usatoday--2020-07-13--Biden is winning the young and the old in Wisconsin. Trump is winning the middle-aged.

“ White , ” “ male ” and “ old ” are three abiding stereotypes of Donald Trump ’ s political base .
The first two are indisputable .
But the third can be overstated .
And in some parts of the country , it ’ s simply not true .
Take the battleground state of Wisconsin , where the president has had negative job ratings from seniors since shortly after taking office .
Trump ’ s “ generational ” base in Wisconsin is not voters in their 60s and 70s but voters in their 40s and 50s , polling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state has followed a distinctive age pattern since 2019 , with Biden leading among the youngest ( under 40 ) and oldest ( 60 and over ) and Trump leading among the middle-aged ( 40-59 ) .
This pattern is pronounced under Trump , but it ’ s not new in Wisconsin politics .
“ We ’ ve pretty consistently seen that people born in the 1960s and 70s are more Republican-leaning ” than other voters , said Marquette Law School pollster Charles Franklin , who has conducted more than 60 surveys in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Most of these voters , now in their 40s and 50s , belong to Generation X — those post-Baby Boom Americans born between the mid-60s and 1980 , many of whom came of age politically during or soon after the Reagan presidency .
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In Wisconsin , these voters are far more pro-Trump than people in their 60s and older , who give the president a 42 % approval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for handling the coronavirus outbreak .
But Trump ’ s deficit with “ seniors ” here is not the result of older voters abandoning the president in the pandemic — the so-called “ senior slide ” that has commanded a lot of media attention this summer .
In fact , there ’ s no evidence so far in Marquette ’ s polling that seniors are driving the decline in the president ’ s overall numbers in Wisconsin , where he now trails Democrat Joe Biden by high single-digits .
The president ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longstanding here .
After splitting the senior vote with Hillary Clinton in 2016 ( according to the Wisconsin exit poll ) , he has struggled with these voters since .
The numbers are remarkably consistent in Marquette ’ s polling .
Trump ’ s net approval rating ( the share of voters who approve minus the share who disapprove ) among voters 60 and over averaged minus-10 in 2017-18 ; minus-8 in 2019 ; minus-8 in 2020 ; and was minus-8 in Marquette ’ s last poll , taken in mid-June .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among voters in their 50s have climbed from plus-1 in 2017-18 , to plus-10 in 2019 and plus-13 in 2020 .
“ It has certainly long been true in Wisconsin that senior citizens are not the easiest group for Republicans to get , ” said Brad Todd , a GOP consultant with experience in statewide campaigns here .
“ Trump , like many Republicans , breaks even or loses a little bit among seniors , but then crushes it with the 40 and 50-year-olds , ” he said .
Todd sees these middle-aged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their taxpaying careers , who also tend to be very focused on sending kids out in the world , so cultural things matter in a different way than they might to a 20-year-old.
” This age group “ is our bread and butter , ” said GOP pollster Gene Ulm , who surveys frequently in Wisconsin .
( This demographic has provided the Wisconsin GOP with most of its key political figures in recent years , including former Gov .
Scott Walker , former House Speaker Paul Ryan , former White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders Robin Vos and Scott Fitzgerald ) .
Democratic pollster Paul Maslin says there are also generational reasons for this pattern .
“ Almost every boomer is now over 60 years old , ” said Maslin , meaning they came of age politically in the 1960s amid an unpopular war , huge cultural change and the ill-fated presidency of Republican Richard Nixon .
“ As opposed to somebody in their 50s who came of age with Reagan , which in Wisconsin morphed into ( former governor ) Tommy Thompson , ” said Maslin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Age is far from the biggest demographic fault line in this and other recent elections .
Gender , education and race are all bigger divides .
For example , among voters 60 and over in Wisconsin , there is a big gap between older men , who favor Trump by a few points , and older women , who favor Biden by 20 .
But the numbers below , taken from Marquette ’ s combined 2020 polling , underscore how age figures into the 2020 equation .
These age gaps are not trivial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and political scientists interpret these patterns .
One is how age itself shapes voters — the effect of being young , middle-aged or older on someone ’ s political leanings , whether you ’ re a college student or taxpayer and parent , or a senior citizen reliant on Medicare and Social Security .
The other is generational — how people are shaped by events happening at the time they begin voting and paying attention to politics , such as the Depression and World War II , or the 1960s , or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of age in more pro-Republican times , typically under a popular Republican president , emerge from that with a strong partisan tilt in a Republican direction — and vice versa for Democrats , ” Franklin said .
To capture the generational pattern in Wisconsin , Franklin examined the partisan leanings of voters by their year of birth , drawing on the more than 50,000 interviews Marquette has done since it started polling in 2012 .
The pattern could not be much clearer .
People born before 1940 are pretty balanced between Democrats and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thereafter are increasingly Democratic , a trend that peaks with boomers born in the early 1950s .
Then the trend reverses .
People born in the mid-50s still lean Democratic but less so .
Those born in the late 50s are evenly divided .
And people born in the 60s are increasingly Republican , a trend that peaks around the end of the decade , when the partisan line starts moving back in a Democratic direction .
The result is the age dynamic we see in Wisconsin in the Trump-Biden race : the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their mid-60s to early 70s and people under 35 .
The most Republican are people between 40 and 60 .
One thing this doesn ’ t explain is why seniors in Wisconsin appear to be less pro-Trump than seniors nationally .
In some national surveys , voters over 60 or 65 remain Trump ’ s best age group .
Trump won this group nationally in 2016 , according to the exit polls and other post-election studies .
And they were his single best age group nationally , according to some election studies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pew , voters 65 and older still give him his highest job ratings of any age group .
But Wisconsin , which Trump narrowly carried in 2016 , is a different story .
Seniors weren ’ t Trump ’ s best age group in Marquette ’ s 2016 polling or in the 2016 Wisconsin exit poll .
They have consistently given the president negative ratings and favored Biden over Trump .
Voters in their 60s are the most Democratic age group in Wisconsin after voters under 30 , according to Marquette ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40s and 50s have grown significantly more Republican in recent years , Franklin ’ s data shows .
The influence of age does appear to differ across regions of the country .
In recent battleground polling by the New York Times , Trump performed his worst among seniors in the Great Lakes states of Wisconsin , Michigan and Pennsylvania , but significantly better among seniors in Arizona , Florida and North Carolina .
“ It ’ s an upper Midwest thing , ” said Todd , the GOP strategist .
“ You find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identify as Democrats and they voted for Obama twice .
It ’ s certainly possible in this election many of those people will , in the end , vote Republican , but Joe Biden generationally is in the right spot for some of those voters.
” The overall polling in Wisconsin is unquestionably grim for Trump at the moment .
He has to hope the political climate improves for him this fall .
And he has to hope that his middle-aged base in Wisconsin is strong enough to offset his big deficits with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters .
Craig Gilbert has covered every presidential campaign since 1988 and chronicled Wisconsin ’ s role as a swing state at the center of the nation ’ s political divide .
He has written widely about polarization and voting trends and won distinction for his data-driven analysis .
Gilbert has served as a writer-in-residence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison , a Lubar Fellow at Marquette Law School and a Knight-Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan , where he studied public opinion , survey research , voting behavior and statistics .
Email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him on Twitter : @ WisVoter .

