usatoday--2020-07-05--The White House has sent conflicting messages on wearing masks and the new coronavirus cases

WASHINGTON — The country has seen an upward trend in coronavirus cases in several states experiencing record-breaking daily counts , and some local officials have halted their plans to reopen after lockdowns .
The United States has surpassed 2.8 million cases of coronavirus , according to Johns Hopkins University , with nearly 130,000 deaths .
But as states struggle with managing cases , administration officials have recently offered sometimes conflicting messaging on everything from if there is a surge to how individual people should respond .
Whose responsibility is it to encourage wearing masks ?
The president has resisted wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to much criticism from those who say he is setting a poor example for supporters and furthering the politicization wearing a mask .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany has stressed repeatedly that masks are a recommendation from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the administration , not a requirement , and that it is each individual 's choice whether to follow that recommendation .
`` CDC guidelines are still recommended , but not required , '' McEnany said Tuesday .
`` And the president is the most tested man in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether to wear a mask . ''
Jacksonville will require masks : New site for President Trump ’ s RNC speech will require masks in public , indoors Others in the administration , like White House counselor Kellyanne Conway , Vice President Mike Pence and the coronavirus task force , have urged people to wear masks .
Individuals should wear masks , Conway said , adding that local officials have not been doing enough to spread the word that masks must be worn and enforcing those rules .
`` People are not wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they 're not wearing masks because the president of the United States is not wearing a mask , '' Conway told reporters .
`` They 're not wearing a mask because nobody 's saying , 'Put the mask on . '
'' But at large-scale events with the president , mask-wearing has not been a requirement made either by local officials or the Trump campaign .
At Trump 's Tulsa , Okla. campaign rally—the first large campaign event since the start of pandemic lockdowns—the campaign said it provided free masks to attendees , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worn , which left many of the president 's supporters maskless that evening .
For Trump 's July 3 event at Mount Rushmore , South Dakota Gov .
Kristi Noem said masks would be provided but not required and social distancing would not be in effect .
Campaign official tests positive : Kimberly Guilfoyle , Donald Trump Jr. 's girlfriend , tests positive for coronavirus In recent days , several local and state officials have mandated masks outdoors and in public places , including in Jacksonville , Fla. , where the president is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican National Convention in late August .
Convention events were moved to Jacksonville after Trump slammed Charlotte , N.C. officials who would not commit to allowing a full convention because of the virus .
This week , Trump said he would be open to wearing one if he were in a crowd where social distancing was not possible .
`` If I were in a tight situation with people , I would absolutely , '' he said .
The next day , he appeared at a press briefing sans mask .
White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ routinely for the coronavirus , and that masks are intended to prevent the spreading of the virus rather than protection from getting it .
In mid-June , Pence penned an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal in which he argued there is no second wave of the coronavirus , and that the administration 's efforts to curb the virus ' spread were working .
States were opening in a `` safe and responsible manner , '' he said .
Soon after , though , cases were spiking again and multiple states hit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the measures taken .
In Texas , Gov .
Greg Abbott ordered the halting of indoor bar service and reduced maximum capacity for restaurants .
In Florida , bars are to stop serving alcohol .
The month of June in politics : Trump 's photo-op during protests outside the White House and other key political moments '' I think it ’ s pretty obvious that we are not going in the right direction , '' Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new infections could increase to 100,000 per day if the country doesn ’ t get its surge of cases under control , saying that several states may have moved “ too quickly ” in their reopenings .
Adm. Brett Giroir , assistant secretary for Health and Human Services who has overseen testing , also said Thursday that the U.S. is `` not flattening the curve right now .
The curve is still going up . ''
Does more testing equal more cases ?
Trump has said that the country 's recent rise in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount of testing being done , despite health officials ' assessments that there is really an increased spread in many areas as they have reopened .
At his Tulsa rally on June 20 , Trump claimed that he asked for coronavirus testing to be slowed down , calling testing a `` double-edged sword '' and arguing that more cases discovered made the U.S. look bad .
`` Here 's the bad part : When you do testing to that extent , you 're going to find more people , you 're going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` So I said to my people , 'Slow the testing down , please . '
'' More testing needed , experts say : At 550,000 coronavirus tests daily in the US , testing still far below level for safe reopening The day after his rally , though , White House trade adviser Peter Navarro claimed that Trump 's remarks were made in a `` light moment , '' and were `` tongue in cheek . ''
The same day , Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said his remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media 's focus on rising cases instead of testing capacity , but he was n't aware of any order from the president to slow testing .
Despite indications from his staffers that the comment about slowing testing was made in jest , Trump told reporters later that week , `` I do n't kid . ''
He has reiterated versions of the claim that increased testing leads to more cases many times .
`` Cases up only because of our big number testing .
Mortality rate way down !
!
! ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giroir told members of Congress on Thursday that the spikes reflect a true increase in coronavirus cases , rather than just an expansion of testing .
Experts point to an increase as states have relaxed their social distancing requirements and the virus spreads .

The White House has sent conflicting messages on wearing masks and the new coronavirus cases
Show Caption Hide Caption Mnuchin: Trump supports wearing masks Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told the White House press corps Thursday that President Trump supports Americans wearing masks to help stop the spread of COVID-19. (July 2) AP
WASHINGTON — The country has seen an upward trend in coronavirus cases in several states experiencing record-breaking daily counts, and some local officials have halted their plans to reopen after lockdowns.
The United States has surpassed 2.8 million cases of coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University, with nearly 130,000 deaths.
But as states struggle with managing cases, administration officials have recently offered sometimes conflicting messaging on everything from if there is a surge to how individual people should respond.
Whose responsibility is it to encourage wearing masks?
The president has resisted wearing a mask when in public places, to much criticism from those who say he is setting a poor example for supporters and furthering the politicization wearing a mask.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany has stressed repeatedly that masks are a recommendation from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the administration, not a requirement, and that it is each individual's choice whether to follow that recommendation.
"CDC guidelines are still recommended, but not required," McEnany said Tuesday. "And the president is the most tested man in America. It’s his decision whether to wear a mask."
Jacksonville will require masks: New site for President Trump’s RNC speech will require masks in public, indoors
Others in the administration, like White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, Vice President Mike Pence and the coronavirus task force, have urged people to wear masks.
Individuals should wear masks, Conway said, adding that local officials have not been doing enough to spread the word that masks must be worn and enforcing those rules.
"People are not wearing masks. And I don't think they're not wearing masks because the president of the United States is not wearing a mask," Conway told reporters. "They're not wearing a mask because nobody's saying, 'Put the mask on.'"
But at large-scale events with the president, mask-wearing has not been a requirement made either by local officials or the Trump campaign. At Trump's Tulsa, Okla. campaign rally—the first large campaign event since the start of pandemic lockdowns—the campaign said it provided free masks to attendees, but would not require them to be worn, which left many of the president's supporters maskless that evening.
Kellyanne Conway: "People are not wearing masks. And I don't think they're not wearing masks because the President of the United States is not wearing a mask. They're not wearing a mask because nobody's saying put the mask on." pic.twitter.com/xClIBni8D3 — The Hill (@thehill) July 2, 2020
For Trump's July 3 event at Mount Rushmore, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said masks would be provided but not required and social distancing would not be in effect.
Campaign official tests positive: Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr.'s girlfriend, tests positive for coronavirus
In recent days, several local and state officials have mandated masks outdoors and in public places, including in Jacksonville, Fla., where the president is scheduled to hold a rally during the Republican National Convention in late August. Convention events were moved to Jacksonville after Trump slammed Charlotte, N.C. officials who would not commit to allowing a full convention because of the virus.
This week, Trump said he would be open to wearing one if he were in a crowd where social distancing was not possible.
"If I were in a tight situation with people, I would absolutely," he said.
The next day, he appeared at a press briefing sans mask. White House officials have noted that Trump is tested routinely for the coronavirus, and that masks are intended to prevent the spreading of the virus rather than protection from getting it.
Is the curve flattening?
In mid-June, Pence penned an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal in which he argued there is no second wave of the coronavirus, and that the administration's efforts to curb the virus' spread were working.
States were opening in a "safe and responsible manner," he said.
Soon after, though, cases were spiking again and multiple states hit the brakes on their reopening plans or reversed some of the measures taken. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the halting of indoor bar service and reduced maximum capacity for restaurants. In Florida, bars are to stop serving alcohol.
The month of June in politics: Trump's photo-op during protests outside the White House and other key political moments
Coronavirus: Social distancing key to fighting COVID-19 Social distancing matters. Here is how to do it and how it can help curb the COVID-19 pandemic. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
"I think it’s pretty obvious that we are not going in the right direction," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Thursday.
Fauci has also predicted that new infections could increase to 100,000 per day if the country doesn’t get its surge of cases under control, saying that several states may have moved “too quickly” in their reopenings.
Adm. Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for Health and Human Services who has overseen testing, also said Thursday that the U.S. is "not flattening the curve right now. The curve is still going up."
Does more testing equal more cases?
Trump has said that the country's recent rise in coronavirus cases is due only to the amount of testing being done, despite health officials' assessments that there is really an increased spread in many areas as they have reopened.
At his Tulsa rally on June 20, Trump claimed that he asked for coronavirus testing to be slowed down, calling testing a "double-edged sword" and arguing that more cases discovered made the U.S. look bad.
"Here's the bad part: When you do testing to that extent, you're going to find more people, you're going to find more cases," Trump said. "So I said to my people, 'Slow the testing down, please.'"
More testing needed, experts say: At 550,000 coronavirus tests daily in the US, testing still far below level for safe reopening
The day after his rally, though, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro claimed that Trump's remarks were made in a "light moment," and were "tongue in cheek." The same day, Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said his remarks were made in "frustration" at the media's focus on rising cases instead of testing capacity, but he wasn't aware of any order from the president to slow testing.
Despite indications from his staffers that the comment about slowing testing was made in jest, Trump told reporters later that week, "I don't kid."
He has reiterated versions of the claim that increased testing leads to more cases many times.
Cases, Cases, Cases! If we didn’t test so much and so successfully, we would have very few cases. If you test 40,000,000 people, you are going to have many cases that, without the testing (like other countries), would not show up every night on the Fake Evening News..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 4, 2020
"Cases up only because of our big number testing. Mortality rate way down!!!" Trump tweeted on June 23.
But Giroir told members of Congress on Thursday that the spikes reflect a true increase in coronavirus cases, rather than just an expansion of testing. Experts point to an increase as states have relaxed their social distancing requirements and the virus spreads.


