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Queens World Film Festival will stream live online due to coronavirus outbreak BY BILL PARRY The Queens World Film Festival, which was set to launch its 10th anniversary run on Thursday at the nowclosed Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, will stream live online with screenings from March 19-29. The festival was set to screen more than 200 films from around the world, as well as many that were created here in Queens, at several locations around the borough. Now those films can be watched in the comfort of your own home on DISCOVERED.TV with a schedule at the festival’s website here. “From the beginning of time, we have gathered together around the flickering lights in our darkened caves to share our stories,” Queens World Film Festival Director Katha Cato said. “Although the flickering lights have become zeros and ones, we’ve changed the nature of our caves, but the impulse to gather endures. In these times of crisis, it is even more important that we gather around the humanity provided in film. We are grateful to DISCOVERED.TV for providing their free online platform to make our film screenings possible, and for making the 10th Annual Queens World Film Festival, the first international film festival to screen on their site.” TIMESLEDGER | QNS.28 COM | MARCH 20-MARCH 26, 2020 To virtually attend the Queens World Film Festival go to DISCOVER. TV’s website here. “We developed DISCOVERED. TV to give creators a global alternative distribution source for music, film and TV,” DISCOVERED.TV Co- Founder Charles Pankey said. “We are delighted to launch the DISCOVERED Film Festival channel with the Queens World Film Festival in a way that enables them to celebrate their 10th anniversary through our platform. This pioneering effort will set a new standard for film festivals worldwide.” Festival artistic director Don Cato reviewed nearly 800 films that were submitted from 61 nations selecting 220 from 32 nations, 24 of them from Queens and 26 from Brooklyn, and 10 by children participating in the festival’s education program. “We selected 200-plus incredible films from around the globe,” he said. “We literally have something for everyone. Expect to be delighted by cinematic treasures presented in thematic blocks from filmmakers residing from all over the globe, yet all engaged in similar conversations.” Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@schnepsmedia.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538. Jackson Heights couple Katha and Don Cato at the Queens World Film Festival kickoff party in Woodside last month. Photo by Dean Moses �� Since the December outbreak in Wuhan, China, the new coronavirus has spread rapidly, with more than 118,000 confirmed cases in 114 countries as of early March. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus that causes the disease known as COVID-19 seems to be spreading in the community in certain affected geographic areas. As with any virus, however, there are simple steps you can take to protect yourself. Know the signs The symptoms of infection for the new coronavirus are often similar to those of other respiratory virus infections, such as influenza. Symptoms can include fever, cough, or shortness of breath. Most people will only have mild symptoms, but some can become very sick. When person-to-person spread has occurred with other novel coronaviruses that caused diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), it is thought to have happened mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and other respiratory pathogens spread. Spread of MERS and SARS has generally occurred between people in close contact. “The means of transmission is similar: through respiratory droplets produced when a person coughs or sneezes, or by direct physical contact with an infected person, such as shaking hands,” says Dr. David Goldberg, internist and infectious disease specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Westchester and an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. If you think you may have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 and have symptoms, before going to a doctor’s office or emergency room, call ahead and tell them about your symptoms and any recent travel. You can also utilize a virtual care platform, such as NewYork-Presbyterian’s NYP OnDemand, to meet with a healthcare professional by video conference. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, your doctor will determine whether or not you need to come in to be evaluated. Avoid contact with others and wear a face mask if you need to leave your home when you are sick. Keep things clean Preventative measures are your first line of defense. The best way to protect yourself from COVID-19 is to practice good hygiene and to make these CDC recommendations part of your routine: �� and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. �� available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty. �� and mouth with unwashed hands. �� who are sick. �� a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow, rather than into your hands. �� touched objects and surfaces. Visit the CDC for guidelines on how to properly wash your hands and use hand sanitizer. (Yes, there’s plenty of science behind this basic habit.) What about face masks? You may have noticed a growing number of people out and about with their faces covered, but the CDC does not currently recommend the use of face masks among the general public. As noted above, face masks should be used by people who show COVID-19 symptoms to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of face masks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility). Plan your travel accordingly The CDC recommends avoiding all nonessential travel to mainland China, Iran, South Korea, and Italy. Older adults and those with chronic medical conditions should consider postponing nonessential travel to Japan. “For people at risk for the complications of COVID-19, such as those with underlying medical conditions or those who are older, it may be prudent to avoid any long-distance travel,” says Dr. Goldberg.Keep in mind, layovers at airports in these destinations also count. If a layover is unavoidable, the CDC recommends that travelers not leave the airport. Travelers with layovers may still be subject to screening and monitoring when entering the United States. Stay up to date with CDC’s travel health notices related to this outbreak. How NewYork-Presbyterian is prepared Rest assured, NewYork-Presbyterian is following the situation closely and implementing all recommendations provided by our local and state departments of health and the CDC. Our medical staff is trained to recognize patients who may have COVID-19 and to keep the new virus from spreading. Yes, you can still visit family or friends at NewYork-Presbyterian. We understand how important the support of loved ones and friends is to patients during their hospital stay. At the same time, the new coronavirus �� visiting policy in order to keep our patients and visitors safe from infection. Please visit NYP.org for updated visitor guidelines. Telemedicine Info: If you or your family are experiencing COVID19 symptoms, such as: cough, fever, or trouble breathing, healthcare is at your fingertips with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s Virtual Urgent Care. Our app lets you see a board-certified physician from Columbia University Irving Medical Center or Weill Cornell Medicine right on your phone, tablet, or computer, seven days a week: nyp.org/urgentcare. This article first appeared on New- York-Presbyterian’s Health Matters https://healthmatters.nyp.org/ /urgentcare / /NYP.org link / link