 | Michel Euler | AP
July 1, 2020
Be safe this holiday, or risk a major COVID-19 spike | |
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Good morning. It's Wednesday and we're sticking to COVID-19 news in today's update, after the weather.
Not quite as hot, but a chance of storms most of the day. Twin Cities highs in the upper 80s with nighttime lows in the lower 70s and light winds all day. Statewide, highs in the 80s with evening lows in the lower 60s to lower 70s. More on Updraft | Forecast
If Minnesotans ease up on safety measures, Fourth of July celebrations could cause a major spike in infections. “We certainly have seen incidents of people gathering in larger groups without social distancing and without masking and this is a proven recipe for spread,” Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said. “And we have seen that happen in our own community and we have certainly seen that happen in other states that are seeing these big increases now."
Health officials say meeting outdoors, rather than indoors, helps. And anyone who's feeling sick should opt out of celebrations and get a COVID-19 test.
Assessing the risk of many summertime activities is complicated. Plus, your age and health adds to the equation. But to get a baseline of what's safe and what's not, NPR has a breakdown of many popular activities and what makes them more or less safe.
Here are the latest coronavirus statistics:
- 36,303 cases confirmed (444 new) via 605,316 tests
- 1,441 deaths (6 new)
- 4,054 cases requiring hospitalization
- 270 people remain hospitalized; 136 in intensive care
- 31,601 patients no longer needing isolation
If things don't turn around, the U.S. could be seeing 100,000 new COVID-19 cases each day. That's according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country's top infectious disease expert, who told members of Congress that while he can't predict the ultimate number of coronavirus infections and deaths, "it's going to be very disturbing."
Despite the grim trends, many U.S. pediatricians say kids should go back to in-person classes this fall. The American Academy of Pediatrics issued guidance that "strongly advocates that all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school." The group cited "mounting evidence" that young kids are less likely to contract and transmit COVID-19.
However, that guidance doesn't address teachers' health concerns. As NPR points out, nearly a third of U.S. teachers are over age 50, which makes them at higher risk of complications caused by the coronavirus. Plus, many younger teachers likely aren't ecstatic to put themselves back into large groups of people, either.
All this week, MPR News is talking to some of the people behind rallies, marches and demonstrations happening beyond the Twin Cities metro area — about their experiences with race in Minnesota, why they march and what they hope for the future. See and hear all of the conversations here.
Today, we hear from Muntaas Farah and Yezi Gugsa. On June 6, Farah and a group of friends — including Gugsa and Mouny Ould-Ali — organized a protest that drew hundreds to Mayo Park in Rochester. There's no official head count, but local law enforcement said it was the largest protest the city has seen in decades. The teenagers — driven by a racism in their city that they say is both subtle and exhausting — have been the force behind Rochester’s protests since Floyd’s killing. "People are just done, at this point. People are just tired of seeing innocent Black lives being taken by people who are meant to protect and serve,” Farah said. “At this point, our voices have been unheard. We've been swept under the rug."
— Cody Nelson, MPR News | @codyleenelson |
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