chicagosun-times--2020-05-19--CDC report underscores risk of COVID-19 transmission in groups (LIVE UPDATES)

As some Illinois religious leaders push to reopen churches amid the coronavirus pandemic , a new Center for Disease Control report , released Tuesday , underscores the risk for widespread transmission of the contagious pathogen at group gatherings .
A 57-year-old pastor and his 56-year-old wife attended several church events in Arkansas in early March before the couple experienced symptoms of the coronavirus , including fevers , coughing and shortness of breath , in the following days , according to the CDC report .
The pair ultimately became the first two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in their rural county of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The CDC ultimately found that 35 of the 92 attendees at those early March church events tested positive for the virus .
The outbreak resulted in seven hospitalizations and three deaths , the report said .
Through contract tracing , the Arkansas Department of Health found 26 additional coronavirus cases and another death among community members who reported having contact with the churchgoers , according to the CDC report .
“ Faith-based organizations should work with local health officials to determine how to implement the U.S. Government guidelines for modifying activities during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus to their members and their communities , ” the CDC study recommended in the report .
Over the weekend , several Illinois religious institutions flouted the state ’ s stay-at-home order and held services which welcomed dozens of worshippers .
Metro Praise International Church in Belmont Cragin , a neighborhood which has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases , planned to welcome up to 60 people to each of its three Sunday services , far more than the 10 congregants allowed under Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s revised order .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope , our love , our religion without interference from the government .
And so 35 miles right now to Indiana — Hammond , just think of it like an extension of Indiana — this is not illegal , ” pastor Joseph Wyrostek said .
“ This is perfectly fine .
“ Now , people keep saying well that ’ s not the same thing as the infection rate , or whatever .
It doesn ’ t matter .
What is an infection rate , anyway ?
It ’ s people spreading a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one way or another.
” Republican political operatives are recruiting “ pro-Trump ” doctors to go on television to prescribe reviving the U.S. economy as quickly as possible , without waiting to meet safety benchmarks proposed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to slow the spread of the new coronavirus .
The plan was discussed in a May 11 conference call with a senior staffer for the Trump reelection campaign organized by CNP Action , an affiliate of the GOP-aligned Council for National Policy .
A leaked recording of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press by the Center for Media and Democracy , a progressive watchdog group .
CNP Action is part of the Save Our Country Coalition , an alliance of conservative think tanks and political committees formed in late April to end state lockdowns implemented in response to the pandemic .
Other members of the coalition include the FreedomWorks Foundation , the American Legislative Exchange Council and Tea Party Patriots .
A resurgent economy is seen as critical to boosting President Donald Trump ’ s reelection hopes and has become a growing focus of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice President Mike Pence .
Tim Murtaugh , the Trump campaign communications director , confirmed to AP that an effort to recruit doctors to publicly support the president is underway , but declined to say when the initiative would be rolled out .
6:53 p.m. Ford tour gives Trump another chance not to wear publicly required face mask DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. has told the White House that it requires everyone in its factories to wear face masks to prevent the coronavirus from spreading , but it ’ s not clear whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he visits a Detroit-area plant Thursday .
Trump , who is scheduled to tour a factory repurposed to make medical breathing machines near Detroit , has habitually refused to wear a mask at the White House and in recent public appearances .
In a statement , Ford said its policy requires everyone in factories to wear personal protective equipment , including masks , and that policy had been shared with the White House .
When asked if the company would require Trump to wear the equipment , spokeswoman Rachel McCleery said , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and testing policies in place and will make its own determination.
” Trump didn ’ t give a definite answer when questioned at the White House Tuesday , saying it would depend on how close he gets to others .
5:59 p.m. Judge dismisses lawsuit against DCFS seeking reinstatement of in-person visitation during coronavirus pandemic Parents of children in protective custody lost a legal fight that sought to compel the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to reinstate in-person visitation during the coronavirus pandemic .
Cook County Circuit Court Judge Caroline Moreland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public defender ’ s office on behalf of four mothers who said their rights to equal protection under the Constitution were being violated by the indefinite suspension of in-person visits with their children .
The National Federation of State High School Associations has released a set of guidelines for state associations to follow as they consider opening up high school athletics during the coronavirus pandemic .
The guidelines don ’ t mention any specific timelines , but are very specific about what should happen in each of its three phases .
The Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommendations very closely .
The NFHS guidelines recommend that “ state , local or school district guidelines for cloth face coverings should be strictly followed ” and says that cloth face coverings should be worn by students during Phase 1 and Phase 2 of its plan .
Exceptions will be made for swimming , distance running and other high intensity aerobic activity .
Read the full story on NFHS guidelines by Michael O ’ Brien here .
4:05 p.m. 146 more Illinois coronavirus deaths , but state still on track for next stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 in Illinois , officials said Tuesday , as medical statistics from Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s office showed all parts of the state are on track to see more restrictions lifted come May 29 .
Illinois had recorded three straight days of fewer than 100 coronavirus deaths each , but the latest figure raised the state ’ s death toll to 4,379 .
There were 1,545 new cases reported , bringing the state ’ s total to 98,030 .
The state received 18,443 tests results , with a running positivity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus remains in 100 of 102 counties .
With the clock ticking until the end of Pritzker ’ s extended stay-at-home order May 29 , many Illinoisans are itching to see more reopenings .
Pritzker was set to discuss hospital metrics attached to the four regions in his reopening plan .
Read the full story by Tina Sfondeles here .
The annual Puerto Rican festival and parade has been canceled this year because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The four-day festival , which highlights the Puerto Rican community in Chicago , was set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It will be pushed back to June 17-20 , 2021 , according to a statement from the organizers .
“ Now that where we live has become the place with the most people affected by the virus in the United States , it would be irresponsible for us to host an outdoor festival that exceeds 100,000 in attendance , ” the statement read .
2:35 p.m.
Churches ’ reopening plan : take temperatures at the door , hand out masks and administer COVID-19 tests “ People need to have some hope in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re hearing , ” said Rev .
Floyd James of Greater Rock Missionary Baptist Church .
“ This is our calling .
We were called into the work to be concerned for the least , the less and the lost.
” Rev .
Robin Hood of Redeemed Outreach Ministries said “ church is the household of God ” but in areas where COVID-19 is spreading the “ church has to be smart and safe ” in protecting its congregation .
It ’ s unclear if every storefront church in the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans , which include giving every congregant hand sanitizer , gloves and a mask upon entering the church .
Hood said they would also run two temperature tests at the door , using two different devices .
Read the full story by Manny Ramos here .
2:10 p.m. Madigan to make masks a must ?
Speaker seeks to have bare-faced members booted from session With a Downstate legislator planning to show up bare-faced to the first General Assembly session since the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic hit , state House Speaker Michael Madigan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members , staffers and observers to wear masks .
Anyone not adhering to those rules would be “ asked to leave the premises immediately.
” Madigan previously asked House members to follow safety precautions recommended by the Illinois Department of Public Health , which also include submitting to temperature checks and following social distancing guidelines .
But with state Rep. Darren Bailey , R-Xenia , insisting he ’ ll show up maskless to make a point to “ Chicago legislators ” at the session — the first ever held outside the state Capitol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Madigan said the rules will be formalized to prevent “ needless distractions.
” Read the full story by Mitchell Armentrout here .
Cook County marked a grim milestone Tuesday as the medical examiner ’ s office announced that COVID-19 deaths surpassed 3,000 .
Officials said an additional 79 people died from the coronavirus , pushing the county ’ s death toll to 3,055 , according to a statement from Cook County spokeswoman Natalia Derevyanny .
Statewide , there have been 4,234 coronavirus deaths since the pandemic began , according to the Illinois Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting 96,485 total positive cases of the disease .
Cook County accounts for 72 % of the state ’ s coronavirus deaths , even though the county comprises 40 % of the Illinois ’ population .
11:04 a.m. Federal Reserve chairman says new lending programs to launch by June 1 WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the Fed ’ s lending programs for medium-sized businesses and state and local governments would begin operating by the end of this month .
Powell said that while the Fed has received a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those programs , if not enough companies or state and local governments seek to borrow , the Fed would consider changes to them .
That could include expanding their eligibility .
The chairman ’ s comments came before the Senate Banking , Housing and Urban Affairs Committee , which held an oversight hearing on the $ 2 trillion federal relief package approved in late March .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is also testifying about the Treasury ’ s role in the government ’ s emergency relief programs .
9:46 a.m. County forest preserves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day weekend : ‘ Enjoy the natural world in your backyard ’ The Cook County Forest Preserves officials announced Monday that they plan to close additional parking lots for the Memorial Day weekend in an effort to curb crowding .
Dan Ryan Woods and Schiller Woods will join a list of six sites that have already seen their parking lots closed over the weeends due to concerns about social distancing and other public health guidelines .
The parking lots at the other six preserves — Busse Woods , Maple Lake , Saganashkee Slough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Bunker Hill — were already closed Fridays through Sundays in April and will remain closed on Memorial Day itself , a statement from the county agency said .
In that statement , Arnold Randall , forest preserves general superintendent , said Memorial Day is a “ time when we pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country ” — but this year that tribute might look different .
“ As an unofficial start to summer , the holiday is always one of our busiest weekends in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement reads in part .
“ This year , that ’ s not a safe way to celebrate .
We hope that with Memorial Day at Home , our patrons will find other creative ways to honor the fallen and to be with family.
” 7:17 a.m. Illinois to get over $ 286 million in federal funding to increase COVID-19 testing , conduct contact tracing Federal officials announced Monday that over $ 10 billion in new funding is now being delivered to states , territories and localities to bolster coronavirus testing efforts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 286 million for Illinois .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is doling out the $ 10.25 billion drawn from the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act , according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services .
Another $ 750 million will be provided to tribal and urban Indian health programs through the Indian Health Service .
The influx of funding “ will provide critical support to develop , purchase , administer , process , and analyze COVID-19 tests , conduct surveillance , trace contacts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
In receiving Illinois ’ $ 286,317,362 in new funding , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker must submit a testing plan to HHS that includes goals for the remainder of the year .
Read the full report by Tom Schuba here .
6:26 a.m. Trump taking anti-malaria drug in case he catches coronavirus President Donald Trump said Monday that he is taking a malaria drug to lessen symptoms should he get the new coronavirus , even though the drug is unproven for fighting COVID-19 .
Trump told reporters he has been taking the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplement daily “ for about a week and a half now.
” Trump spent weeks pushing the drug as a potential cure for COVID-19 against the cautionary advice of many of his administration ’ s top medical professionals .
The drug has the potential to cause significant side effects in some patients and has not been shown to combat the new coronavirus .
Trump said his doctor did not recommend the drug to him , but he requested it from the White House physician .
“ I started taking it , because I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said .
“ I ’ ve heard a lot of good stories.
” He dismissed reports of side effects , saying , “ All I can tell you is , so far I seem to be OK. ” • Annie Glenn , the widow of NASA astronaut and Sen. John Glenn , died Tuesday of complications from COVID-19 .
She was 100 .
• Chicago police announced Tuesday nine more cases of COVID-19 , bringing the total in the department to 529 .
• Another employee at the Cook County Circuit Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for COVID-19 , bringing the overall total to 25 .
• Seven more employees of Cook County ’ s Juvenile Temporary Detention Center have tested positive for COVID-19 .
2:06 p.m .
I risk COVID-19 to clean downtown offices .
What ’ s Congress doing for people like me ?
COVID-19 has made it clearer than ever that we are closely interconnected .
Only by pulling together and meeting the needs of all workers — black , white , brown , immigrant , native-born — can we all get through this crisis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of color and it ’ s not an option for us to work from home or shelter in place .
I face the fear and head to work every day so that others can work in a clean , sanitized space .
The public is grateful for our sacrifice , but it ’ s time leaders in Congress turn the gratitude for essential workers into tangible support in the next stimulus bill .
We need essential pay , personal protective equipment and payroll protection .
Read the full commentary by Urszula Przybys , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here .
9:39 a.m. With careful planning , we can resume essential religious gatherings In a letter to the Sun-Times editors , Edward R. Kantowicz from Chicago writes : Cardinal Blase Cupich ( and other religious leaders ) should pick up the phone and tell the governor he was wrong to omit religious services from the list of essential services .
Even if no policy changes are made , this symbolic point must be insisted upon .
However , some easy policy changes could be made .
If big-box stores can space out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can churches .
Ushers can make certain that every other pew remains empty and that only members of one household sit in each pew .
Hand-shaking and hugging can be omitted .
For sharing Holy Communion , the priest or minister can carefully place sacred hosts on an altar table and the congregation can file up , six feet apart , and each take one sacred host .
A health precaution would thus become a sacred ritual .
What about it , Cardinal Cupich ?
Pick up the phone .
Insist that religion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and healthful plan for worship .
Read this and more letters here .
7:08 a.m .
Closing streets for outdoor dining with safe social distancing ?
Sounds like a plan We ’ re going to do it safely , respecting the rules of social distancing .
We ’ re going to avoid crowds and keep a healthy six feet or more from anybody we ’ re not living with , including friends .
We ’ re not going to share food or forks or beverages if we have a picnic .
But we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot more than we have been .
There ’ s a growing consensus among the experts that the risks of contracting or spreading the coronavirus are acceptably low outdoors if the proper precautions are taken .
It ’ s safer than going back to the office or walking in a mall , and it ’ s a great deal safer than crowding into bars like people are doing in Wisconsin .
The challenge for government is to find creative ways to support our safe , socially distanced emergence from the cocoons of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re intrigued by Mayor Lori Lightfoot ’ s apparent plan to close streets so that restaurants can spread out .