usatoday--2020-07-05--Prince William, Duchess Kate keep hands clean honoring health care workers for COVID response

Prince William and Duchess Kate showed solid hygiene practice while thanking Britain 's health care workers for their support in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic on Sunday .
The royals , both 38 , visited Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King 's Lynn , Norfolk , about 98 miles north of London , to mark the 72nd birthday of Britain 's National Health Service .
The duo shared afternoon tea during the outdoor visit aimed at thanking the hospital staff that has provided care to 450 coronavirus patients – and they took a break to apply more hand sanitizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by his kids : New photos mark his 38th birthday Will and Kate spoke to a group of staffers and volunteers that included retired NHS workers who returned to help during the COVID-19 health crisis .
The NHS , which provides free health care , was created on July 5 , 1948 .
On Saturday , Prince William marked another milestone in the country 's fight against the virus , visiting a village pub preparing to reopen as the national lockdown eases across England .
William was shown following social distancing measures at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Norfolk , declaring he was `` a cider man '' and ordering chips ( aka fries ) at the bar , according to the BBC .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson had ordered the U.K. 's 60,000 pubs to close 15 weeks ago to contain the coronavirus pandemic .
The pubs are open , but social distancing is mandatory and only table service is allowed .
'Nurture ourselves ' : 'Duchess Kate urges kids to be kind to themselves and others amid coronavirus changes

Prince William, Duchess Kate keep hands clean honoring health care workers for COVID response
Show Caption Hide Caption New photos released to celebrate Prince William on his birthday Can you spell adorable? Duchess Kate can and it looks a lot like her royal family. She released a couple photographs in honor of Father's Day. USA TODAY, Wochit
Prince William and Duchess Kate showed solid hygiene practice while thanking Britain's health care workers for their support in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic on Sunday.
The royals, both 38, visited Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn, Norfolk, about 98 miles north of London, to mark the 72nd birthday of Britain's National Health Service.
The duo shared afternoon tea during the outdoor visit aimed at thanking the hospital staff that has provided care to 450 coronavirus patients – and they took a break to apply more hand sanitizer for increased safety.
Prince William tackled by his kids: New photos mark his 38th birthday
And why no mask? The British government dictates that people travelling by bus, train, ferry or plane in England should wear a face covering to help reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission.
Will and Kate spoke to a group of staffers and volunteers that included retired NHS workers who returned to help during the COVID-19 health crisis. The NHS, which provides free health care, was created on July 5, 1948.
On Saturday, Prince William marked another milestone in the country's fight against the virus, visiting a village pub preparing to reopen as the national lockdown eases across England.
Today we mark the 72nd birthday of the NHS, in a year when it was needed more than ever as the nation responds to COVID-19.
Today, The Duke and Duchess visited the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn to thank staff for their efforts in helping their community. pic.twitter.com/4WCkugETFT — The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) July 5, 2020
William was shown following social distancing measures at the Rose and Crown pub in Snettisham, Norfolk, declaring he was "a cider man" and ordering chips (aka fries) at the bar, according to the BBC. Prime Minister Boris Johnson had ordered the U.K.'s 60,000 pubs to close 15 weeks ago to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
The pubs are open, but social distancing is mandatory and only table service is allowed.
'Nurture ourselves': 'Duchess Kate urges kids to be kind to themselves and others amid coronavirus changes


usatoday--2020-07-05--Trump to hold campaign rally in Portsmouth, N.H., as several states report jump in coronavirus cases

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump is returning to the campaign trail amid a spike in coronavirus cases across the country .
Trump ’ s campaign announced Sunday it will hold a Make America Great Again rally Saturday in Portsmouth , N.H .
The outdoor event will be held at Portsmouth International Airport , the campaign said .
`` We look forward to so many freedom-loving patriots coming to the rally and celebrating America , the greatest country in the history of the world , ” campaign spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement .
There will be “ ample access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the announcement said , “ and all attendees will be provided a face mask that they are strongly encouraged to wear.
” Biden 's big lead : ‘ Grim resolve ’ : Biden is up big and the Senate is in sight , but Democrats still haunted by fear of letdown The event will be the campaign ’ s first official rally since June 20 , when Trump spoke to a half-empty arena in Tulsa , Okla .
Eight of his campaign staffers at that event tested positive for coronavirus , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the advance team for that rally also tested positive .
Herman Cain , a GOP candidate for president in 2012 , attended the Tulsa rally and was hospitalized last week for coronavirus .
A number of states have pulled back on their plans to reopen following a surge in coronavirus cases across the country .
Several states , including Texas , Florida , Tennessee and North Carolina , recorded daily records of new coronavirus cases over the past week .
New Hampshire Gov .
Chris Sununu lifted a 14-day quarantine mandate for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday but said that visitors from other states will still be asked to quarantine for two weeks .
For the past three weeks , the state ’ s positive test rate for coronavirus has remained below the 5 % threshold recommended by the World Health Organization .
Michael Collins covers the White House .
Reach him on Twitter @ mcollinsNEWS .
Another celebrity candidate ?
: Kanye West says he 's running for president .
There is no evidence of that yet .

Trump to hold campaign rally in Portsmouth, N.H., as several states report jump in coronavirus cases
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WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump is returning to the campaign trail amid a spike in coronavirus cases across the country.
Trump’s campaign announced Sunday it will hold a Make America Great Again rally Saturday in Portsmouth, N.H. The outdoor event will be held at Portsmouth International Airport, the campaign said.
"We look forward to so many freedom-loving patriots coming to the rally and celebrating America, the greatest country in the history of the world,” campaign spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement.
There will be “ample access to hand sanitizer” at the event, the announcement said, “and all attendees will be provided a face mask that they are strongly encouraged to wear.”
Biden's big lead: ‘Grim resolve’: Biden is up big and the Senate is in sight, but Democrats still haunted by fear of letdown
The event will be the campaign’s first official rally since June 20, when Trump spoke to a half-empty arena in Tulsa, Okla. Eight of his campaign staffers at that event tested positive for coronavirus, and at least three Secret Service personnel working on the advance team for that rally also tested positive.
Herman Cain, a GOP candidate for president in 2012, attended the Tulsa rally and was hospitalized last week for coronavirus.
A number of states have pulled back on their plans to reopen following a surge in coronavirus cases across the country. Several states, including Texas, Florida, Tennessee and North Carolina, recorded daily records of new coronavirus cases over the past week.
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu lifted a 14-day quarantine mandate for all visitors from New England states last Thursday but said that visitors from other states will still be asked to quarantine for two weeks.
For the past three weeks, the state’s positive test rate for coronavirus has remained below the 5% threshold recommended by the World Health Organization.
Michael Collins covers the White House. Reach him on Twitter @mcollinsNEWS.
Another celebrity candidate?: Kanye West says he's running for president. There is no evidence of that yet.


usatoday--2020-07-05--Redskins coach Ron Rivera says name change for 2020 season would be 'awesome'

Even before a recent push by sponsors and investors for the Washington Redskins to change their nickname , new coach Ron Rivera says he and team owner Daniel Snyder were already discussing renaming the team .
In an interview with the Washington Post , Rivera said the change could happen within the next two months .
“ If we get it done in time for the season , it would be awesome , ” he said Saturday .
FedEx , the title sponsor of the team 's home stadium in Landover , Maryland , formally asked the team to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , the team issued a statement that it will undergo a `` thorough review '' of the nickname , which many Native Americans consider offensive .
Rivera said his discussions with Snyder have been going on for more than a month .
He added that Snyder began talking to NFL officials 2 1/2 weeks ago – an indication the man who once said he would `` NEVER '' change the team 's name may now be willing to do just that .
As for potential new nicknames , social media has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Snyder have also discussed several possibilities .
“ We came up with a couple of names .
Two of them I really like , ” Rivera said , without getting into specifics .
Rivera told the Post it 's important to be respectful of Native American culture and traditions , something he did n't understand before -- despite spending part of his childhood in the Washington area .
“ It was hard to fathom that it was in any way a racist thing , to be honest with you , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in perspective , there ’ s been a change .
”

