thedenverpost--2020-04-20--Jeriah Horne embracing challenge as Tyler Bey’s replacement for CU Buffs basketball

On this subject , Tad Boyle doesn ’ t typically mince words .
Given a choice , Colorado ’ s 10-year men ’ s basketball coach prefers building his program from the ground up .
That was in display this past season , when a core group playing its third year together posted a 21-win season marred somewhat by a late five-game losing streak and the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament .
Yet with a glaring hole separating the Buffs from another possible NCAA tourney run , Boyle stepped out of his comfort zone to dip into the graduate transfer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened the door for the addition of Jeriah Horne , a 6-foot-7 forward who played the past two seasons at Tulsa and who signed with CU this past week .
Horne primarily will be tasked with easing the Buffs into life after Tyler Bey , who decided to forgo his senior season to enter the NBA draft .
“ It was a good fit .
We knew we wanted some experience , ” Boyle said .
“ Everyone talks about us losing Tyler .
And that ’ s obviously a big loss .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about us losing Lucas Siewert .
Lucas was a big part of this year ’ s team .
And his perimeter shooting ability , along with Shane Gatling ’ s that graduated , is something we felt like we needed to replace .
“ So with Jeriah , you factor in the experience , and you factor in his body is ready and he ’ s proven himself at the high level of Division I basketball , and he can shoot the ball from the perimeter .
He ’ s a very , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his size .
And he can rebound the ball well .
He brings a lot of things to the table.
” Horne averaged 11.1 points and 5.2 rebounds for Tulsa this past season .
He also shot .339 on 3-pointers after posting a .374 mark a year earlier .
Horne isn ’ t likely to be a double-double threat on a nightly basis like Bey , the Pac-12 Conference ’ s overall leader in rebounds with 9.0 per game .
And while Horne probably will be challenged to replace defensive presence of Bey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Year , it is a challenge he is embracing .
“ Tyler Bey is leaving some big shoes to fill at Colorado .
I ’ m happy for him and him being able to pursue his dreams and advance to the next level , ” Horne said .
“ But we also are going to be missing some key seniors as well .
As for me , I love the challenge .
For those who know me , they would tell that this is my dream that ’ s been building my whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some of the biggest games that I ’ ve played , some of the toughest games , I think I ’ ve done pretty well .
Joining CU means I will need to bring that same energy for this upcoming season.
” Like his new teammates , Horne ’ s 2019-20 season ended with games still on the table for Tulsa , which won 21 games and earned the third seed in the American Athletic Conference tournament .
Yet Horne didn ’ t play a postseason game before the AAC tourney was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tournament .
Whenever the basketball calendar returns to some semblance of normalcy , Horne will be on equal footing with his new CU teammates in terms of wanting to make the most of the 2020-21 season after being denied a postseason opportunity this spring .
“ It was devastating the way that the season ended .
We had a chance to really continue to make more history at Tulsa , ” Horne said .
“ I ’ m blessed to have another year to still achieve some of those goals .
CU did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well .
It ’ s a privilege to be able to come in and play with such great player , such as D ’ Shawn ( Schwartz ) and Evan Battey and McKinley Wright and Maddox ( Daniels ) as well .
I ’ m really excited for this opportunity next year .
”

On this subject, Tad Boyle doesn’t typically mince words. Given a choice, Colorado’s 10-year men’s basketball coach prefers building his program from the ground up.
That was in display this past season, when a core group playing its third year together posted a 21-win season marred somewhat by a late five-game losing streak and the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament. Yet with a glaring hole separating the Buffs from another possible NCAA tourney run, Boyle stepped out of his comfort zone to dip into the graduate transfer market for the first time.
That opened the door for the addition of Jeriah Horne, a 6-foot-7 forward who played the past two seasons at Tulsa and who signed with CU this past week. Horne primarily will be tasked with easing the Buffs into life after Tyler Bey, who decided to forgo his senior season to enter the NBA draft.
“It was a good fit. We knew we wanted some experience,” Boyle said. “Everyone talks about us losing Tyler. And that’s obviously a big loss. But not a lot of people talk about us losing Lucas Siewert. Lucas was a big part of this year’s team. And his perimeter shooting ability, along with Shane Gatling’s that graduated, is something we felt like we needed to replace.
“So with Jeriah, you factor in the experience, and you factor in his body is ready and he’s proven himself at the high level of Division I basketball, and he can shoot the ball from the perimeter. He’s a very, very good perimeter shooter for a guy his size. And he can rebound the ball well. He brings a lot of things to the table.”
Horne averaged 11.1 points and 5.2 rebounds for Tulsa this past season. He also shot .339 on 3-pointers after posting a .374 mark a year earlier. Horne isn’t likely to be a double-double threat on a nightly basis like Bey, the Pac-12 Conference’s overall leader in rebounds with 9.0 per game. And while Horne probably will be challenged to replace defensive presence of Bey, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, it is a challenge he is embracing.
“Tyler Bey is leaving some big shoes to fill at Colorado. I’m happy for him and him being able to pursue his dreams and advance to the next level,” Horne said. “But we also are going to be missing some key seniors as well. As for me, I love the challenge. For those who know me, they would tell that this is my dream that’s been building my whole life, to play at this level. Some of the biggest games that I’ve played, some of the toughest games, I think I’ve done pretty well. Joining CU means I will need to bring that same energy for this upcoming season.”
Like his new teammates, Horne’s 2019-20 season ended with games still on the table for Tulsa, which won 21 games and earned the third seed in the American Athletic Conference tournament. Yet Horne didn’t play a postseason game before the AAC tourney was canceled alongside every other college hoops conference tournament. Whenever the basketball calendar returns to some semblance of normalcy, Horne will be on equal footing with his new CU teammates in terms of wanting to make the most of the 2020-21 season after being denied a postseason opportunity this spring.
“It was devastating the way that the season ended. We had a chance to really continue to make more history at Tulsa,” Horne said. “I’m blessed to have another year to still achieve some of those goals. CU did a heck of a job last year as well. It’s a privilege to be able to come in and play with such great player, such as D’Shawn (Schwartz) and Evan Battey and McKinley Wright and Maddox (Daniels) as well. I’m really excited for this opportunity next year.”


thedenverpost--2020-04-19--Antibody test, seen as key to reopening country, does not yet deliver