Craig Gilbert, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Biden is winning the young and the old in Wisconsin. Trump is winning the middle-aged.
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“White,” “male” and “old” are three abiding stereotypes of Donald Trump’s political base.
The first two are indisputable.
But the third can be overstated. And in some parts of the country, it’s simply not true.
Take the battleground state of Wisconsin, where the president has had negative job ratings from seniors since shortly after taking office.
Trump’s “generational” base in Wisconsin is not voters in their 60s and 70s but voters in their 40s and 50s, polling shows.
The Trump-Biden race in this state has followed a distinctive age pattern since 2019, with Biden leading among the youngest (under 40) and oldest (60 and over) and Trump leading among the middle-aged (40-59).
This pattern is pronounced under Trump, but it’s not new in Wisconsin politics.
“We’ve pretty consistently seen that people born in the 1960s and 70s are more Republican-leaning” than other voters, said Marquette Law School pollster Charles Franklin, who has conducted more than 60 surveys in the state over the past 8½ years.
Most of these voters, now in their 40s and 50s, belong to Generation X — those post-Baby Boom Americans born between the mid-60s and 1980, many of whom came of age politically during or soon after the Reagan presidency.
Are you registered to vote? Check your status or register online now to make sure your vote counts. Go to vote.usatoday.com.
In Wisconsin, these voters are far more pro-Trump than people in their 60s and older, who give the president a 42% approval rating since May and 41% approval for handling the coronavirus outbreak.
But Trump’s deficit with “seniors” here is not the result of older voters abandoning the president in the pandemic — the so-called “senior slide” that has commanded a lot of media attention this summer.
In fact, there’s no evidence so far in Marquette’s polling that seniors are driving the decline in the president’s overall numbers in Wisconsin, where he now trails Democrat Joe Biden by high single-digits.
The president’s “senior problem” is much more longstanding here. After splitting the senior vote with Hillary Clinton in 2016 (according to the Wisconsin exit poll), he has struggled with these voters since.
The numbers are remarkably consistent in Marquette’s polling. Trump’s net approval rating (the share of voters who approve minus the share who disapprove) among voters 60 and over averaged minus-10 in 2017-18; minus-8 in 2019; minus-8 in 2020; and was minus-8 in Marquette’s last poll, taken in mid-June.
By contrast, Trump’s approval ratings among voters in their 50s have climbed from plus-1 in 2017-18, to plus-10 in 2019 and plus-13 in 2020.
“It has certainly long been true in Wisconsin that senior citizens are not the easiest group for Republicans to get,” said Brad Todd, a GOP consultant with experience in statewide campaigns here. “Trump, like many Republicans, breaks even or loses a little bit among seniors, but then crushes it with the 40 and 50-year-olds,” he said.
Todd sees these middle-aged voters as people “at the peak of their taxpaying careers, who also tend to be very focused on sending kids out in the world, so cultural things matter in a different way than they might to a 20-year-old.”
This age group “is our bread and butter,” said GOP pollster Gene Ulm, who surveys frequently in Wisconsin.
(This demographic has provided the Wisconsin GOP with most of its key political figures in recent years, including former Gov. Scott Walker, former House Speaker Paul Ryan, former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and legislative leaders Robin Vos and Scott Fitzgerald).
Democratic pollster Paul Maslin says there are also generational reasons for this pattern.
“Almost every boomer is now over 60 years old,” said Maslin, meaning they came of age politically in the 1960s amid an unpopular war, huge cultural change and the ill-fated presidency of Republican Richard Nixon.
“As opposed to somebody in their 50s who came of age with Reagan, which in Wisconsin morphed into (former governor) Tommy Thompson,” said Maslin, citing two popular GOP figures.
Age is far from the biggest demographic fault line in this and other recent elections. Gender, education and race are all bigger divides. For example, among voters 60 and over in Wisconsin, there is a big gap between older men, who favor Trump by a few points, and older women, who favor Biden by 20.
But the numbers below, taken from Marquette’s combined 2020 polling, underscore how age figures into the 2020 equation. These age gaps are not trivial:
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There are two ways that pollsters and political scientists interpret these patterns. One is how age itself shapes voters — the effect of being young, middle-aged or older on someone’s political leanings, whether you’re a college student or taxpayer and parent, or a senior citizen reliant on Medicare and Social Security.
The other is generational — how people are shaped by events happening at the time they begin voting and paying attention to politics, such as the Depression and World War II, or the 1960s, or the Reagan years.
“People who come of age in more pro-Republican times, typically under a popular Republican president, emerge from that with a strong partisan tilt in a Republican direction — and vice versa for Democrats,” Franklin said.
To capture the generational pattern in Wisconsin, Franklin examined the partisan leanings of voters by their year of birth, drawing on the more than 50,000 interviews Marquette has done since it started polling in 2012.
The pattern could not be much clearer.
People born before 1940 are pretty balanced between Democrats and Republicans. People born in the years thereafter are increasingly Democratic, a trend that peaks with boomers born in the early 1950s.
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Then the trend reverses. People born in the mid-50s still lean Democratic but less so. Those born in the late 50s are evenly divided. And people born in the 60s are increasingly Republican, a trend that peaks around the end of the decade, when the partisan line starts moving back in a Democratic direction.
The result is the age dynamic we see in Wisconsin in the Trump-Biden race: the most Democratic clusters are people now in their mid-60s to early 70s and people under 35. The most Republican are people between 40 and 60.
One thing this doesn’t explain is why seniors in Wisconsin appear to be less pro-Trump than seniors nationally. In some national surveys, voters over 60 or 65 remain Trump’s best age group. Trump won this group nationally in 2016, according to the exit polls and other post-election studies. And they were his single best age group nationally, according to some election studies. In national polling by both Gallup and Pew, voters 65 and older still give him his highest job ratings of any age group.
But Wisconsin, which Trump narrowly carried in 2016, is a different story. Seniors weren’t Trump’s best age group in Marquette’s 2016 polling or in the 2016 Wisconsin exit poll. They have consistently given the president negative ratings and favored Biden over Trump. Voters in their 60s are the most Democratic age group in Wisconsin after voters under 30, according to Marquette’s polling.
Meanwhile, voters in their 40s and 50s have grown significantly more Republican in recent years, Franklin’s data shows.
The influence of age does appear to differ across regions of the country. In recent battleground polling by the New York Times, Trump performed his worst among seniors in the Great Lakes states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, but significantly better among seniors in Arizona, Florida and North Carolina.
“It’s an upper Midwest thing,” said Todd, the GOP strategist. “You find a lot of senior citizens who still identify as Democrats and they voted for Obama twice. It’s certainly possible in this election many of those people will, in the end, vote Republican, but Joe Biden generationally is in the right spot for some of those voters.”
The overall polling in Wisconsin is unquestionably grim for Trump at the moment.
He has to hope the political climate improves for him this fall. And he has to hope that his middle-aged base in Wisconsin is strong enough to offset his big deficits with younger voters and current struggles with older voters.
Craig Gilbert has covered every presidential campaign since 1988 and chronicled Wisconsin’s role as a swing state at the center of the nation’s political divide. He has written widely about polarization and voting trends and won distinction for his data-driven analysis. Gilbert has served as a writer-in-residence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Lubar Fellow at Marquette Law School and a Knight-Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan, where he studied public opinion, survey research, voting behavior and statistics. Email him at craig.gilbert@jrn.com and follow him on Twitter: @WisVoter.


usatoday--2020-07-14--Coronavirus updates: LA and San Diego school districts will start fall classes online only; Californ

