Another Winter Party attendee has died from coronavirus

Ron Rich, a musician and volunteer at the recent Winter Parry circuit festival in Miami, has died at the age of 65. He is the second coronavirus death linked to the event, which took place March 4-10.

Folks around Fort Lauderdale have posted remembrances of Rich, who was a warm presence among the local LGBTQ community.

Related: 40-year-old Winter Party attendee dies from COVID-19

“Ron was a familiar face to the guests who attended the Task Force Gala, Winter Party Festival and our Fort Lauderdale house parties over the past five years as his big smile and warmth had him mostly serving on our hospitality team Ron also volunteered with the Outshine Film Festival and Lambda Legal,” the National LGBTQ Task Force wrote on Facebook. “He will be missed. We extend our condolences to his family and friends.”

Last week, another Winter Party attendee, 40-year-old Israel Carreras, succumbed to the virus.

Many other party-goers contracted COVID-19 at the event, which took place just before strict social distancing guidelines went into effect.

Related: Gay circuit party in Miami now linked to coronavirus cluster

Chris Johnson, the Chief Political & White House reporter for the Washington Blade, spoke with one attendee who reported, “Within my group of friends, 10 or so of us have flu-like symptoms. I’ve chatted with acquaintances who in most cases say that they have many sick friends within their groups as well.”

As of March 31, there are 163,539 reported cases of COVID-19 in the United States, and 2,860 deaths.

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Larry David Coronavirus PSA: Stay Home ‘Idiots’ and Stop ‘Hurting Old People Like Me’ — WATCH

Curb Your Enthusiasm star Larry David appeared in a PSA put out by California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office urging people to obey the stay at home order.

Said David: “I basically want to address the idiots out there — and you know who you are. I don’t know what you’re doing. You’re going out, you’re socializing too close — it’s not good. You’re hurting old people like me. … The problem is you’re passing up a fantastic opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to stay in the house, sit on the couch and watch TV. I don’t know how you’re passing that up.”

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Larry David Coronavirus PSA: Stay Home ‘Idiots’ and Stop ‘Hurting Old People Like Me’ — WATCH

#AM_Equality: April 1, 2020

ICYMI — HIGHLIGHTS FROM INTERNATIONAL TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY (TDOV): More from HRC, NewNowNext, Mashable and Teen Vogue.

• As we honored this community, Idaho became the first state in the country this year to enact legislation that specifically singles out the transgender community for discriminatory treatment. HB 500 will bar transgender women and girls from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity. HB 509 flies in the face of a recent court decision by forbidding transgender and non-binary Idahoans from changing their gender marker on their birth certificates. More from HRC, Metro Weekly, Washington Blade, Forbes and CBS.
• Check out this new video from HRC for TDOV. Watch here.

LIFTING UP COMMUNITY VOICES — HIV AND COVID-19: Last night, in partnership with Native Son and TheBody.Com, HRC hosted a CommUNITY Voices panel discussion around HIV and COVID-19. Panelists included HRC President Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid) and HRC’s Director of HIV and Health Equity J. Maurice McCants-Pearsall (@McCantsPearsall). 

LGBTQ COMMUNITY REMAINS RESILIENT DURING COVID-19: Across the country, LGBTQ advocates and organizations are fighting to ensure our community is not forgotten during this pandemic. More from Muri Assunção (@MuriAssuncao) at New York Daily News.

• In Atlanta, LGBTQ advocates and performers hosted a show to honor local health care workers. More from Project Q Atlanta.
• ICYMI: LGBTQ elders are particularly vulnerable to the health risks of COVID-19 and are concerned about discrimination, in both in-home and residential care settings (60%) and with their health care provider (40%). LGBTQ older adults also face greater risks from social isolation — a necessary public health effort during COVID-19 — that can have a direct impact on their health and well-being. Check out HRC and SAGE’s new resource for this population here. And check out a webinar on the topic today here.

