npr--2020-06-20--How I'm Teaching My Kids Not To Fear Everything During A Pandemic

How I 'm Teaching My Kids Not To Fear Everything During A Pandemic The other day , while my children and I were playing outside , the ball we were throwing accidentally flew out of the yard .
Under normal circumstances , I would have opened the gate , and we 'd race to see who would get it first .
But these are n't normal circumstances .
In South Africa , where we live , a suspected case of COVID-19 was confirmed to have tested positive on March 5 .
Exactly three weeks later , the country was put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world .
Schools , places of worship and all businesses deemed not essential were closed .
Hot prepared food , alcohol and tobacco sales were banned .
Even outdoor exercise was prohibited .
The abruptness with which physical connection became a threat was dizzying .
As these restrictions are eased — and infection rates and deaths rise — I find myself needing to teach my children how to interact with our community in a way that is safe but still loving .
So back to retrieving that ball .
Our street , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johannesburg 's city center , is usually busy because it leads to a shopping area for groceries and other essentials .
Given the number of people walking by , I went to get a mask and gloves to venture beyond the gate .
But before I could go into the house , an old man with a beret and a walking cane scooped it off the street and brought it to the gate .
Just as the kids started running toward him to get it , I called out to them to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked him to please just throw it through the gate .
I could n't really tell his reaction to this , because he had a makeshift mask on .
Again , the children started to run to get the ball , so I stopped them and asked them to bring me gloves and soap .
I put on the gloves , picked up the ball and gave it a good scrub .
The kids — my 8 year-old son and 10-year-old daughter , told me that the man was just being nice and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I then reminded them of what 's going on and why what I was doing was necessary .
( I am well aware that it will not be possible to keep my children at home forever , so sometimes I go over the top in an attempt to model the behaviors they now have to adopt to keep themselves and others safe . )
My 10-year-old asked how long we are going to live like this .
I shrugged and said I do n't know as I left the ball to dry .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ another one and we continued playing .
My children are deeply loving and social .
My daughter 's unhappiness reminded me how much they are struggling with the current situation .
As much as I want to ensure that my children protect themselves and others , this forced me to reflect quite deeply on how I can do so in a way that does not inadvertently teach them to treat people as a threat .
And in the face of an invisible virus , it is very easy to see people as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is especially tempting in South Africa , one of the most unequal countries in the world .
I am a Black South African .
Our household is fortunate to have the means to stay connected to our loved ones , to work and shop from home .
That has made lockdown much more comfortable for us than for the majority of the country .
But for most Black South Africans , the current crisis has amplified already existing inequalities , leading to increased hunger , accelerated income losses and dangerous working conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into self-preservation mode and ignore other people 's suffering .
But , now more than ever , we should feel compelled to connect with the many struggles happening all around us , and collectively build a just , equitable and loving society .
Thankfully , my children appreciate the importance of relationships , which are really the foundation of our family .
They feel safe , cared for and loved because of the many people in our community that have been involved in raising them , shaping their values and sense of self @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we have n't been alone .
We have woken up to find oranges , Easter eggs , papaya and biscuits delivered to our gate from friends who live nearby .
And from our wider community of friends , the children regularly receive loving messages and calls .
Our avocado tree produces more than we can eat , and because I can no longer share the bounty at my office , the kids decided to start packing up the fruit to leave outside for people passing by to take .
Because they both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past hospitalizations — severe chronic rhinitis , eczema and allergies — I kept them home before the lockdown even started .
So I suspect it is their way of reaching out to others despite not venturing beyond the yard for almost three months now .
It has been fulfilling to see how much joy they get from this .
I do n't want my children to only remember to wear masks , wash their hands and keep their distance from people .
I want them to understand that this is a time when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another .
So in the same way I talk about how physical connection is a threat , I need to be as deliberate about elevating stories of how , beyond our small part of the world , people are helping each other out .
I have told them about the Community Action Networks in Cape Town , which have brought unlikely groups of people together across class lines through WhatsApp groups , which convey local needs and stop the spread of misinformation .
This is particularly critical as the government 's already inadequate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who need them most .
We 've discussed the women of `` Londani Lushaka , '' an organization based in Alexandra , a township in South Africa , who with the help of volunteers and donated food are feeding up to 600 children on a daily basis .
And they know that in various cities around the world , thousands have risked infection to take to the streets to protest the state violence inflicted on black people not only in the United States but in their own respective countries .
What I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this moment is that it 's possible to forge new bonds in the middle of a global pandemic .
Yes , sometimes we need to be careful about retrieving a ball .
But connections to other people remain crucial — if not more important .
Koketso Moeti is a civic activist who over the years has worked at the intersection of governance , communication and citizen action .
In 2019 she was named an Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity .
She is also an inaugural Obama Foundation fellow and an Aspen New Voices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kmoeti

How I'm Teaching My Kids Not To Fear Everything During A Pandemic
Enlarge this image toggle caption Koketso Moeti Koketso Moeti
The other day, while my children and I were playing outside, the ball we were throwing accidentally flew out of the yard. Under normal circumstances, I would have opened the gate, and we'd race to see who would get it first. But these aren't normal circumstances.
In South Africa, where we live, a suspected case of COVID-19 was confirmed to have tested positive on March 5. Exactly three weeks later, the country was put under one of the strictest lockdowns in the world. Schools, places of worship and all businesses deemed not essential were closed. Hot prepared food, alcohol and tobacco sales were banned. Even outdoor exercise was prohibited.
The abruptness with which physical connection became a threat was dizzying. As these restrictions are eased — and infection rates and deaths rise — I find myself needing to teach my children how to interact with our community in a way that is safe but still loving.
So back to retrieving that ball. Our street, in an area not too far from Johannesburg's city center, is usually busy because it leads to a shopping area for groceries and other essentials. Given the number of people walking by, I went to get a mask and gloves to venture beyond the gate.
But before I could go into the house, an old man with a beret and a walking cane scooped it off the street and brought it to the gate. Just as the kids started running toward him to get it, I called out to them to stop. I graciously thanked the man and asked him to please just throw it through the gate. I couldn't really tell his reaction to this, because he had a makeshift mask on. Again, the children started to run to get the ball, so I stopped them and asked them to bring me gloves and soap.
I put on the gloves, picked up the ball and gave it a good scrub. The kids — my 8 year-old son and 10-year-old daughter, told me that the man was just being nice and were clearly displeased with my behavior. I then reminded them of what's going on and why what I was doing was necessary. (I am well aware that it will not be possible to keep my children at home forever, so sometimes I go over the top in an attempt to model the behaviors they now have to adopt to keep themselves and others safe.)
My 10-year-old asked how long we are going to live like this. I shrugged and said I don't know as I left the ball to dry. Despite her slight frown, she got another one and we continued playing.
My children are deeply loving and social. My daughter's unhappiness reminded me how much they are struggling with the current situation.
As much as I want to ensure that my children protect themselves and others, this forced me to reflect quite deeply on how I can do so in a way that does not inadvertently teach them to treat people as a threat. And in the face of an invisible virus, it is very easy to see people as the problem and retreat into personal cocoons.
This is especially tempting in South Africa, one of the most unequal countries in the world. I am a Black South African. Our household is fortunate to have the means to stay connected to our loved ones, to work and shop from home. That has made lockdown much more comfortable for us than for the majority of the country.
But for most Black South Africans, the current crisis has amplified already existing inequalities, leading to increased hunger, accelerated income losses and dangerous working conditions. There's an urge to slip into self-preservation mode and ignore other people's suffering. But, now more than ever, we should feel compelled to connect with the many struggles happening all around us, and collectively build a just, equitable and loving society.
Thankfully, my children appreciate the importance of relationships, which are really the foundation of our family. They feel safe, cared for and loved because of the many people in our community that have been involved in raising them, shaping their values and sense of self in the world.
Despite being isolated, we haven't been alone. We have woken up to find oranges, Easter eggs, papaya and biscuits delivered to our gate from friends who live nearby. And from our wider community of friends, the children regularly receive loving messages and calls.
Our avocado tree produces more than we can eat, and because I can no longer share the bounty at my office, the kids decided to start packing up the fruit to leave outside for people passing by to take. Because they both have underlying health conditions that have required past hospitalizations — severe chronic rhinitis, eczema and allergies — I kept them home before the lockdown even started. So I suspect it is their way of reaching out to others despite not venturing beyond the yard for almost three months now. It has been fulfilling to see how much joy they get from this.
I don't want my children to only remember to wear masks, wash their hands and keep their distance from people. I want them to understand that this is a time when people need to show up for one another. So in the same way I talk about how physical connection is a threat, I need to be as deliberate about elevating stories of how, beyond our small part of the world, people are helping each other out.
I have told them about the Community Action Networks in Cape Town, which have brought unlikely groups of people together across class lines through WhatsApp groups, which convey local needs and stop the spread of misinformation. This is particularly critical as the government's already inadequate relief measures continue to fail to reach those who need them most. We've discussed the women of "Londani Lushaka," an organization based in Alexandra, a township in South Africa, who with the help of volunteers and donated food are feeding up to 600 children on a daily basis.
And they know that in various cities around the world, thousands have risked infection to take to the streets to protest the state violence inflicted on black people not only in the United States but in their own respective countries.
What I want my children to take away from this moment is that it's possible to forge new bonds in the middle of a global pandemic. Yes, sometimes we need to be careful about retrieving a ball. But connections to other people remain crucial — if not more important.
Koketso Moeti is a civic activist who over the years has worked at the intersection of governance, communication and citizen action. In 2019 she was named an Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity. She is also an inaugural Obama Foundation fellow and an Aspen New Voices Senior Fellow. Follow her on Twitter @Kmoeti


npr--2020-06-20--Cities Brace For 'Collision Course' Of Summer Heat Waves And COVID-19

