7August 2020
In many parts of the United States, so much viral material is circulating that infections cannot be easily traced and contained. Nearly every country has struggled against the coronavirus and made mistakes along the way, but how did the U.S. end up as the only affluent nation that’s been severely affected for so long? In many ways, “We know what to do, and we’re not doing it.”
Throughout Friday, on this page, we’ll post Seattle Times journalists’ updates on the outbreak and its effects on the Seattle area, the Pacific Northwest and the world. Updates from Thursday can be found here, and all our coronavirus coverage can be found here.
Cuomo clears New York schools statewide to open, carefully
New York schools can bring children back to classrooms for the start of the school year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday, citing success in battling the coronavirus in the state that once was the U.S. heart of the pandemic.
The Democratic governor’s decision clears the way for schools to offer at least some days of in-person classes, alongside remote learning. Students will be required to wear masks throughout school day.
“Everywhere in the state, every region is below the threshold that we established,” Cuomo said during a conference call with reporters. “If there’s a spike in the infection rate, if there’s a matter of concern in the infection rate, then we can revisit.”
Unclear virus data causes some U.S. states to undercount cases
After a spiraling coronavirus outbreak that pushed California to the most infections in the U.S., the trends appear to be brightening: Daily reported cases have plunged, as has the rate of tests that come back positive.
The trouble is, it’s unclear if those figures are accurate.
California officials have uncovered a bug in their virus reporting effort — the nation’s largest, with more than 120,000 people tested each day. On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom touted a 21% drop in the average daily rate of new cases from the prior week as a sign of stabilization.
The next day, his top public-health official warned that the numbers were likely too low — by how much he couldn’t say — and the state didn’t know when the problem would be fixed.
COVID-19 forces changes at Recompose, the human-composting firm
Like nearly everything else in the state, Recompose — Washington’s new human-composting option to traditional burial and cremation — had to do some fancy footwork when the pandemic hit.
The company had some dire weeks in March, and had to quit its mammoth Sodo warehouse where it had hoped to open its first, flagship space — but has since found a new, smaller location in Kent. Recompose hopes to open its doors and begin converting human bodies into clean, nutrient-rich soil (the legal name for the process is “natural organic reduction”) this November.
But for a while, Recompose founder Katrina Spade said it looked like the whole operation would have to close.
“I’m normally an optimistic person,” Spade said. “But I had a couple of weeks where I thought: ‘This just might be over.’ It felt awful. So many people have worked so hard for so many years to bring this to life.”
Quarantine Corner: Things to do while keeping your distance
What can you do this weekend? Peruse these takeout options, join our book club, chill out with cool chalk art … we’re here with ideas to save you from boredom.
“Break out the good stuff, y’all.” Seattle chefs and bartenders are sharing at-home recipes for the summery cocktails they’re drinking.
Trying to understand these bizarre times? Two new books frame a year defined by the twin pandemics of coronavirus and racism.
FAQ Friday
Do young, healthy people need to worry about the virus? Yes. Here’s what public health experts say about why, and which social activities are riskiest.
Each week, we’re answering your most common questions about the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. ICYMI, here’s last week’s FAQ about testing.
What’s up with schools
Seattle Public Schools’ plan for this fall has so many gaps that “I don’t even know where to begin,” one School Board member said as the board pushed for a new outdoor option, with just a week left to decide how to tackle remote learning.
Worried Georgia teens shared photos of their jam-packed school hallway, full of mostly maskless students. Now they’ve been suspended.
King County’s major high-school sports leagues are pushing fall sports back to spring. Here’s how this is expected to work.
Catch up on the past 24 hours
Residents of some long-term care facilities like nursing homes will be able to have visitors and do certain social activities, starting next week, under a gradual plan described by Gov. Jay Inslee.
“We cannot stop people.” Amid virus warnings, about 250,000 people today will start roaring into small Sturgis, S.D., for one of the world’s biggest motorcycle rallies. In many parts of the nation, so much viral material is circulating that infections cannot be easily traced and contained. Nearly every country has struggled against the coronavirus and made mistakes along the way, but how did the U.S. end up as the only affluent nation that’s been severely affected for so long? In many ways, “We know what to do, and we’re not doing it.”
In Congress, talks on COVID-19 rescue money are on the brink of collapse. At stake: more than $100 billion to help reopen schools, a fresh round of $1,200 payments to most people, and hundreds of billions of dollars for state and local governments.
Scientists worldwide are freaked about Russia’s boast that it’s about to become the first country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine.
The Trump Administration has rescinded the country’s global “do not travel” ban, saying pandemic conditions elsewhere in the world don’t warrant the restrictions.
Source: seattletimes.com