By Steve Eder , Megan Twohey and Apoorva Mandavilli , The New York Times A law firm in Scottsdale , Arizona , tested employees who hoped , with the prick of a finger , to learn if they might be immune .
In Laredo , Texas , community leaders secured 20,000 of the new tests to gauge how many residents had been infected .
In Chicago , a hospital screened firefighters to help determine whether they could safely stay on the job .
In recent weeks , the United States has seen the first rollout of blood tests for coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to assess the reach of the pandemic in the United States , restart the economy and reintegrate society .
But for all their promise , the tests — intended to signal whether people may have built immunity to the virus — are already raising alarms .
Officials fear the effort may prove as problematic as the earlier launch of diagnostic tests that failed to monitor which Americans , and how many , had been infected or developed the disease the virus causes .
Criticized for a tragically slow and rigid oversight of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now faulted by public health officials and scientists for greenlighting the antibody tests too quickly and without adequate scrutiny .
The Food and Drug Administration has allowed about 90 companies , many based in China , to sell tests that have not gotten government vetting , saying the pandemic warrants an urgent response .
But the agency has since warned that some of those businesses are making false claims about their products ; health officials , like their counterparts overseas , have found others deeply flawed .
Tests of “ frankly dubious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Scott Becker , executive director of the Association of Public Health Laboratories .
Many of them , akin to home pregnancy tests , are easy to take and promise rapid results .
And the federal guidance that does exist is so confusing that health care providers are administering certain tests unaware that they may not be authorized to do so .
Some are misusing antibody test results to diagnose the disease , not realizing that they can miss the early stages of infection .
“ People don ’ t understand how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Osterholm , an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota .
“ We sacrificed quality for speed , and in the end , when it ’ s people ’ s lives that are hanging in the balance , safety has to take precedence over speed.
” Even as government agencies , companies and academic researchers scramble to validate existing tests and create better ones , there are doubts they can deliver as promised .
Most tests now available mistakenly flag at least some people as having antibodies when they do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ belief that those people have immunity .
And even if the tests do improve , their availability could be hampered by the same manufacturing shortages that have prevented the COVID-19 diagnostic tests from scaling up adequately .
As President Donald Trump presses to reopen the country and several states are considering lifting lockdowns in the next few weeks , widespread screening is considered critical .
On Friday , Trump cheered the FDA ’ s emergency approval of some antibody tests , saying they would support efforts to get Americans back to work “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wonderful , beautiful immunity.
” Epidemiologists are testing for antibodies in hot spots to better measure the extent of the outbreaks , and government officials intend to use those results to help decide when and how to return residents to daily life .
But many scientists and political leaders say the country is nowhere close to deploying enough diagnostic and antibody tests at the speed and volume required .
“ The more testing , the more open the economy , ” Gov .
Andrew Cuomo of New York said Wednesday .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests as a central cog in plans to ease stay-at-home restrictions , saying that New York would eventually screen 100,000 people a day .
Recent testing around the country demonstrates the challenges of using the new products .
At the Chicago hospital , for example , the city ’ s Public Health Department intervened , warning that it should not use antibody tests to determine whether emergency workers were actively infected .
Soon after it helped screen the Rose Law Group , the firm in Arizona , a lab stopped providing rapid tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not comply with federal guidelines , and switched to more sophisticated lab-based tests .
In Laredo , officials discovered the tests they received were woefully inadequate .
The local health department found them to have a reliability of about 20 % , far from the 93 % to 97 % the company had claimed .
A police investigation led to a federal seizure of the tests .
( BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM . )
“ The city was disappointed , but during a time of crisis , we are doing everything possible to scour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public , ” said Rafael Benavides , the city ’ s public information officer .
“ It ’ s a real mess , ” Osterholm said .
“ This is the wild , wild West in terms of testing , and at a time when we need real definition of what these tests mean.
” More than 90 companies have jumped into the market since the FDA eased its rules and allowed antibody tests to be sold without formal federal review or approval .
Some of those companies are startups ; others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidance document on March 16 , the FDA required them to validate their results on their own and notify the agency that they had done so .
Their products vary .
Some test only for a transient antibody that spikes while the body is in the throes of an active infection .
An antibody that peaks about four weeks after infection and marks longer-term immunity is a separate target .
There are tests that look for both antibodies ; others also look for a third involved in respiratory infections .
The most reliable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can indicate the amount of antibodies a person may have .
Researchers are not certain that people who have recovered from COVID-19 have immunity , though it would follow the usual pattern for viral infections .
Higher levels generally mean a stronger physiological response , but it is unclear what levels are needed for immunity to the new coronavirus — or how long it might last .
“ We ’ re really far from that , ” Osterholm said .
“ We ’ re not even in the second inning of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the tests offered are rapid tests that can be assessed in a doctor ’ s office — or , eventually , even at home — and provide simple yes-or-no results .
Makers of the tests have aggressively marketed them to businesses and doctors , and thousands of Americans have already taken them , costing a patient roughly $ 60 to $ 115 .
Rapid tests are by far the easiest to administer .
But they are also the most unreliable — so much so that the World Health Organization recommends against their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Most are manufactured in China .
Reports of countries that quickly bought millions have just as swiftly been followed by accounts of poor performance .
For example , Britain recently said the millions of rapid tests it had ordered from China were not sensitive enough to detect antibodies except in people who were severely ill .
In Spain , the testing push turned into a fiasco last month after the initial batch of kits it received had an accuracy of 30 % rather than the advertised 80 % .
In Italy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national authorities have validated the tests .
“ The problems mainly happen with rapid tests , ” said Dr. Giorgio Palù , an Italian microbiologist and former president of the European Society for Virology .
“ They will never be able to tell the spread of the virus because they do not have the required sensitivity and specificity.
” Germany , which has emerged as a model among Western democracies in its efforts to curb the spread of the virus , is pursuing one of the most ambitious antibody studies , striving to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a leader in the technology , has made its own antibody tests and has conducted extensive diagnostic screening from the beginning .
( END OPTIONAL TRIM . )
This month , the FDA warned that some firms marketing their antibody tests in the United States were falsely claiming that they had formal federal approval or that they could diagnose COVID-19 .
In an effort to speed up access , the FDA apparently did not fully consider how these tests would be administered .
The agency released a guidance document saying that antibody tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ settings , indicating that doctors , nurses and others could give them to patients in their offices .
But agency officials also acknowledged that under federal law , if a test has not been authorized by the agency , it must be conducted in so-called high-complexity laboratories , like some large commercial facilities or public health labs .
The officials declined to provide additional clarification .
“ If you are getting an antibody test , and it ’ s being conducted in your physician ’ s office , it ’ s a red @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of the infectious disease programs for the Association of Public Health Laboratories .
No action has been taken against doctors , but as companies realized the ambiguity of the federal guidelines , some changed course , shifting to lab-based tests or pursuing formal federal approval , which would allow their products to be used at doctors ’ offices and even at home .
The FDA has received requests for emergency-use authorization from 120 antibody-testing developers .
So far it has granted formal approval to just four : Cellex , Ortho Clinical Diagnostics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sinai Laboratory .
( BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM . )
Becker , of the Association of Public Health Laboratories , said he was heartened to see more developers seeking the authorization , describing it as “ the gold standard.
” In a statement Saturday , the FDA commissioner , Dr. Stephen Hahn , said that “ every step we have taken as part of our approach to COVID-19 testing has been a careful balancing of risks and benefits , ” adding , “ We are continuing to learn and adapt based on the real-world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Everybody Wants One Hospitals , municipalities and businesses have quickly moved into the first wave of antibody screening .
They are acquiring kits from private suppliers , pairing up with research institutions or making their own lab-based tests .
The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania began screening health care workers this past week as part of a clinical study of people who are infected but asymptomatic .
Eurofins , a network of clinical labs , is working with its subsidiary Boston Heart Diagnostics to test employees at 100 hospitals , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which serves about 265,000 patients a year .
In Michigan , Beaumont Health is offering voluntary testing to its 38,000 employees and thousands of affiliates .
“ Everybody ’ s a little nervous about how protected they are really , ” said Dr. Matthew Sims , Beaumont ’ s director of infectious diseases research .
“ We want to give everybody as much peace of mind as we can.
” Physicians say antibody tests can be useful if given as part of a broader range of care .
Dr. Ida Bergstrom , based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as only “ one tool ” in the arsenal against the virus .
Dr. Syed Ashraf advises patients in northern Virginia that positive results , while not “ a free license to run around and do whatever you feel like , ” can help clear someone to move forward .
Dene Callas , an advertising executive in Santa Monica , California , quickly accepted when her doctor offered to test her this month .
An initial rapid test was invalid ; a second one came back negative .
Still , Callas believed she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She had attended a conference in Las Vegas in January and fallen ill within days .
A positive test , she said , would have made a difference .
“ I would be a little braver outside , ” she said .
“ I would be out there volunteering if I knew I had the antibodies.
” Some large employers , including Goldman Sachs and Twitter , have looked into antibody tests but not bought any .
Amazon has not focused on antibody screening , though it intends to roll out diagnostic testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its warehouse and logistics network , according to people familiar with the plans .
Some smaller businesses , though , have pursued the new tests .
At John Christner Trucking , a food transportation company near Tulsa , Oklahoma , about 220 workers took rapid tests .
They were concerned about exposure after two were infected with the virus .
A small number came back positive , said Danny Christner , the chief executive .
“ I knew it wasn ’ t a silver bullet , but it was some information that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
The Chicago Public Health Department bought 5,500 rapid tests and put them to use in homeless shelters as a supplement to diagnostic testing .
Those who were positive for the early antibodies were placed in hotel rooms rented by the city during the 48 hours it took to get diagnostic test results back , said Dr. Allison Arwady , commissioner of the department .
The next step may be testing people in nursing homes , she said .
Sports leagues are also considering how antibody tests can figure into their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season paused , has been approached about purchasing tests and is awaiting guidance from public health officials .
MLB employees and players will be tested as part of a 10,000-person nationwide study run by outside researchers to better understand the scale of infection .
A players ’ union official said the testing was voluntary and not connected to beginning the season .
While political leaders and some health officials say that antibody testing will be essential to reopening the country , it is unlikely to meet expectations anytime soon .
Less than 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected , and even in hot zones like New York or New Orleans , the prevalence may not be higher than 10 % to 15 % , according to Osterholm .
In China , early screening in hard-hit Wuhan indicates that only about 3 % of the population has antibodies against the new coronavirus .
When the proportion of people exposed is that low , the tests ’ false-positive rate — signaling antibodies where there are none — can limit the tests ’ utility .
Even Cellex ’ s FDA-authorized test has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That is still a significant margin of error : In a community where 5 % of people have had the virus , Osterholm said , there would be as many false positives as true ones .
“ What are you going to do with that ?
Are you going to say you ’ re not going to distance ?
” he said .
“ I don ’ t think that would give me peace of mind at all.
” Some tests on the market without federal approval are likely to have even higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these companies have validated their tests or how they stack up against one another .
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health are validating some of the tests in cooperation with the FDA .
Last week , a Danish group published a small analysis of nine tests and found , as might be expected , that some performed better than others .
A research group backed by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is working to assess all available tests using the same set of samples for each , with early results expected next week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to know which of these tests we can rely on ; I think the only way we can know is head-to-head testing , ” said Dr. Alexander Marson , one of the leaders of the project and a microbiologist at the University of California , San Francisco .
“ The ideal outcome is not to pick a winner but to pick as many winners as possible so the world can have a diversified list of tests , ” he added .
( STORY CAN END HERE .
OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ government had finished validating the antibody tests , manufacturing would swiftly meet demand .
But that may not be realistic .
Most companies are buying rapid tests from China , though they are unsure if and when they will become available .
Early on , Chinese businesses could sell their products freely , but now Chinese officials have signaled that only antibody tests approved by the country ’ s government can be exported .
So far , China ’ s National Medical Products Administration has authorized only 11 .
A startup in Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive 1 million tests each week from Innovita , one of the 11 companies .
But it is still waiting for its first shipment of 10,000 , which was scheduled to arrive three weeks ago .
Companies and health officials are also predicting shortages of the reagents and components required to assemble the tests .
“ As many scientific challenges as there are right now , ” said Scott Hensley , leading the University of Pennsylvania study , “ there ’ s an equally large engineering challenge and scalability challenge to get these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