Two of the largest school districts in the U.S. , the Los Angeles and San Diego unified school districts , said Monday that their academic years will start with only online instruction , as California continues to fight a surge of COVID-19 cases .
The districts made the announcement in a joint statement and said their academic calendars will begin as scheduled –Aug .
18 for Los Angeles and Aug. 31 for San Diego .
The statement added that both districts will plan to resume in-person learning `` as soon as public health conditions allow . ''
Also on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new coronavirus , as President Donald Trump displayed his frustration with the CDC and the World Health Organization 's director warned that the global pandemic is worsening .
`` We need to reach a sustainable situation where we have adequate control of this virus without shutting down our lives entirely , '' Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday , adding that `` lurching from lockdown to lockdown ... has a hugely detrimental impact on societies . ''
Total confirmed cases across the nation surpassed 3.3 million – about 1 % of all Americans have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racing across the nation just a few months ago .
More than 135,000 Americans have died .
Florida reported more than 12,000 new cases Monday , one day after its 15,000 new cases smashed the daily record for any state since the pandemic began .
Florida 's infection total now stands at 282,435 – more than all but eight countries .
In Washington , Trump showed little faith in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , retweeting a social media post accusing the agency of `` outrageous lies . ''
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are making their own fall 2020 decisions as COVID-19 squabbles continue .
• Large and small labs running 24/7 can ’ t process samples quickly enough .
That means COVID-19 test results are delayed a week or longer in hot spot communities , undercutting public health efforts to track , isolate and prevent spread .
• The `` current best estimate '' from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that approximately 40 % of people infected with COVID-19 are asymptomatic .
The chance of transmission from them is 75 % , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stats : The U.S. has surpassed 3.3 million cases with over 135,000 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University .
Globally , there have been 12.9 million cases and over 570,000 deaths .
📰 What we 're reading : Public health experts fear a scenario where “ me first ” vaccine nationalism pits nation against nation to get and keep enough doses for their citizens .
Countries , as of now , are focusing on their own vaccine development programs rather than collaborating to pool resources .
In a joint statement issued Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unified school districts , the two largest in California , announced that their academic calendars will begin with online instruction .
Classes will begin as scheduled , Aug. 18 for Los Angeles and Aug. 31 for San Diego .
Both districts will continue to plan for in-person classes `` as soon as public health conditions allow . ''
The districts said they planned on providing additional training for teachers and students to ease the transition .
Online support will be offered for parents `` to make it easier for them to participate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free meals will continue to be provided at distribution centers .
Los Angeles is the second-largest school district in the United States .
Key West orders residents to wear masks , even when social distancing Mayor Teri Johnston of Key West , Florida signed an executive order Monday , strengthening its rules on residents wearing face masks when out in public .
The order mandates that every person older than 6 `` shall wear a face covering at all times , regardless of whether social distancing is also maintained '' any time the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and employees `` shall ensure '' that the guidelines are met , the order states .
People do not have to wear masks when inside their cars or on their private boats .
Diners at restaurants may temporarily remove their masks to eat and drink , the order says .
Patrons of businesses who refuse to comply with the order will be forced to vacate the establishment and could face trespassing charges .
Violations of the order could draw misdemeanor charges , jail time , or $ 500 fines .
California Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ business sectors that will be required to close as the number of coronavirus cases continue to increase substantially across the state .
All counties will be required to close indoor operations of restaurants , wineries , tasting rooms , movie theaters , family entertainment centers , zoos , museums , card rooms and all bars .
The 30 counties that are on the state ’ s targeted engagement list are ordered to close indoor operations of fitness centers , places of worship , offices for non-critical sectors , personal hair services , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases hit 8,211 over the past week .
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was spotted without a face covering on a Sunday flight on American Airlines , according to a post on Twitter .
In the photo , Cruz , who was seated in first class on the regional jet operated by an American partner , was looking at his phone and holding a cup of coffee .
A mask is not visible .
The photo was posted by Hosseh Enad , a marketing compliance associate at DCCC , the Democratic National Campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet that he 'd gotten it from an acquaintance .
He also posted photos of an unmasked Cruz sitting in the gate area before the flight .
`` Consistent with airline policy , he temporarily removes the mask while eating or drinking , '' Cruz spokesperson Lauren Aronson said in a statement .
`` Yesterday , during his flight he removed his mask to drink and put it back on afterward .
We should all practice common sense measures to slow the spread of the virus.
” New York to out-of-state travelers : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York will require air travelers from states with high rates of COVID-19 to provide their local contact information or face a penalty of up to $ 2,000 , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announced Monday .
The shift in policy comes nearly three weeks after New York issued an order in late June requiring many out-of-state travelers to quarantine for two weeks upon entering the state .
The quarantine order , which came as COVID-19 rates increased across the country while dropping in New York , now applies to travelers coming from 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Travelers to New York from the states on the quarantine list will be required to fill out a form documenting where they 're coming from and their local contact information after they exit the plane .
President Donald Trump retweeted a post claiming the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others are telling `` outrageous lies '' about the pandemic .
The original tweet , from conservative podcast host Chuck Woolery , claims the lies are politically motivated and designed to keep the economy from reviving .
`` The most outrageous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Everyone is lying , '' Woolery , a former game show host , wrote .
`` The CDC , Media , Democrats , our Doctors , not all but most , that we are told to trust .
I think it 's all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back , which is about the election .
I 'm sick of it . ''
Trump also retweeted a Woolery post citing `` overwhelming '' evidence that schools should open this fall .
Three people who traveled on recent Delta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who traveled on a recent regional Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Albany have tested positive for COVID-19 .
`` We are working with local officials and following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’ s protocol in their outreach to customers and employees , '' Delta Air Lines spokesperson Kate Modolo said in a statement .
`` Customer and crew health and safety are our top priority . ''
There were 44 passengers on the flight .
The passengers became symptomatic on July 7 , a day after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook post from the Rensselaer County government in upstate New York .
WHO leader : Global pandemic is getting worse , not better The COVID-19 pandemic is worsening globally and a return to the `` old normal '' remains in the distant future , the head of the World Health Organization warned Monday .
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that while some countries , especially in Europe and Asia , have brought outbreaks under control , too many others are seeing numbers rocket higher .
Still , he said the tide can be turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emphasize reducing mortality and suppressing transmission .
And an `` engaged community '' must act responsibly for each other through wearing masks , practicing social distancing and other measures .
`` It can be done .
It must be done .
I have said it before and I will keep saying it , '' Tedros said .
`` We need strong government leadership and coordination of comprehensive strategies that are communicated clearly and consistently . ''
Florida logs second largest number of cases in a single day One day after setting a record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a single day for any state , Florida ’ s figures ticked down but still represented the second-highest single-day total seen since the start of the pandemic .
The state ’ s Department of Health reported 12,343 new cases Monday , down about 20 % from the previous day 's total of 15,283 .
Before the weekend began , New York state had held the previous mark for most single-day new confirmed COVID-19 cases with 12,274 , reached on April 4 .
Florida 's surge in cases over the past several weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its reopening measures .
The spike , however , comes as Disney World reopened on Saturday and as the Republican National Convention is scheduled to take place in August in Jacksonville .
Gov .
Ron DeSantis has also ordered schools to reopen in August , when classes are set to resume .
It ’ s not just Florida – states large and small racking up big numbers of cases Florida ’ s report Sunday of 15,300 coronavirus cases , more than New York ever reported , widened eyes .
But on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at rates beyond the worst of what Northeastern states saw when they were the `` hot spot '' in April .
Arizona last week was adding cases at a higher per-capita rate than New York ever hit , and stayed around that level .
Florida sailed past New Jersey ’ s worst week and is approaching New York ’ s record , an analysis of Johns Hopkins University data by University of Illinois computer scientist Wade Fagen-Ulmschneider shows .
Adjusted for population , some smaller states are recording significant tallies of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jersey ’ s worst week – a level 22 % worse than Louisiana recorded when New Orleans ’ Mardi Gras celebrations lay the groundwork for the state ’ s April surge .
On a per-person basis , South Carolina ’ s outbreak is now as bad as Texas ’ , and both are closing in on Massachusetts ’ record worst week .
One bar 's shocking way to keep customers at a safe distance : An electric fence The Star Inn pub in Cornwall , England , put up an electric fence used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help keep patrons at a safe distance from bartenders .
The pub 's owner , Johnny McFadden , who is also a farmer , decided to install the electric fencing to keep his employees safe , the South West News Service reported .
`` Before the fence , people were not following social-distancing and were doing as they pleased , but now people take heed to the guidance around social distancing , '' McFadden told Cornwall Live .
McFadden told SWNS the fence is usually switched off but could be turned on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alaska sets another one-day record for new COVID cases Alaska , which has been able to avoid the brunt of the pandemic , was stung by its first triple-digit total of new cases Sunday – 116 .
While that pales in comparison to Florida , it shows that the wilderness state is not immune to the outbreak .
The state Department of Health and Social Services said the new cases break a previous record set the day before , when the state reported 77 cases .
Alaska has reported 1,774 cases , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will join me in practicing social distancing , wearing a mask when you can ’ t keep your distance from others , and staying home if you are sick , '' Gov .
Mike Dunleavy tweeted .
`` The actions you take today may save someone 's life . ''
The German health minister urged Germans not to organize local Oktoberfest parties that could bring a second wave of the pandemic to the country .
The national celebration has been canceled because of coronavirus concerns .
Health Minister Jens Spahn also said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups of German tourists on the Spanish island of Mallorca apparently ignoring social distancing guidelines .
Germany has drawn rave international reviews for its efforts to harness the outbreak , which has infected more than 200,000 Germans and killed more than 9,000 .
`` I understand the impatience , but where there are parties the infection risk is particularly high , '' he said .
`` We don ’ t automatically have to see a second wave in the fall and winter .
Together , as a society , we can prevent that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with K-12 school re-openings , families across the nation are busy making their own calculations about whether to send children back to school .
Most are taking a measured and hyper-local approach to what is ultimately a very personal decision , consulting with friends , neighbors and local educators .
That 's despite the issue becoming increasingly political as President Donald Trump and state officials weighed in last week , often in conflict with published health guidance .
“ There are no ideal solutions here , ” says Kao-Ping Chua , assistant professor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Unfortunately , beyond conflicting information that ’ s getting politicized , states are seeing surging cases , which is not an environment you want to open schools in.
” New York City health officials report no deaths for first time since March 11 Initial data released Sunday by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reported that no one died from the virus in the city on July 11 , exactly four months after the state 's first official death was recorded on March 11 .
Officials also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well but did report two probable deaths .
The welcoming news comes after a harrowing four-month stretch in the nation 's most populated city .
The peak in confirmed daily deaths was April 7 , at 597 , although another 216 people were likely to have died from the virus that day despite no positive laboratory tests .
All told , New York City has reported 18,670 deaths from COVID-19 and 4,613 probable fatalities .
The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported Oklahoma ’ s first COVID-19-related death in the 5-17 age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 13-year-old who died at Comanche County Memorial Hospital on Friday night , reported local news station KSWO-TV .
Oklahoma military base Fort Sill said the teen was a dependent of an active duty service member at the post , where family members are in isolation .
The state department reported 456 new coronavirus cases across the state Sunday , bringing the total cumulative number of the state ’ s positive cases to 20,235 .
Mexico surpasses Italy in confirmed deaths ; 4th highest total of any country Mexican officials say the total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 35,000 , moving it past Italy with the fourth-most deaths of any country in the world .
Only the United States , Brazil and Britain have recorded more deaths , according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard .
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the recent news `` is positive , it is good '' because only nine of the country 's 32 provinces had increases in cases of infection .
`` The bottom line is that the pandemic is on the downside , that it is losing intensity , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was one of the first hot spots of the virus in Europe , has seen hospitals declare themselves coronavirus-free .
The country 's deaths Saturday fell to seven and confirmed daily cases dropped to below 200 , according to health officials .
Veronique Monguillot said she told the French interior minister , Gerald Darmanin , that she was “ destroyed ” by the fatal assault on her husband at a bus stop in Bayonne , southwest France .
“ We must bang a fist on the table , so this never happens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s barbaric , not normal .
We must stop this massacre.
” Bus driver Philippe Monguillot was attacked July 5 after asking four passengers to wear face masks , which are required on French public transport .
Monguillot was then verbally assaulted , pushed off the bus and violently beaten and kicked in the head .
His death was announced July 10 after he had been hospitalized in critical condition .
Four men have been arrested and charged in connection with the fatal assault .
America ’ s testing system is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep pace as the coronavirus rages faster than ever in the South and West .
The number of daily tests reached an all-time high of more than 719,000 on July 3 and averaged nearly 640,000 each day this past week , according to data from the COVID Tracking Project .
Because of this increase , large and small labs running 24/7 can ’ t process samples quickly enough from millions of Americans tested every week .
Testing centers in Sunbelt cities such as Tallahassee , Florida and Phoenix routinely attract long lines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Other than hospital patients , whom labs are prioritizing , delays are widespread in the South and West at drive-thru and walk-up testing centers , urgent care , doctor ’ s offices and government-supported testing sites .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for our daily coronavirus newsletter here , and come together and share the latest information about the 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 .

