Category: Covid-19

Read Stateline coverage of the latest state action on coronavirus.

COVID-19 has raged throughout U.S. jails and prisons, where people live together in close quarters and there is little opportunity for social distancing, a lack of basic sanitary supplies and high rates of chronic disease.

While inmates mostly stay behind concrete walls and barbed wire, those barriers cant contain an infectious disease like COVID-19. Not only can the virus be brought into jails and prisons, but it also can leave those facilities and spread widely into surrounding communities and beyond.

The effect may be most pronounced in jails, which mainly house those who are awaiting trial or inmates serving short sentences. Those facilities tend to have more churn than state and federal penitentiaries, with greater numbers of people entering and leaving, thereby increasing opportunities for the disease to disseminate.

Two new studies show that jails can contribute enormously to coronavirus case totals outside their walls. While COVID-19s spread inside the facilities has been widely reported, the research demonstrates just how great an impact it can have in communities outside.

Depending on the social distancing measures put in place, community spread from infections in jails could add between 99,000 and 188,000 people to the virus U.S. death toll, according to a modeling study recently published by the American Civil Liberties Union in conjunction with researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Tennessee and Washington State University.

The report was released in April, when some experts were predicting that the U.S. death toll would remain below 100,000. As of June 30, more than 125,800 people have died of COVID-19 in the United States.

A peer-reviewed study set to appear in the health policy journal Health Affairsechoes that finding. The researchers found that cycling through Cook County Jail was associated with 15.9% of COVID-19 cases in Chicago and 15.7% in Illinois as of late April.

Although currently available data are inadequate to establish a clear causal relation, the studys authors write, these provisional findings are consistent with the hypothesis that arrest and jailing practices are augmenting infection rates in highly policed neighborhoods.

Cook County officials, including officials from the Chicago Department of Public Health, have pushed back hard on the report, calling it a fantasy filled with assumptions bordering on lies. They say it is based on old data that did not account for changes the jail had made to stop the spread of the virus, including testing and allowing for quarantining.

According to the county sheriffs office, as of last week, 778 inmates at the county jail and 362 of its workers tested positive for the virus. Seven inmates and three employees have died.

The authors of the Health Affairs paper said they stand by their conclusions.

COVID-19 already has infected about 60,000 prisoners and correctional staff and killed more than 600 of them, according to the Marshall Project, which tracks the virus toll in correctional facilities. Many jails and prisons have reduced their inmate populations to reduce exposures.

The results of the ACLU and Health Affairs studies underline a point that many in public health have long advanced: Public health in the wider world is tethered to the health of those who are incarcerated.

This is why public health officials say correctional health is public health, said Dr. Brie Williams, a professor and researcher at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine and director of Amend, a group that works to improve inmate health.

Stateline Story June 29, 2020

Its not only released inmates, many of whom end up in crowded homeless shelters, who might carry the virus into communities. There are also risks of infection from inmates making court appearances or receiving medical care at hospitals in the community.

Infectious diseases move back and forth between communities and prisons. That was the case with tuberculosis in the 19th and 20th centuries and with HIV/AIDS in the 1980s and beyond.

In recent years, that point was made again in relation to hepatitis C, a communicable disease with high rates of infection in prisons because of the large numbers of incarcerated intravenous drug users. Sharing needles is one of the primary means of hepatitis C transmission.

One of the arguments public health experts used to urge local, state and federal governments to treat inmates with hepatitis Cwith highly effective but expensive medications was that knocking out the infection in prisons would prevent its spread beyond those walls. The difference between this pandemic and those other diseases, epidemiologists say, is that because COVID-19 is transmitted through respiratory droplets in the air, it spreads much more easily.

The United States is particularly vulnerable to diseases spreading near correctional institutions. Its incarceration rate is the highest in the world, at 655 people out of every 100,000, according to World Prison Brief. With 2.1 million inmates, the United States also imprisons more people than any other country, nearly 412,000 more than China, which ranks second.

About 738,000 of those prisoners are in local jails, according to the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics. But that number is just a point-in-time snapshot. During the course of a year, 4.9 million people cycle through local jails, according to the Prison Policy Initiative, a Massachusetts think tank.

Additionally, federal labor statistics show that jails employ about 151,000 correctional officers who can bring infections into facilities or take them home.

Stateline Story September 25, 2018

Most cases in jails have not originated with inmates, said Dr. Alysse Wurcel, an infectious disease physician at Tufts Medical Center who sees patients at six area jails and is a consultant to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association. Weve discussed with the sheriffs association that early on, clusters were initiated by people working in the jails, not by those newly incarcerated.

There is a racial component to the concern about prisons and the pandemic. Disproportionate numbers of inmates are people of color, and the coronavirus is killing Blackand Hispanic people at higher rates than their shares of the overall population. Those two data points have not escaped the notice of public health experts.

Were in an epidemic of mass incarceration of Black people at the same time as a disease epidemic that is disproportionately affecting minorities, said Dr. Liz Barnert, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, who studies correctional health.

The pandemic has lent impetus to the growing movement to depopulate jails and prisons. Since the pandemic began, many states and local jurisdictions have taken steps to reduce inmate populations, releasing nonviolent offenders, granting more compassionate-releases and issuing citations rather than arresting alleged offenders.

Jails in California, Michigan, Massachusetts and North Dakota have released hundreds of prisoners. So have state prisons in those and other states. Many jurisdictions report large decreases in arrests.

Other states have done relatively little. Just last week, the Omaha World-Herald reported that the Nebraska prison system is 51% above capacity.

Public health experts insist that reducing jail and prison populations must continue, for the greater good of all.

Decreasing the risk of spread of COVID-19 in jails and prisons decreases the risk of spread out in communities, Williams said. And increasing the spread in jails and prisons increases the risk of spread in communities.

