HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;As part of the <a href="http://usd308.com/sites/default/files/ParentResources/Salthawk%20Restart%20FINAL%20for%20web.pdf">Salthawk Restart plan</a> for Hutchinson Public Schools, there will be a designated entrance for students each morning as they come to school.

"We're going to do temperature checks," said USD 308 Superintendent Mike Folks. "With Executive Order 20-59, it requires temperature checks before you enter the building. One of the things that we're going to ask parents is to do an assessment at home before they send their child and then 308 will do the temperature checks before entering the building."

If your	child’s	temperature is higher than 100	degrees, he or she will	be referred to the school nurse	for a second temperature check and further assessment as needed.

"The student will be taken aside and we'll try to get a hold of the parents as quickly as we can," said USD 308 spokesperson Ray Hemman. "They'll be placed in a room where there's no other students to avoid any kind of exposure, whether it's COVID-19, whether it's a bacterial infection or other viral infection. We want to make sure that student doesn't pass that along to other students."

Also, mask wearing is mandated, with very few exceptions.

"We want students and staff to wear masks," Folks said. "There's a few times that are spelled out in our plan, which follows Executive Order 20-59, when you can have a reprieve from the mask, but the general rule of thumb is yes. We want students and staff to have a mask on to mitigate the spread as much as possible."

Exceptions for eating and active participation in athletics are a couple of examples. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574794748723.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;As part of the <a href="http://usd308.com/sites/default/files/ParentResources/Salthawk%20Restart%20FINAL%20for%20web.pdf">Salthawk Restart plan</a> for Hutchinson Public Schools, there will be a designated entrance for students each morning as they come to school."We're going to do temperature checks," said USD 308 Superintendent Mike Folks. "With Executive Order 20-59, it requires temperature checks before you enter the building. One of the things that we're going to ask parents is to do an assessment at home before they send their child and then 308 will do the temperature checks before entering the building."If your	child’s	temperature is higher than 100	degrees, he or she will	be referred to the school nurse	for a second temperature check and further assessment as needed."The student will be taken aside and we'll try to get a hold of the parents as quickly as we can," said USD 308 spokesperson Ray Hemman. "They'll be placed in a room where there's no other students to avoid any kind of exposure, whether it's COVID-19, whether it's a bacterial infection or other viral infection. We want to make sure that student doesn't pass that along to other students."Also, mask wearing is mandated, with very few exceptions."We want students and staff to wear masks," Folks said. "There's a few times that are spelled out in our plan, which follows Executive Order 20-59, when you can have a reprieve from the mask, but the general rule of thumb is yes. We want students and staff to have a mask on to mitigate the spread as much as possible."Exceptions for eating and active participation in athletics are a couple of examples.

Designated entrances, temp checks, masks all part of 308 plan


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Health Officer Nick Baldetti made it clear that he believes that masks need to be worn in schools. The issue came up as the Reno County Commission had a resolution before it to leave the decision of K-6th grade mask use or not up to specific school districts.

"My fear is that, given the option, that we may have some districts that loosen restrictions on mask use," Baldetti said Tuesday. "In some of the plans that were presented to Mr. O'Sullivan and myself. The plans themselves suggest no mask use at the beginning and then we'll shift to mask use once cases present in schools. That strategy is opposite of the very mitigating strategy. We are trying to prevent cases from presenting and mass spreading in schools, not react by slowing the spread and the dispersal pattern waiting for a positive to already be within the schools."

Commission Chair Ron Sellers has changed his position on the resolution in recent days.

"A week ago, I probably would have voted for this resolution," Sellers said. "I have listened to people that have written me. I think teachers are very, very concerned about their safety and they should be. I concur with Ms. Neal that said children are capable of doing this. I think children can spread this terrible virus. They can take it home to their elders, their grandparents."

Commissioner Bob Bush joined Sellers in upholding the county's current position.

"Today, it was very clear to me that we need to keep the local control of this particular issue at the department of health and within the Reno County government," Bush said. 

Commissioner Ron Hirst still believes that the spread may be overstated.

"We're assuming that we're going to have terrible spread of this virus, without assuming that we may not have," Hirst said. "Communication has been excellent. There's been good conversations between the health department and our school superintendents and I just believe that those folks at the local areas can decide what's best for them."

