Intense debate continues to rage in some school districts with plans to open classrooms on Monday.
PHOENIX In an effort to track the changes with the coronavirus outbreak in Arizona, 12 News has started a daily live blog.
Here is the live blog for Saturday, Aug. 15.
COVID-19 cases reported in Arizona on Saturday
There have been192,654confirmed cases of coronavirus and4,492 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Arizona, according to the state's latest numbers.
That is an increase from191,721cases and 4,423coronavirus-related deaths reported as of Friday.
A week ago, there were 186,107cases and4,137deaths reported in Arizona.
Benchmark data for potential school reopenings released
Maricopa County has made the benchmark data recommended by the state to decide is schools should reopen classrooms.
Local school districts will be guided to reopen by the number of coronavirus cases in their county per capita, the percent of positive cases from testing and the percentage of people hospitalized with COVID-like illnesses.
AZDHS released the plan last week as Gov. Doug Ducey's order to keep classrooms closed expires on Monday. After that, school districts can decide when to open, but Arizona Superintended Kathy Hoffman highly recommends schools follow the state guidelines.
No county in Arizona meets the state's recommendations to reopen schools.
Even still, the Queen Creek School District approved a plan to reopen campuses on Monday, August 17 in a move that's fueled pushback from teachers.
Ducey says jobless Arizonans will get $300-a-week boost in benefits after Trump action
Gov. Ducey announced a plan to give jobless Arizonans a $300-a-week boost Friday. Arizona's unemployment benefits are the second-lowest in the nation at $240.
The CARES Acted provided an additional $600 per week benefit, but it expired late last month.
Now the maximum weekly check is $540 per week through Dec. 6, or until FEMA money runs out.
Free masks available for some Arizonans
The Arizona Department of Health Services announced that some Arizonans would be able to get free masks from the state.
The department partnered with Hanes to provide free face masks to Arizonas most vulnerable populations.
Anyone who is part of a vulnerable population (including, but not limited to, individuals with medical conditions or individuals age 65 or older) is able to get a free mask.
Each other will provide five washable, reusable cloth face masks, one order per household.
The department hopes to give out two million cloth face masks.
Anyone with questions can visit the department's FAQs page or contact Hanes at 1-800-503-6698.
Arizona releases ZIP code locations of coronavirus cases, other data
The Arizona Department of Health Services has released expanded data points regarding coronavirus cases in the state.
The AZDHS website now features the location of confirmed cases in Arizona by zip code.
You can see the current ZIP code map hereand can find yours by clicking around or searching for your ZIP code in the top right of the map.
More information on coronavirus cases from Saturday
There have been 192,654 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 4,492 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Arizona.
That is an increase from 191,721 cases and 4,423 coronavirus-related deaths reported as of Friday.
There were 933 new cases reported on Saturday, an increase from the 928 new cases reported on Friday.
There were 69 new deaths reported on Saturday, an increase from the 40 new deaths reported on Friday.
There were 5,482 cases reported on the collection date of June 29, the day with the most collected diagnoses so far. That is subject to change.
Health officials said the day with the highest number of reported deaths was July 17, when 94 people died. That is subject to change.
In total, 10,966 new tests were reported on Saturday, a decrease from the 11,242 new tests reported on Friday.
There have been a total of 1,325,778 PCR and Serology tests reported to the state as of Saturday.
12.2% of those tests have been positive as of Saturday, the same as Friday.
Here's a county breakdown:
Click on the links below to find more information from each county's health department:
COVID-19 is believed to be primarily spread through coughs or sneezes.
It may be possiblefor the virus to spread by touching a surface or object with the virus and then a person touching their mouth, nose or eyes, but this is not thought to be the main method of spread, the CDC says.
You should consult your doctor if you traveled to an area currently affected by COVID-19 and feel sick with fever, cough or difficulty breathing.
There is no vaccine for the coronavirus, so the best way to prevent COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases is to:
You can text FACTS to 602-444-1212 to receive more information on the coronavirus and to ask questions.
With Washington talks on emergency coronavirus aid having stalled, both sides are playing the blame game Thursday. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi blasted Republicans for not giving "a damn." (Aug. 13) AP Domestic
The United States Postal Service has warned almost every statethat deadlines for early voting may meansome ballots cannotbe delivered in time to be counted.