Read the original here:

How COVID-19 in Jails and Prisons Threatens Nearby Communities - The Pew Charitable Trusts

The city of Chicago will shut down bars that arent following social distancing guidelines and increase patrols in problem areas, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and other officials told liquor license holders on a conference call ahead of the Fourth of July weekend.

If you squander this opportunity we will shut you down and you will not reopen anytime soon, Lightfoot said on the call, according to two sources.

On the call, the city said that the Chicago Police Department and Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Department would be proactively canvassing problems areas, with potential for immediate closure orders and citations of up to $10,000 each on bar owners that arent following rules.

Illinois health officials Thursday reported 869 new known cases of COVID-19 and 36 additional confirmed fatalities, bringing the total number of known cases to 144,882 and the confirmed death toll to 6,987.

Heres whats happening Thursday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:

5:23 p.m.: Lightfoot orders anyone coming to Chicago from states where COVID-19 is surging to quarantine for 14 days

People coming to Chicago from 15 states experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases must self-quarantine for 14 days upon entering the city beginning next week, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced late Thursday afternoon.

The city ordered the quarantine for anyone who has spent more than 24 hours in the following states before arriving in Chicago: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.

The order, which will go into effect on Monday, does not apply to people who are at the airport for a connecting flight or driving through the city on their way elsewhere, city officials said.

Like every action we have taken in response to the COVID-19 crisis, this decision was difficult but necessary in order to ensure the continued health and safety of Chicagos residents and businesses, Lightfoot said in a statement.

Anyone violating the order could face fines of $100 to $500 per day, up to a maximum $7,000, the city said.Under the order, quarantine means staying at a single designated home or dwelling for 14 days before doing any activities outside of the home or dwelling, the city said.

The order by Lightfoot mirrors a similar measure taken in New York City. It was unclear how the city plans to monitor or enforce the order.With neighboring Indiana and other states pausing their reopening plans or even moving backward as new cases of the coronavirus surge, officials in Chicago and Illinois said Wednesday they have no plans to alter loosened rules that took effect statewide last week.

Lightfoot previously said the city tracks its data closely and will not hesitate to take action if they see an upward swing. Gregory Pratt

4:23 p.m.: Hurricane Harbor may reopen soon, but Six Flags Great America still questionable

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor water parks in Gurnee and Rockford may be reopening soon, though a reopening for Six Flags Great America remains less certain.

More than a month has passed since Six Flags laid out how it thought it could reopen as safely as possible considering the ongoing pandemic, but its Gurnee-based amusement and water parks remain closed, as do all amusement parks, trampoline parks and indoor playgrounds.

Six Flags has received word from the Governors Office that its two water parks are allowed to begin opening, spokeswoman Caitlin Kepple said. An opening date has not yet been set.

Our full-time team is now back on property and working to implement our comprehensive reopening safety plan so that we can welcome guests to Hurricane Harbor Chicago and Hurricane Harbor Rockford soon, she said in an email. Read more here. Emily K. Coleman

4:21 p.m.: Of the COVID-19 pregnancy cases reported in Illinois, Black and Latina women make up over 70%

At around 25 weeks pregnant with her first child, a 21-year-old Hispanic woman became infected with COVID-19.

The young womans doctors at St. Anthony Hospital in Little Village were just learning more about the coronavirus as it hit Illinois in the spring, and they wanted to monitor the babys growth.

But her insurance did not initially approve the growth ultrasound, her doctors said. So they had to wait to schedule a scan to check her baby. This delayed their ability to assess the pregnancy and created extra stress.

There were a lot of barriers for her, said Margarita Flores, a St. Anthony midwife who helped treat her.

When she delivered in June, she was diagnosed with preeclampsia high blood pressure in pregnancy that can lead to serious, or even fatal, complications for both mom and baby. The baby was born small.

The mom and her baby, whose names were not shared for privacy reasons, are doing well now, said Flores and her doctors.

The coronavirus has amplified the challenges pregnant women face. And even more so for Black and Latina women, who might be disproportionately affected by COVID-19, according torecent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, and who experience extra burdens of not only implicit racism within the health care industry, but also socioeconomic factors that can impact their ability to access care. Read more here. Alison Bowen

3:32 p.m.: Chili Davis, the former Cubs hitting coach, will work remotely when the Mets open camp because of COVID-19 concerns

Former Chicago Cubs hitting coach Chili Davis will keep working remotely when the New York Mets open summer training camp Friday.

The New York Post was first to report that Davis, 60, wont be on site at Citi Field for the beginning of practices because of concerns about the coronavirus.

The timeline for him to join us is uncertain yet, Mets manager Luis Rojas said on a video call Thursday.

The Post, citing unidentified sources in its report, said Davis does not have the virus.

Davis was the Cubs hitting coach in 2018 but was fired nine days after the Rockies beat the Cubs in the National League wild-card game. Read more here. Mike Fitzpatrick

2:31 p.m.: 869 new known COVID-19 cases, 36 additional deaths

Illinois health officials Thursday reported 869 new known cases of COVID-19 and 36 additional confirmed fatalities, bringing the total number of known cases to 144,882 and the confirmed death toll to 6,987.

1:44 p.m.: Federal judge denies GOP request to prevent Pritzkers crowd limit rule from applying to political gatherings

A federal judge on Thursday denied the Illinois Republican Partys request to temporarily block Gov. J.B. Pritzkers ban on gatherings of more than 50 people from applying to political gatherings.

The lawsuit, filed last month by the state GOP and three local Republican organizations, alleges the rules in Pritzkers order violate the First and 14th amendments. It asks the court to exempt political parties from the cap on gatherings and seeks permission to hold in-person events without size restrictions in the runup to the November election.

U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis wrote in a 21-page ruling Thursday that the GOP groups have not shown how this exemption is a plain invasion of their constitutional rights and denied their request for a temporary restraining order.