John Bacon, Elinor Aspegren and Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY

Coronavirus updates: LA and San Diego school districts will start fall classes online only; California orders statewide closures
Show Caption Hide Caption Black, Asian Americans report increased discrimination during pandemic According to a Pew Research Center report, discrimination and racism have increased in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, particularly for Asians. USA TODAY
Two of the largest school districts in the U.S., the Los Angeles and San Diego unified school districts, said Monday that their academic years will start with only online instruction, as California continues to fight a surge of COVID-19 cases.
The districts made the announcement in a joint statement and said their academic calendars will begin as scheduled – Aug. 18 for Los Angeles and Aug. 31 for San Diego. The statement added that both districts will plan to resume in-person learning "as soon as public health conditions allow."
Also on Monday, Florida reported another alarming number of new coronavirus, as President Donald Trump displayed his frustration with the CDC and the World Health Organization's director warned that the global pandemic is worsening.
"We need to reach a sustainable situation where we have adequate control of this virus without shutting down our lives entirely," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday, adding that "lurching from lockdown to lockdown ... has a hugely detrimental impact on societies."
Total confirmed cases across the nation surpassed 3.3 million – about 1% of all Americans have now tested positive since the outbreak began racing across the nation just a few months ago. More than 135,000 Americans have died.
Florida reported more than 12,000 new cases Monday, one day after its 15,000 new cases smashed the daily record for any state since the pandemic began. Florida's infection total now stands at 282,435 – more than all but eight countries.
In Washington, Trump showed little faith in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, retweeting a social media post accusing the agency of "outrageous lies."
Some recent developments:
Online school? In-person? How parents are making their own fall 2020 decisions as COVID-19 squabbles continue.
Large and small labs running 24/7 can’t process samples quickly enough. That means COVID-19 test results are delayed a week or longer in hot spot communities, undercutting public health efforts to track, isolate and prevent spread.
The "current best estimate" from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that approximately 40% of people infected with COVID-19 are asymptomatic. The chance of transmission from them is 75%, the data reports.
📈 Today's stats: The U.S. has surpassed 3.3 million cases with over 135,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Globally, there have been 12.9 million cases and over 570,000 deaths.
📰 What we're reading: Public health experts fear a scenario where “me first” vaccine nationalism pits nation against nation to get and keep enough doses for their citizens. Countries, as of now, are focusing on their own vaccine development programs rather than collaborating to pool resources.
L.A., San Diego school districts to start academic year with online classes
In a joint statement issued Monday, the Los Angeles and San Diego unified school districts, the two largest in California, announced that their academic calendars will begin with online instruction.
Classes will begin as scheduled, Aug. 18 for Los Angeles and Aug. 31 for San Diego. Both districts will continue to plan for in-person classes "as soon as public health conditions allow."
The districts said they planned on providing additional training for teachers and students to ease the transition. Online support will be offered for parents "to make it easier for them to participate in the education of their students" and free meals will continue to be provided at distribution centers.
Los Angeles is the second-largest school district in the United States.
Key West orders residents to wear masks, even when social distancing
Mayor Teri Johnston of Key West, Florida signed an executive order Monday, strengthening its rules on residents wearing face masks when out in public.
The order mandates that every person older than 6 "shall wear a face covering at all times, regardless of whether social distancing is also maintained" any time the person leaves their home. Business operators and employees "shall ensure" that the guidelines are met, the order states. People do not have to wear masks when inside their cars or on their private boats. Diners at restaurants may temporarily remove their masks to eat and drink, the order says.
Patrons of businesses who refuse to comply with the order will be forced to vacate the establishment and could face trespassing charges. Violations of the order could draw misdemeanor charges, jail time, or $500 fines.
California orders closures, including some gyms and churches
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday a list of business sectors that will be required to close as the number of coronavirus cases continue to increase substantially across the state.
All counties will be required to close indoor operations of restaurants, wineries, tasting rooms, movie theaters, family entertainment centers, zoos, museums, card rooms and all bars.
The 30 counties that are on the state’s targeted engagement list are ordered to close indoor operations of fitness centers, places of worship, offices for non-critical sectors, personal hair services, and indoor malls.
California's average daily new cases hit 8,211 over the past week.
– Nicole Hayden, Palm Springs Desert Sun
Sen. Ted Cruz spotted on American Airlines flight without mask
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was spotted without a face covering on a Sunday flight on American Airlines, according to a post on Twitter. In the photo, Cruz, who was seated in first class on the regional jet operated by an American partner, was looking at his phone and holding a cup of coffee. A mask is not visible.
The photo was posted by Hosseh Enad, a marketing compliance associate at DCCC, the Democratic National Campaign Committee. Enad said in a subsequent tweet that he'd gotten it from an acquaintance. He also posted photos of an unmasked Cruz sitting in the gate area before the flight.
Captured today at 10:45am — @TedCruz on a commercial flight, refusing to wear a mask. pic.twitter.com/h8DM7J4CMi — Hosseh (@hossehenad) July 13, 2020
"Consistent with airline policy, he temporarily removes the mask while eating or drinking,'' Cruz spokesperson Lauren Aronson said in a statement. "Yesterday, during his flight he removed his mask to drink and put it back on afterward. We should all practice common sense measures to slow the spread of the virus.”
– Dawn Gilbertson
New York to out-of-state travelers: Provide contact information or face a fine
New York will require air travelers from states with high rates of COVID-19 to provide their local contact information or face a penalty of up to $2,000, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday.
The shift in policy comes nearly three weeks after New York issued an order in late June requiring many out-of-state travelers to quarantine for two weeks upon entering the state.
The quarantine order, which came as COVID-19 rates increased across the country while dropping in New York, now applies to travelers coming from 19 states including California, Texas and Florida.
Travelers to New York from the states on the quarantine list will be required to fill out a form documenting where they're coming from and their local contact information after they exit the plane.
– Jon Campbell, Democrat and Chronicle
Trump promotes tweet claiming CDC, physicians are lying about COVID-19
President Donald Trump retweeted a post claiming the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others are telling "outrageous lies" about the pandemic. The original tweet, from conservative podcast host Chuck Woolery, claims the lies are politically motivated and designed to keep the economy from reviving.
"The most outrageous lies are the ones about Covid 19. Everyone is lying," Woolery, a former game show host, wrote. "The CDC, Media, Democrats, our Doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust. I think it's all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I'm sick of it."
Trump also retweeted a Woolery post citing "overwhelming" evidence that schools should open this fall.
Three people who traveled on recent Delta flight have tested positive for COVID-19
Three people who traveled on a recent regional Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Albany have tested positive for COVID-19.
"We are working with local officials and following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s protocol in their outreach to customers and employees," Delta Air Lines spokesperson Kate Modolo said in a statement. "Customer and crew health and safety are our top priority."
There were 44 passengers on the flight.
The passengers became symptomatic on July 7, a day after the July 6 flight, according to a Facebook post from the Rensselaer County government in upstate New York.
– David Oliver and Dawn Gilbertson
WHO leader: Global pandemic is getting worse, not better
The COVID-19 pandemic is worsening globally and a return to the "old normal" remains in the distant future, the head of the World Health Organization warned Monday. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that while some countries, especially in Europe and Asia, have brought outbreaks under control, too many others are seeing numbers rocket higher. Still, he said the tide can be turned. Governments, he said, must emphasize reducing mortality and suppressing transmission. And an "engaged community" must act responsibly for each other through wearing masks, practicing social distancing and other measures.
"It can be done. It must be done. I have said it before and I will keep saying it," Tedros said. "We need strong government leadership and coordination of comprehensive strategies that are communicated clearly and consistently."
Florida logs second largest number of cases in a single day
One day after setting a record for most new confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in a single day for any state, Florida’s figures ticked down but still represented the second-highest single-day total seen since the start of the pandemic. The state’s Department of Health reported 12,343 new cases Monday, down about 20% from the previous day's total of 15,283. Before the weekend began, New York state had held the previous mark for most single-day new confirmed COVID-19 cases with 12,274, reached on April 4.
Florida's surge in cases over the past several weeks has forced the state to slow some of its reopening measures. The spike, however, comes as Disney World reopened on Saturday and as the Republican National Convention is scheduled to take place in August in Jacksonville. Gov. Ron DeSantis has also ordered schools to reopen in August, when classes are set to resume.
It’s not just Florida – states large and small racking up big numbers of cases
Florida’s report Sunday of 15,300 coronavirus cases, more than New York ever reported, widened eyes. But on a per-person basis, states are adding cases at rates beyond the worst of what Northeastern states saw when they were the "hot spot" in April. Arizona last week was adding cases at a higher per-capita rate than New York ever hit, and stayed around that level.
Florida sailed past New Jersey’s worst week and is approaching New York’s record, an analysis of Johns Hopkins University data by University of Illinois computer scientist Wade Fagen-Ulmschneider shows.
Adjusted for population, some smaller states are recording significant tallies of the coronavirus. Last weekend, Louisiana passed New Jersey’s worst week – a level 22% worse than Louisiana recorded when New Orleans’ Mardi Gras celebrations lay the groundwork for the state’s April surge. On a per-person basis, South Carolina’s outbreak is now as bad as Texas’, and both are closing in on Massachusetts’ record worst week.
– Mike Stucka
One bar's shocking way to keep customers at a safe distance: An electric fence
The Star Inn pub in Cornwall, England, put up an electric fence used to restrict livestock near its bar counter to help keep patrons at a safe distance from bartenders.
The pub's owner, Johnny McFadden, who is also a farmer, decided to install the electric fencing to keep his employees safe, the South West News Service reported.
"Before the fence, people were not following social-distancing and were doing as they pleased, but now people take heed to the guidance around social distancing," McFadden told Cornwall Live.
McFadden told SWNS the fence is usually switched off but could be turned on if things get out of hand.
– Ryan W. Miller
Alaska sets another one-day record for new COVID cases
Alaska, which has been able to avoid the brunt of the pandemic, was stung by its first triple-digit total of new cases Sunday – 116. While that pales in comparison to Florida, it shows that the wilderness state is not immune to the outbreak. The state Department of Health and Social Services said the new cases break a previous record set the day before, when the state reported 77 cases. Alaska has reported 1,774 cases, including 17 deaths.
"I hope Alaskans will join me in practicing social distancing, wearing a mask when you can’t keep your distance from others, and staying home if you are sick," Gov. Mike Dunleavy tweeted. "The actions you take today may save someone's life."
Germany issues Oktoberfest warning, chastises Germans partying in Spain
The German health minister urged Germans not to organize local Oktoberfest parties that could bring a second wave of the pandemic to the country. The national celebration has been canceled because of coronavirus concerns. Health Minister Jens Spahn also said he was troubled by viral videos showing large groups of German tourists on the Spanish island of Mallorca apparently ignoring social distancing guidelines.
Germany has drawn rave international reviews for its efforts to harness the outbreak, which has infected more than 200,000 Germans and killed more than 9,000.
"I understand the impatience, but where there are parties the infection risk is particularly high," he said. "We don’t automatically have to see a second wave in the fall and winter. Together, as a society, we can prevent that."
Families ignore politics, make plans for coming school year
As officials play political football with K-12 school re-openings, families across the nation are busy making their own calculations about whether to send children back to school. Most are taking a measured and hyper-local approach to what is ultimately a very personal decision, consulting with friends, neighbors and local educators. That's despite the issue becoming increasingly political as President Donald Trump and state officials weighed in last week, often in conflict with published health guidance.
“There are no ideal solutions here,” says Kao-Ping Chua, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan. "Unfortunately, beyond conflicting information that’s getting politicized, states are seeing surging cases, which is not an environment you want to open schools in.”
– Marco della Cava
Coronavirus: How R-0 can be used to fight COVID-19 R-0 may be the most important scientific term you’ve never heard of when it comes to stopping the coronavirus pandemic. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
New York City health officials report no deaths for first time since March 11
Initial data released Sunday by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reported that no one died from the virus in the city on July 11, exactly four months after the state's first official death was recorded on March 11. Officials also recorded no confirmed deaths the day before as well but did report two probable deaths.
The welcoming news comes after a harrowing four-month stretch in the nation's most populated city. The peak in confirmed daily deaths was April 7, at 597, although another 216 people were likely to have died from the virus that day despite no positive laboratory tests. All told, New York City has reported 18,670 deaths from COVID-19 and 4,613 probable fatalities.
Oklahoma reports state's first teen death, a 13-year-old at Fort Sill
The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported Oklahoma’s first COVID-19-related death in the 5-17 age category. The patient was identified as a 13-year-old who died at Comanche County Memorial Hospital on Friday night, reported local news station KSWO-TV. Oklahoma military base Fort Sill said the teen was a dependent of an active duty service member at the post, where family members are in isolation.
The state department reported 456 new coronavirus cases across the state Sunday, bringing the total cumulative number of the state’s positive cases to 20,235.
Mexico surpasses Italy in confirmed deaths; 4th highest total of any country
Mexican officials say the total number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths has passed 35,000, moving it past Italy with the fourth-most deaths of any country in the world. Only the United States, Brazil and Britain have recorded more deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the recent news "is positive, it is good" because only nine of the country's 32 provinces had increases in cases of infection.
"The bottom line is that the pandemic is on the downside, that it is losing intensity," he said.
Meanwhile, Italy, which was one of the first hot spots of the virus in Europe, has seen hospitals declare themselves coronavirus-free. The country's deaths Saturday fell to seven and confirmed daily cases dropped to below 200, according to health officials.
French widow mourns 'barbaric' death of driver beaten over masks
Veronique Monguillot said she told the French interior minister, Gerald Darmanin, that she was “destroyed” by the fatal assault on her husband at a bus stop in Bayonne, southwest France. “We must bang a fist on the table, so this never happens again,” she said. “It’s barbaric, not normal. We must stop this massacre.”
Bus driver Philippe Monguillot was attacked July 5 after asking four passengers to wear face masks, which are required on French public transport. Monguillot was then verbally assaulted, pushed off the bus and violently beaten and kicked in the head. His death was announced July 10 after he had been hospitalized in critical condition. Four men have been arrested and charged in connection with the fatal assault.
Long lines for COVID-19 tests, stressed labs delay results as demand spikes
America’s testing system is once again strained and labs are struggling to keep pace as the coronavirus rages faster than ever in the South and West.
The number of daily tests reached an all-time high of more than 719,000 on July 3 and averaged nearly 640,000 each day this past week, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project.
Because of this increase, large and small labs running 24/7 can’t process samples quickly enough from millions of Americans tested every week.
Testing centers in Sunbelt cities such as Tallahassee, Florida and Phoenix routinely attract long lines and at times must turn away people. Other than hospital patients, whom labs are prioritizing, delays are widespread in the South and West at drive-thru and walk-up testing centers, urgent care, doctor’s offices and government-supported testing sites.
– Ken Alltucker
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 the 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--2020-07-14--Opinion: The 2020 college football season, even in the mighty SEC, is in real trouble

