖 2020-04-13 23:49:12
看到一个新闻，说美国正在测试，要找到有抗体或不易感体质的人，让他们提前复工，其余易感者继续隔离。
倒是个好办法。
不过，是真的吗？
-----------------------------
92楼第二张图片，是纽约州长安德鲁库莫（Andrew Cuomo）4月12号的每日简报（Daily Briefing）上说他签署了一个扩大检测的行政命令。不过不是新冠病毒检测，而是新冠病毒抗体检测。说“当我们的抗体检测达到规模时，能做抗体检测的机构（who）要帮助保证尽可能多的纽约人能有地方做这抗体检测。”

第三张的命令是让生活攸关行业的雇主给雇员提供布或外科（surgical）口罩。

这特殊时期，似乎各级政府都会每日在基本固定时间有一个不超过一个小时的媒体见面会。通告之后，会有问答时间。

也没看几次这库莫的视频。感觉他是比较成熟的官员。面无表情，不表露情绪，客观。强调协调，强调不匆忙做决定。他坚持不对复工或放松当前措施做任何预测。他特别提到一件小事，疫情开始时，纽约上州的一家养老院打电话给他说可以借出35台呼吸机。现在有呼吸机了，所以刚归还了呼吸机。说他感动和感谢。

不足一小时视频的文字word里大约有15页。我截图的十分有限。我认为他虽然不许复工，但为复工做准备是必要的。他强调纽约的人口密度，所以疫情最严重。

美国各州很独立。不知其他州是不是也做抗体检测。

不知怎么想起了阿城。

每个人都得面对自己的现实，承担自己的命运。

无论如何，还是很想以一种温和的态度面对所有的发生。

——— 只是敲下突然冒出的思绪。也算一种“日记”？

来自国内的口罩。

Home Made.

这视频下，一个华人评论：
What did US do??? What did China do???

4月1日，闺蜜去看望她父亲的路上采了野花，回家后，插在了各种废瓶子里。

4月11日，一个同学发在朋友圈的。

今日，一个身在长岛的同学发在群里的。

之前，根据自己的兴趣，选看过几篇日记。

昨日，看一个网友给另一个网友留的“作业”，便循着那日期去看，发现标号不完全一致。反正算挺认真地又看了几篇。为方便阅读理解，把读的日记存成了文件。

然后，想了解一点儿早些时约稿被拒绝的《收获》编辑程永新。
讲搜索到的有关程的东西存了个18页的文件：

我大概想“知道”，武汉作家肯定不少，程为什么约稿方方。

得到的印象有：

1、年龄接近。

2、出身于名校，皆是就读于地位颇高的中文系。武汉大学中文系的”江湖“地位也许更高？大概不少少年曾向往过”珞珈山下“？当年去逛武大时，自己望着晾晒衣物的平顶宿舍群，也曾为”珞珈山”感叹过。

3、在文学界地位稳定。

以及，方方为什么拒绝呢？