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u.s. news Diasabra 8 Mei 2021

NYC still storing COVID-19 victims in refrigerated trucks

NEW YORK (AP) — New their period of mourning.
York City is still using re-
frigerated trucks to store The non-profit news web-
bodies of coronavirus site The City reported on the
victims, more than a year matter this week. The web-
after they were first set site noted that between 500
up as temporary morgues and about 800 bodies have
as deaths surged at at the been kept in cold storage at
height of the pandemic. any given time since April
2020.
The city's medical exam-
iner's office said Friday that Those figures were based on
750 bodies are being kept in estimates by the medical ex-
long-term storage in refrig- aminer's office compiled by
erated trailers at a Brooklyn the website and Columbia
pier while family members University's Stabile Center
sort out plans for their final for Investigative Reporting.
resting places.
The Federal Emergency
Dina Maniotis, a deputy Management Agency sent 85
commissioner with the Of- refrigerated trucks to serve as
fice of Chief Medical Ex- temporary morgues last year
aminer, told a city council as COVID-19 deaths over-
committee on Wednesday whelmed the city's perma-
that many of the bodies held nent morgues and filled stor-
at the 39th Street Pier could ing them on Hart Island. At for the medical examiner's ated at the height of the pan- age spaces in many hospitals
end up buried in the city's the time, officials said, they office, said permanent burial demic to ensure that families to capacity.
potter's field on Hart Island. were exploring the option of on Hart Island is an option could lay their loved ones to
interring unclaimed remains for the next-of-kin of COV- rest as they see fit," Desire Many were parked outside
In April 2020, the city short- on the island temporarily so ID-19 victims whose bodies said. "With sensitivity and hospitals and workers in pro-
ened the amount of time it they could be moved later on. remain in refrigerated trucks. compassion, we continue to tective gear used forklifts to
would hold unclaimed re- work with individual families place bodies inside in what
mains to 14 days before bury- Mark Desire, a spokesperson "Long term storage was cre- on a case by case basis during became a grim, daily ritual.

US job growth slows sharply in sign of hiring struggles

WASHINGTON (AP) — have been left short of parts Average hourly pay rose 0.7% likely to be free of disrup- past year. Millions of con-
The recovery of America's because of clogged supply in April to $30.17, which the tions. She cited shortages of sumers have begun spend-
job market hit a pause last chains and have had to slow government said suggests lumber, computer chips and ing their extra cash on res-
month as many businesses — production for now. Both that the fast reopening of other goods. taurant meals, airline tickets,
from restaurants and hotels sectors pulled back on hir- the economy "may have put road trips and new cars and
to factories and construction ing in April. And some busi- upward pressure on wages." On Friday, the U.S. Chamber homes.
companies — struggled to nesses say they believe that The average workweek also of Commerce responded to
find enough workers to catch a $300-a-week jobless ben- rose, evidence that compa- the April jobs report by call- Most economists expect job
up with a rapidly strengthen- efit, paid for by the federal nies are asking their employ- ing for an end to the $300-a- growth to strengthen as more
ing economic rebound. government, is discourag- ees to work more. week federal unemployment vaccinations are adminis-
ing some of the unemployed supplement, saying it was tered and trillions in govern-
Employers added just from taking new jobs. The drop in hiring suggests giving some recipients less ment aid spreads through the
266,000 jobs in April, sharply that the Federal Reserve is incentive to look for work. economy. Even if another
lower than in March and far Still, companies have added still months away from slow- uptick in COVID-19 cases
fewer than economists had jobs for four straight months, ing its purchases of Treasurys Still, optimism about the were to occur, analysts don't
expected. With viral cases de- the Labor Department said and other bonds, which are economic recovery is grow- expect most states and cities
clining and states and locali- Friday, though the govern- intended to keep long-term ing. Many Americans are to reimpose tough business
ties easing restrictions, the ment lowered its estimate interest rates low. Chair Je- flush with cash after having restrictions. From month to
recovery from the pandemic of job growth for February rome Powell has said that it received $1,400 federal relief month, though, the gains in
recession has been so fast and March by a combined would take "a string" of re- checks, along with savings the job market could prove
that many businesses have 78,000. April's total is far be- ports like the one for March they have built up after cut- choppy, as Friday's jobs re-
been caught flat-footed in the low March's gain of 770,000. to show that the economy ting back on travel, entertain- port suggested.
face of surging consumer de- was on track for a full recov- ment and dining out over the
mand. The resumption of hiring ery. Fed officials have signaled
has encouraged some Ameri- that they don't intend to raise
Last month's hiring slow- cans to start looking for jobs, their short-term benchmark
down appears to reflect a host which means they are newly rate until after 2023.
of factors. Nearly 3 million counted as unemployed if
people are reluctant to look they don't immediately find On Friday, the prospect of
for work because they fear work. This is what happened ongoing Fed stimulus helped
catching the virus, according in April, when the unem- fuel a stock market rally, with
to government surveys. More ployment rate ticked up from the Dow Jones Industrial
women also dropped out of 6% to 6.1%. Average surging more than
the workforce last month, 200 points in mid-afternoon
likely to care for children, af- Employers are now posting trading to a record high.
ter many had returned in the far more jobs than they did
previous two months. before the pandemic, and At a news conference, Trea-
"help wanted" signs dot many sury Secretary Janet Yellen
In addition, construction restaurant windows. Other cautioned that a swift recov-
companies and manufactur- telltale signs of labor short- ery from an event as cata-
ers, especially automakers, ages have emerged as well: strophic as a pandemic isn't