usatoday--2020-11-17--Coronavirus live updates: California 'sounding the alarm' with widespread closures; Dr. Anthony Fauc

The results are preliminary , but they are encouraging : Another candidate vaccine has proven extremely effective against COVID-19 .
Moderna , working with the federal government , has early results that show a 94.5 % efficacy rate for its shots .
It 's the latest good news on the vaccine front .
Earlier this month , Pfizer/BioNTech released results indicating their candidate was 90 % effective .
The encouraging developments are desperately needed at a time when many states are taking increasingly stringent measures to combat a rise in new COVID-19 cases .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 37 million people — would move into the most restrictive tier in the state 's reopening system .
On Sunday , Michigan and Washington also announced new restrictions .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation 's top infectious disease expert , said on NBC 's `` Today '' show that the news from Moderna `` is really quite impressive . ''
He said the Moderna and Pfizer news “ is something that foretells an impact on this outbreak.
” “ So now we have two vaccines that are really quite effective , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong step forward to where we want to be about getting control with this outbreak , ” Fauci said , predicting vaccines for those at high-risk could be available by the end of December .
All vaccines , once administered , are expected to cause sore arms and a day or two of fatigue and flu-like symptoms .
Before the companies can apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for authorization to provide their vaccine to the public , they must jump through several more hurdles .
• Dr. Scott Atlas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus task force , faced heavy criticism after telling Michiganders to `` rise up '' against Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer 's stringent new COVID restrictions .
• As Trump continues to delay a transition of power to president-elect Joe Biden , health officials are decrying the postponement .
• Unless you are under 2 years of age , you must cover your face to shop at Costco .
No more medical exemptions are being allowed .
📈 Today 's numbers : The U.S. has reported more than 11.1 million cases and more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University data .
The global totals : 54.8 million cases and 1.32 million deaths .
🗺 Mapping coronavirus : Track the U.S. outbreak in your state .
This file will be updated throughout the day .
For updates in your inbox , subscribe to The Daily Briefing newsletter .
Screenings for COVID-19 at airports are labor-intensive and ineffective , a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concludes .
A program instituted by the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security conducted more than 766,000 screenings among travelers from certain countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 17-Sept. 13 .
Of those screened for symptoms , 298 were referred for a health assessment , 35 were tested for the coronavirus and only nine came out positive .
That factors out to one positive result for every 85,000 screenings .
`` The low case detection rate of this resource-intensive program highlighted the need for fundamental change in the U.S. border health strategy , '' the report said .
`` Because SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission can occur in the absence of symptoms and because the symptoms of COVID-19 are nonspecific , symptom-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The screening program ended Sept. 14 and was replaced by efforts to promote prevention among travelers and improving public health response at ports of entry .
Nearly three-quarters of the counties — home to 94.1 % of the state 's population — will be required to operate under the state ’ s most stringent pandemic restrictions , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday .
Indoor dining , gyms and movie theaters , among other businesses , must either remain closed or shut down in 41 of the state 's 58 counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ sounding the alarm ” due to “ the fastest increase California has seen '' since the pandemic began , with COVID-19 cases doubling in the last 10 days .
Cases rose 51.3 % in the first week of November .
California hit 1 million coronavirus cases last week , joining Texas as the only states to reach the undesired milestone .
Under the state ’ s Blueprint for a Safer Economy , which is its four-tiered , color-coded system for reopening , the state can tighten restrictions based on emergency situations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played in Indianapolis The NCAA is trying to make sure its signature men 's basketball tournamnent does n't get canceled again .
The college athletics ruling body said Monday it plans to move the 2021 March Madness from its usual multi-venue format to a single-site location in an attempt to safely conduct the event that crowns the season 's Division I national champion .
The 2020 tournament was called off because of the coronavirus pandemic .
`` It became apparent to the committee that conducting the championship at 13 preliminary round sites spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to execute in the current pandemic environment , '' the NCAA said in a new release .
`` The committee has decided the championship should be held in a single geographic area to enhance the safety and well-being of the event . ''
That locale is expected to be Indianapolis , where the Final Four was scheduled to take place April 3 and 5 , although the NCAA has yet to confirm that decision .
More than 1M US teens , children have been infected The evidence increasingly shows young people are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of U.S. infants , children and teens diagnosed with COVID-19 has surpassed 1 million , according to data released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children ’ s Hospital Association .
The total hit nearly 1.04 million kids on Nov. 12 , including nearly 112,000 new cases last week .
That was the highest weekly total of any previous week in the pandemic , the academy said .
AAP President Sally Goza called the data “ staggering and tragic.
” Children generally are much more likely than adults to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occur .
According to data from state health departments that 's missing some states , at least 6,330 pediatric hospitalizations and 133 deaths have been recorded since May .
4 rural red states lead in new cases per 100K residents Four rural states west of the Mississippi River that have Republican governors lead the list of states with the most new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents over the last week .
North Dakota sits at the top , followed by South Dakota , Iowa and Wyoming .
Public health experts say President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask in public and his repeated rallies after getting infected and hospitalized have sent a powerful message to his supporters and made it harder for state and local officials to convice residents to take the virus seriously , especially in areas with an anti-government bent .
`` For this region , it 's , ' I 'm going to do what I want to and do n't tell me what to do , ' '' said Michael Skinner , 32 , a resident of Cheyenne , Wyoming , recovering from COVID-19 .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' On Monday , Iowa Gov .
Kim Reynolds gave in to persistent calls for a statewide mask mandate , although it includes several exemptions .
With new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continuing to rise in Ohio , Nationwide Children 's Hospital in Columbus is opening its services to adults to help handle the increasing demand for care at medical facilities .
Nationwide Children 's Hospital said in a statement that starting Monday it would admit patients 26 and under who do n't have COVID-19 and have a referral from specific healthcare systems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 65 staffers infected The World Health Organization has recorded 65 cases of the coronavirus among staff based at its Geneva headquarters , including at least one cluster of infections , an internal email obtained by The Associated Press shows .
The agency has made public assertions that there has been no transmission at the Geneva site .
The email said about half of the infections were in people who had been working from home .
But 32 were in staff who had been working on premises at the headquarters building , indicating that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , screening and other prevention measures were not sufficient to spare it from the pandemic .
Costco requires face mask or shield for all shoppers Costco will no longer make an exemption for people who say they can ’ t wear a face covering because of a medical condition .
The wholesale club ’ s updated face mask policy went into effect Monday and requires all members , guests and employees to wear a face mask or a face shield to shop in its nearly 560 clubs nationwide .
“ If a member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from wearing a mask , they must wear a face shield at Costco , ” the retailer 's president and CEO Craig Jelinek wrote in a letter to members , noting entry to Costco “ will only be granted to those wearing a face mask or face shield.
” Dr. Scott Atlas , a member of President Donald Trump 's coronavirus task force , faced heavy criticism after he told Michiganders to `` rise up '' in a tweet in response to the new COVID-19 restrictions announced by the state 's Democratic Gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held a news conference to announce that , because of the rising rate of COVID-19 infections , she was suspending in-person classes for school and college , as well as indoor dining , for three weeks .
`` The only way this stops is if people rise up .
You get what you accept , '' Atlas tweeted shortly after Whitmer 's announcement .
The tweet echoed Trump 's controversial call on April 17 to `` LIBERATE MICHIGAN '' in the face of similar restrictions .
Atlas later clarified Monday that he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his choice of words regarding a state where armed protesters against coronavirus measures at one time flooded the state Capitol , and where an armed group recently targeted Whitmer in a kidnapping plot that was foiled by the FBI .
What 's happening in your state ?
Check the list .
A second COVID-19 candidate vaccine looks to be even more effective than the first , with both protecting more than 90 % of those who get the shots .
Moderna , a Cambridge , Massachusetts-based biotechnology company , announced early Monday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in collaboration with the U.S. government , appears to be 94.5 % effective against the disease .
Earlier this month , Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech announced early effectiveness data , showing their vaccine , called BNT162b2 , had protected more than 90 % of those who received it .
Both results are preliminary , with final results expected in as soon as a few weeks .
I volunteered for Moderna 's COVID vaccine trial : Here 's why I think I got the vaccine , not placebo .
President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his messages on the election and unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud while sidestepping the resurgent coronavirus pandemic raging across the country .
Almost 170,000 new infections were reported Saturday , according to Johns Hopkins University – the 12th day in a row the count surpassed 100,000 .
Before that , the U.S. had never before reached six figures .
Public health officials said they are eager to begin briefing Biden 's team .
Biden campaign officials are prohibited from interacting with agency leaders , including those at public health agencies , until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election – a recognition that has not yet taken place .
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he is as “ fit as a butcher ’ s dog ” after being instructed to self-isolate for 14 days after recent contact with someone who contracted the coronavirus .
Johnson posted a video message Monday in which he said he was quarantining despite being `` bursting with antibodies . ''
He developed COVID-19 in April and spent three days in the ICU .
Last week , Johnson met with a small group of lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who subsequently developed symptoms and tested positive .
The quarantine requirement comes at the start of a crucial week that includes discussions over a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union .
• In your inbox : Stay up to date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network .
Sign up for the daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter .
• Tips for coping : Every Saturday and Tuesday we 'll be in your inbox , offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apart , Together .
• On Facebook : A lot is still unknown about the coronavirus .
But what we do know , we 're sharing with you .
Join our Facebook group , Coronavirus Watch , to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19 .

Jessica Flores, Cara Richardson and Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY

Coronavirus live updates: California 'sounding the alarm' with widespread closures; Dr. Anthony Fauci encouraged by Moderna's vaccine news
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19: Scaling US number of cases and deaths into perspective It's nearly impossible to fathom the number of cases and deaths from the COVID-19 virus, so we added some geographical perspective. USA TODAY
The results are preliminary, but they are encouraging: Another candidate vaccine has proven extremely effective against COVID-19. Moderna, working with the federal government, has early results that show a 94.5% efficacy rate for its shots.
It's the latest good news on the vaccine front. Earlier this month, Pfizer/BioNTech released results indicating their candidate was 90% effective.
The encouraging developments are desperately needed at a time when many states are taking increasingly stringent measures to combat a rise in new COVID-19 cases. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that 41 counties — home to about 37 million people — would move into the most restrictive tier in the state's reopening system. On Sunday, Michigan and Washington also announced new restrictions.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said on NBC's "Today" show that the news from Moderna "is really quite impressive." He said the Moderna and Pfizer news “is something that foretells an impact on this outbreak.”
“So now we have two vaccines that are really quite effective, so I think this is a really strong step forward to where we want to be about getting control with this outbreak,” Fauci said, predicting vaccines for those at high-risk could be available by the end of December.
All vaccines, once administered, are expected to cause sore arms and a day or two of fatigue and flu-like symptoms. Before the companies can apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for authorization to provide their vaccine to the public, they must jump through several more hurdles.
More developments:
Dr. Scott Atlas, a member of President Donald Trump's coronavirus task force, faced heavy criticism after telling Michiganders to "rise up" against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stringent new COVID restrictions.
As Trump continues to delay a transition of power to president-elect Joe Biden, health officials are decrying the postponement.
Unless you are under 2 years of age, you must cover your face to shop at Costco. No more medical exemptions are being allowed.
📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 11.1 million cases and more than 247,100 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: 54.8 million cases and 1.32 million deaths.
🗺 Mapping coronavirus: Track the U.S. outbreak in your state.
This file will be updated throughout the day. For updates in your inbox, subscribe to The Daily Briefing newsletter.
Screenings for COVID-19 at airports are labor-intensive and ineffective, a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concludes.
A program instituted by the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security conducted more than 766,000 screenings among travelers from certain countries arriving at designated U.S. airports from Jan. 17-Sept. 13. Of those screened for symptoms, 298 were referred for a health assessment, 35 were tested for the coronavirus and only nine came out positive. That factors out to one positive result for every 85,000 screenings.
"The low case detection rate of this resource-intensive program highlighted the need for fundamental change in the U.S. border health strategy,'' the report said. "Because SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission can occur in the absence of symptoms and because the symptoms of COVID-19 are nonspecific, symptom-based screening programs are ineffective for case detection.''
The screening program ended Sept. 14 and was replaced by efforts to promote prevention among travelers and improving public health response at ports of entry.
Large parts of California are closing shop.
Nearly three-quarters of the counties — home to 94.1% of the state's population — will be required to operate under the state’s most stringent pandemic restrictions, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday. Indoor dining, gyms and movie theaters, among other businesses, must either remain closed or shut down in 41 of the state's 58 counties, beginning Tuesday.
Newsom said he is “sounding the alarm” due to “the fastest increase California has seen" since the pandemic began, with COVID-19 cases doubling in the last 10 days. Cases rose 51.3% in the first week of November. California hit 1 million coronavirus cases last week, joining Texas as the only states to reach the undesired milestone.
Under the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, which is its four-tiered, color-coded system for reopening, the state can tighten restrictions based on emergency situations.
– Nicole Hayden, Palm Springs Desert Sun
The NCAA is trying to make sure its signature men's basketball tournamnent doesn't get canceled again.
The college athletics ruling body said Monday it plans to move the 2021 March Madness from its usual multi-venue format to a single-site location in an attempt to safely conduct the event that crowns the season's Division I national champion. The 2020 tournament was called off because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"It became apparent to the committee that conducting the championship at 13 preliminary round sites spread throughout the country would be very difficult to execute in the current pandemic environment," the NCAA said in a new release. "The committee has decided the championship should be held in a single geographic area to enhance the safety and well-being of the event."
That locale is expected to be Indianapolis, where the Final Four was scheduled to take place April 3 and 5, although the NCAA has yet to confirm that decision.
– Chris Bumbaca
The evidence increasingly shows young people are not immune to the coronavirus.
The number of U.S. infants, children and teens diagnosed with COVID-19 has surpassed 1 million, according to data released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association.
The total hit nearly 1.04 million kids on Nov. 12, including nearly 112,000 new cases last week. That was the highest weekly total of any previous week in the pandemic, the academy said.
AAP President Sally Goza called the data “staggering and tragic.” Children generally are much more likely than adults to have mild cases but hospitalizations and deaths do occur. According to data from state health departments that's missing some states, at least 6,330 pediatric hospitalizations and 133 deaths have been recorded since May.
Four rural states west of the Mississippi River that have Republican governors lead the list of states with the most new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents over the last week.
North Dakota sits at the top, followed by South Dakota, Iowa and Wyoming. Public health experts say President Donald Trump's frequent refusal to wear a mask in public and his repeated rallies after getting infected and hospitalized have sent a powerful message to his supporters and made it harder for state and local officials to convice residents to take the virus seriously, especially in areas with an anti-government bent.
"For this region, it's, 'I'm going to do what I want to and don't tell me what to do,'" said Michael Skinner, 32, a resident of Cheyenne, Wyoming, recovering from COVID-19. "Some habits are hard to break."
On Monday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds gave in to persistent calls for a statewide mask mandate, although it includes several exemptions.
– Trevor Hughes
With new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continuing to rise in Ohio, Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus is opening its services to adults to help handle the increasing demand for care at medical facilities.
Nationwide Children's Hospital said in a statement that starting Monday it would admit patients 26 and under who don't have COVID-19 and have a referral from specific healthcare systems.
Max Filby, The Columbus Dispatch
Coronavirus: How vaccines are developed and tested Pressure to create a coronavirus vaccine is increasing by the day, but for a safe vaccine to enter the market, it takes time. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Not even WHO is immune: 65 staffers infected
The World Health Organization has recorded 65 cases of the coronavirus among staff based at its Geneva headquarters, including at least one cluster of infections, an internal email obtained by The Associated Press shows. The agency has made public assertions that there has been no transmission at the Geneva site.
The email said about half of the infections were in people who had been working from home. But 32 were in staff who had been working on premises at the headquarters building, indicating that the health agency’s strict hygiene, screening and other prevention measures were not sufficient to spare it from the pandemic.
Costco will no longer make an exemption for people who say they can’t wear a face covering because of a medical condition.
The wholesale club’s updated face mask policy went into effect Monday and requires all members, guests and employees to wear a face mask or a face shield to shop in its nearly 560 clubs nationwide.
“If a member has a medical condition that prevents them from wearing a mask, they must wear a face shield at Costco,” the retailer's president and CEO Craig Jelinek wrote in a letter to members, noting entry to Costco “will only be granted to those wearing a face mask or face shield.”
– Kelly Tyko
Dr. Scott Atlas, a member of President Donald Trump's coronavirus task force, faced heavy criticism after he told Michiganders to "rise up" in a tweet in response to the new COVID-19 restrictions announced by the state's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Sunday.
Whitmer held a news conference to announce that, because of the rising rate of COVID-19 infections, she was suspending in-person classes for school and college, as well as indoor dining, for three weeks.
"The only way this stops is if people rise up. You get what you accept," Atlas tweeted shortly after Whitmer's announcement. The tweet echoed Trump's controversial call on April 17 to "LIBERATE MICHIGAN" in the face of similar restrictions.
Atlas later clarified Monday that he was not advocating violence. But many criticized his choice of words regarding a state where armed protesters against coronavirus measures at one time flooded the state Capitol, and where an armed group recently targeted Whitmer in a kidnapping plot that was foiled by the FBI. What's happening in your state? Check the list.
– William Cummings
A second COVID-19 candidate vaccine looks to be even more effective than the first, with both protecting more than 90% of those who get the shots.
Moderna, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotechnology company, announced early Monday that its candidate vaccine, mRNA-1273, developed in collaboration with the U.S. government, appears to be 94.5% effective against the disease.
Earlier this month, Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech announced early effectiveness data, showing their vaccine, called BNT162b2, had protected more than 90% of those who received it.
Both results are preliminary, with final results expected in as soon as a few weeks.
– Karen Weintraub
I volunteered for Moderna's COVID vaccine trial: Here's why I think I got the vaccine, not placebo.
Donald Trump faces criticism for delaying COVID handoff
President Donald Trump faced mounting criticism for continuing to focus his messages on the election and unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud while sidestepping the resurgent coronavirus pandemic raging across the country.
Almost 170,000 new infections were reported Saturday, according to Johns Hopkins University – the 12th day in a row the count surpassed 100,000. Before that, the U.S. had never before reached six figures.
Public health officials said they are eager to begin briefing Biden's team. Biden campaign officials are prohibited from interacting with agency leaders, including those at public health agencies, until the Trump administration formally recognizes the outcome of the election – a recognition that has not yet taken place.
– John Fritze
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he is as “fit as a butcher’s dog” after being instructed to self-isolate for 14 days after recent contact with someone who contracted the coronavirus. Johnson posted a video message Monday in which he said he was quarantining despite being "bursting with antibodies." He developed COVID-19 in April and spent three days in the ICU.
Last week, Johnson met with a small group of lawmakers for about 30 minutes, including one who subsequently developed symptoms and tested positive. The quarantine requirement comes at the start of a crucial week that includes discussions over a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union.
In your inbox: Stay up to date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network. Sign up for the daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter.
Stay up to date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network. Tips for coping: Every Saturday and Tuesday we'll be in your inbox, offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times. Sign up for Staying Apart, Together.
Every Saturday and Tuesday we'll be in your inbox, offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times. On Facebook: A lot is still unknown about the coronavirus. But what we do know, we're sharing with you. Join our Facebook group, Coronavirus Watch, to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19.
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-11-16--There are now two promising potential COVID vaccines. This is what we know about them.

Nearly seven months after Operation Warp Speed was created , Americans are finally starting to get answers about the candidate vaccines that could potentially slow the coronavirus pandemic .
Operation Warp Speed , the White House-led task force on coronavirus vaccine treatment and development , was created on May 15 .
Since then , vague and contradicting timelines made by both the Trump administration and leading scientists have muddled predictions about when a COVID-19 vaccine would be available to the public .
However , two big companies leading the race for a vaccine have released promising results from their Phase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we know about both trials and what they might mean for the future of the pandemic .
What are the leading COVID-19 candidate vaccines ?
Pfizer and the German biotechnology company BioNTechdeveloped one of the candidate vaccines .
They announced early findings of their vaccine , BNT162b2 , on Nov. 9 .
Moderna , a Cambridge , Massachusetts-based biotechnology company , released data early Monday on its candidate vaccine , mRNA-1273 , which was developed in collaboration with the U.S. government .
Both results are preliminary , with final results expected in as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective are the candidate vaccines and what does that mean ?
Pfizer released interim results that showed its candidate vaccine was more than 90 % effective , after 94 patients developed COVID-19 – the vast majority of whom received the placebo .
Out of Pfizer 's 44,000 volunteers , half the participants received a placebo and half the vaccine , so the new data shows that more people who received the placebo than the vaccine came down with COVID-19 .
They were protected a week after the second dose of the vaccine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ apart .
Pfizer/BioNTech will do a final check of effectiveness when 164 study participants have fallen ill. Moderna ’ s vaccine appears to be 94.5 % effective against the disease , after 95 people out of the 30,000 volunteers came down with COVID-19 , 90 of whom received the placebo .
Eleven people – all in the placebo group – developed “ serious ” cases of the disease .
A final analysis is expected to include 151 trial volunteers , by which point , statistically , the company can be 90 % sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Are there any side effects to the Moderna , Pfizer vaccines ?
Both candidate vaccines reported mild or moderate side effects , mostly pain at the injection site , fatigue and aching muscles and joints for a day or two .
“ A sore arm and feeling crummy for a day or two is a lot better than COVID , ” said Dr. William Schaffner , professor of health policy and of preventive medicine at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine .
What makes Pfizer , Moderna candidates different from others ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus that causes COVID-19 , called SARS-CoV-2 , in mid-January , a few weeks after recognizing an outbreak was underway .
Scientists focused on the sequence for the so-called `` spike protein '' found on the surface of the virus , which allows the virus to attach itself to host cells to infect them .
The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are based on delivering strands of genetic material to turn people ’ s cells into spike protein factories .
The spike proteins created by the body aren ’ t dangerous because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t present , however , the body now sees the protein and designs immune soldiers to fight it upon future exposure .
What a vaccine volunteer has to say : I volunteered for Moderna 's COVID vaccine trial .
Here 's why I think I got the vaccine , not a placebo This technology has never been used before in an approved vaccine , and other vaccines have taken 15-20 years to develop and test .
The mRNA technology was chosen this time because scientists knew it could be developed quickly .
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. government target the spike protein via a carrier virus or tiny particle .
When can I get a COVID-19 vaccine ?
Before the companies can apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for authorization to provide their vaccine to the public , they must clear several more hurdles .
About half the trial participants must be two months past their second shot , to prove that the candidate vaccines are safe .
If someone were to develop a severe vaccine reaction , it ’ s likely to happen within six weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that safety milestone this week .
Moderna will take longer because it took longer to enroll trial participants .
The final hurdle concerns production .
Both companies will have to show that they can safely produce their vaccine at scale .
Pfizer said it will provide the FDA that information before this week , but it ’ s not clear when Moderna will complete this process .
Finally , the FDA will take some time to review each application , as will an independent committee .
While no one knows how long this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to an issue an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine before the end of the year .
President Donald Trump has promised that vaccine would be distributed within 24 hours of an FDA authorization .
It would first go to front-line health care workers .
Moderna said Monday it will have 20 million doses available by the end of this year and another 500 million to 1 billion next calendar year .
Pfizer has said it will have as much as 50 million doses of its vaccine manufactured by the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion next year .
While the gears have been oiled up to start cranking out vaccines , scientists have predicted vaccines won ’ t be available to the general public until summer or fall of 2021 .
Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics , Innovation and Competition in Healthcare .
The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input .

Adrianna Rodriguez and Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY

There are now three promising COVID vaccine candidates. This is what we know about them.
Show Caption Hide Caption AstraZeneca: New COVID-19 vaccine candidate up to 90% effective AZD1222 is AstraZeneca's newest COVID-19 vaccine candidate, but here is how it differs from the previous two. USA TODAY
A third candidate vaccine is also extremely effective against COVID-19, confirming that previous results were not a fluke and that vaccination offers a way out of the pandemic.
AstraZeneca and Oxford University's vaccine, which uses a different technology but the same target as two other candidates, is clearly as effective, according to a press release from the collaborators on Monday.
Using a lower-dose first shot, which conserves the vaccine, and then a full-dose second shot provided protection about 90% of the time, the company and university found.
Both Pfizer and its German collaborator BioNTech and Moderna showed earlier this month that their candidate vaccines can protect against COVID-19 symptoms 95% of the time.
"November 2020 looks set to be the month that humanity developed the tools to turn the tide against this devastating virus," Professor Peter Piot, Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said Monday in a prepared statement.
These three are among six candidate vaccines being supported by more than $10 billion in U.S taxpayer dollars. The government is also supporting an experimental vaccine from Sanofi/GSK and one from startup Novavax, which are expected to begin large trials in the U.S. in the coming weeks. Merck, which has received far less funding, is a few months further behind.
Here’s what we know about all three vaccine trials and what they might mean for the future of the pandemic.
COVID-19: How Herd Immunity works, why you still need to wear a mask Without masks and a vaccine, we could reach Herd Immunity from COVID-19, but deaths would skyrocket. We break down the science of it. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
What are the leading COVID-19 candidate vaccines?
Pfizer and the German biotechnology company BioNTech developed one of the candidate vaccines, BNT162b2, and showed it was 95% effective in protecting against symptomatic COVID-19.
Moderna, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotechnology company, released data early Monday on its candidate vaccine, mRNA-1273, which was developed in collaboration with the U.S. government. Moderna's 95% effectiveness results are considered interim, with final results expected any day.
AstraZeneca collaborated with Oxford University to produce its vaccine, called AZD1222. On Monday, the pair released interim results from trials in the U.K. and Brazil, showing the vaccine could be 90% effective if delivered in a specific way.
How effective are the candidate vaccines and what does that mean?
All of the late-stage vaccine trials include at least 30,000 volunteers, half of whom receive the active vaccine and half the placebo.
Most of the vaccines at this stage require two doses to become maximally effective. The Pfizer/BioNTech shots are being given 21 days apart, Moderna's are given 28 days apart, and AstraZeneca/Oxford's about a month apart.
Beginning a week after the second dose, participants are watched to see whether they come down with COVID-19.
In each of the studies, after about 150 participants have developed COVID-19, it is statistically possible to determine the vaccine's effectiveness.
In the Moderna trial, 90 of the first 95 participants to develop COVID-19 had received the placebo and only five the active vaccine, so it was 94.5% effective. Results from another 56 participants are expected shortly.
Pfizer/BioNTech, whose trial is about a week ahead of Moderna's, reported on Nov. 18 that of 170 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among its trial participants, 162 were in the placebo group versus eight in the vaccine group.
On Monday, AstraZeneca/Oxford reported that of 131 participants who developed COVID-19, 70% overall were protected.
But when they examined two different ways of delivering the vaccine, they found that one regimen was substantially more effective. In a trial in Brazil with 10,300, participants were given two equal doses of the vaccine and were about 60% protected, while in a U.K. trial of 12,400, participants were given a low-dose first shot and a regular-dose second shot and were shown to be 90% protected.
Coronavirus: How vaccines are developed and tested Pressure to create a coronavirus vaccine is increasing by the day, but for a safe vaccine to enter the market, it takes time. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Are there any side effects to the vaccines?
Most people who get a COVID-19 vaccine will endure side effects, particularly after a second dose. All three candidate vaccines reported mild or moderate side effects, mostly pain at the injection site, fatigue and aching muscles and joints for a day or two.
“A sore arm and feeling crummy for a day or two is a lot better than COVID,” said Dr. William Schaffner, professor of health policy and of preventive medicine at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
What difference are there between the candidate vaccines?
Most of the U.S.-backed vaccines target the so-called "spike protein" found on the surface of the virus that causes COVID-19, which allows the virus to attach itself to host cells and infect them.
All three of these candidate vaccines work by presenting this spike protein to the immune system. The spike proteins aren’t dangerous because the rest of the virus isn’t present, however, the body now sees the protein and designs immune soldiers to fight it upon future exposure.
The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines deliver strands of genetic material known as mRNA, which turns people’s cells into spike protein factories.
What a vaccine volunteer has to say: I volunteered for Moderna's COVID vaccine trial. Here's why I think I got the vaccine, not a placebo
This technology has never been used before in an approved vaccine, though it has been tested against other diseases. The mRNA technology was chosen this time because scientists knew it could be developed quickly.
The AstraZeneca vaccine uses a modified cold virus found in chimpanzees and weakened, so it cannot cause illness in people. This virus delivers the spike protein's genetic material.
Other COVID-19 vaccine candidates being supported by the U.S. government target the spike protein via a different carrier virus or tiny particle.
The three most advanced vaccines all require different types of storage.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine must be kept super-cold – at the temperature of dry ice – until shortly before it is used, while the Moderna vaccine needs to be frozen if stored for a long time, but it can be refrigerated for up to a month before being used. The AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine can be kept refrigerated throughout, which should make it easier to deliver to areas that do not have easy access to freezers.
When can I get a COVID-19 vaccine?
Before the companies can apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for authorization to provide their vaccine to the public, they must clear several hurdles.
All three have made it past the first: showing that they are at least 50% effective.
The second hurdle concerns safety. About half the trial participants must be two months past their second shot to prove that the candidate vaccines are safe. If someone were to develop a severe vaccine reaction, that would likely to happen within six weeks of getting the shot.
So far, no one in the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna trials has suffered a severe reaction. Pfizer has passed the half-way point, while Moderna, which slowed down its recruitment to ensure a diverse pool of participants, is expected to pass it within days.
Two people in an AstraZeneca/Oxford trial did have severe reactions after being vaccinated, and trials were stopped for several weeks while those cases were investigated, but they were then allowed to resume.
AstraZeneca/Oxford said Monday that they have a safety database from over 24,000 participants in clinical trials in the U.K., Brazil and South Africa, with follow-up since April. It's not clear whether the FDA would require safety data solely from the pair's U.S. trial.
The final hurdle concerns production. All companies have to show that they can safely produce their vaccine at scale. Pfizer, which already submitted an application to the FDA for authorization, has completed this work and Moderna is expected to do so shortly.
Finally, the FDA will take some time to review each application, as will an independent committee, which is scheduled to meet on Dec. 10.
President Donald Trump has promised that vaccine would be distributed within 24 hours of an FDA authorization. It would first go to front-line health care workers.
Moderna said recently it will have 20 million doses available by the end of this calendar year and another 500 million to 1 billion next year. Pfizer has said it will have as much as 50 million doses of its vaccine manufactured by the end of this year, and another 1.3 billion next year.
Both companies have agreed to provide Americans with 100 million doses apiece, already funded through federal support of manufacturing and distribution.
Moderna has received nearly $2.5 billion from U.S. taxpayers to develop, manufacture and distribute its vaccine; while Pfizer/BioNTech has been promised just under $2 billion for manufacturing and distribution of the first 100 million doses, with an option to buy an additional 500 million doses.
AstraZeneca/Oxford, which said it has ongoing large-scale manufacturing in over 10 countries to support equitable global access, has been promised $1.3 billion in U.S. funding to provide 300 million doses of its vaccine.
The pair have agreed to supply their vaccine on a not-for-profit basis for the duration of the pandemic and in perpetuity to low- and middle-income countries.
While the companies are expected to start delivering vaccine as soon as they win FDA authorization, the vaccines will be rolled out first to front-line health care workers, then nursing home residents and first responders and then other vulnerable people. The general public will probably get its first access to a vaccine in April or May of 2021.
Follow Adrianna Rodriguez and Karen Weintraub on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT @kweintraub
Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input.


usatoday--2020-11-17--Donald Trump's border wall is a 'monument to racism,' advocacy groups say. What happens to it when J

Donald Trump's border wall is a 'monument to racism,' advocacy groups say. What happens to it when Joe Biden becomes president?

TUCSON , Ariz. — Border advocacy and conservation groups are eagerly looking to Jan. 20 , the date Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president .
They are hoping Biden will reverse numerous immigration and border security policies , chief among them the construction of physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border .
Few symbols are more emblematic of President Donald Trump 's administration than the construction of 400 miles of 30-foot bollards along large portions of the southwestern U.S. border , with the expected completion of an additional 50 miles before the end of the year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as often promised by Trump , are footing the multibillion-dollar bill .
Congress has so far allocated $ 4.4 billion for construction over the past four years , and the Trump administration has awarded an additional $ 7 billion worth of border wall contracts using diverted military funds .
DACA , asylum , family separation , ICE raids , private detention and more : Biden might need years to reverse Trump 's immigration policies Biden has pledged to stop construction after he takes office in January .
He told a panel of Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there will not be another foot of wall constructed on my administration . ''
Legal experts said his incoming administration will have large latitude .
But some of the most vocal critics of border wall construction over the past four years told The Arizona Republic , part of the USA TODAY Network , they would like to see Biden go a step further and consider the possibility of tearing down certain sections of the new barriers .
`` This monument to racism , if you will , was built at a huge expense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I think it 's just irresponsible not to do something to address that , because future harms are still in place , '' said Vicki Gaubeca .
She 's the director of the Southern Border Communities Coalition , a collective of 60 migrant and community groups along the U.S.-Mexico border .
The coalition is opposed to construction and successfully sued the Trump administration in federal court over funding for the projects .
The Trump administration focused its efforts on the lands that the federal government already owns , particularly in Arizona , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will go up by the time construction ends .
But the path toward construction started long before work crews broke ground , and critics said they want Biden to undo all the steps it took to get the barriers up .
The day after taking office , Trump issued an executive order directing his administration to prepare for construction .
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security then waived over 60 laws to speed up construction .
And when Congress did not allocate the money he wanted , Trump shut down the government and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that allowed him to tap into funds from the Treasury and Defense departments .
Advocates hope Biden will change course , but Biden will likely face opposition , too , including from the men and women patrolling the border , who repeatedly have expressed their support for Trump 's plans to build newer , taller barriers .
When Biden takes office , he 'll have a number of tools to stop or modify border wall construction plans .
Some require little action , while others potentially could take a little longer .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end the so-called National Emergency that siphons federal dollars from the Department of Defense to build a wall , '' according to information from his campaign website .
Trump issued the declaration in February 2019 ; it has allowed him to tap into approximately $ 10.5 billion from the Pentagon and the Treasury Department 's budgets , according to the Migration Policy Institute .
Because it is not a law or statute , Biden could withdraw the declaration at any moment , similar to executive action .
The president-elect said he would prioritize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S.-Mexico border instead of building physical barriers .
Numerous government agencies , including the Drug Enforcement Administration , have found that the majority of drugs smuggled into the country come through legal border crossings .
`` We need smart , sensible policies that will actually strengthen our ability to catch these real threats by improving screening procedures at our legal ports of entry and investing in new technology , '' Biden 's campaign website said .
When it comes to canceling or modifying existing and ongoing contracts for border wall construction , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws regulating federal government contracts .
Even then , he will have a lot of leeway , according to John Horan , a professor on government procurement law at Georgetown University Law Center and a litigation attorney on government contracts for the law firm Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath .
Horan said all government contracts come with two standard clauses that allow the government to terminate or change the contract for any reason .
`` Generally , the clauses treat the government more favorably , much more favorably , than if it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of such a clause ... one party would be effectively breaching the existing contract by telling the other party to stop performing , '' he said .
The decision to cancel the contracts can come directly from Biden , or from the people he appoints to his Cabinet positions for the Defense and Homeland Security departments , which manage contracts for border wall construction .
Legally , the timeline can move quickly , Horan added , but the border wall contractors could appeal and bring a claim against the U.S. government .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracts , or the Washington , D.C.-based Court of Federal Claims , which handles disputes with the federal government , would then settle it .
`` There is an established regulatory process to stop these contracts , if the president should so decide , in an efficient and orderly manner that will also fairly compensate the contractors for the work that has been performed , '' Horan said .
`` So any thought that there 's going to be a mess at the border , if he stops these contracts , would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen by any means . ''
Less clear is what would happen to all the lawsuits over border wall construction that the Biden administration would inherit , including high-profile cases over border wall funding .
Last month , the Supreme Court announced that it would hear arguments in the legal challenge brought by the Southern Border Communities Coalition and the conservation group Sierra Club over the transfer of $ 2.5 billion in military funds for wall construction .
Lower courts had ruled that the Trump administration had unlawfully diverted the money , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the budget .
The Supreme Court has allowed construction to continue while the case is litigated .
Donald Trump made a lot of immigration and border promises in 2016 : Did he deliver ?
However , a Supreme Court ruling is expected to come down after the inauguration .
By that time , Biden may have already ordered a stop to construction , or the Trump administration would have already finished construction using that money .
Biden has said his administration would walk away from eminent domain lawsuits the federal governments have filed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Texas border , for border wall construction .
`` End .
Stop .
Done .
Over .
Not going to do it .
Withdraw the lawsuits .
We 're out .
We 're not going to confiscate the land , '' Biden said in August .
The U.S. Border Patrol continues to assert that the new `` border wall system '' going up — which in addition to the barriers , also includes new roads , lighting and sensors — is effective in reducing drug- and human-smuggling .
Roy Villareal , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tucson Sector , said construction crews have finished building at least 100 miles of the 128 miles of new barriers planned for the Tucson Sector , which covers the eastern two-thirds of Arizona 's border .
The sector includes some of the most ecologically and culturally sensitive sites along the U.S.-Mexico border .
`` It 's a sensitive issue , and I get it , Arizona is absolutely gorgeous , we want to preserve where we can and protect the environment , and we make those efforts , '' Villareal told The Republic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're not going to be able to satisfy everyone and everyone 's concerns . ''
Wall critics said the Tucson Sector is one of the main areas where Biden needs to take a closer look at construction activity and analyze if the best option would be to remove the new barriers .
The Center for Biological Diversity has sued the Trump administration over the federal government 's use of waivers under the authority of the REAL ID Act of 2005 to speed up wall construction at the border .
The case is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government affairs director , said he expects Biden to revoke the waivers .
Even government accountability watchdog groups such as non-partisan American Oversight , who have been auditing the federal governments ' border wall construction plans , said it may make sense to remove barriers in some areas .
Austin Evers , the executive director of American Oversight and a senior counsel for the State Department during then-President Barack Obama 's second term , said the construction process under the Trump administration has been wasteful to U.S. taxpayers and driven by ideology rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the future of border wall construction plays out in the coming weeks leading up to Biden 's inauguration , work crews are still building new fencing along the entire border .
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said they have secured enough funding to build a total of 738 miles of new border barriers .
Russ McSpadden , the conservation videographer with the Center for Biological Diversity , has been documenting border wall construction in some of the most remote sections of the Arizona border using a drone .
McSpadden said that while there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his biggest concern is what happens up in the remainder of the Trump administration .
In its 2021 draft budget released last week , the Republican-led Senate allocated an additional $ 2 billion for the construction of 82 miles of new physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border .
The Democratic-led House of Representatives is unlikely to agree to the money .

Donald Trump's border wall is a 'monument to racism,' advocacy groups say: What happens to it when Joe Biden becomes president?
Show Caption Hide Caption Aerial view footage of border wall construction Footage of aerial shots of border wall construction from Center for Biological Diversity. Courtesy of Russ McSpadden/Center for Biological Diversity
TUCSON, Ariz. – Border advocacy and conservation groups are eagerly looking to Jan. 20, the date Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president.
They are hoping Biden will reverse numerous immigration and border security policies, chief among them the construction of physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Few symbols are more emblematic of President Donald Trump's administration than the construction of 400 miles of 30-foot bollards along large portions of the southwestern U.S. border, with the expected completion of an additional 50 miles before the end of the year.
U.S. taxpayers, rather than Mexico, as often promised by Trump, are footing the multibillion-dollar bill. Congress has so far allocated $4.4 billion for construction over the past four years, and the Trump administration has awarded an additional $7 billion worth of border wall contracts using diverted military funds.
DACA, asylum, family separation, ICE raids, private detention and more: Biden might need years to reverse Trump's immigration policies
Biden has pledged to stop construction after he takes office in January. He told a panel of Black and Latino reporters in August that "there will not be another foot of wall constructed on my administration."
Legal experts said his incoming administration will have large latitude. But some of the most vocal critics of border wall construction over the past four years told The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, they would like to see Biden go a step further and consider the possibility of tearing down certain sections of the new barriers.
"This monument to racism, if you will, was built at a huge expense, wasting billions of taxpayer dollars, and I think it's just irresponsible not to do something to address that because future harms are still in place," said Vicki Gaubeca.
She's the director of the Southern Border Communities Coalition, a collective of 60 migrant and community groups along the U.S.-Mexico border. The coalition is opposed to construction and successfully sued the Trump administration in federal court over funding for the projects.
The Trump administration focused its efforts on the lands that the federal government already owns, particularly in Arizona, where nearly half of all planned barriers will go up by the time construction ends.
But the path toward construction started long before work crews broke ground, and critics said they want Biden to undo all the steps it took to get the barriers up.
The day after taking office, Trump issued an executive order directing his administration to prepare for construction. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security then waived over 60 laws to speed up construction. And when Congress did not allocate the money he wanted, Trump shut down the government and issued an emergency order in February 2019 that allowed him to tap into funds from the Treasury and Defense departments.
Advocates hope Biden will change course, but Biden will likely face opposition, too, including from the men and women patrolling the border, who repeatedly have expressed their support for Trump's plans to build newer, taller barriers.
What are Biden's legal options?
When Biden takes office, he'll have a number of tools to stop or modify border wall construction plans. Some require little action, while others potentially could take a little longer.
For example, Biden has pledged to "end the so-called National Emergency that siphons federal dollars from the Department of Defense to build a wall," according to information from his campaign website.
Trump issued the declaration in February 2019; it has allowed him to tap into approximately $10.5 billion from the Pentagon and the Treasury Department's budgets, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Because it is not a law or statute, Biden could withdraw the declaration at any moment, similar to executive action.
The president-elect said he would prioritize investing in the ports of entry at the U.S.-Mexico border instead of building physical barriers. Numerous government agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, have found that the majority of drugs smuggled into the country come through legal border crossings.
"We need smart, sensible policies that will actually strengthen our ability to catch these real threats by improving screening procedures at our legal ports of entry and investing in new technology," Biden's campaign website said.
When it comes to canceling or modifying existing and ongoing contracts for border wall construction, Biden will have to follow the procurement laws regulating federal government contracts.
Even then, he will have a lot of leeway, according to John Horan, a professor on government procurement law at Georgetown University Law Center and a litigation attorney on government contracts for the law firm Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath.
Horan said all government contracts come with two standard clauses that allow the government to terminate or change the contract for any reason.
"Generally, the clauses treat the government more favorably, much more favorably, than if it was in the commercial world wherein the absence of such a clause ... one party would be effectively breaching the existing contract by telling the other party to stop performing," he said.
The decision to cancel the contracts can come directly from Biden or from the people he appoints to his Cabinet positions for the Defense and Homeland Security departments, which manage contracts for border wall construction.
Legally, the timeline can move quickly, Horan added, but the border wall contractors could appeal and bring a claim against the U.S. government. A board of appeals for civilian or military contracts, or the Washington, D.C.-based Court of Federal Claims, which handles disputes with the federal government, would then settle it.
"There is an established regulatory process to stop these contracts, if the president should so decide, in an efficient and orderly manner that will also fairly compensate the contractors for the work that has been performed," Horan said. "So any thought that there's going to be a mess at the border, if he stops these contracts, would be misguided. That wouldn't have to happen by any means."
Less clear is what would happen to all the lawsuits over border wall construction that the Biden administration would inherit, including high-profile cases over border wall funding.
Last month, the Supreme Court announced that it would hear arguments in the legal challenge brought by the Southern Border Communities Coalition and the conservation group Sierra Club over the transfer of $2.5 billion in military funds for wall construction.
Lower courts had ruled that the Trump administration had unlawfully diverted the money, in defiance of Congress' authority to set the budget. The Supreme Court has allowed construction to continue while the case is litigated.
Donald Trump made a lot of immigration and border promises in 2016: Did he deliver?
However, a Supreme Court ruling is expected to come down after the inauguration. By that time, Biden may have already ordered a stop to construction or the Trump administration would have already finished construction using that money.
Biden has said his administration would walk away from eminent domain lawsuits the federal governments have filed to seize private property, mostly along the Texas border, for border wall construction.
"End. Stop. Done. Over. Not going to do it. Withdraw the lawsuits. We're out. We're not going to confiscate the land," Biden said in August.
Advocates push for removal
The U.S. Border Patrol continues to assert that the new "border wall system" going up – which in addition to the barriers, also includes new roads, lighting and sensors – is effective in reducing drug- and human smuggling.
Roy Villareal, the chief patrol agent for Border Patrol's Tucson Sector, said construction crews have finished building at least 100 miles of the 128 miles of new barriers planned for the Tucson Sector, which covers the eastern two-thirds of Arizona's border.
The sector includes some of the most ecologically and culturally sensitive sites along the U.S.-Mexico border.
"It's a sensitive issue, and I get it, Arizona is absolutely gorgeous, we want to preserve where we can and protect the environment, and we make those efforts," Villareal told The Republic. "The unfortunate part is you're not going to be able to satisfy everyone and everyone's concerns."
Wall critics said the Tucson Sector is one of the main areas where Biden needs to take a closer look at construction activity and analyze if the best option would be to remove the new barriers.
The Center for Biological Diversity has sued the Trump administration over the federal government's use of waivers under the authority of the REAL ID Act of 2005 to speed up wall construction at the border. The case is still in court, but Brett Hartl, government affairs director, said he expects Biden to revoke the waivers.
Even government accountability watchdog groups such as nonpartisan American Oversight, who have been auditing the federal governments' border wall construction plans, said it may make sense to remove barriers in some areas.
Austin Evers, the executive director of American Oversight and a senior counsel for the State Department during then-President Barack Obama's second term, said the construction process under the Trump administration has been wasteful to U.S. taxpayers and driven by ideology rather than need.
Construction forging ahead
As the debate about the future of border wall construction plays out in the coming weeks leading up to Biden's inauguration, work crews are still building new fencing along the entire border.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said they have secured enough funding to build a total of 738 miles of new border barriers.
Russ McSpadden, the conservation videographer with the Center for Biological Diversity, has been documenting border wall construction in some of the most remote sections of the Arizona border using a drone.
McSpadden said that while there is a big focus on Jan. 20, his biggest concern is what happens up in the remainder of the Trump administration.
In its 2021 draft budget released last week, the Republican-led Senate allocated an additional $2 billion for the construction of 82 miles of new physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. The Democratic-led House of Representatives is unlikely to agree to the money.
Follow Rafael Carranza on Twitter: @RafaelCarranza.


usatoday--2020-11-17--University of California agrees to pay $73M to settle sexual abuse allegations against former gyneco

The University of California school system has reached a proposed $ 73 million settlement with seven women who accused a former gynecologist of sexual abuse in a class-action lawsuit .
A federal judge must now approve the deal between the plaintiffs , who represent more than 6,000 patients of Dr. James Heaps , the University of California regents and the former doctor .
Under the proposed settlement , they could all receive a payout , in addition to the several mandated reforms at University of California , Los Angeles , where Heaps worked .
Heaps , now 63 , worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 1983 to 2010 and had staff privileges at the school 's medical center from 1988 until 2018 .
The settlement is separate from criminal charges against Heaps .
He has pleaded not guilty and is due back in state court on Dec. 7 .
In June 2019 , Heaps was charged with two counts of sexual battery and one count of sexual exploitation of a patient .
More than 200 women contacted UCLA after Heaps ' arrest to report their experiences with the doctor , according to the settlement .
In August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward , according to the UCLA newspaper , the Daily Bruin .
UCLA apologizes to patients of gynecologist James Heaps ; he denies sex abuse charges Accusations include sexually inappropriate comments , touching women sexually during exams without wearing gloves , and simulating intercourse , often roughly , with an ultrasound probe .
The university issued a statement in 2019 saying it investigated Heaps the previous year for sexual misconduct and improper billing practices .
The school turned over its findings to federal and state authorities , then told Heaps he was being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are deeply sorry that a former member of our staff violated our policies and standards , our trust , and the trust of his patients , '' the statement said .
The proposed settlement is the latest agreement to give payouts to thousands of patients of male doctors who are accused of sexual assault and sexual misconduct .
A federal judge approved a $ 215 million settlement for 18,000 women who were patients of a former gynecologist , Dr. George Tyndall , at the University of Southern California , a private university also @ @ @ @

University of California agrees to pay $73M to settle sexual abuse allegations against former gynecologist James Heaps
The University of California school system has reached a proposed $73 million settlement with seven women who accused a former gynecologist of sexual abuse in a class-action lawsuit.
A federal judge must now approve the deal between the plaintiffs, who represent more than 6,000 patients of Dr. James Heaps, the University of California regents and the former doctor.
Under the proposed settlement, they could all receive a payout, in addition to the several mandated reforms at University of California, Los Angeles, where Heaps worked.
Heaps, now 63, worked part-time at UCLA's student health center from 1983 to 2010 and had staff privileges at the school's medical center from 1988 until 2018.
The settlement is separate from criminal charges against Heaps. He has pleaded not guilty and is due back in state court on Dec. 7.
In June 2019, Heaps was charged with two counts of sexual battery and one count of sexual exploitation of a patient. More than 200 women contacted UCLA after Heaps' arrest to report their experiences with the doctor, according to the settlement.
In August 2020, five former patients also came forward, according to the UCLA newspaper, the Daily Bruin.
UCLA apologizes to patients of gynecologist James Heaps; he denies sex abuse charges
Accusations include sexually inappropriate comments, touching women sexually during exams without wearing gloves, and simulating intercourse, often roughly, with an ultrasound probe.
The university issued a statement in 2019 saying it investigated Heaps the previous year for sexual misconduct and improper billing practices. The school turned over its findings to federal and state authorities, then told Heaps he was being terminated. Heaps retired.
"We are deeply sorry that a former member of our staff violated our policies and standards, our trust, and the trust of his patients," the statement said.
The proposed settlement is the latest agreement to give payouts to thousands of patients of male doctors who are accused of sexual assault and sexual misconduct.
A federal judge approved a $215 million settlement for 18,000 women who were patients of a former gynecologist, Dr. George Tyndall, at the University of Southern California, a private university also in Los Angeles.
Contributing: John Bacon, USA TODAY; The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-11-16--'Black Panther 2' won't include CGI Chadwick Boseman, producer says: 'There's only one Chadwick'

Marvel Studios EVP `` Black Panther '' executive producer Victoria Alonso confirmed in an interview with Argentine newspaper Clarín that the 2022 sequel to the hit Marvel action movie will not use a double digital for Chadwick Boseman , who died of cancer on Aug. 28 at the age of 43 .
`` There 's only one Chadwick , and he 's not with us , '' Alonso said .
`` Our king , unfortunately , has died in real life , not just in fiction , and we are taking a little time to see how we return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honor this chapter of what has happened to us that was so unexpected , so painful , so terrible , in reality . ''
Alonso praised Boseman for his impactful work during his lifetime .
`` As a character , what he did elevated us as a company .
I know that sometimes two months go by or three months go by in production and one says , already , it was a long time .
But it is not a long time , we have to think carefully about what we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and think about how we are going to honor the franchise . ''
What he meant to me : Chadwick Boseman 's death gives me the courage to keep going In the interview , Alonso also clarified the future of Marvel movies , explaining that though they can be released on Disney+ , `` we want our films to be seen in the cinema . ''
`` It seems to me that our films are films for theatrical distribution , '' she said .
`` We always said that we believe in different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to maintain the custom , the tradition , of watching certain films as a community . ''
`` With 'Avengers : Endgame , ' we did as usual : every Friday before a movie comes out , we go to see it with people who had never seen it .
If you see it with those 500 people , or the 1,000 people , or the 100 people who were in the cinema , what you feel when you see that movie with other people is something very different from what you feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , five or six people who live in your house . ''

'Black Panther 2' won't include CGI Chadwick Boseman, producer says: 'There's only one Chadwick'
Show Caption Hide Caption Mural honoring Chadwick Boseman unveiled at Disney Artist says late actor 'was like a beacon.' (Oct. 2) AP
Marvel Studios EVP "Black Panther" executive producer Victoria Alonso confirmed in an interview with Argentine newspaper Clarín that the 2022 sequel to the hit Marvel action movie will not use a double digital for Chadwick Boseman, who died of cancer on Aug. 28 at the age of 43.
"There's only one Chadwick, and he's not with us," Alonso said. "Our king, unfortunately, has died in real life, not just in fiction, and we are taking a little time to see how we return to the story and what we do to honor this chapter of what has happened to us that was so unexpected, so painful, so terrible, in reality."
Alonso praised Boseman for his impactful work during his lifetime.
RIP: 'Black Panther' star Chadwick Boseman dies of cancer at 43
"As a character, what he did elevated us as a company. I know that sometimes two months go by or three months go by in production and one says, already, it was a long time. But it is not a long time, we have to think carefully about what we are going to do, and how, and think about how we are going to honor the franchise."
A Marvel Studios rep declined to comment.
What he meant to me: Chadwick Boseman's death gives me the courage to keep going
Chadwick Boseman: Letitia Wright shares moving tribute to 'Black Panther' co-star
In the interview, Alonso also clarified the future of Marvel movies, explaining that though they can be released on Disney+, "we want our films to be seen in the cinema."
"It seems to me that our films are films for theatrical distribution," she said. "We always said that we believe in different formats, and it is very important to maintain the custom, the tradition, of watching certain films as a community."
"With 'Avengers: Endgame,' we did as usual: every Friday before a movie comes out, we go to see it with people who had never seen it. If you see it with those 500 people, or the 1,000 people, or the 100 people who were in the cinema, what you feel when you see that movie with other people is something very different from what you feel in the living room with the four, five or six people who live in your house."


usatoday--2020-11-17--'Good Doctor' star Richard Schiff hospitalized for COVID-19: 'Showing some improvement every day'

`` The Good Doctor '' star Richard Schiff , who tweeted last week that he and his wife had tested positive for coronavirus , followed up Monday by reporting that he 's in the hospital being treated for COVID-19 .
In a tweet thanking people for `` love and support , '' `` The West Wing '' alum said he 's taking remdesivir and steroids , both treatments for the viral illness , and is receiving oxygen .
He offers a hopeful prognosis , saying that he 's `` showing some improvement every day . ''
Schiff 's wife , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sheila Kelley , `` Is home and doing better but still fairly ill , '' wrote the actor , who revealed in his earlier tweet that he learned of his positive diagnosis on Election Day .
Besides appearing in ABC 's Freddie Highmore medical drama , Schiff took part in a get-out-the-vote , HBO Max `` West Wing '' special last month with fellow cast members , including Martin Sheen , Allison Janney , Rob Lowe , Bradley Whitford , Janel Moloney and Dulé Hill .
Kelley , a `` Good Doctor '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Law '' and `` Sisters , '' revealed the challenges faced by those dealing with COVID-19 , along with their loved ones , in an Instagram post Monday .
Hail to the chief : 'The West Wing ' cast reunites on HBO Max in sweet , emotional special to get out the vote '' The last 72 hours have been tough .
LOML ( Love of my life ) @ therichardschiff is now in the hospital on oxygen and remdesivir , '' Kelley said .
She offered thanks to supporters and some positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thank you all of you for the prayers and love .
We feel them .
He 's doing better .
Getting stronger , '' she wrote .
In Schiff 's initial coronavirus-related tweet on Nov. 10 , the actor called the time since the Election Day diagnoses `` the most bizarre week of our lives . ''
He acknowledged the situation as `` tough .
We are determined to find a way to health again .
We root for everyone out there who are struggling with this thing .
Love from here .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 59 , married in 1996 and they have a son and a daughter .
On `` The Good Doctor , '' his character , hospital officer and surgeon Aaron Glassman , and her character , one-time hospital barista Debbie Wexler , became a couple and eventually got married .
USA TODAY reached out to Schiff 's representative for comment .

'Good Doctor' star Richard Schiff released after COVID-19 hospitalization: 'I'm so grateful'
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19: CDC releases new guidance on masks The CDC previously encouraged mask wearing to help prevent people from spreading COVID-19 to others. USA TODAY
"The Good Doctor" star Richard Schiff offered a happy update to his COVID-19 story Thursday: He's out of the hospital and headed home.
"Covid update. Released from hospital. As we speak," he tweeted Thursday afternoon, adding that his wife, actress Sheila Kelley, was on her way to pick him up.
He continued: "I’m so grateful for all the love and support. It’s overwhelmingly moving and touches me deeply. Thanks to fantastic nurses and docs. I’m aware of how lucky I am. So many still struggling."
Schiff tweeted last week that he and Kelley had tested positive for coronavirus, and Monday he shared that he was in the hospital and grateful for "so much love and support."
Covid update.
Released from hospital. As we speak. @thesheilakelley picking me up. I’m so grateful for all the love and support. It’s overwhelmingly moving and touches me deeply. Thanks to fantastic nurses and docs. I’m aware of how lucky I am. So many still struggling.
Love! https://t.co/wTYFDrTCQz — Richard Schiff (@Richard_Schiff) November 19, 2020
The "West Wing" alum said e was taking remdesivir and steroids, both treatments for the viral illness, and was on oxygen. On Wednesday, he tweeted that he was taken off oxygen.
He earlier said that Kelley was recovering from home and that he learned of his positive diagnosis on Election Day.
Covid update.
I was just taken off Oxygen!!
Markers are down. Cautiously optimistic for release soon. Perhaps all the prayers and thoughts need a big thank you. @thesheilakelley also doing better. Let’s keep sending positivity to everyone out there struggling. We got your back! https://t.co/bjDSlXMqSY — Richard Schiff (@Richard_Schiff) November 18, 2020
Besides appearing in ABC's Freddie Highmore medical drama, Schiff took part in a get-out-the-vote, HBO Max "West Wing" special last month with fellow cast members, including Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, Rob Lowe, Bradley Whitford, Janel Moloney and Dulé Hill.
Kelley, a "Good Doctor" cast member who starred in "L.A. Law" and "Sisters," revealed the challenges faced by those dealing with COVID-19, along with their loved ones, in an Instagram post Monday.
Hail to the chief: 'The West Wing' cast reunites on HBO Max in sweet, emotional special to get out the vote
"The last 72 hours have been tough. LOML (Love of my life) @therichardschiff is now in the hospital on oxygen and remdesivir," Kelley said.
She offered thanks to supporters and some positive news about Schiff's recovery.
"Thank you all of you for the prayers and love. We feel them. He's doing better. Getting stronger," she wrote.
In Schiff's initial coronavirus-related tweet on Nov. 10, the actor called the time since the Election Day diagnoses "the most bizarre week of our lives." He acknowledged the situation as "tough. We are determined to find a way to health again. We root for everyone out there who are struggling with this thing. Love from here."
Schiff, 65, and Kelley, 59, married in 1996 and they have a son and a daughter. On "The Good Doctor," his character, hospital officer and surgeon Aaron Glassman, and her character, one-time hospital barista Debbie Wexler, became a couple and eventually got married.
USA TODAY reached out to Schiff's representative for comment.


usatoday--2020-11-17--Barack Obama's book-release playlist: Beyoncé, Stevie Wonder, Eminem and 'Michelle'

Former President Barack Obama has made a habit of sharing playlists ahead of major events .
This time , the occasion is the release of his new book , `` A Promised Land , '' and the list features `` some memorable songs from my administration , '' Obama said in a tweet .
Which songs has he chosen ?
There are two Beyoncé tracks ( including her cover of `` At Last , '' the Obamas ' first Inaugural Ball dance song ) , Eminem 's `` Lose Yourself '' ( which Obama memorably played to get pumped up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , songs from Stevie Wonder , Bruce Springsteen , Bob Dylan and Gloria Estefan ( who were all honored by Obama with the Presidential Medal of Freedom ) and The Beatles track `` Michelle '' ( which Paul McCartney performed at the White House for the former first lady when he received the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize from Obama ) .
The new playlist is only 20 tracks , making it much shorter than Obama 's recent Summer DNC playlist , which is more than twice as long .
But there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ readers in the mood for Obama 's `` A Promised Land , '' out Tuesday .
The book is the first volume of his presidential memoirs and candidly tells the story of Obama 's ascent to the White House .
Author Stephen King , who received the National Medal of Arts and the National Humanities Medal from Obama in 2015 , has suggested some additional songs for the playlist .
`` Great list , but kinda mellow , '' King tweeted in a reply to Obama .
`` How about some James Brown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a collection of more upbeat tracks , we recommend Michelle Obama 's 2020 Workout Playlist , which features songs by Lizzo , Cardi B and Nipsey Hussle .
Barack Obama : Tidbits from his TV interviews and why he wo n't take a seat in Joe Biden 's cabinet

Barack Obama's book-release playlist: Beyoncé, Stevie Wonder, Eminem and 'Michelle'
Show Caption Hide Caption Barack Obama on ego and the presidency By the time he assumed office, Obama realized, "The ego part of it didn't interest me anymore. What interested me was what could I get done." Apple TV+
Former President Barack Obama has made a habit of sharing playlists ahead of major events. This time, the occasion is the release of his new book, "A Promised Land," and the list features "some memorable songs from my administration," Obama said in a tweet.
Which songs has he chosen? There are two Beyoncé tracks (including her cover of "At Last," the Obamas' first Inaugural Ball dance song), Eminem's "Lose Yourself" (which Obama memorably played to get pumped up before his 2016 Democratic National Convention speech), songs from Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Gloria Estefan (who were all honored by Obama with the Presidential Medal of Freedom) and The Beatles track "Michelle" (which Paul McCartney performed at the White House for the former first lady when he received the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize from Obama).
Music has always played an important role in my life—and that was especially true during my presidency. In honor of my book hitting shelves tomorrow, I put together this playlist featuring some memorable songs from my administration. Hope you enjoy it. pic.twitter.com/xWiNQiZzN0 — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 16, 2020
The new playlist is only 20 tracks, making it much shorter than Obama's recent Summer DNC playlist, which is more than twice as long. But there should be enough tunes to get interested readers in the mood for Obama's "A Promised Land," out Tuesday. The book is the first volume of his presidential memoirs and candidly tells the story of Obama's ascent to the White House.
Author Stephen King, who received the National Medal of Arts and the National Humanities Medal from Obama in 2015, has suggested some additional songs for the playlist.
"Great list, but kinda mellow," King tweeted in a reply to Obama. "How about some James Brown and Jerry Lee Lewis."
For a collection of more upbeat tracks, we recommend Michelle Obama's 2020 Workout Playlist, which features songs by Lizzo, Cardi B and Nipsey Hussle.
Barack Obama: Tidbits from his TV interviews and why he won't take a seat in Joe Biden's cabinet


usatoday--2020-11-17--'Extremely dangerous' Category 5 Hurricane Iota nears landfall in Central America; 'catastrophic' da

'Extremely dangerous' Category 5 Hurricane Iota nears landfall in Central America; 'catastrophic' damage expected

• Iota is `` forecast to bring catastrophic winds , life-threatening storm surge and torrential rainfall to Central America . ''
• Iota is the first Category 5 hurricane of the season and the strongest storm so late in the calendar year ever recorded .
• The hurricane is the record 30th named storm of this year ’ s extraordinarily busy Atlantic hurricane season .
Hurricane Iota , the first Category 5 storm of the 2020 season , was nearing landfall Monday night in the same part of Central America that was hit by Hurricane Eta earlier this month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` forecast to bring catastrophic winds , life-threatening storm surge and torrential rainfall to Central America , '' the National Hurricane Center said .
Iota intensified over the western Caribbean as it approached Nicaragua and Honduras .
U.S. Air Force hurricane hunters flew into Iota ’ s core and measured maximum sustained winds of 155 mph , the Hurricane Center said .
As of 10 p.m. EST , the storm was centered about 30 miles south of Puerto Cabezas , Nicaragua , and was moving westward at 9 mph .
Iota is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the strongest hurricane this late in the calendar year ever recorded , according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach .
Hurricane watches and warnings were in effect the coasts of Nicaragua and Honduras .
The Hurricane Center said : `` This is a catastrophic situation unfolding for northeastern Nicaragua with an extreme storm surge of 15-20 feet forecast along with destructive winds and potentially 30 inches of rainfall .
It is exacerbated by the fact that it should make landfall in almost the exact same location that category 4 Hurricane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Should Iota make landfall in Nicaragua as a hurricane , it would be only the second time in history the country would be hit by two hurricanes in one season , AccuWeather said .
Evacuations were being conducted from low-lying areas in Nicaragua and Honduras near their shared border , which appeared to be Iota 's likely landfall .
Winds and rain were already being felt on the Nicaraguan coast Sunday night .
Coronavirus updates : Promising news from Moderna on the vaccine front ; US soars past 11M infections ; Michigan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on high alert , with compulsory evacuations that began before the weekend .
By Sunday evening , 63,500 people were reported to be in 379 shelters just in the northern coastal region .
Nicaraguan officials said that by late Sunday afternoon about 1,500 people , nearly half of them children , had been evacuated from low-lying areas in the country 's northeast , including all the inhabitants of Cayo Misquitos .
Authorities said 83,000 people in that region were in danger .
Wind and rain were beginning to be felt Sunday night in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people crowded markets and hardware stores during the day in search of plastic sheeting , nails and other materials to reinforce their homes , just as they did when Hurricane Eta hit on Nov. 3 .
Eta already wreaked havoc .
It hit Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane , killing at least 120 people as torrential rains caused flash floods and mudslides in parts of Central America and Mexico .
Then it meandered across Cuba , the Florida Keys and around the Gulf of Mexico before slogging ashore again near Cedar Key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Carolinas .
Iota was forecast to drop 8 to 16 inches of rain in northern Nicaragua , Honduras , Guatemala and southern Belize , with as much as 30 inches in isolated spots .
Costa Rica and Panama could also experience heavy rain and possible flooding , the hurricane center said .
Iota is the record 30th named storm of this year ’ s extraordinarily busy Atlantic hurricane season .
Such activity has focused attention on climate change , which scientists say is causing wetter , stronger and more destructive storms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Nov. 30 .
'This makes me giddy ' : Moderna 's candidate COVID-19 vaccine looks to protect 94.5 % of those who get it , trial shows I volunteered for Moderna 's COVID vaccine trial : Here 's why I think I got the vaccine , not placebo

'Extremely dangerous' Hurricane Iota slams Central America as Category 4 storm, threatens to bring 'catastrophic' damage
Show Caption Hide Caption Hurricane Iota makes landfall in Nicaragua with catastrophic force Some of the same areas that were ravaged by Hurricane Eta are now facing another extremely dangerous threat from Hurricane Iota. Accuweather
Iota is "forecast to bring catastrophic winds, life-threatening storm surge and torrential rainfall to Central America."
Iota is the first Category 5 hurricane of the season and the strongest storm so late in the calendar year ever recorded.
The hurricane is the record 30th named storm of this year’s extraordinarily busy Atlantic hurricane season.
Hurricane Iota made landfall late Monday night as a Category 4 storm along the coast of northeastern Nicaragua, about 15 miles south of Hurricane Eta's landfall earlier this month.
The "extremely dangerous" hurricane is forecast to bring "life-threatening storm surge, catastrophic winds, flash flooding and landslides across portions of Central America," the National Hurricane Center said.
Iota reached Category 5 status over the western Caribbean as it approached Nicaragua and Honduras. The storm made landfall at 10:40 p.m. EST near the town of Haulover, about 30 miles south of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph, about 2 mph shy of Category 5.
Iota was the first Category 5 hurricane of the season and the strongest hurricane this late in the calendar year ever recorded, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach.
Hurricane watches and warnings were in effect the coasts of Nicaragua and Honduras.
The Hurricane Center said: "This is a catastrophic situation unfolding for northeastern Nicaragua with an extreme storm surge of 15-20 feet forecast along with destructive winds and potentially 30 inches of rainfall. It is exacerbated by the fact that it should make landfall in almost the exact same location that category 4 Hurricane Eta did about two weeks ago."
This is only the second time in history that Nicaragua has been hit by two hurricanes in one season, AccuWeather said.
Evacuations were being conducted from low-lying areas in Nicaragua and Honduras near their shared border, which appeared to be Iota's likely landfall. Winds and rain were already being felt on the Nicaraguan coast Sunday night.
Coronavirus updates: Promising news from Moderna on the vaccine front; US soars past 11M infections; Michigan scraps indoor dining
All of Honduras was on high alert, with compulsory evacuations that began before the weekend. By Sunday evening, 63,500 people were reported to be in 379 shelters just in the northern coastal region.
Nicaraguan officials said that by late Sunday afternoon about 1,500 people, nearly half of them children, had been evacuated from low-lying areas in the country's northeast, including all the inhabitants of Cayo Misquitos. Authorities said 83,000 people in that region were in danger.
Only 2 Category 5 Atlantic #hurricanes on record have made landfall in Nicaragua: Edith (1971) and Felix (2007). #Iota is currently bearing down on Nicaragua as a Category 5 hurricane. pic.twitter.com/a3ej3bFXKv — Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) November 16, 2020
Eta already wreaked havoc. It hit Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane, killing at least 120 people as torrential rains caused flash floods and mudslides in parts of Central America and Mexico. Then it meandered across Cuba, the Florida Keys and around the Gulf of Mexico before slogging ashore again near Cedar Key, Florida, and dashing across Florida and the Carolinas.
Iota was forecast to drop 8 to 16 inches of rain in northern Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and southern Belize, with as much as 30 inches in isolated spots. Costa Rica and Panama could also experience heavy rain and possible flooding, the hurricane center said.
Iota is the record 30th named storm of this year’s extraordinarily busy Atlantic hurricane season. Such activity has focused attention on climate change, which scientists say is causing wetter, stronger and more destructive storms.
The official end of hurricane season is Nov. 30.
Contributing: The Associated Press.
'This makes me giddy': Moderna's candidate COVID-19 vaccine looks to protect 94.5% of those who get it, trial shows
I volunteered for Moderna's COVID vaccine trial: Here's why I think I got the vaccine, not placebo


usatoday--2020-11-16--As COVID-19 surge chases America indoors for the winter, pass another relief package

Like it or not , states are going to impose more shutdowns and social distancing orders as COVID-19 numbers rise and as people move indoors .
Also , like it or not , Dec. 31 looms as the witching hour when a number of benefits provided in the CARES Act , the coronavirus relief measure passed in March , expire .
Among the lapsing provisions are protections against homeowner and renter evictions , increases in the dollar amount and duration of unemployment benefits , and provisions that make these benefits more available to freelancers , small businesses , gig workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These events could take a huge toll on the economy .
Which is why Congress needs to pass an additional relief package now , in the lame-duck session that began Monday , and not wait for the arrival of the Biden administration and a new Congress .
This is not a radical idea espoused only by the deficits-don ’ t-matter crowd .
Nor is it something that benefits one party over the other .
It ’ s a mainstream and pragmatic position espoused by large sectors of the business community as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Just last month , Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell — an appointee of President Donald Trump — urged more stimulus , even at the expense of greater deficits , calling the risks of too little action far greater than the risks of too much action .
Without prompt action , Powell said , “ household insolvencies and business bankruptcies would rise , harming the productive capacity of the economy , and holding back wage growth.
” These things could play out in many ways .
Restaurants and other small businesses could close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commercial zones .
Widespread defaults on commercial real estate loans could lead to a tightening of credit for everyone .
The next few months are the most critical period America has yet faced with the pandemic .
New cases of COVID-19 are twice what they were during the summer peak , and the infection rate shows no signs of slowing even as the nation awaits the arrival of safe and effective vaccines .
On Capitol Hill , the two sides dug in as they started the lame-duck session .
The Democrat-controlled House passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spring , then cut it down to a $ 2.2 trillion plan before the election .
The latest version includes a new round of $ 1,200 checks to individuals and aid to schools , among other things .
The Republican-controlled Senate has considered , but not passed , a $ 1 trillion measure in the summer , and a plan about half that size just before the election .
Neither side seems inclined to budge .
And Trump , who has been all over the map , is a wild card .
Something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems like the most practical idea .
The two sides can negotiate what goes into it .
They appear to agree on the need for additional stimulus checks , but little else .
The one thing that must be a priority is funding for programs that will directly impact the spread of COVID-19 , including money to expedite the distribution of vaccines .
It is time for Congress to put the lives and livelihoods of Americans first and pass an economic relief measure now .

As COVID-19 surge chases America indoors for the winter, pass another relief package Our View: Coronavirus vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer aren't here yet, and the next few pandemic months will be the most critical.
You’re reading Our View, one of two perspectives in Today’s Debate. For the Opposing View, read “America can’t afford to go deeper in debt.”
Like it or not, states are going to impose more shutdowns and social distancing orders as COVID-19 numbers rise and as people move indoors.
Also, like it or not, Dec. 31 looms as the witching hour when a number of benefits provided in the CARES Act, the coronavirus relief measure passed in March, expire. Among the lapsing provisions are protections against homeowner and renter evictions, increases in the dollar amount and duration of unemployment benefits, and provisions that make these benefits more available to freelancers, small businesses, gig workers and others who would not normally qualify.
These events could take a huge toll on the economy. Which is why Congress needs to pass an additional relief package now, in the lame-duck session that began Monday, and not wait for the arrival of the Biden administration and a new Congress.
Household, business bankruptcies
This is not a radical idea espoused only by the deficits-don’t-matter crowd. Nor is it something that benefits one party over the other. It’s a mainstream and pragmatic position espoused by large sectors of the business community as well as those who are more liberally minded.
Just last month, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell — an appointee of President Donald Trump — urged more stimulus, even at the expense of greater deficits, calling the risks of too little action far greater than the risks of too much action. Without prompt action, Powell said, “household insolvencies and business bankruptcies would rise, harming the productive capacity of the economy, and holding back wage growth.”
These things could play out in many ways. Restaurants and other small businesses could close, leaving empty storefronts in once vibrant commercial zones. Widespread defaults on commercial real estate loans could lead to a tightening of credit for everyone.
Distributing vaccines
The next few months are the most critical period America has yet faced with the pandemic. New cases of COVID-19 are twice what they were during the summer peak, and the infection rate shows no signs of slowing even as the nation awaits the arrival of safe and effective vaccines.
On Capitol Hill, the two sides dug in as they started the lame-duck session. The Democrat-controlled House passed a $3 trillion measure in the spring, then cut it down to a $2.2 trillion plan before the election. The latest version includes a new round of $1,200 checks to individuals and aid to schools, among other things.
The Republican-controlled Senate has considered, but not passed, a $1 trillion measure in the summer, and a plan about half that size just before the election.
Neither side seems inclined to budge. And Trump, who has been all over the map, is a wild card.
Something in the range of $1.5 trillion seems like the most practical idea. The two sides can negotiate what goes into it. They appear to agree on the need for additional stimulus checks, but little else. The one thing that must be a priority is funding for programs that will directly impact the spread of COVID-19, including money to expedite the distribution of vaccines.
It is time for Congress to put the lives and livelihoods of Americans first and pass an economic relief measure now.