The New York Times News Service Syndicate

By Steve Eder, Megan Twohey and Apoorva Mandavilli, The New York Times
A law firm in Scottsdale, Arizona, tested employees who hoped, with the prick of a finger, to learn if they might be immune. In Laredo, Texas, community leaders secured 20,000 of the new tests to gauge how many residents had been infected. In Chicago, a hospital screened firefighters to help determine whether they could safely stay on the job.
In recent weeks, the United States has seen the first rollout of blood tests for coronavirus antibodies, widely heralded as crucial tools to assess the reach of the pandemic in the United States, restart the economy and reintegrate society.
But for all their promise, the tests — intended to signal whether people may have built immunity to the virus — are already raising alarms.
Officials fear the effort may prove as problematic as the earlier launch of diagnostic tests that failed to monitor which Americans, and how many, had been infected or developed the disease the virus causes. Criticized for a tragically slow and rigid oversight of those tests months ago, the federal government is now faulted by public health officials and scientists for greenlighting the antibody tests too quickly and without adequate scrutiny.
The Food and Drug Administration has allowed about 90 companies, many based in China, to sell tests that have not gotten government vetting, saying the pandemic warrants an urgent response. But the agency has since warned that some of those businesses are making false claims about their products; health officials, like their counterparts overseas, have found others deeply flawed.
Tests of “frankly dubious quality” have flooded the U.S. market, said Scott Becker, executive director of the Association of Public Health Laboratories. Many of them, akin to home pregnancy tests, are easy to take and promise rapid results.
And the federal guidance that does exist is so confusing that health care providers are administering certain tests unaware that they may not be authorized to do so. Some are misusing antibody test results to diagnose the disease, not realizing that they can miss the early stages of infection.
“People don’t understand how dangerous this test is,” said Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota. “We sacrificed quality for speed, and in the end, when it’s people’s lives that are hanging in the balance, safety has to take precedence over speed.”
Even as government agencies, companies and academic researchers scramble to validate existing tests and create better ones, there are doubts they can deliver as promised. Most tests now available mistakenly flag at least some people as having antibodies when they do not, which could foster a dangerously false belief that those people have immunity.
And even if the tests do improve, their availability could be hampered by the same manufacturing shortages that have prevented the COVID-19 diagnostic tests from scaling up adequately.
As President Donald Trump presses to reopen the country and several states are considering lifting lockdowns in the next few weeks, widespread screening is considered critical. On Friday, Trump cheered the FDA’s emergency approval of some antibody tests, saying they would support efforts to get Americans back to work “by showing us who might have developed the wonderful, beautiful immunity.”
Epidemiologists are testing for antibodies in hot spots to better measure the extent of the outbreaks, and government officials intend to use those results to help decide when and how to return residents to daily life. But many scientists and political leaders say the country is nowhere close to deploying enough diagnostic and antibody tests at the speed and volume required.
“The more testing, the more open the economy,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York said Wednesday. He has pushed for the production of antibody tests as a central cog in plans to ease stay-at-home restrictions, saying that New York would eventually screen 100,000 people a day.
Recent testing around the country demonstrates the challenges of using the new products. At the Chicago hospital, for example, the city’s Public Health Department intervened, warning that it should not use antibody tests to determine whether emergency workers were actively infected.
Soon after it helped screen the Rose Law Group, the firm in Arizona, a lab stopped providing rapid tests to other clients, fearing they might not comply with federal guidelines, and switched to more sophisticated lab-based tests.
In Laredo, officials discovered the tests they received were woefully inadequate. The local health department found them to have a reliability of about 20%, far from the 93% to 97% the company had claimed. A police investigation led to a federal seizure of the tests.(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)“The city was disappointed, but during a time of crisis, we are doing everything possible to scour the earth to have tests available for the public,” said Rafael Benavides, the city’s public information officer.
“It’s a real mess,” Osterholm said. “This is the wild, wild West in terms of testing, and at a time when we need real definition of what these tests mean.”
(END OPTIONAL TRIM.)A Medical Free-for-All
More than 90 companies have jumped into the market since the FDA eased its rules and allowed antibody tests to be sold without formal federal review or approval.
Some of those companies are startups; others have established records. In a federal guidance document on March 16, the FDA required them to validate their results on their own and notify the agency that they had done so.
Their products vary. Some test only for a transient antibody that spikes while the body is in the throes of an active infection. An antibody that peaks about four weeks after infection and marks longer-term immunity is a separate target. There are tests that look for both antibodies; others also look for a third involved in respiratory infections.
The most reliable ones involve a laboratory technique called Elisa that can indicate the amount of antibodies a person may have. Researchers are not certain that people who have recovered from COVID-19 have immunity, though it would follow the usual pattern for viral infections. Higher levels generally mean a stronger physiological response, but it is unclear what levels are needed for immunity to the new coronavirus — or how long it might last.
“We’re really far from that,” Osterholm said. “We’re not even in the second inning of a nine-inning game at this point.”
Most of the tests offered are rapid tests that can be assessed in a doctor’s office — or, eventually, even at home — and provide simple yes-or-no results. Makers of the tests have aggressively marketed them to businesses and doctors, and thousands of Americans have already taken them, costing a patient roughly $60 to $115.
Rapid tests are by far the easiest to administer. But they are also the most unreliable — so much so that the World Health Organization recommends against their use.(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)Most are manufactured in China. Reports of countries that quickly bought millions have just as swiftly been followed by accounts of poor performance.
For example, Britain recently said the millions of rapid tests it had ordered from China were not sensitive enough to detect antibodies except in people who were severely ill. In Spain, the testing push turned into a fiasco last month after the initial batch of kits it received had an accuracy of 30% rather than the advertised 80%. In Italy, local officials have begun testing even before national authorities have validated the tests.
“The problems mainly happen with rapid tests,” said Dr. Giorgio Palù, an Italian microbiologist and former president of the European Society for Virology. “They will never be able to tell the spread of the virus because they do not have the required sensitivity and specificity.”
Germany, which has emerged as a model among Western democracies in its efforts to curb the spread of the virus, is pursuing one of the most ambitious antibody studies, striving to test its entire population. It is a leader in the technology, has made its own antibody tests and has conducted extensive diagnostic screening from the beginning.
(END OPTIONAL TRIM.)This month, the FDA warned that some firms marketing their antibody tests in the United States were falsely claiming that they had formal federal approval or that they could diagnose COVID-19.
In an effort to speed up access, the FDA apparently did not fully consider how these tests would be administered. The agency released a guidance document saying that antibody tests could be performed at “point-of-care” settings, indicating that doctors, nurses and others could give them to patients in their offices. But agency officials also acknowledged that under federal law, if a test has not been authorized by the agency, it must be conducted in so-called high-complexity laboratories, like some large commercial facilities or public health labs. The officials declined to provide additional clarification.
“If you are getting an antibody test, and it’s being conducted in your physician’s office, it’s a red flag,” said Kelly Wroblewski, director of the infectious disease programs for the Association of Public Health Laboratories.
No action has been taken against doctors, but as companies realized the ambiguity of the federal guidelines, some changed course, shifting to lab-based tests or pursuing formal federal approval, which would allow their products to be used at doctors’ offices and even at home.
The FDA has received requests for emergency-use authorization from 120 antibody-testing developers. So far it has granted formal approval to just four: Cellex, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Chembio Diagnostic Systems and the Mount Sinai Laboratory.(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)Becker, of the Association of Public Health Laboratories, said he was heartened to see more developers seeking the authorization, describing it as “the gold standard.”
In a statement Saturday, the FDA commissioner, Dr. Stephen Hahn, said that “every step we have taken as part of our approach to COVID-19 testing has been a careful balancing of risks and benefits,” adding, “We are continuing to learn and adapt based on the real-world experience and data we’re seeing.”
Everybody Wants One
Hospitals, municipalities and businesses have quickly moved into the first wave of antibody screening. They are acquiring kits from private suppliers, pairing up with research institutions or making their own lab-based tests.
The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania began screening health care workers this past week as part of a clinical study of people who are infected but asymptomatic.
Eurofins, a network of clinical labs, is working with its subsidiary Boston Heart Diagnostics to test employees at 100 hospitals, including the VA New England Healthcare System, which serves about 265,000 patients a year. In Michigan, Beaumont Health is offering voluntary testing to its 38,000 employees and thousands of affiliates.
“Everybody’s a little nervous about how protected they are really,” said Dr. Matthew Sims, Beaumont’s director of infectious diseases research. “We want to give everybody as much peace of mind as we can.”
Physicians say antibody tests can be useful if given as part of a broader range of care.
Dr. Ida Bergstrom, based in Washington, described the rapid tests as only “one tool” in the arsenal against the virus. Dr. Syed Ashraf advises patients in northern Virginia that positive results, while not “a free license to run around and do whatever you feel like,” can help clear someone to move forward.
Dene Callas, an advertising executive in Santa Monica, California, quickly accepted when her doctor offered to test her this month. An initial rapid test was invalid; a second one came back negative. Still, Callas believed she had contracted the virus and recovered: She had attended a conference in Las Vegas in January and fallen ill within days. A positive test, she said, would have made a difference. “I would be a little braver outside,” she said. “I would be out there volunteering if I knew I had the antibodies.”
Some large employers, including Goldman Sachs and Twitter, have looked into antibody tests but not bought any. Amazon has not focused on antibody screening, though it intends to roll out diagnostic testing for the hundreds of thousands of people in its warehouse and logistics network, according to people familiar with the plans.
Some smaller businesses, though, have pursued the new tests. At John Christner Trucking, a food transportation company near Tulsa, Oklahoma, about 220 workers took rapid tests. They were concerned about exposure after two were infected with the virus. A small number came back positive, said Danny Christner, the chief executive. “I knew it wasn’t a silver bullet, but it was some information that people could be aware of,” he said.
The Chicago Public Health Department bought 5,500 rapid tests and put them to use in homeless shelters as a supplement to diagnostic testing. Those who were positive for the early antibodies were placed in hotel rooms rented by the city during the 48 hours it took to get diagnostic test results back, said Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the department. The next step may be testing people in nursing homes, she said.
Sports leagues are also considering how antibody tests can figure into their plans. The NBA, with its season paused, has been approached about purchasing tests and is awaiting guidance from public health officials.
MLB employees and players will be tested as part of a 10,000-person nationwide study run by outside researchers to better understand the scale of infection. A players’ union official said the testing was voluntary and not connected to beginning the season.
(END OPTIONAL TRIM.)In Search of a Test That Works
While political leaders and some health officials say that antibody testing will be essential to reopening the country, it is unlikely to meet expectations anytime soon.
Less than 5% of the U.S. population may be infected, and even in hot zones like New York or New Orleans, the prevalence may not be higher than 10% to 15%, according to Osterholm. In China, early screening in hard-hit Wuhan indicates that only about 3% of the population has antibodies against the new coronavirus.
When the proportion of people exposed is that low, the tests’ false-positive rate — signaling antibodies where there are none — can limit the tests’ utility.
Even Cellex’s FDA-authorized test has a false-positive rate of about 5%. That is still a significant margin of error: In a community where 5% of people have had the virus, Osterholm said, there would be as many false positives as true ones.
“What are you going to do with that? Are you going to say you’re not going to distance?” he said. “I don’t think that would give me peace of mind at all.”
Some tests on the market without federal approval are likely to have even higher false-positive rates. It is unclear how these companies have validated their tests or how they stack up against one another.
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health are validating some of the tests in cooperation with the FDA. Last week, a Danish group published a small analysis of nine tests and found, as might be expected, that some performed better than others. A research group backed by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is working to assess all available tests using the same set of samples for each, with early results expected next week.
“There’s an urgent need to know which of these tests we can rely on; I think the only way we can know is head-to-head testing,” said Dr. Alexander Marson, one of the leaders of the project and a microbiologist at the University of California, San Francisco.
“The ideal outcome is not to pick a winner but to pick as many winners as possible so the world can have a diversified list of tests,” he added.(STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS.)Trump has said that once the federal government had finished validating the antibody tests, manufacturing would swiftly meet demand. But that may not be realistic.
Most companies are buying rapid tests from China, though they are unsure if and when they will become available. Early on, Chinese businesses could sell their products freely, but now Chinese officials have signaled that only antibody tests approved by the country’s government can be exported. So far, China’s National Medical Products Administration has authorized only 11.
A startup in Los Angeles, Scanwell Health, expected to receive 1 million tests each week from Innovita, one of the 11 companies. But it is still waiting for its first shipment of 10,000, which was scheduled to arrive three weeks ago.
Companies and health officials are also predicting shortages of the reagents and components required to assemble the tests.
“As many scientific challenges as there are right now,” said Scott Hensley, leading the University of Pennsylvania study, “there’s an equally large engineering challenge and scalability challenge to get these on the market.”
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thedenverpost--2020-04-19--Can Alex Ovechkin catch Wayne Gretzky? “The Great One” is rooting for him.