The latest
CDC report underscores risk of COVID-19 transmission in groups
Members of Alpine Chapel of Lake Zurich sing and pray outside Wauconda Care, a healthcare and rehabilitation center in Wauconda, Ill. John Starks/Daily Herald via AP
As some Illinois religious leaders push to reopen churches amid the coronavirus pandemic, a new Center for Disease Control report, released Tuesday, underscores the risk for widespread transmission of the contagious pathogen at group gatherings.
A 57-year-old pastor and his 56-year-old wife attended several church events in Arkansas in early March before the couple experienced symptoms of the coronavirus, including fevers, coughing and shortness of breath, in the following days, according to the CDC report. The pair ultimately became the first two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in their rural county of about 25,000 residents, the report said.
The CDC ultimately found that 35 of the 92 attendees at those early March church events tested positive for the virus. The outbreak resulted in seven hospitalizations and three deaths, the report said.
Through contract tracing, the Arkansas Department of Health found 26 additional coronavirus cases and another death among community members who reported having contact with the churchgoers, according to the CDC report.
“Faith-based organizations should work with local health officials to determine how to implement the U.S. Government guidelines for modifying activities during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent transmission of the virus to their members and their communities,” the CDC study recommended in the report.
Over the weekend, several Illinois religious institutions flouted the state’s stay-at-home order and held services which welcomed dozens of worshippers.
Metro Praise International Church in Belmont Cragin, a neighborhood which has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases, planned to welcome up to 60 people to each of its three Sunday services, far more than the 10 congregants allowed under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s revised order.
“We can gather and spread our hope, our love, our religion without interference from the government. And so 35 miles right now to Indiana — Hammond, just think of it like an extension of Indiana — this is not illegal,” pastor Joseph Wyrostek said. “This is perfectly fine.
“Now, people keep saying well that’s not the same thing as the infection rate, or whatever. It doesn’t matter. What is an infection rate, anyway? It’s people spreading a virus. A virus will get spread one way or another.”
— Madeline Kenney and Tom Schuba
News
9:12 p.m. Judge dismisses lawsuit against DCFS seeking reinstatement of in-person visitation during coronavirus pandemic
Parents of children in protective custody lost a legal fight that sought to compel the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to reinstate in-person visitation during the coronavirus pandemic.
Cook County Circuit Court Judge Caroline Moreland Tuesday dismissed the lawsuit filed by the public defender’s office on behalf of four mothers who said their rights to equal protection under the Constitution were being violated by the indefinite suspension of in-person visits with their children.
Moreland pointed in her ruling that all the plaintiffs had pending emergency motions in their individual cases to deal with visitation.
The court also sided with DCFS, saying the Child Protection Act allows state officials the right to immediately suspend the visits in the interest of a child’s health and well-being.
All four women have pending child abuse cases in the Juvenile Court’s Child Protection Division, according to court records.
DCFS, in March, stopped supervised in-person visits to prevent the spread of COVID-19, so those women and many others have only been allowed to speak with their children by phone or see them on video conferencing calls.
Read the full report from Matthew Hendrickson here.
7:33 p.m. ‘Pro-Trump’ doctors sought to push rapid reopening of economy
Republican political operatives are recruiting “pro-Trump” doctors to go on television to prescribe reviving the U.S. economy as quickly as possible, without waiting to meet safety benchmarks proposed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.
The plan was discussed in a May 11 conference call with a senior staffer for the Trump reelection campaign organized by CNP Action, an affiliate of the GOP-aligned Council for National Policy. A leaked recording of the hour-long call was provided to The Associated Press by the Center for Media and Democracy, a progressive watchdog group.
CNP Action is part of the Save Our Country Coalition, an alliance of conservative think tanks and political committees formed in late April to end state lockdowns implemented in response to the pandemic. Other members of the coalition include the FreedomWorks Foundation, the American Legislative Exchange Council and Tea Party Patriots.
A resurgent economy is seen as critical to boosting President Donald Trump’s reelection hopes and has become a growing focus of the White House coronavirus task force led by Vice President Mike Pence.
Tim Murtaugh, the Trump campaign communications director, confirmed to AP that an effort to recruit doctors to publicly support the president is underway, but declined to say when the initiative would be rolled out.
Read the full report here.
6:53 p.m. Ford tour gives Trump another chance not to wear publicly required face mask
DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. has told the White House that it requires everyone in its factories to wear face masks to prevent the coronavirus from spreading, but it’s not clear whether President Donald Trump will wear one when he visits a Detroit-area plant Thursday.
Trump, who is scheduled to tour a factory repurposed to make medical breathing machines near Detroit, has habitually refused to wear a mask at the White House and in recent public appearances.
In a statement, Ford said its policy requires everyone in factories to wear personal protective equipment, including masks, and that policy had been shared with the White House. When asked if the company would require Trump to wear the equipment, spokeswoman Rachel McCleery said, “The White House has its own safety and testing policies in place and will make its own determination.”
Trump didn’t give a definite answer when questioned at the White House Tuesday, saying it would depend on how close he gets to others.
Read the full report here.
5:59 p.m. Judge dismisses lawsuit against DCFS seeking reinstatement of in-person visitation during coronavirus pandemic
Parents of children in protective custody lost a legal fight that sought to compel the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to reinstate in-person visitation during the coronavirus pandemic.
Cook County Circuit Court Judge Caroline Moreland Tuesday dismissed the lawsuit filed by the public defender’s office on behalf of four mothers who said their rights to equal protection under the Constitution were being violated by the indefinite suspension of in-person visits with their children.
Read the full story here.
4:40 p.m. National high school sports federation announces guidelines for ‘opening up’ athletics
The National Federation of State High School Associations has released a set of guidelines for state associations to follow as they consider opening up high school athletics during the coronavirus pandemic.
The guidelines don’t mention any specific timelines, but are very specific about what should happen in each of its three phases. The Illinois High School Association has traditionally followed NFHS recommendations very closely.
The NFHS guidelines recommend that “state, local or school district guidelines for cloth face coverings should be strictly followed” and says that cloth face coverings should be worn by students during Phase 1 and Phase 2 of its plan. Exceptions will be made for swimming, distance running and other high intensity aerobic activity.
Read the full story on NFHS guidelines by Michael O’Brien here.
4:05 p.m. 146 more Illinois coronavirus deaths, but state still on track for next stage of reopening
Another 146 people have died of COVID-19 in Illinois, officials said Tuesday, as medical statistics from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office showed all parts of the state are on track to see more restrictions lifted come May 29.
Illinois had recorded three straight days of fewer than 100 coronavirus deaths each, but the latest figure raised the state’s death toll to 4,379.
There were 1,545 new cases reported, bringing the state’s total to 98,030. The state received 18,443 tests results, with a running positivity rate of about 8.3% as the virus remains in 100 of 102 counties.
With the clock ticking until the end of Pritzker’s extended stay-at-home order May 29, many Illinoisans are itching to see more reopenings. Pritzker was set to discuss hospital metrics attached to the four regions in his reopening plan.
Read the full story by Tina Sfondeles here.
3:34 p.m. Puerto Rican fest and parade canceled
The annual Puerto Rican festival and parade has been canceled this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The four-day festival, which highlights the Puerto Rican community in Chicago, was set for June 18-21 in Humboldt Park. It will be pushed back to June 17-20, 2021, according to a statement from the organizers.
“Now that where we live has become the place with the most people affected by the virus in the United States, it would be irresponsible for us to host an outdoor festival that exceeds 100,000 in attendance,” the statement read.
— John Silver
2:35 p.m. Churches’ reopening plan: take temperatures at the door, hand out masks and administer COVID-19 tests
