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There are 84,000 chemicals in commerce. How can you keep your family safe in light of so many potentially toxic exposures?
The truth is, we all have chemicals in our bodies and our bloodstreams. “What’s happening is that there’s an experiment going on, on all of us right now. There’s a big, planned, but uncontrolled science experiment,” says Michael Green, executive director at Center for Environmental Health (CEH).
Green founded CEH in 1996 with the belief that chemical makers do not have a right to expose people to concoctions that affect our health. CEH has been instrumental in national efforts to halt toxic exposures and to protect public health, including the landmark law that eliminated lead from children’s products in the U.S. (after literally testing every child’s product in the U.S. for the element). The organization has also forced manufacturers to remove toxins from products used daily by families, such as water filters, children’s medicines, purses, rash cream and candy.
The Green Divas talk with Green about his experiences working with government, businesses and communities to keep us all safe from toxic chemicals where we work, play and live. Green discusses what BPA-free really means; explains why companies make a conscious choice to not know the health impacts of the chemicals they use; offers tips on how to avoid BPA (and its nasty cousins); and more.
Green, who recounts his own daily battles with his toddler over which (safe or unsafe) sippy cup she would use, firmly believes everyone should be able to protect their kids. “Your family’s health should be in your hands alone.”
Thanks to Green and CEH for protecting public health, holding companies responsible for their actions and products, and collaborating with the good role models out there who demonstrate how to do it right in the private sector.
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A woman drinks tea inside her home. martin-dm / Getty Images
Cabin fever is often associated with being cooped up on a rainy weekend or stuck inside during a winter blizzard.
In reality, though, it can actually occur anytime you feel isolated or disconnected from the outside world.
<p>Indeed, cabin fever is a series of emotions or symptoms people experience when they're confined to their homes for extended periods of time. This may be due to a variety of circumstances, such as a natural disaster, lack of transportation, or even social distancing for pandemics like <a href="https://www.healthline.com/coronavirus" target="_blank">COVID-19</a>.</p><p>Recognizing the symptoms of cabin fever and finding ways to cope may help make the isolation easier to deal with. Keep reading to learn more about how to do this.</p>
What is cabin fever?
<p>In popular expressions, cabin fever is used to explain feeling bored or listless because you've been stuck inside for a few hours or days. But that's not the reality of the symptoms.</p><p>Instead, cabin fever is a series of negative emotions and distressing sensations people may face if they're isolated or feeling cut off from the world.</p><p>These feelings of isolation and loneliness are more likely in times of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/yes-covid-19-cases-are-rising-why-you-still-need-to-practice-social-distancing" target="_blank">social distancing</a>, self-quarantining during a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-a-pandemic" target="_blank">pandemic</a>, or sheltering in place because of severe weather.</p><p>Indeed, cabin fever can lead to a series of symptoms that can be difficult to manage without proper coping techniques.</p><p>Cabin fever isn't a recognized psychological disorder, but that doesn't mean the feelings aren't real. The distress is very real. It can make fulfilling the requirements of everyday life difficult.</p>What are the symptoms?
<p>Symptoms of cabin fever go far beyond feeling bored or "stuck" at home. They're rooted in an intense feeling of isolation and may include:</p><ul><li>restlessness</li><li>decreased motivation</li><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/irritability" target="_blank">irritability</a></li><li>hopelessness</li><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/unable-to-concentrate" target="_blank">difficulty concentrating</a></li><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/irregular-sleep-wake-syndrome" target="_blank">irregular sleep patterns</a>, including sleepiness or sleeplessness</li><li>difficulty waking up</li><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/lethargy" target="_blank">lethargy</a></li><li>distrust of people around you</li><li>lack of patience</li><li>persistent <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/depression-vs-sadness" target="_blank">sadness or depression<br></a></li></ul><p>Your personality and natural temperament will go a long way toward determining how cabin fever affects you.</p><p>Some people can weather the feelings more easily; they may take on projects or dive into creative outlets to pass the time and ward off the symptoms.</p><p>But others may face great difficulty with managing day-to-day life until these feelings pass.</p>
What can help you cope with cabin fever?