Cities Brace For 'Collision Course ' Of Summer Heat Waves And COVID-19 Aaron McCullough brought his 3-year-old daughter , Ariana , to a playground in a leafy , residential suburb of Rochester , New York , on a day in mid-June when temperatures topped out at 94 degrees .
The playground is one of seven spray parks in the city that offer cooling water to area residents whenever temperatures exceed 85 degrees .
`` I was hoping that one of these water parks could open up and at least spray a little bit of water on us , '' McCullough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sweat dripping off his face , `` There 's no water around at all . ''
All of the city 's spray parks and air-conditioned cooling centers were shut down to slow the spread of COVID-19 .
`` Gathering in close proximity and engaging in physically strenuous behavior like running around the spray park appears to be a likely possibility for transmission , '' says city spokesperson Justin Roj .
McCullough had bought Ariana a milkshake before they came to the park .
It melted in his hand as she played on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much longer , '' he said .
`` If there were water , we 'd be here till sundown . ''
Rochester announced it plans to soon reopen spray parks with restrictions on the number of people who can use them at one time Across the country , authorities are finding that their usual strategies for protecting people against heat-related health problems are in direct conflict with their strategies for containing the virus — and with record-breaking high temperatures already recorded in some places before summer even began , those conflicts are likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and climate change are on a collision course , '' says New York City emergency management department spokesperson Omar Bourne .
`` There is no question that the challenges we face this summer are unprecedented . ''
The balance between preventing COVID-19 and preventing heat-related illnesses is a tough one , experts says .
`` I am very grateful that I am not responsible for making that very complicated decision , '' says Dr. Andrea Miglani , the medical director of the emergency department at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester .
The first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` heat exhaustion . ''
They include heavy sweating , elevated pulse , tiredness , weakness and dizziness .
`` But it 's when we cross into heat stroke that we get really worried , '' Miglani says .
At that point , she says , the body loses its ability to control temperature .
The pulse races , sweating stops , and elevated body temperature presents a danger of brain damage .
Miglani says one hot day might result in a slight bump in heat-related hospitalizations , but she said several hot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death toll can climb .
People with underlying health conditions like heart disease and diabetes , and those older than 65 , are especially at risk — just like with COVID-19 .
Making matters worse , movie theaters , libraries and restaurants — places that are normally reliably air-conditioned respites on hot days — are n't open in many parts of the country , says Miglani .
About 90 % of households in the U.S. have air conditioning , according to federal census figures .
But access is not evenly distributed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ disproportionately during heat waves , but they have a much lower prevalence of air conditioning compared to richer , whiter neighborhoods .
The decision about whether and how to open cooling centers during the pandemic needs to happen on a local level , says Kristie Ebi , an epidemiologist on the steering committee of the Global Heat Health Information Network .
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers guidelines for cities and states to deal with the competing problems .
Suggestions include offering more assistance for people to pay their utility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home , having fever checks for people at cooling centers and a separate room for anyone with symptoms and making masks and hand sanitizers available at the centers .
Utility companies could also be required not to cut off anyone 's power during heat emergencies , the CDC suggests .
Across upstate New York , cities kept cooling centers closed earlier this month , even when temperatures surpassed 90 degrees .
In Los Angeles County , officials opened cooling centers when temperatures spiked , but they required masks and limited the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one time .
That might offer an example of how to cool off the people most vulnerable to heat-related health problems without drastically increasing the risk of COVID-19 , Ebi says .
But , she acknowledged , what works in Los Angeles might not work in other places .
`` We 've all got different infrastructure , different access to air conditioning , different public transport systems , '' she says .
`` The balance of risk is different everywhere , '' Ebi says .
There is one piece of the puzzle that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ checking on friends , family and neighbors .
`` This is another time when it 's important to emphasize the difference between social distancing and physical distancing , '' says Miglani .
`` Give them a call , leave them a note on their door , find out what you can do to help .
A lot of times , very simple gestures can go a very long way , '' she says .
This story is part of a reporting partnership that includes WXXI , Side Effects Public Media , NPR and @ @ @ @

Cities Brace For 'Collision Course' Of Summer Heat Waves And COVID-19
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alastair Pike/AFP via Getty Images Alastair Pike/AFP via Getty Images
Aaron McCullough brought his 3-year-old daughter, Ariana, to a playground in a leafy, residential suburb of Rochester, New York, on a day in mid-June when temperatures topped out at 94 degrees.
The playground is one of seven spray parks in the city that offer cooling water to area residents whenever temperatures exceed 85 degrees.
Except during a pandemic.
"I was hoping that one of these water parks could open up and at least spray a little bit of water on us," McCullough said.
Instead, he said, sweat dripping off his face, "There's no water around at all."
All of the city's spray parks and air-conditioned cooling centers were shut down to slow the spread of COVID-19.
"Gathering in close proximity and engaging in physically strenuous behavior like running around the spray park appears to be a likely possibility for transmission," says city spokesperson Justin Roj.
McCullough had bought Ariana a milkshake before they came to the park. It melted in his hand as she played on the slide.
"We're not staying much longer," he said. "If there were water, we'd be here till sundown."
Rochester announced it plans to soon reopen spray parks with restrictions on the number of people who can use them at one time
Across the country, authorities are finding that their usual strategies for protecting people against heat-related health problems are in direct conflict with their strategies for containing the virus — and with record-breaking high temperatures already recorded in some places before summer even began, those conflicts are likely to become more frequent.
"COVID-19 and climate change are on a collision course," says New York City emergency management department spokesperson Omar Bourne.
"There is no question that the challenges we face this summer are unprecedented."
The balance between preventing COVID-19 and preventing heat-related illnesses is a tough one, experts says.
"I am very grateful that I am not responsible for making that very complicated decision," says Dr. Andrea Miglani, the medical director of the emergency department at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.
The first symptoms of overheating cause what doctors call "heat exhaustion." They include heavy sweating, elevated pulse, tiredness, weakness and dizziness.
"But it's when we cross into heat stroke that we get really worried," Miglani says. At that point, she says, the body loses its ability to control temperature. The pulse races, sweating stops, and elevated body temperature presents a danger of brain damage.
Miglani says one hot day might result in a slight bump in heat-related hospitalizations, but she said several hot days can bring cumulative effects, and the death toll can climb. People with underlying health conditions like heart disease and diabetes, and those older than 65, are especially at risk — just like with COVID-19.
Making matters worse, movie theaters, libraries and restaurants — places that are normally reliably air-conditioned respites on hot days — aren't open in many parts of the country, says Miglani.
About 90% of households in the U.S. have air conditioning, according to federal census figures. But access is not evenly distributed. Poor and minority communities tend to suffer disproportionately during heat waves, but they have a much lower prevalence of air conditioning compared to richer, whiter neighborhoods.
The decision about whether and how to open cooling centers during the pandemic needs to happen on a local level, says Kristie Ebi, an epidemiologist on the steering committee of the Global Heat Health Information Network.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers guidelines for cities and states to deal with the competing problems. Suggestions include offering more assistance for people to pay their utility bills so that they maintain air conditioning at home, having fever checks for people at cooling centers and a separate room for anyone with symptoms and making masks and hand sanitizers available at the centers. Utility companies could also be required not to cut off anyone's power during heat emergencies, the CDC suggests.
Across upstate New York, cities kept cooling centers closed earlier this month, even when temperatures surpassed 90 degrees.
In Los Angeles County, officials opened cooling centers when temperatures spiked, but they required masks and limited the number of people who could be inside at one time.
That might offer an example of how to cool off the people most vulnerable to heat-related health problems without drastically increasing the risk of COVID-19, Ebi says.
But, she acknowledged, what works in Los Angeles might not work in other places. "We've all got different infrastructure, different access to air conditioning, different public transport systems," she says.
"The balance of risk is different everywhere," Ebi says.
There is one piece of the puzzle that doctors says is the same everywhere: checking on friends, family and neighbors.
"This is another time when it's important to emphasize the difference between social distancing and physical distancing," says Miglani.
"Give them a call, leave them a note on their door, find out what you can do to help. A lot of times, very simple gestures can go a very long way," she says.
This story is part of a reporting partnership that includes WXXI, Side Effects Public Media, NPR and Kaiser Health News.


npr--2020-06-20--Coronavirus Mystery: Are Kids Less Likely To Catch It Than Adults Are?