The strangest part of the last four months in college football has been watching the so-called leaders of the sport ’ s most powerful conference acting as if some of the fundamental facts we ’ ve learned about COVID-19 do not apply to their enterprise .
As recently as mid-May , Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne said in an interview with the SEC Network that the “ hope and plan right now is to play this fall with a full schedule and a full stadium ” even as construction workers at Bryant-Denny Stadium were falling ill in clusters .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ M ’ s Ross Bjork expressed optimism that the 50 percent capacity limit imposed by Gov .
Greg Abbott for sporting events would be significantly increased by the time football season rolled around .
There was even a suggestion , as states like Georgia and Florida came out of lockdown , that the SEC might play on this fall while other leagues lagged behind .
All the while , SEC schools rushed to get football players back on campus in early June .
Against all logic , the infectious disease expert who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines for those workouts did not recommend frequent COVID-19 testing , leading several schools to initially say they would only test players who were symptomatic .
“ The problem is , with our testing , it doesn ’ t tell us anything , ” Dr. Stevan Whitt of the University of Missouri told The Athletic in arguably the most regrettable public comment from any medical official working in sports during the entire pandemic .
But on Monday , all the delusion ended as SEC athletics directors emerged from an in-person meeting in Birmingham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least a couple more weeks before canceling non-conference games like the Big Ten and Pac-12 have already done , the truth was finally laid bare : The SEC is very much at risk of some drastic decisions if the current COVID-19 trajectory across the league ’ s footprint isn ’ t reversed .
“ ( There were ) a couple phone calls last week where you realize exactly what you can see — that the public health trends are not what we had hoped , not what we were seeing in May and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday on the Paul Finebaum Show .
“ There has to be more intent , more focus on heeding the guidance that has been provided on distancing , on gathering , on face masks , on hand sanitization .
As I understand treatments are better , but we still have a lot of unknowns and those are realities .
And everyone of those conversations has ended with , ‘ It ’ ll be important to watch what happens over the next two or three weeks.
” The subtext of that comment could not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airtime devoted to COVID-19 misinformation merchants who cherry-pick statistics to suggest this virus is no big deal and engage in performative whataboutism to try and discredit public health officials , the virus will determine whether SEC football is played — not the other way around .
Few things are more important to the culture and economy of Southern states as college football , but even the most craven college president or conference commissioner would have a hard time putting an unpaid , amateur athlete on the field for the sake of a television @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of control and hospital resources in small college towns might be scarce .
“ We have to see change in public health trend to build the comfort that we ’ ll have an opportunity to compete this fall , ” Sankey told Finebaum .
It might have been helpful if people who work in college athletics had hammered that point home months ago instead of waiting until the last possible moment to make clear that the behavior of fans was going to directly impact whether their favorite teams would be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with which too many people in this country approached COVID-19 from the beginning has also been a hallmark of the conversation around college football .
Too many administrators have spent the last four months offering nothing but happy talk and publicly presenting the rosiest possible scenario rather than speaking directly to the massive challenges of pulling off a season in a college environment where any type of bubble isn ’ t possible and there ’ s no financial incentive for the players to take the kinds of health risks their professional counterparts are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the mere suggestion that college football wouldn ’ t go off as planned has been met with outrage .
Go back to March 27 when Kirk Herbstreit , the most prominent TV analyst in the sport , told ESPN radio he would be “ shocked ” if the season happened this fall .
“ From what I understand , people that I listen to , you ’ re 12 to 18 months from a vaccine , ” Herbstreit said .
“ I don ’ t know how you let these guys go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filled up and how you can play ball .
I just don ’ t know how you can do it with the optics of it.
” But rather than take it as a warning , Herbstreit got shouted down by fans who called him a fearmonger .
Since then , he ’ s barely said anything about the coronavirus and others in a position of power decided it simply wasn ’ t worth the harassment to talk about the reality of this fall .
As it turns out , Herbstreit was the smartest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ road , when the history of how we got here is written , it will be filled with curiosities like Herbstreit being labeled an alarmist and athletics directors talking about full stadiums being fêted for their optimism when all evidence showed that the opposite was true .
Now the situation is too urgent to explain in any other way than the one that ’ s right in front of us : College football , even in the mighty SEC , is in real trouble .