“People need to have some hope in the midst of all of the things that they’re hearing,” said Rev. Floyd James of Greater Rock Missionary Baptist Church. “This is our calling. We were called into the work to be concerned for the least, the less and the lost.”
Rev. Robin Hood of Redeemed Outreach Ministries said “church is the household of God” but in areas where COVID-19 is spreading the “church has to be smart and safe” in protecting its congregation.
It’s unclear if every storefront church in the city would be capable of carrying out the plans, which include giving every congregant hand sanitizer, gloves and a mask upon entering the church.
Hood said they would also run two temperature tests at the door, using two different devices.
Read the full story by Manny Ramos here.
2:10 p.m. Madigan to make masks a must? Speaker seeks to have bare-faced members booted from session
With a Downstate legislator planning to show up bare-faced to the first General Assembly session since the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic hit, state House Speaker Michael Madigan on Tuesday proposed new rules requiring all members, staffers and observers to wear masks.
Anyone not adhering to those rules would be “asked to leave the premises immediately.”
Madigan previously asked House members to follow safety precautions recommended by the Illinois Department of Public Health, which also include submitting to temperature checks and following social distancing guidelines.
But with state Rep. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, insisting he’ll show up maskless to make a point to “Chicago legislators” at the session — the first ever held outside the state Capitol Building, to allow for distancing — Madigan said the rules will be formalized to prevent “needless distractions.”
Read the full story by Mitchell Armentrout here.
11:35 a.m. COVID-19 death toll in Cook County surpasses 3,000
Cook County marked a grim milestone Tuesday as the medical examiner’s office announced that COVID-19 deaths surpassed 3,000.
Officials said an additional 79 people died from the coronavirus, pushing the county’s death toll to 3,055, according to a statement from Cook County spokeswoman Natalia Derevyanny.
Statewide, there have been 4,234 coronavirus deaths since the pandemic began, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The state is reporting 96,485 total positive cases of the disease.
Cook County accounts for 72% of the state’s coronavirus deaths, even though the county comprises 40% of the Illinois’ population.
Read the full story here.
11:04 a.m. Federal Reserve chairman says new lending programs to launch by June 1
WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the Fed’s lending programs for medium-sized businesses and state and local governments would begin operating by the end of this month.
Powell said that while the Fed has received a “good deal of interest” in those programs, if not enough companies or state and local governments seek to borrow, the Fed would consider changes to them. That could include expanding their eligibility.
The chairman’s comments came before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, which held an oversight hearing on the $2 trillion federal relief package approved in late March. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is also testifying about the Treasury’s role in the government’s emergency relief programs.
Read the full story here.
9:46 a.m. County forest preserves to close more parking lots for Memorial Day weekend: ‘Enjoy the natural world in your backyard’
The Cook County Forest Preserves officials announced Monday that they plan to close additional parking lots for the Memorial Day weekend in an effort to curb crowding.
Dan Ryan Woods and Schiller Woods will join a list of six sites that have already seen their parking lots closed over the weeends due to concerns about social distancing and other public health guidelines.
The parking lots at the other six preserves — Busse Woods, Maple Lake, Saganashkee Slough, Catherine Chevalier Woods, LaBagh Woods and Bunker Hill — were already closed Fridays through Sundays in April and will remain closed on Memorial Day itself, a statement from the county agency said.
In that statement, Arnold Randall, forest preserves general superintendent, said Memorial Day is a “time when we pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country” — but this year that tribute might look different.
“As an unofficial start to summer, the holiday is always one of our busiest weekends in the Forest Preserves,” Randall’s statement reads in part. “This year, that’s not a safe way to celebrate. We hope that with Memorial Day at Home, our patrons will find other creative ways to honor the fallen and to be with family.”
Read the full story here.
7:17 a.m. Illinois to get over $286 million in federal funding to increase COVID-19 testing, conduct contact tracing
Federal officials announced Monday that over $10 billion in new funding is now being delivered to states, territories and localities to bolster coronavirus testing efforts and conduct contact tracing, including over $286 million for Illinois.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is doling out the $10.25 billion drawn from the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Another $750 million will be provided to tribal and urban Indian health programs through the Indian Health Service.
The influx of funding “will provide critical support to develop, purchase, administer, process, and analyze COVID-19 tests, conduct surveillance, trace contacts and related activities,” the HHS said.
In receiving Illinois’ $286,317,362 in new funding, Gov. J.B. Pritzker must submit a testing plan to HHS that includes goals for the remainder of the year.
Read the full report by Tom Schuba here.
6:26 a.m. Trump taking anti-malaria drug in case he catches coronavirus
President Donald Trump said Monday that he is taking a malaria drug to lessen symptoms should he get the new coronavirus, even though the drug is unproven for fighting COVID-19.
Trump told reporters he has been taking the drug, hydroxychloroquine, and a zinc supplement daily “for about a week and a half now.” Trump spent weeks pushing the drug as a potential cure for COVID-19 against the cautionary advice of many of his administration’s top medical professionals. The drug has the potential to cause significant side effects in some patients and has not been shown to combat the new coronavirus.
Trump said his doctor did not recommend the drug to him, but he requested it from the White House physician.
“I started taking it, because I think it’s good,” Trump said. “I’ve heard a lot of good stories.”
He dismissed reports of side effects, saying, “All I can tell you is, so far I seem to be OK.”
Read the full report here.
New cases
Analysis & Commentary
2:06 p.m. I risk COVID-19 to clean downtown offices. What’s Congress doing for people like me?
COVID-19 has made it clearer than ever that we are closely interconnected. Only by pulling together and meeting the needs of all workers — black, white, brown, immigrant, native-born — can we all get through this crisis.
Many essential workers are immigrants and people of color and it’s not an option for us to work from home or shelter in place. I face the fear and head to work every day so that others can work in a clean, sanitized space.
The public is grateful for our sacrifice, but it’s time leaders in Congress turn the gratitude for essential workers into tangible support in the next stimulus bill. We need essential pay, personal protective equipment and payroll protection.
Read the full commentary by Urszula Przybys, a member of SEIU Local 1, here.
9:39 a.m. With careful planning, we can resume essential religious gatherings
In a letter to the Sun-Times editors, Edward R. Kantowicz from Chicago writes:
Cardinal Blase Cupich (and other religious leaders) should pick up the phone and tell the governor he was wrong to omit religious services from the list of essential services. Even if no policy changes are made, this symbolic point must be insisted upon.
However, some easy policy changes could be made. If big-box stores can space out customers to keep social distance, so can churches. Ushers can make certain that every other pew remains empty and that only members of one household sit in each pew. Hand-shaking and hugging can be omitted.
For sharing Holy Communion, the priest or minister can carefully place sacred hosts on an altar table and the congregation can file up, six feet apart, and each take one sacred host. A health precaution would thus become a sacred ritual.
What about it, Cardinal Cupich? Pick up the phone. Insist that religion is essential and work out a reasonable and healthful plan for worship.
Read this and more letters here.
7:08 a.m. Closing streets for outdoor dining with safe social distancing? Sounds like a plan
We’re going outdoors.
We’re going to do it safely, respecting the rules of social distancing.
We’re going to avoid crowds and keep a healthy six feet or more from anybody we’re not living with, including friends. We’re not going to share food or forks or beverages if we have a picnic.
But we’re going outdoors — a whole lot more than we have been.
There’s a growing consensus among the experts that the risks of contracting or spreading the coronavirus are acceptably low outdoors if the proper precautions are taken. It’s safer than going back to the office or walking in a mall, and it’s a great deal safer than crowding into bars like people are doing in Wisconsin.
The challenge for government is to find creative ways to support our safe, socially distanced emergence from the cocoons of our homes. Along those lines, we’re intrigued by Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s apparent plan to close streets so that restaurants can spread out.
Read the Sun-Times’ full editorial here.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-19--2 fatally shot in Gary