Coronavirus Mystery : Are Kids Less Likely To Catch It Than Adults Are ?
Why the coronavirus appears to affect children differently than it affects adults is one of the great mysteries of the current pandemic .
And it 's a question that Rosalind Eggo , a professor of mathematical modelling , from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and her colleagues set out to try to answer .
`` What we found was that people under 20 were about half as susceptible to infection as people over 20 , '' Eggo says .
So kids and teens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually get infected with the virus .
`` And then we also found that the probability of showing clinical symptoms ... so getting ill enough that you report the infection ... that rose from around 20 % percent in 10- to 19-year-olds , up to around 70 % in those over 70 , '' she says .
Eggo 's research was published this week in the journal Nature .
It uses mathematical models to examine coronavirus data from six countries — China , South Korea , Italy , Japan , Singapore and Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April study from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention , which found that while kids under age 18 make up 22 % of the U.S. population , they 've accounted for fewer than 2 % of reported cases .
The implications of how SARS-CoV2 plays out in children are huge .
One of the big questions in this pandemic is why countries in Africa have n't been hit harder the disease .
The median age in Africa is 20 while in Europe it 's 43 .
If younger people are less susceptible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries with younger citizens may have less intense outbreaks ?
`` It 's something definitely that needs to be further looked into , '' says Eggo .
She and her colleagues did n't start out investigating the youth mystery .
They originally were looking at COVID relative to how flu pandemics spread .
But she says this virus is different .
`` We have n't seen the same patterns .
Looking at the global picture if this was like flu you would ordinarily expect places with more children to have more intense epidemics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to be better understood so officials can make plans for appropriate precautions when reopening schools .
And there are other questions .
Should kids be allowed to visit their grandparents ?
Or is it the middle-aged people who pose a greater risk to the elderly ?
Indeed , perhaps the most critical unknown : What role do youngsters have in the spread of COVID-19 ?
Megan Culler Freeman , a virologist and pediatrician at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine , says kids are major spreaders of many other respiratory diseases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they 're going to school , especially the younger ones [ who ] are n't necessarily as polite with their coughs and sneezes , '' Freeman says .
`` So it 's really easy for those diseases to spread . ''
Yet that 's not what 's been reported so far with COVID-19 .
Freeman , who studied coronaviruses for her Ph.D , says children are clearly susceptible to the other known coronaviruses that circulate each year during cold and flu season .
Yet something different is happening with this new one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of case numbers throughout both the United States and the world .
And really a minority of those have been identified in children , '' she says .
`` Somewhere between 2 and 5 % percent of all of the [ reported ] infections are in children under the age of 18 , which is kind of amazing . ''
There are a couple of hypotheses as to why , Freeman says .
One is that kids get a milder form of the disease .
If they are n't showing symptoms , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thus those infections are n't counted .
Freeman adds there 's also some research showing that the receptors in human cells that the coronavirus latches on to are less developed in younger people .
But both Eggo and Freeman say it 's still unclear exactly why children are less at risk to the virus , why so few cases have been detected in kids and whether that trend will continue .
`` It does seem that kids are less affected than adults .
But I think their role in community spread is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Around the world from Abuja to Aruba to Arkansas schools were shut down in the early stages of the outbreaks .
`` So we do n't know how things are going to change if that variable is back in play . ''
Some countries around the world have started to reopen schools but mainly in places like Hong Kong and New Zealand , where transmission levels are incredibly low .
If schools reopen in places where transmission levels remain high , it may give a clearer picture , Freeman says , of how @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Coronavirus Mystery: Are Kids Less Likely To Catch It Than Adults Are?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Wang Zhao /AFP via Getty Images Wang Zhao /AFP via Getty Images
Why the coronavirus appears to affect children differently than it affects adults is one of the great mysteries of the current pandemic.
And it's a question that Rosalind Eggo, an assistant professor of mathematical modeling from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and her colleagues have tried to answer.
"What we found was that people under 20 were about half as susceptible to infection as people over 20," Eggo says.
So kids and teens appear far less likely than adults to actually get infected with the virus.
"And then we also found that the probability of showing clinical symptoms ... so getting ill enough that you report the infection... that rose from around 20% in 10- to 19-year-olds, up to around 70% in those over 70," she says.
Eggo's research was published this week in the journal Nature. It uses mathematical models to examine coronavirus data from six countries — China, South Korea, Italy, Japan, Singapore and Canada. The results are similar to an April study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which found that while kids under age 18 make up 22% of the U.S. population, they've accounted for fewer than 2% of reported cases.
The implications of how SARS-CoV2 plays out in children are huge.
One of the big questions in this pandemic is why countries in Africa haven't been hit harder the disease.
The median age in Africa is 20; while in Europe, it's 43.
If younger people are less susceptible to the disease, does that mean countries with younger citizens may have less intense outbreaks?
"It's something definitely that needs to be further looked into," says Eggo.
She and her colleagues didn't start out investigating the youth mystery. They originally were looking at COVID-19 relative to how flu pandemics spread. But she says this virus is different. "We haven't seen the same patterns. Looking at the global picture if this was like flu, you would ordinarily expect places with more children to have more intense epidemics."
She says transmission among kids needs to be better understood so officials can make plans for appropriate precautions when reopening schools.
And there are other questions. Should kids be allowed to visit their grandparents? Or is it the middle-aged people who pose a greater risk to the elderly?
Indeed, perhaps the most critical unknown: What role do youngsters have in the spread of COVID-19?
Megan Culler Freeman, a virologist and pediatrician at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, says kids are major spreaders of many other respiratory diseases.
"The kids are going to day care, they're going to school, especially the younger ones [who] aren't necessarily as polite with their coughs and sneezes," Freeman says. "So it's really easy for those diseases to spread."
Yet that's not what's been reported so far with COVID-19.
Freeman, who studied coronaviruses for her Ph.D,, says children are clearly susceptible to the other known coronaviruses that circulate each year during cold and flu season. Yet something different is happening with this new one.
"We've had a tremendous number of case numbers throughout both the United States and the world. And really a minority of those have been identified in children," she says. "Somewhere between 2 and 5% of all of the [reported] infections are in children under the age of 18, which is kind of amazing."
There are a couple of hypotheses as to why, Freeman says. One is that kids get a milder form of the disease. If they aren't showing symptoms, they may never get tested. And thus those infections aren't counted.
Freeman adds there's also some research showing that the receptors in human cells that the coronavirus latches on to are less developed in younger people.
But both Eggo and Freeman say it's still unclear exactly why children are less at risk to the virus, why so few cases have been detected in kids and whether that trend will continue.
"It does seem that kids are less affected than adults. But I think their role in community spread is still somewhat untested," she says. Around the world from Abuja to Aruba to Arkansas, schools were shut down in the early stages of the outbreaks. "So we don't know how things are going to change if that variable is back in play."
Some countries have started to reopen schools, but that is mainly in places like Hong Kong and New Zealand, where transmission levels are incredibly low.
If schools reopen in places where transmission levels remain high, it may give a clearer picture, Freeman says, of how much transmission is driven by children.


npr--2020-06-20--West Virginia, Born Out Of The Civil War, Grapples With Confederate Monuments

West Virginia , Born Out Of The Civil War , Grapples With Confederate Monuments As statues of Confederate generals have been toppled or ordered down across the American South , all still stand in West Virginia , the only state born out of the American Civil War .
One hundred fifty-seven years ago Saturday , West Virginia seceded from Virginia to join the Union and reject the Confederacy .
Across the state , there are 21 statues and memorials honoring Confederate generals and soldiers , according to data compiled by the Southern Poverty Law Center .
Like many monuments elsewhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gifted by the United Daughters of the Confederacy during Jim Crow and the Civil Rights Movement .
`` We always need to remember that the monuments always reflect the values of the community — the individuals or organizations that erected them and dedicated them originally , '' says Boston-based historian Kevin Levin .
`` One way to measure the progress — if you want to call it that — is to look at the places that are even debating this issue , '' he says , noting that many of the efforts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with more diverse populations .
Much of the conversation in West Virginia has focused on Thomas Jonathan `` Stonewall '' Jackson , a Confederate general who was born in present-day West Virginia .
Jackson , who owned six slaves , is memorialized in more than a dozen states and is one of the most recognizable figures of the Civil War .
This week in West Virginia , the Harrison County Commission rejected a motion to remove a statue of Jackson that stands in front of the courthouse in downtown Clarksburg .
In Charleston @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are on display on the grounds of the state Capitol .
A middle school in the city , where nearly half the students are Black , also bears Jackson 's name .
Discussions are ongoing about renaming the school after influential Black educator Booker T. Washington or NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson .
Some who support memorials of Jackson argue that he should instead be judged by his deeds such as conducting Sunday School for enslaved Black people and encouraging literacy .
The American Civil War Museum has said these facts serve as `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowing Confederate heritage activists to distance the South 's cause away from slavery .
West Virginia native and a professor of History at the College of Southern Maryland , Cicero Fain , also says considering figures like Jackson for their good deeds overlooks a fundamental question in the current debate over the monuments .
`` The barometer by which one should judge a slaveholder is 'Did he make the ultimate sacrifice and a shift away from the economic imperative — and instead embrace a moral imperative ? '
And he did n't , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jim Justice said this week the memorials at the state Capitol are an issue for the Legislature to decide but avoided saying whether he wants to see them taken down .
`` From the standpoint of my personal beliefs , I do n't feel like — that — anyone should feel uncomfortable here .
This is our capital .
This is our state .
This is our people , '' he said a news briefing Wednesday .
But state code gives the authority to decide the fate of the statues on the Capitol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partially appointed by the governor .