1:24 p.m.: Illinois Holocaust Museum reopens July 15 in Skokie

The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in north suburban Skokie will reopen to visitors July 15 with free admission for the day and limits on the number of visitors at any one time. The museum, devoted to the subject of the Holocaust in mission but in practice embracing a wide range of subjects and exhibits having to do with tolerance and human rights, also has announced an extension of the popular current Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

The exhibit about the Supreme Court justice and her popularity now will run through Jan. 3, 2021. Before the closure, said museum marketing vice president Marcy Larson, RBG had been on track to be one of the most popular weve ever had.

1:22 p.m.: Brookfield Zoo has reopened, and the animals might outnumber the humans

Brookfield Zoo is reopening this week, albeit slowly, with lions and tigers and zoo members first. The zoos gates swung open Wednesday for those holding seasonal memberships, with the general public to follow July 8. Tickets are being sold at reduced capacity, with timed admissions and only in advance.

On a hot and sunny first morning with temperatures edging their way towards 90 degrees, those admissions were just a trickle, with whole tree-lined boulevards inside the park free from strollers, crowds, humans of any kind. If youve ever wanted to feel like it was just you and the animals, this is your chance.

But be warned not all exhibits are open yet. Visitors will not be able to enter any of the indoor habitats so still closed are the primate houses, the dolphins and aquatic shows, and all of the indoor bird and aviary exhibits. But that leaves a lot open in the zoos 216 acres of grounds including the lions, tigers and big cats, bears, hoofed animals such as bison and zebra, kangaroos and more.

1:21 p.m.: Mayor Lori Lightfoot, city officials threaten to shut down bars that dont follow social distancing guidelines

The city of Chicago will shut down bars that arent following social distancing guidelines and increase patrols in problem areas, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and other officials told liquor license holders on a conference call ahead of the Fourth of July weekend.

If you squander this opportunity we will shut you down and you will not reopen anytime soon, Lightfoot said on the call, according to two sources.

Maureen Martino, executive director of the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce, said the message from the mayor was clear and stern.

Obviously the mayor has been very careful about reopening because of the virus and we dont want to go backwards. Its everyones best interests to follow the rules, Martino said. A couple bad operators can set us back. Were hoping to make the mayor proud this weekend.

On the call, the city said that the Chicago Police Department and Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Department would be proactively canvassing problems areas, with potential for immediate closure orders and citations of up to $10,000 each on bar owners that arent following rules.

A PowerPoint slide with that message said: The time for education is over.

12:23 p.m.: Horses stand idle and clowns call it quits as the coronavirus cancels Illinois rodeos. This is the first time ever that we wont have a rodeo.

Forty horses are crowded around Lenora Calzavara, their breath hot and their tails swishing.

These arent riding horses, waiting for someone to take them out for a trot. These are rodeo horses, bred for their ability to buck riders off in less than eight seconds.

A horse named Mafia Witch is the queen bee in the bunch, with her witchy-white mane blowing in the wind. She was the 2016 world champion bareback horse.

Theres her son, a blonde called Capone; another bareback bronc, the copper-colored mare named Angel Heart, and Shaken Not Stirred, a light brown saddle bronc who bucks his riders out of the saddle.

Summer is usually the busiest time of year for the horses, who travel from rodeo to rodeo, throwing off riders and entertaining crowds.

But for months, the horses havent done much besides graze on Calzavaras pasture in Harvard, Illinois.

They are all bored to death because this is the first time ever that we wont have a rodeo, said Calzavara, owner of Big Hat Rodeo.

10:25 a.m.: Alabama college students held coronavirus parties and whoever got virus first won cash prize, officials say

Several college students in an Alabama city organized COVID-19 parties as a contest to see who would get the virus first, officials said.

Tuscaloosa City Councilor Sonya McKinstry said students hosted the parties to intentionally infect each other with the new coronavirus, news outlets reported.

McKinstry said party organizers purposely invited guests who tested positive for COVID-19. She said the students put money in a pot and whoever got COVID first would get the cash.

It makes no sense, McKinstry said. Theyre intentionally doing it.

10:20 a.m.: Bars and nightclubs are becoming dangerous hot spots for COVID-19, health experts warn'

When the bars in Michigan reopened in June, Tony Hild forgot about face masks, social distancing and caution and headed out to Harpers Restaurant and Brewpub, a popular spot in the college town of East Lansing. There was a line out the door. Inside were 200 people dancing, drinking and shouting over the music.

It was just so crowded, and Im like, This is going against everything Im told not to do, said Hild, 23, a college student. But I didnt think I was going to get it.

As people eager for a night out flood back into public after months of confinement, public health experts say that college-town bars, nightclubs and corner taverns are becoming dangerous new hot spots for the coronavirus, seeding infections in thousands of mostly young adults and adding to surging cases nationwide.

Louisiana health officials tied at least 100 coronavirus cases to bars in the Tigerland nightlife district in Baton Rouge. Minnesota has traced 328 recent cases to bars across the state.

And in East Lansing, home to Michigan State University, nearly 140 cases have been linked to Harpers, Hild included. He came down with a sore throat, chest pains and fatigue, and by then more than a week later he had already visited four other restaurants.

10:18 a.m.: For some suburban theaters, reopening not feasible with fraction of audience capacity

As some entertainment venues are starting to slowly welcome patrons back, others are finding its not feasible to open under the states Phase 4 guidelines.

Among those is the Tivoli Theatre in downtown Downers Grove, part of the family-owned Classic Cinemas movie theaters. The historic 1,012-seat theater had planned to open June 26, but was caught off guard when the guidelines issued June 22 in Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan allowed for a lower audience capacity than anticipated. Per the states guidelines, theaters should operate at lesser of 50 guests OR 50% of overall theater or performance space capacity.

We can open, but ... because (the Tivoli) only has a single screen, that would be 50 people per show time and theres no way we can make that work financially, said Chris Johnson, CEO of Classic Cinemas.