2 fatally shot in Gary

Two people were killed in a shooting Tuesday in Gary , Indiana , authorities said .
Officers responded about 11:38 @ @ @ @ @ of Grant Street for reports of a shooting during a possible robbery , Gary police @ @ @ @ @ found Phillip Phillips , 21 , and a male of an unknown age with gunshot @ @ @ @ @ Lake County coroner ’ s office said .
They were pronounced dead about 12:40 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ at a different location but did not immediately provide additional information .

Two men were killed in a shooting Tuesday in Gary, Indiana, authorities said.
Officers responded about 11:38 a.m. to the 1300 block of Grant Street for reports of a shooting during a possible robbery, Gary police said.
There, they found Phillip Phillips, 21, and 19-year-old Trevion Hudnell with gunshot wounds, police and the Lake County coroner’s office said. They were pronounced dead about 12:40 p.m.
Police said the shooting happened at a different location but did not immediately provide additional information.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-19--State-run mental hospitals see smaller toll from COVID-19, but ‘the threat has not dissipated’

While COVID-19 has devastated congregate facilities like nursing homes and developmental centers in Illinois , the story is far different at the state ’ s psychiatric hospitals where just over 1 % of patients and staff have tested positive for the disease .
On Tuesday , the Illinois Department of Human Services reported that 41 of the 4,034 people who live and work at those seven hospitals had contracted the virus , including 13 patients and 28 staffers .
None have died , though five new cases were reported on Tuesday .
There have , however , been nine deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a department spokesman , who declined to release their causes of death .
In total , 33 of the recorded coronavirus cases were at the two facilities located in Cook County .
Chicago-Read Mental Health Center , in Dunning on the Northwest Side , has seen the most , with 11 staff members and seven patients testing positive .
That first case was identified on April 8 , a day before Chicago-Read and two other state facilities lifted a hold on new admissions that was put in place on March 14 “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manner that ensures the safety ” of patients and staff members .
Meanwhile , the seven state-operated centers treating patients with developmental disabilities have recorded 593 total cases , with eight patients and four staffers succumbing to the disease .
More than 10 % of patients and staffers at those facilities have tested positive .
Though Illinois ’ psychiatric hospitals have so far staved off more widespread infections , the coronavirus has torn through mental health facilities in other states .
In New York , 38 of the 317 psychiatric inpatients that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the state Office of Mental Health .
Meghan Powers , a spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Human Services , said a series of safeguards have been put in place to protect against similar outbreaks at Illinois ’ facilities .
On March 12 , temperature checkpoints were established for staff members , non-essential visits and transfers were halted , Powers said .
In addition , newly admitted patients were placed under observation and tested before being brought into the general population .
Isolation units have also been constructed “ in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We believe that these measures , taken early and along with all of the infection control protocols that our hospitals rigorously follow , have allowed us to be as prepared as possible for any outbreak that may still come , ” said Powers .
When a patient presents symptoms or tests positive , all other patients housed on the same unit are also offered testing , she added .
After spending two weeks in isolation , a patient with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 must test negative twice before returning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are also offered testing if they develop a fever or symptoms consistent with the coronavirus before being sent home .
Anders Lindall , a spokesman for AFSCME Council 31 , the union that represents employees at the state-run facilities , said workers are “ obviously reassured that to this point infection rates in the state mental health centers are significantly lower than in other congregate settings.
” “ It ’ s difficult to say for certain , but one reason may be that the type of care needed by patients in the mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those in state developmental centers , who often need assistance with eating , bathing , toileting and dressing , ” said Lindall .
“ Psychiatric patients are significantly more likely to understand and remember the importance of practices like hand-washing and distancing , ” he added .
“ And individuals in the developmental centers are also more likely to be medically fragile.
” In addition to informing staff members , patients and their family members of new cases at psychiatric facilities , inpatients are given daily updates in small group settings and offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is helpful in reducing anxiety and stress among this vulnerable population , ” Powers noted .
For now , Lindall said the union remains focused on ensuring that its members “ have sufficient personal protective equipment , universal access to testing and staffing practices that limit exposure and maximize distancing .
“ Of course we ’ re concerned with trying to make the [ mental health centers ] even safer .
And considering that the facilities continue intake of patients in mental health crisis , the threat has not dissipated .
”

While COVID-19 has devastated congregate facilities like nursing homes and developmental centers in Illinois, the story is far different at the state’s psychiatric hospitals where just over 1% of patients and staff have tested positive for the disease.
On Tuesday, the Illinois Department of Human Services reported that 41 of the 4,034 people who live and work at those seven hospitals had contracted the virus, including 13 patients and 28 staffers. None have died, though five new cases were reported on Tuesday.
There have, however, been nine deaths of patients since late January, according to a department spokesman, who declined to release their causes of death.
In total, 33 of the recorded coronavirus cases were at the two facilities located in Cook County. Chicago-Read Mental Health Center, in Dunning on the Northwest Side, has seen the most, with 11 staff members and seven patients testing positive. That first case was identified on April 8, a day before Chicago-Read and two other state facilities lifted a hold on new admissions that was put in place on March 14 “to appropriately respond to COVID-19 in a manner that ensures the safety” of patients and staff members.
Meanwhile, the seven state-operated centers treating patients with developmental disabilities have recorded 593 total cases, with eight patients and four staffers succumbing to the disease. More than 10% of patients and staffers at those facilities have tested positive.
Though Illinois’ psychiatric hospitals have so far staved off more widespread infections, the coronavirus has torn through mental health facilities in other states. In New York, 38 of the 317 psychiatric inpatients that have tested positive for coronavirus have died, according to the state Office of Mental Health.
Meghan Powers, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Human Services, said a series of safeguards have been put in place to protect against similar outbreaks at Illinois’ facilities. On March 12, temperature checkpoints were established for staff members, non-essential visits and transfers were halted, Powers said. In addition, newly admitted patients were placed under observation and tested before being brought into the general population. Isolation units have also been constructed “in the event that a quarantine becomes necessary.”
“We believe that these measures, taken early and along with all of the infection control protocols that our hospitals rigorously follow, have allowed us to be as prepared as possible for any outbreak that may still come,” said Powers.
When a patient presents symptoms or tests positive, all other patients housed on the same unit are also offered testing, she added. After spending two weeks in isolation, a patient with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 must test negative twice before returning to the general population. Staff members are also offered testing if they develop a fever or symptoms consistent with the coronavirus before being sent home.
Workers reassured
Anders Lindall, a spokesman for AFSCME Council 31, the union that represents employees at the state-run facilities, said workers are “obviously reassured that to this point infection rates in the state mental health centers are significantly lower than in other congregate settings.”
“It’s difficult to say for certain, but one reason may be that the type of care needed by patients in the mental health centers is generally less involved than those in state developmental centers, who often need assistance with eating, bathing, toileting and dressing,” said Lindall.
“Psychiatric patients are significantly more likely to understand and remember the importance of practices like hand-washing and distancing,” he added. “And individuals in the developmental centers are also more likely to be medically fragile.”
In addition to informing staff members, patients and their family members of new cases at psychiatric facilities, inpatients are given daily updates in small group settings and offered one-on-one therapy sessions.
“Such information is helpful in reducing anxiety and stress among this vulnerable population,” Powers noted.
For now, Lindall said the union remains focused on ensuring that its members “have sufficient personal protective equipment, universal access to testing and staffing practices that limit exposure and maximize distancing.
“Of course we’re concerned with trying to make the [mental health centers] even safer. And considering that the facilities continue intake of patients in mental health crisis, the threat has not dissipated.”