West Virginia, Born Out Of The Civil War, Grapples With Confederate Monuments
Enlarge this image toggle caption Dave Mistich/West Virginia Public Broadcasting Dave Mistich/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
As statues of Confederate generals have been toppled or ordered down across the American South, all still stand in West Virginia, the only state born out of the American Civil War.
One hundred fifty-seven years ago Saturday, West Virginia seceded from Virginia to join the Union and reject the Confederacy.
Across the state, there are 21 statues and memorials honoring Confederate generals and soldiers, according to data compiled by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Like many monuments elsewhere, some of West Virginia's were gifted by the United Daughters of the Confederacy during Jim Crow and the Civil Rights Movement.
"We always need to remember that the monuments always reflect the values of the community — the individuals or organizations that erected them and dedicated them originally," says Boston-based historian Kevin Levin.
"One way to measure the progress — if you want to call it that — is to look at the places that are even debating this issue," he says, noting that many of the efforts to remove statues are happening in urban areas with more diverse populations.
Much of the conversation in West Virginia has focused on Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson, a Confederate general who was born in present-day West Virginia. Jackson, who owned six slaves, is memorialized in more than a dozen states and is one of the most recognizable figures of the Civil War.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Dave Mistich/West Virginia Public Broadcasting Dave Mistich/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
This week in West Virginia, the Harrison County Commission rejected a motion to remove a statue of Jackson that stands in front of the courthouse in downtown Clarksburg.
In Charleston, a bust and statue of Jackson are on display on the grounds of the state Capitol. A middle school in the city, where nearly half the students are Black, also bears Jackson's name. Discussions are ongoing about renaming the school after influential Black educator Booker T. Washington or NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson.
Some who support memorials of Jackson argue that he should instead be judged by his deeds such as conducting Sunday School for enslaved Black people and encouraging literacy. The American Civil War Museum has said these facts serve as "a foundation for great misunderstanding" in allowing Confederate heritage activists to distance the South's cause away from slavery.
West Virginia native and a professor of History at the College of Southern Maryland, Cicero Fain, also says considering figures like Jackson for their good deeds overlooks a fundamental question in the current debate over the monuments.
"The barometer by which one should judge a slaveholder is 'Did he make the ultimate sacrifice and a shift away from the economic imperative — and instead embrace a moral imperative?' And he didn't," Fain says.
Republican Gov. Jim Justice said this week the memorials at the state Capitol are an issue for the Legislature to decide but avoided saying whether he wants to see them taken down.
"From the standpoint of my personal beliefs, I don't feel like — that — anyone should feel uncomfortable here. This is our capital. This is our state. This is our people," he said a news briefing Wednesday.
But state code gives the authority to decide the fate of the statues on the Capitol grounds to a commission, which is partially appointed by the governor.


npr--2020-06-20--Geoffrey Berman, U.S. Attorney Who Prosecuted Trump Allies, Says He Won't Quit

Geoffrey Berman , U.S. Attorney Who Prosecuted Trump Allies , Says He Wo n't Quit The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York is in a fight with the Justice Department over his job .
Geoffrey Berman has overseen prosecutions of associates of President Trump , including Trump 's former personal attorney , Michael Cohen .
He also brought the grand jury indictment against associates of the president 's current personal attorney , Rudolf Giuliani .
Attorney General William Barr , in a statement released late Friday night , said that Berman is `` stepping down '' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission , to succeed Berman .
A short time later , Geoffrey Berman fired off his own announcement , denying Barr 's statement .
`` I learned in a press release from the Attorney General tonight that I was 'stepping down ' as United States Attorney , '' Berman said .
`` I have not resigned , and have no intention of resigning , my position , to which I was appointed by the Judges of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a presidentially appointed nominee is confirmed by the Senate . ''
`` Until then , our investigations will move forward without delay or interruption . ''
While Berman is pushing back against leaving his post , Attorney General Barr 's press release indicated that President Trump has already appointed an interim replacement for Berman .
Barr said that effective July 3rd , Craig Carpenito , the current US Attorney for the District of New Jersey , would take over until Clayton is confirmed .
Barr thanked Berman for his service , adding , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has done an excellent job leading one of our nation 's most significant U.S. Attorney 's Offices , achieving many successes on consequential civil and criminal matters . ''
Under Berman 's watch , his office brought the prosecution of multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein on federal sex trafficking charges .
Berman later charged two corrections officers who were supposed to guard Epstein with dereliction of their duties after Epstein 's apparent suicide in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center .
Berman 's team also aggressively investigated and prosecuted Trump 's former personal attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultimately pleaded guilty to financial crimes , lying to Congress and campaign finance crimes .
Under oath , Cohen implicated Trump in payments made to two women ahead of the 2016 elections to keep them quiet about affairs they said they had with Trump .
Berman issued a grand jury indictment against Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman , two men associated with Rudy Giuliani .
The two have pleaded `` not guilty '' to setting up a shell company to hide the foreign sourcing of a $ 325,000 donation to a superPAC committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two also allegedly helped Giuliani in efforts to dig up dirt on former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter in Ukraine .
And Berman 's office has investigated the business dealings of Giuliani himself , but no charges have been brought against him .

President Trump Fires Top U.S. Prosecutor Who Investigated His Allies, Barr Says
Enlarge this image toggle caption Seth Wenig/AP Seth Wenig/AP
Updated at 7:17 p.m. ET
President Trump has removed Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, from office, ending the tenure of a top Justice Department official whose office has overseen the prosecutions of several of the president's associates.
Attorney General William Barr announced the termination Saturday, less than a day after initially suggesting that Berman was resigning — only to be contradicted by Berman himself.
"Unfortunately, with your statement of last night, you have chosen public spectacle over public service," Barr said in a letter to Berman Saturday. "Because you have declared that you have no intention of resigning, I have asked the President to remove you as of today, and he has done so."
By Saturday evening, Berman confirmed that he would indeed step down, effective immediately, and allow for Deputy U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss to become acting U.S. attorney.
Despite Barr invoking his name, President Trump attempted to distance himself from the firing.
"Attorney General Barr is working on that. That's his department, not my department," Trump told reporters as he was leaving the White House for a campaign rally in Tulsa, Okla. "But we have a very capable attorney general. So that's really up to him. I'm not involved."
Berman's eventual agreement to leave his post ended a nearly day-long showdown between Barr and the prosecutor. Berman's removal also prompted action from the head of the House Judiciary Committee.
On Saturday, chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., announced his intention to investigate Berman's removal as well as a hearing for Wednesday where two whistleblowers will testify against Barr.
"The whole thing smacks of corruption and incompetence, which is what we have come to expect from this President and his Attorney General," Nadler said in a statement.
The standoff began late Friday night, when the attorney general released a statement saying that Berman was "stepping down." In the announcement, he said that the president would be nominating Jay Clayton, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to succeed Berman.
Just a short time later, Berman fired off his own announcement, denying Barr's statement.
"I learned in a press release from the Attorney General tonight that I was 'stepping down' as United States Attorney," said Berman, who spearheaded the prosecution of Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen and brought the grand jury indictment against associates of the president's current personal attorney Rudy Giuliani.
"I have not resigned, and have no intention of resigning, my position, to which I was appointed by the Judges of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York," he said. "I will step down when a presidentially appointed nominee is confirmed by the Senate. Until then, our investigations will move forward without delay or interruption."
Under Berman's watch, Cohen ultimately pleaded guilty to financial crimes, lying to Congress and campaign finance crimes. Under oath, Cohen implicated Trump in payments made to two women ahead of the 2016 elections to keep them quiet about affairs they said they had with Trump.
Berman also issued a grand jury indictment against Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, two Giuliani associates. The two have pleaded not guilty to setting up a shell company to hide the foreign sourcing of a $325,000 donation to a superPAC committed to Trump's reelection. The two also allegedly helped Giuliani in efforts to dig up dirt on former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter in Ukraine.
And Berman's office has investigated the business dealings of Giuliani himself, but no charges have been brought against him.
"This is clearly a political takeover of the historically independent Southern District of New York," Elie Honig, a former assistant U.S. attorney for the district, said in an interview with NPR's Weekend Edition before Berman's formal firing.
"When you look at the timing of this — the fact that it was announced late on a Friday night, the fact that the attorney general immediately was caught in a misleading statement when he said the U.S. attorney is stepping down ... and you look at all the important pending cases in the SDNY right now, the only logical conclusion to me is that this is a political move."
Honig said that if the Trump administration wishes to proceed without Senate confirmation for Berman's replacement, it's likely to end up in the courts.
"The question is, can the president just fire or move aside the U.S. attorney barring [Senate approval]?" he said. "In other words, can the attorney general and the president just say 'You're out, somebody else'?"
During Berman's tenure, the SDNY has also taken on other high-profile cases, including the prosecution of multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein on federal sex trafficking charges. Berman later charged two corrections officers who were supposed to guard Epstein with dereliction of their duties after Epstein's apparent suicide in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center.
Berman praised his acting successor in his statement Saturday evening: "It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as this District's U.S. Attorney and a custodian of its proud legacy, but I could leave the District in no better hands than Audrey's."