<p>Because cabin fever isn't a recognized psychological condition, there's no standard "treatment." However, mental health professionals do recognize that the symptoms are very real.</p><p>The coping mechanism that works best for you will have a lot to do with your personal situation and the reason you're secluded in the first place.</p><p>Finding meaningful ways to engage your brain and occupy your time can help alleviate the distress and irritability that cabin fever brings.</p><p>The following ideas are a good place to start.</p><h3><u>Spend time outdoors</u></h3><p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6656547/" target="_blank">Research</a> shows that time spent in nature is time well spent for mental health.<br></p><p>Not only does spending time outdoors boost your cognitive function, it may also help:</p><ul> <li>improve your mood</li><li>alleviate stress</li><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/spending-two-hours-a-week-in-nature-can-help-your-health" target="_blank">boost feelings of well-being</a></li></ul><p><span></span>Depending on your reason for isolating, be sure to check all local regulations and avoid any spaces that are closed for safety or health reasons.</p><p><span></span>If getting outdoors isn't an option, you could try:</p><ul><li>opening up your windows to let the outdoor breeze in</li><li>adding a bird feeder outside your window to bring birds closer to your living space</li><li>ordering or buying fragrant, fresh-cut flowers and placing them where you can see and smell them throughout the day</li><li>growing herbs or small plants on a windowsill, patio, or balcony</li></ul><div></div>
<h3><u>Give yourself a routine</u></h3><p>You may not have a 9-to-5 job to report to while you're isolated, but a lack of routine can cause disruptions in eating, sleeping, and activity.</p><p>To keep a sense of structure, try to create a daily routine that consists of work or house projects, mealtimes, workout time, and even downtime.</p><p>Having an outline for your day helps you keep track of the trajectory of your hours and gives you mini "goals" to hit throughout the day.</p>
<h3><u>Maintain a social life</u></h3><p>So you can't go to the movies or meet your friends for dinner. But you can still "meet up" with them — just in a different way.</p><p>Use real-time video streaming services, like FaceTime, Zoom, or Skype, to chat with your friends, colleagues, and loved ones. Face-to-face chat time can keep you in contact with the "outside world" and make even your small home feel a whole lot bigger.</p><p>Connecting with others who are in a similar situation can also help you feel that you're not alone. Sharing your thoughts, emotions, and challenges with others can help you realize that what you're feeling is normal.</p><p>Connecting with others may even help you find creative solutions to an issue you're grappling with.</p>
<h3><u>Express your creative side</u></h3><p>Did you play a band instrument in high school? Were you once interested in painting? Do you have stacks of vacation photos you once promised yourself you'd put in a scrapbook? Is there a recipe you've always wanted to try but never had the time?</p><p>Use your time in isolation to reconnect with creative activities that you've had to put on hold because life got too busy. Spending time on creative activities keeps your brain busy.</p><p>Keeping your mind occupied and engaged may help ward off feelings of boredom or restlessness and make the time pass more quickly.</p>
<h3><u>Carve out some "me time"</u></h3><p>If you live with others, feelings of cabin fever may be intensified by the nearness of other individuals.</p><p>Parents have responsibilities to children; partners have responsibilities to one another. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't have any time on your own.</p><p>Give yourself time "away" from others to relax. Find a quiet place to read a book, meditate, or pop in some earbuds for an engaging podcast.</p><p>If you're feeling stressed, you may even want to tune in to a podcast on <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health-podcast" target="_blank">mental health</a> or <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/podcasts-for-anxiety" target="_blank">anxiety</a>.</p>
<h3><u>Break a sweat</u></h3><p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743505002331" target="_blank">Research</a> has shown that people who exercise regularly are less prone to anxiety than people who don't exercise. That's because physical activity lowers your body's stress hormones, such as <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cortisol-symptoms" target="_blank">cortisol</a>.</p><p>At the same time, exercise causes your brain to release <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/endorphins" target="_blank">endorphins</a>. These neurochemicals can boost your mood and overall feeling of well-being.</p><p>If you can't get outside, you can do a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/strength-training-at-home" target="_blank">strength training workout at home</a> using just your body weight or simple equipment, like dumbbells or resistance bands.</p><p>Or you can put together your own routine by focusing on a few basic but effective exercises, such as:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/muscles-worked-push-ups" target="_blank">pushups</a></li><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/squats-benefits" target="_blank">squats</a></li><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-do-a-burpee" target="_blank">burpees</a></li><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/lunges-muscles-worked" target="_blank">lunges</a></li><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/14-plank-variations-your-core-will-thank-you-for-later#1" target="_blank">planks</a></li></ul><div>If you need a more structured program, there are plenty of online exercise options on YouTube and through various exercise apps.</div>