chicagosun-times--2020-05-19--Pier 1 to go out of business, close all 540 stores

NEW YORK — Pier 1 , the seller of wicker chairs and scented candles , said it will go out of business and permanently close all 540 of its stores .
The Fort Worth , Texas- based company said Tuesday that it was unable to find a buyer for its business after filing for bankruptcy protection earlier this year .
It will start going-out-of-business sales as soon as it can reopen stores that have been temporarily shut due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Pier 1 traces to a single store in 1962 that sold beanbag chairs and love beads to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It expanded to offer just about anything for the home , from lounge chairs to curtains , and it later adopted the logo : “ From Hippie to Hip.
” At its height , Pier 1 had more than 1,200 stores .
But in recent years , its sales have fallen as it struggled to compete with online retailers Wayfair and Amazon , which sell sofas and coffee tables at a lower price and deliver them quickly .
Other chains that have failed to connect with customers have filed for bankruptcy protection recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @

NEW YORK — Pier 1, the seller of wicker chairs and scented candles, said it will go out of business and permanently close all 540 of its stores.
The Fort Worth, Texas- based company said Tuesday that it was unable to find a buyer for its business after filing for bankruptcy protection earlier this year.
It will start going-out-of-business sales as soon as it can reopen stores that have been temporarily shut due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Pier 1 traces to a single store in 1962 that sold beanbag chairs and love beads to hippies in San Mateo, California. It expanded to offer just about anything for the home, from lounge chairs to curtains, and it later adopted the logo: “From Hippie to Hip.” At its height, Pier 1 had more than 1,200 stores.
But in recent years, its sales have fallen as it struggled to compete with online retailers Wayfair and Amazon, which sell sofas and coffee tables at a lower price and deliver them quickly.
Other chains that have failed to connect with customers have filed for bankruptcy protection recently, including J.C. Penney and J.Crew.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-19--The Chicago region and flooding: We sink or swim together

The third straight wettest May on record is sending us a message : Every town and suburb in the Chicago region had better do a better job of teaming up to prevent flooding .
Once again , rivers and canals are overflowing , basements are flooding , backyards are turning into lakes , power has gone out and roads are under water .
More water — much of it polluted — is flowing into Lake Michigan , raising the lake ’ s level and putting Illinois ’ shoreline at further risk from damaging storms .
The entire Chicago region is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of allowing new development to cover the landscape , ignoring the will of nature , galloping ahead of thoughtful solutions about where rainwater should go .
The region continues to suffer from a patchwork approach to flood control .
It ’ s an uncoordinated mess .
A smart approach to flood control by one agency or town is undermined by a poor approach — or no approach — by another agency or town .
There is a better way , one that emphasizes green technology and true regional cooperation .
After years of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District finally have implemented watershed management ordinances to keep new development from making flooding worse .
Developers , according to the new standards , no longer can build or pave over land without taking stormwater runoff into account .
So if you want to put a parking lot on an empty field , let ’ s say , you ’ d better include a plan for where the rain will go without further burdening sewer systems .
On the face of it , that ’ s a big step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not enforced aggressively enough .
And local municipalities still are free to undermine the ordinances by issuing permits for building designs that send more water into overburdened sewers .
Towns just hurting each other When local communities , oblivious to the larger picture , allow bigger homes and other structures but don ’ t find more landscape to absorb the additional stormwater runoff , they create bigger headaches for every town downstream .
Water doesn ’ t pay attention to where one jurisdiction stops and another starts .
It doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Cook and the collar counties .
It doesn ’ t know there are 133 separate municipalities in Cook County .
Environmentalists say the only truly effective solution involves a much more ambitious and coordinated effort to install “ green ” engineering .
That means finding ways to reuse rainwater or let it soak into the ground through porous pavement , swales , rain gardens , tree trenches , planters and other measures .
But for green engineering , every town and stormwater control agency has to get on board .
The Chicago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really worked , but it ’ s especially inadequate in an era of extreme weather brought on by climate change .
The storms of the last few weeks could well be a new normal .
Chicago ’ s rainfall on May 14 set a record for the date , and that one-day deluge was followed by a succession of additional heavy storms .
The traditional public works approach to handling all that rain — expensive networks of sewers , tunnels and reservoirs — can ’ t be built fast enough to keep us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Deep Tunnel project ’ s McCook reservoir in 2029 won ’ t solve the problem of flooding in that corner of the county , in part because stormwater sewers just aren ’ t big enough to transport water to the reservoir quickly enough .
“ Our region ’ s planning is not keeping pace with the changing reality of the climate , ” MWRD Commissioner Cameron Davis told us on Tuesday .
“ Climate change is upon us , and we can ’ t engineer the region fast enough to offset that.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — ways to allow water to soak into the ground — rather than letting it run off into the nearest sewer line or waterway .
To take regional planning to the next level , a group of organizations — including the Alliance for the Great Lakes , the Chicago Department of Planning and Development , the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning , Friends of the Chicago River , the Cook County Forest Preserve District , the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission , the MWRD and others — is creating a Chicago River Watershed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infrastructure across the watershed and to expand and restore natural areas .
Those involved in the effort already have identified thousands of parcels throughout the regional watershed that can be used for recreational open space , natural habitat and stormwater retention .
It ’ s a terrific step forward if it leads to regionally coordinated and effective results .
In the meantime , more rain is forecast for the weekend .

The third straight wettest May on record is sending us a message: Every town and suburb in the Chicago region had better do a better job of teaming up to prevent flooding.
Once again, rivers and canals are overflowing, basements are flooding, backyards are turning into lakes, power has gone out and roads are under water. More water — much of it polluted — is flowing into Lake Michigan, raising the lake’s level and putting Illinois’ shoreline at further risk from damaging storms.
The entire Chicago region is paying a high price today for decades of allowing new development to cover the landscape, ignoring the will of nature, galloping ahead of thoughtful solutions about where rainwater should go.
The region continues to suffer from a patchwork approach to flood control. It’s an uncoordinated mess. A smart approach to flood control by one agency or town is undermined by a poor approach — or no approach — by another agency or town.
There is a better way, one that emphasizes green technology and true regional cooperation.
Editorials bug Editorials
A failure to enforce rules
After years of negotiations, the city of Chicago and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District finally have implemented watershed management ordinances to keep new development from making flooding worse. Developers, according to the new standards, no longer can build or pave over land without taking stormwater runoff into account.
So if you want to put a parking lot on an empty field, let’s say, you’d better include a plan for where the rain will go without further burdening sewer systems.
On the face of it, that’s a big step forward. But environmentalists say the ordinances are not enforced aggressively enough.
And local municipalities still are free to undermine the ordinances by issuing permits for building designs that send more water into overburdened sewers.
Towns just hurting each other
When local communities, oblivious to the larger picture, allow bigger homes and other structures but don’t find more landscape to absorb the additional stormwater runoff, they create bigger headaches for every town downstream.
Water doesn’t pay attention to where one jurisdiction stops and another starts. It doesn’t know that there are separate stormwater agencies for Cook and the collar counties. It doesn’t know there are 133 separate municipalities in Cook County.
Floodwater laps around the base of the architecturally renowned Farnsworth House near the Fox River in south suburban Plano. Provided photo
Environmentalists say the only truly effective solution involves a much more ambitious and coordinated effort to install “green” engineering. That means finding ways to reuse rainwater or let it soak into the ground through porous pavement, swales, rain gardens, tree trenches, planters and other measures.
But for green engineering, every town and stormwater control agency has to get on board. The Chicago region’s patchwork approach has never really worked, but it’s especially inadequate in an era of extreme weather brought on by climate change.
The storms of the last few weeks could well be a new normal. Chicago’s rainfall on May 14 set a record for the date, and that one-day deluge was followed by a succession of additional heavy storms.
The traditional public works approach to handling all that rain — expensive networks of sewers, tunnels and reservoirs — can’t be built fast enough to keep us dry.
Even the completion of the Deep Tunnel project’s McCook reservoir in 2029 won’t solve the problem of flooding in that corner of the county, in part because stormwater sewers just aren’t big enough to transport water to the reservoir quickly enough.
“Our region’s planning is not keeping pace with the changing reality of the climate,” MWRD Commissioner Cameron Davis told us on Tuesday. “Climate change is upon us, and we can’t engineer the region fast enough to offset that.”
We should be thinking more about sponges — ways to allow water to soak into the ground — rather than letting it run off into the nearest sewer line or waterway.
New regional group
To take regional planning to the next level, a group of organizations — including the Alliance for the Great Lakes, the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Friends of the Chicago River, the Cook County Forest Preserve District, the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission, the MWRD and others — is creating a Chicago River Watershed Council to design ways to expand green infrastructure across the watershed and to expand and restore natural areas.
Those involved in the effort already have identified thousands of parcels throughout the regional watershed that can be used for recreational open space, natural habitat and stormwater retention.
It’s a terrific step forward if it leads to regionally coordinated and effective results.
In the meantime, more rain is forecast for the weekend.
A man runs past a flooded field at Humboldt Park, Monday. Much of the Chicago area experienced flooding after rain showers over the weekend. Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-19--Johnson & Johnson to stop selling talc-based baby powder in US, Canada