npr--2020-06-19--Younger Adults Are Increasingly Testing Positive For The Coronavirus

Younger Adults Are Increasingly Testing Positive For The Coronavirus As much of the country presses forward with reopening , a growing number of cities and states are finding that the coronavirus outbreak now has a foothold in a younger slice of the population , with people in their 20s and 30s accounting for a larger share of new coronavirus infections .
The demographic shift has emerged in regions with different populations and political approaches to the pandemic – from Washington state and California to Florida and Texas .
North Carolina , South Carolina , Arizona , Wisconsin and Colorado also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proportion of young adults than they had previously seen .
Public health experts said the trend could be explained in several ways .
More people are getting coronavirus tests .
The criteria for who gets tested as well as the capacity to test them have expanded since the beginning of the pandemic .
Early on , generally only people with symptoms or who were seriously ill could get tested at all .
But some public health experts said the increase is because some younger adults may perceive they are less at risk than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to venture back into society as it reopens — that could mean going to restaurants or social gatherings or returning to the workplace .
In Washington state , an outbreak in a nursing facility signaled the pandemic 's arrival in the United States .
Now , nearly half of new coronavirus cases in the Seattle area are showing up in those in their 20s and 30s , according to a recent analysis of state data .
`` This creates a reservoir of disease moving around in the population , simmering , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an epidemiologist at the University of Washington and author of the study that analyzed Washington 's March and April age data .
`` This can spike to uncontrollable levels in more vulnerable adults very quickly . ''
What first caught Malmgren 's attention was that hospitalizations in Washington were falling , but new cases did not mirror that decrease .
Even as more older adults were tested , the rate of infections in younger adults continued to climb .
`` The key to controlling this virus so it 's not running rampant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are most active and have most contact with the public , '' she said .
While there is always a risk of becoming seriously ill , the chance of someone under 40 ending up in the hospital is quite low .
In fact , the rate of hospitalization for people who test positive for the coronavirus in their 20s is under 4 % , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
For those over 60 , the rates go way up , to more than 20 % .
The fatality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30s without underlying health conditions is about 0.1 % .
For public health workers , an acceleration of infections in young adults requires a different approach than early in the pandemic , when the strategy was largely to stall the spread of the virus in older populations and those most vulnerable to the disease .
Malmgren said the public health response should now be tailored to a younger demographic .
`` They are not reading print media .
You need to be on social media .
You need to use short sentences .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she said .
Ideally , testing would also be available where young adults already gather , not only at doctors ' offices or drive-through testing sites , she said .
The story is similar in California .
People under 35 now make up about 44 % of new infections in that state , compared with 29 % last month , according to an analysis of state data by infectious disease epidemiologist George Lemp .
The uptick in new cases is evident in both children and teenagers as well as adults .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's been such a strong shift , '' said Lemp , the former director of the University of California 's HIV/AIDS Research Program .
`` Some of that could be due to the testing itself and targeting of younger people .
And it 's also likely due to the shift in behavior as younger people start to move away from social distancing and consistent mask use . ''
State and local health departments report the age breakdown of coronavirus infections and COVID-19 cases in a variety of ways .
Many do n't release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as hospitalizations .
Beginning in August , all laboratories testing for the coronavirus will be required to report standardized information such as age and race for each new case to the federal government .
`` If you see these types of trends occurring in a state as large as California , it 's probably a very strong harbinger that this is actually happening nationally , too , '' Lemp said .
Increasingly , state and local leaders are pointing out the trend .
Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott recently called out young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , citing reports of packed bars and people failing to do social distancing .
In Brownsville , Texas , Dr. Joseph McCormick , an epidemiologist with the UT Health School of Public Health , said new infections in people under 35 have shot up dramatically , accounting for more than half of the recent cases in his region .
`` We are seeing a resurgence of transmission , and it 's being driven by younger people , '' he said .
He said that older people still make up the bulk of hospitalizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearby resort town is `` pretty clear evidence '' of why younger adults are the ones getting sick in his community , McCormick said .
`` This is relatively new , and I think it 's because that segment of the population decided , 'OK , I 'm free , ' whereas the older group is thinking , 'Woah , wait a minute , I 'm still in jeopardy . '
`` Officials in one Texas county even link the spike in cases to young people floating in the river .
At the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Georgia 's news cases were 18- to 29-year-olds .
A few weeks later , that number jumped to 27 % .
`` When I go out , I call out young people who do n't have a mask and ask them why .
Do they mind if their grandpa or their grandmother gets ill ? ''
McCormick said .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis has also pointed out that the outbreak is skewing younger .
People under 37 make up about half of that state 's newer cases , he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman scolded millennials ( the generation that is now roughly ages 23 to late 30s ) for their role in spreading the virus , saying , `` It is time that your generation started taking this more seriously . ''
Ken Welch , a county commissioner in Pinellas County ( home of St. Petersburg ) , is working on a public awareness campaign directed at young adults since not everyone follows the county 's YouTube channel , he admitted .
`` One idea is to reach out to local sports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Lightning , the Rays , and have them talk about why it 's important to wear a mask and why it 's cool , '' Welch said .
`` I 'd love to see Tom Brady in a mask . ''
While some states have anecdotally seen young adults abandoning pandemic precautions , a recent survey of people in New York and Los Angeles found people in their 20s and 30s were broadly supportive of social distancing and other measures such as wearing face masks .
In mid-March , White House coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` core group that will stop the virus . ''
Dr. Anthony Fauci even appeared on a popular podcast to appeal to the younger generation for help .
`` You 're not a passive person in this , '' Fauci said .
`` You are an important part of the active plan to contain this epidemic . ''
Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr , a professor at Columbia University 's Mailman School of Public Health , said it 's not yet clear to what extent young people are driving community transmission of the virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health agencies should be following .
`` It 's a lost opportunity , '' she said .
`` I think young people can potentially have a very , very valuable role if we can harness their energy and attention . ''
El-Sadr said the best strategy is to enlist `` trusted spokespeople '' who can help mobilize a younger population through things such as social media rather than relying on the same messaging that 's been coming from public health officials for months .
`` How do we find those individuals that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The trendsetters that they will listen to and follow , '' she said .
What 's increasingly clear is that young adults can be key to curbing community transmission of the virus .
A study from Japan concluded that those in their 20s and 30s played a significant role in spreading the virus in non-health care settings , including restaurants , bars , music-related events and workplaces .
`` We need to change our whole thinking about COVID-19 during this stage of the pandemic , '' said Dr. Thomas Tsai , a professor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Public Health .
`` It 's difficult to contain the virus physically because you have younger individuals , who may be pre-symptomatic or mildly symptomatic , who are going about their normal lives and reengaging with society . ''
Instead of returning to a lockdown , Tsai said the key is to make tests widely available , use contact tracing to find clusters of the disease and push people to wear face coverings .
`` Arguably , this is even more important now because we 're no longer motivated to follow public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up outside the hospitals in New York , '' he said .
`` It needs to be a more personal approach . ''