Wayne Gretzky sees a lot of himself in Alex Ovechkin , from the smile on his face each time he steps on the ice to his passion for scoring goals .
There are also differences , like Gretzky ’ s sole focus on the NHL growing up in Brantford , Ontario , versus Ovechkin ’ s upbringing in Moscow .
“ The Great One ” believes the Washington Capitals captain has a good chance of breaking his all-time record of 894 goals that once seemed untouchable , depending on how long Ovechkin plays in the NHL .
Gretzky speculated that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finish his career in the Kontinental Hockey League .
“ Maybe one day in his mind he ’ ll say , ‘ Look , I want to go home and play in the KHL when I can still compete at a high level , ’ ” Gretzky told The Associated Press in a phone interview Sunday .
“ We don ’ t know that .
That ’ s his decision .
But I think he loves being in Washington , I think he loves the NHL and I think he ’ ll do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chase down the record.
” Ovechkin ’ s longevity and his pursuit of Gretzky ’ s record are among the topics they discussed in their first joint interview , which airs Monday on NBC Sports Network .
It comes with them 3,000 miles away and hockey on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic but shines a spotlight on the potential of Ovechkin , who has 706 goals , spending the next few years chasing Gretzky .
Ovechkin has 48 goals this season , tied for the league lead with Boston ’ s David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were to resume , he could match Gretzky and Mike Bossy with nine 50-goal seasons .
If not , the time away and focus on the chase could drive Ovechkin to play long enough to break the record .
“ You really feel like this record is meaningful , ” NHL chief content officer Steve Mayer said in a video interview with The AP .
“ I ’ ve got the feeling that if he ’ s close , he ’ s not going to go away so fast.
” When asked how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has repeatedly referred to the one year remaining on his contract and said , “ We ’ ll see.
” He answers the same to NBC ’ s Kathryn Tappen during the hour-long special with Gretzky and adds : “ I ’ m healthy , thanks God , and I still love this game .
As soon as I ’ m not gon na love this game , I ’ m not gon na cheat on it because I respect it a lot.
” Gretzky knows that feeling and was even offered a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after playing his final NHL game .
He respectfully declined .
“ All I remember was my mindset was there ’ s one league and if I ’ m not good enough for this league , I ’ m done , ” Gretzky said .
“ I grew up , I ’ m an NHL guy and if I can ’ t play in the NHL , that ’ s it for me .
He ’ s probably in a different scenario .
He grew up in Russia and he ’ s proud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll be great for him to go home.
” At 35 , Ovechkin has already blown past the age where goal-scorers usually slow down and put up numbers not seen in decades .
Even at his pace , Ovechkin would likely need to play at least four more seasons to threaten the record , which Gretzky believes would be great for the game .
Gretzky recalls his dad telling him his record will be broken one day and hoping he handles it with the same class and dignity Gordie Howe did when Gretzky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I can ’ t help but cheer and root for him each and every day , ” Gretzky said .
“ I hope I ’ m the first guy who ’ s able to shake his hand when he does break my record.
” That ’ s a hope for a few years down the line .
With a pandemic raging , Ovechkin — whose wife is expecting the couple ’ s second child — said on a recent video call his focus is on the present , not the future .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 50 goals or catch ‘ The Great One ’ or somebody else , ” Ovechkin said .
“ My mind right now ( is ) to do the best what I can do , and what my family can do to be safe .
”

Wayne Gretzky sees a lot of himself in Alex Ovechkin, from the smile on his face each time he steps on the ice to his passion for scoring goals.
There are also differences, like Gretzky’s sole focus on the NHL growing up in Brantford, Ontario, versus Ovechkin’s upbringing in Moscow. “The Great One” believes the Washington Capitals captain has a good chance of breaking his all-time record of 894 goals that once seemed untouchable, depending on how long Ovechkin plays in the NHL. Gretzky speculated that Ovechkin could go home to Russia and finish his career in the Kontinental Hockey League.
“Maybe one day in his mind he’ll say, ‘Look, I want to go home and play in the KHL when I can still compete at a high level,’” Gretzky told The Associated Press in a phone interview Sunday. “We don’t know that. That’s his decision. But I think he loves being in Washington, I think he loves the NHL and I think he’ll do everything he can at any point to chase down the record.”
Ovechkin’s longevity and his pursuit of Gretzky’s record are among the topics they discussed in their first joint interview, which airs Monday on NBC Sports Network. It comes with them 3,000 miles away and hockey on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic but shines a spotlight on the potential of Ovechkin, who has 706 goals, spending the next few years chasing Gretzky.
Ovechkin has 48 goals this season, tied for the league lead with Boston’s David Pastrnak, and if the regular season were to resume, he could match Gretzky and Mike Bossy with nine 50-goal seasons. If not, the time away and focus on the chase could drive Ovechkin to play long enough to break the record.
“You really feel like this record is meaningful,” NHL chief content officer Steve Mayer said in a video interview with The AP. “I’ve got the feeling that if he’s close, he’s not going to go away so fast.”
When asked how long he’d play, Ovechkin has repeatedly referred to the one year remaining on his contract and said, “We’ll see.” He answers the same to NBC’s Kathryn Tappen during the hour-long special with Gretzky and adds: “I’m healthy, thanks God, and I still love this game. As soon as I’m not gonna love this game, I’m not gonna cheat on it because I respect it a lot.”
Gretzky knows that feeling and was even offered a job to play in Russia in 1999 after playing his final NHL game. He respectfully declined.
“All I remember was my mindset was there’s one league and if I’m not good enough for this league, I’m done,” Gretzky said. “I grew up, I’m an NHL guy and if I can’t play in the NHL, that’s it for me. He’s probably in a different scenario. He grew up in Russia and he’s proud of his country and maybe it’ll be great for him to go home.”
At 35, Ovechkin has already blown past the age where goal-scorers usually slow down and put up numbers not seen in decades. Even at his pace, Ovechkin would likely need to play at least four more seasons to threaten the record, which Gretzky believes would be great for the game.
Gretzky recalls his dad telling him his record will be broken one day and hoping he handles it with the same class and dignity Gordie Howe did when Gretzky surpassed him as the leading goal-scorer.
“I can’t help but cheer and root for him each and every day,” Gretzky said. “I hope I’m the first guy who’s able to shake his hand when he does break my record.”
That’s a hope for a few years down the line. With a pandemic raging, Ovechkin — whose wife is expecting the couple’s second child — said on a recent video call his focus is on the present, not the future.
“My mind right now is not about 50 goals or catch ‘The Great One’ or somebody else,” Ovechkin said. “My mind right now (is) to do the best what I can do, and what my family can do to be safe.”