It doesnt mean we wont reopen at some point, it just makes it extremely challenging.'

10 a.m.: Wrigley Field rooftops reach agreement with city to open for Cubs games, rooftop manager says

The city of Chicago has approved rooftops around Wrigley Field opening at 25 percent capacity for Cubs games, according to the general manager of a rooftop venue.

"We can open our rooftop," said Freddy Fagenholz, general manager of Murphy's Rooftop.

Fagenholz said he received a call from the city Wednesday that their license was approved with safety restrictions related to COVID-19.

9:15 a.m.: Whats it like as COVID-19 Phase 4 allows jazz clubs like Andys to reopen

When Chicago guitarist Andy Brown headed out for his gig Wednesday night at Andys Jazz Club, he realized hed forgotten something.

I was so excited as I walked out of my house, I was halfway to my garage when I realized what he had left behind, Brown told the audience during his first set. My guitar.

So he rushed back inside to get it.Thats what happens when you havent played a concert gig in 3-1/2 months.

But Brown and his bandmates pianist Jeremy Kahn and bassist Joe Policastro clearly have been practicing during the shutdown, judging by their exuberant performance at Andys, which reopened last weekend. Each instrumentalist packed so much melodic content and rhythmic drive into their solos, it sounded as if they were unleashing a torrent of pent-up musicality. Which, of course, they were.

I was sort of planning for this period, said Brown in an interview. The game hadnt even begun till this past weekend, when phase four of the states reopening plan allowed clubs to reopen at 25% occupancy.

7:05 a.m.: Chicago to focus on ticketing bar, restaurant violations of COVID-19 guidelines over July 4 weekend

Chicagos Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Department on Thursday will begin ramping up its enforcement of health guidelines for phase four of the states coronavirus reopening plan, especially at bars and restaurants, according to a news release from the mayors office.

The city has focused on reaching out and educating businesses up to this point, but this weekend expects to focus on writing tickets up to $10,000 related to social distancing, capacity limits and face coverings, according to the release.

City inspectors also are now able to immediately order the close of businesses they believe are committing egregious violations of the guidelines, according to the release.

Among the rules under the citys version of phase four: customers must practice social distancing and use face coverings; bars and restaurants have to keep to 25% of indoor capacity or 50 people; alcohol sales end at 11 p.m.; and lines outside must be managed.

The citys encouraging anyone who sees violations to call 311.

Since phase three of COVID-19 reopening began June 3, the city has issued 59 warnings or notices to correct and 9 citations, after 377 investigations of violations.

6 a.m.: Lightfoot dismissed questions about ability to afford new CTU contract if economy tanked. Then COVID-19 hit, damaging CPS budget for years.

After the Chicago Board of Education approved an expensive new teachers contract last fall following a bitter strike, Mayor Lori Lightfoot dismissed as 100% wrong the notion that the school district could have trouble affording the deal if there was an economic downturn.

Then came COVID-19, stay-at-home orders and a resulting recession that has hammered public finances across the country. Now, the financial fault lines that the Tribune identified have been breached as Chicago Public Schools officials try to put together a new spending plan in the coming weeks.

There are short-term problems: The state, which has its own financial woes, did not include extra education funding in its new budget that CPS was counting on to help pay for the teacher contract. And property tax collections the district is heavily relying on could decline because people and businesses might not have the wherewithal to pay their bills.

Over the longer haul, the school district faces the double-whammy prospect of further erosion in property tax collections and higher pension contribution costs triggered by the economic downturn, budget analysts said.

6 a.m.: You think the first half of 2020 was unpredictable? Wait until the second half.

The first six months of 2020 have been, shall we say, a lot: a whipsaw presidential primary, a worldwide pandemic, economic collapse and massive, sometimes violent protests over police brutality and racial injustice.

See more here:

COVID-19 in Illinois updates: Heres whats happening Thursday - Chicago Tribune

(KTIV) -- There were 676 new, confirmed COVID-19 cases from 10 a.m. Wednesday to 10 a.m. Thursday,according to the state's dashboard,which brings the state's total number of cases to 29,966.

No additional deaths were reported within this time frame, leaving the state's death toll at 717 as of Thursday morning.

There were also 310 more recoveries reported for a total of 23,757.

As of Wednesday, the total number of hospitalizations in Iowa is 145, which is four less more than Tuesday. Of those hospitalizations, 36 were in the ICU and 18 were on ventilators.

In Iowa, 7,721 new tests were given for a total of more than 316,379 people that have been tested for COVID-19.

The rest is here:

Iowa reports over 650 additional COVID-19 cases, 310 more recoveries and no new deaths - KTIV

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) After testing positive for COVID-19, Sadie Swier quarantined for 14 days. Her case was mild, but she struggled with something else, her mental health.

Swier lives in Sioux Falls and is the Community Outreach Coordinator forDowntown Sioux Falls Inc. as well as the Social Media Manager for Lost&Found.

Lost&Found is a nonprofit organization that is aimed for people ages 14 through 35 to provide resources for them to combat suicide and mental health issues. While talking to her peers about her battle with COVID-19, the discussion about the mentality behind the virus came up as well.

Lost&Found holds a weekly series called Voices of Resilience. Swier is this weeks speaker and says its important to talk about the mental challenges around having the new coronavirus.

You never really understand exactly how its going to affect your mental health unless you go through it, unless youre the one who has COVID-19. Of course, I knew of people who had it, and I didnt really think anything of it, but personally I had a mild case physically of COVID-19. But, the mental and emotional challenge was more difficult for me than actually having COVID-19. So, I think its important because there seems to be an attitude or stereotype that its never going to be me because thats what I thought. And so, when people are walking around and think its not that big of a deal its important to link COVID-19 with mental health as well as physical health, Swier said.