Ultimately, the resolution was voted down 2-1 so the mask restrictions that are currently in place for schools as they prepare to start will remain in effect.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596884102345.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Health Officer Nick Baldetti made it clear that he believes that masks need to be worn in schools. The issue came up as the Reno County Commission had a resolution before it to leave the decision of K-6th grade mask use or not up to specific school districts."My fear is that, given the option, that we may have some districts that loosen restrictions on mask use," Baldetti said Tuesday. "In some of the plans that were presented to Mr. O'Sullivan and myself. The plans themselves suggest no mask use at the beginning and then we'll shift to mask use once cases present in schools. That strategy is opposite of the very mitigating strategy. We are trying to prevent cases from presenting and mass spreading in schools, not react by slowing the spread and the dispersal pattern waiting for a positive to already be within the schools."Commission Chair Ron Sellers has changed his position on the resolution in recent days."A week ago, I probably would have voted for this resolution," Sellers said. "I have listened to people that have written me. I think teachers are very, very concerned about their safety and they should be. I concur with Ms. Neal that said children are capable of doing this. I think children can spread this terrible virus. They can take it home to their elders, their grandparents."Commissioner Bob Bush joined Sellers in upholding the county's current position."Today, it was very clear to me that we need to keep the local control of this particular issue at the department of health and within the Reno County government," Bush said. Commissioner Ron Hirst still believes that the spread may be overstated."We're assuming that we're going to have terrible spread of this virus, without assuming that we may not have," Hirst said. "Communication has been excellent. There's been good conversations between the health department and our school superintendents and I just believe that those folks at the local areas can decide what's best for them."Ultimately, the resolution was voted down 2-1 so the mask restrictions that are currently in place for schools as they prepare to start will remain in effect.

Reno County Commission decides to leave school mask mandates in place

MCPHERSON,
Kan. — 
A drug that has shown promise in treating COVID-19 patients will be produced in McPherson.

Pfizer <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200807005213/en/Pfizer-Announces-Agreement-Gilead-Manufacture-Remdesivir-Treatment?fbclid=IwAR2zobDz6Z_uP0U5xFCR4AZp5yGWbBGhODGbWDn52f796hs6KDlIiCfudlI">announced last week</a> a multi-year agreement with Gilead Sciences, Inc. to manufacture and supply Gilead’s investigational antiviral remdesivir, as one of multiple external manufacturing organizations supporting efforts to scale up supply of the investigational treatment for COVID-19. Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will provide contract manufacturing services at Pfizer’s McPherson, Kansas facility to manufacture and supply remdesivir for Gilead.

<a href="https://www.gilead.com/news-and-press/press-room/press-releases/2020/8/gilead-submits-new-drug-application-to-us-food-and-drug-administration-for-veklury-remdesivir-for-the-treatment-of-covid19">Gilead said Monday</a> it has filed a New Drug Application with the FDA on the basis of two randomized, open-label, multi-center Phase 3 clinical studies conducted by itself, and one other study by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The company claims the drug led to faster recovery from COVID-19 compared to placebo, and a 5-to-10-day treatment led to clinical improvements. Gilead noted that the drug was well-tolerated with no new safety signals identified.

The McPherson drug manufacturing plant employs around 1800 people.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597144800526.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MCPHERSON,
Kan. — 
A drug that has shown promise in treating COVID-19 patients will be produced in McPherson.Pfizer <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200807005213/en/Pfizer-Announces-Agreement-Gilead-Manufacture-Remdesivir-Treatment?fbclid=IwAR2zobDz6Z_uP0U5xFCR4AZp5yGWbBGhODGbWDn52f796hs6KDlIiCfudlI">announced last week</a> a multi-year agreement with Gilead Sciences, Inc. to manufacture and supply Gilead’s investigational antiviral remdesivir, as one of multiple external manufacturing organizations supporting efforts to scale up supply of the investigational treatment for COVID-19. Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will provide contract manufacturing services at Pfizer’s McPherson, Kansas facility to manufacture and supply remdesivir for Gilead.<a href="https://www.gilead.com/news-and-press/press-room/press-releases/2020/8/gilead-submits-new-drug-application-to-us-food-and-drug-administration-for-veklury-remdesivir-for-the-treatment-of-covid19">Gilead said Monday</a> it has filed a New Drug Application with the FDA on the basis of two randomized, open-label, multi-center Phase 3 clinical studies conducted by itself, and one other study by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.The company claims the drug led to faster recovery from COVID-19 compared to placebo, and a 5-to-10-day treatment led to clinical improvements. Gilead noted that the drug was well-tolerated with no new safety signals identified.The McPherson drug manufacturing plant employs around 1800 people.

Remdesivir to be produced in McPherson by Pfizer; Gilead seeking FDA approval


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — The active COVID-19 case count in Reno County has bounced back above 50.