thedenverpost--2020-04-19--Trump says he’s close to a deal with Congress on coronavirus aid

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration and Congress are nearing an agreement on an aid package of up to $ 450 billion to boost a small-business loan program that has run out of money and add funds for hospitals and COVID-19 testing .
President Donald Trump said Sunday , “ We ’ re getting close to a deal.
” Along with the small business boost , Trump said the negotiators were looking at “ helping our hospitals , ” particularly hard-hit rural health care providers .
A deal could be announced Monday , the president said at a White House briefing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus outbreak that has shuttered much economic activity , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said earlier Sunday he was hopeful of a deal that could pass Congress quickly and get the Small Business Administration program back up by midweek .
“ I think we ’ re very close to a deal today .
I ’ m hopeful that we can get that done , ” he said .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , said he believed a deal could be reached late Sunday or early Monday .
“ We still have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
The Senate is scheduled for a pro forma session Monday , but no vote has been set .
The House announced it could meet as soon as Wednesday for a recorded vote on the pending package , according to a schedule update from Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , D-Md .
Under the emerging deal there would be $ 300 billion for small-business payroll program , and $ 50 billion would be available for small business disaster fund .
Additionally , it would bring $ 75 billion for hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to those involved in the talks On a conference call Sunday afternoon that included Trump , Mnuchin and Republican senators , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , indicated the only remaining item for discussion involved the money for testing , according to a Senate GOP leadership aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a private call .
Under the emerging deal , the government ’ s Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses would get roughly $ 300 billion , according to Mnuchin .
The program has been swamped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its appropriations limit last Thursday after approving nearly 1.7 million loans .
That left thousands of small businesses in limbo as they sought help .
An additional $ 50 billion in the evolving deal would go for disaster loans .
About $ 75 billion would go to U.S. hospitals , for those straining under a ballooning coronavirus caseload as well as those struggling to stay financially afloat after suspending elective surgeries during the pandemic .
About $ 25 billion would be added for COVID-19 testing , something states have said was urgently needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were priorities sought by congressional Democrats .
But additional aid to state and local governments would be left out , Mnuchin said .
Democrats have been keen to boost funding to cash-strapped states and local governments whose revenues have cratered , but the issue threatened to provoke fights between large , high-tax states like California and New York and smaller states more typically run by Republicans .
“ The president is willing to consider that in the next bill , but wants to get this over the finish line with a focus on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mnuchin said .
He said he ’ s been in touch with GOP leaders including McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif. , and all are “ on board with the same plan.
” On the Sunday call with senators , Mnuchin and McConnell reiterated that money for state and local governments as well as food stamps would not be included in the package , according to the GOP aide .
“ I ’ m hopeful that we can reach an agreement , that the Senate can pass this tomorrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it up on Tuesday , and , Wednesday , we ’ d be back up and running , ” Mnuchin said earlier in his TV interview .
Schumer said Democrats would insist on aid for state and local governments .
They had submitted a compromise offer Friday that would provide $ 150 billion for states as well as cities , counties and towns based on need .
Key swing states for Trump in the November presidential election — Pennsylvania , Michigan , Ohio and Wisconsin — would receive billions in new aid under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of private negotiations .
“ We are pushing hard , ” Schumer said .
“ We don ’ t want our police , our firefighters , our EMTs , our bus drivers — this is not an abstract issue .
We don ’ t want them fired.
” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , predicted an agreement would be reached “ soon.
” “ I am pleased to report that we have been engaged in bipartisan negotiations on our interim legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said in a letter late Saturday to Democratic colleagues .
Republican Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan , who leads the National Governors ’ Association , said he and other governors believe that aid for state and local government is “ desperately needed , ” but that it may not be an issue worth fighting over for now .
“ I don ’ t think the deal is finalized yet , ” he said .
“ But , look , we do not want to hold up funding to these small businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Republicans in the Senate can come together in a bipartisan way and get something moving for the American people.
” Democratic New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said states needed money from the federal government to ramp up testing , and he blasted legislation that wouldn ’ t provide it .
“ You have the president saying 15 times , ‘ It ’ s up to the governors , it ’ s up to the governors , it ’ s up to the governors , ' ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass a piece of legislation that gives you know what to states : zero , zilch , nada , niente .
Whatever language you want to say it , nothing .
But then how are the states supposed to do this ?
” The SBA loans , based on a company ’ s payroll costs , offer owners forgiveness if they retain workers or rehire those who have been laid off .
The law provides for forgiveness for companies in any industry — even businesses like hedge funds and law firms .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the amount of employees ’ compensation that can be considered when loan forgiveness is calculated .
While they wait , owners who are shut down or who ’ ve lost revenue have expressed unease about the longer-term impact the virus outbreak will have on their companies .
“ There ’ s great pain out there , ” said Suzanne Clark , president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce .
“ Every hour and day that goes by without this assistance is really hurting them.
” Mnuchin , Schumer and Hogan appeared on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union , ” and Clark spoke on CBS ’ “ Face the Nation .
”

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration and Congress are nearing an agreement on an aid package of up to $450 billion to boost a small-business loan program that has run out of money and add funds for hospitals and COVID-19 testing.
President Donald Trump said Sunday, “We’re getting close to a deal.”
Along with the small business boost, Trump said the negotiators were looking at “helping our hospitals,” particularly hard-hit rural health care providers.
A deal could be announced Monday, the president said at a White House briefing.
With small-business owners reeling during a coronavirus outbreak that has shuttered much economic activity, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said earlier Sunday he was hopeful of a deal that could pass Congress quickly and get the Small Business Administration program back up by midweek.
“I think we’re very close to a deal today. I’m hopeful that we can get that done,” he said.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he believed a deal could be reached late Sunday or early Monday. “We still have a few more details to deal with,” he said.
The Senate is scheduled for a pro forma session Monday, but no vote has been set.
The House announced it could meet as soon as Wednesday for a recorded vote on the pending package, according to a schedule update from Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.
Under the emerging deal there would be $300 billion for small-business payroll program, and $50 billion would be available for small business disaster fund. Additionally, it would bring $75 billion for hospitals and $25 billion for testing, according to those involved in the talks
On a conference call Sunday afternoon that included Trump, Mnuchin and Republican senators, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., indicated the only remaining item for discussion involved the money for testing, according to a Senate GOP leadership aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a private call.
Under the emerging deal, the government’s Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses would get roughly $300 billion, according to Mnuchin. The program has been swamped by companies applying for loans and reached its appropriations limit last Thursday after approving nearly 1.7 million loans. That left thousands of small businesses in limbo as they sought help. An additional $50 billion in the evolving deal would go for disaster loans.
About $75 billion would go to U.S. hospitals, for those straining under a ballooning coronavirus caseload as well as those struggling to stay financially afloat after suspending elective surgeries during the pandemic. About $25 billion would be added for COVID-19 testing, something states have said was urgently needed. The money for hospitals and testing were priorities sought by congressional Democrats.
But additional aid to state and local governments would be left out, Mnuchin said. Democrats have been keen to boost funding to cash-strapped states and local governments whose revenues have cratered, but the issue threatened to provoke fights between large, high-tax states like California and New York and smaller states more typically run by Republicans.
“The president is willing to consider that in the next bill, but wants to get this over the finish line with a focus on small businesses, hospitals and testing,” Mnuchin said.
He said he’s been in touch with GOP leaders including McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and all are “on board with the same plan.” On the Sunday call with senators, Mnuchin and McConnell reiterated that money for state and local governments as well as food stamps would not be included in the package, according to the GOP aide.
“I’m hopeful that we can reach an agreement, that the Senate can pass this tomorrow, and that the House can take it up on Tuesday, and, Wednesday, we’d be back up and running,” Mnuchin said earlier in his TV interview.
Schumer said Democrats would insist on aid for state and local governments. They had submitted a compromise offer Friday that would provide $150 billion for states as well as cities, counties and towns based on need. Key swing states for Trump in the November presidential election — Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin — would receive billions in new aid under the proposal, according to a senior Democratic aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of private negotiations.
“We are pushing hard,” Schumer said. “We don’t want our police, our firefighters, our EMTs, our bus drivers — this is not an abstract issue. We don’t want them fired.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., predicted an agreement would be reached “soon.”
“I am pleased to report that we have been engaged in bipartisan negotiations on our interim legislation, and our progress is encouraging,” she said in a letter late Saturday to Democratic colleagues.
Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who leads the National Governors’ Association, said he and other governors believe that aid for state and local government is “desperately needed,” but that it may not be an issue worth fighting over for now.
“I don’t think the deal is finalized yet,” he said. “But, look, we do not want to hold up funding to these small businesses. And we hope that the Democrats and the Republicans in the Senate can come together in a bipartisan way and get something moving for the American people.”
Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said states needed money from the federal government to ramp up testing, and he blasted legislation that wouldn’t provide it.
“You have the president saying 15 times, ‘It’s up to the governors, it’s up to the governors, it’s up to the governors,'” he said. “And then they’re going to pass a piece of legislation that gives you know what to states: zero, zilch, nada, niente. Whatever language you want to say it, nothing. But then how are the states supposed to do this?”
The SBA loans, based on a company’s payroll costs, offer owners forgiveness if they retain workers or rehire those who have been laid off. The law provides for forgiveness for companies in any industry — even businesses like hedge funds and law firms. There’s a limit of $100,000 on the amount of employees’ compensation that can be considered when loan forgiveness is calculated.
While they wait, owners who are shut down or who’ve lost revenue have expressed unease about the longer-term impact the virus outbreak will have on their companies.
“There’s great pain out there,” said Suzanne Clark, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “Every hour and day that goes by without this assistance is really hurting them.”
Mnuchin, Schumer and Hogan appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union,” and Clark spoke on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”