The discussion with Swier happened at 2:00 p.m. via Facebook Live on the Lost&Founds page. Many topics were touched on as far as dealing with mental health challenges when it comes to COVID-19, work and relationships.

In terms of COVID-19 and how I handled it, I think, in my mind I internalized so much of it and I was thinking a lot of self protection and just thinking about myself in hindsights 2020. But, I know I made mistakes in how I handled it in terms of talking to the people that I was with or handling it afterwards, Swier said.

Swier said going through two weeks of isolation was extraordinarily hard for her because shes an extroverted person. However, she said she took this as a time to do some reflecting.

Ive been doing a lot of self work and Ill be open about this as well, through this experience, Ive always thought about doing this, but this last month help me realize I need some help, so I actually scheduled my first therapy appointment, Swier said.

She said mental help and health is something that more people should be talking about.

And hopefully we get to a point where it is something that is a more normal conversation or something that isnt as stigmatized, Swier said.

Through this experience, Swier said she took the opportunity of being alone as a time of growth.

Growing by myself and being able to rely on myself and really learning to like myself again was something that I became more resilient in and thats what I become better from this experience as and thats what Im still learning about, Swier said.

You can see more videos about mental health in Lost&Founds series Voices of Resilience. This Facebook Live event happens every Thursday in the early to mid-afternoon.

See the original post:

A battle with COVID-19 and mental health - KELOLAND.com

More than 40 school principals in the South Bay were told to quarantine after being exposed to COVID-19 two weeks ago.

The exposure happened at an in-person meeting called by the Santa Clara Unified School District. An attendee who didn't have any symptoms at the meeting testing positive for the virus just days later.

Now many are asking why the district would have even called an in-person meeting at all.

I'm mad, Im disappointed, Im concerned," said parent Bonnie Lieberman.

She has mixed emotions after dozens of school principals were exposed to COVID-19 at a face-to-face school district leadership meeting two weeks ago.

"There were over forty people in the room, said Lieberman. It doesnt give me or any other parents much confidence that the district can make appropriate decisions about safety.

Last week, the district superintendent confirmed the exposure during an online meeting with the school board, but says the district didnt do anything wrong.

Given the complexities of our reopening, some of our staff meetings are taking place in person, said Stella Kemp, SCUSD superintendent. Of course those meetings are being conducted under the strict guidelines provided to us by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department.

And she says its a sign of the times. This is exactly the dilemma that every district is facing now. Were trying to figure out how best to keep our students and staff safe in an environment where the vast majority of things around us are out of our control.

But some on the board seem unconvinced, especially since county guidance says indoor meetings should be 10 or fewer.

I cant imagine being a person at that meeting and being exposed as well, said trustee Vickie Fairchild. Can you imagine if you had health conditions as well?

Kemp said everyone exposed was tested and quarantined. She says to her knowledge no one else who was at the meeting tested positive.

Continued here:

More Than 40 School Principals Told to Quarantine After COVID-19 Exposure - NBC Bay Area

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As Utah tops 10,000 active coronavirus cases for the first time, doctors are warning residents to try their best to limit their exposure to the virus during the Fourth of July weekend.

Based on our experience with Memorial Day and the clear fatigue that were sensing in the community, I think its unrealistic to expect that we will see dramatic changes in behavior, said Dr. Brandon Webb, an infectious disease specialist at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray.

But Im also hopeful that community members are more and more aware that our case counts have gone up and community transmission has gone up, he added. So Im hopeful the community can pull together and celebrate our freedoms by being respectful of each other and being prudent.

Epidemiologists believe that one in every 50 to 100 asymptomatic people along the Wasatch Front is shedding COVID-19 which means exposure should be expected in any crowd of more than 50 people, from big family reunions to grocery stores, Webb said.

With 554 new cases reported on Thursday, there have now been 23,270 Utahns diagnosed with COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. Of them, 13,076 are considered recovered that is, they have survived for more than three weeks after testing positive. That left 10,194 active cases on Thursday.

And four more Utahns have died from COVID-19, including two who apparently were not receiving hospital care when they died.

Two Salt Lake County men, one between the ages of 25 and 44 and the other age 65 to 84, were not hospitalized when they died, according to UDOH.

The vast majority of Utahns who have died from coronavirus have died in hospitals or at long-term care facilities. Health officials did not immediately disclose the reason two of the deaths announced on Thursday occurred outside of hospital care. The Salt Lake County Health Department also did not immediately respond to inquiries as to why the men werent hospitalized.

The third Utahn who died was Cache County resident Tomas Alejandro Lopez Castaon, 83, according to a published obituary and his familys social media posts. Lopez, who died Tuesday, lived in North Logan. Angie White, epidemiologist at Bear River Health Department, did not identify Lopez by name, but said the man who died went to a hospital with breathing problems and died that same day.

The three new deaths bring the states death toll from COVID-19 to 176.

There were 3,028 test results reported on Thursday, with 18.3% testing positive. Its the second day in a row with positive test rates higher than 18% something that has only happened on two other days before this week.

New hospitalizations remained high, with 29 new admissions reported on Thursday and 184 patients currently occupying Utahs hospital beds. In total, 1,505 Utahns have been hospitalized for COVID-19.

We had a COVID-19 surge after Memorial Day. Our hospitals cant handle another one, state epidemiologist Angela Dunn warned in a tweet Thursday.

Two local governments in Utah added new mask requirements just before the weekend began. Grand Country and the city of Springdale joined other areas of the state with a mandate for face coverings.

Gov. Gary Herbert on Thursday granted requests the city and county made for the mandate, according to a FOX 13 report. Grand County includes two national parks Arches and Canyonlands as well as the town of Moab, popular with tourists. Zion National Park is located not far from Springdale.

The mandates go into effect Friday. Salt Lake and Summit counties also have mask mandates. The Salt Lake County Department of Health on Thursday extended its mandate through Aug. 20.