Redskins coach Ron Rivera says name change for 2020 season would be 'awesome'
Show Caption Hide Caption How can Roger Goodell prove black lives matter in the NFL? USA TODAY Sports spoke with Seton Hall's Director of Sports Management Charles Grantham about Roger Goodell's video apology to the players. USA TODAY
Even before a recent push by sponsors and investors for the Washington Redskins to change their nickname, new coach Ron Rivera says he and team owner Daniel Snyder were already discussing renaming the team.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Rivera said the change could happen within the next two months.
“If we get it done in time for the season, it would be awesome,” he said Saturday.
FedEx, the title sponsor of the team's home stadium in Landover, Maryland, formally asked the team to make a change on Thursday. The following day, the team issued a statement that it will undergo a "thorough review" of the nickname, which many Native Americans consider offensive.
Rivera said his discussions with Snyder have been going on for more than a month. He added that Snyder began talking to NFL officials 2 1/2 weeks ago – an indication the man who once said he would "NEVER" change the team's name may now be willing to do just that.
As for potential new nicknames, social media has been flooded with suggestions. Rivera says he and Snyder have also discussed several possibilities.
“We came up with a couple of names. Two of them I really like,” Rivera said, without getting into specifics.
Rivera told the Post it's important to be respectful of Native American culture and traditions, something he didn't understand before -- despite spending part of his childhood in the Washington area.
“It was hard to fathom that it was in any way a racist thing, to be honest with you,” he said. “Now, putting it in perspective, there’s been a change.”


usatoday--2020-07-05--To play or not to play: MLB players face tough decisions amid coronavirus surge

PHOENIX — It was a gut-wrenching decision , one that weighed on Los Angeles Dodgers starter David Price for months , finding a balance between health concerns for his young family and the responsibility to his new teammates and fanbase .
Price couldn ’ t bear the thought of contracting COVID-19 and risking the health of his wife , 3-year-old son and 11-month old daughter .
He also recognized the fact that the Dodgers traded for him and former MVP outfielder Mookie Betts in February , and that without him in the starting rotation , it diminishes their chances of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It was the toughest decision I ’ ve had to make , ’ ’ Price told USA TODAY Sports in a text message , “ knowing I ’ m making the right decision for myself and my family .
We ’ ve been in conversation [ with the Dodgers ] for a long time about all of this.
’ ’ Price , a Cy Young winner and World Series hero is the biggest star to opt out this season .
He forfeits about $ 11.8 million in salary if the 60-game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maybe it ’ ll be nothing more than a procedural move , with several players openly wondering just three days into Spring Training 2.0 , how the season can possibly work , and whether they ’ re crazy for even trying ?
“ I think there ’ s still some doubt that we ’ re going to have a season now , ’ ’ St. Louis Cardinals reliever Andrew Miller , a member of the players union ’ s executive subcommittee , said Sunday .
“ By no means is this a slam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re going to give it our best effort , but for me to sit here and say 100 % would be a lie.
’ ’ Major League Baseball is expected to officially release its schedule Monday night , but with just 18 days before opening night – with the New York Yankees facing the Washington Nationals – no one can predict if there will even be a season , let alone which players will choose to play .
“ I think you ’ d be a little bit maybe naive or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going on around you , ’ ’ San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey said Saturday , “ not only here , but paying attention to what ’ s happening in different parts of the country .
Obviously , unprecedented times right now .
… “ I ’ d be surprised if you asked any player , if they gave you a hardline , ‘ No way , I ’ m not going to opt out ever ’ answer.
’ ’ There ’ s a growing sense of anxiety from players seeing the daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team , but also throughout baseball .
The Atlanta Braves , winners of back-to-back NL East titles , had four players – including perennial MVP candidate Freddie Freeman – test positive .
Teams like the Tampa Bay Rays have had six players missing from their workouts .
The Arizona Diamondbacks are missing two-thirds of their starting outfield .
Nationals closer Sean Doolittle openly expressed his frustration with the testing process , even stopping three minutes into his 30-minute Zoom press conference , to look at his cell phone .
He still was awaiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another test Sunday morning .
And he wants to know what happened to those N-95 masks and gloves that were supposed to be at each locker ?
“ We ’ ve got to clean that up , right ?
’ ’ he said .
“ So that ’ s one thing that makes me a little nervous.
’ ’ Little wonder why players are racked with the dilemma of trying to decide whether or not to play .
Players like Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun left behind his wife and three kids , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California .
Boston Red Sox first baseman Mitch Moreland said good-bye to his family in Georgia for the rest of the summer .
Doolittle and his wife , Eireann , an asthmatic , decided it would be safest to live apart until the season concludes .
“ To a lot of players , the opt-out provisions aren ’ t great , ’ ’ Doolittle said Sunday .
“ There ’ s a lot of players right now trying to make decisions that aren ’ t 100 % comfortable where things are at right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where I am .
I think I ’ m planning on playing , but at any point I can start to feel unsafe .
If it starts to take a toll on my mental health with all of these things we have to worry about this cloud of uncertainty hanging over everything , then I ’ ll opt out.
’ ’ Doolittle praised the Nationals training and medical staff , and saying the workout structure has been fine , but the uncertainty and anxiety has been grueling .
His cellphone is constantly beeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive , and others opting out .
“ It ’ s been weird man , it ’ s been really weird , ’ ’ he said .
“ My mental health is something that I ’ m really going to have to stay atop of .
I can already tell this is going to be a grind , mentally .
I may go crazy before anything else .
There ’ s this cloud of uncertainty .
You ’ re always kind of waiting for more bad news , like somebody in the league @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so-and-so broke protocol…..All of these things , and then just the procedures of the day , it ’ s a lot .
It ’ s very , very different .
“ And unfortunately , there ’ s not a long period of adjustments and there ’ s not a lot of room for error.
’ ’ 'DO THE RIGHT THING ' : MLB teams set to police themselves Certainly , no one is under more pressure than Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout , the best player in baseball .
He is trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this season , balancing the responsibility to his family and to the game .
Trout ’ s wife , Jessica , is expecting their first baby in August .
He is not missing the birth .
He is not missing the chance to hold his baby for the first time .
And , with exception of paternity leave , he really doesn ’ t want to miss the season , either .
“ I love baseball , but I have to do what ’ s right for my family , ’ ’ says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during his workouts .
“ It ’ s going to come down to how safe we ’ re going to be .
If there ’ s an outbreak , you definitely have to reconsider .
…It takes one guy to bring that into the clubhouse , and you know how contagious this virus is .
It ’ s going to be tough to contain.
” There will be plenty of more players who will spend the next few weeks determining whether they will play , knowing that if they opt out , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no right or wrong answer .
“ I understand why certain individuals will be possibly not very optimistic about this or just don ’ t feel comfortable , ’ ’ Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper said .
“ I was definitely in that boat as well before I came here thinking to myself , 'Should we go ?
Is this something that ’ s going to happen ?
’ Is something bad going to happen to my pregnant wife or my child or anybody else in the clubhouse or even our media or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s ok , too .
“ I ’ m very scared of everything , ’ ’ said Boston Red Sox All-Star J.D .
Martinez , who has asthma .
“ I ’ m excited to go out there and play .
I think my love for the game is going to outweigh my fear once I get out there.
’ ’ The fear won ’ t ever completely go away .
Certainly , in spring training .
Not during the season .
Not until there ’ s a vaccine .
If the season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it will need help from more than just the guys wearing a uniform .
“ We ’ re trying to bring baseball back during a pandemic that ’ s killed 130,000 people , ’ ’ he said .
“ We ’ re way worse off as a country than we were in March when we shut this thing down .
And like , look at where other developed countries are their response to this .
We haven ’ t done any of the things that other countries have done to bring sports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a functioning society .
... “ We need help from the general public .
If they want to watch baseball , please wear a mask , social distance , keep washing your hands .
’ ’