Younger Adults Are Increasingly Testing Positive For The Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images
As much of the country presses forward with reopening, a growing number of cities and states are finding that the coronavirus outbreak now has a foothold in a younger slice of the population, with people in their 20s and 30s accounting for a larger share of new coronavirus infections.
The demographic shift has emerged in regions with different populations and political approaches to the pandemic – from Washington state and California to Florida and Texas. North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona, Wisconsin and Colorado also all report clusters that have a larger proportion of young adults than they had previously seen.
Public health experts said the trend could be explained in several ways. More people are getting coronavirus tests. The criteria for who gets tested as well as the capacity to test them have expanded since the beginning of the pandemic. Early on, generally only people with symptoms or who were seriously ill could get tested at all.
But some public health experts said the increase is because some younger adults may perceive they are less at risk than their parents or grandparents and are more likely to venture back into society as it reopens — that could mean going to restaurants or social gatherings or returning to the workplace.
In Washington state, an outbreak in a nursing facility signaled the pandemic's arrival in the United States. Now, nearly half of new coronavirus cases in the Seattle area are showing up in those in their 20s and 30s, according to a recent analysis of state data.
"This creates a reservoir of disease moving around in the population, simmering, if you will," said Judith Malmgren, an epidemiologist at the University of Washington and author of the study that analyzed Washington's March and April age data. "This can spike to uncontrollable levels in more vulnerable adults very quickly."
What first caught Malmgren's attention was that hospitalizations in Washington were falling, but new cases did not mirror that decrease. Even as more older adults were tested, the rate of infections in younger adults continued to climb.
"The key to controlling this virus so it's not running rampant is to look at the people who are most active and have most contact with the public," she said.
While there is always a risk of becoming seriously ill, the chance of someone under 40 ending up in the hospital is quite low. In fact, the rate of hospitalization for people who test positive for the coronavirus in their 20s is under 4%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For those over 60, the rates go way up, to more than 20%. The fatality rate for people in their 20s and 30s without underlying health conditions is about 0.1%.
Adjusting the public health response
For public health workers, an acceleration of infections in young adults requires a different approach than early in the pandemic, when the strategy was largely to stall the spread of the virus in older populations and those most vulnerable to the disease.
Malmgren said the public health response should now be tailored to a younger demographic. "They are not reading print media. You need to be on social media. You need to use short sentences. You need to use very direct messaging," she said.
Ideally, testing would also be available where young adults already gather, not only at doctors' offices or drive-through testing sites, she said.
The story is similar in California. People under 35 now make up about 44% of new infections in that state, compared with 29% last month, according to an analysis of state data by infectious disease epidemiologist George Lemp.
The uptick in new cases is evident in both children and teenagers as well as adults.
"It's very striking that there's been such a strong shift," said Lemp, the former director of the University of California's HIV/AIDS Research Program. "Some of that could be due to the testing itself and targeting of younger people. And it's also likely due to the shift in behavior as younger people start to move away from social distancing and consistent mask use."
State and local health departments report the age breakdown of coronavirus infections and COVID-19 cases in a variety of ways. Many don't release information about age with other daily metrics such as hospitalizations. Beginning in August, all laboratories testing for the coronavirus will be required to report standardized information such as age and race for each new case to the federal government.
"If you see these types of trends occurring in a state as large as California, it's probably a very strong harbinger that this is actually happening nationally, too," Lemp said.
Calling out millennials
Increasingly, state and local leaders are pointing out the trend.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently called out young adults for a spike in new cases, citing reports of packed bars and people failing to do social distancing.
In Brownsville, Texas, Dr. Joseph McCormick, an epidemiologist with the UT Health School of Public Health, said new infections in people under 35 have shot up dramatically, accounting for more than half of the recent cases in his region.
"We are seeing a resurgence of transmission, and it's being driven by younger people," he said. He said that older people still make up the bulk of hospitalizations.
Crowded beaches and bars at the nearby resort town is "pretty clear evidence" of why younger adults are the ones getting sick in his community, McCormick said. "This is relatively new, and I think it's because that segment of the population decided, 'OK, I'm free,' whereas the older group is thinking, 'Woah, wait a minute, I'm still in jeopardy.' "
Officials in one Texas county even link the spike in cases to young people floating in the river.
At the beginning of June, about 15% of Georgia's news cases were 18- to 29-year-olds. A few weeks later, that number jumped to 27%.
"When I go out, I call out young people who don't have a mask and ask them why. Do they mind if their grandpa or their grandmother gets ill?" McCormick said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has also pointed out that the outbreak is skewing younger. People under 37 make up about half of that state's newer cases, he said.
In an online video address, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman scolded millennials (the generation that is now roughly ages 23 to late 30s) for their role in spreading the virus, saying, "It is time that your generation started taking this more seriously."
Ken Welch, a county commissioner in Pinellas County (home of St. Petersburg), is working on a public awareness campaign directed at young adults since not everyone follows the county's YouTube channel, he admitted.
"One idea is to reach out to local sports figures like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Lightning, the Rays, and have them talk about why it's important to wear a mask and why it's cool," Welch said. "I'd love to see Tom Brady in a mask."
While some states have anecdotally seen young adults abandoning pandemic precautions, a recent survey of people in New York and Los Angeles found people in their 20s and 30s were broadly supportive of social distancing and other measures such as wearing face masks.
In mid-March, White House coronavirus coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx called millennials the "core group that will stop the virus." Dr. Anthony Fauci even appeared on a popular podcast to appeal to the younger generation for help. "You're not a passive person in this," Fauci said. "You are an important part of the active plan to contain this epidemic."
To reach the young, recruit trendsetters
Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, a professor at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, said it's not yet clear to what extent young people are driving community transmission of the virus, but it's a key metric that public health agencies should be following.
"It's a lost opportunity," she said. "I think young people can potentially have a very, very valuable role if we can harness their energy and attention."
El-Sadr said the best strategy is to enlist "trusted spokespeople" who can help mobilize a younger population through things such as social media rather than relying on the same messaging that's been coming from public health officials for months.
"How do we find those individuals that young people today want to emulate? The trendsetters that they will listen to and follow," she said.
What's increasingly clear is that young adults can be key to curbing community transmission of the virus.
A study from Japan concluded that those in their 20s and 30s played a significant role in spreading the virus in non-health care settings, including restaurants, bars, music-related events and workplaces.
"We need to change our whole thinking about COVID-19 during this stage of the pandemic," said Dr. Thomas Tsai, a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "It's difficult to contain the virus physically because you have younger individuals, who may be pre-symptomatic or mildly symptomatic, who are going about their normal lives and reengaging with society."
Instead of returning to a lockdown, Tsai said the key is to make tests widely available, use contact tracing to find clusters of the disease and push people to wear face coverings.
"Arguably, this is even more important now because we're no longer motivated to follow public health guidance by images of people lining up outside the hospitals in New York," he said. "It needs to be a more personal approach."


npr--2020-06-19--MLB Closing Florida And Arizona Training Facilities For Coronavirus Cleaning

Major League Baseball will shut down and disinfect all 30 teams ' Spring Training facilities in Florida and Arizona , as the coronavirus continues to make its presence felt .
The league says players and other personnel will need a negative test for the virus before they can get back into the facilities after the deep cleaning .
Before the announcement late Friday night , several teams made the decision on their own to shut down .
Major League Baseball 's Philadelphia Phillies closed their spring training complex in Clearwater , after eight members of the team tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Phillies confirmed five players and three staff members working at the facility contracted the coronavirus .
`` The first confirmed case occurred this past Tuesday , June 16 , '' the statement said , adding `` in addition , eight staff members have tested negative for the virus , while 12 staff members and 20 players ( both major league and minor league players ) living in the Clearwater area are in the process of being tested and are awaiting the results of those tests . ''
`` The Phillies are committed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , coaches and staff as our highest priority , '' the team 's managing partner John Middleton said in a statement , `` and as a result of these confirmed tests , all facilities in Clearwater have been closed indefinitely to all players , coaches and staff and will remain closed until medical authorities are confident that the virus is under control and our facilities are disinfected . ''
After the Phillies made their announcement , the Toronto Blue Jays confirmed they shut down their facilities in Dunedin – a short drive from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to a club spokesman , both the major league training camp and minor league facility have been closed .
`` The Toronto Blue Jays confirm that personnel at the club 's Spring Training facilities in Dunedin , FL .
have undergone testing for COVID-19 , after a player presented symptoms consistent with those of the virus , '' the team said in a statement .
`` As a result , the Blue Jays have suspended operations at their Dunedin facilities for the time being . ''
According to ESPN baseball insider Jeff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Toronto pitcher showed symptoms of COVID-19 .
He 'd reportedly spent time with players in the Phillies minor league system .
Also , the National Hockey League 's Tampa Bay Lightning temporarily closed training facilities after three players and additional staff members tested positive for COVID-19 .
The NHL already has announced its plan for restarting the season after its March shutdown .
Baseball is still trying to hammer out its plan – now potentially complicated by these shutdowns , plus reports earlier this week that several other Major League players and coaches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team affiliations were n't disclosed .
It 's a critical moment for the sport .
Players and owners have been locked in acrimonious negotiations about money as MLB tries to restart after its March shutdown due to the pandemic .
There 's hope that if a resolution to financial and other issues happens quickly , an abbreviated spring training could start as soon as next week with a hoped-for start to the regular season in mid-July .
It 's not certain what impact , if any , the news on positive tests and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or overall negotiations .
Time is getting tight for a season start .
Owners want the regular season over by September 27 , to avoid a possible coronavirus surge in the fall that could wipe out the playoffs .
This week , a prominent health care official said Major League Baseball should be on an even shorter timeline .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , said the majors should finish the postseason in September .
`` If the question is time , I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer months and end it not with the way we play the World Series , until the end of October when it 's cold , '' Fauci told the L.A. Times .
`` Even in warm weather , like in Arizona and California , we 're starting to see resurgences as we open up , '' Fauci said .
`` But I think the chances of there being less of an issue in the end of July and all of August and September , are much , much better than if you go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mounts on baseball , Florida 's surge in coronavirus cases could have an impact on other leagues as well .
The NBA and Major League Soccer both have plans to reopen in the Orlando area next month .