Many states have put new emphasis on early voting by mail because many voters may not want to go to the polls in person because of the pandemic. The warning, blamed by the USPS on changes to limit overtime and increase efficiency,has prompted charges that the move by the Trump administration is politically motivated.
Though President Donald Trump has unleasheda barrage of attacks on "universal" mail voting,few states are actually planning that in November: Only nine states and the District of Columbia so far plan to automatically send ballots to all voters. Even in these states, in-person voting will remain an option.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now says people who have had COVID-19 within the past three months and comein close contact with someone who is actively infected do not need to quarantine or be tested again.
Here are some significant developments:
Today's numbers:The U.S. has5.3million confirmed infections and more than 168,000deaths. Worldwide, there have been more than 767,000 deaths and more than 21.2 million cases, according toJohn Hopkins University data.
What we're reading: Some people are listening to health experts, while others ignore them. What does that mean for the future of COVID-19 in America? The psychology behind following rules, explained.
The annual light display honoring victims of 9/11 is back on, officials announced Saturday, saying New York health officials will supervise this years tribute to ensure workers safety amid concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic.
This year it is especially important that we all appreciate and commemorate 9/11, the lives lost and the heroism displayed as New Yorkers are once again called upon to face a common enemy, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement.
The announcement came days afterthe National September 11 Memorial & Museum canceled the Tribute in Lightover concerns the coronavirus might spread among crews creating twin columns of light to represent the World Trade Center in the Manhattan sky.
A school districtoutside Phoenix voted to return to in-person classes on Monday but has been forced to reverse course after pushback from staff.
J. O. Combs Unified School Districtannounced Friday afternoon that it would not open at all on Monday because too many teachers refused to show up.
Superintendent Gregory A. Wyman in a statement said the district had received an "overwhelming response" from staff indicating that they did not feel safe returning to classrooms with students.
"Due to these insufficient staffing levels, schools will not be able to re-open on Monday as planned," Wyman wrote. "At this time, we do not know the duration of these staff absences, and cannot yet confirm when in-person instruction may resume."
Lorraine Longhi, Arizona Republic
Only a handful of contact tracers working to slow COVID-19 in 125 communities near Chicago speak Spanish, despite significant Hispanic populations. Churches and advocacy groups in the Houston area are trying to convince immigrants to cooperate when health officials call. And in California, immigrants are being trained as contact tracers to ease mistrust.
The crucial job of reaching people who test positive for the coronavirus and those theyve come in contact with is proving especially difficult in immigrant communities because of language barriers, confusion and fear of the government.
The failure of health departments across the U.S. to adequately investigate coronavirus outbreaks among non-English speakers is all the more fraught given the soaring and disproportionate case counts among Latinos in many states. Four of the hardest-hit states Florida, Texas, Arizona and California have major Spanish-speaking populations.
The Associated Press
Two senior Trump-appointeesdeparted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention onFriday, according to reports from Politico and CNN.Kyle McGowan, the chief of staff, and Amanda Campbell, the deputy chief of staff, both voluntarily left the agency to start a consulting firm, according to the reports.
The CDC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Grace Hauck
A saliva-based COVID-19 test developed by researchers at Yale in partnership and funding from the NBA and National Basketball Players Association was approved on Saturday for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Called SalivaDirect, the test uses saliva samples to detect COVID-19.
"Providing this type of flexibility for processing saliva samples to test for COVID-19 infection is groundbreaking in terms of efficiency and avoiding shortages of crucial test components like reagents,"FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn said in a statement.
Researchers have been looking for a COVID-19 test that is less invasive than the nasopharyngeal swabbing method and less expensive which can lead to widespread testing and make up for shortages of other testing methods. This is the fifth saliva-based testauthorized by the FDA.
Anne Wyllie, assistant professor and associate research scientist at Yale School of Public Health, said she expects labs to charge about $10 for the test.
Jeff Zillgitt
The U.S. Postal Service is warning that it may not be able to meet many state deadlines for returning early voting ballots for the November election.The issue is arising asstates gear up for an expected avalanche of early ballotrequests byvoters fearful of going to the polls in person because of the pandemic.
