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The 14-day period of self-isolation due to the novel coronavirus has ended for the two #NICAR20 attendees who tested positive for COVID-19, as well as for IRE staff.
The first attendee who reported a presumptively positive test still has not heard from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The attendee has fully recovered and did not need any medical attention or medicine, including over-the-counter drugs, at any point since the test result. The attendee's spouse tested negative and continues to show no symptoms. The state public health department released the attendee last week from self-quarantine, and the attendee was reunited with their family Sunday night.
The second attendee also recovered at home and has gone back to work (remotely).
IRE staff also have been cleared from their voluntary self-isolation, which was taken as a safety precaution. Five IRE staff members were tested for COVID-19 at the University of Missouri, where IRE is based. All tests came back negative. Other IRE staff members, who live in six other states, had no symptoms and were unable to be tested.
In addition, two University of Missouri professors and 25 Mizzou students who attended the New Orleans conference also were tested for the novel coronavirus. All tested negative.
To IRE’s knowledge, no other #NICAR20 attendee has tested positive for COVID-19. As of today (March 23), IRE has not been contacted by the CDC or any state health department with further information or instructions connected to the coronavirus pandemic.
A second NICAR20 attendee has received a presumptively positive test result for the COVID-19 virus, IRE learned today (March 16). The attendee feels better and expects a full recovery.
The attendee traveled from inside the United States to New Orleans for the conference. They arrived Wednesday evening (March 4) and left Monday (March 9). The attendee stayed at the conference hotel but did not use the pool or fitness center. IRE has sent separate notification to people who participated in a pre-registration hands-on data class with the individual.
On Saturday (March 7), the attendee developed a persistent cough, shortness of breath and nasal congestion. The attendee saw a doctor on Tuesday morning (March 10) and received a diagnosis of pneumonia. On Thursday (March 12), the attendee received a positive test result for the novel coronavirus. The attendee was told that the Centers for Disease Control would contact IRE. When it was clear that had not happened, the attendee reached out directly to IRE on Monday afternoon (March 16).
Since the COVID-19 diagnosis, the attendee’s state health department has notified anyone they had close contact with during the conference. Based on the onset of symptoms, the attendee could have contracted the virus before or during the conference. Symptoms can appear within two to 14 days of exposure, and in some cases do not appear at all, according to the CDC.
The attendee has asked to remain private. To protect those privacy rights, IRE will not release the person’s conference schedule or cross-check it against other attendee schedules. In addition, IRE doesn’t want to give anyone a false sense of security. Given what we’ve all learned recently about COVID-19, it seems likely that far more people across the country have been infected with it than any of us realized. For those of us who traveled through airports, sat on planes and interacted with lots of people before, during and after the NICAR conference, there’s a chance that we encountered someone along the way who was carrying the novel coronavirus.
If you have concerns or questions about your own health, the CDC recommends that you contact your medical provider, explain the situation and seek professional medical advice.
The first attendee with a presumptive positive test for COVID-19 is still awaiting word from the CDC on whether their result has been confirmed.
Please see our FAQs for further information and guidance.
The spouse of the NICAR20 attendee with a presumptively positive COVID-19 test result has tested negative for the novel coronavirus.
The attendee is still awaiting word from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on whether the initial test result has been verified at the federal level. That process can take up to a week. The attendee had the test performed on Monday (March 9) and received the presumptive positive result the next day. The test was then sent to CDC for confirmation.
The attendee is feeling fine with minor symptoms similar to a head cold. The spouse did not attend NICAR20 or travel to New Orleans.
A person who attended the NICAR20 conference in New Orleans last week tested presumptively positive March 10 with COVID-19.
This attendee has mild symptoms and is expected to make a full recovery. They are self-quarantining at home for 14 days, as recommended by health professionals.
The test has been sent to the Centers for Disease Control for confirmation. Until the test result is confirmed by the CDC, which can take up to a week, it is considered a presumptive positive. IRE is notifying conference attendees now so that individuals can make their own decisions on how best to proceed.
The attendee traveled from within the United States to the conference in New Orleans and was present from Thursday (March 5) until Saturday afternoon (March 7). Based on the onset of the limited symptoms, they could have contracted the virus either before, during or after the conference. Symptoms can appear within two to 14 days of exposure, and in some cases do not appear at all.
The attendee has been reaching out today to people they had close contact with during the conference. In addition, IRE is notifying individuals who participated in a pre-registered hands-on class with the attendee.
IRE has consulted with the CDC for guidance. The CDC recommends conference attendees contact their health care provider to let them know that they attended a large gathering with someone who has a laboratory-positive test for COVID-19. Based on your health history and whether you have any symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough or shortness of breath), your doctor may want to see you and/or conduct a coronavirus test. Protocols and testing availability vary from state to state.