Opinion: The 2020 college football season, even in the mighty SEC, is in real trouble
Show Caption Hide Caption Why fall college sports may be in peril SportsPulse: As Christine Brennan points out, the Ivy League's decisions have often been a tell tale sign for all college sports and it's time to prepare for a fall without college football. USA TODAY
The strangest part of the last four months in college football has been watching the so-called leaders of the sport’s most powerful conference acting as if some of the fundamental facts we’ve learned about COVID-19 do not apply to their enterprise.
As recently as mid-May, Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne said in an interview with the SEC Network that the “hope and plan right now is to play this fall with a full schedule and a full stadium” even as construction workers at Bryant-Denny Stadium were falling ill in clusters.
A month after that, Texas A&M’s Ross Bjork expressed optimism that the 50 percent capacity limit imposed by Gov. Greg Abbott for sporting events would be significantly increased by the time football season rolled around.
There was even a suggestion, as states like Georgia and Florida came out of lockdown, that the SEC might play on this fall while other leagues lagged behind.
All the while, SEC schools rushed to get football players back on campus in early June. Against all logic, the infectious disease expert who was helping to write the league’s guidelines for those workouts did not recommend frequent COVID-19 testing, leading several schools to initially say they would only test players who were symptomatic.
WRONG SABAN: President Trump erroneously refers to Alabama coach as Lou Saban
NAME CHANGE: Texas football program renames field after legendary RBs
“The problem is, with our testing, it doesn’t tell us anything,” Dr. Stevan Whitt of the University of Missouri told The Athletic in arguably the most regrettable public comment from any medical official working in sports during the entire pandemic.
But on Monday, all the delusion ended as SEC athletics directors emerged from an in-person meeting in Birmingham. Though the league will wait at least a couple more weeks before canceling non-conference games like the Big Ten and Pac-12 have already done, the truth was finally laid bare: The SEC is very much at risk of some drastic decisions if the current COVID-19 trajectory across the league’s footprint isn’t reversed.
“(There were) a couple phone calls last week where you realize exactly what you can see — that the public health trends are not what we had hoped, not what we were seeing in May and June,” commissioner Greg Sankey said Monday on the Paul Finebaum Show. “There has to be more intent, more focus on heeding the guidance that has been provided on distancing, on gathering, on face masks, on hand sanitization. As I understand treatments are better, but we still have a lot of unknowns and those are realities. And everyone of those conversations has ended with, ‘It’ll be important to watch what happens over the next two or three weeks.”
The subtext of that comment could not be more clear. For all the airtime devoted to COVID-19 misinformation merchants who cherry-pick statistics to suggest this virus is no big deal and engage in performative whataboutism to try and discredit public health officials, the virus will determine whether SEC football is played — not the other way around.
Few things are more important to the culture and economy of Southern states as college football, but even the most craven college president or conference commissioner would have a hard time putting an unpaid, amateur athlete on the field for the sake of a television contract when a dangerous virus is still out of control and hospital resources in small college towns might be scarce.
“We have to see change in public health trend to build the comfort that we’ll have an opportunity to compete this fall,” Sankey told Finebaum.
It might have been helpful if people who work in college athletics had hammered that point home months ago instead of waiting until the last possible moment to make clear that the behavior of fans was going to directly impact whether their favorite teams would be able to play this season.
But the arrogance with which too many people in this country approached COVID-19 from the beginning has also been a hallmark of the conversation around college football. Too many administrators have spent the last four months offering nothing but happy talk and publicly presenting the rosiest possible scenario rather than speaking directly to the massive challenges of pulling off a season in a college environment where any type of bubble isn’t possible and there’s no financial incentive for the players to take the kinds of health risks their professional counterparts are being asked to take.
In fact, the mere suggestion that college football wouldn’t go off as planned has been met with outrage.
Go back to March 27 when Kirk Herbstreit, the most prominent TV analyst in the sport, told ESPN radio he would be “shocked” if the season happened this fall.
“From what I understand, people that I listen to, you’re 12 to 18 months from a vaccine,” Herbstreit said. “I don’t know how you let these guys go into locker rooms and let stadiums be filled up and how you can play ball. I just don’t know how you can do it with the optics of it.”
But rather than take it as a warning, Herbstreit got shouted down by fans who called him a fearmonger. Since then, he’s barely said anything about the coronavirus and others in a position of power decided it simply wasn’t worth the harassment to talk about the reality of this fall. As it turns out, Herbstreit was the smartest of them all.
Years down the road, when the history of how we got here is written, it will be filled with curiosities like Herbstreit being labeled an alarmist and athletics directors talking about full stadiums being fêted for their optimism when all evidence showed that the opposite was true.
Now the situation is too urgent to explain in any other way than the one that’s right in front of us: College football, even in the mighty SEC, is in real trouble.
Follow USA TODAY Sports' Dan Wolken on Twitter @DanWolken.


usatoday--2020-07-14--The return of Jeff Sessions? Who takes on John Cornyn? Here's what to watch in Tuesday's elections

WASHINGTON – Jeff Sessions spent his tenure as attorney general walking a fine line with President Donald Trump .
He eventually tipped the balance , getting fired after recusing himself from the Justice Department ’ s inquiry into Russian meddling in the 2016 election .
Sessions has had to find a new balance as he attempts to recapture his old Alabama Senate seat Tuesday in a race that has largely revolved around the president .
Trump campaigned against Sessions , drudging up their controversial history , calling him a “ disaster ” on Twitter and backing Sessions ’ rival , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tommy Tuberville .
The race is one of several high-profile primary contests Tuesday that will help reveal both Trump ’ s grip on the nation ’ s politics and what the battlefield will look like in November .
Here ’ s your roundup of what to expect in Tuesday 's primaries across the country : Sessions faces an uphill road to retake the job he held for 20 years .
At the start of his campaign , he and his rivals all painted themselves as the most loyal to Trump .
After Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rocky history , Sessions rebranded himself as the candidate Washington doesn ’ t want , arguing the people of Alabama know him and won ’ t be swayed by D.C. as they choose their next senator .
More on the Alabama race : Jeff Sessions , Tommy Tuberville face off in Alabama senate runoff : What you need to know The feud between Sessions and Trump goes back to spring 2017 when Sessions recused himself from overseeing the Justice Department 's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election .
His recusal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counsel and a nearly two-year probe that clouded Trump 's first years in office .
Tuesday ’ s runoff could act as a final chapter between the president and Sessions , especially if the former attorney general loses .
Whoever wins Tuesday will face Democratic Sen. Doug Jones in November .
An Auburn University Montgomery poll of 567 registered voters from July 2 to 9 found 47 % of Republicans favored Tuberville , and 31 % favored Sessions .
Tuberville topped Sessions barely in the primary in March , 33.4 % to 31.6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 % of the primary vote to avoid a runoff .
The pandemic led the state ’ s governor to push the runoff date from March 31 to July 14 .
Sessions and Tuberville stayed off the campaign trail for about two months before resuming in-person campaigning in May .
Texas , Maine choose Dems to face off with incumbents In Texas , another bitter runoff race is set to be settled between two Democrats eager to challenge Republican Sen. John Cornyn .
Democrats have long sought to pull Texas away from Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly turning purple .
Tuesday , voters will decide whether M.J. Hegar , an Air Force veteran who earned a Purple Heart , or Royce West , a longtime state lawmaker and former prosecutor , will take on Cornyn in November .
Hegar drew national attention in the 2018 midterms after releasing a buzzy ad during her unsuccessful bid to challenge Rep. John Carter , a Republican , in Texas ' 31st Congressional District .
The ad , titled `` Doors , '' traced the Air Force veteran 's path from a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ domestic abuse to helping save her team from Taliban capture after their medevac helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan .
The video earned praise from Lin-Manuel Miranda , the creator of the smash Broadway hit `` Hamilton , '' who called it `` the best political ad anyone 's ever seen . ''
More : A war hero is running for Congress , and she dropped one of 2018 's best political ads More : Pandemic , George Floyd death has once-confident Senate Republicans on defense in November election Hegar is the favorite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won 50 % of the vote in March .
She carried 22 % of the vote while West earned about 15 % .
The campaign got contentious over the past few weeks as Hegar argued some of West 's attacks are linked to sexism .
West accused Washington insiders of getting involved in the race – national organizations poured money into supporting Hegar – to oppose what could be the first African American to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate .
In Maine , the Senate Democratic primary is less contentious but no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will face Sen. Susan Collins , one of the most endangered senators this cycle .
More : Susan Collins surpasses Mitch McConnell as the most unpopular senator in a new poll Maine Speaker of the House Sara Gideon is the front-runner in the race but will have to fend off challenges from two more liberal candidates , lawyer Bre Kidman and activist Betsy Sweet .
Gideon outraised her challengers and Collins , and polls have shown her leading Collins in a head-to-head matchup .
Other races to watch , including that of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic primary is n't the only race to watch in the Lone Star State .
A number of contests will test the strength of Republicans while assessing Trump 's rule over the party .
Ronny Jackson , a former Navy admiral and Trump 's onetime nominee to head the Department of Veteran Affairs , will go head-to-head with lobbyist Josh Winegarner for the seat belonging to Rep. Mac Thornberry , who is retiring .
Winegarner is Thornberry 's hand-picked candidate to succeed him , but Trump backed Jackson , who leads in fundraising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to return to Congress and faces Republican businesswoman Renee Swann over who will appear on the November ballot .
Sessions lost his seat in 2018 to Democrat Colin Allred and moved to the 17th Congressional District where Republican Rep. Bill Flores is retiring .
It has n't been an easy ride for Sessions , who served for more than 20 years in Congress before his ouster .
Sessions became a fixture in Trump 's impeachment probe for his relationship with two associates of the president 's attorney , Rudy Giuliani , and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine .
In Maine , Republicans will decide who will challenge Democratic freshmen Rep. Jared Golden , who flipped a long-held Republican seat in the state in 2018 .
The race is a toss-up , and Republicans ' choice will affect their chances of retaking the seat .
Three Republicans – Adrienne Bennett , a former press secretary for the former governor ; Eric Brakey , a former state senator ; and Dale Crafts , a former state representative – will face off .