The warnings, blamed on USPS changes this summer to limit overtime and increase efficiency, have gone out to almost every state, notably including such as Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Arizona.
The warning lettersto state election officials,first reported by The Washington Post, prompted immediate questions from the League of Women Voters and suspicion from the American Postal Workers Union that the warnings were politically motivated.
Kevin McCoy, Donovan Slack and Katie Wedell
Achild returning to school this fallmight go throughthe following morning routine: their parent checks them for COVID-19 symptoms, they take a socially distanced bus ride, and a faculty member, like a school nurse, conducts a final screening at the school entrance before letting them through the door.
As students return to class, many school districts have introduced routine symptom screenings into their reopening plans. But their effectiveness and feasibility in stopping the spread of COVID-19 in schools remain unclear.
Screenings are limited for a variety of reasons, including that the novel coronavirus shares many symptoms with common illnesses like the fluand not everyone with COVID-19 will have symptoms, saidAdam Karcz,director of infection prevention at Indiana University'sRiley Hospital for Children.The Centers for Disease Control and Preventiondoesn't recommend universal health screenings or COVID-19 testingat schools because of theselimitations.
Tiana Woodard,Indianapolis Star
People who have had COVID-19 within the past three months and comein close contact with someone who is actively infected do not need to quarantine, according to updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"People who have tested positive for COVID-19 do not need to quarantine or get tested again for up to 3 months as long as they do not develop symptoms again," the new guidance says. "People who develop symptoms again within 3 months of their first bout of COVID-19 may need to be tested again if there is no other cause identified for their symptoms."
But antibodies may begin to decline sooner than that. A June study in the journal Naturefound that antibodies may begin to decrease within 2 to 3 months after infection.
"This science does not imply a person is immune to reinfection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in the 3 months following infection," CDC spokesperson Jason McDonald said in a statement. "The latest data simply suggests that retesting someone in the 3 months following initial infection is not necessary unless that person is exhibiting the symptoms of COVID-19 and the symptoms cannot be associated with another illness."
Mayo Clinic researchers reported a strong hint that blood plasma from COVID-19 survivors helps other patients recover, but its not proof and some experts worry if, amid clamor for the treatment, they'll ever get a clear answer.
More than 64,000 patients in the U.S. have been given convalescent plasma, a century-old approach to fend off flu and measles before vaccines. It's a go-to tactic when new diseases come along, and history suggests it works against some, but not all, infections.
Theres no solid evidence yet that it fights the coronavirus and, if so, how best to use it. But preliminary data from 35,000 coronavirus patients treated with plasma offers what Mayo lead researcher Dr. Michael Joyner on Friday called signals of efficacy.
After bitter battles with municipalities over mandatory mask ordinances, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has yielded to local citys demands.Kemp isexpected to sign an executive order on Saturday that allows cities like Savannah, Atlanta, Augusta and Athens to enforce the mask mandates that the governor had previously insisted had no power.
Until Friday, Kemp had strongly encouraged people to wear masks. Hed filed a lawsuit against Atlanta Mayor Kesha Lance Bottoms to drop her local mandate, but earlier this week Kemp dropped that suit.
Under the order, first reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the ordinances for businesses will only be applicable if the owner agrees to it. Kemp also said people must be given a warning before being issued a citation. Kemp has not gone as far as making masks a statewide mandate.
Rana L. Cash, Savannah Morning News
Bowling alleys, gyms, museums and other low-risk indoor cultural venues will soon be allowed to open in New York with strict COVID-19 rules, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday.
Bowling alleys will be allowed to open Monday, being limited to 50% of occupancy capacity and forced to follow other rules, such as bowlers must have a face covering and every other lane will remain closed. Food and alcohol service will also be limited to wait service, reports USA TODAY Network's New York State Team.
Museums, aquariums and other low-risk indoor cultural venues will be allowed to open in New York City on Aug. 24 with various COVID-19 restrictions, including operating at 25% occupancy capacity. In upstate communities, museums and other indoor venues opened previously.
The opening date and rules for gyms will be revealed on Monday, Cuomo said.
David Robinson, New York State Team
The Canada-U.S. border will remain closed to nonessential travel for at least another month, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said in a statement Friday, a day after Mexico announced a similar measure for its border with the United States. The land border restrictions aimed at controlling the coronavirus pandemic were first announced in March and have been renewed monthly.