The CDC also suggests checking with your local and state health officials and employer for guidance on whether you should work from home or take other measures to limit contact with others. If you develop a fever, cough or shortness of breath, please contact your health care provider immediately.
If you do become ill, please contact IRE so that we can notify public health officials and other attendees as necessary. Please email IRE Executive Director Doug Haddix (doug@ire.org). IRE will respect your privacy.
For further information, the CDC recommends this particular guidance page as well as the more general COVID-19 page online.
IRE will send further updates as warranted. For questions, please email info@ire.org.
In the meantime, we are starting an FAQ section here. It will be updated as other questions or issues arise.
These FAQs will be updated frequently as more information is available
If I attended NICAR20, should I self-quarantine? Should my family self-quarantine?
If you have concerns or questions about your own health or your family’s health, the CDC recommends that you contact your medical provider, explain the situation and seek professional medical advice. For further information about symptoms and a host of other related issues, the CDC recommends this particular guidance page as well as the more general COVID-19 page online.
Will IRE report any other presumptive positive COVID-19 test results among attendees?
IRE will notify attendees and the public if the organization learns of any other presumptive positive cases of COVID-19. As of now, IRE is aware of one case that has tested presumptive positive and is awaiting final determination by the CDC, which can take up to a week. If you become ill, please contact IRE Executive Director Doug Haddix (doug@ire.org) so that we can notify public health officials and other attendees. IRE will respect your privacy.
When did IRE know about the presumptively positive test, and what steps did staff take?
IRE was notified by the individual late Tuesday afternoon (March 10). Upon learning of the case and discussing it directly with the individual involved, Executive Director Doug Haddix notified the IRE Board of Directors at 6:30 p.m. EDT. IRE staff quickly convened in a conference call to come up with a communication plan for attendees and the whole IRE community. Staff worked with public health officials, including the CDC, to gather accurate guidance for attendees. It took more than 90 minutes to connect with a representative of the CDC who could offer specific guidance and instruction for IRE. About 8:30 p.m. EDT, a detailed email was sent to conference attendees and others present for NICAR20. IRE also posted a public statement on its website, and tweeted out a detailed thread about the situation. Those who participated in a pre-registration, hands-on class with the attendee were also notified by IRE staff via email Tuesday evening. IRE is continuing to communicate updates and information at ire.org/coronavirus and on social media.
How is IRE staff operating in the wake of the news?
On Tuesday evening, all IRE full-time staff and part-time student employees were instructed to work from home, practice social distancing and monitor their own health until further guidance. Most IRE employees work remotely and live in various locations across the United States. Four IRE full-time staff work at IRE headquarters at the Missouri School of Journalism. IRE has been in close communication with the University of Missouri, which issued a notification to the campus community and agreed with IRE’s decision to have full-time and student employees work from home until further notice.
Will IRE release the list of sessions, classes and social events attended by the person with the presumably positive coronavirus test?
No. NICAR20 attendees attended numerous sessions, classes and receptions, in addition to having conversations in hallways, at restaurants and during other social interactions. Having a precise calendar of the attendee’s movements would not provide other attendees with any sense of whether they actually had close contact with the person. In addition, releasing someone’s conference itinerary could make it possible to identify the individual. So, to maintain the individual’s right to privacy, particularly involving a medical issue, IRE has decided not to provide a detailed schedule for one attendee or answer inquiries about a particular session, class or event — with one exception. Those who participated in a pre-registration, hands-on class with the attendee have been notified by IRE. The attendee has reached out directly to everyone else they had close contact with during the conference. Another reason we're not releasing the person's schedule or cross-checking it against other attendee schedules is because we don't want to give anyone a false sense of security. Given what we've all learned recently about COVID-19, it seems likely that far more people across the country have been infected with it than any of us realized. For those of us who traveled through airports, sat on planes and interacted with lots of people before, during and after the NICAR conference, there's a chance that we encountered someone along the way who was carrying the novel coronavirus. If you have concerns or questions about your own health, the CDC recommends that you contact your medical provider, explain the situation and seek professional medical advice.
Can IRE say what city or part of the country the individual traveled from?
No. To protect the individual’s privacy, IRE will not provide the specific location from which the person traveled. The attendee did travel to New Orleans from within the U.S.
Did the individual stay at the conference hotel?
Yes, but did not use the gym or the pool.
Is IRE helping the individual reach out to others who had direct contact?
Yes. IRE remains in close contact with the individual, who already has reached out to people with whom they’ve had close contact. IRE has notified those who participated in a pre-registration, hands-on class with the attendee.