As of 1 p.m. on Monday afternoon August 10, 2020, there were 54 active cases in Reno County, with 273 total cases throughout the pandemic and 218 recovered.

4,854 Reno County residents have been tested, with 4,581 negatives for a positive test rate of 5.62% and 7.72% of the population tested thus far.

Hospital activity includes a census of 57 total patients for all causes. Five prospective COVID patients are awaiting results, while six are currently admitted. None are currently intubated or in ICU. 

Only one patient in Reno County thus far has died with COVID-19 as the primary cause of death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593790914635.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — The active COVID-19 case count in Reno County has bounced back above 50.As of 1 p.m. on Monday afternoon August 10, 2020, there were 54 active cases in Reno County, with 273 total cases throughout the pandemic and 218 recovered.4,854 Reno County residents have been tested, with 4,581 negatives for a positive test rate of 5.62% and 7.72% of the population tested thus far.Hospital activity includes a census of 57 total patients for all causes. Five prospective COVID patients are awaiting results, while six are currently admitted. None are currently intubated or in ICU. Only one patient in Reno County thus far has died with COVID-19 as the primary cause of death.

Active case count in Reno County back above 50


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Hutch CC spokesperson Denny Stoecklein said Monday that the school is getting ready for some on-campus instruction to begin with students moving in this week.

"We have been going around setting classrooms for social distancing," Stoecklein said. "The mask mandate dictates that students and faculty and employees, that everyone on campus should be wearing a mask. As we adhere to those guidelines and regulations, face to face is certainly going to have a different look and feel to it. Our online enrollment is up a little bit over what it historically is."

Mask mandates will include all public areas of campus and that starts in the dorm.

"They are going to be required to be worn anytime someone is outside of their dorm room," Stoecklein said. "If they are in a common area or coming and going, they are going to need to have face coverings on anytime other than when they are in their own room."

Obviously, the exception is outdoor campus areas where social distancing can be maintained.

"We can put things in place while they are here, while they are on campus, while they are in classrooms," Stoecklein said. "What we really ask of our students, of our employees, of everyone, and expect, is that the same level of responsible behavior carries over to when they are not here. Don't have parties. Don't go to large gatherings. Don't do things when you're not on campus that could risk bringing some of those things back to your fellow students and co-workers."

The first semester is scheduled to be completed in time for Thanksgiving break.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588955468734.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Hutch CC spokesperson Denny Stoecklein said Monday that the school is getting ready for some on-campus instruction to begin with students moving in this week."We have been going around setting classrooms for social distancing," Stoecklein said. "The mask mandate dictates that students and faculty and employees, that everyone on campus should be wearing a mask. As we adhere to those guidelines and regulations, face to face is certainly going to have a different look and feel to it. Our online enrollment is up a little bit over what it historically is."Mask mandates will include all public areas of campus and that starts in the dorm."They are going to be required to be worn anytime someone is outside of their dorm room," Stoecklein said. "If they are in a common area or coming and going, they are going to need to have face coverings on anytime other than when they are in their own room."Obviously, the exception is outdoor campus areas where social distancing can be maintained."We can put things in place while they are here, while they are on campus, while they are in classrooms," Stoecklein said. "What we really ask of our students, of our employees, of everyone, and expect, is that the same level of responsible behavior carries over to when they are not here. Don't have parties. Don't go to large gatherings. Don't do things when you're not on campus that could risk bringing some of those things back to your fellow students and co-workers."The first semester is scheduled to be completed in time for Thanksgiving break.

Hutch CC ready for start of semester with masks

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/kdhe-secretary-warns-of-lethal-brew-yearns-for-mask-mandate-says-schools-not-yet-safe/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Bars and house 
parties are an antidote of choice among Kansans laboring with 
coronavirus frustration and willing to rub shoulders with friends or 
strangers.

Lee Norman, secretary of 
the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said on the Kansas 
Reflector podcast these boozy environments also harbor perils of 
COVID-19 for anyone rejecting advice to social distance, wash hands and 
wear a mask.

“They just immerse in 
virus when they do that,” Norman said. “There’s usually music. When 
people speak loudly, there’s airborne droplets. And they’re very close 
to each other. It is absolutely a lethal brew.”

Norman said he was 
distressed only 15 of the state’s 105 counties embraced Gov. Laura 
Kelly’s recommendation of a mask mandate. The public health value of 
requiring people to cover their mouth and nose when in public has been 
undermined by government officials who discounted potential of the virus
 or viewed government edicts as infringement of individual liberties.