Essential cross-border workers such as health care professionals, airline crews and truck drivers are still permitted to cross. Americans and Canadians returning to their respective countries are exempted from the border closure.
The Associated Press
Communities of color are dying at higher rates from the novel coronavirus than white Americans. Here's how structural inequities play a role. USA TODAY
On Facebook:There's still a lot unknown about the coronavirus. But what we do know, we're sharing with you.Join our Facebook group,Coronavirus Watch,to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19.
In your inbox:Stay up-to-date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network.Sign up for thedailyCoronavirus Watchnewsletter here.
Tips for coping:Every Saturday and Tuesday we'll be in your inbox, offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times.Sign up forStaying Apart, Togetherhere.
Contributing: The Associated Press
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Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced hospitalizations have dropped to 523, a new low since March 17. The Governor also announced a new record high number of COVID-19 tests reported to New York State - 88,668. The number of new cases, percentage of tests that were positive and many other helpful data points are always available atforward.ny.gov.
"In New York, we knew from the beginning that testing would be a key factor in controlling this new virus. We ramped up testing immediately and took a nation-leading role in developing capacity to test as many New Yorkers as possible, and I'm proud that we continue to raise the bar and we've broken our record high once again,"Governor Cuomo said."Yesterday's numbers - especially the new low in hospitalizations - continue to reflect the progress we've made during this pandemic, but we will keep monitoring the data and the alarming increases in cases around the country. My message is the same: stay New York Smart, wash your hands, socially distance, and wear masks!"
Yesterday, the State Liquor Authority and State Police Task Force visited 1,344 establishments in New York City and Long Island and observed 22 establishments that were not in compliance with state requirements. A county breakdown of yesterday's observed violations is below:
Today's data issummarized brieflybelow:
Of the 88,668 test results reported to New York State yesterday, 734, or 0.83 percent, were positive. Each region's percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:
REGION
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Capital Region
0.7%
0.6%
0.5%
CentralNew York
1.0%
0.9%
0.9%
Finger Lakes
0.7%
0.8%
0.5%
Long Island
0.6%
0.8%
0.9%
Mid-Hudson
0.8%
0.9%
0.7%
Mohawk Valley
0.4%
0.6%
0.5%
New York City
1.0%
0.9%
1.0%
North Country
0.1%
0.3%
0.2%
Southern Tier
0.5%
0.6%
0.2%
WesternNew York
0.7%
0.7%
1.3%
The Governor also confirmed 734 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 424,901 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 424,901 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows:
County
Total Positive
New Positive
Albany
2,643
4
Allegany
80
0
Broome
1,165
0
Cattaraugus
170
1
Cayuga
163
0
Chautauqua
263
3
Chemung
188
1
Chenango
218
0
Clinton
131
1
Columbia
551
0
Cortland
97
0
Delaware
107
0
Dutchess
4,668
Fox Business Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on FoxBusiness.com.
Ten staffers at Westbrook Inc., Will and Jada Pinkett Smith's media company,have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a new report.
In a statement to Variety, the company confirmed that nearly a dozen employees tested positive for the coronavirus.
"We received 10 positive tests and the crew members quarantined and remain in quarantine," the company said Wednesday.
WILL SMITH, WARNER BROS. REACH DEAL OVER LAWSUIT ABOUT UPCOMING BIOPIC ABOUT VENUS, SERENA WILLIAMS' FATHER
Westbrook also shared it is cooperating with a Department of Health investigation.
10 staffers at Will Smith's Westbrook Inc. tested positive for COVID-19. (Getty)
Westbrook Inc. is the parent company of Westbrook Studios, Smith's TV and production company, as well as Westbrook Media, a digital content studio, Westbrook International Holdings, and Good Goods. Westbrook Studios is currently filming "King Richard" which consists of a plotbased on Richard Williams, the father of tennis professionals Venus and Serena Williams.
The outbreak at Westbrook Inc. was first reported on the Los Angeles County public health website, according to Variety. It noted workers at the company's Calabasas offices were infected.