MLB Closing Florida And Arizona Training Facilities For Coronavirus Cleaning
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Updated at 2:16 p.m. ET Saturday
Major League Baseball will shut down and disinfect all 30 teams' Spring Training facilities in Florida and Arizona, as the coronavirus continues to make its presence felt.
The league says players and other personnel will need a negative test for the virus before they can get back into the facilities after the deep cleaning.
Before the announcement late Friday night, several teams made the decision on their own to shut down.
Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies closed their spring training complex in Clearwater, after eight members of the team tested positive for COVID-19.
In a statement, the Phillies confirmed five players and three staff members working at the facility contracted the coronavirus.
"The first confirmed case occurred this past Tuesday, June 16," the statement said, adding "in addition, eight staff members have tested negative for the virus, while 12 staff members and 20 players (both major league and minor league players) living in the Clearwater area are in the process of being tested and are awaiting the results of those tests."
"The Phillies are committed to the health and welfare of our players, coaches and staff as our highest priority," the team's managing partner John Middleton said in a statement, "and as a result of these confirmed tests, all facilities in Clearwater have been closed indefinitely to all players, coaches and staff and will remain closed until medical authorities are confident that the virus is under control and our facilities are disinfected."
After the Phillies made their announcement, the Toronto Blue Jays confirmed they shut down their facilities in Dunedin – a short drive from Clearwater on Florida's Gulf Coast. According to a club spokesman, both the major league training camp and minor league facility have been closed.
"The Toronto Blue Jays confirm that personnel at the club's Spring Training facilities in Dunedin, FL. have undergone testing for COVID-19, after a player presented symptoms consistent with those of the virus," the team said in a statement. "As a result, the Blue Jays have suspended operations at their Dunedin facilities for the time being."
According to ESPN baseball insider Jeff Passan, the shutdowns happened after a Toronto pitcher showed symptoms of COVID-19. He'd reportedly spent time with players in the Phillies minor league system.
Also, the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning temporarily closed training facilities after three players and additional staff members tested positive for COVID-19.
The NHL already has announced its plan for restarting the season after its March shutdown. Baseball is still trying to hammer out its plan – now potentially complicated by these shutdowns, plus reports earlier this week that several other Major League players and coaches had tested positive. Their names and team affiliations weren't disclosed.
It's a critical moment for the sport. Players and owners have been locked in acrimonious negotiations about money as MLB tries to restart after its March shutdown due to the pandemic. There's hope that if a resolution to financial and other issues happens quickly, an abbreviated spring training could start as soon as next week with a hoped-for start to the regular season in mid-July.
It's not certain what impact, if any, the news on positive tests and facility closures might have on spring training or overall negotiations.
Time is getting tight for a season start. Owners want the regular season over by September 27, to avoid a possible coronavirus surge in the fall that could wipe out the playoffs.
This week, a prominent health care official said Major League Baseball should be on an even shorter timeline.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the majors should finish the postseason in September.
"If the question is time, I would try to keep it in the core summer months and end it not with the way we play the World Series, until the end of October when it's cold," Fauci told the L.A. Times.
"Even in warm weather, like in Arizona and California, we're starting to see resurgences as we open up," Fauci said. "But I think the chances of there being less of an issue in the end of July and all of August and September, are much, much better than if you go into October."
While the pressure mounts on baseball, Florida's surge in coronavirus cases could have an impact on other leagues as well. The NBA and Major League Soccer both have plans to reopen in the Orlando area next month.


npr--2020-06-20--Trump Crowd Size Underwhelms, Campaign Blames Protesters

President Trump and his campaign promised an overflow crowd in Tulsa , Okla. , on Saturday , both inside and outside the 19,000-capacity arena .
It was going to be so big , both he and Vice President Pence were slated to give speeches both inside and out .
Inside the arena , thousands gathered for Trump 's first rally since the coronavirus outbreak .
They filled the lower portion of the arena and scattered in the upper section , but it was n't full .
And events outside did n't happen at all .
Not long before the event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside would not be happening .
The campaign blamed it on protesters .
`` President Trump is rallying in Tulsa with thousands of energetic supporters , a stark contrast to the sleepy campaign being run by Joe Biden from his basement in Delaware , '' campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said in a statement .
`` Sadly , protestors interfered with supporters , even blocking access to the metal detectors , which prevented people from entering the rally .
Radical protestors , coupled with a relentless onslaught from the media , attempted to frighten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are proud of the thousands who stuck it out . ''
There were certainly protesters , but those on scene reported largely peaceful protests .

Trump Returns To Campaign Trail With A Familiar Message In A Changing World
Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP
Updated at 9:05 a.m. ET Sunday
In his first big campaign event since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, President Trump reached back into his culture war playbook to paint an image of a left-wing extremist dystopia that will take hold if he is defeated and Democratic opponent Joe Biden is elected this November.
"If the Democrats gain power, then the rioters will be in charge and no one will be safe and no one will have control," Trump said to a crowd, which numbered in the thousands but failed to fill an arena in Tulsa, Okla., on Saturday night and was far smaller than Trump's campaign promised. "Joe Biden is not the leader of his party. Joe Biden is a helpless puppet of the radical left."
But then Trump seemed to undercut that message, saying of Biden, "He's not radical left" and that "he was never radical left. But now he's controlled by the radical left."
That highlights a problem that Trump and his campaign have recognized since before the Democratic primary. It would have been much easier to tie many of Biden's more progressive primary opponents to more extreme positions, because Biden has disavowed many of them. He has had to stand on debate stages and argue from the center-left when the energy, enthusiasm and loudest voices within the party were against him.
Amid Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests that have swept the country in the wake of the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, the incumbent president's political standing has suffered. His campaign hoped the Tulsa event would provide a morale boost. It billed that a million people had signed up for tickets, and it built a second stage outside for an overflow crowd. The president and vice president were scheduled to give two speeches — one outside, one in. But the overflow crowd never materialized, and the outdoor festivities were called off.
About 120,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 on Trump's watch, and he is seen by voters as fanning the flames of racial tensions in the wake of Floyd's death.
On Saturday night, the president defended his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, claiming to have saved "millions."
"We saved millions of lives. Now it's time, get back to work," Trump said to a tightly packed crowd, most of whom were not wearing masks. Trump made the claim despite downplaying the threat posed by the coronavirus for months and despite evidence that cases are spiking in many parts of the country, such as Florida, Texas and, yes, Oklahoma.
At one point, Trump said he told his administration to "slow the testing down" for the coronavirus.
"When you do testing to that extent, you are gonna find more people, you're gonna find more cases," Trump said. "So I said to my people, 'Slow the testing down, please.' They test, and they test. We have tests that people don't know what's going on."
A White House official said that Trump was joking and that the administration is "proud" of the level of testing it has done, according to a Wall Street Journal reporter. Yet Trump has repeatedly said he thinks high levels of testing make the U.S. look bad, because it shows more cases than if less testing were done.
Democrats have seized on the comment. The Biden campaign released a statement after the rally, saying that in "an outrageous moment that will be remembered long after tonight's debacle of a rally, President Trump just admitted that he's putting politics ahead of the safety and economic well-being of the American people."
Biden also tweeted, "Speed up the testing," about an hour after the rally ended.
By Sunday morning, a Democratic group had already cut an ad seizing on the moment.
YouTube
Trump, who at one point meandered into a long defense — and reenactment — of his gingerly walking down a ramp and drinking water during a speech at the West Point military academy, again played on racist stereotypes and nicknames. He labeled the coronavirus the "Chinese virus" to approving laughs from the crowd, even adding in the phrase "kung flu."
He created a fictional story about life under the left, referencing when a "tough hombre" tried to break into a house, and a woman in it, whose husband was away for work, tried to call 911 but the number was no longer working.
Trump defended Confederate statues, saying the left is trying to "desecrate our monuments."
He pushed Congress to pass a law punishing people with a year in jail for burning the American flag, though the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the right to burn the flag under the First Amendment decades ago.
He took aim at the NFL, which apologized recently for how it treated black athletes who kneeled during the national anthem to protest police brutality. Trump implored, "Never kneel — we will stand proud and stand tall."
He hit several culture war notes, arguing that conservative culture was under attack from the likes of Biden and making a range of false claims about late-term abortion, taking away guns and wanting to "prosecute Americans for going to church but not burning a church."
Trump said Democrats want to abolish bail and ICE, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. They want to dismantle police, he said, while freeing vicious MS-13 gang members, and he said that they want "rioters" and "looters" to "have more rights than law-abiding citizens."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP
"The silent majority is stronger than ever before," Trump said, declaring the Republican Party "the party of Lincoln" and "law and order."
But whether that message will work again in 2020 is very much an open question. Polls have shown shifts on how Americans view protesters and the police — and Trump has done little since becoming president to reach out to independents, a group he won in 2016.
His campaign was hoping that Saturday night's event, which went against the guidance of health officials, would signal the enthusiasm that the president still retains — and be a shot in the arm.
But the event did not live up to its high billing. Thousands gathered inside the arena, filling the lower portion of it, with many scattered in the upper section, but it wasn't full. Not long before the event, the campaign announced that the events outside were called off.
The campaign blamed it on protesters.
"President Trump is rallying in Tulsa with thousands of energetic supporters, a stark contrast to the sleepy campaign being run by Joe Biden from his basement in Delaware," campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said in a statement. "Sadly, protestors interfered with supporters, even blocking access to the metal detectors, which prevented people from entering the rally. Radical protestors, coupled with a relentless onslaught from the media, attempted to frighten off the President's supporters. We are proud of the thousands who stuck it out."
There were certainly protesters, but those on scene reported largely peaceful protests.
It's not a good sign for a president who needed a shot in the arm as he faces slumping poll numbers. There are still four and a half months to go until Election Day, and a lot will change, but it's hard to imagine that this is what his campaign was hoping for.
Trump and his campaign know that he is at a low point, and it's clearly gnawing at Trump that it was spurred by the coronavirus pandemic, which derailed the economy.
He was "riding high," Trump said, but that was "before this thing [the coronavirus] came in."