<h3><u>Chill out</u></h3><p>Not every minute of every day you spend at home has to be planned. Give yourself some time to rest. Look for constructive ways to relax.</p><p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/mindfulness-tricks-to-reduce-anxiety" target="_blank">Mindfulness</a>, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/diaphragmatic-breathing" target="_blank">deep breathing</a>, and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety-exercises" target="_blank">relaxation exercises</a> may help you maintain your emotional health and balance feelings of isolation or frustration.</p>
When to get help
<p>Cabin fever is often a fleeting feeling. You may feel irritable or frustrated for a few hours, but having a virtual chat with a friend or finding a task to distract your mind may help erase the frustrations you felt earlier.</p><p>Sometimes, however, the feelings may grow stronger, and no coping mechanisms may be able to successfully help you eliminate your feelings of isolation, sadness, or depression.</p><p>What's more, if your time indoors is prolonged by outside forces, like weather or extended shelter-in-place orders from your local government, feelings of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety" target="_blank">anxiety</a> and fear are valid.</p><p>In fact, anxiety may be at the root of some cabin fever symptoms. This may make symptoms worse.</p><p>If you feel that your symptoms are getting worse, consider reaching out to a mental health professional who can help you understand what you're experiencing. Together, you can identify ways to overcome the feelings and anxiety.</p><p>Of course, if you're in isolation or practicing social distancing, you'll need to look for alternative means for seeing a mental health expert.</p><p>Telehealth options may be available to connect you with your therapist if you already have one. If you don't, reach out to your doctor for recommendations about mental health specialists who can connect with you online.</p><p>If you don't want to talk to a therapist, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/top-iphone-android-apps" target="_blank">smartphone apps for depression</a> may provide a complementary option for addressing your cabin fever symptoms.</p>The bottom line
<p>Isolation isn't a natural state for many people. We are, for the most part, social animals. We enjoy each other's company. That's what can make staying at home for extended periods of time difficult.</p><p>However, whether you're sheltering at home to avoid dangerous weather conditions or heeding the guidelines to help minimize the spread of a disease, staying at home is often an important thing we must do for ourselves and our communities.</p><p>If and when it's necessary, finding ways to engage your brain and occupy your time may help bat back cabin fever and the feelings of isolation and restlessness that often accompany it.</p>
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Pope Francis delivers his homily on April 9, 2020 behind closed doors at St. Peter's basilica in the Vatican. ALESSANDRO DI MEO / POOL / AFP via Getty Images
Pope Francis spoke about the novel coronavirus, suggesting that the global pandemic might be one of nature's responses to the man-made climate crisis.
<p>In an interview published Wednesday in The Tablet and Commonwealth magazines, the leader of the Roman Catholic church said the world should take stock of what damage the rate of production and consumption has caused to the natural world, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/08/europe/pope-francis-coronavirus-nature-response-intl/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>"There is an expression in Spanish: 'God always forgives, we forgive sometimes, but nature never forgives,'" the pope said in an interview published Wednesday in <a href="https://www.thetablet.co.uk/features/2/17845/pope-francis-says-pandemic-can-be-a-place-of-conversion-" target="_blank">The Tablet</a>, a United Kingdom-based Catholic weekly, as <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/04/08/pope-says-coronavirus-could-be-a-reaction-to-climate-change/" target="_blank">The New York Post</a> reported.</p>
<p>The pontiff's answers came in response to a question about whether the global pandemic might lead to ecological conversion, where people lead more environmentally conscious lives with the understanding that the natural world is part of God's creation, according to <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/04/08/pope-says-coronavirus-could-be-a-reaction-to-climate-change/" target="_blank">The New York Post</a>.</p><p>"We did not respond to the partial catastrophes. Who now speaks of the fires in Australia, or remembers that 18 months ago a boat could cross the North Pole because the glaciers had all melted? Who speaks now of the floods?" the pope said, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/08/europe/pope-francis-coronavirus-nature-response-intl/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported. "I don't know if these are the revenge of nature, but they are certainly nature's responses."</p><p>"This is the time to take the decisive step, to move from using and misusing nature to contemplating it," he added, as <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/04/08/pope-says-coronavirus-could-be-a-reaction-to-climate-change/" target="_blank">The New York Post</a> reported.</p>