APPLE ACQUIRES WILL SMITH FILM 'EMANCIPATION' IN RECORD DEAL
It remains unclear whether or not the outbreak began at the facility, but a rep for the company has said the office has been closed throughout the pandemic.
According to Westbrook's statement, the 10 staffers who tested positive were all retested and "have received negative results."
A truck passes a sign for free COVID-19 testing, Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, in San Antonio. Coronavirus testing in Texas has dropped significantly, mirroring nationwide trends, just as schools reopen and football teams charge ahead with plans to play. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
"We will continue to follow all official guidelines and safety protocols," the business said.
Sources told the outlet that Westbrook was using Rapid Reliable Testing when first conducting the initial tests and follow-up tests. However, those familiar with the situation claimed to Variety that the company has stopped using the testing firm.
Rapid Reliable Testing President Anthony Capone spoke up about its practices in an interview on Friday.
The firm collects "only nasopharyngeal or mid-turbinate nasal swabs, and only relies on molecular tests" rather than the antigen tests that are "less reliable," the outlet reported via a chat with Capone.
Capone also claimed that the 10 employees who tested negative a second time may not indicate an example of flawed tests despite questions and concerns being raised.
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"That happens," he said, adding that it's "possible they go through a similar infection period and incubation period."
Capone added that Rapid Reliable Testing has not run into any difficulties with labs.
"We have our (quality assurance) process," he told Variety. "We have not found any irregularities in the studio space in California.
Meanwhile, Will and Jada have been open with fans about living in quarantine amid the pandemic. The "Spies in Disguise" actor, 51, even launched his own Snapchat series about living in self-isolation called "Will From Home."
Jada has been busy with her Red Table Talk show, which she hosts with her mother, Adrienne Banfield-Jones,and daughter, Willow.
Last month, Will and Jada's marriage was put to the test when Jada admitted on-air that she had a past "relationship" with August Alsina while separated from Will Smith.
Smith and Pinkett Smith founded Westbrook Inc. in 2019 with Kosaku Yada, Miguel Melendez, and Tera Hanks.
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SEOUL, South Korea North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, says the nation is facing two crises at the same time fighting the spread of the coronavirus and coping with extensive flood damage. But Mr. Kim has ordered his country not to accept any international aid for fear that outside help might bring in Covid-19, the state news media reported on Friday.
Mr. Kim, who spoke during a meeting of the ruling Workers Party Politburo on Thursday, said that he sympathized with the great pain of families who had lost their homes to the floods and were living in temporary shelters.
But he said the situation, in which the spread of the worldwide malignant virus has become worse, requires us not to allow any outside aid for the flood damage but shut the border tighter and carry out strict anti-epidemic work, according to the Norths official Korean Central News Agency.
The double-whammy calamities of the pandemic and floods have exacerbated Mr. Kims economic troubles. The Norths economy, already hamstrung by the sanctions imposed by the United Nations for its nuclear weapons development, has gone into a tailspin this year as fear of coronavirus infections cut deeply into its exports and imports with China, the countrys primary trading partner.
An unusually long monsoon season, as well as torrential rains this month, has set off floods and landslides in both North and South Korea. But the North said the natural disaster had damaged 96,300 acres of farmland and 16,680 homes, as well as roads, embankments and rail lines. Most of the damage was reported in southern and western provinces, a breadbasket for North Korea, which has suffered chronic food shortages even during normal years.
North Korea has also taken drastic actions against the coronavirus, sealing its borders in late January and quarantining all diplomats in Pyongyang for a month. It locked down the border city of Kaesong last month, suspecting a defector who crossed back over the border from South Korea of bringing the virus with him.
North Koreas swift actions were driven by fears that a Covid-19 outbreak could seriously test its woefully underequipped public health system and its economy, already struggling under international sanctions, analysts said.
On Friday, however, North Korea lifted the lockdown, based on the scientific verification and guarantee by a professional anti-epidemic organization.
The North Korean state news media has long insisted that there are no coronavirus cases in the country, although outside experts question the claim. The North did not reveal whether the defector who crossed back from South Korea had tested positive for the virus, and officials in the South have said there is no proof that he had it.
The global pandemic and creeping flood damage come as Mr. Kim has failed to get United Nations sanctions lifted through his stalled diplomatic relations with President Trump.