If I don't receive an email about shared workshop attendance, does that confirm I was not in a paid workshop with the individual? Can you let me know which paid workshop this person attended?
All attendees in the pre-registered hands-on workshop the individual participated in were notified via email Tuesday night. If you did not receive an email specifically about this class, you did not attend the workshop with the individual. (This email was separate from the email sent to all conference attendees about the presumptive positive test.)
Why didn’t IRE cancel the conference before it began?
Shortly before the start of NICAR20 on March 5, IRE assessed the situation and decided to proceed with the New Orleans conference as planned. Government and health authorities in New Orleans, Louisiana and the federal government had not issued any advisories about potentially canceling conferences or limits to travel. No cases of COVID-19 had been reported in Louisiana when the conference began. Prior to the conference, IRE told attendees about safety and hygiene protocols including hand-washing and the availability of hand sanitizer and computer wipes.
What is happening with IRE trainings in March and April?
All IRE training events in March and April have been postponed. Staff made the decision to postpone spring Watchdog Workshops before learning of the COVID-19 case. Registration fees will be refunded for those who already have signed up for a training. IRE staff are contacting those registered for postponed events and will update members as trainings are rescheduled.
What’s the status of the IRE conference in June?
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the #IRE20 national conference has been rescheduled for Aug. 27-30. The conference will be held in the same location: the Gaylord National hotel in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. Previously, the conference had been set for June 18-21.
The 2020 NICAR Conference begins on Thursday. Below you'll find a few bits of information to help you prepare.
For the latest information about panels, speakers and special events at the conference, please visit our conference website at ire.org/nicar20.
The conference is taking place at the New Orleans Marriott, 555 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70130.
Registration opens Wednesday at 3 p.m. and will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Preservation Foyer located on the 2nd floor. Be sure to bring photo identification when picking up your name badge.
IRE continues to monitor information from local and national public health authorities regarding COVID-19. During NICAR20, IRE will provide hand sanitizer throughout the conference meeting space. In addition, we will have disinfectant wipes for our hands-on computer labs. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has a COVID-19 site with regular updates. If you need to cancel your registration, please see our policy on the NICAR20 registration page.
Weather looks to be in the 60s during the week. See the 10-day forecast.
Wireless internet is provided to all NICAR conference attendees.
Network/SSID: IRE
Password: NICAR2020 (case sensitive)
Room monitors will be stationed in the hallways during sessions and will be happy to answer your questions.
We will have nine computer labs again this year. Seating is limited. If there's a hands-on class you really want to take, plan on getting there early.
If you’re a speaker, please send any materials you’ve developed to tipsheets@ire.org. We’ll be posting these resources on our website as they are received.
There are a few ways to track the full schedule of panels, hands-on sessions and special events with accurate, up-to-the-minute details:
Be sure to check out the list of special events taking place this week. Events include a welcome reception Thursday, the Philip Meyer Awards presentation and reception Friday and a closing reception at the New Orleans Audubon Aquarium of the Americas on Saturday. Also, be sure to check out the partner events taking place during the conference.
Investigative Reporters & Editors is committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of race, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical ability, age, appearance or religion.
IRE supports vigorous debate and welcomes disagreement, while maintaining a civil and respectful community. Discriminatory or harassing behavior is not permitted.
IRE may take any action it deems appropriate to deal with those who violate our principles, including exclusion from our events, forums, listservs and the organization itself.
This code of conduct covers all participants in IRE events and is in effect the entire time from the beginning until the end of our conferences.
If you feel threatened or in immediate jeopardy during an IRE event, you should call building security by calling 0 from a house phone, or local police by dialing 911.
During the scheduled program, concerns can be brought to the attention of IRE staff or board members in person. Staff members will have red ribbons on their name badges, and board members will have blue ribbons. To report a possible violation, email conduct@ire.org.
We wanted to share a brief message regarding the emerging public health concerns posed by the COVID-19 virus. We are closely monitoring updates from local and national public health authorities regarding the situation in communities where cases of the new coronavirus have been confirmed.
At present, there is no information to suggest that there is an imminent risk to our annual data journalism conference next week. Fortunately, there are a limited number of confirmed cases in the United States.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is working with state and local governments to implement aggressive measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The CDC has a COVID-19 page online with full details. The Share Facts, Not Fear page is especially helpful.
During NICAR20, IRE will provide hand sanitizer throughout the conference meeting space. In addition, we will have disinfectant wipes for our hands-on computer labs.