thedenverpost--2020-04-19--Deep receiver class faces high hopes for immediate impact

The upcoming NFL draft features a tantalizing class of wide receivers expected to make an immediate impact as rookies .
It ’ s a tall task even for an exceptionally deep group that ’ s expected to produce up to a half dozen first-round picks Thursday night .
Receivers face one of the hardest adjustments to the pros because they have to absorb a monster playbook , beat press coverage and elude D-backs who are quicker , stronger and savvier .
Sometimes the gamble pays off ; sometimes it doesn ’ t .
“ One of the things that makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s so much difference playing at the National Football League level because of all the defenses we see and all the adjustments they have to make , ” said long-time talent evaluation expert Gil Brandt , a Pro Football Hall of Famer .
Quarterback is the only position with a steeper learning curve , Brandt suggested .
“ These guys have to do a lot more things in the NFL as far as adjustments — and do it quickly , ” he said .
“ And the other thing is separation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can run fast but they can ’ t separate.
” Mark Dominik , a SiriusXM NFL Radio host and former Buccaneers general manager , said receivers go from facing “ 18- , 19- and 20-year-old young men who aren ’ t as strong or as physical as they ’ re going to end up being ” to “ going up against a 29-year-old man and it ’ s a huge difference .
“ I think that ’ s why you see receivers bust , just because of the different player they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to change , however .
Teams are more willing than ever to bypass the old wait-and-watch standby for a plug-and-play approach with bigger , faster , quicker pass-catchers coming out .
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“ Not a chance , ” sports doc insists .
With football also iffy , pray baseball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Moore made big splashes in 2018 , followed by Deebo Samuel , DK Metcalf , Marquise Brown , Terry McLaurin and A.J .
Brown , who wasted no time establishing their credentials last season .
“ Last year was a good year in terms of a bunch of rookies coming in and having a lot of success , but if you look over the last several years , that second- and third-round receiver group has arguably been better than the first-round group , ” said NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s almost like two different games for college and the NFL in terms of what routes you ’ re asked to run , which are very limited at the college level , ” Jeremiah said .
“ You watch a college game on Saturday you ’ re going to see a bunch of slants , hitches and go ’ s .
It ’ s very limited in terms of what they ask them to do , very limited in terms of them having to read coverage and sight-adjust their routes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ press coverage.
” Reading and reacting to coverage and keeping defenders from knocking them off their routes can prove difficult even for receivers who dominated college competition .
“ There ’ s just a lot of adjustment there , but I give the NFL credit , ” Jeremiah said .
“ I think the last couple of years we ’ re seeing the NFL be a little smarter with the transition period for these guys and figuring out ways they can get them on fly sweeps or bubble screens and just get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make plays , simplifying it a little bit while they ’ re young before they can grow and evolve into everything you want them to be.
” Jeremiah said last season in particular provided “ the blueprint to get these guys on the field and improve that track record at the position.
” Intersecting this meet-you-halfway approach is an uptick in the athleticism of wide receivers , a product of the multiple-receiver sets now the norm all the way down to youth football .
“ I think in today ’ s day and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s almost like AAU basketball , ” Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said .
“ The receivers are so much more advanced in terms of their fundamentals coming into college and the league than maybe they have been in the past .
It ’ s really just the NFL offense that will take time .
“ So I think there ’ s some guys sitting here today that I think will have a chance to make a pretty immediate impact , and I ’ m excited about that.
” Washington Redskins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prospects are primed for the pro game as never before .
Top-end receivers this year include Colorado ’ s Laviska Shenault , Alabama ’ s Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III , Oklahoma ’ s CeeDee Lamb , LSU ’ s Justin Jefferson , Arizona State ’ s Brandon Aiyuk and Clemson ’ s Tee Higgins .
“ This receivers ’ class is honestly unbelievable in my eyes , ” Lamb said .
“ You can ’ t really go wrong with anybody you draft ” in any round .
“ You ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Whether in search of a crisp route-runner , a deep threat , a fearless player going over the middle or even taking the direct snap , there ’ s someone for everyone in this year ’ s draft .
“ I think this class is going to do great things , ” Shenault said .
Right from the start , no less .

The upcoming NFL draft features a tantalizing class of wide receivers expected to make an immediate impact as rookies.
It’s a tall task even for an exceptionally deep group that’s expected to produce up to a half dozen first-round picks Thursday night.
Receivers face one of the hardest adjustments to the pros because they have to absorb a monster playbook, beat press coverage and elude D-backs who are quicker, stronger and savvier.
Sometimes the gamble pays off; sometimes it doesn’t.
“One of the things that makes it tough to evaluate is that there’s so much difference playing at the National Football League level because of all the defenses we see and all the adjustments they have to make,” said long-time talent evaluation expert Gil Brandt, a Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Quarterback is the only position with a steeper learning curve, Brandt suggested.
“These guys have to do a lot more things in the NFL as far as adjustments — and do it quickly,” he said. “And the other thing is separation. There’s a lot of guys that can run fast but they can’t separate.”
Mark Dominik, a SiriusXM NFL Radio host and former Buccaneers general manager, said receivers go from facing “18-, 19- and 20-year-old young men who aren’t as strong or as physical as they’re going to end up being” to “going up against a 29-year-old man and it’s a huge difference.
“I think that’s why you see receivers bust, just because of the different player they’re going against.”
That is starting to change, however.
Teams are more willing than ever to bypass the old wait-and-watch standby for a plug-and-play approach with bigger, faster, quicker pass-catchers coming out.
Calvin Ridley and D.J. Moore made big splashes in 2018, followed by Deebo Samuel, DK Metcalf, Marquise Brown, Terry McLaurin and A.J. Brown, who wasted no time establishing their credentials last season.
“Last year was a good year in terms of a bunch of rookies coming in and having a lot of success, but if you look over the last several years, that second- and third-round receiver group has arguably been better than the first-round group,” said NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah.
“The challenge in scouting the position is it’s almost like two different games for college and the NFL in terms of what routes you’re asked to run, which are very limited at the college level,” Jeremiah said.
“You watch a college game on Saturday you’re going to see a bunch of slants, hitches and go’s. It’s very limited in terms of what they ask them to do, very limited in terms of them having to read coverage and sight-adjust their routes. They don’t see very much press coverage.”
Reading and reacting to coverage and keeping defenders from knocking them off their routes can prove difficult even for receivers who dominated college competition.
“There’s just a lot of adjustment there, but I give the NFL credit,” Jeremiah said. “I think the last couple of years we’re seeing the NFL be a little smarter with the transition period for these guys and figuring out ways they can get them on fly sweeps or bubble screens and just get the ball in their hands and let them make plays, simplifying it a little bit while they’re young before they can grow and evolve into everything you want them to be.”
Jeremiah said last season in particular provided “the blueprint to get these guys on the field and improve that track record at the position.”
Intersecting this meet-you-halfway approach is an uptick in the athleticism of wide receivers, a product of the multiple-receiver sets now the norm all the way down to youth football.
“I think in today’s day and age where these guys were starting 7-on-7, it’s almost like AAU basketball,” Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said.
“The receivers are so much more advanced in terms of their fundamentals coming into college and the league than maybe they have been in the past. It’s really just the NFL offense that will take time.
“So I think there’s some guys sitting here today that I think will have a chance to make a pretty immediate impact, and I’m excited about that.”
Washington Redskins coach Ron Rivera said today’s prospects are primed for the pro game as never before.
Top-end receivers this year include Colorado’s Laviska Shenault, Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III, Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb, LSU’s Justin Jefferson, Arizona State’s Brandon Aiyuk and Clemson’s Tee Higgins.
“This receivers’ class is honestly unbelievable in my eyes,” Lamb said. “You can’t really go wrong with anybody you draft” in any round. “You’re going to get a great pick.”
Whether in search of a crisp route-runner, a deep threat, a fearless player going over the middle or even taking the direct snap, there’s someone for everyone in this year’s draft.
“I think this class is going to do great things,” Shenault said.
Right from the start, no less.