To play or not to play: MLB players face tough decisions amid coronavirus surge
Show Caption Hide Caption MLB stars are opting out of season and we'll likely see others follow SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Gabe Lacques discusses players like Ryan Zimmerman and Joe Ross opting to sit out the MLB season and why there are certainly others who will choose the same path. USA TODAY
PHOENIX — It was a gut-wrenching decision, one that weighed on Los Angeles Dodgers starter David Price for months, finding a balance between health concerns for his young family and the responsibility to his new teammates and fanbase.
Price couldn’t bear the thought of contracting COVID-19 and risking the health of his wife, 3-year-old son and 11-month old daughter.
He also recognized the fact that the Dodgers traded for him and former MVP outfielder Mookie Betts in February, and that without him in the starting rotation, it diminishes their chances of winning their first World Series since 1988.
“It was the toughest decision I’ve had to make,’’ Price told USA TODAY Sports in a text message, “knowing I’m making the right decision for myself and my family. We’ve been in conversation [with the Dodgers] for a long time about all of this.’’
Price, a Cy Young winner and World Series hero is the biggest star to opt out this season. He forfeits about $11.8 million in salary if the 60-game season is completed.
Who knows, maybe it’ll be nothing more than a procedural move, with several players openly wondering just three days into Spring Training 2.0, how the season can possibly work, and whether they’re crazy for even trying?
“I think there’s still some doubt that we’re going to have a season now,’’ St. Louis Cardinals reliever Andrew Miller, a member of the players union’s executive subcommittee, said Sunday. “By no means is this a slam dunk. We’re trying, we’re going to give it our best effort, but for me to sit here and say 100% would be a lie.’’
Major League Baseball is expected to officially release its schedule Monday night, but with just 18 days before opening night – with the New York Yankees facing the Washington Nationals – no one can predict if there will even be a season, let alone which players will choose to play.
“I think you’d be a little bit maybe naive or silly not to gauge what’s going on around you,’’ San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey said Saturday, “not only here, but paying attention to what’s happening in different parts of the country. Obviously, unprecedented times right now. …
“I’d be surprised if you asked any player, if they gave you a hardline, ‘No way, I’m not going to opt out ever’ answer.’’
There’s a growing sense of anxiety from players seeing the daily positive tests on not only their own team, but also throughout baseball. The Atlanta Braves, winners of back-to-back NL East titles, had four players – including perennial MVP candidate Freddie Freeman – test positive. Teams like the Tampa Bay Rays have had six players missing from their workouts. The Arizona Diamondbacks are missing two-thirds of their starting outfield.
Nationals closer Sean Doolittle openly expressed his frustration with the testing process, even stopping three minutes into his 30-minute Zoom press conference, to look at his cell phone. He still was awaiting his test results from Friday after taking another test Sunday morning. And he wants to know what happened to those N-95 masks and gloves that were supposed to be at each locker?
“We’ve got to clean that up, right? ’’ he said. “So that’s one thing that makes me a little nervous.’’
But we need help to make this work. Faster test results, PPE for high risk individuals and players/staff with high risk family members. The individual efforts have been great so far but we can’t rely solely on individuals. The efforts have to be structural as well. — Obi-Sean Kenobi Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) July 5, 2020
Little wonder why players are racked with the dilemma of trying to decide whether or not to play. Players like Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun left behind his wife and three kids, including a one-month old son, in California. Boston Red Sox first baseman Mitch Moreland said good-bye to his family in Georgia for the rest of the summer. Doolittle and his wife, Eireann, an asthmatic, decided it would be safest to live apart until the season concludes.
“To a lot of players, the opt-out provisions aren’t great,’’ Doolittle said Sunday. “There’s a lot of players right now trying to make decisions that aren’t 100% comfortable where things are at right now. That’s kind of where I am. I think I’m planning on playing, but at any point I can start to feel unsafe. If it starts to take a toll on my mental health with all of these things we have to worry about this cloud of uncertainty hanging over everything, then I’ll opt out.’’
Doolittle praised the Nationals training and medical staff, and saying the workout structure has been fine, but the uncertainty and anxiety has been grueling. His cellphone is constantly beeping with updates from teammates and friends testing positive, and others opting out.
“It’s been weird man, it’s been really weird,’’ he said. “My mental health is something that I’m really going to have to stay atop of. I can already tell this is going to be a grind, mentally. I may go crazy before anything else. There’s this cloud of uncertainty. You’re always kind of waiting for more bad news, like somebody in the league tested positive or somebody opted out or so-and-so broke protocol…..All of these things, and then just the procedures of the day , it’s a lot. It’s very, very different.
“And unfortunately, there’s not a long period of adjustments and there’s not a lot of room for error.’’
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Certainly, no one is under more pressure than Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout, the best player in baseball.
He is trying to decide whether or not to play this season, balancing the responsibility to his family and to the game.
Trout’s wife, Jessica, is expecting their first baby in August. He is not missing the birth. He is not missing the chance to hold his baby for the first time.
And, with exception of paternity leave, he really doesn’t want to miss the season, either.
“I love baseball, but I have to do what’s right for my family,’’ says Trout, who has worn a mask during his workouts. “It’s going to come down to how safe we’re going to be. If there’s an outbreak, you definitely have to reconsider. …It takes one guy to bring that into the clubhouse, and you know how contagious this virus is. It’s going to be tough to contain.”
There will be plenty of more players who will spend the next few weeks determining whether they will play, knowing that if they opt out, they can’t return.
There is no right or wrong answer.
“I understand why certain individuals will be possibly not very optimistic about this or just don’t feel comfortable,’’ Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper said . “I was definitely in that boat as well before I came here thinking to myself, 'Should we go? Is this something that’s going to happen?’ Is something bad going to happen to my pregnant wife or my child or anybody else in the clubhouse or even our media or somebody else?...
“I feel safe.’’
Others don’t.
And that’s ok, too.
“I’m very scared of everything,’’ said Boston Red Sox All-Star J.D. Martinez, who has asthma. “I’m excited to go out there and play. I think my love for the game is going to outweigh my fear once I get out there.’’
The fear won’t ever completely go away. Certainly, in spring training. Not during the season. Not until there’s a vaccine.
If the season is to be played, Doolittle says, it will need help from more than just the guys wearing a uniform.
“We’re trying to bring baseball back during a pandemic that’s killed 130,000 people,’’ he said. “We’re way worse off as a country than we were in March when we shut this thing down. And like, look at where other developed countries are their response to this. We haven’t done any of the things that other countries have done to bring sports back. Sports are like the reward of a functioning society. ...
“We need help from the general public. If they want to watch baseball, please wear a mask, social distance, keep washing your hands.’’


usatoday--2020-07-05--South Carolina nightclub shooting leaves 2 dead, 8 hurt

GREENVILLE , S.C. – Two people are dead and eight are injured after a predawn Sunday shooting at Lavish Lounge , a bar and nightclub in Greenville County , South Carolina .
A Greenville County Sheriff 's Office deputy driving in the area just before 2 a.m. local time noticed a `` disturbance '' at the nightclub and called for emergency backup because of active gunfire inside the building , according to Lt. Jimmy Bolt .
County deputies , officers from the Greenville Police Department and troopers from the state Highway Patrol responded and found multiple gunshot victims inside .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the club in personal vehicles , Bolt said .
Greenville County Coroner Parks Evans Jr. identified the dead as 23-year-old Mykala Bell of Greenville and 51-year-old Clarence Sterling Johnson of Duncan .
The people who are hurt have a range of injuries , some minor and some critical .
All of the injured are being treated at Prisma Health Upstate 's Greenville Memorial Hospital , investigators said .
Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis said at a Sunday press conference that the shootings are `` probably gang related . ''
He said there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including some who are `` known gang members . ''
No descriptions of them have been made public .
Club was in violation of coronavirus emergency orders , sheriff 's office says Rapper Foogiano posted on social media late Saturday night that he was going to perform at Lavish Lounge .
`` Greenville y'all ready !
? ''
reads a post from his Instagram account that was still visible Sunday morning .
Sheriff Lewis said Sunday that after watching surveillance footage from the incident , investigators believe people involved with the club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting but that the performer himself was not part of the violence .
Lewis said investigators are still working to determine what happened in the moments before the shooting began .
`` We 're hearing about five different stories , '' he said .
Lewis said the investigation indicates there were about 200 people inside the club at the time of the shooting — more than the maximum capacity allowed in the business during emergency restrictions that are in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Gov .
Henry McMaster has ordered nightclubs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sheriff 's Office is working to confirm that the club did not have a special exemption to the order .
Lewis said he would work with the State Law Enforcement Division and the state Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation on the possibility of getting the club 's license revoked .
Woman says her son was one of the shooting victims One of the onlookers near the club Sunday , Margaret Spurgeon , said she 'd just come from the hospital where her son was admitted after being grazed by a bullet in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ works there .
She said the club is a place people come to gather and hang out .
`` It 's not a troubled spot , '' Spurgeon said .
But Lewis told The Greenville News of the USA TODAY Network that Lavish Lounge has a history of crime and a large volume of calls for service .
The Greenville News is seeking information and documents related to previous times officers have responded to the club .
`` There have been shootings here before , some fights here before and that kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're talking about 10 people shot in one place , within minutes' More than seven hours after the shooting , investigators and forensics units were still at the club collecting and cataloging evidence , including multiple shell casings and attendees personal belongings that were scattered throughout the venue .
Lewis said there is `` a large amount of blood '' inside the club and `` a lot of spent rounds '' of ammunition .
`` There 's a lot to be collected in there , for sure , '' he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it 's not typical at all .
I mean , we 're talking about 10 people shot in one place , within minutes .
There 's nothing typical about this at all . ''
Greenville resident Markeese Brand said he works part-time at Lavish Lounge as security but was not there Saturday night .
`` It 's shocking , but at the same time we got the coronavirus , people are not working ... they want to get out of the house , '' Brand said .
`` So you 've got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the club and enjoy themselves , and then this happens ... in the blink of an eye . ''
Mike Riley , who has lived in a home near Lavish Lounge for the past 18 months , said he was awakened early Sunday by the sound of gunfire .
 '' I was in bed , and all of the sudden you hear pop , pop , pop , pow , '' said Riley .
He said he heard four or five gunshots .
Gunfire at neighboring club the day before The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there was a separate shooting Saturday at nearby Dolce .
A security guard was injured in the shooting at Dulce , and that case remains under investigation .
A sign outside Dolce describes the business as a as a bistro , hookah bar and lounge .
It sits on the other side of Fuji Steak & Seafood , which is next to Lavish Lounge .
Bolt said investigators are interviewing witnesses and will look for connections between the two weekend shootings .
Colleges are racing to create ' a new sense of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 testing be enough ?
Columbus statue comes down : Protesters tore down , threw a statue of Christopher Columbus into Baltimore 's Inner Harbor