Utahns should wear masks to any gatherings and try their best to keep a 6-foot distance from others, Webb said.

There are ways to still be together and enjoy the summer but in a safe way, Webb said. If people are taking this seriously and keeping the 6-foot distancing ... and if theyre outside especially, if theres excellent airflow, and if people are wearing masks, transmission rates could be very, very low, Webb said.

Some activities are safer than others, Webb said. Frisbee and baseball: Good. Fireworks viewing: Fine if you avoid crowds and observe wildfire restrictions.

Potlucks and buffet-style picnics: Probably not a good idea.

Not to throw shade at picnics, but I think its good to recognize that eating together is higher-risk activity than some other things that people can do together, Webb said. Just eating in general is not a low-risk activity because were touching our faces and you cant wear a mask while youre eating.

Households should bring their own food and drinks to gatherings, rather than sharing food, to avoid exposing each other to the virus, he added.

The rest is here:

Three more COVID-19 deaths in Utah, with more than 10000 active cases for the first time - Salt Lake Tribune

An immigration officer administers the oath of allegiance at a drive-through naturalization ceremony in El Cajon, Calif. Max Rivlin-Nadler/KPBS hide caption

An immigration officer administers the oath of allegiance at a drive-through naturalization ceremony in El Cajon, Calif.

In El Cajon, Calif., a procession of cars carrying 600 soon-to-be U.S. citizens from 68 countries passed through a series of stations behind a local community center earlier this week, where they were asked a series of final questions: "Any coronavirus symptoms? Have you been arrested since your interview? No tickets, nothing like that?"

After that, they were asked to surrender their green card and given a small U.S. flag. Driving a little farther forward, an immigration officer wearing a face cover administered the oath of allegiance 6 feet from the car's window. And in a matter of minutes, years of uncertainty were over hundreds of people became U.S. citizens over the course of the day.

When the coronavirus pandemic put a hold on naturalization ceremonies in March, it left a backlog of thousands of people who had qualified to become citizens but hadn't been able to officially swear an oath of allegiance the final step in the often years-long process.

To try to clear the backlog as quickly and safely as possible, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services put together a series of naturalization drive-throughs, where prospective citizens could take the final step toward citizenship without leaving their cars.

Prior to the shutdown, the greater San Diego area held its monthly naturalization ceremonies at Golden Hall, a giant venue in downtown San Diego that fits thousands of people. During the coronavirus pandemic, it has been converted to a homeless shelter.

"Whoo-whoo!" Belinda Rodriguez shouted from a parking spot, just moments after becoming a citizen.

Rodriguez had been working toward naturalization for 20 years. She brought her sister and niece along with her for the drive-through ceremony. She was relieved to finally be able to take her final step toward citizenship before she had to renew her residency permit.

"I was thinking my card was going to expire," Rodriguez said. "I was going to have to do it again and maybe have a longer time than this, pay more money, more fees."

Immigration officers in El Cajon held drive-through ceremonies every weekday since early June to play catch-up for the three months that there were no ceremonies in Golden Hall.

"Golden Hall is a great ceremony, but this makes it a lot more personal almost," said Madeline Kristoff, the USCIS field officer for San Diego. "The officers get to participate in ways they normally don't get to in Golden Hall. And it's really fun to talk to people who are driving through and get to hear a little of their stories."

Instead of greeting an auditorium full of faces, immigration officers administering the oath are often doing so for just one or two people at a time.

"I wish we could get a cheeseburger or like a milkshake for you guys too," said one immigration officer, making conversation with driver Niru Reinier.

Reinier, from India, was naturalized 10 years ago. On Monday, she chauffeured her mother, who was becoming a citizen.

"I called my sister and I said, 'I feel like this is so SoCal.' Everything happens quickly," she said.

Ready to vote

Many of the new citizens said what they were looking forward to most was voting in elections this November.

"We got our interview right before the shutdown, and I didn't know if I was going to be able to vote, which ultimately is an important part of why I want to become a citizen," said Raphael Declercq, who was born in France. He appreciated that the drive-through was able to make that happen. "I'm glad they're making those efforts."

Outside of a regular naturalization ceremony, voter registration tables greet people as they exit. At the drive-through, there were no booths to be found. But, along with their small U.S. flags, new citizens were given packets that included instructions on how to register to vote.

USCIS, currently facing a massive budget shortfall due to a reduction of visa applications, is looking to transition back to larger naturalization events later this summer.

"All right, congratulations to you, give her a big round of applause. You are now our newest United States citizens," said an immigration officer after administering the oath for the third consecutive hour.

The new citizen responded with a short honk of her car horn.

See the article here:

Drive-Through Naturalizations Make New U.S. Citizens In The COVID-19 Era - NPR

RICHMOND, Va. -- In an effort to provide accurate, easy-to-read information on the on-going COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on our community, WTVR.com will update this post with the day's local coronavirus headlines and statistics.

COVID-19 IN VIRGINIA (Scroll to bottom for U.S. stats)

Positive COVID-19 Cases: 63,735 (+532 from Wednesday)People Hospitalized: 6,333 (+71 from Wednesday)COVID-19-Linked Deaths: 1,816 (+30 from Wednesday)Total Tests: 744,480 (+18,328 from Wednesday)

*NOTE: This data is provided from the Virginia Department of Health daily at 9 a.m. Officials said their cutoff for data is 5 p.m. the previous day. So your local health department may have issued an alert about a case before it is added to the statewide tally released the following day. Get the latest charts and updated numbers from VDH here.

Depend on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for complete coverage of this important developing story.

COVID-19 LOCAL HEADLINES

Virginia will maintain restrictions on bar seating under Phase 3As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in some states, Governor Ralph Northam has decided bar seating will remain prohibited in restaurants when Phase Three begins Wednesday, July 1. Read more.