thedenverpost--2020-04-19--Former CU Buffs guard Daylen Kountz commits to Northern Colorado

Daylen Kountz ’ s basketball career took him from Denver East to the University of Colorado .
The next step isn ’ t taking Kountz far from home , either .
On Saturday , the former Buffaloes guard announced via his Twitter account that he has committed to the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley .
Kountz announced after the 2019-20 season , his sophomore campaign , that he had decided to transfer out of CU .
The 6-foot-4 guard will have to sit out a season per NCAA transfer rules , though pending legislation may change that rule before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kountz still has two years of eligibility remaining .
Kountz enjoyed an impressive finish to his freshman season in 2019 , a run that included 10 points off the bench in a home win against Norfolk State in the second round of the NIT .
But Kountz struggled throughout his sophomore year , going 5-for-25 while starting the first five games of the season before watching his minutes steadily dwindle down the stretch .
Kountz shot .430 as a freshman but saw that mark dip to .333 this past season while going 4-for-26 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CU , Kountz shot just .256 ( 20-for-78 ) from the 3-point arc .
The Colorado native posted 46 assists against 41 turnovers as a freshman but tallied only 20 assists with 32 turnovers this year .
UNC went 22-9 this past season and earned the second seed for the Big Sky Conference tournament before it was canceled along with the remainder of the entire NCAA basketball season .
The Bears lost coach Jeff Linder to Wyoming but he was quickly replaced by former assistant Steve Smiley .
This week , Smiley inked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Jalen Page .

Daylen Kountz’s basketball career took him from Denver East to the University of Colorado.
The next step isn’t taking Kountz far from home, either.
On Saturday, the former Buffaloes guard announced via his Twitter account that he has committed to the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. Kountz announced after the 2019-20 season, his sophomore campaign, that he had decided to transfer out of CU.
The 6-foot-4 guard will have to sit out a season per NCAA transfer rules, though pending legislation may change that rule before the start of the 2020-21 season. Kountz still has two years of eligibility remaining.
Kountz enjoyed an impressive finish to his freshman season in 2019, a run that included 10 points off the bench in a home win against Norfolk State in the second round of the NIT. But Kountz struggled throughout his sophomore year, going 5-for-25 while starting the first five games of the season before watching his minutes steadily dwindle down the stretch.
Kountz shot .430 as a freshman but saw that mark dip to .333 this past season while going 4-for-26 on 3-pointers. In two seasons at CU, Kountz shot just .256 (20-for-78) from the 3-point arc. The Colorado native posted 46 assists against 41 turnovers as a freshman but tallied only 20 assists with 32 turnovers this year.
UNC went 22-9 this past season and earned the second seed for the Big Sky Conference tournament before it was canceled along with the remainder of the entire NCAA basketball season. The Bears lost coach Jeff Linder to Wyoming but he was quickly replaced by former assistant Steve Smiley. This week, Smiley inked an incoming recruiting class that includes Fairview’s Jalen Page.


thedenverpost--2020-04-19--Colorado confirms 422 coronavirus-related deaths as number of cases approaches 10,000

Confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Colorado neared 10,000 Sunday , as the state ’ s death toll from the highly contagious virus rose to 422 .
Nine thousand seven hundred thirty cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed through testing in the state , although health officials estimate the true number of cases to be several times higher than those confirmed through testing .
There have been 1,813 people have been hospitalized with the disease and at least 46,195 have been tested for it , according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment .
The almost 10,000-case milestone comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re seeing a plateau in new cases that likely reflects the state ’ s stay-at-home order and as state and local officials consider how and when to begin to reopen the economy .
The state ’ s stay-at-home order is set to expire April 26 , and Denver ’ s on April 30 , but experts say those dates are moving targets and any return to normalcy will need to happen in phases and with extensive precautions for months to avoid a second wave of novel coronavirus infections .
But before any reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to see a sustained , 14-day reduction in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations , and needs to vastly increase its ability to test for the disease and identify those who may have been exposed , health experts said .
Gov .
Jared Polis on Saturday hinted on Twitter that the state may be on track to begin reopening as scheduled later this month , although he has cautioned that the process will be slow .
Protesters on Sunday gathered at the state capitol building to urge Polis to lift the stay-at-home order , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The state will provide more details on which businesses can reopen on Monday , Polis said last week .
Reopening with a phased approach could mean professional sporting events are played to empty stadiums , or companies only bring half their workforce back into the office while others continue to work remotely .
It could mean college classrooms with fewer desks or students who return in batches on alternate days of the week .
Restaurants could open with reduced seating and spaced-out tables , or with more robust cleaning regimens .
Join our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus in Colorado .

Confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Colorado neared 10,000 Sunday, as the state’s death toll from the highly contagious virus rose to 422.
Nine thousand seven hundred thirty cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed through testing in the state, although health officials estimate the true number of cases to be several times higher than those confirmed through testing.
There have been 1,813 people have been hospitalized with the disease and at least 46,195 have been tested for it, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
The almost 10,000-case milestone comes as state health officials say they’re seeing a plateau in new cases that likely reflects the state’s stay-at-home order and as state and local officials consider how and when to begin to reopen the economy.
The state’s stay-at-home order is set to expire April 26, and Denver’s on April 30, but experts say those dates are moving targets and any return to normalcy will need to happen in phases and with extensive precautions for months to avoid a second wave of novel coronavirus infections.
But before any reopening in Colorado can begin, the state needs to see a sustained, 14-day reduction in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, and needs to vastly increase its ability to test for the disease and identify those who may have been exposed, health experts said.
Gov. Jared Polis on Saturday hinted on Twitter that the state may be on track to begin reopening as scheduled later this month, although he has cautioned that the process will be slow. Protesters on Sunday gathered at the state capitol building to urge Polis to lift the stay-at-home order, which they said was “draconian.”
The state will provide more details on which businesses can reopen on Monday, Polis said last week.
Reopening with a phased approach could mean professional sporting events are played to empty stadiums, or companies only bring half their workforce back into the office while others continue to work remotely. It could mean college classrooms with fewer desks or students who return in batches on alternate days of the week. Restaurants could open with reduced seating and spaced-out tables, or with more robust cleaning regimens.
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado.


thedenverpost--2020-04-19--MLS to get its kicks with 5-week video game tournament

Sporting Kansas City midfielder Wan Kuzain is more than your average gamer .
He ’ s got street cred .
That ’ s because when he was 17 , Kuzain accepted a challenge from noted video game enthusiast ( and former NFL player ) Chad Johnson — and beat him .
The former Pro Bowler known as Ochocinco tweeted afterward that the “ losing experience was worse than the time I lost my virginity ” and added a crying emoji .
So it ’ s no surprise that Kuzain will be Sporting ’ s representative in a virtual MLS tournament @ @ @ @ @ @ @ league ’ s top players , including Chicharito and Nani , will participate in the nationally televised event .
It goes like this : Two players from opposing teams will face off in EA Sports ’ FIFA 2020 game .
Then the league ’ s eMLS players will compete in a second leg .
The losing team is eliminated .
Fox Sports soccer commentators will call the action over the five-week event .
Other sports have also moved to virtual competition during the coronavirus pandemic , notably NASCAR .
Like the already established @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Series for gamers .
Drivers joined when COVID-19 suspended real races .
Individual athletes , including Meyers Leonard of the Miami Heat and Women ’ s World Cup winner Allie Long , are also playing regularly on Twitch , a live streaming platform .
The Phoenix Suns played out the season after the season was suspended on NBA 2K20 on Twitch .
One of the highlights Sunday will be a virtual ‘ El Trafico ’ rivalry match , pitting LA Galaxy striker Javier Hernandez , better known as Chicharito , against LAFC forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sports will make a donation on behalf of the winning team to Feeding America after each episode .
Donations will also be made to Food Banks Canada .
“ You ’ ll see in some instances we ’ ve got some real gamers among our professional players .
They ’ re going to show up to win .
So while it is a great cause , we ’ re also out to entertain .
I think you ’ ll see a real competitive edge come through as well , ” said Camilo Durana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president of properties and events .
Now 21 , Kuzain said he ’ s been playing FIFA since the 2012 edition .
Kuzain was part of Sporting ’ s academy team before he was signed to the team ’ s USL affiliate , the Swope Park Rangers .
One day around that time he noticed that Chad Johnson was in the Kansas City area .
Johnson was known at the time for dropping in on random gamers to play FIFA , so Kuzain — who had a picture of himself playing soccer on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The next thing he knew , Johnson was at his door .
“ We played a couple of games .
I ’ d say three or four , ” Kuzain said .
“ He was really good .
He was definitely worth all the tweets and commotion that he ’ s caused within the FIFA community.
” Afterward , Kuzain showed Johnson around a bit , taking him to the local indoor soccer complex .
“ Like it ’ s crazy how nice he is and how he just can fit so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know into his schedule like that .
So I ’ m really thankful for that experience , ” Kuzain said .
“ And he did send a nice little tweet , and that was our promise , if I beat him he would shout me out.
” Kuzain signed with Kansas City ’ s first team as a Homegrown Player in 2018 .
He appeared in Sporting II ’ s first game before the season was suspended because of the coronavirus .
Asked if he was the best gamer among his Kansas City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words .
“ It might hurt some feelings , ” he said .
“ but I would say yeah , for sure .
”