npr--2020-06-20--NIH Halts Hydroxychloroquine Study; Says 'Unlikely' To Help COVID-19 Patients

NIH Halts Hydroxychloroquine Study ; Says 'Unlikely ' To Help COVID-19 Patients The National Institutes of Health has halted its study of hydroxychloroquine , a drug President Donald Trump has promoted as a possible treatment for COVID-19 and once claimed to be taking himself .
In a statement issued on Saturday , the agency said that although it did not appear hydroxychloroquine caused harm to patients in the study , it was also `` very unlikely to be beneficial . ''
`` The data from this study indicate that this drug provided no additional benefit compared to placebo control for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' according to the NIH .
The announcement could represent the final judgement in the effort to determine whether the drug can be used to treat patients hospitalized with COVID-19 , an illness that has infected more than 2.2 million Americans and which has claimed nearly 120,000 lives in the United States .
The Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for the drug in March , a move that cleared the way for it to be tested as a possible treatment for the coronavirus .
But the FDA revoked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was `` no longer reasonable to believe that oral formulations of [ hydroxychloroquine ] and [ chloroquine ] may be effective in treating COVID-19 , nor is it reasonable to believe that the known and potential benefits of these products outweigh their known and potential risks . ''
On Wednesday , the World Health Organization followed suit , ending its trial of the drug as well .
The NIH launched its clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine in April at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville .
It aimed to study a total of 500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after 470 had been enrolled .
The drug has long been used to treat malaria and conditions such as arthritis and lupus .
Early in the pandemic , researchers believed it carried the potential to also be effective against COVID-19 .
Laboratory tests showed the drug interfered with the ability of the coronavirus to enter cells , but those results came from relatively small tests that could never be replicated on a large scale .

NIH Halts Hydroxychloroquine Study; Says 'Unlikely' To Help COVID-19 Patients
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lev Radin/Pacific Press/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Ge Lev Radin/Pacific Press/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Ge
The National Institutes of Health has halted its study of hydroxychloroquine, a drug President Donald Trump has promoted as a possible treatment for COVID-19 and once claimed to be taking himself.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the agency said that although it did not appear hydroxychloroquine caused harm to patients in the study, it was also "very unlikely to be beneficial."
"The data from this study indicate that this drug provided no additional benefit compared to placebo control for the treatment of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients," according to the NIH.
The announcement could represent the final judgement in the effort to determine whether the drug can be used to treat patients hospitalized with COVID-19, an illness that has infected more than 2.2 million Americans and which has claimed nearly 120,000 lives in the United States.
The Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for the drug in March, a move that cleared the way for it to be tested as a possible treatment for the coronavirus. But the FDA revoked that authorization on Monday, saying it was "no longer reasonable to believe that oral formulations of [hydroxychloroquine] and [chloroquine] may be effective in treating COVID-19, nor is it reasonable to believe that the known and potential benefits of these products outweigh their known and potential risks."
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization followed suit, ending its trial of the drug as well.
The NIH launched its clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine in April at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. It aimed to study a total of 500 patients, but the trial was stopped after 470 had been enrolled.
The drug has long been used to treat malaria and conditions such as arthritis and lupus. Early in the pandemic, researchers believed it carried the potential to also be effective against COVID-19. Laboratory tests showed the drug interfered with the ability of the coronavirus to enter cells, but those results came from relatively small tests that could never be replicated on a large scale.


npr--2020-06-20--6 Trump Staffers Test Positive For COVID-19 Ahead Of Tulsa Rally

Six campaign staffers working on the advance team for President Trump 's rally in Tulsa , Okla. , have tested positive for COVID-19 , the campaign said Saturday .
Trump is still attending the rally .
`` Per safety protocols , campaign staff are tested for COVID-19 before events .
Six members of the advance team tested positive out of hundreds of tests performed , and quarantine procedures were immediately implemented , '' Tim Murtaugh , the campaign communications director , said in a statement .
He added that none of those staffers or anyone in immediate contact with them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously announced , all rally attendees are given temperature checks before going through security , at which point they are given wristbands , face masks and hand sanitizer . ''
Those face masks , however , will not be required , White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters during a briefing Friday afternoon .
`` I wo n't be wearing a mask , '' she said .
`` It 's a personal decision .
I 'm tested regularly .
I feel that it 's safe for me to not be wearing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with CDC guidelines , which are recommended but not required . ''
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone wear `` cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain . ''
The Trump campaign is requiring that everyone who attends the rally sign a waiver releasing the campaign and the president of any liability if guests are exposed to COVID-19 .
This is the first Trump rally since the pandemic began spreading across the U.S. in February and comes amid a wide dispute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place .
On Friday , the Oklahoma Supreme Court rejected an appeal in a lawsuit filed this week by a group of Tulsa residents who were fighting to have organizers enforce social distancing measures .
The lawsuit said that the rally could increase the spread of COVID-19 , because it is held indoors at a 19,000-seat center in Oklahoma , a state that has seen a spike in the virus .
Tulsa was also supposed to be under curfew for the weekend , but it was lifted on Friday .
`` Last night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request of Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin , following consultation with the United States Secret Service based on intelligence they had received , '' Tulsa Mayor G.T .
Bynum said in a statement .
`` Today , we were told the curfew is no longer necessary so I am rescinding it . ''

6 Trump Staffers Test Positive For COVID-19 Ahead Of Tulsa Rally
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images
Six campaign staffers working on the advance team for President Trump's rally in Tulsa, Okla., have tested positive for COVID-19, the campaign said Saturday. Trump is still attending the rally.
"Per safety protocols, campaign staff are tested for COVID-19 before events. Six members of the advance team tested positive out of hundreds of tests performed, and quarantine procedures were immediately implemented," Tim Murtaugh, the campaign communications director, said in a statement. He added that none of those staffers or anyone in immediate contact with them will attend the rally. "As previously announced, all rally attendees are given temperature checks before going through security, at which point they are given wristbands, face masks and hand sanitizer."
Those face masks, however, will not be required, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters during a briefing Friday afternoon.
"I won't be wearing a mask," she said. "It's a personal decision. I'm tested regularly. I feel that it's safe for me to not be wearing a mask, and I'm in compliance with CDC guidelines, which are recommended but not required."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone wear "cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain." The Trump campaign is requiring that everyone who attends the rally sign a waiver releasing the campaign and the president of any liability if guests are exposed to COVID-19.
This is the first Trump rally since the pandemic began spreading across the U.S. in February and comes amid a wide dispute over whether the rally should even take place. On Friday, the Oklahoma Supreme Court rejected an appeal in a lawsuit filed this week by a group of Tulsa residents who were fighting to have organizers enforce social distancing measures. The lawsuit said that the rally could increase the spread of COVID-19, because it is held indoors at a 19,000-seat center in Oklahoma, a state that has seen a spike in the virus. Tulsa was also supposed to be under curfew for the weekend, but it was lifted on Friday.
"Last night, I enacted a curfew at the request of Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin, following consultation with the United States Secret Service based on intelligence they had received," Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said in a statement. "Today, we were told the curfew is no longer necessary so I am rescinding it."