<p>The Vatican closed Saint Peter's Square and Basilica to the public in early March as the outbreak's effects became more pronounced throughout Italy, according to <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/491734-pope-says-coronavirus-outbreak-may-be-one-of-natures-responses-to" target="_blank">The Hill</a>. The Vatican has reported seven confirmed cases of the virus in its ranks.</p><p>On Palm Sunday, the pope celebrated mass in an empty church.</p><p>The pope, 83, said in the interview that the "Curia is trying to carry on its work, and to live normally," using shifts to avoid crowding.</p><p>Pope Francis has been tested twice for coronavirus. As an elderly man, with a damaged lung from an infection in his 20s and recovering from bronchitis, he is particularly vulnerable to the most severe symptoms associated with COVID-19. Therefore, he is taking particular precaution, according to The Vatican press office. He eats his meals in private, keeps a distance from anyone who might be carrying the virus, and uses hand sanitizer before and after meeting any guests, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/08/europe/pope-francis-coronavirus-nature-response-intl/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p>
<p>In the interview, Pope Francis addressed what he sees from world leaders. He denounced "the hypocrisy of certain political personalities who speak of facing up to the crisis, of the problem of hunger in the world, but who in the meantime manufacture weapons," as <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/491734-pope-says-coronavirus-outbreak-may-be-one-of-natures-responses-to" target="_blank">The Hill</a> reported.</p><p>In particular, he highlighted the callous way the homeless were treated in Las Vegas.</p><p>"A photo appeared the other day of a parking lot in Las Vegas where they [the homeless] had been put in quarantine. And the hotels were empty. But the homeless cannot go to a hotel," the Pope said, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/08/europe/pope-francis-coronavirus-nature-response-intl/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported. "This is the moment to see the poor," he said, adding that society often treats those in need as "rescued animals."</p>
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Migrating barn swallows rest on electricity cables in Heraklion, Crete, Greece. Patricia Fenn Gallery / Moment / Getty images
Thousands of swallows and other migratory birds have died in Greece trying to cross from Africa to Europe this spring.
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<p>The group <a href="http://www.ornithologiki.gr/page_cn.php?aID=2039" target="_blank">wrote</a> that the night of April fifth to sixth was especially perilous for the birds. A combination of cold weather, strong winds and few insects exhausted birds that had already crossed the Sahara and the Mediterranean. South-blowing winds pushed the birds to North Africa, where they then faced the north-blowing winds of the Aegean and flew towards eastern Greece for rest. The group described what happened next:</p><blockquote>On April 6th, the morning light revealed a shocking sight: tens of thousands of birds, chilly and exhausted, were unable to move. Swallows and martins had to rest on the ground, on the blacktop, on balconies, on rooftops and any other surface available. Swifts –a purely airborne species that can not rest on the ground or on a wire– found a temporary shelter by grabbing a wall or by hiding in scuppers or air ducts. Flycatchers filled parks and gardens in Athens and other cities. All this happened throughout Eastern Greece, from southernmost Crete to northernmost Macedonia.</blockquote>
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<p>Greece is in the flight path of hundreds of thousands of migratory birds, AFP reported, and storms are a major danger for all migrating birds, <a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/natures-home-magazine/birds-and-wildlife-articles/migration/dangers-of-migration/" target="_blank">according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds</a>. Some deaths are sadly to be expected, and birds have evolved to weather harsh conditions to a certain degree, the Hellenic Ornithological Society explained.</p><p>"However, this specific weather combination was unprecedented and pushed entire populations to their limits," the group wrote. "If we take into account all the hardships that human activity brings about during their journey — habitat loss, desertification, illegal killing etc. — these losses could prove devastating."</p><p>They urged concerned bird lovers not to approach or feed the resting birds, to protect them from drivers and cats and to call a wildlife center if they encountered one who needed medical help.</p>
<p>Swallows, which were particularly impacted by the harsh weather, are Greece's most popular bird, according to <a href="https://greece.greekreporter.com/2020/04/09/thousands-of-swallows-and-other-birds-die-in-greece-after-migration/" target="_blank">Greek Reporter</a>. Their arrival heralds spring. They also make an incredible journey.</p><p>"These birds fly up to 350 kilometers (217 miles) a day, with anticyclones favoring them on their journey as they lift them higher up in the sky," associate professor in the Department of Forestry and Natural Environment at Thessaloniki University Dimitris Bakaloudis explained to Greek Reporter.. "They spent the winter months in southern Sahara and as far as South Africa and start migrating in waves from early March on a route of more than 10,000 kilometers (6,213 miles)."</p>
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A ringed seal swims in a water tank at the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan on July 26, 2013. Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP / Getty Images
Ringed seals spend most of the year hidden in icy Arctic waters, breathing through holes they create in the thick sea ice.
But when seal pups are born each spring, they don't have a blubber layer, which is their protection from cold.