The return of Jeff Sessions? Who takes on John Cornyn? Here's what to watch in Tuesday's elections
Show Caption Hide Caption Trump fires Jeff Sessions, names Matthew Whitaker as acting AG President Trump took to Twitter to announce the appointment of an acting Attorney General, and then fired Jeff Sessions in the following tweet. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Jeff Sessions spent his tenure as attorney general walking a fine line with President Donald Trump.
He eventually tipped the balance, getting fired after recusing himself from the Justice Department’s inquiry into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
Sessions has had to find a new balance as he attempts to recapture his old Alabama Senate seat Tuesday in a race that has largely revolved around the president. Trump campaigned against Sessions, drudging up their controversial history, calling him a “disaster” on Twitter and backing Sessions’ rival, political newcomer and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville.
The race is one of several high-profile primary contests Tuesday that will help reveal both Trump’s grip on the nation’s politics and what the battlefield will look like in November.
Here’s your roundup of what to expect in Tuesday's primaries across the country:
Alabama race centers on Trump
Sessions faces an uphill road to retake the job he held for 20 years.
At the start of his campaign, he and his rivals all painted themselves as the most loyal to Trump. After Trump took to Twitter and brought up their rocky history, Sessions rebranded himself as the candidate Washington doesn’t want, arguing the people of Alabama know him and won’t be swayed by D.C. as they choose their next senator.
More on the Alabama race: Jeff Sessions, Tommy Tuberville face off in Alabama senate runoff: What you need to know
More: Jeff Sessions blasts Trump's 'juvenile insults' ahead of Alabama runoff election against Tuberville
The feud between Sessions and Trump goes back to spring 2017 when Sessions recused himself from overseeing the Justice Department's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. His recusal led to Robert Mueller being appointed special counsel and a nearly two-year probe that clouded Trump's first years in office. Tuesday’s runoff could act as a final chapter between the president and Sessions, especially if the former attorney general loses.
Whoever wins Tuesday will face Democratic Sen. Doug Jones in November.
An Auburn University Montgomery poll of 567 registered voters from July 2 to 9 found 47% of Republicans favored Tuberville, and 31% favored Sessions.
Tuberville topped Sessions barely in the primary in March, 33.4% to 31.6%. A candidate would have needed 50% of the primary vote to avoid a runoff.
The pandemic led the state’s governor to push the runoff date from March 31 to July 14. Sessions and Tuberville stayed off the campaign trail for about two months before resuming in-person campaigning in May.
Texas, Maine choose Dems to face off with incumbents
In Texas, another bitter runoff race is set to be settled between two Democrats eager to challenge Republican Sen. John Cornyn.
Democrats have long sought to pull Texas away from Republicans' grip and argue the state is increasingly turning purple. Tuesday, voters will decide whether M.J. Hegar, an Air Force veteran who earned a Purple Heart, or Royce West, a longtime state lawmaker and former prosecutor, will take on Cornyn in November.
Hegar drew national attention in the 2018 midterms after releasing a buzzy ad during her unsuccessful bid to challenge Rep. John Carter, a Republican, in Texas' 31st Congressional District. The ad, titled "Doors," traced the Air Force veteran's path from a little girl at her mother's side fleeing domestic abuse to helping save her team from Taliban capture after their medevac helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan.
The video earned praise from Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of the smash Broadway hit "Hamilton," who called it "the best political ad anyone's ever seen."
More: A war hero is running for Congress, and she dropped one of 2018's best political ads
More: Pandemic, George Floyd death has once-confident Senate Republicans on defense in November election
Hegar is the favorite in Tuesday's runoff after no one won 50% of the vote in March. She carried 22% of the vote while West earned about 15%.
The campaign got contentious over the past few weeks as Hegar argued some of West's attacks are linked to sexism. West accused Washington insiders of getting involved in the race – national organizations poured money into supporting Hegar – to oppose what could be the first African American to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate.
In Maine, the Senate Democratic primary is less contentious but no less important: Voters will choose who will face Sen. Susan Collins, one of the most endangered senators this cycle.
More: Susan Collins surpasses Mitch McConnell as the most unpopular senator in a new poll
Maine Speaker of the House Sara Gideon is the front-runner in the race but will have to fend off challenges from two more liberal candidates, lawyer Bre Kidman and activist Betsy Sweet. Gideon outraised her challengers and Collins, and polls have shown her leading Collins in a head-to-head matchup.
Other races to watch , including that of a former White House doctor
The Texas Senate Democratic primary isn't the only race to watch in the Lone Star State. A number of contests will test the strength of Republicans while assessing Trump's rule over the party.
Senator Susan Collins' disapproval rating is lowest among all senators The Maine senator's net approval rating has dropped 10 points since the end of September, leaving her with a 52 percent disapproval rating. USA TODAY
Ronny Jackson, a former Navy admiral and Trump's onetime nominee to head the Department of Veteran Affairs, will go head-to-head with lobbyist Josh Winegarner for the seat belonging to Rep. Mac Thornberry, who is retiring.
Winegarner is Thornberry's hand-picked candidate to succeed him, but Trump backed Jackson, who leads in fundraising.
Former Rep. Pete Sessions is attempting to return to Congress and faces Republican businesswoman Renee Swann over who will appear on the November ballot.
More: Former GOP Rep Pete Sessions donates tainted money from Giuliani associates to charity
Sessions lost his seat in 2018 to Democrat Colin Allred and moved to the 17th Congressional District where Republican Rep. Bill Flores is retiring. It hasn't been an easy ride for Sessions, who served for more than 20 years in Congress before his ouster. Sessions became a fixture in Trump's impeachment probe for his relationship with two associates of the president's attorney, Rudy Giuliani, and his role in the removal of removal of the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
Flores backs Swann.
In Maine, Republicans will decide who will challenge Democratic freshmen Rep. Jared Golden, who flipped a long-held Republican seat in the state in 2018.
The race is a toss-up, and Republicans' choice will affect their chances of retaking the seat. Three Republicans – Adrienne Bennett, a former press secretary for the former governor; Eric Brakey, a former state senator; and Dale Crafts, a former state representative – will face off.
Contributing: Brian Lyman, Montgomery Advertiser


usatoday--2020-07-14--From staggered hours to automatic doors, how offices might look different amid the pandemic