By precluding outside aid, Mr. Kim appeared to have denied Seoul and Washington a chance to thaw relations with the North through humanitarian shipments.
North Koreas rejection of flood relief is ostensibly to prevent transmission of Covid-19 into the country, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. But humanitarian assistance is heavily politicized by the Kim regime, as it does not want to show weakness to the domestic population or international rivals.
North Korea shut down business with neighboring China, which accounts for nine-tenths of its external trade, and clamped down on smugglers who keep its thriving unofficial markets functioning. The countrys exports to China, hit hard by the border shutdown, plummeted to $27 million in the first half of this year, a 75 percent drop from a year ago, according to the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. Imports from China dropped 67 percent, to $380 million.
Updated August 12, 2020
About 60 percent of North Koreas population face food insecurity this year, according to the United States Department of Agricultures Economic Research Service.
The floods and coronavirus fears have also complicated Mr. Kims plan to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers Party on Oct. 10 with pomp and spectacle.
We cannot make the flood-affected people celebrate the 75th anniversary of the party homeless, Mr. Kim said during the Politburo meeting, urging his government to bring the lives of the people back to normal as soon as possible.
The Norths leader has been visiting the flood-affected areas in recent weeks, sometimes photographed driving his own car, and has ordered the release of reserve grains for the hard-hit towns, in an apparent effort to demonstrate what the state news media has called his people-loving leadership.
During the Politburo meeting, Mr. Kim replaced Premier Kim Jae-ryong, who was in charge of the cabinet and the economy, with Kim Tok-hun, a senior official in the Workers Party. The departing premier was given a senior post within the party.
Mr. Kim also elevated Ri Pyong-chol, an official in charge of North Koreas missile and nuclear weapons development, to the top leadership committee of the Politburo, along with the new premier.
851 new cases of coronavirus reported in Arkansas with school starting in less than a week KATV
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- State liquor agents on Friday cited a Lakewood bar with violating health orders meant to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Patio Tavern, a Madison Avenue drinkery that describes itself on Facebook as the home of Lakewoods least expensive drinks, was cited for improper conduct, disorderly activity and limitation on hours for sales and on-premises consumption, according to a release from the State Highway Patrols Ohio Investigative Unit.
The action came after the Ohio Investigative Unit said it received several complaints about blatant violations of bars violating Gov. Mike DeWines executive orders that barred the sale of alcohol after 10 p.m. and required social distancing guidelines in bars and restaurants.
Agents watched as Patio Tavern staff served alcoholic beverages between 10:30 p.m. to 10:50 p.m., the release said. Agents went into the bar at 10:55 p.m. and saw more drinks being served, and a lack of social distancing and patrons congregating around the bar, the release said.
Agents also issued similar citations to bars near Dayton and Columbus, and cited three bars and restaurants in Athens as part of an investigation into a July 4 fatal crash.
The Ohio Liquor Control Commission will hold hearings in each case to determine whether the bars and staff should face any penalties, which could result in the establishment having to pay fines or have its liquor permit suspended or revoked.
Representatives from Patio Tavern could not be reached Saturday for comment.
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LANSING, MI Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order Saturday to establish new coronavirus safety and testing protocols inside Michigan correctional facilities through the end of September.
The order mandates that incarcerated people be tested for COVID-19 upon entry to, transfer, and release from prisons, jails, and juvenile detention facilities, and resumes the suspension of transferring people from jails to prisons unless certain risk-reduction and testing protocols are established inside the jail.
Those protocols include screening all people entering or leaving a facility, testing inmates presenting symptoms of COVID-19, providing employees with personal protective equipment (PPE), and requiring masks and social distancing for inmates and staff.
Staff is not required to be testing on their way in or out of work, but their temperatures are taken, and recent travel information is recorded.
In light of the ongoing threat of COVID-19 to jail and prison populations, and the increased availability of testing in our state, it is now reasonable and necessary to require entry, transfer, and release testing of inmates in Michigan prisons, and to allow transfers only from jails that implement comparable testing protocols, the revised Executive Order 2020-170 reads.
The order will be in effect until Sept. 30.
The announcement comes as the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC), which oversees the states prison system, has 435 active COVID-19 cases, its largest spike since the spring.