Safety and health board drafting temporary COVID-19 standardsAs the Commonwealth prepares to begin phase three of the reopening process on Wednesday, a state board continued its work on Monday to craft a set of emergency temporary standards for Virginia's workplaces aimed to stop the spread of COVID-19. Read more.

Doctors support in-class learning as schools debate plansThe American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is strongly advocating students to be physically present in school as much as possible when school resumes in August and September. Read more.

Red Cross urging blood donations, testing for antibodiesThe Red Cross is urging Central Virginians to donate blood during the COVID-19 crisis and will test blood, platelet, and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies for a limited time. Read more.

Fauci warns that US may not reach herd immunity levels even with a vaccineDr. Anthony Fauci warned Sunday that even if a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, it still may not yield herd immunity. Read more.

More COVID-19 patients discharged from Virginia hospitalsMore than 35 additional COVID-19 patients have been discharged from Virginia hospitals in the last 24 hours, according to data from the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA). Read more.

New COVID-19 outbreak reported Sundayoutbreaks at long-term care facilities with a total of 6,776 COVID-19 cases and 1,059 deaths. That is up 33 cases and 5 additional deaths from the previous day's report. Read more.

What to expect when Richmond moves into Phase 3 of reopening on July 1Gov. Ralph Northam's face covering requirement in indoor public spaces will remain in place, but guidelines for social gatherings, businesses, venues, entertainment, and recreation centers have changed to allow for greater capacity. Read more.

Child tests positive for COVID-19 after possible exposure at Chesterfield daycareA child has tested positive for COVID-19 after a possible exposure at a Chesterfield County daycare earlier this month. Read more.

Virginia is one of more than a dozen US states now requiring masks to be worn in publicWith coronavirus cases ramping up in a number of US states, more than a dozen US governors have issued mandates to wear masks while in public settings. Read more.

About 40,000 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the US on Thursday, a new record U.S. experienced its largest single-day increase in new COVID-19 cases on Thursday according to figures from Johns Hopkins University. Read more.

COVID-19 cases are surging among young peopleCoronavirus infections are climbing rapidly among young Americans in a number of states where bars, stores, and restaurants have reopened. Read more.

Northam: Virginia will enter Phase 3 on July 1Phase Three of the reopening process will begin in Virginia on Wednesday, July 1, Governor Ralph Northam announced Tuesday. Northam said the decision comes as statewide numbers continue to trend in a positive direction. Read more.

$50m in CARES Act funding to help families with rent, mortgage paymentsVirginia Ralph Northam is calling on Chief Circuit Court judges around the state to extend an eviction moratorium as appropriate in their locality. Read more.

US virus cases surge to highest level in 2 monthsNew coronavirus cases in the U.S. have surged to their highest level in two months and are now back to where they were at the peak of the outbreak. Read more.

Virginia hits lowest COVID-19 positivity rate milestoneGovernor Ralph Northam seems to be pleased with Virginia's COVID-19 numbers. Read more.

State health officials tipped off to hundreds of COVID-19 mask violationsThe Virginia Department of Health COVID-19 hotline has received 755 complaints related to COVID-19 mask violations since May 29. Roughly one-third of those complaints, according to VDH spokesperson, involve food and beverage establishments not following mask rules. Read more.

Richmond, Chesterfield address disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Hispanic, Latino communitiesRichmond City and Chesterfield Health Districts are collaborating to expand outreach and services to Hispanic and Latino communities who may be disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Read more.

Henrico grab-and-go meal distribution moving to summer scheduleHenrico County Public Schools grab-and-go meals distribution service will move to a summer schedule Monday, as will its mobile technology hubs and an information hotline designed to help families during the coronavirus pandemic. Read more.

Northam announces phased approach for school reopeningGovernor Ralph Northam unveiled a phased reopening approach for preK-12 schools in Virginia.We know parents want to know what to expect this summer and in the fall, to be clear, all Virginia schools will open for students next year, but the school experience will look very different, said Northam at a Tuesday press conference. Read more here.

Richmond, Henrico Health Departments release safety recommendations for protestersThe Richmond and Henrico Health Departments have released safety recommendations for those partaking in protests during the COVID-19 pandemic.More here.

How to find work during COVID-19 pandemic: 'People are still hiring'some employers are still hiring during the global health pandemic. Here are some tips for finding works from experts. More here.

Virginia Together Fund: Help families impacted by COVID-19CBS 6 is announcing the creation of The Virginia Together Fund -- a partnership with Feed More and Mission From the Heart.More here.

Dad teaches science lessons by making dinosaurs flyDinosaurs are soaring through the air once again! At least, they are at 5-year-old Finn Thomass house. More here.

'Virginia Graduates Together' will salute class of 2020 with musical performances, speechesGovernor Ralph Northam and First Lady Pamela Northam will celebrate the commonwealths graduating seniors during a statewide virtual celebration. More here.

'Role model' high schoolers start innovative online education program for younger studentsLife is anything but normal for school kids across Virginia. Many have struggled to keep up with distance learning, but four Maggie Walker honors students are helping through Project EngageRVA. More here.

Deep Run robotics team creates PPEDeep Run High Schools Team 1086 Blue Cheese Robotics team had its winning 2020 season cut short because of the coronavirus. However, the group quickly pivoted and found a way to re-channel efforts to help the community. More here.

Free science kits help Richmond students learn at homeAn educational nonprofit called Blue Sky Fund is distributing 1,500 free home science learning kits for students at Richmond Public Schools. Those kits are being handed out at Richmond Public Schools' meal distribution sites. More here.

Virginia woman hands out scholarships to high school seniors: 'Theyre going to make it'"Its just my way of giving back to the community and helping young people because they need some encouragement. They need motivation," said Tracey McMillon. More here.