KNOXVILLE – It 's difficult to say whether they 'll be permanent , but experts agree life in the office will come with some changes as businesses adjust to find a way to work during the pandemic in a way that , well , works .
The pandemic has led to many speculations that the open office layout is gone for good , but many businesses are waiting to see if and when a vaccine is developed or what more information scientists can learn about the virus before making costly , permanent changes to the workplace .
`` People do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge office buildings with these huge spaces until they really know what they need to do , '' said Chuck Mabe , vice president of procurement and pre-construction services for The Christman Company .
`` So that 's one of the dilemmas . ''
' I hide in the bathroom and cry ' : Americans struggle with unemployment delays Goodbye offices ?
: Will remote work craze sparked by COVID-19 mark the end of offices ?
What will look different ?
Short term solutions , according to global architecture firm Gensler , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communal spaces such as conference rooms , implementing staggered shifts at larger , shared desks , creating new cleaning protocols , improving air quality , installing touchless technology and training for how to interact in a safe way .
Long term , businesses will have to consider if outdoor spaces could help spread employees out as well as provide them with fresh air , how the air in a building could pass the virus and whether entire designs need to be reconfigured to reduce density for the long haul .
According to June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ JLL ) Research , the pandemic will accelerate changes in office design such as density , at least until a vaccine is available .
The report predicted density would then move back toward pre-pandemic levels , but never reach them .
Though the office will remain a key part of the working environment , it will be just a part rather than the whole .
Remote work will become a permanent part of corporate life .
`` A greater focus on spaces which emphasize face-to-face interaction is likely as office space is redesigned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desks , '' the report concluded .
Many employees see the upside in working remotely , according to a national survey from staffing firm Robert Half .
Of 1,000 people surveyed , 74 % said they 'd prefer to telecommute more often .
A survey by YouGov in partnership with USA TODAY and LinkedIn found 54 % of respondents said working from home during the pandemic had a positive effect on their productivity because of time saved from commuting , fewer distractions or fewer meetings .
`` You really have to study your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` The one thing you do n't want to stifle is teamwork .
If employees are not able to interact , are you losing some of your competitive edge ? ''
Offices will likely move to lower densities using work from home options , split shifts and `` light-touch '' redesign .
Johnson Architecture founder Daryl Johnson said the pandemic is speeding up a trend he was already beginning to see in early 2020 as clients were looking to minimize real estate costs as more employees were working from home .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fewer designated desks .
Still , he said , the open office plan remains one of the most efficient means to fit the most people in a space .
`` We 're putting less people in a space .
I do n't know if construction budgets and a building owner 's budget are really going to allow them to have enough space to accommodate their entire staff with social distancing , '' Johnson said .
`` So there are some things that we 'll have to get creative with as we move forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Staggered work schedules are a way to fit fewer people at a time in the space , Johnson said .
Multiple people would share a desk and would be responsible for cleaning it when they arrive and depart .
`` For years , ( designers ) tried to go with open office , short cubicles , and put everybody in these tight spaces and cram as many desks as they can , '' Mabe said .
`` That was the thinking then .
Well today , a lot of those facilities are shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desks , such as call centers , will have to reconfigure to be able to social distance between employees .
Some businesses might elect to get rid of desks altogether and use open spaces with big tables where people can stagger and social distance throughout the room no matter who is in the building .
`` Break areas , lounge areas will have to be expanded , we 'll have to allow people the ability to sit across from one another being socially distant , '' Johnson said .
`` But still I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's always going to be needed and we would n't be doing justice to our employees if we did n't allow that to happen still . ''
And more businesses might consider incorporating outdoor space into designs to give employees room to spread out and breathe fresh air as scientists determine how HVAC units spread the virus .
The pandemic may also alter how employees move around a space , Johnson said .
Some of it is establishing new logistics around an office , like exiting a conference room in a clockwise fashion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ door .
Look for building designs to utilize more touchless technology and eliminate high-touch surfaces where possible , Mabe said , from automatic doors to maze entrances to restrooms rather than a door entrance .
Of course , those solutions require more money and , in the case of a maze entrance , more square footage .
Elevators will have lower capacities and buildings might establish specific entrance and exit doors .
`` I think it fundamentally changes the way that people interact with space , '' Johnson said .
Perhaps people will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or businesses will install handwashing stations employees must use upon entering .
There will be more cleanliness infrastructure , Johnson predicted .
Expect more hard surfaces that are easier to clean .
Businesses might incorporate more technology to protect workers , from thermal scanners to simple plexiglass shields at conference room tables .
For now , many businesses are just waiting to see what happens before retooling entire offices .
`` The life cycle of our jobs are two and three years long , '' Mabe said .
`` And so I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this ( now ) , they have to be a forward thinking client . ''
Email Brenna McDermott at brenna.mcdermott @ knoxnews.com and follow her on Twitter @ _BrennaMcD .

Brenna McDermott, Knoxville News Sentinel

From staggered hours to automatic doors, how offices might look different amid the pandemic
Show Caption Hide Caption Work from home might be permanent option for companies going forward Working from home has exploded since the start of the pandemic. While it might seem temporary, it could become the new normal. Here's why. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – It's difficult to say whether they'll be permanent, but experts agree life in the office will come with some changes as businesses adjust to the pandemic in a way that, well, works.
The pandemic has led to speculation that the open office layout is gone for good. But many businesses are waiting to see whether and when a vaccine is developed, or what additional information scientists can learn about the virus before making costly, permanent changes to the workplace.
"People don't want to invest capital in these huge office buildings with these huge spaces until they really know what they need to do," said Chuck Mabe, vice president of procurement and pre-construction services for The Christman Company. "So that's one of the dilemmas."
'I hide in the bathroom and cry': Americans struggle with unemployment delays
Goodbye offices?: Will remote work craze sparked by COVID-19 mark the end of offices?
What will look different?
Short term solutions, according to global architecture firm Gensler, are varied and might include reconfiguring communal spaces such as conference rooms; implementing staggered shifts at larger, shared desks; creating new cleaning protocols; improving air quality; and installing touchless technology and training.
Long term, businesses will have to consider whether outdoor spaces could help distance employees as well as provide them with fresh air, and whether entire designs need to be reconfigured to reduce density for the long haul.
According to June research from Jones Lang LaSalle Research, the pandemic will accelerate changes in office design such as density, at least until a vaccine is available. The report predicted density would then move back toward pre-pandemic levels, but never fully reach them.
What is Top Workplaces? The Top Workplaces program identifies organizations that excel at organizational health and employee engagement. Energage, USA TODAY Handout
Though the office will remain a key part of the working environment, it will be just a part rather than the whole. Remote work will become a permanent part of corporate life.
"A greater focus on spaces which emphasize face-to-face interaction is likely as office space is redesigned or repurposed away from individual full-day occupancy desks," the report concluded.
Many employees see the upside in working remotely, according to a national survey from staffing firm Robert Half. Of 1,000 people surveyed, 74% said they'd prefer to telecommute more often. A survey by YouGov, in partnership with USA TODAY and LinkedIn, found 54% of respondents said working from home during the pandemic had a positive effect on their productivity because of time saved from commuting, as well as fewer distractions or fewer meetings.
Mabe encourages purpose-driven design before making major changes.
"You really have to study your flow and your workers," he said. "The one thing you don't want to stifle is teamwork. If employees are not able to interact, are you losing some of your competitive edge?"
Offices will likely move to lower densities using work-from-home options, split shifts and "light-touch" redesign.
Johnson Architecture founder Daryl Johnson said the pandemic is speeding up a trend he was already beginning to see in early 2020 as clients were looking to minimize real estate costs as more employees were working from home. That translates into more collaboration spaces and fewer designated desks.
Still, he said, the open office plan remains one of the most efficient means to fit the most people in a space.
"We're putting less people in a space," Johnson said. "I don't know if construction budgets and a building owner's budget are really going to allow them to have enough space to accommodate their entire staff with social distancing. So there are some things that we'll have to get creative with as we move forward with this type of design."
Staggered work schedules are a way to fit fewer people at a time in the space, Johnson said. Multiple people would share a desk and would be responsible for cleaning it when they arrive and depart.
"For years, (designers) tried to go with open office, short cubicles and put everybody in these tight spaces and cram as many desks as they can," Mabe said. "That was the thinking then. Well today, a lot of those facilities are shut down."
Spaces with lots of desks, such as call centers, will have to reconfigure to be able to social distance between employees. Some businesses might elect to get rid of desks altogether and use open spaces with big tables where people can stagger and social distance throughout the room no matter who is in the building.
"Break areas, lounge areas will have to be expanded; we'll have to allow people the ability to sit across from one another being socially distant," Johnson said. "But still I think the human interaction is something that's always going to be needed and we wouldn't be doing justice to our employees if we didn't allow that to happen still."
And more businesses might consider incorporating outdoor space into designs to give employees room to spread out and breathe fresh air as scientists determine how HVAC units spread the virus.
Moving around the space
The pandemic may also alter how employees move around a space, Johnson said. Some of it is establishing new logistics around an office, such as exiting a conference roomclockwise so there's no gridlock at the door.
Look for building designs to use more touchless technology and eliminate high-touch surfaces where possible, Mabe said, from automatic doors to maze entrances to restrooms rather than a door entrance.
Of course, those solutions require more money and, in the case of a maze entrance, more square footage.
Elevators will have lower capacities and buildings might establish specific entrance and exit doors.
"I think it fundamentally changes the way that people interact with space," Johnson said.
Perhaps people will remove their shoes at the entrance, or businesses will install handwashing stations employees must use upon entering. There will be more cleanliness infrastructure, Johnson predicted. Expect more hard surfaces that are easier to clean.
Businesses might incorporate more technology to protect workers, from thermal scanners to simple plexiglass shields at conference room tables.
For now, many businesses are just waiting to see what happens before retooling entire offices.
"The life cycle of our jobs are two and three years long," Mabe said. "And so I think to really see a client push for this (now), they have to be a forward-thinking client."
Email Brenna McDermott at brenna.mcdermott@knoxnews.com and follow her on Twitter @_BrennaMcD.