Most of those cases are in the Muskegon Correctional Facility, where an outbreak began three weeks ago.
RELATED: Coronavirus surges again in Michigan prisons, with biggest outbreak since spring
Whitmers first executive order regarding MDOC facilities took place in March, as the virus began its spread inside the state of Michigan
The order temporarily suspended the transfer of people from jails to prisons. Those transfers briefly resumed, and are now suspended again. For jails that have resumed tranfers, this latest order goes into effect on Sept. 8.
RELATED: Gov. Whitmer takes action to protect jails, detention centers from coronavirus
Beginning next Monday, a lockup facility may request an inspection to determine if they meet the safety and testing protocols necessary to transfer prisoners in.
The risk reduction protocols include screening all people coming in and out of a given facility by taking their temperature and recording travel information; providing staff with PPE; increasing circulation by opening windows and using fans; providing personal hygiene products, including soap and water, to inmates; regularly cleaning and sanitizing the facility.
Prisons are required to coordinate with local public health departments, notifying them of suspected or confirmed cases.
Visits to jails and prisons are suspended, except for attorney visits, and any inmate presenting COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, sore throat, uncontrolled cough, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, severe headache, and loss of taste or smell must be isolated and tested.
Jails will also be expected to maintain documentation of an inmates testing history.
Inmates will be subject to wide testing requirements upon intake, within 72 hours before any transfer, and within 72 hours before release.
In the event of a widespread outbreak, testing will be required on an ongoing basis, coupled with contact tracing, in coordination with the local public health department, the order reads. Prisoners who have tested positive should not be transferred unless 10 days have passed since symptom onset, 24 hours have passed since a fever resolved, without the use of fever-reducing medications, and other symptoms have improved.
The order also strongly encourage(s) the early release of certain members of the jail population, including older people, people with chronic medical conditions, pregnant people, people approaching their release date. People whose offenses were traffic violations or failure to appear or failure to pay are also considered eligible for early release under these circumstances.
RELATED: Protesters urge Whitmer to release Michigan inmates facing risk of coronavirus in state prisons
People who violate their parole will not be brought to jail unless that facility has been deemed in compliance with the protocols.
Incarcerated people are considered especially at risk for contracting COVID-19, because of the tight quarters in many jails and prisons and the shared nature of life within their walls. Early in the pandemic, protesters called upon Whitmer to release low-risk prisoners in acknowledgement of this risk.
To date, 4,351 incarcerated people and 435 MDOC employees have tested positive for COVID-19. Those figures include the deaths of 68 prisoners and three corrections workers, according to the MDOC.
COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS
In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.
Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.
Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued executive orders requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces. See an explanation of what that means here.
Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
For more data on COVID-19 in Michigan, visit https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/data/.
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Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, the countys top law enforcement official and a prominent national voice on crime and public safety, has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Gualtieri, 58, is experiencing mild symptoms of COVID-19, including losing his sense of smell and taste, the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office announced Saturday. He had no fever or breathing issues.
Doing fine. Thanks, he texted a Tampa Bay Times reporter when asked about his condition Saturday. He did not respond to a phone call or text questions about how he might have contracted the virus.
He will stay at home for 10 days, working remotely, the agency said. The sheriff oversees an office of more than 2,800 employees.
No other Sheriffs Office staffers need to quarantine, according to an agency spokeswoman, and no additional measures are necessary based on the Sheriffs activities in the applicable period leading up to his positive test.
Gualtieri was in touch with contact tracers at the Florida Department of Health, the spokeswoman said. She said sheriffs personnel have practiced appropriate social distancing in all meetings, and people are either more than six feet apart and/or wearing masks or the meetings are accomplished electronically.
His official calendar showed the sheriff had meetings scheduled every day of the week before his positive test, but it was unclear which were held in person.
On Aug. 8, six days before his positive result, the sheriff spoke at a news conference after a St. Petersburg police officer fatally shot a man accused of attacking her.
The Sheriffs Office said Gualtieri tested positive on Friday. The spokeswoman did not respond to a question about whether Friday was when the test was taken or when the results became available.
In June, an outbreak at the Pinellas County Jail led to 18 cases among staff and inmates in 24 hours.