In addition, there are several easy ways that we all can help minimize the risk of exposure. These are the same basic steps we should be taking daily to help prevent the spread of illnesses such as the flu and the common cold:
With continued aggressive good hygiene, we can all do our part to help keep everyone healthy.
We will continue to provide updates as the situation develops and new information becomes available.
If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact IRE by emailing logistics@ire.org.
The 2020 NICAR Conference app is now available through Guidebook!
We encourage you to download our mobile guide to enhance your experience in New Orleans. You’ll be able to plan your day with a personalized schedule, browse maps and connect with other attendees.
The app is free and compatible with iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches and Android devices.
To get the guide, choose one of the methods below:
For the first time, IRE will offer its members the option of buying digital contest questionnaire packs to explore the best investigative work published in 2019.
Anyone who enters the IRE Awards completes a thorough questionnaire, which provides a blueprint to unpack the investigation. The form includes detailed information about how the story idea originated, key documents and data, and tips for overcoming obstacles.
“Our contest questionnaires are a gold mine,” IRE Executive Director Doug Haddix said. “When I worked in newsrooms, I used them all the time for story ideas, inspiration and guidance. They saved valuable time and helped improve our investigations.”
The contest entry packs for 2019 are available in the IRE Shop. You can purchase the full set of all 470 entries in all categories for $250. Or you may select specific category packs, which cost $20 apiece for those with 15 or fewer entries or $50 apiece for categories with more entries.
“A longtime IRE member suggested this new product as a way to save time and collect detailed dossiers on the best watchdog work across all news platforms,” Haddix said.
IRE members are still able to obtain individual contest questionnaires at no cost through the IRE Resource Center.
Thanks to everyone who submitted a Lighting Talk idea for the 2020 NICAR Conference. Now it’s time to narrow the more than 45 ideas down to the 10 talks we’ll hear in New Orleans. Go online and vote for your favorite proposals. The polls close on Friday, Feb. 21.
What are Lightning Talks? Lightning Talks are 5-minute presentations on particular skills, tools or techniques. Pitches are submitted and voted on by NICAR20 attendees.
When are they? Friday, March 6, at 5 p.m. in New Orleans.
How does voting work? You'll be able to vote for as many talks as you'd like, and the 10 talks with the most votes will be a part of the Lightning Talks session at NICAR20. The official schedule will be posted on the Lightning Talks site a couple of days after voting closes.
Why can’t I see who pitched a talk? Last year, we decided to make the pitching and voting process anonymous. In years past, the person’s name would be displayed alongside the pitch. Our hope was to use anonymity to encourage a more diverse group of people to submit pitches and bring more focus to the content of the talk in the voting process.
Police rely on alcohol breath tests to convict drunken drivers. But what happens when the machines they use aren’t reliable? Stacy Cowley of The New York Times looked into the problem of faulty breath test machines and found thousands of cases where the tests were thrown out. On this episode, Stacy breaks down how she discovered unreliable breath tests and the consequences they pose for real people.
You can find the podcast on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Google Play. If you have a story you think we should feature on the show, drop us a note at web@ire.org. We’d love to hear from you.
Looking for links to the stories and resources we discussed on this week's podcast? We've collected them for you.
Calisson (Blue Dot Sessions) / CC BY-NC 4.0
Grey Grey Joe (Blue Dot Sessions) / CC BY-NC 4.0
Fifteen Street (Blue Dot Sessions) / CC BY-NC 4.0
Arizona Moon (Blue Dot Sessions) / CC BY-NC 4.0
Two in the Back (Blue Dot Sessions) / CC BY-NC 4.0
Kelly Kenoyer reported this episode. IRE Editorial Director Sarah Hutchins edits the podcast. We are recorded in the studios of KBIA at the University of Missouri.
Thanks to the generosity of financial supporters, IRE is fortunate to have funding available to provide fellowships for financial assistance to its Data Journalism Bootcamps and annual NICAR Conference. This month, IRE awarded 25 fellowships for the March 2020 Data Journalism Bootcamp and the 2020 NICAR conference.
Lei “Tommy” Xie, an associate professor at Fairfield University, received the David Donald Fellowship for Data Journalism.
The fellowship was established in 2017 for the late David Donald, a former IRE training director, who spread the gospel of CAR to thousands of journalists, educators and students.The fellowship supports journalism educators to be better equipped to teach students to be effective watchdogs through the use of data.
Chiara Eisner, an independent journalist from Houston, Layla Quran from PBS Newshour (Washington, D.C.) and Blaise Aboh from Orodata Science (Nigeria), received Ottaway Fellowships.
Established by David Ottaway and the Ottaway Family Fund, the Ottoway Fellowship is aimed at increasing the diversity of IRE's membership.