FAIRLESS HILLS , Pa. — Johnson & Johnson is ending sales of its iconic talc-based Johnson ’ s Baby Powder in the U.S. and Canada , where demand has dwindled amid thousands of lawsuits claiming it has caused cancer .
The world ’ s biggest maker of health care products said Tuesday the talc-based powder will still be sold outside the U.S. and Canada .
“ Demand for talc-based Johnson ’ s Baby Powder in North America has been declining due in large part to changes in consumer habits and fueled by misinformation around the safety of the product and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the company said .
J & J faces about 19,400 cases alleging its talcum powder caused users to develop ovarian cancer , through use for feminine hygiene , or mesothelioma , a cancer that strikes the lungs and other organs .
Of the cases that have been tried , J & J has had 12 wins , 15 losses and seven mistrials .
All of the losses have either been overturned on appeal or are still being appealed .
The company insists , and the overwhelming majority of medical research on talc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is safe and doesn ’ t cause cancer .
“ Whether or not the powder actually causes cancer , people became hesitant to use the product , ” Erik Gordon , a professor at University of Michigan ’ s business school , said in an email .
J & J spokeswoman Kimberly Montagnino said the company doesn ’ t plan to settle any of the lawsuits and “ will continue to vigorously defend ” the product .
The New Brunswick , New Jersey , company said the baby powder decision came as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ products .
It said its aim is to prioritize products in high demand during the coronavirus outbreak and allow for social distancing in its manufacturing and distribution facilities .
J & J will still sell its less-popular cornstarch-based baby powder in North America .

FAIRLESS HILLS, Pa. — Johnson & Johnson is ending sales of its iconic talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder in the U.S. and Canada, where demand has dwindled amid thousands of lawsuits claiming it has caused cancer.
The world’s biggest maker of health care products said Tuesday the talc-based powder will still be sold outside the U.S. and Canada.
“Demand for talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder in North America has been declining due in large part to changes in consumer habits and fueled by misinformation around the safety of the product and a constant barrage of litigation advertising,” the company said.
J&J faces about 19,400 cases alleging its talcum powder caused users to develop ovarian cancer, through use for feminine hygiene, or mesothelioma, a cancer that strikes the lungs and other organs.
Of the cases that have been tried, J&J has had 12 wins, 15 losses and seven mistrials. All of the losses have either been overturned on appeal or are still being appealed.
The company insists, and the overwhelming majority of medical research on talc indicates, that the talc baby powder is safe and doesn’t cause cancer.
“Whether or not the powder actually causes cancer, people became hesitant to use the product,” Erik Gordon, a professor at University of Michigan’s business school, said in an email.
J&J spokeswoman Kimberly Montagnino said the company doesn’t plan to settle any of the lawsuits and “will continue to vigorously defend” the product.
The New Brunswick, New Jersey, company said the baby powder decision came as it moves to discontinue about 100 consumer health products. It said its aim is to prioritize products in high demand during the coronavirus outbreak and allow for social distancing in its manufacturing and distribution facilities.
J&J will still sell its less-popular cornstarch-based baby powder in North America.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-19--Ditka on his iconic Ditka’s eatery closing: ‘It’s over and it was good’

It was time for a chat with da legendary Bears coach Mike Ditka , whose namesake grub hub called it quits Monday after a 24-year run in the Tremont Hotel complex at 100 E. Chestnut street .
Hmmm .
Was the iconic Ditka ’ s , which hit the quit button via a Facebook post Monday , another victim of the COVID-19 virus pandemic , as the post stated ?
“ Look , ” said Ditka .
“ This virus thing is historic .
But when all is said and done , it was a great 24-year run for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a time .
It ’ s over and it was good , ” he added .
Ditka also claims “ it was not an amiable situation with the new ownership at the Tremont Hotel , but they can do what they want , ” he said .
“ Things change .
The world isn ’ t going away because we are closing .
“ There are new places to see and be .
The old school doesn ’ t work anymore .
We made a lot of people happy .
Time moves on.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain open , including a spot in Oakbrook Terrace .
Ditka had told Sneed exclusively last fall that the eatery was in danger of closing because it couldn ’ t come to terms on a new lease .
At the time , the ownership of the hotel said they wanted the restaurant to stay , and the two sides eventually agreed to a one-year lease extension .
But this time , Ditka doesn ’ t see that happening .
Hmmm .
Would Sneed be remiss not asking the mighty Ditka about the possibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sports leagues — might not be able to play this season , or would hold games with no fans ?
“ Football is another thing , ” said Ditka .
“ I can ’ t imagine the NFL not having a season .
“ But football means fans ... and you can ’ t have football without them !
Bet on it.
” Ditka ’ s indomitable wife , Diana , tells Sneed the couple returned to Chicago from their Florida compound May 1 only to find Illinois wouldn ’ t be opening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had hoped .
“ There just isn ’ t much to do .
And the restaurant was our second home .
Family , ” she said of the eatery that was not far from their Chicago home .
“ It just breaks my heart , ” she added .
“ But my husband is more philosophical about it.
” What have the two been up to since they ’ ve been back in Chicago ?
Since their return , the couple “ watches a lot of TV reruns ... mostly golf reruns , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can tell you is that we ’ re in a 1,900-square-foot apartment and I still haven ’ t killed Mike yet , ” she said .
Once an avid golfer , Mike Ditka , who had his 2nd heart attack just two years ago while golfing near his other home in Naples , Florida , has not been hitting the links lately .
“ I ’ m not doing a whole lot and not getting any younger , ” said the 80-year-old Ditka , who still occasionally lights up a cigar .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important , I ’ m not losing any sleep over , ” he said .
“ I like to play cards at Bob O ’ Link [ Golf Club in Highland Park ] , but not playing is OK.
It ’ s been a helluva ride .
But nobody owes us anything.
” But Ditka did opine about one thing he certainly will miss : “ Our signature dish , ” he chuckled .
“ It was one helluva great pork chop !
”

Holy Grabowski!
Cancel da pork chop!
It was time for a chat with da legendary Bears coach Mike Ditka, whose namesake grub hub called it quits Monday after a 24-year run in the Tremont Hotel complex at 100 E. Chestnut street.
Hmmm. Was the iconic Ditka’s, which hit the quit button via a Facebook post Monday, another victim of the COVID-19 virus pandemic, as the post stated?
“Look,” said Ditka. “This virus thing is historic. But when all is said and done, it was a great 24-year run for the restaurant, but things wear out after a time. It’s over and it was good,” he added.
“No complaints.”
Ditka also claims “it was not an amiable situation with the new ownership at the Tremont Hotel, but they can do what they want,” he said. “Things change. The world isn’t going away because we are closing.
“There are new places to see and be. The old school doesn’t work anymore. We made a lot of people happy. Time moves on.”
Other restaurants in the chain will remain open, including a spot in Oakbrook Terrace.
Ditka had told Sneed exclusively last fall that the eatery was in danger of closing because it couldn’t come to terms on a new lease. At the time, the ownership of the hotel said they wanted the restaurant to stay, and the two sides eventually agreed to a one-year lease extension. But this time, Ditka doesn’t see that happening.
Hmmm. Would Sneed be remiss not asking the mighty Ditka about the possibility the National Football League — like other sports leagues — might not be able to play this season, or would hold games with no fans?
“Football is another thing,” said Ditka. “I can’t imagine the NFL not having a season.
“But football means fans ... and you can’t have football without them! Bet on it.”
Ditka’s indomitable wife, Diana, tells Sneed the couple returned to Chicago from their Florida compound May 1 only to find Illinois wouldn’t be opening back up anytime soon, as they had hoped.
“There just isn’t much to do. And the restaurant was our second home. Family,” she said of the eatery that was not far from their Chicago home.
“It just breaks my heart,” she added. “But my husband is more philosophical about it.”
What have the two been up to since they’ve been back in Chicago?
Since their return, the couple “watches a lot of TV reruns ... mostly golf reruns,” chuckled Diana.
”All I can tell you is that we’re in a 1,900-square-foot apartment and I still haven’t killed Mike yet,” she said.
Once an avid golfer, Mike Ditka, who had his 2nd heart attack just two years ago while golfing near his other home in Naples, Florida, has not been hitting the links lately.
“I’m not doing a whole lot and not getting any younger,” said the 80-year-old Ditka, who still occasionally lights up a cigar. “All those things that were once so important, I’m not losing any sleep over,” he said. “I like to play cards at Bob O’Link [Golf Club in Highland Park], but not playing is OK. It’s been a helluva ride. But nobody owes us anything.”
But Ditka did opine about one thing he certainly will miss:
“Our signature dish,” he chuckled. “It was one helluva great pork chop!”