Virginia State Parks opening more beaches for recreation activitiesVirginia State Parks tidal beaches are now open for recreation activities while inland lakefront beaches remain closed. More here.

Inside the Facebook Group guiding thousands of Richmond dinersIn these uncertain times, people can take comfort in advice and guidance from others. That includes ideas on where to eat. More here.

New Richmond restaurant owner asks for help: 'We used our life savings'A new Richmond restaurant is asking for help. Subconscious Cafe, located in the Fan, was forced to close days before its planned Grand Opening. More here.

Virginia Beach reopens, but it will be far from a normal day at the beachIf youre hoping to use the Memorial Day weekend to swim, surf, sunbathe, or fish, youre in luck. The Virginia Beach Oceanfront was set to open -- with restrictions -- on Friday. More here.

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COVID-19 in Virginia: LIVE updates for Thursday, July 2 - wtvr.com

Six months. That's all it took for a new virus to circle the globe and infect more than 10 million people, including 2.5 million in the U.S.

That period of time could have been enough to slow or even stop the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Some countries, such as New Zealand, have succeeded so far.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

But six months since the first report of a new virus emerging in Wuhan, China, on Dec. 31, the U.S. and other countries worldwide are experiencing surges in new cases.

On Monday, the World Health Organization marked the six months since a cluster of cases of a mysterious pneumonia in China was reported with a warning that the pandemic is "actually speeding up."

"We all want this to be over. We all want to get on with our lives," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in his opening statement. "But the hard reality is: This is not even close to being over."

The aggressive spread of the coronavirus in the U.S., particularly in the Southern and Western states, is a reality many American health care providers face with humility and disgust as they look toward the second half of 2020. The physicians and public health experts who were interviewed hesitated when asked whether they had hope that the U.S. could overcome COVID-19 over the next six months.

"I'm discouraged and demoralized," said Dr. Michael Saag, associate dean for global health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. "When you compare our case numbers to almost any other industrialized country, we are getting clobbered."

At least 126,332 deaths had been reported in the U.S., with 500,000 lives lost worldwide.

COVID-19 is a respiratory virus, which means it spreads most effectively through sneezing, coughing, talking, even singing. Staying at least 6 feet away from others and wearing fabric face coverings in public can help reduce the spread, experts say.

But encouragement to wear masks has been inconsistent, especially from the U.S. government.

President Donald Trump has refused to wear a mask in public settings, although he did wear one during a private tour of a plant in Michigan several weeks ago. It wasn't until last weekend that Vice President Mike Pence publicly encouraged use of masks.

"There is no time like the present for us to get our act together and have uniform messaging coming from all public officials," Saag said. "We have to start singing from the same sheet of music. Otherwise, we're just sowing more division."

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Dr. Tom Frieden, a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who is president of Resolve to Save Lives, a global public health initiative, said, "We are becoming, as a nation, a laggard and a pariah."

Despite months of partial lockdowns in the U.S., there is worry that Americans simply haven't taken COVID-19 seriously.

"They think that after 'shelter in place' that it's OK to go back to normal," said Dr. Colleen Kraft, associate chief medical officer at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. "People aren't taking personal responsibility and protecting themselves on a day-to-day basis."

Saag warned about a "laissez-faire attitude."

"Sorry," he said. "This thing isn't going away."

Looking ahead to the fall, the coronavirus adds a worrying level of uncertainty to the 2020-21 flu season. According to the CDC, as many as 62,000 people died of flu-related complications during the 2019-20 season. More than 700,000 Americans were hospitalized with flu during that time.

Experts simply don't know yet how the two viruses will interact.

"Could it be that if you were infected with influenza, then several days later infected with COVID, that you might be protected from the worst of what COVID could do? Or would it be the opposite?" asked Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert who is director of the Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group in Rochester, Minnesota.

Download the NBC News app for full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Experts say the U.S. health care system isn't prepared for a simultaneous influx of COVID-19 and influenza.

"We know that flu will be around, and that pushes our hospital systems to operate at a hectic level," said Crystal Watson, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. "We're going to be very stressed with the combination of COVID-19 and the flu."

Flu vaccines, even though they're less than 50 percent effective, will be strongly encouraged this fall to ease the impact on health care systems.

As hospitals in states like Arizona, California and Texas work to contain new cases of the coronavirus, hospitals in the Northeast are preparing for what might come next.

New York's Northwell Health treated 17,000 COVID-19 cases in the spring. Now, the system is preparing for a possible second uptick by making sure it has enough ventilators, medication and staffing.

"We're preparing for the worst, hoping we're wrong," said Dr. Mangala Narasimhan, a pulmonologist who is regional director of critical care medicine at Northwell Health.

"Given everything that's happening in Florida and Arizona and the fact that New York gets flights from everywhere," Narasimhan said, "things will get bad here."

The hospital system is also focused on its staff members' mental health, working in counseling and extra days off. No matter what's planned for the fall, staffers may never feel ready for a second wave in New York City hospitals.

"We have a lot of PTSD," Narasimhan said. "None of us will ever feel that we are completely prepared."

While there are still many unknowns why some people who have been exposed have no symptoms or very mild illness, while others require hospitalization or die scientists are working rapidly to develop effective treatments and a vaccine. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, predicted a vaccine by the beginning of next year.

"I am hopeful, based on the level of scientific inquiry that I see going on," Saag said. "We have learned over the last 35, 40 years an awful lot about viral infections. We're piling every ounce of energy and knowledge into trying to decipher what this virus does and how we can stop it. That gives me some hope."

All agreed that the world needs to focus on a singular enemy: the virus.

"This is not one party against another or one state against another," Frieden said. "This is about humans against a virus."

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'We are getting clobbered': Six months into COVID-19, doctors fear what comes next - NBC News

Applications of digital technology in COVID-19 pandemic planning and response  The Lancet

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Applications of digital technology in COVID-19 pandemic planning and response - The Lancet