Zoe Nicholson, Nikie Mayo and Kirk Brown, Greenville News

South Carolina nightclub shooting leaves 2 dead, 8 hurt
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Two people are dead and eight are injured after a predawn Sunday shooting at Lavish Lounge, a bar and nightclub in Greenville County, South Carolina.
A Greenville County Sheriff's Office deputy driving in the area just before 2 a.m. local time noticed a "disturbance" at the nightclub and called for emergency backup because of active gunfire inside the building, according to Lt. Jimmy Bolt.
County deputies, officers from the Greenville Police Department and troopers from the state Highway Patrol responded and found multiple gunshot victims inside. Some had already been taken away from the club in personal vehicles, Bolt said.
Greenville County Coroner Parks Evans Jr. identified the dead as 23-year-old Mykala Bell of Greenville and 51-year-old Clarence Sterling Johnson of Duncan.
The people who are hurt have a range of injuries, some minor and some critical. All of the injured are being treated at Prisma Health Upstate's Greenville Memorial Hospital, investigators said.
Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis said at a Sunday press conference that the shootings are "probably gang related." He said there is a search for at least two suspects, including some who are "known gang members." No descriptions of them have been made public.
Club was in violation of coronavirus emergency orders, sheriff's office says
Rapper Foogiano posted on social media late Saturday night that he was going to perform at Lavish Lounge.
"Greenville y'all ready!?" reads a post from his Instagram account that was still visible Sunday morning.
Sheriff Lewis said Sunday that after watching surveillance footage from the incident, investigators believe people involved with the club's performing artist were involved in the shooting but that the performer himself was not part of the violence.
Lewis said investigators are still working to determine what happened in the moments before the shooting began. "We're hearing about five different stories," he said.
Lewis said the investigation indicates there were about 200 people inside the club at the time of the shooting — more than the maximum capacity allowed in the business during emergency restrictions that are in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Henry McMaster has ordered nightclubs shut down, and Lewis said the Sheriff's Office is working to confirm that the club did not have a special exemption to the order.
Lewis said he would work with the State Law Enforcement Division and the state Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation on the possibility of getting the club's license revoked.
Woman says her son was one of the shooting victims
One of the onlookers near the club Sunday, Margaret Spurgeon, said she'd just come from the hospital where her son was admitted after being grazed by a bullet in the shooting.
Spurgeon said her son works there. She said the club is a place people come to gather and hang out.
"It's not a troubled spot," Spurgeon said.
But Lewis told The Greenville News of the USA TODAY Network that Lavish Lounge has a history of crime and a large volume of calls for service. The Greenville News is seeking information and documents related to previous times officers have responded to the club.
"There have been shootings here before, some fights here before and that kind of thing," Lewis said.
'We're talking about 10 people shot in one place, within minutes'
More than seven hours after the shooting, investigators and forensics units were still at the club collecting and cataloging evidence, including multiple shell casings and attendees personal belongings that were scattered throughout the venue.
Lewis said there is "a large amount of blood" inside the club and "a lot of spent rounds" of ammunition.
"There's a lot to be collected in there, for sure," he said. "Anytime you see this amount of violence, it's not typical at all. I mean, we're talking about 10 people shot in one place, within minutes. There's nothing typical about this at all."
Greenville resident Markeese Brand said he works part-time at Lavish Lounge as security but was not there Saturday night.
"It's shocking, but at the same time we got the coronavirus, people are not working... they want to get out of the house," Brand said. "So you've got innocent people who want to step out to the club and enjoy themselves, and then this happens... in the blink of an eye."
Mike Riley, who has lived in a home near Lavish Lounge for the past 18 months, said he was awakened early Sunday by the sound of gunfire.
"I was in bed, and all of the sudden you hear pop, pop, pop, pow," said Riley. He said he heard four or five gunshots.

Gunfire at neighboring club the day before
The day before the shooting at Lavish Lounge, there was a separate shooting Saturday at nearby Dolce. A security guard was injured in the shooting at Dulce, and that case remains under investigation.
A sign outside Dolce describes the business as a as a bistro, hookah bar and lounge. It sits on the other side of Fuji Steak & Seafood, which is next to Lavish Lounge.
Bolt said investigators are interviewing witnesses and will look for connections between the two weekend shootings.
Follow reporter Zoe Nicholson on Twitter: @zoenicholson_
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usatoday--2020-07-05--Fourth of July fireworks show turns for the worse into massive explosion

A Fourth of July fireworks show in Brownwood , Texas went horribly wrong as the fireworks exploded and caused the @ @ @ @ @ .

Fourth of July fireworks show turns into fiery explosion
A Fourth of July fireworks show in Brownwood, Texas went horribly wrong as the fireworks exploded and caused the dock to catch on fire.
USA TODAY, Wochit


usatoday--2020-03-04--Dog with one eye, two legs is town celebrity-

Dog with one eye , two legs is town celebrity- The fact that he survived has been called a miracle @ @ @ @ @ he ended up with the family he did might be a greater one .

Dog with one eye, two legs is town celebrity-
The fact that he survived has been called a miracle, but the fact that he ended up with the family he did might be a greater one.
Animalkind, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-07-05--Kanye West announces on Fourth of July he's running for president of the United States

Kanye West says on 4th of July that he 's running for president in 2020 Kanye West sent out a @ @ @ @ @ for a `` unified vision '' as he announced he 's running for president in @ @

Kanye West says on 4th of July that he's running for president in 2020
Kanye West sent out a tweet on Independence Day calling for a "unified vision" as he announced he's running for president in 2020.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-07-06--Remembering Nick Cordero: Amanda Kloots' most memorable quotes on keeping faith amid tragedy

Amanda Kloots did more than just manage to keep her nearly 450,000 Instagram followers up to date on husband Nick Cordero 's coronavirus battle – she offered unwavering positivity to those who needed inspiration amid uncertain times .
Cordero , the Broadway actor who found a multitude of new worldwide fans who rallied behind him as he struggled with the coronavirus , died Sunday at age 41 .
Kloots , who confirmed Cordero 's death Sunday on Instagram , wrote that her husband `` was surrounded in love by his family , singing and praying as he gently left this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in disbelief and hurting everywhere .
My heart is broken as I can not imagine our lives without him , '' she wrote .
`` Nick was such a bright light . ''
Kloots , a celebrity fitness trainer , kept her social media followers well-informed through Cordero 's battle , offering video updates via her Instagram story about how her husband was doing and how she was feeling during his ups and downs .
Obituary : Broadway star Nick Cordero dies at 41 after coronavirus struggle highlighted by wife Amanda Kloots These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finding silver linings and persevering through difficult times .
`` People may look at me like I ’ m crazy .
They may think that I don ’ t fully understand his condition because I ’ m smiling and singing in his room everyday .
I ’ m just not going to mope around and feel sad for myself or him .
That is not what Nick would want me to do .
That is not my personality .
I fight and I will continue to fight for Nick every single day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen ! ''
On hoping for the best while being told to prepare for the worst '' They told me four times that he wo n't survive .
Sometimes even he wo n't survive through he night , but he has .
Do n't get me wrong , I have my days , but I have to stay determined , I have to stay positive , I have to stay strong for my husband .
He 's fighting , I see it everyday ... as long as he 's in there and fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him . ''
Giving herself a pep-talk while watching her husband fight for his life '' I just think about him , and I think about how tired and exhausted he must be , and it helps me to be like , 'OK if he can do it , I can do this . '
I can keep fighting , I can keep hoping , I can keep cheering him on , I can keep singing . ''
Sharing a memory of Cordero staying positive during her 52-hourlong labor process with son Elvis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nick says , 'Honey listen to our baby cry .
That cry will never sound as sweet as it does right now . '
And I 'll never forget that line .
I just thought it was such a beautiful line .
And he 's right : That cry has never sounded that good ever again , but I 've recorded Elvis crying and I do play it for Nick . ''
On struggling to find the silver lining some days I acknowledge the day I had .
It 's OK .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mad and say it 's not fair .
I will keep my faith and keep asking for miracles .
I will put my armor back on and walk taller tomorrow .
I will do the best I can do and make myself as big as I can .
I broke today .
I 'll be back tomorrow . ''
Why others should take the coronavirus seriously '' This is my reminder to you to stay safe , wear your mask , wash your hands , social distance and don ’ t leave your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t want this virus .
You don ’ t want your loved one to get this virus .
It ’ s still here and unfortunately increasing again .
I never thought Nick or I would get COVID and we both thought of we did we would be able to stay at home and recover .
Nick is 41 years old , in shape and had no preexisting health conditions ... My heart breaks for him everyday .
Please be safe . ''
To those criticizing her for continuing to work while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's a lot in my life that is uncertain right now .
I have a family , I have bills .
I have no idea what Nick 's hospital bills are going to be .
I have n't even tried to wrap my head around that yet , but I have a mortgage , I have a car payment , I have a son that is one years old that I want to send to college one day , or at least give him whatever I can .
So I will work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will continue to create and I 'll continue to try to share that with people and I hope and pray that you support me in that and not only me , any woman that is trying to work for her family . ''
`` I am still praying for a miracle .
Sometimes that prayer is answered in the way we ask and sometimes it 's answered in a way we could never understand .
Faith is a beautiful thing but ( also ) a hard thing .
True faith comes in times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his plan and his will .
In that , I find peace always . ''
Thanking fans who showed support for Kloots and Cordero during his 95-day hospital stay '' You have no idea how much you lifted my spirits at 3pm everyday as the world sang Nicks song , Live Your Life .
We sang it to him today , holding his hands .
As I sang the last line to him , 'they ’ ll give you hell but don ’ t you light them kill your light not without a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I smiled because he definitely put up a fight .
I will love you forever and always my sweet man . ''