chicagosun-times--2020-05-19--‘Pro-Trump’ doctors sought to push rapid reopening of economy

WASHINGTON — Republican political operatives are recruiting “ pro-Trump ” doctors to go on television to prescribe reviving the U.S. economy as quickly as possible , without waiting to meet safety benchmarks proposed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to slow the spread of the new coronavirus .
The plan was discussed in a May 11 conference call with a senior staffer for the Trump reelection campaign organized by CNP Action , an affiliate of the GOP-aligned Council for National Policy .
A leaked recording of the hour-long call was provided to The Associated Press by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progressive watchdog group .
CNP Action is part of the Save Our Country Coalition , an alliance of conservative think tanks and political committees formed in late April to end state lockdowns implemented in response to the pandemic .
Other members of the coalition include the FreedomWorks Foundation , the American Legislative Exchange Council and Tea Party Patriots .
A resurgent economy is seen as critical to boosting President Donald Trump ’ s reelection hopes and has become a growing focus of the White House coronavirus task force led by Vice President Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign communications director , confirmed to AP that an effort to recruit doctors to publicly support the president is underway , but declined to say when the initiative would be rolled out .
“ Anybody who joins one of our coalitions is vetted , ” Murtaugh said Monday .
“ And so quite obviously , all of our coalitions espouse policies and say things that are , of course , exactly simpatico with what the president believes .
… The president has been outspoken about the fact that he wants to get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” During an emergency such as the current pandemic , it ’ s important that the government provide consistent science-based information to the public , said Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr , an epidemiology professor at Columbia University ’ s Mailman School of Public Health .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert and a member of the White House ’ s coronavirus task force , has been among the most visible government experts warning that lifting lockdowns too quickly could lead to a spike in deaths .
El-Sadr said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the president is “ quite alarming.
” “ I find it totally irresponsible to have physicians who are touting some information that ’ s not anchored in evidence and not anchored in science , ” El-Sadr said .
“ What often creates confusion is the many voices that are out there , and many of those voices do have a political interest , which is the hugely dangerous situation we are at now.
” Murtaugh said the campaign is not concerned about contradicting government experts .
“ Our job at the campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point of view , ” Murtaugh said .
“ We are his campaign .
There is no difference between us and him.
” On the May 11 call , Nancy Schulze , a GOP activist who is married to former Rep. Dick Schulze , R-Pa. , said she had given the campaign a list of 27 doctors prepared to defend Trump ’ s reopening push .
“ There is a coalition of doctors who are extremely pro-Trump that have been preparing and coming together for the war ahead in the campaign on health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call .
“ And we have doctors that are … in the trenches , that are saying ‘ It ’ s time to reopen.
’ ” The idea quickly gained support from Mercedes Schlapp , a Trump campaign senior adviser who previously served two years as the president ’ s director of strategic communications .
“ Those are the types of guys that we should want to get out on TV and radio to help push out the message , ” Schlapp said on the call .
“ They ’ ve already been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put on the screens , ” Schulze replied .
Schlapp ’ s husband agreed the president is getting criticized for not appearing to follow the advice of public health experts .
Matt Schlapp is chairman of the American Conservative Union , which hosts the annual Conservative Political Action Conference attended by conservative luminaries .
“ The president ’ s going to get tagged by the fake news media as being irresponsible and not listening to doctors , ” Matt Schlapp said on the call .
“ And so we have to gird his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So I think what Nancy ’ s talking about … this is the critical juncture that we highlight them.
” Matt Schlapp told AP on Monday that he stood behind what he said on the leaked call .
“ There is a big dynamic in the national media that will not give President Trump any credit , ” he said .
“ It ’ s important to get the message out there that most people recover from corona .
Most people are not in mortal danger with corona and that we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several Republican governors moved last week to lift their state lockdowns , the National Ensemble Forecast used by the CDC to predict COVID-19 infections and deaths saw a corresponding increase .
The CDC now forecasts the U.S. will exceed 100,000 deaths by June 1 , a grim milestone that previously was not predicted to occur until late in the summer .
As of Tuesday , more than 1.5 million Americans had tested positive for COVID-19 , with more than 91,000 deaths reported nationwide .
Experts , including Fauci , have said that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number being much higher .
Meanwhile , Trump has suggested , without providing evidence , that the official death toll from the virus is being inflated .
Schulze , who was working to organize the pro-Trump doctors , did not respond to messages from AP seeking comment .
But after the AP contacted the Trump campaign seeking comment for this story , a Washington public relations firm that frequently works for conservative groups distributed an open letter to Trump signed by more than 400 doctors calling the state coronavirus lockdowns a “ mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ casualties ” from alcoholism , homelessness , suicide and other causes .
“ It is impossible to overstate the short , medium , and long-term harm to people ’ s health with a continued shutdown , ” the letter said .
“ Losing a job is one of life ’ s most stressful events , and the effect on a person ’ s health is not lessened because it also has happened to 30 million other people .
Keeping schools and universities closed is incalculably detrimental for children , teenagers , and young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first signature on the letter was Dr. Simone Gold , an emergency medicine specialist in Los Angeles who is listed as a member of the Save Our Country Coalition on the group ’ s website .
She has recently appeared on conservative talk radio and podcast programs to advocate for the use of hydroxychloroquine , a malaria drug that Trump says he is taking because he believes it can prevent COVID-19 , even though no research has shown it to be effective .
Gold said she has prescribed the drug to two of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Food and Drug Administration warned health professionals last month that the drug should not be used to treat COVID-19 outside of hospital or research settings due to sometimes fatal side effects .
Gold told AP on Tuesday she started speaking out against shelter-in-place and other infection control measures because there was “ no scientific basis that the average American should be concerned ” about COVID-19 .
Like the president , she is advocating for a fast reopening , and argues that because the majority of deaths so far have been the elderly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be working .
Gold denied she was coordinating her efforts with Trump ’ s reelection campaign .
“ But put this in there : I ’ m honored to be considered , ” she said .