Sporting Kansas City midfielder Wan Kuzain is more than your average gamer. He’s got street cred.
That’s because when he was 17, Kuzain accepted a challenge from noted video game enthusiast (and former NFL player) Chad Johnson — and beat him.
The former Pro Bowler known as Ochocinco tweeted afterward that the “losing experience was worse than the time I lost my virginity” and added a crying emoji.
So it’s no surprise that Kuzain will be Sporting’s representative in a virtual MLS tournament starting Sunday. A number of the league’s top players, including Chicharito and Nani, will participate in the nationally televised event.
It goes like this: Two players from opposing teams will face off in EA Sports’ FIFA 2020 game. Then the league’s eMLS players will compete in a second leg. The losing team is eliminated. Fox Sports soccer commentators will call the action over the five-week event.
Other sports have also moved to virtual competition during the coronavirus pandemic, notably NASCAR. Like the already established eMLS competition, NASCAR had an iRacing Series for gamers. Drivers joined when COVID-19 suspended real races.
Individual athletes, including Meyers Leonard of the Miami Heat and Women’s World Cup winner Allie Long, are also playing regularly on Twitch, a live streaming platform. The Phoenix Suns played out the season after the season was suspended on NBA 2K20 on Twitch.
One of the highlights Sunday will be a virtual ‘El Trafico’ rivalry match, pitting LA Galaxy striker Javier Hernandez, better known as Chicharito, against LAFC forward Adama Diomande.
MLS Works and FOX Sports will make a donation on behalf of the winning team to Feeding America after each episode. Donations will also be made to Food Banks Canada.
“You’ll see in some instances we’ve got some real gamers among our professional players. They’re going to show up to win. So while it is a great cause, we’re also out to entertain. I think you’ll see a real competitive edge come through as well, ” said Camilo Durana, the league’s senior vice president of properties and events.
Now 21, Kuzain said he’s been playing FIFA since the 2012 edition.
Kuzain was part of Sporting’s academy team before he was signed to the team’s USL affiliate, the Swope Park Rangers.
One day around that time he noticed that Chad Johnson was in the Kansas City area. Johnson was known at the time for dropping in on random gamers to play FIFA, so Kuzain — who had a picture of himself playing soccer on his Twitter profile — tweeted at him. The next thing he knew, Johnson was at his door.
“We played a couple of games. I’d say three or four,” Kuzain said. “He was really good. He was definitely worth all the tweets and commotion that he’s caused within the FIFA community.”
Afterward, Kuzain showed Johnson around a bit, taking him to the local indoor soccer complex.
“Like it’s crazy how nice he is and how he just can fit so many people that he doesn’t know into his schedule like that. So I’m really thankful for that experience,” Kuzain said. “And he did send a nice little tweet, and that was our promise, if I beat him he would shout me out.”
Kuzain signed with Kansas City’s first team as a Homegrown Player in 2018. He appeared in Sporting II’s first game before the season was suspended because of the coronavirus.
Asked if he was the best gamer among his Kansas City teammates, Kuzain didn’t mince words.
“It might hurt some feelings,” he said. “but I would say yeah, for sure.”


thedenverpost--2020-04-20--See CU Buffs’ Laviska Shenault Jr.’s greatest moments in Pac-12 Network marathon

Need a refresher course on how good Laviska Shenault Jr. was when he played at the University of Colorado ?
With the NFL draft around the corner , the Pac-12 Network is airing a marathon Monday featuring several of Shenault ’ s greatest performances with the Buffs .
Here ’ s a look at the schedule ( all times MT and on Monday unless specified ) : Arizona State at Colorado ( 2018 ) , 7 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Shenault ’ s stat line : 13 catches , 127 yards , five carries , 13 yards , four total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 ) , 10 a.m. , 5:30 p.m. and 3 a.m. Tuesday Shenault ’ s stat line : Eight catches , 124 yards , three carries , 25 yards , two touchdowns .
USC at Colorado ( 2019 ) , 11 a.m. Shenault ’ s stat line : Nine catches , 172 yards , one carry , 17 yards , one touchdown .
Stanford at Colorado ( 2019 ) , noon and 5 a.m. Tuesday Shenault ’ s stat line : Eight catches , 91 yards , one carry , 5 yards .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. Tuesday Shenault ’ s stat line : 12 catches , 126 yards , five carries , 18 yards , three touchdowns .
Washington at Colorado ( 2019 ) , 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Tuesday Shenault ’ s stat line : Seven catches , 100 yards , three carries , 17 yards , one touchdown .
If you enjoy the Denver Sports Omelette , tell a friend it ’ s easy to sign up here for our daily sports roundup .
If you have any questions or suggestions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joenguyen or by email .
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+ Broncos Mailbag : Have a question about the team ?
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Ask Mike Singer here .
+ Avs Mailbag : Have a question about the team ?
Ask Mike Chambers here .
+ Rockies Mailbag : Have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patrick Saunders here .

Need a refresher course on how good Laviska Shenault Jr. was when he played at the University of Colorado?
With the NFL draft around the corner, the Pac-12 Network is airing a marathon Monday featuring several of Shenault’s greatest performances with the Buffs. Here’s a look at the schedule (all times MT and on Monday unless specified):
Arizona State at Colorado (2018), 7 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Shenault’s stat line: 13 catches, 127 yards, five carries, 13 yards, four total touchdowns.
Air Force at Colorado (2019), 10 a.m., 5:30 p.m. and 3 a.m. Tuesday
Shenault’s stat line: Eight catches, 124 yards, three carries, 25 yards, two touchdowns.
USC at Colorado (2019), 11 a.m.
Shenault’s stat line: Nine catches, 172 yards, one carry, 17 yards, one touchdown.
Stanford at Colorado (2019), noon and 5 a.m. Tuesday
Shenault’s stat line: Eight catches, 91 yards, one carry, 5 yards.
UCLA at Colorado (2018), 3:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. Tuesday
Shenault’s stat line: 12 catches, 126 yards, five carries, 18 yards, three touchdowns.
Washington at Colorado (2019), 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Tuesday
Shenault’s stat line: Seven catches, 100 yards, three carries, 17 yards, one touchdown.
— Joe Nguyen, The Denver Post
If you enjoy the Denver Sports Omelette, tell a friend it’s easy to sign up here for our daily sports roundup. If you have any questions or suggestions, hit me up on Twitter @joenguyen or by email.
A special offer for Sports Omelette readers! Subscribe to The Denver Post’s sports coverage for just 99¢ for the first month and only $6.99/month thereafter. Cancel anytime.
Ask The Experts
+ Broncos Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Ryan O’Halloran here.
+ Nuggets Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Mike Singer here.
+ Avs Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Mike Chambers here.
+ Rockies Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Patrick Saunders here.


thedenverpost--2020-04-20--Coronavirus in Colorado, April 20: A look at the latest updates on COVID-19

On Sunday , the latest coronavirus case count stood at 422 confirmed deaths with 1,813 total people hospitalized over the last month .
Remember , all Coloradans have been asked to wear non-medical masks when outside their homes to prevent the spread of coronavirus .
Want to know how to make one ?
There ’ s plenty of ideas floating around in our coronavirus-focused Facebook group .
We are also looking to hear from you .
Tell us what the coronavirus outbreak looks like for you and submit your story here .
Throughout the day , we will share the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus outbreak on this page .
Also , bear in mind The Denver Post relies on support from its readers to provide this in-depth coverage of the coronavirus outbreak , so please consider buying a subscription if you haven ’ t already .
Here are the updates from April 19 .
• Coronavirus timeline : An in-depth look at COVID-19 in Colorado • Colorado coronavirus map : Where are cases being reported ?
• Colorado unemployment FAQ : How to apply , details about missing PINs and more • Do I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do if you ’ re not sure .
• What we know now : Updates to your coronavirus questions , a month after COVID-19 was confirmed in Colorado • How social distancing works and what it means for you • Meet the Parker physician who went the distance to fight coronavirus : “ There is no playbook ” • Construction speeds up on I-70 and I-25 , but other Colorado projects may be doomed by coronavirus • Q & A : Denver Mayor Michael Hancock on family , Trump and prioritizing people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to play but with no guarantees amid coronavirus pandemic Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado .

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is giving an update on the novel coronavirus in Colorado in a news conference on Monday afternoon. It can be seen below
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock gave an update on the novel coronavirus in the city Monday morning. You can watch the replay below.
On Sunday, the latest coronavirus case count stood at 422 confirmed deaths with 1,813 total people hospitalized over the last month.
Remember, all Coloradans have been asked to wear non-medical masks when outside their homes to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Want to know how to make one? There’s plenty of ideas floating around in our coronavirus-focused Facebook group.
We are also looking to hear from you. Tell us what the coronavirus outbreak looks like for you and submit your story here.
Throughout the day, we will share the latest coverage from Denver Post journalists on the coronavirus outbreak on this page. Also, bear in mind The Denver Post relies on support from its readers to provide this in-depth coverage of the coronavirus outbreak, so please consider buying a subscription if you haven’t already.
Here are the updates from April 19.
Resources
The numbers
What’s new today
Nation and world
Live blog
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado.