usatoday--2020-08-07--Texas Tech fires coach Marlene Stollings amid abuse claims within women's basketball team

Texas Tech fired women 's basketball coach Marlene Stollings Thursday night amid allegations of abuse within the program , athletic director Kirby Hocutt announced in a statement .
Hocutt said he will hold a video conference call on Friday at 4 p.m .
ET .
In a text message to members of the team , which was obtained by USA TODAY Sports , Hocutt said : `` Good evening , I have really appreciated your trust in our conversation these past two days .
I wanted to let y'all know we have decided to terminate Marlene as our head coach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement about it tonight .
I will set up a Zoom call for us tomorrow to touch base .
Kirby '' The move came a day after a USA TODAY Sports investigation detailed players ' allegations of abuse by Stollings , strength and conditioning coach Ralph Petrella and assistant coach Nikita Lowry Dawkins .
Petrella , who denies any misconduct , resigned in March after the conclusion of the season .
Lowry Dawkins remained on staff at the time of Stollings ' termination , a school spokesperson said .
Hocutt met with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hour , and subsequently with the team and coaching staff for more than two hours , he said in a statement that evening .
“ There is nothing more important to Texas Tech and me personally than the experience of our student-athletes , ” Hocutt added .
“ We will continue our conversation tomorrow to work through concerns about our program as we seek a path forward to make sure we are providing an environment to educate , serve and grow our student-athletes.
” Wednesday 's report by USA TODAY Sports , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on season-ending exit interviews with players from the past two seasons , other documents and interviews with 10 players , two former assistant coaches and two parents .
Six of the players spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation .
Among the claims from players : ■ Coaches directed players to maintain an heart rate of at least 90 % of capacity during play or face conditioning assignments or risk losing playing time .
■ The three international players on rosters the past two seasons allegedly faced treatment such as being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Brazil native Marcella LaMark said Stollings told LaMark her fitness lagged so far behind teammates ' that she was “ dangerous ” to them .
■ Emma Merriweather , a 6-5 center , said she was admonished by coaches for displaying symptoms of depression , for which she was eventually diagnosed .
She was also allegedly told by assistant coach Lowry Dawkins to snap a rubber band on her wrist when she had a negative thought .
■ Five players alleged Petrella sexually harassed players , making suggestive comments to one player @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applying pressure to some players ’ chests and pubic bones and groins .
■ Three players said Stollings retaliated by holding tougher practices after they brought abuse claims to school officials , including Judi Henry , executive senior associate athletic director and senior women ’ s administrator .
Hocutt and Stollings each released statements Tuesday to USA TODAY Sports .
Hocutt ’ s outlined how a committee reviewed the players ' allegations against Petrella as well as other issues regarding the program .
The committee presented its findings to Hocutt on July 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Based on information received we conducted an in-depth program review of our women ’ s basketball program , ” Hocutt said in his initial statement .
“ I have thoroughly discussed this review with coach Stollings and am confident that we are taking appropriate steps to improve the relationship and communication between coaches and student-athletes so that we can continue to grow the success of our program both on and off the court . ''
When asked to provide a copy of the committee 's review , Texas Tech said a report was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in part : `` We know change is difficult and that has been no different at Texas Tech .
Some wonderful young women have decided to leave our program and pursue their dreams elsewhere .
I hope they have found everything they are looking for at their new destination .
`` Our administration and my staff believe in the way we are building and turning this program around here .
Our student athletes are developing a disciplined approach both on and off the court .
`` I want our students , fans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to winning championships at Texas Tech and doing it the right way through hard work , accountability and fierce determination . ''
Stollings , whose contract with Texas Tech ran through March 2024 , was due to be paid $ 740,000 for her 2020-21 contract year , according to copies of the agreement obtained by USA TODAY Sports and the Intercollegiate .
If she is being fired for cause , the school 's `` sole obligation '' is to pay her basic annual compensation through the termination date .
So , such a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million .
Termination without cause would entitle Stollings to 75 % of her remaining basic annual compensation , a total surpassing $ 2 million .

Texas Tech fires coach Marlene Stollings amid abuse claims within women's basketball team
Show Caption Hide Caption The most alarming claims from USA TODAY's investigation into Texas Tech SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports obtained Texas Tech’s exit interviews with players from the past two seasons via public records requests. In addition to reviewing those documents and others, USA TODAY Sports interviewed 10 players, two former assistant coaches and two parents about the program. USA TODAY
Texas Tech fired women's basketball coach Marlene Stollings Thursday night amid allegations of abuse within the program, athletic director Kirby Hocutt announced in a statement.
Hocutt said he will hold a video conference call on Friday at 4 p.m. ET.
In a text message to members of the team, which was obtained by USA TODAY Sports, Hocutt said: "Good evening, I have really appreciated your trust in our conversation these past two days. I wanted to let y'all know we have decided to terminate Marlene as our head coach. We will be putting out a statement about it tonight. I will set up a Zoom call for us tomorrow to touch base. Kirby"
The move came a day after a USA TODAY Sports investigation detailed players' allegations of abuse by Stollings, strength and conditioning coach Ralph Petrella and assistant coach Nikita Lowry Dawkins. Petrella, who denies any misconduct, resigned in March after the conclusion of the season. Lowry Dawkins remained on staff at the time of Stollings' termination, a school spokesperson said.
Hocutt met with the players Wednesday afternoon for more than an hour, and subsequently with the team and coaching staff for more than two hours, he said in a statement that evening.
“There is nothing more important to Texas Tech and me personally than the experience of our student-athletes,” Hocutt added. “We will continue our conversation tomorrow to work through concerns about our program as we seek a path forward to make sure we are providing an environment to educate, serve and grow our student-athletes.”
Wednesday's report by USA TODAY Sports, in collaboration with The Intercollegiate, was based on season-ending exit interviews with players from the past two seasons, other documents and interviews with 10 players, two former assistant coaches and two parents. Six of the players spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
"FEAR, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION": Texas Tech women's basketball players describe toxic culture
OPINION: Texas Tech supports basketball coach Marlene Stollings at athletes' expense
Among the claims from players:
■ Coaches directed players to maintain an heart rate of at least 90% of capacity during play or face conditioning assignments or risk losing playing time.
■ The three international players on rosters the past two seasons allegedly faced treatment such as being ridiculed, isolated and threatened by coaches. Brazil native Marcella LaMark said Stollings told LaMark her fitness lagged so far behind teammates' that she was “dangerous” to them.
■ Emma Merriweather, a 6-5 center, said she was admonished by coaches for displaying symptoms of depression, for which she was eventually diagnosed. She was also allegedly told by assistant coach Lowry Dawkins to snap a rubber band on her wrist when she had a negative thought.
■ Five players alleged Petrella sexually harassed players, making suggestive comments to one player and using a therapy technique that involved applying pressure to some players’ chests and pubic bones and groins.
■ Three players said Stollings retaliated by holding tougher practices after they brought abuse claims to school officials, including Judi Henry, executive senior associate athletic director and senior women’s administrator.
Do you have a tip or sensitive information you want to share? Reach out to USA TODAY Sports at SportsTip@usatoday.com
Hocutt and Stollings each released statements Tuesday to USA TODAY Sports. Hocutt’s outlined how a committee reviewed the players' allegations against Petrella as well as other issues regarding the program. The committee presented its findings to Hocutt on July 3, a school spokesperson said.
“Based on information received we conducted an in-depth program review of our women’s basketball program,” Hocutt said in his initial statement. “I have thoroughly discussed this review with coach Stollings and am confident that we are taking appropriate steps to improve the relationship and communication between coaches and student-athletes so that we can continue to grow the success of our program both on and off the court."
When asked to provide a copy of the committee's review, Texas Tech said a report was given to Hocutt verbally.
Stollings said, in part: "We know change is difficult and that has been no different at Texas Tech. Some wonderful young women have decided to leave our program and pursue their dreams elsewhere. I hope they have found everything they are looking for at their new destination.
"Our administration and my staff believe in the way we are building and turning this program around here. Our student athletes are developing a disciplined approach both on and off the court.
"I want our students, fans and alumni to know we are committed to winning championships at Texas Tech and doing it the right way through hard work, accountability and fierce determination."
Stollings, whose contract with Texas Tech ran through March 2024, was due to be paid $740,000 for her 2020-21 contract year, according to copies of the agreement obtained by USA TODAY Sports and the Intercollegiate. If she is being fired for cause, the school's "sole obligation" is to pay her basic annual compensation through the termination date. So, such a termination would cost Stollings roughly $2.8 million. Termination without cause would entitle Stollings to 75% of her remaining basic annual compensation, a total surpassing $2 million.
Contributing: Steve Berkowitz
Follow USA TODAY Sports' Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein


usatoday--2020-08-07--Donald Trump claims Joe Biden is 'against God;' Biden calls attack 'shameful'

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump unleashed another strident attack on Joe Biden over religion on Thursday , saying his Democratic opponent , a devout Catholic , is `` against God '' and even religion itself – comments Biden denounced as “ shameful.
” “ No religion , no anything , '' Trump told supporters at a brief airport rally in Cleveland as he visited Ohio for an economic speech .
`` Hurt the Bible , hurt God .
He ’ s against God , he ’ s against guns , he ’ s against energy , our kind of energy.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how his Catholic faith helped him survive the death of his first wife and their daughter in a 1972 car crash , described Trump as a hypocrite making a cynical appeal to religious conservatives .
“ For President Trump to attack my faith is shameful , ” the Democratic candidate said .
“ It ’ s beneath the office he holds and it ’ s beneath the dignity the American people so rightly expect and deserve from their leaders.
” Biden also said Trump ’ s comments “ reveal more about him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They show us a man willing to stoop to any low for political gain , and someone whose actions are completely at odds with the values and teachings that he professes to believe in.
” A spokesman for Biden , who has often talked about how his Catholic faith helped him survive the death of his first wife and their daughter in a 1972 car crash , described Trump as a hypocrite making a cynical appeal to religious conservatives .
`` Joe Biden 's faith is at the core of who he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` He 's lived it with dignity his entire life , and it 's been a source of strength and comfort in times of extreme hardship . ''
More : Joe Biden vows to abolish 'vile ' Muslim travel ban on Day 1 if elected president More : Just 27 % of registered voters think President Donald Trump is a religious man , poll finds Biden noted that Trump backed his aides ' decision to forcibly clear a park of protesters so that the president could walk to a church near the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ My faith teaches me to walk humbly , while President Trump teargassed peaceful protesters so he could walk over to a church for a photo op , ” Biden said .
Mariann Budde , the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington , said she was `` outraged '' by Trump 's photo-op , adding that the president `` used sacred symbols to cloak himself in the mantle of spiritual authority , while espousing positions antithetical to the Bible that he held in his hands . ''
Late last year Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how his Catholic faith taught him to stand up to abuse of power `` as well as core concepts of decency , fair play and virtue . ''
Trump , who trails Biden in pre-election polls in Ohio and other swing states , has made appeals to religious conservatives by trying to link Biden to a `` radical left agenda '' that allegedly targets gun ownership , oil production , and religion .
The president has attacked Biden and the Democrats over faith on several occasions , telling supporters at a Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're against God if you look at what they 're doing with religion . ''
Bates noted that the Trump campaign this week also distorteda photo of Biden praying in church in order `` to demean him , '' calling it `` one of the starkest expressions of weakness throughout this whole campaign . ''
Trump 's comments about Biden and God are just as likely to turn off moderate and independent voters , said Doug Heye , a former Republican Party communications director who opposes the president .
`` It 's an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slice of the base , '' Heye said .

Donald Trump claims Joe Biden is 'against God;' Biden calls attack 'shameful'
Show Caption Hide Caption Biden: Trump won't do 'hard work' to open schools Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden says President Trump does not want to "do the hard work" of getting the coronavirus under control so the nation's schools can open safely. (July 24) AP
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump unleashed another strident attack on Joe Biden over religion on Thursday, saying his Democratic opponent, a devout Catholic, is "against God" and even religion itself – comments Biden denounced as “shameful.”
“No religion, no anything," Trump told supporters at a brief airport rally in Cleveland as he visited Ohio for an economic speech. "Hurt the Bible, hurt God. He’s against God, he’s against guns, he’s against energy, our kind of energy.”
Biden, who has often talked about how his Catholic faith helped him survive the death of his first wife and their daughter in a 1972 car crash, described Trump as a hypocrite making a cynical appeal to religious conservatives.
“For President Trump to attack my faith is shameful,” the Democratic candidate said. “It’s beneath the office he holds and it’s beneath the dignity the American people so rightly expect and deserve from their leaders.”
Biden also said Trump’s comments “reveal more about him than they do about anyone else. They show us a man willing to stoop to any low for political gain, and someone whose actions are completely at odds with the values and teachings that he professes to believe in.”
A spokesman for Biden, who has often talked about how his Catholic faith helped him survive the death of his first wife and their daughter in a 1972 car crash, described Trump as a hypocrite making a cynical appeal to religious conservatives.
"Joe Biden's faith is at the core of who he is," said spokesman Andrew Bates. "He's lived it with dignity his entire life, and it's been a source of strength and comfort in times of extreme hardship."
More: Joe Biden vows to abolish 'vile' Muslim travel ban on Day 1 if elected president
More: Just 27% of registered voters think President Donald Trump is a religious man, poll finds
Biden noted that Trump backed his aides' decision to forcibly clear a park of protesters so that the president could walk to a church near the White House for a photo-op holding a Bible. “My faith teaches me to walk humbly, while President Trump teargassed peaceful protesters so he could walk over to a church for a photo op,” Biden said.
Mariann Budde, the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, said she was "outraged" by Trump's photo-op, adding that the president "used sacred symbols to cloak himself in the mantle of spiritual authority, while espousing positions antithetical to the Bible that he held in his hands."
Late last year Biden penned an op-ed for Religion News Service about how his Catholic faith taught him to stand up to abuse of power "as well as core concepts of decency, fair play and virtue."
Trump, who trails Biden in pre-election polls in Ohio and other swing states, has made appeals to religious conservatives by trying to link Biden to a "radical left agenda" that allegedly targets gun ownership, oil production, and religion.
The president has attacked Biden and the Democrats over faith on several occasions, telling supporters at a Pennsylvania tele-rally recently: "Essentially, they're against God if you look at what they're doing with religion."
Bates noted that the Trump campaign this week also distorteda photo of Biden praying in church in order "to demean him," calling it "one of the starkest expressions of weakness throughout this whole campaign."
Trump's comments about Biden and God are just as likely to turn off moderate and independent voters, said Doug Heye, a former Republican Party communications director who opposes the president.
"It's an over-the-top attack that only appeals to a slice of the base," Heye said.
Contributing: Courtney Subramanian


usatoday--2020-08-06--Q&A: What does the end of State Department's 'do not travel' advisory mean for American travelers?

The U.S. State Department on Thursday lifted its blanket advisory for Americans to avoid international travel , put in place five months ago because of the coronavirus pandemic .
However , that does not mean Americans should travel anywhere they like .
Many countries wo n't allow them to enter anyway .
And the State Department still maintains a level 4 alert — its highest — for more than 50 countries .
A substantial number remain at level 3 , which means reconsider travel .
Only a handful of countries are are designated at the lowest levels of travel risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improving in some countries , while deteriorating in others , '' Carl Risch , the State Department 's assistant secretary for consular affairs , said in a phone briefing with reporters .
Karin King , the deputy assistant secretary for overseas citizen services , told reporters that coronavirus conditions have improved in a number of countries , based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
In many countries , the risk has receded somewhat , she said .
`` We have a significant number of places that went down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Still , King noted that most of the countries the State Department monitors are still at a 3 or a 4 .
King added that the State Department was not likely to return to a level 4 advisory for all international travel .
`` I suspect we are going to stay at a country-by-country posture , '' she said .
Will I be able to renew my passport ?
The State Department put passport services on hold as the pandemic gripped the globe .
But starting in June , it began a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the department had reduced its backlog of 1.8 million applications to 1 million since then .
`` We are committed to reopening passport services , '' King said .
What 's the difference between the State Department and CDC travel guidance ?
Both the State Department and CDC issue travel guidance , and it is coordinated to some extent .
However , while State uses a four-level advisory scale , the CDC uses a three-level system .
Both issue recommendations by country .
While the focus of CDC 's travel recommendations is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into account .
Its travel advisories can be affected by terrorism , civil unrest or even natural disasters .
Unlike the State Department , CDC 's recommendations do n't include `` do not travel . ''
Its highest-level warning means avoid nonessential travel .
If you 're planning international travel , it 's recommended to consult both .
Where is it safe to go ?
There are few individual countries that have low or no risk .
Among the places the State Department advises to exercise normal precautions , its lowest level , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Thailand and New Zealand are at level 2 , exercise increased caution .
As King noted , most countries remain a 3 or 4 .
The CDC also considers Taiwan , Macau , Thailand and New Zealand low risk or very low risk .
The agency has no countries rated as moderate risk , where older adults and people with underlying health conditions should postpone travel .
For the balance of countries , the CDC recommends all avoid travel .
Keep in mind that international trips invariably involve air travel , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Also note that no cruises will sail in U.S. waters until at least Nov. 1 , thanks to the CDC 's extension of its no-sail order .
What about Canada or Mexico ?
Or Europe ?
Both the northern and southern land borders remain closed to nonessential travel , though flights are operating to Canada and Mexico .
Most European countries remain closed to American visitors .
A couple of exceptions : Croatia and Turkey .

Q&A: What does the end of State Department's 'do not travel' advisory mean for American travelers?
Show Caption Hide Caption Travelers from 15 states face Chicago quarantine People traveling to Chicago from 15 states with increases in confirmed coronavirus cases are being told they must quarantine for two weeks upon arrival or face possible fines. (July 6) AP
The U.S. State Department on Thursday lifted its blanket advisory for Americans to avoid international travel, put in place five months ago because of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, that does not mean Americans should travel anywhere they like. Many countries won't allow them to enter anyway. And the State Department still maintains a level 4 alert — its highest — for more than 50 countries. A substantial number remain at level 3, which means reconsider travel.
Only a handful of countries are are designated at the lowest levels of travel risk.
"Health and safety conditions are improving in some countries, while deteriorating in others," Carl Risch, the State Department's assistant secretary for consular affairs, said in a phone briefing with reporters.
What prompted this change?
Karin King, the deputy assistant secretary for overseas citizen services, told reporters that coronavirus conditions have improved in a number of countries, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In many countries, the risk has receded somewhat, she said.
"We have a significant number of places that went down to level 3," King said.
Still, King noted that most of the countries the State Department monitors are still at a 3 or a 4.
King added that the State Department was not likely to return to a level 4 advisory for all international travel. "I suspect we are going to stay at a country-by-country posture," she said.
Will I be able to renew my passport?
The State Department put passport services on hold as the pandemic gripped the globe. But starting in June, it began a phased resumption of passport services. Risch said the department had reduced its backlog of 1.8 million applications to 1 million since then.
"We are committed to reopening passport services," King said.
What's the difference between the State Department and CDC travel guidance?
Both the State Department and CDC issue travel guidance, and it is coordinated to some extent. However, while State uses a four-level advisory scale, the CDC uses a three-level system.
Both issue recommendations by country. While the focus of CDC's travel recommendations is health, the State Department takes more into account. Its travel advisories can be affected by terrorism, civil unrest or even natural disasters.
Unlike the State Department, CDC's recommendations don't include "do not travel." Its highest-level warning means avoid nonessential travel.
If you're planning international travel, it's recommended to consult both.
Where is it safe to go?
There are few individual countries that have low or no risk. Among the places the State Department advises to exercise normal precautions, its lowest level, are Taiwan and Macau. Hong Kong, Thailand and New Zealand are at level 2, exercise increased caution. As King noted, most countries remain a 3 or 4.
The CDC also considers Taiwan, Macau, Thailand and New Zealand low risk or very low risk. The agency has no countries rated as moderate risk, where older adults and people with underlying health conditions should postpone travel. For the balance of countries, the CDC recommends all avoid travel.
Keep in mind that international trips invariably involve air travel, and that poses its own risks for coronavirus. Also note that no cruises will sail in U.S. waters until at least Nov. 1, thanks to the CDC's extension of its no-sail order.
What about Canada or Mexico? Or Europe?
Both the northern and southern land borders remain closed to nonessential travel, though flights are operating to Canada and Mexico.
Most European countries remain closed to American visitors. A couple of exceptions: Croatia and Turkey.


usatoday--2020-08-06--Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tests positive for COVID-19 ahead of Trump visit

DeWine tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Thursday morning using a rapid test .
That test was part of the protocol to greet President Donald Trump on the tarmac at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland .
DeWine then returned to Columbus and took a second COVID-19 test from Ohio State University 's Wexner Medical Center .
That polymerase chain reaction or PCR test came back negative late Thursday night .
First lady Fran DeWine and staff members also tested negative .
The first test was an antigen test .
The second test was a PCR test , which looks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It 's known to be more sensitive and accurate .
More : Which members of Congress have tested positive for COVID-19 ?
PCR tests for the governor , first lady and staff were run twice and came back negative both times .
They were run on two different diagnostic platforms .
`` We feel confident in the results from Wexner Medical Center , '' DeWine said in a released statement .
`` This is the same PCR test that has been used over 1.6 million times in Ohio by hospitals and labs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or rapid tests are n't prevalent in Ohio yet .
DeWine announced on Tuesday that Ohio would soon acquire 500,000 rapid tests as part of a collaboration with five other states .
`` We will be working with the manufacturer to have a better understanding of how the discrepancy between these two tests could have occurred , '' DeWine said in the statement .
Mike and Fran DeWine plan to take another PCR test Saturday , out of an abundance of caution and at the direction of doctors .
Those results will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 14 days at his Cedarville home .
He already keeps a small circle of in-person contacts : his wife , Lt. Gov .
Jon Husted , security personnel and a few staff members .
`` I spend most days right here anyway , '' DeWine said via videoconference from the front porch of his home .
`` I ’ m on the phone a lot .
I ’ m on conference calls a lot . ''
DeWine is n't the first governor to test positive for COVID-19 .
Oklahoma Gov .
Kevin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ago .
Last month , DeWine 's state prisons ' director , Annette Chambers-Smith , announced she received a positive COVID-19 test result after feeling slight symptoms .
DeWine took some of the earliest aggressive action to combat the spread of COVID-19 in his state , one of the first five governors to close bars , restaurants , and wineries in March .
During the first few months of the pandemic , Ohio was reported as an early success story .
The state gradually lifted its stay-at-home order throughout May and June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , as well as a decline in hospitalizations .
In recent weeks , however , cases began to surge , with the state reporting more than 1,000 new cases per day for most of July .
“ We ’ re going the wrong way , ” Dewine said of the uptick in cases to NBC 's Meet the Press last month .
“ We are at a crucial stage .
We are at the point where we could become Florida , '' he said , issuing a statewide mask mandate in late @ @

Jackie Borchardt, Jessie Balmert and Jason Lalljee, Cincinnati Enquirer

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tests negative on second COVID-19 test
Show Caption Hide Caption Coronavirus: CDC releases six new possible symptoms The CDC released six new possible symptoms of coronavirus, which include muscle pain and headache. USA TODAY
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's second COVID-19 test came back negative Thursday evening.
DeWine tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Thursday morning using a rapid test. That test was part of the protocol to greet President Donald Trump on the tarmac at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland.
DeWine then returned to Columbus and took a second COVID-19 test from Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center. That polymerase chain reaction or PCR test came back negative late Thursday night.
First lady Fran DeWine and staff members also tested negative.
The first test was an antigen test. The second test was a PCR test, which looks at specific genetic material for the virus. It's known to be more sensitive and accurate.
More: Which members of Congress have tested positive for COVID-19?
PCR tests for the governor, first lady and staff were run twice and came back negative both times. They were run on two different diagnostic platforms.
"We feel confident in the results from Wexner Medical Center," DeWine said in a released statement. "This is the same PCR test that has been used over 1.6 million times in Ohio by hospitals and labs all over the state."
Antigen or rapid tests aren't prevalent in Ohio yet. DeWine announced on Tuesday that Ohio would soon acquire 500,000 rapid tests as part of a collaboration with five other states.
"We will be working with the manufacturer to have a better understanding of how the discrepancy between these two tests could have occurred," DeWine said in the statement.
Mike and Fran DeWine plan to take another PCR test Saturday, out of an abundance of caution and at the direction of doctors. Those results will be released.
DeWine had planned to quarantine for 14 days at his Cedarville home. He already keeps a small circle of in-person contacts: his wife, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, security personnel and a few staff members.
"I spend most days right here anyway," DeWine said via videoconference from the front porch of his home. "I’m on the phone a lot. I’m on conference calls a lot."
DeWine isn't the first governor to test positive for COVID-19. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced he had the disease several weeks ago. Last month, DeWine's state prisons' director, Annette Chambers-Smith, announced she received a positive COVID-19 test result after feeling slight symptoms.
DeWine took some of the earliest aggressive action to combat the spread of COVID-19 in his state, one of the first five governors to close bars, restaurants, and wineries in March.
During the first few months of the pandemic, Ohio was reported as an early success story. The state gradually lifted its stay-at-home order throughout May and June and saw a plateau in newly reported cases, as well as a decline in hospitalizations.
In recent weeks, however, cases began to surge, with the state reporting more than 1,000 new cases per day for most of July.
“We’re going the wrong way,” Dewine said of the uptick in cases to NBC's Meet the Press last month.
“We are at a crucial stage. We are at the point where we could become Florida," he said, issuing a statewide mask mandate in late July.


usatoday--2020-08-07--Panel rejects Donald Trump's request to add a fourth debate with Joe Biden

WASHINGTON – The Commission on Presidential Debates on Thursday rejected a Trump campaign request to add a fourth debate to the calendar or move up an existing one to the first week of September in order to address an expected surge in early voting .
In a letter to the president 's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani , who made the request on behalf of the campaign , the nonpartisan commission said it was committed to the schedule and while some states begin early voting before the first debate , voters are under no obligation to cast their ballot before hearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee .
“ There is a difference between ballots having been issued by a state and those ballots having been cast by voters , who are under no compulsion to return their ballots before the debates , ” the commission wrote in a letter obtained by USA TODAY .
The commission pointed out in its letter that during the 2016 election , which had a similar debate schedule , `` only .0069 % of the electorate had voted at the time of the first debate . ''
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail in 2020 , the debate schedule has been and will be highly publicized , ” the commission said .
“ Any voter who wishes to watch one or more debates before voting will be well aware of that opportunity . ''
Giuliani , the former New York mayor , swiftly responded Thursday , saying the Trump campaign was disappointed by the decision .
“ We continue to believe that the American people deserve to see their candidates for president compare their records and visions for the United States before actual voting begins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential debates are scheduled for Sep. 29 in Cleveland , Oct. 15 in Miami , and Oct. 22 in Nashville .
A vice presidential debate is slated for Oct. 7 in Salt Lake City .
The Trump campaign contends the debates , scheduled between Sept. 29 and Oct. 22 , leave voters in several states without a chance to see a Trump and Biden match-up before casting the first ballots .
Early voting begins in North Carolina on Sept. 4 , followed by Georgia on Sept. 15 and the key battleground state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving the last debate scheduled for Oct. 22 to the first week in September if the commission denied the campaign request for an additional debate .
The commission , which has hosted three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate in every election since 1988 , noted that it would consider adding a fourth debate if both Trump and Biden agreed to it .
“ If the candidates were to agree that they wished to add to that schedule , the Commission would consider that request but remains committed to the schedule of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the attached release , '' the commission said .
The Trump campaign also included in its request a list of suggested moderators for the debates .
The commission said it would stick to its longstanding process of selecting moderators .
`` It will do so with great care , as always , to ensure that the selected moderators are qualified and fair , '' the letter said .

Panel rejects Donald Trump's request to add a fourth debate with Joe Biden
Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump: threatens Nevada with lawsuit over mail-in-ballots President Trump threatens Nevada with lawsuit over mail-in-ballots during coronavirus briefing. USA TODAY, Associated Press
WASHINGTON – The Commission on Presidential Debates on Thursday rejected a Trump campaign request to add a fourth debate to the calendar or move up an existing one to the first week of September in order to address an expected surge in early voting.
In a letter to the president's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, who made the request on behalf of the campaign, the nonpartisan commission said it was committed to the schedule and while some states begin early voting before the first debate, voters are under no obligation to cast their ballot before hearing from Trump or his challenger Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
“There is a difference between ballots having been issued by a state and those ballots having been cast by voters, who are under no compulsion to return their ballots before the debates,” the commission wrote in a letter obtained by USA TODAY.
The commission pointed out in its letter that during the 2016 election, which had a similar debate schedule, "only .0069% of the electorate had voted at the time of the first debate."
“While more people will likely vote by mail in 2020, the debate schedule has been and will be highly publicized,” the commission said. “Any voter who wishes to watch one or more debates before voting will be well aware of that opportunity."
Giuliani, the former New York mayor, swiftly responded Thursday, saying the Trump campaign was disappointed by the decision.
“We continue to believe that the American people deserve to see their candidates for president compare their records and visions for the United States before actual voting begins,“ he wrote.
The 2020 presidential debates are scheduled for Sep. 29 in Cleveland, Oct. 15 in Miami, and Oct. 22 in Nashville. A vice presidential debate is slated for Oct. 7 in Salt Lake City.
The Trump campaign contends the debates, scheduled between Sept. 29 and Oct. 22, leave voters in several states without a chance to see a Trump and Biden match-up before casting the first ballots. Early voting begins in North Carolina on Sept. 4, followed by Georgia on Sept. 15 and the key battleground state of Florida on Sept. 24.
Giuliani proposed moving the last debate scheduled for Oct. 22 to the first week in September if the commission denied the campaign request for an additional debate.
President responds to criminal investigation into Trump Organization President Donald Trump responds to the NY criminal investigation into the Trump Organization during a coronavirus briefing. USA TODAY, Associated Press
The commission, which has hosted three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate in every election since 1988, noted that it would consider adding a fourth debate if both Trump and Biden agreed to it.
“If the candidates were to agree that they wished to add to that schedule, the Commission would consider that request but remains committed to the schedule of debates it has planned as reflected in the attached release," the commission said.
The Trump campaign also included in its request a list of suggested moderators for the debates. The commission said it would stick to its longstanding process of selecting moderators.
"It will do so with great care, as always, to ensure that the selected moderators are qualified and fair," the letter said.
Contributing: Savannah Behrmann


usatoday--2020-08-07--Coronavirus updates: US deaths predicted at nearly 300K; Georgia boy, 7, is state's youngest victim;

Coronavirus updates: US deaths predicted at nearly 300K; Georgia boy, 7, is state's youngest victim; Arizona prison outbreak spurs backlash

The U.S. State Department no longer says Americans should avoid all international travel due to the coronavirus pandemic , but the list of countries welcoming people from the U.S. is still slim .
The agency said travel advisories will now be issued on a country-by-country basis as conditions internationally improve or worsen .
But according to most nations , the virus is so widespread in the U.S. that would-be American tourists face barriers or bans .
Meanwhile , a widely cited model predicts U.S. deaths from COVID-19 will reach nearly 300,000 by Dec. 1 , even with the assumption that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as deaths climb .
Here are some significant developments : • In Ohio , Gov .
Mike DeWine was believed to have tested positive , the latest governor to be infected by the coronavirus , until he took a more sensitive test that came back negative .
Oklahoma Gov .
Kevin Stitt announced he had the disease several weeks ago .
• More than eight in 10 teachers are concerned about returning to the classroom this fall , an NPR/Ipsos poll finds .
• Last week 's new jobless claims are down : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for unemployment insurance last week , the Labor Department said Thursday .
• Despite what you may have heard , the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not create religion-based exemption from mask mandates .
• A 7-year-old boy has becoming Georgia ’ s youngest coronavirus victim , according local health department officials .
📈 Today 's numbers : The U.S. has recorded more than 159,000 deaths and 4.8 million cases of COVID-19 , according to Johns Hopkins University .
Worldwide , there have been more than 710,000 deaths and 18.9 million cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A deadly explosion that rocked Lebanon 's capital city of Beirut has put a further strain on the nation 's health system , which was already running short on personal protective equipment and grappling with more than 5,200 cases of COVID-19 .
Our live blog is being updated throughout the day .
Refresh for the latest news , and get updates in your inbox with The Daily Briefing .
US deaths predicted at nearly 300K by December , according to new model A widely cited University of Washington model predicts U.S. deaths from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 .
The forecast of 295,011 deaths is 137,000 more than the roughly 158,000 U.S. deaths reported so far .
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation model assumes that many states will impose new stay-at-home orders as deaths climb .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention monitors the model along with forecasts from about 30 other modeling groups .
Combined , the models predict from 168,000 to 182,000 total COVID-19 deaths by Aug. 22 .
The day after officials announced that hundreds of inmates in an Arizona prison were infected with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response and called for an immediate stop to prison admissions .
The state announced Tuesday that 517 people , or nearly half of the prison population at Tucson 's Whetstone Unit , tested positive for the disease .
Twenty-one inmates in Arizona are believed to have died from COVID-19 , according to The Arizona Department of Corrections , Rehabilitation and Reentry data dashboard .
`` Most people in Arizona are not sentenced to prison to die , '' said Joe Watson , a formerly incarcerated person and spokesman for the American Friends Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , by being so careless with these lives , that 's exactly what ( prison officials ) are doing . ''
Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine tests positive for COVID-19 , then later tests negative Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday before he was supposed to greet President Donald Trump .
DeWine took a COVID-19 test as part of the protocol to meet Trump on the tarmac at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland .
DeWine , 73 , has no symptoms , his office said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine at his home in Cedarville for 14 days , took some of the earliest aggressive action to combat the spread of COVID-19 .
He was one of the first governors to close bars , restaurants , and wineries in March .
DeWine then returned to Columbus and took a second COVID-19 test from Ohio State University 's Wexner Medical Center .
That polymerase chain reaction , or PCR test came back negative late Thursday night .
A 7-year-old Chatham County boy has become Georgia ’ s youngest coronavirus victim , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boy had no underlying conditions , according to a CHD spokesperson .
A date of death was not immediately available ; there is often a delay of several days and sometimes weeks from when a person dies to when that death is reported to the state and confirmed .
US lifts advisory against all international travel The U.S. State Department lifted its advisory against all international travel .
The highest alert level – level 4 – was issued March 19 and has been lifted in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The State Department said it will return to country-specific warnings .
The CDC has lifted “ do not travel ” warnings for about 20 locations but advised staying away from the vast majority of the world .
The list of places where Americans can go is n't that extensive .
Several spots in the Caribbean and Mexico are welcoming guests again and drawing U.S. tourists as airlines resume and add flights .
United Airlines said Friday it is adding flights to St. Thomas and San Juan , Puerto Rico .
More than one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus vaccine could stop the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. by 2021 , according to experts from Harvard Chan Public Health .
In order to effectively mitigate the spread of the virus , roughly 60 % of people globally would have to be vaccinated , a feat that no single company has the capacity to achieve .
That 's in part why support for multiple vaccines is widespread among health professionals and global leaders .
“ The expectation is that by the end of 2021 , there will be plenty of whatever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States , less clear how they will be distributed around the world , ” said Barry Bloom , professor of Public Health .
London Marathon goes remote for all but elite runners The London Marathon became the latest mass running event to be disrupted by the global pandemic when organizers announced Thursday the the vast majority of the 40,000 registered athletes must participate remotely .
Elite runners will race in a closed , lap course through a city park .
Everyone else is welcome to participate from `` anywhere in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marathon and New York Marathon are among scores of major races around the world that faced postponement , cancellation or a switch to virtual racing as a result of social distancing guidelines .
Woman kicked off flight for offensive mask says it was 'because I 'm Black' A Black passenger ordered off an American Airlines flight for wearing an `` offensive '' mask says there was an underlying racial issue .
Arlinga Johns boarded a St. Louis-bound flight in Charlotte on July 29 while wearing a `` Black Lives Matter '' shirt and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Expletive ) 12 . ''
The number 12 is a term used to mean law enforcement or the police .
Johns said a flight attendant asked Johns to cover the language on the mask with a new mask the attendant provided .
Johns said she covered the mask , but the airline says Johns continued to display the mask in question .
“ I think I got taken off the plane because I ’ m Black , '' Johns said in an interview with Florida 's Local 10 News .
LA police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite statewide shutdown A viral video allegedly shows a private gathering in Los Angeles for “ first responders '' on July 31 inside Hollywood ’ s Sassafras Saloon – despite bars being shut down in the state and county since early July .
On Thursday , the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to USA TODAY that two of its officers attended the function .
A clip published by the activist media group Knock.LA on Twitter showed multiple people responding “ yes ” after an individual asked , “ You here for the LASD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles Sheriff 's Department .
The department has denied throwing the party and says none of its employees attended the gathering .
Four people have died and nearly a dozen others have suffered health complications after swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizers .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that from May through June 30 , there were 15 cases of methanol poisoning reported in Arizona and New Mexico , and each was associated with people drinking hand sanitizer .
The CDC says hand sanitizers should contain ethanol or isopropanol as active ingredients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries contain methanol , which is `` not an acceptable ingredient . ''
The CDC says washing and disinfecting your hands is an effective way to combat the spread of COVID-19 but that some people apparently drink it for its alcohol content .
Employers continue to lay off workers at a historic pace as the pandemic roars on .
About 1.2 million people filed initial applications for unemployment insurance – a rough measure of layoffs – last week , the Labor Department said Thursday , down substantially from 1.4 million the prior week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The story here , we think , is that layoffs triggered by the second wave of COVID-19 in the South and West are now falling , '' Ian Shepherdson , chief economist of Pantheon Macroeconomics wrote in a research note .
New York City sets up checkpoints to enforce coronavirus quarantines New York City began establishing registration checkpoints Thursday to try to ensure visitors from states with high COVID-19 infection rates go into quarantine when they come across the border .
The city requires anyone staying in New York from 34 states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mayor Bill de Blasio said .
City police will be intermittently stopping travelers who have visited the states and requiring them to complete a state Department of Health traveler form .
The first post was setup for people arriving at Penn Station , the busiest train station in the nation .
`` They will be reminded that it is required not optional , '' de Blasio said .
`` They 'll be reminded that failure to quarantine is a violation of state law , and it comes with serious penalties . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and shipping food and other aid to the southern city of Kaesong , locked down over coronavirus worries , officials said .
North Korea , which has closed its borders and cut travel by outsider monitors and journalists , claims only one person who had recently returned from South Korea may have tested positive .
Edwin Salvador , WHO representative to North Korea , told the Associated Press that group gatherings are banned , masks are required in public , and all educational institutions , including preschools , are on an extended summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power , water to party houses The city of Los Angeles will cut off power and water to homes and businesses where recurring parties take place without social distancing , Mayor Eric Garcetti says .
Earlier this week the county health department banned large gatherings following a much-publicized house party where people crowded together without masks .
Violating the order is `` punishable by fine , imprisonment , or both , '' the department warned .
Garcetti said the utility cutoffs would go into effect Friday night .
`` If LAPD responds and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a property , and we see these properties offending time and time again , they will provide notice and initiate the process to request that DWP shut off service within the next 48 hours , '' Garcetti said .
Hawaii and Puerto Rico set records for new cases in a week while five states had a record number of deaths in a week , a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data through late Wednesday shows .
Record numbers of deaths were reported in Arkansas , Florida , Mississippi , Nevada and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The good news is that some large states that where cases were peeking in recent weeks , such as California , Florida and Texas , are seeing a decline in confirmed cases .
Two-thirds of K-12 teachers prefer fall classes be remote , new poll shows A new NPR/Ipsos poll released Thursday finds that more than 8 in 10 teachers are concerned about returning to the classroom this fall , and that two-thirds prefer to teach fall classes primarily remotely rather than in-person .
The poll comes as many school districts prepare to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will become the next incubators for large coronavirus outbreaks .
A May poll conducted by USA TODAY found that 1 in 5 teachers say they are unlikely to go back to school if their classrooms reopen in the fall , a potential massive wave of resignations .
Navajo Nation health officials have reported 39 more cases of COVID-19 and four additional deaths , bringing the total number of people infected to 9,195 and the known death toll to 467 as of Wednesday night .
Navajo Department of Health officials said 83,527 people have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have recovered .
The vast reservation that covers parts of Arizona , New Mexico and Utah .
More : The White House ?
Gettysburg ?
Florida ?
Trump team looks at options for nomination speech On Facebook : There 's still a lot unknown about the coronavirus .
But what we do know , we 're sharing with you .
Join our Facebook group , Coronavirus Watch , to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19 .
In your inbox : Stay up-to-date with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the USA TODAY Network .
Sign up for the daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter here .
Tips for coping : Every Saturday and Tuesday we 'll be in your inbox , offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times .
Sign up for Staying Apart , Together here .

John Bacon, Elinor Aspegren and Joel Shannon, USA TODAY

Coronavirus updates: Los Angeles County tops 200K cases; Arizona prison outbreak spurs backlash; Georgia boy, 7, is state's youngest victim
Show Caption Hide Caption 4 phases of COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials explained Approving a vaccine in the U.S. usually takes years, but COVID-19 vaccines are moving through in record time. What does that mean? USA TODAY
The U.S. State Department no longer says Americans should avoid all international travel due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the list of countries welcoming people from the U.S. is still slim.
The agency said travel advisories will now be issued on a country-by-country basis as conditions internationally improve or worsen. But according to most nations, the virus is so widespread in the U.S. that would-be American tourists face barriers or bans.
Meanwhile, a widely cited model predicts U.S. deaths from COVID-19 will reach nearly 300,000 by Dec. 1, even with the assumption that many states will impose new stay-at-home orders as deaths climb.
Here are some significant developments:
In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine was believed to have tested positive, the latest governor to be infected by the coronavirus, until he took a more sensitive test that came back negative. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced he had the disease several weeks ago.
More than eight in 10 teachers are concerned about returning to the classroom this fall, an NPR/Ipsos poll finds.
Last week's new jobless claims are down: About 1.2 million people filed initial applications for unemployment insurance last week, the Labor Department said Thursday.
Despite what you may have heard, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not create religion-based exemption from mask mandates.
A 7-year-old boy has becoming Georgia’s youngest coronavirus victim, according local health department officials.
📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has recorded more than 19,000 deaths and 4.8 million cases of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, there have been more than 713,000 deaths and 19 million cases.
📰 What we're reading: A deadly explosion that rocked Lebanon's capital city of Beirut has put a further strain on the nation's health system, which was already running short on personal protective equipment and grappling with more than 5,200 cases of COVID-19.
Our live blog is being updated throughout the day. Refresh for the latest news, and get updates in your inbox with The Daily Briefing.
Los Angeles County passes 200,000 COVID-19 cases, nears 5,000 deaths
Los Angeles County passed the 200,000 mark Thursday for people having tested positive for COVID-19 and is closing in on 5,000 deaths.
The county, which encompasses the city of Los Angeles and all its surrounding suburbs, is already ranked highest in number of cases among counties by the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. If the county were a state, it would have a higher case count than all but Florida, Texas, New York and possibly Georgia.
With the addition of 3,290 new cases, Los Angeles County had recorded a total of 201,106 cases. Another 48 deaths were attributed to the coronavirus, bringing the total to 4,869.
The grim new totals came as officials warned against gatherings or parties like the one Monday night at a swanky mansion in the Hollywood Hills that attracted about 200 participants — with few seen wearing masks. The party, which ended in a fatal shooting, attracted widespread news coverage from TV new choppers overhead.
– Chris Woodyard
Arizona advocates call for stop to prison admissions amid outbreak
The day after officials announced that hundreds of inmates in an Arizona prison were infected with COVID-19, advocates slammed the state's response and called for an immediate stop to prison admissions.
The state announced Tuesday that 517 people, or nearly half of the prison population at Tucson's Whetstone Unit, tested positive for the disease. Twenty-one inmates in Arizona are believed to have died from COVID-19, according to The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry data dashboard.
"Most people in Arizona are not sentenced to prison to die," said Joe Watson, a formerly incarcerated person and spokesman for the American Friends Service Committee of Arizona. "And yet, by being so careless with these lives, that's exactly what (prison officials) are doing."
– Helen Wieffering, Arizona Republic
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tests positive for COVID-19, then later tests negative
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday before he was supposed to greet President Donald Trump. DeWine took a COVID-19 test as part of the protocol to meet Trump on the tarmac at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland.
DeWine, 73, has no symptoms, his office said in a statement. DeWine, who plans to quarantine at his home in Cedarville for 14 days, took some of the earliest aggressive action to combat the spread of COVID-19. He was one of the first governors to close bars, restaurants, and wineries in March.
DeWine then returned to Columbus and took a second COVID-19 test from Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center. That polymerase chain reaction, or PCR test came back negative late Thursday night.
– Jackie Borchardt, Jessie Balmert and Jason Lalljee, Cincinnati Enquirer
Georgia boy, 7, becomes state's youngest COVID-19 fatality
A 7-year-old Chatham County boy has become Georgia’s youngest coronavirus victim, according to the Coastal Health Department.
The African-American boy had no underlying conditions, according to a CHD spokesperson. A date of death was not immediately available; there is often a delay of several days and sometimes weeks from when a person dies to when that death is reported to the state and confirmed.
– Nick Robertson, Savannah (Ga.) Morning News
US deaths predicted at nearly 300K by December, according to new model
A widely cited University of Washington model predicts U.S. deaths from COVID-19 will reach nearly 300,000 by Dec. 1.
The forecast of 295,011 deaths is 137,000 more than the roughly 158,000 U.S. deaths reported so far. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation model assumes that many states will impose new stay-at-home orders as deaths climb.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention monitors the model along with forecasts from about 30 other modeling groups. Combined, the models predict from 168,000 to 182,000 total COVID-19 deaths by Aug. 22.
US lifts advisory against all international travel
The U.S. State Department lifted its advisory against all international travel. The highest alert level – level 4 – was issued March 19 and has been lifted in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the agency said Thursday.
The State Department said it will return to country-specific warnings. The CDC has lifted “do not travel” warnings for about 20 locations but advised staying away from the vast majority of the world.
The list of places where Americans can go isn't that extensive.
Several spots in the Caribbean and Mexico are welcoming guests again and drawing U.S. tourists as airlines resume and add flights. United Airlines said Friday it is adding flights to St. Thomas and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
– Julia Thompson
More than one vaccine may be needed
More than one coronavirus vaccine could stop the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. by 2021, according to experts from Harvard Chan Public Health.
In order to effectively mitigate the spread of the virus, roughly 60% of people globally would have to be vaccinated, a feat that no single company has the capacity to achieve. That's in part why support for multiple vaccines is widespread among health professionals and global leaders.
“The expectation is that by the end of 2021, there will be plenty of whatever vaccines are safe and effective for the United States, less clear how they will be distributed around the world,” said Barry Bloom, professor of Public Health.
– Khrysgiana Pineda
London Marathon goes remote for all but elite runners
The London Marathon became the latest mass running event to be disrupted by the global pandemic when organizers announced Thursday the the vast majority of the 40,000 registered athletes must participate remotely.
Elite runners will race in a closed, lap course through a city park. Everyone else is welcome to participate from "anywhere in the world," organizers said. The Boston Marathon and New York Marathon are among scores of major races around the world that faced postponement, cancellation or a switch to virtual racing as a result of social distancing guidelines.
Woman kicked off flight for offensive mask says it was 'because I'm Black'
A Black passenger ordered off an American Airlines flight for wearing an "offensive" mask says there was an underlying racial issue.
Arlinga Johns boarded a St. Louis-bound flight in Charlotte on July 29 while wearing a "Black Lives Matter" shirt and a face mask that read: "(Expletive) 12." The number 12 is a term used to mean law enforcement or the police. Johns said a flight attendant asked Johns to cover the language on the mask with a new mask the attendant provided. Johns said she covered the mask, but the airline says Johns continued to display the mask in question.
“I think I got taken off the plane because I’m Black," Johns said in an interview with Florida's Local 10 News.
– Sara M. Moniuszko
LA police says 2 officers attended party at bar despite statewide shutdown
A viral video allegedly shows a private gathering in Los Angeles for “first responders" on July 31 inside Hollywood’s Sassafras Saloon – despite bars being shut down in the state and county since early July.
On Thursday, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to USA TODAY that two of its officers attended the function. A clip published by the activist media group Knock.LA on Twitter showed multiple people responding “yes” after an individual asked, “You here for the LASD party?” LASD is the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. The department has denied throwing the party and says none of its employees attended the gathering.
– Joshua Bote
Don't drink hand sanitizer, CDC warns
Four people have died and nearly a dozen others have suffered health complications after swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that from May through June 30, there were 15 cases of methanol poisoning reported in Arizona and New Mexico, and each was associated with people drinking hand sanitizer. The CDC says hand sanitizers should contain ethanol or isopropanol as active ingredients, but some products imported from other countries contain methanol, which is "not an acceptable ingredient."
The CDC says washing and disinfecting your hands is an effective way to combat the spread of COVID-19 but that some people apparently drink it for its alcohol content.
– Dalvin Brown
1.2M more workers file for unemployment amid COVID-19 spikes
Employers continue to lay off workers at a historic pace as the pandemic roars on. About 1.2 million people filed initial applications for unemployment insurance – a rough measure of layoffs – last week, the Labor Department said Thursday, down substantially from 1.4 million the prior week and the lowest level since March.
"The story here, we think, is that layoffs triggered by the second wave of COVID-19 in the South and West are now falling," Ian Shepherdson, chief economist of Pantheon Macroeconomics wrote in a research note.
– Paul Davidson
New York City sets up checkpoints to enforce coronavirus quarantines
New York City began establishing registration checkpoints Thursday to try to ensure visitors from states with high COVID-19 infection rates go into quarantine when they come across the border. The city requires anyone staying in New York from 34 states with high coronavirus cases go 14-day quarantine, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
City police will be intermittently stopping travelers who have visited the states and requiring them to complete a state Department of Health traveler form. The first post was setup for people arriving at Penn Station, the busiest train station in the nation.
"They will be reminded that it is required not optional," de Blasio said. "They'll be reminded that failure to quarantine is a violation of state law, and it comes with serious penalties."
– Joseph Spector
North Korea locks down city of Kaesong amid virus concerns
North Korea is quarantining thousands of people and shipping food and other aid to the southern city of Kaesong, locked down over coronavirus worries, officials said. North Korea, which has closed its borders and cut travel by outsider monitors and journalists, claims only one person who had recently returned from South Korea may have tested positive.
Edwin Salvador, WHO representative to North Korea, told the Associated Press that group gatherings are banned, masks are required in public, and all educational institutions, including preschools, are on an extended summer break.
5 states, Puerto Rico still dealing with record weekly fatalities
Hawaii and Puerto Rico set records for new cases in a week while five states had a record number of deaths in a week, a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data through late Wednesday shows. Record numbers of deaths were reported in Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Nevada and Oklahoma, and also Puerto Rico. The good news is that some large states that where cases were peeking in recent weeks, such as California, Florida and Texas, are seeing a decline in confirmed cases.
– Mike Stucka
Why people of color are dying at higher rates from COVID-19 Communities of color are dying at higher rates from the novel coronavirus than white Americans. Here's how structural inequities play a role. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Two-thirds of K-12 teachers prefer fall classes be remote, new poll shows
A new NPR/Ipsos poll released Thursday finds that more than 8 in 10 teachers are concerned about returning to the classroom this fall, and that two-thirds prefer to teach fall classes primarily remotely rather than in-person.
The poll comes as many school districts prepare to reopen campuses. Some experts fear classrooms will become the next incubators for large coronavirus outbreaks.
A May poll conducted by USA TODAY found that 1 in 5 teachers say they are unlikely to go back to school if their classrooms reopen in the fall, a potential massive wave of resignations.
More COVID-19 resources from USA TODAY
On Facebook: There's still a lot unknown about the coronavirus. But what we do know, we're sharing with you. Join our Facebook group, Coronavirus Watch, to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19.
In your inbox: Stay up-to-date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network. Sign up for the daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter here.
Tips for coping: Every Saturday and Tuesday we'll be in your inbox, offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times. Sign up for Staying Apart, Together here.
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-08-06--Coronavirus ride: 4 ways America can get back on track

A leading science institute forecasts that U.S. coronavirus deaths will exceed 200,000 by Election Day .
Dr. Deborah Birx , President Donald Trump 's COVID-19 response coordinator , says the epidemic has entered a new phase and is extraordinarily widespread .
`` Right now , the virus is winning and Americans are losing , '' says Dr. Tom Frieden , former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
And an America with 4 % of the world 's population accounts for more than 22 % of global lives reported lost to the disease .
Never mind the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to reset the nation 's fight against the coronavirus .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation 's leading infectious disease expert , said Monday that America 's daily COVID-19 infection rate must fall to 10,000 by September — from the current 50,000 to 70,000 , three times the rate of Europe — if the country stands any chance of gaining control over the virus , especially as colder weather will drive people indoors and flu season will compound the misery .
Scientists are racing to develop therapeutics and vaccines , but in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to climb and the economy continue to fall as the epidemic persists in what noted epidemiologist Dr. Larry Brilliant described as whack-a-mole mode — ebbing slightly in some states while surging through others .
That 's what is happening as new cases and hospitalizations slip in Arizona , California , Florida and Texas ; remain high in Georgia and Nevada ; and rise alarmingly in Alabama , Mississippi , Missouri and Oklahoma .
The good news — thanks to recommendations by Birx and Fauci , and institutions such as Johns Hopkins University and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that a reset is possible , short of implementing another nationwide lockdown .
Experiences in New York and abroad show that a place does n't need to do everything right to keep the outbreak in check .
It just needs to do enough things right for a long enough time .
Among the priorities : ►Once and for all , fix testing .
Fauci calls the testing situation in the United States `` unacceptable , period . ''
The governors of seven states , three Republicans and four Democrats , said this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manufacturers to ramp up production of rapid-detection tests .
Tests that take a week or more for results are virtually worthless .
Rapid-detection tests are invaluable for quickly assuring that teachers , students , nursing home residents and workers , meat-packing and other manufacturing employees , and prison guards and inmates are COVID-free .
And they could make contact tracing a practical reality for breaking infection chains .
►Ensure adequate supplies .
The federal government , through the Department of Health and Human Services , must undertake an end-to-end supply chain analysis to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of rapid-detection tests , and all necessary gear for fighting the disease ( and for which their stubborn shortages persist ) : masks , gowns , critical drugs and a range of laboratory supplies such as reagents , swabs and medical-grade glass bottles and tubes .
Where necessary , the federal government needs to invoke the National Defense Production Act to get the job done .
►Build a COVID-19 infection barometer to guide the states .
A crucial reason testing remains vital is that it reveals viral spread and whether more should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mandating face masks ; closing bars , inside dining and other indoor activities ; or even issuing stay-at-home orders .
A manageable rate is where no more than 5 % of tests in a given state are positive for at least 14 days , according to the World Health Organization .
Only a dozen states hit that mark .
Mississippi and Nevada are above 20 % .
`` When they see those first positivity ( rates ) go up in cases , you need to respond with significant mitigation efforts , '' Birx @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other key indicators .
The federal government should develop criteria — based on rising positive testing rates , stressed hospital systems and other key indicators — for determining when to ratchet up mitigation .
And states , with federal encouragement and ( even ) pressure , need to respond in kind and in unison , ending the patchwork of trial-and-error prevention that is failing .
►Tell the truth .
Everyone , including the president , is entitled to his own opinion but not to his own facts , to paraphrase the late Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full transparency on the size and scope of the problem .
This means a full accounting of how states are grappling with the virus , to include a full range of such data as per-capita infections and death rates , hospitalizations , outbreaks within essential businesses , testing turnaround times and outbreaks among health care workers .
And it means allowing public health officials , especially those at the CDC , to pound home lifesaving messages about the importance of wearing masks , social distancing , avoiding crowds and washing hands .
Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the coronavirus is n't tired of victims .
The simple truth , as Fauci outlined for Congress last week , is that much of the nation never thoroughly shut down and too quickly reopened .
As a result , America has done much worse than much of the rest of the world .
Now is not the time to give up until cures or vaccines arrive .
It 's time to do better .
If you ca n't see this reader poll , please refresh your page .
HOTLINE : Share your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments .

Coronavirus ride: 4 ways America can get back on track Our View: The good news is that a reset is possible, short of implementing another nationwide lockdown.
Show Caption Hide Caption Noted epidemiologist sees hope and hard lessons in the COVID pandemic Dr. Larry Brilliant, known for his role in helping to eradicate smallpox, says we can defeat COVID-19 — if we can get our wits about us. Jasper Colt, USA TODAY
A leading science institute forecasts that U.S. coronavirus deaths will exceed 200,000 by Election Day.
Dr. Deborah Birx, President Donald Trump's COVID-19 response coordinator, says the epidemic has entered a new phase and is extraordinarily widespread.
"Right now, the virus is winning and Americans are losing," says Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
And an America with 4% of the world's population accounts for more than 22% of global lives reported lost to the disease.
Never mind Trump optimism
Never mind the president's fanciful optimism. It is time to reset the nation's fight against the coronavirus.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, said Monday that America's daily COVID-19 infection rate must fall to 10,000 by September — from the current 50,000 to 70,000, three times the rate of Europe — if the country stands any chance of gaining control over the virus, especially as colder weather will drive people indoors and flu season will compound the misery.
Scientists are racing to develop therapeutics and vaccines, but in the meantime the death toll will continue to climb and the economy continue to fall as the epidemic persists in what noted epidemiologist Dr. Larry Brilliant described as whack-a-mole mode — ebbing slightly in some states while surging through others.
That's what is happening as new cases and hospitalizations slip in Arizona, California, Florida and Texas; remain high in Georgia and Nevada; and rise alarmingly in Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri and Oklahoma.
The good news — thanks to recommendations by Birx and Fauci, and institutions such as Johns Hopkins University and the Association of American Medical Colleges — is that a reset is possible, short of implementing another nationwide lockdown.
Prioritize testing, PPE, transparency
Why people of color are dying at higher rates from COVID-19 Communities of color are dying at higher rates from the novel coronavirus than white Americans. Here's how structural inequities play a role. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Experiences in New York and abroad show that a place doesn't need to do everything right to keep the outbreak in check. It just needs to do enough things right for a long enough time. Among the priorities:
►Once and for all, fix testing. Fauci calls the testing situation in the United States "unacceptable, period." The governors of seven states, three Republicans and four Democrats, said this week that they'd join to pressure manufacturers to ramp up production of rapid-detection tests.
Tests that take a week or more for results are virtually worthless. Rapid-detection tests are invaluable for quickly assuring that teachers, students, nursing home residents and workers, meat-packing and other manufacturing employees, and prison guards and inmates are COVID-free. And they could make contact tracing a practical reality for breaking infection chains.
►Ensure adequate supplies. The federal government, through the Department of Health and Human Services, must undertake an end-to-end supply chain analysis to identify bottlenecks and shortages in the manufacture of rapid-detection tests, and all necessary gear for fighting the disease (and for which their stubborn shortages persist): masks, gowns, critical drugs and a range of laboratory supplies such as reagents, swabs and medical-grade glass bottles and tubes. Where necessary, the federal government needs to invoke the National Defense Production Act to get the job done.
►Build a COVID-19 infection barometer to guide the states. A crucial reason testing remains vital is that it reveals viral spread and whether more should be done to curb transmission — such as mandating face masks; closing bars, inside dining and other indoor activities; or even issuing stay-at-home orders. A manageable rate is where no more than 5% of tests in a given state are positive for at least 14 days, according to the World Health Organization. Only a dozen states hit that mark. Mississippi and Nevada are above 20%.
"When they see those first positivity (rates) go up in cases, you need to respond with significant mitigation efforts," Birx told CNN.
Hospitalizations and deaths are other key indicators. The federal government should develop criteria — based on rising positive testing rates, stressed hospital systems and other key indicators — for determining when to ratchet up mitigation. And states, with federal encouragement and (even) pressure, need to respond in kind and in unison, ending the patchwork of trial-and-error prevention that is failing.
►Tell the truth. Everyone, including the president, is entitled to his own opinion but not to his own facts, to paraphrase the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan. The nation needs full transparency on the size and scope of the problem.
This means a full accounting of how states are grappling with the virus, to include a full range of such data as per-capita infections and death rates, hospitalizations, outbreaks within essential businesses, testing turnaround times and outbreaks among health care workers.
And it means allowing public health officials, especially those at the CDC, to pound home lifesaving messages about the importance of wearing masks, social distancing, avoiding crowds and washing hands.
Americans are understandably weary of this outbreak, but the coronavirus isn't tired of victims. The simple truth, as Fauci outlined for Congress last week, is that much of the nation never thoroughly shut down and too quickly reopened.
As a result, America has done much worse than much of the rest of the world. Now is not the time to give up until cures or vaccines arrive. It's time to do better.
USA TODAY's editorial opinions are decided by its Editorial Board, separate from the news staff and the USA TODAY Network. Most editorials are coupled with an Opposing View, a unique USA TODAY feature. To read more editorials, go to the Opinion front page or sign up for the daily Opinion email newsletter. To respond to this editorial, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.
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HOTLINE: Share your coronavirus story. We may publish your comments.


usatoday--2020-08-06--Woman who sued New Jersey country club over wine spilled on $30K Hermès handbag continues legal figh

The woman suing a New Jersey country club after a club waiter spilled wine on her luxury handbag is not backing down , even after her case was dismissed by a Bergen County Superior Court judge .
In the lawsuit filed last November that attracted local and national media attention , Maryana Beyder said she was enjoying a meal at the Alpine Country Club in Demarest in September 2018 when a waiter spilled red wine on the pink Hermès handbag that she said costs approximately $ 30,000 .
The lawsuit was dismissed July 24 by Judge Estela De La Cruz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the club , said Beyder and her husband failed to appear at depositions despite notices and a subpoena .
He also told the judge she did n't cooperate with the discovery process .
However , the judge dismissed the case “ without prejudice , ” which allowed Beyder ’ s attorney , Alexandra Errico , to file a motion to reinstate the suit this week .
Opinion : We should be embarrassed by the lawsuits over the $ 30K handbag at Alpine Country Club In her filing , Errico refuted Merber ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office had sent Merber on July 9 her client ’ s answers for discovery along with `` two expert reports and email exchange '' between Alpine Country Club President David Graf and Beyder .
Errico did not respond to a request for comment from NorthJersey.com , which is part of the USA TODAY Network .
A decision on Errico ’ s motion to reinstate the lawsuit is scheduled for Aug. 28 In an interview with NorthJersey.com last year , Errico said the lawsuit , which blamed the unidentified waiter and the country club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waiter , came about after Beyder spent nearly a year trying to resolve the issue directly with the country club .
`` They could n't comprehend that a bag could be that much .
I think that was the biggest problem with that .
They kind of discriminated against her that she actually owned that type of bag , ” Errico said .
Hermès handbags are often priced in the tens of thousands , with one sold in Hong Kong in 2017 for $ 377,000 , breaking the world record for the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not return a phone call for comment from NorthJersey.com .
A phone message left at the Alpine Country Club was not returned .

Woman who sued New Jersey country club over wine spilled on $30K Hermès handbag continues legal fight
Show Caption Hide Caption Aerial video of Alpine Country Club Aerial video of Alpine Country Club. John Meore and Tariq Zehawi, NorthJersey
The woman suing a New Jersey country club after a club waiter spilled wine on her luxury handbag is not backing down, even after her case was dismissed by a Bergen County Superior Court judge.
In the lawsuit filed last November that attracted local and national media attention, Maryana Beyder said she was enjoying a meal at the Alpine Country Club in Demarest in September 2018 when a waiter spilled red wine on the pink Hermès handbag that she said costs approximately $30,000.
The lawsuit was dismissed July 24 by Judge Estela De La Cruz after Kenneth Merber, the attorney representing the club, said Beyder and her husband failed to appear at depositions despite notices and a subpoena. He also told the judge she didn't cooperate with the discovery process.
However, the judge dismissed the case “without prejudice,” which allowed Beyder’s attorney, Alexandra Errico, to file a motion to reinstate the suit this week.
Opinion: We should be embarrassed by the lawsuits over the $30K handbag at Alpine Country Club
In her filing, Errico refuted Merber’s reasons for dismissal, saying that her office had sent Merber on July 9 her client’s answers for discovery along with "two expert reports and email exchange" between Alpine Country Club President David Graf and Beyder. Errico did not respond to a request for comment from NorthJersey.com, which is part of the USA TODAY Network.
A decision on Errico’s motion to reinstate the lawsuit is scheduled for Aug. 28
In an interview with NorthJersey.com last year, Errico said the lawsuit, which blamed the unidentified waiter and the country club for "negligent hiring" of the waiter, came about after Beyder spent nearly a year trying to resolve the issue directly with the country club.
"They couldn't comprehend that a bag could be that much. I think that was the biggest problem with that. They kind of discriminated against her that she actually owned that type of bag,” Errico said.
Hermès handbags are often priced in the tens of thousands, with one sold in Hong Kong in 2017 for $377,000, breaking the world record for the most expensive bag sold at auction.
Merber did not return a phone call for comment from NorthJersey.com. A phone message left at the Alpine Country Club was not returned.
Ricardo Kaulessar is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com Twitter: @ricardokaul


usatoday--2020-08-06--State Department lifts global advisory on avoiding international travel amid COVID-19 pandemic

The U.S. State Department lifted its advisory on avoiding international travel , put in place five months ago .
The agency said Thursday in a news release that lifting the global health advisory , issued at the highest alert level – 4 – March 19 , was done in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
`` With health and safety conditions improving in some countries and potentially deteriorating in others , the Department is returning to our previous system of country-specific levels of travel advice ... in order to give travelers detailed and actionable information to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release said .
The customary level 1 through 4 advisories for specific countries on Travel.State.gov provide more detailed information about specific conditions in individual countries .
`` This will also provide U.S. citizens more detailed information about the current status in each country , '' the department said .
`` We continue to recommend U.S. citizens exercise caution when traveling abroad due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic . ''
As of Thursday , the State Department advised against travel to more than 50 countries designated by level 4 , `` do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries with a high number of coronavirus cases , such as Brazil , India and Russia in addition to countries where there are other safety concerns .
The department urged citizens to `` reconsider travel '' – with level 3 alerts – to many more .
`` We are closely monitoring health and safety conditions across the globe , working in partnership with the CDC and other agencies , '' the State Department said Thursday .
`` As always , we will regularly update our destination-specific advice to U.S. travelers as conditions evolve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel notice system and recommends against `` nonessential travel '' to much of the world .
Where can Americans even go ?
The list of places where Americans can go is n't that extensive .
Several spots in the Caribbean and Mexico are welcoming guests again and drawing U.S. tourists as airlines resume and add flights .
United Airlines said Friday it is adding flights to St. Thomas and San Juan , Puerto Rico .
The Bahamas touted its reopening July 1 but changed its mind a few weeks later because of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It banned commercial flights from the USA as of July 22 .
The popular islands off the coast of Florida adjusted their stance again a week later , to allow U.S. travelers as long as they present a negative COVID-19 test and quarantine for 14 days , the latter of which still effectively rules out vacations .
Southwest Airlines suspended its service to Nassau through October , American Airlines through August .
European countries reopened their borders , but most are off-limits to U.S. vacationers .
A couple that welcome U.S. visitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off-limits as the border remains closed and only essential travel is permitted , even by air .
Keep these 6 things in mind : What to know before you book an international trip during the pandemic The State Department 's `` do not travel '' global travel warning came March 19 , four days after it issued a level 3 advisory urging Americans to `` reconsider travel . ''
At that time , there were about 380,000 COVID-19 cases worldwide .
As of Thursday , there are 18.9 million , according to Johns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in the USA .

Julia Thompson and Curtis Tate, USA TODAY

State Department lifts global advisory on avoiding international travel amid COVID-19 pandemic
Show Caption Hide Caption EU banning American travelers after post-COVID-19 reopening Americans will not be allowed to travel to EU countries when the bloc opens up to international visitors July 1. USA TODAY
The U.S. State Department lifted its advisory on avoiding international travel, put in place five months ago.
The agency said Thursday in a news release that lifting the global health advisory, issued at the highest alert level – 4 – March 19, was done in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"With health and safety conditions improving in some countries and potentially deteriorating in others, the Department is returning to our previous system of country-specific levels of travel advice ... in order to give travelers detailed and actionable information to make informed travel decisions," the release said.
The customary level 1 through 4 advisories for specific countries on Travel.State.gov provide more detailed information about specific conditions in individual countries.
"This will also provide U.S. citizens more detailed information about the current status in each country," the department said. "We continue to recommend U.S. citizens exercise caution when traveling abroad due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic."
As of Thursday, the State Department advised against travel to more than 50 countries designated by level 4, "do not travel" advisories. Those include countries with a high number of coronavirus cases, such as Brazil, India and Russia in addition to countries where there are other safety concerns. The department urged citizens to "reconsider travel" – with level 3 alerts – to many more.
"We are closely monitoring health and safety conditions across the globe, working in partnership with the CDC and other agencies," the State Department said Thursday. "As always, we will regularly update our destination-specific advice to U.S. travelers as conditions evolve."
The CDC also has a travel notice system and recommends against "nonessential travel" to much of the world.
Where can Americans even go?
The list of places where Americans can go isn't that extensive.
Several spots in the Caribbean and Mexico are welcoming guests again and drawing U.S. tourists as airlines resume and add flights. United Airlines said Friday it is adding flights to St. Thomas and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Bahamas touted its reopening July 1 but changed its mind a few weeks later because of an uptick in coronavirus cases in the USA. It banned commercial flights from the USA as of July 22.
The popular islands off the coast of Florida adjusted their stance again a week later, to allow U.S. travelers as long as they present a negative COVID-19 test and quarantine for 14 days, the latter of which still effectively rules out vacations. Southwest Airlines suspended its service to Nassau through October, American Airlines through August.
European countries reopened their borders, but most are off-limits to U.S. vacationers. A couple that welcome U.S. visitors: Croatia and Turkey.
Canada is off-limits as the border remains closed and only essential travel is permitted, even by air.
Keep these 6 things in mind: What to know before you book an international trip during the pandemic
The State Department's "do not travel" global travel warning came March 19, four days after it issued a level 3 advisory urging Americans to "reconsider travel."
At that time, there were about 380,000 COVID-19 cases worldwide. As of Thursday, there are 18.9 million, according to Johns Hopkins data, 4.9 million of which are in the USA.
Contributing: Dawn Gilbertson and Rasha Ali