Remembering Nick Cordero: Amanda Kloots' most memorable quotes on keeping faith amid tragedy
Show Caption Hide Caption Broadway star Nick Cordero dies after battle with COVID-19 Tony nominated actor Nick Cordero spent months fighting the virus. USA TODAY, Wochit
Amanda Kloots did more than just manage to keep her nearly 450,000 Instagram followers up to date on husband Nick Cordero's coronavirus battle – she offered unwavering positivity to those who needed inspiration amid uncertain times.
Cordero, the Broadway actor who found a multitude of new worldwide fans who rallied behind him as he struggled with the coronavirus, died Sunday at age 41.
Kloots, who confirmed Cordero's death Sunday on Instagram, wrote that her husband "was surrounded in love by his family, singing and praying as he gently left this earth."
"I am in disbelief and hurting everywhere. My heart is broken as I cannot imagine our lives without him," she wrote. "Nick was such a bright light."
Kloots, a celebrity fitness trainer, kept her social media followers well-informed through Cordero's battle, offering video updates via her Instagram story about how her husband was doing and how she was feeling during his ups and downs.
More: Teary Amanda Kloots sings 'Live Your Life' with fans one last time after Nick Cordero dies
Obituary: Broadway star Nick Cordero dies at 41 after coronavirus struggle highlighted by wife Amanda Kloots
These are some of her best quotes about finding silver linings and persevering through difficult times.
Amanda Kloots on finding 'silver linings' after tragedy
"I have always been lucky to have a family that loves to be together and to support each other. I’m even luckier to have Nick's family and extended family that are the same," she wrote the day after Cordero's death, sharing a video on Instagram that "captures these last 95 days. The love, the exhaustion, the bonds, the smiles, the song, the exercise, the hard work, the care, support and most of all love. They did all of this for Nick, Elvis and I- selfless time from their lives to be with us. In times of trauma, look for the silver linings. Spend time with family. Smile through the tears. Have faith when things seem impossible. Love one another."
On smiling and singing through challenges
"People may look at me like I’m crazy. They may think that I don’t fully understand his condition because I’m smiling and singing in his room everyday. I’m just not going to mope around and feel sad for myself or him. That is not what Nick would want me to do. That is not my personality. I fight and I will continue to fight for Nick every single day. With God on our side anything can happen!"
On hoping for the best while being told to prepare for the worst
"They told me four times that he won't survive. Sometimes even he won't survive through he night, but he has. Don't get me wrong, I have my days, but I have to stay determined, I have to stay positive, I have to stay strong for my husband. He's fighting, I see it everyday... as long as he's in there and fighting, I'll continue to fight with him."
Giving herself a pep-talk while watching her husband fight for his life
"I just think about him, and I think about how tired and exhausted he must be, and it helps me to be like, 'OK if he can do it, I can do this.' I can keep fighting, I can keep hoping, I can keep cheering him on, I can keep singing."
Sharing a memory of Cordero staying positive during her 52-hourlong labor process with son Elvis
"(Elvis) starts crying and Nick says, 'Honey listen to our baby cry. That cry will never sound as sweet as it does right now.' And I'll never forget that line. I just thought it was such a beautiful line. And he's right: That cry has never sounded that good ever again, but I've recorded Elvis crying and I do play it for Nick."
'Devastating': Lin-Manuel Miranda, Zach Braff react to Broadway star Nick Cordero's coronavirus death
On struggling to find the silver lining some days
"I acknowledge the day I had. It's OK. It's OK to cry, to get mad and say it's not fair. I will keep my faith and keep asking for miracles. I will put my armor back on and walk taller tomorrow. I will do the best I can do and make myself as big as I can. I broke today. I'll be back tomorrow."
Why others should take the coronavirus seriously
"This is my reminder to you to stay safe, wear your mask, wash your hands, social distance and don’t leave your home unless you have to. You don’t want this virus. You don’t want your loved one to get this virus. It’s still here and unfortunately increasing again. I never thought Nick or I would get COVID and we both thought of we did we would be able to stay at home and recover. Nick is 41 years old, in shape and had no preexisting health conditions... My heart breaks for him everyday. Please be safe."
To those criticizing her for continuing to work while Cordero was in the hospital
"There's a lot in my life that is uncertain right now. I have a family, I have bills. I have no idea what Nick's hospital bills are going to be. I haven't even tried to wrap my head around that yet, but I have a mortgage, I have a car payment, I have a son that is one years old that I want to send to college one day, or at least give him whatever I can. So I will work, I will continue to work, I will continue to create and I'll continue to try to share that with people and I hope and pray that you support me in that and not only me, any woman that is trying to work for her family."
On keeping her faith
"I am still praying for a miracle. Sometimes that prayer is answered in the way we ask and sometimes it's answered in a way we could never understand. Faith is a beautiful thing but (also) a hard thing. True faith comes in times where we must trust in God, his plan and his will. In that, I find peace always."
Thanking fans who showed support for Kloots and Cordero during his 95-day hospital stay
"You have no idea how much you lifted my spirits at 3pm everyday as the world sang Nicks song, Live Your Life. We sang it to him today, holding his hands. As I sang the last line to him, 'they’ll give you hell but don’t you light them kill your light not without a fight. Live your life,' I smiled because he definitely put up a fight. I will love you forever and always my sweet man."
Contributing: Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY.


usatoday--2020-07-06--Coronavirus updates: 112 Washington fraternity students infected; Broadway actor Nick Cordero dies;

Coronavirus updates: 112 Washington fraternity students infected; Broadway actor Nick Cordero dies; Michigan reports zero deaths

An outbreak at a fraternity at the University of Washington has left more than 100 people positive for the coronavirus .
Broadway actor Nick Cordero , who was hospitalized for more than 90 days after contracting the coronavirus , died Sunday .
`` I am in disbelief and hurting everywhere .
My heart is broken as I can not imagine our lives without him , '' his wife Amanda Kloots confirmed on Instagram .
`` Nick was such a bright light . ''
The state of Michigan reported zero COVID-19 death for the first time since mid-March .
Meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than tripling the total number of coronavirus cases since its Phase 2 reopening began last month .
Here are some recent developments : • The University of Washington announced Sunday that at least 112 fraternity students tested positive for the coronavirus , bringing the total up to 121 .
• Airbnb added new booking restrictions for renters under the age of 25 to prevent house parties as cases multiply across the country .
• Economists estimate a slow recovery despite a record of 4.8 million jobs added to the economy in June .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen more than 2.8 million confirmed cases and more than 129,000 deaths , according to John Hopkins University data .
Globally , there have been almost 11.5 million cases and more than 530,000 deaths .
📰 What we 're reading : Feeling whiplash over reopenings ?
You are n't alone .
At least 21 states have halted their plans to reopen as coronavirus cases surge across the U.S. Reopening , pausing , shutting down may be our new reality – and the frustration is real .
Our live blog will be updated throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sign up for The Daily Briefing .
Pandemic driving low-income students out of school , into workforce The number of high school seniors applying for U.S. federal college aid plunged as schools started sending students home in the spring , with the number of new applications falling by nearly half compared to last year ’ s levels , according to an Associated Press analysis of federal data .
The most precipitous decline was among students at low-income schools .
Experts say thousands of students may be opting to delay or forgo college .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the summer to see how much financial aid they could receive .
“ The consequences are that kids are going directly into the workforce , ” said David Nieslanik , principal of Southridge High School in Beaverton , Oregon .
`` They ’ re closing the door on post-high school learning . ''
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals on Monday announced initiation of `` late-stage clinical trials '' for its cocktail for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 .
The Phase 3 trial , being run jointly with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 sites and is expected to enroll 2,000 patients in the U.S. , Regeneron said in a statement .
A separate trial is testing the cocktail on patients already being treated for the disease .
No timeline for possible release of the drug was provided .
`` We are pleased to collaborate with NIAID to study REGN-COV2 in our quest to further prevent the spread of the virus with an antiviral antibody cocktail that could be available much sooner than a vaccine , '' said George Yancopoulos , president and chief scientific officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to surge in many states , the process of easing restrictions , then slamming them back in place could be America 's new tumultuous reality – one that threatens the psyche of many , experts say .
At least 21 states have paused their plans to reopen their economies , just weeks after unveiling those measures as the nation started to emerge from strict quarantine measures and stay-at-home orders .
These stops and starts can trigger feelings of frustration and fatigue and leave people feeling overwhelmed .
“ This is very confusing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Dr. Ogbonnaya Omenka , assistant professor of public health at Butler University , told USA TODAY .
`` We are reaping the fruits of those mixed messages . ''
Hajj , usually drawing 2.5M Muslim pilgrims , will be limited to 1,000 The annual Hajj pilgrimage to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina that usually draws more than 2 million pilgrims from around the world will be limited to about 1,000 pilgrims , Saudi Arabia said Monday .
No foreign pilgrims will be allowed into the country for the weeklong ritual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to start July 28 , is a requirement for all physically and financially able Muslims at least once in their lifetime .
Face masks will be mandatory , and touching or kissing the Kaaba , the holiest site in Islam , will be banned .
At least 112 fraternity students at the University of Washington have tested positive for COVID-19 , bringing the total number of students infected to 121 , officials announced Sunday .
The nine additional students who tested positive were close contacts of the students , but do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ university and the Seattle and King County Public Health Department said in a joint statement .
The outbreak was first announced on June 30 with at least 38 confirmed cases of students living in 10 fraternity houses .
That number spiked to 89 positive cases on July 3 .
The school has a `` pop-up '' testing site near Greek Row that had conducted nearly 1,300 tests as of the weekend .
Residents of Greek houses and others in the community have also sought testing at other nearby sites , the statement said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three months in ICU Nick Cordero , the Broadway actor who found a multitude of new worldwide fans who rallied behind him as he struggled with the coronavirus , died Sunday at age 41 .
Cordero was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles in late March for what was initially thought to be pneumonia .
A first coronavirus test came up negative , though a subsequent test was positive for COVID-19 .
Over the course of 13 weeks , he faced a multitude of serious complications , including a leg amputation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insertion of a temporary pacemaker .
`` I am in disbelief and hurting everywhere .
My heart is broken as I can not imagine our lives without him , '' his wife Amanda Kloots wrote in an Instagram post .
`` Nick was such a bright light . ''
Airbnb is taking steps to reduce `` unauthorized house parties '' thrown by guests in rental homes .
The San Francisco-based lodging company says it sent guidelines to U.S. hosts to `` protect the safety of our community '' as coronavirus cases rage throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. guests under the age of 25 who have less than three positive reviews and any negative reviews will be restricted from booking entire homes in areas close to where they live .
They will be allowed to book `` any type of listing outside their local area '' and can book private rooms and hotel rooms anywhere .
`` Reducing the number of unauthorized house parties on Airbnb has always been a priority , and it ’ s more important now than ever , '' the release read .
`` We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible travel in the United States . ''
The big rebound from the steepest job losses in U.S. history has gotten off to a roaring start , with a record 4.8 million jobs added to the economy in June , following 2.7 million gains the prior month .
But the comeback is likely to slow significantly in the months ahead , economists say .
“ We expect the recovery from here will be a lot bumpier and job gains to be more muted , ” says economist Michael Pearce of Capital Economics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Macroeconomics , thinks it ’ s even possible payrolls could decline in July and August .
The biggest stumbling block is that 21 states , largely in the South and West , have paused or reversed their reopening plans amid a spike in cases .
Many opened sooner than health guidelines dictated .
New U.S. coronavirus cases passed 50,000 this week , a single-day record .
Michigan reports zero deaths for first time since mid-March For the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic , Michigan has reported no new coronavirus-related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 343 more coronavirus cases to its tally Sunday .
The state total is now 65,876 confirmed cases with 5,972 deaths , according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services .
Over the past few weeks , the Milwaukee Bucks have been utilizing their practice facility for individual workouts ahead of the NBA 's planned restart at the end of July .
Those workouts ramped up last week as all of the team 's players returned to Milwaukee for scheduled , socially distanced workouts .
Now , it 's unlikely those workouts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their practice facility Sunday after receiving the results of Friday 's coronavirus testing , according to a league official familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly .
The team still plans to leave for Orlando on Thursday , but it is n't expected to hold any more workouts before that time .
President Trump to hold outdoor rally in New Hampshire July 11 President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold an outdoor rally Saturday in Portsmouth , New Hampshire amid the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held at the Portsmouth International Airport , just three weeks after Trump 's first rally since March in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
`` There will be ample access to hand sanitizer and all attendees will be provided a face mask that they are strongly encouraged to wear , '' says the news release .
The president has visited Arizona and gave a July 3 speech at Mount Rushmore since his Tulsa rally .
Houston , Austin leaders ask for authority to tighten restrictions Leaders of Houston and Austin are asking Texas Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ order residents to stay home as a surge in confirmed cases puts pressure on the state 's hospital capacity .
Austin Mayor Steve Adler , a Democrat , told CNN ’ s “ State of the Union ” Sunday that he wants Abbott , a Republican , to return control to local governments .
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo , also a Democrat , says a stay-at-home order is needed .
Texas reported its highest daily increase in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases Saturday with 8,258 .
`` We are on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inundating our intensive care units here within a week to 10 days .
We may have to take drastic action , '' Adler said .
`` If this is happening in Austin and Dallas and Houston and San Antonio all at the same time , we are in trouble . ''
If the escalation in coronavirus cases doesn ’ t stop , then authorities will have to consider “ whether or not to pull back from the reopening of the economy , ” Adler said .
More on the coronavirus from USA TODAY @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many governors are instituting or renewing orders requiring people to wear face coverings in public as cases continue to rise .
Is your state on the list ?
See it here .
Coronavirus Watch : We have a few ways for you to stay informed .
Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter here , and come together and share the latest information about coronavirus , coping with lifestyle changes and more by joining our Facebook group .
Where are states on reopening ?
Some are taking preemptive measures to postpone further phases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rolled back their phases to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
See the list .