WELCOMING SCHOOLS WEDNESDAY — POETRY WITH WELCOMING SCHOOLS!: Wednesday is the start of April and National Poetry Month. This Welcoming Schools Wednesday, HRC is celebrating by sharing some touching poems created by young children on the importance of self-acceptance as well as an interactive activity you and your families can do right from home. More from HRC. 

This month, we celebrate #NationalPoetryMonth, and we’re sharing some adorable poems written by some talented kids. ❤️ t.co/wqknN4PTHN

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) April 1, 2020

HRC NAMED A FINALIST FOR *FIVE* SHORTY AWARDS: Check out all the nominees here.

We did it! @HRC is a finalist for 5 @ShortyAwards, including:
��News & Media
��Governments & Politics
��️‍��LGBTQ Community Engagement
��Social Activism
��Educationt.co/mAnLzNlHql

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) April 1, 2020

IN THE STATES

PRIZM, OHIO’S ONLY LGBTQ NEWS OUTLET, CEASES PUBLICATION: In his editor’s note, Ken Schneck noted COVID-19 played a role in the decision. More from Columbus Dispatch.

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

HIGH COURT OF SINGAPORE DISMISSES THREE CHALLENGES TO BAN ON SAME-SEX RELATIONS BETWEEN MEN: “HRC is deeply disappointed in the decision by the High Court of Singapore to not repeal Section 377A of the Penal Code and instead uphold the criminalization of same-sex relations between men as acts of ‘gross indecency.’” said HRC Global Director Jay Gilliam. “It also sets back the global equality movement after successful campaigns to overturn similar British colonial-era laws in places like Belize, Botswana and India. We commend the courageous work of advocates and groups fighting for the dignity of LGBTQ people in Singapore, including PinkDot, Human Dignity Trust and Oogachaga.” More from The Straits Times.

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!

The Advocate reflects on the need for LGBTQ journalists; Out & About Nashville reviews an upcoming documentary about a trans woman

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to #AM_Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-april-1-2020?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Man reveals partner’s terrifying, near-death COVID-19 experience

A gay man in New York City has shared details of his partner’s fight against COVID-19, warning the virus infection, “should be taken seriously and everyone should be terrified.”

John Giarratano is a freelance TV producer who lives with his partner of ten years, Brian Zupanick, in Queens, NYC. The city has emerged as a coronavirus hotspot in the US.

When Giarratano, 42, developed a fever on Friday, March 6, both men were concerned but not unduly panicked. “There was no cough. No labored breathing,” Zupanick, 39, told Pixx11 last week, also noting that Giarratano has no pre-existing health conditions.

However, Giarratano’s symptoms got worse over the following weekend. By the Monday, his fever had hit 102 degrees. As he had no breathing problems, the men followed advice not to go to the ER. However, by Wednesday, March 11, Giarratano’s fever had reached 103.6, and on Thursday, March 12, they went to Urgent Care in Howard Beach.

Related: Viciously anti-LGBTQ group runs Central Park tent hospital & forces volunteers to reject gay rights

At first, medical staff thought he had flu or pneumonia. Later that same day, he developed a cough and his breathing became labored.

“The next day, he called me to say, ‘I’m really scared. I can’t breathe at all’,” Zupanick told People.

“I was concerned because John’s like a rock. He never gets sick. He has no preexisting conditions. They ran panels and got results back on everything except COVID-19.

“The hospital soon went into lockdown and no visitors were allowed anymore. By that point, John was getting worse. His breathing became really labored. It just moved so quickly. He called me. He was trying to talk, but he was so out of breath, he couldn’t even say the words. He just said, “Can’t breathe. The heart doctor’s here, ICU too.” And then he hung up.”

Giarratano’s condition deteriorated and he was transferred to ICU at Mt. Sinai Hospital, Oceanside, where he was intubated and given oxygen. However, the hospital was still awaiting the results of his COVID-19 tests. The tests had been sent to a lab in New Jersey. That lab had sent them on to another lab in North Carolina.