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<p>Marine biologist Brendan Kelly is executive director of a collaborative program called the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.searcharcticscience.org/">Study of Environmental Arctic Change</a>. He says the seal pups spend the first months of their lives nestled in snow caves on top of the ice.</p><p>But as the climate warms, that snow is starting to melt earlier in the year, before pups can handle the cold.</p><p>"The pup is suddenly exposed to the elements," Kelly says. "And it tends to get wet at this point. It gets cold at night, or the temperature just goes back down again for a while, and we see freezing deaths to the pups."</p>
<p>Without the protection of their snow caves, the pups are also more likely to be eaten by polar bears and other predators.</p><p>According to regional climate models, snow depth in parts of the ring seals' pupping habitat could be reduced by up to 70% by the end of the century.</p><p>"When you see this kind of massive habitat loss in a short time period, it doesn't bode well," Kelly says. "They're likely to become endangered in the coming decades."</p>
<p class=""><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/04/arctic-warming-puts-ringed-seals-in-peril/" target="_blank">Yale Climate Connections</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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A volunteer sets up beds in what will be a field hospital in the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine on April 8, 2020 in New York City. The cathedral has partnered with Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital and is expected to have more than 400 beds when opened. Spencer Platt / Getty Images
New York state now has more confirmed coronavirus cases than any single country save the U.S. as a whole.
<p>The state's caseload skyrocketed by 10,000 on Thursday, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52239261" target="_blank">BBC News reported</a>. It had 161,807 cases as of 4:46 a.m. EST, according to <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">data from Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering</a>. That's more than hard-hit Spain and Italy, which now have 153,222 and 143,626 cases respectively. The Empire State still trails the European countries for deaths, but the virus that causes COVID-19 has claimed more than 7,000 lives in the state, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday, more than double the 2,753 people killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.</p><p>"9/11 was supposed to be the darkest day in New York for a generation," Cuomo said at a Thursday press conference reported by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-state-more-coronavirus-cases-than-any-country-worldwide-2020-4?r=US&IR=T" target="_blank">Business Insider</a>. "And then, in many ways, we lose so many more New Yorkers to this silent killer."</p>
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<p><br>Cuomo said the state saw its highest death toll in a single day Wednesday at 799.</p><p>More than 5,000 of the state's deaths were in New York City, the nation's largest. Also on Thursday, the number of New York City patients being treated at special overflow hospitals more than doubled, from fewer than 100 Tuesday to 242, <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/09/831288797/number-of-patients-at-overflow-hospitals-in-new-york-has-doubled?utm_campaign=npr&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_term=nprnews&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwAR3RIYNTkEKWjXiSa7a8DADbATdZWH2nHafyhgIXD6TQ-fCsOJQSb6zGbeU&t=1586502026809" target="_blank">NPR reported</a>.</p><p>The city has hired contract labor to bury the surge in dead at its potter's field on Hart Island, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-hart-island-idUSKCN21R398?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0bTLixbI91r4fgtPQ6wqyAdd44yRdwnCLG6-kjfPW_SJuHeW2FDiqnpfU" target="_blank">Reuters reported</a>. Those with either no family or no family who can arrange a funeral have been buried there since the 1800s. But while typically the city buries around 25 people there per week, that number has jumped to around that many per day Monday to Friday. And while the work is usually done by inmates, the city has hired contractors for public health reasons.</p><p>"For social distancing and safety reasons, city-sentenced people in custody are not assisting in burials for the duration of the pandemic," Department of Correction spokesperson Jason Kersten told Reuters.</p>
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<p>However, the news out of New York this week wasn't all grim. The number of new cases admitted to the hospital fell for a second day in a row to 200, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa/you-cant-relax-vigilance-urged-as-new-york-sees-signs-of-coronavirus-flattening-idUSKCN21R2FM?fbclid=IwAR1z7MQBpSFt7S3NBRLPVetzgWkKaep0VfaMDJ9ndoniRlqUYf83nZjamGY&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook" target="_blank">Reuters further reported</a>. Cuomo said it was a sign that social distancing was working, but said it was far from time to ease restrictions.</p><p>"You can't relax," Cuomo said Thursday. "The flattening of the curve last night happened because of what we did yesterday."</p><p>In another sign that restrictions are working across the U.S. as a whole, projections for the final nationwide death toll fell from at least 100,000 to 60,000.</p><p>The U.S. currently leads the world with 466,299 cases, according to Johns Hopkins. It has the second highest death toll after Italy, at 16,686 to Italy's 18,279. Globally, there are 1,603,330 confirmed cases of the disease. To date, 95,758 have died while 355,983 have recovered.</p>
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