John Bacon and Jessica Flores, USA TODAY

Coronavirus updates: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms tests positive; ICE may deport foreign students; MLB's testing struggles
Show Caption Hide Caption Your ultimate guide to proper hand-washing When people ask how to protect themselves against the spread of COVID-19, one of the first suggestions from doctors is washing your hands. Here are the do's and don'ts. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms revealed she has tested positive for the coronavirus on day a high-ranking White House official defended President Donald Trump's claim that 99% of coronavirus cases are "totally harmless" as new U.S. infections surge by the day.
"If you're over 80 years of age or if you have three what they call co-morbidities – diabetes, hypertension, heart issues – then you need to be very, very careful," White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said on "Fox and Friends." "Outside of that, the risks are extremely low, and the president is right."
Three MLB teams stopped workouts amid coronavirus concerns, causing doubt as baseball season nears. Meanwhile, Ivy League schools Princeton and Harvard announced they'll have 50% or fewer undergraduate students on campus this fall and most or all teaching will be done remotely.
In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state's numbers were bucking the national trend by continuing to improve as the state slowly reopens. And possibly more good news: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals said it was beginning "late-stage" trials for a cocktail for treatment and prevention of COVID-19.
Here are some recent developments:
The University of Washington announced Sunday that at least 112 fraternity students tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total up to 121.
Airbnb added new booking restrictions for renters under the age of 25 to prevent house parties as cases multiply across the country.
Economists estimate a slow recovery despite a record of 4.8 million jobs added to the economy in June.
📈Today's stats: The U.S. has seen almost 2.9 million confirmed cases and more than 130,000 deaths, according to John Hopkins University data. Globally, there have been 11.5 million cases and more than 535,000 deaths.
📰 What we're reading: Feeling whiplash over reopenings? You aren't alone. At least 21 states have halted their plans to reopen as coronavirus cases surge across the U.S. Reopening, pausing, shutting down may be our new reality – and the frustration is real.
Our live blog will be updated throughout the day. For first-in-the-morning updates, sign up for The Daily Briefing.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announces positive coronavirus test
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who has risen to prominence amid the Black Lives Matter protests in her city and the fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks by an Atlanta Police Department officer, said on Twitter she has contracted the coronavirus.
Bottoms emphasized in the tweet that has not experienced any symptoms despite testing positive.
COVID-19 has literally hit home. I have had NO symptoms and have tested positive. — Keisha Lance Bottoms (@KeishaBottoms) July 6, 2020
“This is startling for me because we’ve been so very careful,'' Bottoms said on MSNBC. "But this is just a lesson to everyone that you have to take every single symptom seriously.”
Bottoms, 50, has made several national TV appearances amid the countrywide protest movement demanding racial equality and justice, and her name as been mentioned as a vice presidential candidate for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Bottoms joins the list of U.S. elected officials who have tested positive for the virus, including Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. To date, the most prominent world leader to test positive has been British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who spent three days in the ICU of a London hospital.
Dr. Anthony Fauci: Phase 3 trials of vaccine candidates to start in late July
Vaccines were high atop the list of topics discussed in a livestreamed conversation hosted Monday by Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, with the nation’s foremost infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Fauci said the U.S. is involved in the development of coronavirus vaccine candidates that will enter Phase 3 trials for efficacy starting late this month – involving 30,000 test volunteers at several sites domestically and internationally – with the aim of learning by late this year or early in 2021 whether they are safe and effective.
And to avoid a long lag time between that discovery and making a vaccine available, production will begin before there’s a conclusive answer to those questions, even though inevitably that will result in a large number of doses being discarded.
“We are now working with the companies … to start making doses before we even know whether it works or not, so that when we get to the winter and the early part of 2021, we will start to have a large number of doses that people will be able to use, if it turns out to be safe and effective,’’ Fauci said. “The big if.’’
Mindful of those who oppose long-proven vaccines for safety reasons and figure to be even more wary of a new one without a track record, the specialists sought to allay any public concerns. Collins pointed out he and Fauci have participated in several long discussions on the topic.
“I want to assure everybody … that there will be no compromising on the principles of safety and efficacy,’’ Collins said, with Fauci in accord. “Whatever we come up with in a few months is going to be just as rigorously tested as any vaccine ever has been.’’
ICE says it may deport foreign students if classes are only online
International students may face deportation if the U.S. universities where they're registered teach fully online, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said Monday. Several colleges, including the entire Cal State University System, have said instruction will be almost entirely remote in the fall because of the coronavirus.
In announcing changes to the rules governing its Student and Exchange Visitor Program, ICE said foreign students may not take a full online course and stay in the U.S., adding that they won't be granted visas or allowed to enter the country.
"Active students currently in the United States enrolled in such programs must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status,'' ICE said in a posting. "If not, they may face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings.''
The decision could affect thousands of foreign students, who are often coveted by public universities partly because they pay higher out-of-state tuition.
Harvard, Princeton to allow 50% or fewer students on campus
Princeton and Harvard’s largest division will allow half the undergraduate students or fewer into campus in the fall, as universities continue to grapple with how to teach safely in the upcoming term amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences said Monday all first-year students will be welcome on campus to ease their transition to college life, but they may have to return home in the spring and learn remotely to make room for seniors if conditions for instruction are not back to normal. The faculty expects up to 40% of undergraduates will be on campus.
Princeton is taking a somewhat similar approach, bringing in freshmen and juniors in August, but then asking them to leave campus in the spring as sophomores and seniors are allowed in.
At both Ivy League universities, most or all the classes will be taught remotely, even if students are allowed on campus.
“As students consider their choices, they should bear in mind that the campus experience will be very different from an ordinary year,’’ Princeton President Chris Eisgruber said in a statement. “Many activities will be unavailable, impermissible, or highly regulated. Parties will be prohibited. Masks will be required in indoor spaces.’’
Major League Baseball struggling with COVID-19 testing
Major League Baseball's problems with COVID-19 testing evolved into a crisis Monday when three of the top teams, the Washington Nationals, St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros, became the latest to cancel a workout due to delayed test results. That brought up to six the number of teams altering their practice schedule because of the failure of MLB, its testing service and lab to furnish results in a timely manner.
MLB and the MLB Players' Association had agreed that players are to be tested every other day and receive results within 24 to 48 hours. Players reported to their stadiums last week for practices in preparation for resuming the season.
"We will not sacrifice the health and safety of our players, staff and their families," said Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo. "Without accurate and timely testing it is simply not safe for us to continue with Summer Camp."
Barring further delays, the 60-game season is scheduled to start July 23.
– Gabe Lacques
Florida schools must reopen in August
An emergency order issued Monday by Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran puts the onus on schools to reopen for in-person teaching in the upcoming term and establishes requirements for remote learning.
Local health officials can override the commissioner’s directive if it is not safe to open schools due to COVID-19, but Monday’s announcement makes it clear that districts have to prepare to open their doors.
“All school boards and charter school governing boards must open brick and mortar schools in August at least five days per week for all students,” the announcement said.
– Ryan McKinnon, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Chicago requires quarantine for visitors from 15 states
Chicago is following in New York's footsteps, requiring visitors from 15 states with high COVID-19 infection rates to quarantine for 14 days, starting Monday.
Affected states include Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. All 15 of those states are on the quarantine list issued by New York, New Jersey and Connecticut as well.
– Jayme Deerwester
West Virginia requires face masks indoors, effective midnight Monday
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice on Monday instituted a mandatory face mask order for indoor spaces after the state reported record numbers of new coronavirus cases over the weekend.