WASHINGTON — Republican political operatives are recruiting “pro-Trump” doctors to go on television to prescribe reviving the U.S. economy as quickly as possible, without waiting to meet safety benchmarks proposed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.
The plan was discussed in a May 11 conference call with a senior staffer for the Trump reelection campaign organized by CNP Action, an affiliate of the GOP-aligned Council for National Policy. A leaked recording of the hour-long call was provided to The Associated Press by the Center for Media and Democracy, a progressive watchdog group.
CNP Action is part of the Save Our Country Coalition, an alliance of conservative think tanks and political committees formed in late April to end state lockdowns implemented in response to the pandemic. Other members of the coalition include the FreedomWorks Foundation, the American Legislative Exchange Council and Tea Party Patriots.
A resurgent economy is seen as critical to boosting President Donald Trump’s reelection hopes and has become a growing focus of the White House coronavirus task force led by Vice President Mike Pence.
Tim Murtaugh, the Trump campaign communications director, confirmed to AP that an effort to recruit doctors to publicly support the president is underway, but declined to say when the initiative would be rolled out.
“Anybody who joins one of our coalitions is vetted,” Murtaugh said Monday. “And so quite obviously, all of our coalitions espouse policies and say things that are, of course, exactly simpatico with what the president believes. … The president has been outspoken about the fact that he wants to get the country back open as soon as possible.”
During an emergency such as the current pandemic, it’s important that the government provide consistent science-based information to the public, said Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, an epidemiology professor at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert and a member of the White House’s coronavirus task force, has been among the most visible government experts warning that lifting lockdowns too quickly could lead to a spike in deaths.
El-Sadr said having doctors relay contradictory information on behalf of the president is “quite alarming.”
“I find it totally irresponsible to have physicians who are touting some information that’s not anchored in evidence and not anchored in science,” El-Sadr said. “What often creates confusion is the many voices that are out there, and many of those voices do have a political interest, which is the hugely dangerous situation we are at now.”
Murtaugh said the campaign is not concerned about contradicting government experts.
“Our job at the campaign is to reflect President Trump’s point of view,” Murtaugh said. “We are his campaign. There is no difference between us and him.”
On the May 11 call, Nancy Schulze, a GOP activist who is married to former Rep. Dick Schulze, R-Pa., said she had given the campaign a list of 27 doctors prepared to defend Trump’s reopening push.
“There is a coalition of doctors who are extremely pro-Trump that have been preparing and coming together for the war ahead in the campaign on health care,” Schulze said on the call. “And we have doctors that are … in the trenches, that are saying ‘It’s time to reopen.’”
The idea quickly gained support from Mercedes Schlapp, a Trump campaign senior adviser who previously served two years as the president’s director of strategic communications.
“Those are the types of guys that we should want to get out on TV and radio to help push out the message,” Schlapp said on the call.
“They’ve already been vetted. But they need to be put on the screens,” Schulze replied.
Schlapp’s husband agreed the president is getting criticized for not appearing to follow the advice of public health experts. Matt Schlapp is chairman of the American Conservative Union, which hosts the annual Conservative Political Action Conference attended by conservative luminaries.
“The president’s going to get tagged by the fake news media as being irresponsible and not listening to doctors,” Matt Schlapp said on the call. “And so we have to gird his loins with a lot of other people. So I think what Nancy’s talking about … this is the critical juncture that we highlight them.”
Matt Schlapp told AP on Monday that he stood behind what he said on the leaked call.
“There is a big dynamic in the national media that will not give President Trump any credit,” he said. “It’s important to get the message out there that most people recover from corona. Most people are not in mortal danger with corona and that we can safely open up the economy.”
As several Republican governors moved last week to lift their state lockdowns, the National Ensemble Forecast used by the CDC to predict COVID-19 infections and deaths saw a corresponding increase. The CDC now forecasts the U.S. will exceed 100,000 deaths by June 1, a grim milestone that previously was not predicted to occur until late in the summer.
As of Tuesday, more than 1.5 million Americans had tested positive for COVID-19, with more than 91,000 deaths reported nationwide.
Experts, including Fauci, have said that is likely an undercount, with the true number being much higher. Meanwhile, Trump has suggested, without providing evidence, that the official death toll from the virus is being inflated.
Schulze, who was working to organize the pro-Trump doctors, did not respond to messages from AP seeking comment. But after the AP contacted the Trump campaign seeking comment for this story, a Washington public relations firm that frequently works for conservative groups distributed an open letter to Trump signed by more than 400 doctors calling the state coronavirus lockdowns a “mass casualty event” causing “millions of casualties” from alcoholism, homelessness, suicide and other causes.
“It is impossible to overstate the short, medium, and long-term harm to people’s health with a continued shutdown,” the letter said. “Losing a job is one of life’s most stressful events, and the effect on a person’s health is not lessened because it also has happened to 30 million other people. Keeping schools and universities closed is incalculably detrimental for children, teenagers, and young adults for decades to come.”
The first signature on the letter was Dr. Simone Gold, an emergency medicine specialist in Los Angeles who is listed as a member of the Save Our Country Coalition on the group’s website. She has recently appeared on conservative talk radio and podcast programs to advocate for the use of hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug that Trump says he is taking because he believes it can prevent COVID-19, even though no research has shown it to be effective. Gold said she has prescribed the drug to two of her patients with good results.
The Food and Drug Administration warned health professionals last month that the drug should not be used to treat COVID-19 outside of hospital or research settings due to sometimes fatal side effects.
Gold told AP on Tuesday she started speaking out against shelter-in-place and other infection control measures because there was “no scientific basis that the average American should be concerned” about COVID-19. Like the president, she is advocating for a fast reopening, and argues that because the majority of deaths so far have been the elderly and people with preexisting conditions, younger people should be working.
Gold denied she was coordinating her efforts with Trump’s reelection campaign.
“But put this in there: I’m honored to be considered,” she said.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-19--Ford tour gives Trump another chance not to wear publicly required face mask

DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. has told the White House that it requires everyone in its factories to wear face masks to prevent the coronavirus from spreading , but it ’ s not clear whether President Donald Trump will wear one when he visits a Detroit-area plant Thursday .
Trump , who is scheduled to tour a factory repurposed to make medical breathing machines near Detroit , has habitually refused to wear a mask at the White House and in recent public appearances .
In a statement , Ford said its policy requires everyone in factories to wear personal protective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy had been shared with the White House .
When asked if the company would require Trump to wear the equipment , spokeswoman Rachel McCleery said , “ The White House has its own safety and testing policies in place and will make its own determination.
” Trump didn ’ t give a definite answer when questioned at the White House Tuesday , saying it would depend on how close he gets to others .
“ In certain areas , I would .
In certain areas , I don ’ t .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It depends on what situation .
Am I standing right next to everybody or am I spread out ?
” he said .
“ Where it ’ s appropriate , I would do it certainly.
” Not wearing a mask and even making the visit itself could violate coronavirus restrictions ordered by Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer , who has been at odds with Trump and targeted by the president on Twitter .
In a May 7 order to let manufacturing fully restart last week , Whitmer required factories to suspend “ all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Her stay-at-home restrictions also require people to wear a mask in any “ enclosed public space ” such as grocery stores , though it was not immediately clear if that rule extends to less public-facing operations like factories .
It appeared very unlikely the state would enforce the order against Trump .
“ While the president ’ s visit is contrary to the governor ’ s order , this is an opportunity to showcase how important Michigan is to the response to COVID-19 and rebuilding our nation ’ s economy , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does expect Ford and the president to comply with workplace safety requirements , including the use of masks , he said .
The United Auto Workers union , which represents 55,000 Ford U.S. factory workers , said Trump should be required to wear a mask while visiting the ventilator and auto parts factory in Ypsilanti Township .
“ The position of the union is that out of respect for the clean , sterile environment , anybody who enters into that plant needs to follow protocols , ” spokesman Brian Rothenberg said .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the White House , and during two recent business tours .
He didn ’ t wear one on a May 14 visit to Owens and Minor Inc. , a medical equipment distributor in Allentown , Pennsylvania .
Nor did he put one on while touring a Honeywell mask factory in Arizona on May 5 , ignoring guidelines .
He did wear safety goggles , and said later that he had briefly donned a mask backstage .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Americans should wear cloth face coverings in public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevent unknowingly spreading the virus .
Trump is tested daily for the virus ; the White House says he is negative .

DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. has told the White House that it requires everyone in its factories to wear face masks to prevent the coronavirus from spreading, but it’s not clear whether President Donald Trump will wear one when he visits a Detroit-area plant Thursday.
Trump, who is scheduled to tour a factory repurposed to make medical breathing machines near Detroit, has habitually refused to wear a mask at the White House and in recent public appearances.
In a statement, Ford said its policy requires everyone in factories to wear personal protective equipment, including masks, and that policy had been shared with the White House. When asked if the company would require Trump to wear the equipment, spokeswoman Rachel McCleery said, “The White House has its own safety and testing policies in place and will make its own determination.”
Trump didn’t give a definite answer when questioned at the White House Tuesday, saying it would depend on how close he gets to others.
“In certain areas, I would. In certain areas, I don’t. But I will certainly look at it. It depends on what situation. Am I standing right next to everybody or am I spread out?” he said. “Where it’s appropriate, I would do it certainly.”
Not wearing a mask and even making the visit itself could violate coronavirus restrictions ordered by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has been at odds with Trump and targeted by the president on Twitter.
In a May 7 order to let manufacturing fully restart last week, Whitmer required factories to suspend “all non-essential in-person visits, including tours.”
Her stay-at-home restrictions also require people to wear a mask in any “enclosed public space” such as grocery stores, though it was not immediately clear if that rule extends to less public-facing operations like factories.
It appeared very unlikely the state would enforce the order against Trump.
“While the president’s visit is contrary to the governor’s order, this is an opportunity to showcase how important Michigan is to the response to COVID-19 and rebuilding our nation’s economy,” said Whitmer spokesman Zack Pohl.
The governor does expect Ford and the president to comply with workplace safety requirements, including the use of masks, he said.
The United Auto Workers union, which represents 55,000 Ford U.S. factory workers, said Trump should be required to wear a mask while visiting the ventilator and auto parts factory in Ypsilanti Township. “The position of the union is that out of respect for the clean, sterile environment, anybody who enters into that plant needs to follow protocols,” spokesman Brian Rothenberg said.
Trump has continually refused to wear a mask at the White House, and during two recent business tours. He didn’t wear one on a May 14 visit to Owens and Minor Inc., a medical equipment distributor in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Nor did he put one on while touring a Honeywell mask factory in Arizona on May 5, ignoring guidelines. He did wear safety goggles, and said later that he had briefly donned a mask backstage.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Americans should wear cloth face coverings in public in situations where social distancing is difficult to prevent unknowingly spreading the virus. Trump is tested daily for the virus; the White House says he is negative.