Gaultieri called the outbreak a big problem at the time and said the agency would have to make significant changes. The agency scaled back misdemeanor arrests and directed staff at the jail to wear cloth or surgical masks at all times.
The office says it suggests deputies follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which encourage wearing masks in all public settings. Staff are also required to follow any local mask ordinances.
There is growing evidence that the virus can linger in the air inside buildings and spread beyond six feet.
After a statewide Florida Sheriffs Association conference in July, five attendees tested positive for the virus, even though the association said guests exceeded necessary precautions. Gualtieri was not one of them, although he attended.
Gualtieri is married to Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Lauralee Westine, who is assigned to family court in Pasco County. The two have a high school-aged daughter and live in a house in East Lake.
The man, named Sheriff of the Year by the National Sheriffs Association in 2019, has emerged as a prominent and influential figure in American law enforcement. He was serving as chief deputy and general counsel when then-Gov. Rick Scott appointed him to lead the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office in 2011. The Republican won elections in 2012 and 2016 and is running for re-election this year.
Gualtieri made national headlines in 2018 when he said Floridas stand your ground law precluded him from arresting a white man who shot and killed Markeis McGlockton, a young black father, during an argument over a Clearwater handicap parking space. Prosecutors took the case to trial, and the shooter was convicted and sentenced to prison.
The sheriff has also influenced state and national policy. He has called for local law enforcement to work more closely with immigration officials when they detain undocumented people, and he helped craft Floridas ban on sanctuary cities.
Gualtieri also pushed to allow school employees to carry guns as the chair of a school safety commission formed after the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
In June, he was on hand at the White House as President Donald Trump signed an executive order to track use-of-force complaints against law enforcement officers, less than a month after George Floyd was killed by an officer in Minneapolis.
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico will need up to 200 million coronavirus vaccine doses, according to a senior government official, and inoculation of its 120 million inhabitants could start as early as April if clinical trials and regulatory approvals for pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca Plc go as planned.
FILE PHOTO: The company logo for pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca is displayed on a screen on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., April 8, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
In partnership with the governments of Mexico and Argentina, AstraZeneca initially plans to produce 150 million doses in early 2021 and eventually make at least 400 million doses for distribution throughout Latin America. AstraZeneca is among those working on COVID-19 vaccine candidates now in development around the world.
Mexicos government also has said it is considering other options for bringing a vaccine quickly to its population, the second-largest in Latin America.
AstraZeneca will be able to produce between 30 and 35 million vaccines per month, Martha Delgado, a Mexican deputy foreign minister, told Reuters in an interview on Friday.
The vaccine could require two doses to be effective, Delgado said.
If we need 200 million, were going to be vaccinating for a long time, Delgado added.
Last-stage so-called Phase III trials are expected to conclude by November or December, after which AstraZeneca will seek government approvals if the vaccine is found to be safe and effective. If that goes smoothly, Delgado estimated the first vaccines in Mexico could be administered in April.
Mexicos death toll of 55,908 stands as the worlds third highest, behind the United States and Brazil. Latin Americas 6 million cases and more than 237,000 deaths make it the worlds hardest-hit region.
To ensure all Mexicans have access to a vaccine, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors government is in talks with other pharmaceutical laboratories in different stages of developing a vaccine.
Astras production isnt going to be enough for Mexico. We need to supplement that with a couple of more vaccines, Delgado said.
Mexicos government has completed memorandums of understanding with French drugmaker Sanofi, Johnson & Johnsons Janssen unit and Chinese companies CanSino Biologics Inc and Walvax Biotechnology Co Ltd.
CanSino and Walvax are interested in producing a vaccine in Mexico for delivery to the Latin American market.
Mexicos health authorities are evaluating the Phase I and II clinical trials of those four companies and will determine the viability of Phase III studies in Mexico in the coming weeks, Delgado said. The earlier phase trials represent an initial test of a vaccines safety and effectiveness among small numbers of subjects.
To save time, Mexicos federal health regulator COFEPRIS will start analyzing AstraZenecas completed studies and accelerate approvals if Phase III is successful.
This is the countrys strategy to diversify our possibilities of having access to the vaccine as soon as possible ... and obviously at an affordable cost for the country, Delgado said.
Reporting by Anthony Esposito and Adriana Barrera; Editing by Will Dunham