Yoojin Cho from KXAN (Austin, Texas), Sonja Hutson from KUER (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Hurubie Meko from Lancaster Newspaper | LancasterOnline (Lancaster, Pennsylvania) received Total Newsroom Training Fellowships.
Total Newsroom Training (TNT) Fellowships are open to those who have completed two days of IRE’s TNT Program.
Mohamed Al Elew from the University of California, San Diego, and Yves De Jesus from the University of Minnesota received Diversity Fellowships for Students.
The Diversity Fellowships for Students is funded by generous IRE donors.
Monica Cordero Sancho, an independent journalist, Rio Lacanlale from the Las Vegas Review-Journal (Las Vegas, Nevada) and Amanda Zhou from the Charlotte Observer received Diversity Fellowships.
Some of the diversity fellowships were established by the Philip L. Graham Fund in memory of the late publisher of The Washington Post and president of The Washington Post Company (now Graham Holdings Company). Other fellowships were established by the IRE Diversity Development Fund. Both funds are intended to increase the diversity of the IRE membership and of the investigative journalism community.
Yurirua Guzman from the Graduate School of Journalism at UC Berkeley received the Jennifer Leonard Scholarship.
Established by IRE member David Cay Johnston, formerly of The New York Times, to honor his wife, Jennifer, who is a national leader in promoting ethical standards for CHARITABLE endowments. The scholarship supports women studying journalism or in their first three years of their professional journalism career.
Faith Abubey from NBC Atlanta and Kevin Wisniewski from WTVF (Nashville, Tennessee) received Knight TV Data Fellowships.
Funded by the Knight Foundation to strengthen data watchdog skills at local TV stations across the United States.
Megan DeLaire from Torstar (Toronto, Canada), Maayan Silver and Lauren Sigfusson from WUWM (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), Jeff Outhit from Waterloo Region Record (Ontario, Canada), Christian Marquez from Searchlight New Mexico (Santa Fe, New Mexico), Sara Simon from Spotlight PA (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania), Sarah Gibson and Sara Plourde from New Hampshire Public Radio (Concord, New Hampshire) and Olivia Sanchez and Naomi Harris from the Capital Gazette (Annapolis, Maryland) received Data in Local Newsroom Training Program Fellowships.
Data in Local Newsroom Training Program is funded by Google News Initiative.
If you are interested in applying for a fellowship for financial assistance for future IRE bootcamps or conferences, go here for more information. The next due dates:
The board of Investigative Reporters and Editors joins other journalism organizations in support of the immediate release of Ignace Sossou, who is serving an 18-month prison sentence for doing his job as a journalist.
Sossou is the head of production at Benin Web TV, and a member of the 3i investigative journalists' network. He was convicted of harassment for accurately reporting comments made by a public prosecutor. Sossou had previously received a one-month suspended prison sentence for exposing a tax evasion case.
IRE supports the rights of journalists the world over to do their jobs without fear of persecution. IRE calls on the Benin Republic to respect freedoms of expression and of the press guaranteed by the country's own laws.
IRE is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of investigative reporting in the U.S. and throughout the world. Today, IRE has grown into one of the largest journalism organizations in the United States and one of the largest investigative journalism groups in the world, with members from the U.S. and more than 50 other countries.
Acclaimed journalist Ronan Farrow will deliver the 2020 keynote address at the IRE national investigative journalism conference in June.
The conference, featuring nearly 400 speakers and 200 sessions, will take place June 18-21 in the Washington, D.C., area. More details, including links to registration and lodging, are available on the #IRE20 conference page.
“We are thrilled that Ronan has accepted our invitation," said IRE board president Cheryl W. Thompson, an investigative correspondent for NPR. "His dogged investigative reporting helped spark a global movement, and we look forward to his inspiring and motivating message."
Farrow will speak June 20 during the annual IRE Awards Luncheon, which celebrates the best investigative journalism produced across all news platforms.
Farrow is author of the best-selling “Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators.” His 2019 book details his efforts to investigate allegations of rape, sexual assault and abuse of women by powerful Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and allegations of intimidation and cover-up by powerful institutions including the news media.
Farrow is a contributing writer to The New Yorker, where his investigative work has won the Pulitzer Prize for public service, the National Magazine Award and the George Polk Award, among other honors. He previously worked as an anchor and investigative reporter at MSNBC and NBC News, with his print commentary and reporting appearing in publications including the Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post.
Before his career in journalism, he served as a State Department official in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller “War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence.” Farrow has been named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People and one of GQ's Men of the Year. He is a graduate of Yale Law School and a member of the New York Bar. He recently completed a Ph.D. in political science at Oxford University, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. He lives in New York.
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