Zupanick found out the results might not arrive back until Wednesday, March 18. The hospital was treating Giarratano with anti-virals but holding off on using other medications until his results came back positive.

“We were running out of options waiting for this test, and his health was getting worse,” says Zupanick. “I called the lab again and I was like, ‘What is going on with this test? My partner is going to die waiting for it. He cannot start treatment without a positive result.’ They said they might have the results by March 20th or 21st; I said, ‘He’s going to be dead’ and hung up.”

Related: Gay couple marry in their NYC apartment during coronavirus lockdown

Desperate, Zupanick emailed the President of Mount Sinai, not expecting a response.

“Within seven minutes, the president of Mount Sinai responded to me. He had John’s COVID-19 test expedited and then I got a phone call from the administrator saying that the head of infectious disease approved treatment without the test, and he started it immediately. I was so thankful.”

Giarratano’s results later came back positive for COVID-19.

Giarratano’s condition stabilized but he remained critical. He had to be transferred to another part of the hospital for different treatments. Even moving him at this stage came with dire risks, but it was managed successfully. Giarratano remained on ventilators for several days and his condition has slowly improved.

Zupanick wants to warn people about the seriousness of COVID-19, and no-one should assume that they will be fine if they acquire it.

“People also don’t think about the fact that all of these family members, like me, can’t even see their loved ones. That fact alone can make it extremely stressful, and you add everything else on top of that, it’s truly a nightmare. I’m going over two weeks of not being by his side through all of this, and now he’s awake and I still can’t see him.”

There’s also the stress of the medical bills. As a freelancer, Giarratano was waiting for 90 days to pass to be eligible for new insurance coverage. However, he fell ill before the 90-day period had elapsed, leaving the couple facing crippling medical bills.

Zupanick says costs have averaged around $10,000 to cover his ICU treatment. He’s set up a GoFundMe, which at the time of writing has raised $18,171 of a $150,000 target.

In an update posted yesterday, Zupanick said, “John has recently been taken off the ventilator, and he’s currently being monitored. Even though we have a long road of recovery ahead, it’s truly a miracle that he is now breathing on his own. I am overwhelmed with the love and support that we have received, and I want to thank everyone for your positive thoughts, prayers, and continued support.”

In a statement to Queerty, Zupanick said, “They’re currently monitoring John, and he’s doing very well at the moment. I’m so relieved, and we’re taking it day by day.”

Related: Leslie Jordan trying to avoid going stir crazy is all of us right now

At a press conference yesterday, President Donald Trump, who has been criticized for downplaying the risk posed by the virus in the early days of the pandemic, appeared to change tack, warning the US, “I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead. This is going to be a very, very painful two weeks.”

For the latest advice on COVID-19, check the CDC and WHO websites.

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Bill Gates Calls for National Lockdown: ‘Shutdown Anywhere Means Shutdown Everywhere’

Bill Gates called for a national lockdown in a Washington Post op-ed in which he laid out three steps to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Said Gates: “Because people can travel freely across state lines, so can the virus. The country’s leaders need to be clear: Shutdown anywhere means shutdown everywhere. Until the case numbers start to go down across America — which could take 10 weeks or more — no one can continue business as usual or relax the shutdown. Any confusion about this point will only extend the economic pain, raise the odds that the virus will return, and cause more deaths.”

Gates also called for the U.S. government to step up testing and develop “a data-based approach to developing treatments and a vaccine.”

“In 2015, I urged world leaders in a TED talk to prepare for a pandemic the same way they prepare for war — by running simulations to find the cracks in the system,” Gates added. “As we’ve seen this year, we have a long way to go. But I still believe that if we make the right decisions now, informed by science, data and the experience of medical professionals, we can save lives and get the country back to work.”

Gates’s 2015 Ted Talk:

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Bill Gates Calls for National Lockdown: ‘Shutdown Anywhere Means Shutdown Everywhere’