The Republican’s executive order, which goes into effect at midnight, requires everyone over the age of 9 to wear face coverings inside buildings when social distancing isn’t possible. Confirmed virus cases in the state have risen 30% in the last two weeks.
State health officials have urged residents to wear masks, but Justice had said a mandate would be politically divisive and difficult to enforce.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to Donald Trump: ‘Just wear the mask’
Daily new coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths have continued their downward trend in New York as the state slowly reopens, a sharp contrast with the struggles being faced by reopening efforts in Florida, Texas, Arizona and other states. New York, which once was reeling from up to 800 deaths per day, has reached single digits, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday.
But he stressed caution, saying the New York State Fair will be canceled and the fate of schools in the fall has yet to be determined.
Cuomo also chastised President Donald Trump for blaming the nation's boom in new cases on too much testing. Cuomo said that, taking Trump's logic further, cancer could be wiped out if people stopped getting mammograms, prostate exams and other tests.
“Mr. President, don’t be a co-conspirator of COVID,” Cuomo said Monday. “Do one simple thing: acknowledge to the American people that COVID exists. It is a major problem. ... (Send) that signal very simply. Just wear the mask.”
– Lorenzo Reyes
Study provides guidance for states and their reopening plans
Several Harvard institutes, along with the Rockefeller Foundation and other groups recently released repopening guidance for states dealing with the coronavirus.
The groups made their assessment based on the number of new infections per 100,000 residents. States with fewer than 1 new infection per 100,000 residents can fully reopen, according to the guidance, though no state has yet reached that point.
In states with 10 to 25 new cases per 100,000 residents, the group advised stay-at home orders, and in states with more than 25 new cases per 100,000, stay-at-home orders are necessary to bring the outbreak under control, according to the new guidelines.
According their calculations, states like Arizona and Texas need to be taking dramatic action to protect their residents from COVID-19, while states in the northeast that were hard-hit early on in the pandemic can continue to relax their restrictions.
– Karen Weintraub
US racing ahead of EU in new cases
Three states are now each adding far more coronavirus cases daily than the entirety of the European Union, which at about 450 million people has about a third more people than the entire U.S. Florida alone is adding more than 8,000 cases per day, double the current daily number for the EU, data from Johns Hopkins University shows.
California and Texas surged past the European Union in late June. Arizona has been closing in on the daily case count of the EU, which has about 60 times as many people. Deaths in Florida, Arizona and Texas have been edging upward since late June, but holding fairly steady in California.
The European Union consists of 27 countries including hard-hit Italy, Spain and France. Most of its nations have gotten coronavirus under control, while most American states are adding coronavirus cases at a faster rate. At its peak in early April, the European Union added about 31,000 cases per day. With fewer people, the United States is now recording about 48,000 cases per day.
– Mike Stucka
Regeneron 'antibody cocktail' enters Phase 3 trials
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals on Monday announced initiation of "late-stage clinical trials" for its cocktail for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19. The Phase 3 trial, being run jointly with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is being conducted at approximately 100 sites and is expected to enroll 2,000 patients in the U.S., Regeneron said in a statement. A separate trial is testing the cocktail on patients already being treated for the disease. No timeline for possible release of the drug was provided.
"We are pleased to collaborate with NIAID to study REGN-COV2 in our quest to further prevent the spread of the virus with an antiviral antibody cocktail that could be available much sooner than a vaccine," said George Yancopoulos, president and chief scientific officer of Regeneron.
Greek Row outbreak': 112 students in Seattle infected with coronavirus
At least 112 fraternity students at the University of Washington have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of students infected to 121, officials announced Sunday. The nine additional students who tested positive were close contacts of the students, but do not live in the Greek houses, the university and the Seattle and King County Public Health Department said in a joint statement. The outbreak was first announced on June 30 with at least 38 confirmed cases of students living in 10 fraternity houses. That number spiked to 89 positive cases on July 3.
The school has a "pop-up" testing site near Greek Row that had conducted nearly 1,300 tests as of the weekend. Residents of Greek houses and others in the community have also sought testing at other nearby sites, the statement said.
el
More on the coronavirus from USA TODAY
Where a face mask is required: Many governors are instituting or renewing orders requiring people to wear face coverings in public as cases continue to rise. Is your state on the list? See it here.
Coronavirus Watch: We have a few ways for you to stay informed. Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter here, and come together and share the latest information about coronavirus, coping with lifestyle changes and more by joining our Facebook group.
Where are states on reopening? Some are taking preemptive measures to postpone further phases of their reopening, while others have rolled back their phases to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. See the list.
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-07-06--Uber to acquire Postmates for $2.65 billion after losing out on Grubhub deal

Uber is absorbing Postmates in a deal worth $ 2.65 billion in stock .
An official announcement from the ride-hailing behemoth and delivery platform confirming the deal was released Monday morning .
The all-stock transaction means that customers of Postmates and Uber Eats will have an expanded choice of restaurants and other merchants to choose from .
It also enables the two companies to streamline the delivery process by combining dispatch networks .
The merger better positions Uber Eats to compete with DoorDash , which is the most widely used food delivery platform in the U.S. , according to analytics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will remain a standalone app , Uber said in a press release .
`` Uber and Postmates have long shared a belief that platforms like ours can power much more than just food delivery – they can be a hugely important part of local commerce and communities , all the more important during crises like COVID-19 , '' said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi in a statement .
Uber is valued at over $ 30 billion .
Postmates ' last private venture valuation was $ 2.4 billion in September , according to Forbes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Uber will require drivers and passengers to wear face masks indefinitely The move comes after Uber 's business took major hits due to the coronavirus .
The pandemic caused millions of people to avoid taking rides , but it also led to a surge in food deliveries .
Bookings on Uber Eats are up more than 100 % over last year , Uber said .
It would n't be the first time the ride-hailing company sought to acquire a firm that specializes in deliveries .
Uber recently lost out on its pursuit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amsterdam-based Just Eat Takeaway.com .
The new company would `` become the world 's largest online food delivery company outside of China , '' Just Eats said in a press release .

Uber to acquire Postmates for $2.65 billion after losing out on Grubhub deal
Show Caption Hide Caption Tips for ordering online groceries from sites like Peapod, AmazonFresh If you're unable to get to the grocery store, online ordering can be a great option. But you may run into these issues. ProblemSolved, USA TODAY
Uber is absorbing Postmates in a deal worth $2.65 billion in stock.
An official announcement from the ride-hailing behemoth and delivery platform confirming the deal was released Monday morning.
The all-stock transaction means that customers of Postmates and Uber Eats will have an expanded choice of restaurants and other merchants to choose from. It also enables the two companies to streamline the delivery process by combining dispatch networks.
The merger better positions Uber Eats to compete with DoorDash, which is the most widely used food delivery platform in the U.S., according to analytics firm Second Measure. Still, Postmates will remain a standalone app, Uber said in a press release.
"Uber and Postmates have long shared a belief that platforms like ours can power much more than just food delivery – they can be a hugely important part of local commerce and communities, all the more important during crises like COVID-19," said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi in a statement.
Uber is valued at over $30 billion. Postmates' last private venture valuation was $2.4 billion in September, according to Forbes.
'No mask. No ride': Uber will require drivers and passengers to wear face masks indefinitely
The move comes after Uber's business took major hits due to the coronavirus. The pandemic caused millions of people to avoid taking rides, but it also led to a surge in food deliveries.
Bookings on Uber Eats are up more than 100% over last year, Uber said.
Postmates is fourth in the food delivery market, behind Doordash, Uber Eats and GrubHub, says Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives.
"This is an aggressive move by Uber to take out a competitor on the Uber Eats front and further consolidate its market position, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to shift more of a focus to deliveries vs. ride-sharing in the near-term," wrote Ives in a note Monday.
It wouldn't be the first time the ride-hailing company sought to acquire a firm that specializes in deliveries.
Uber recently lost out on its pursuit of Grubhub, which opted to merge with Amsterdam-based Just Eat Takeaway.com. The new company would "become the world's largest online food delivery company outside of China," Just Eats said in a press release.
Follow Dalvin Brown on Twitter: @Dalvin_Brown.