Tag Archives: pandemic

Dem Minnesota Gov Issues Statewide Mask Mandate

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports: Gov. Tim Walz announced a statewide mandate Wednesday requiring Minnesotans to wear face masks in stores, public buildings and other places where people gather indoors, a dramatic extension of his emergency powers in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic that still appears on the upswing in many states. The new rules takes effect Saturday and would …

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Ex-FDA Chief Says US Could Hit 300K Deaths In 2020

CNBC reports: Former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner Doug Gottlieb signaled Wednesday that the U.S. could reach 300,000 COVID-19 deaths by the end of 2020 if the country’s death rate doesn’t improve. “Right now we have close to 1,000 casualties a day; so if we don’t change that trajectory, you could do the math and see where we are …

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GOP Ohio Gov Announces Statewide Mask Mandate

Cleveland’s ABC News affiliate reports: Amid a continued rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the state of Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Wednesday that a statewide mask mandate will go into effect beginning Thursday at 6 p.m. The mandate follows similar guidelines as the county-level mask mandates that have been issued in parts of the state that were deemed …

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Poll: 46% Say Open Schools With “Major Adjustments”

The Associated Press reports: Virtual instruction. Mandated masks. Physical distancing. The start of school will look very different this year because of the coronavirus — and that’s OK with the vast majority of Americans. Only about 1 in 10 Americans think daycare centers, preschools or K-12 schools should open this fall without restrictions, according to a new poll from The …

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Florida Sees 10K New Cases, Testing Turnaround Slows

Tampa’s ABC News affiliate reports: Florida reported 9,785 new coronavirus cases and 139 new deaths on Wednesday, the latest report from the state health department’s shows. Of the test results received Tuesday, 13.51% were positive. Statewide, 379,619 people have been infected and 5,345 people have died since the beginning of the pandemic. Data shows an additional 463 people were hospitalized …

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TX Sees Record Hospitalizations, Gov Still Optimistic

The Austin Statesman reports: State health officials reported a record 10,848 patients in Texas hospitals Tuesday as the number of new coronavirus cases and deaths continued to surge. Tuesday’s hospitalization figure increased by 279 patients. The statewide number has exceeded 10,000 for 12 days in a row, a level that health officials say is straining the health care system.  In …

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Trump: Pandemic Will Get Worse Before It Gets Better

The Associated Press reports: President Donald Trump sought to paint a rosier picture of the coronavirus for the nation Tuesday but conceded the pandemic is likely to get worse for a time as he revived his daily briefings with an eye to halting a campaign-season erosion of support as new cases spike across the country. The early evening show at …

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FL Sees Record Hospitalizations, Gov Touts Progress

The Tampa Bay Times reports: Florida saw a record-high number of hospitalizations from coronavirus on Tuesday, adding 518 admissions, according to data from the Florida Department of Health. On Tuesday 136 deaths from the virus was announced, bringing the total number of people statewide who have died from coronavirus up to 5,319. Florida’s coronavirus death rate is higher than any …

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China: You Must Have Negative COVID Test To Fly Here

Reuters reports: Passengers of China-bound flights must provide negative COVID-19 test results before boarding, China’s aviation authority said on Tuesday, as the government looks to further reduce the risk of imported coronavirus cases amid increased international travel. Nucleic acid tests must be completed within five days of embarkation, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said on its website. Tests …

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Teachers Unions Sue FL Gov Over School Opening Plan

The New York Times reports: Teachers unions sued Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida on Monday over his administration’s emergency order pushing schools to fully reopen next month even as coronavirus cases in the state are surging. The suit, which appears to be the first of its kind across the country, sets up a confrontation between unions and politicians that could …

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National Dollar Store Chain Drops Face Mask Mandate

USA Today reports: Dollar Tree and Family Dollar have reversed course. The two retailers, both part of Dollar Tree, Inc., had initially started requiring shoppers wear masks along with vendors and employees in stores, according to a July 8 update on its coronavirus updates page. But the company updated its mask policy last week to “request” face coverings in stores …

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FL Reports 10K New Cases. DeSantis Heckled [VIDEO]

Orlando’s ABC News affiliate reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis held a briefing in Orlando to state the importance of convalescent plasma donations for COVID-19 patients. The governor held the press conference from the OneBlood headquarters at 12:15 p.m., but it wasn’t one without interference. DeSantis was interrupted briefly by protesters before they were turned away by police. Florida health officials reported …

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RUSSIA: Top Politicos And Wealthy Get Early Vax Access

Bloomberg News reports: Scores of Russia’s business and political elite have been given early access to an experimental vaccine against Covid-19, according to people familiar with the effort, as the country races to be among the first to develop an inoculation. Top executives at companies including aluminum giant United Co. Rusal, as well as billionaire tycoons and government officials began …

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GOP Adviser: Trump Is “Bored” With The Pandemic

The New York Times reports: Once-reticent Republican governors are now issuing orders on mask-wearing and business restrictions that run counter to Mr. Trump’s demands. Some of those governors have been holding late-night phone calls among themselves to trade ideas and grievances; they have sought out partners in the administration other than the president, including Vice President Mike Pence, who, despite …

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TODAY: New York City Enters Phase 4 Of Reopening

NBC New York reports: New York City joins the rest of the Empire State in Phase IV, the last step of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s reopening plan Monday, but a few key activities like indoor dining remain held back as the nation’s former COVID-19 epicenter attempts to avoid a surge in new cases like the one swallowing many states in the …

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Mask Refuser Gets Pepper Spray At Montreal Eatery

Global News reports: Quebec’s mandatory mask rule in public indoor spaces went into effect on Saturday and not everything is going as smoothly as many thought or planned. Sandra Bourgoin posted a video on Facebook Saturday afternoon of a man in a local Montreal Tim Hortons being asked to wear a mask by a police officer. In the now-viral video, …

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TX Sees 10K Cases For Fifth Day, Military Aid Deployed

UPI reports: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday announced the U.S. Navy has been deployed to assist in combatting COVID-19 as the state has reported more than 10,000 cases for five consecutive days. Abbott said the U.S. Department of Defense has sent five U.S. Navy teams, consisting of medical and support professionals, to support hospitals in Harlingen, Del Rio, Eagle …

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China “Pre-Tests” COVID Vax On Pharma Executives

The Associated Press reports: In the global race to make a coronavirus vaccine, a state-owned Chinese company is boasting that its employees, including top executives, received experimental shots even before the government approved testing in people. “Giving a helping hand in forging the sword of victory,” reads an online post from SinoPharm with pictures of company leaders it says helped …

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FL Reports 12K New Cases, Fifth Straight Day Over 10K

Reuters reports: Florida reported over 12,000 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, the fifth day in a row the state has announced over 10,000 new infections, even as President Donald Trump pledged that the virus was coming under control. Trump defended his handling of the coronavirus pandemic in an interview broadcast on Sunday, including his statement that there were only …

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Walmart To Deploy “Health Ambassadors” Trained To De-Escalate Confrontations Over Face Mask Mandate

The New York Post reports: In a week that saw big chains like Kohl’s, CVS and Target announce that all shoppers must wear masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus, only Walmart said it is creating a dedicated enforcement team. The Bentonville, Ark.-based behemoth said that it will install “health ambassadors” at each location to help implement the rule, which …

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