“I would love to see a 
mask&nbsp;mandate,” Norman said. “People can be outside and not&nbsp;have a mask 
on, if they’re distanced and they’re walking in a park or those kind of 
things. When you can’t control your environment, and you’re getting 
anywhere close to people, put a mask on.”

He said the state’s K-12 
education system and the colleges and universities weren’t prepared to 
resume in-person instruction in August.

Some local school boards 
decided to delay opening until after Labor Day in September, but the 
Kansas Board of Education rejected the governor’s proposal to hold off 
until Sept. 9. Kelly argued school districts needed more time to prepare
 for an educational environment invaded by COVID-19.

“The reason for that was 
pretty obvious. The number of cases is going up and, quite honestly, to 
make a safe environment for K through 12, or for that matter, higher ed.
 We’re not there yet,” the secretary said.

Norman said controversial 
decisions by the governor to close schools to in-person teaching in 
March and to issue a shelter-in-place directive in April were the two 
factors early in the pandemic that had a beneficial influence on spread 
of the virus.

The governor’s phased plan
 for reopening the state’s economy was initiated in May but subsequently
 derailed by the Kansas Legislature. It was anchored in health-related 
metrics that took into account needs of businesses to resume operations,
 he said.

“I’ve been a chief medical
 officer at very large health systems, and I know the importance of the 
bottom line. It’s always been top of mind.&nbsp;I don’t ever make 
recommendations in a vacuum,” Norman said. “And&nbsp;that’s true with schools
 as well. Schools are much more than just teaching and learning. It’s 
about socialization, nutrition, mental health.”

So far, the virus has been
 confirmed as a contributing factor in the death of 380 people and 
hospitalization of 1,875 individuals in Kansas. There have been 30,638 
positive tests and 285,874 negative tests for the virus across the 
state.

Here’s the top dozen 
counties of confirmed infections: Johnson, 5,637; Wyandotte, 4,961; 
Sedgwick, 4,935; Ford, 2,161; Finney, 1,706; Shawnee, 1,522; 
Leavenworth, 1,487, Seward, 1,144; Douglas, 717; and Lyon, 668, Riley, 
438; and Crawford, 395.

Norman, who has faced 
criticism from elected politicians and a skeptical public, said he 
continued to worry that not enough Kansans took COVID-19 seriously.

“We can’t make people take
 it seriously. Rules help,” he said. “I think what’s going to happen is 
that people are going to get ground down and will either say, ‘I guess 
we have to take this seriously and I’m going to personally be 
responsible for myself and maybe my family members.’ Or, are they the 
other? They can just say, ‘Heck with it. Let’s just throw open the 
doors. I’m done.’ "

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597071808051.jpeg" alt="Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman says during a recording of the Kansas Reflector podcast that he would prefer mask mandates to curtail the spread of COVID-19. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman says during a recording of the Kansas Reflector podcast that he would prefer mask mandates to curtail the spread of COVID-19. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/873134704&color=%232b7fb4&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast" title="Reflector Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Reflector Podcast</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast/health-secretary-lee-norman-yearns-for-mask-mandate" title="Health secretary Lee Norman warns of &#x27;lethal brew&#x27;" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Health secretary Lee Norman warns of &#x27;lethal brew&#x27;</a></div></div>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/kdhe-secretary-warns-of-lethal-brew-yearns-for-mask-mandate-says-schools-not-yet-safe/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Bars and house 
parties are an antidote of choice among Kansans laboring with 
coronavirus frustration and willing to rub shoulders with friends or 
strangers.Lee Norman, secretary of 
the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said on the Kansas 
Reflector podcast these boozy environments also harbor perils of 
COVID-19 for anyone rejecting advice to social distance, wash hands and 
wear a mask.“They just immerse in 
virus when they do that,” Norman said. “There’s usually music. When 
people speak loudly, there’s airborne droplets. And they’re very close 
to each other. It is absolutely a lethal brew.”Norman said he was 
distressed only 15 of the state’s 105 counties embraced Gov. Laura 
Kelly’s recommendation of a mask mandate. The public health value of 
requiring people to cover their mouth and nose when in public has been 
undermined by government officials who discounted potential of the virus
 or viewed government edicts as infringement of individual liberties.“I would love to see a 
mask&nbsp;mandate,” Norman said. “People can be outside and not&nbsp;have a mask 
on, if they’re distanced and they’re walking in a park or those kind of 
things. When you can’t control your environment, and you’re getting 
anywhere close to people, put a mask on.”He said the state’s K-12 
education system and the colleges and universities weren’t prepared to 
resume in-person instruction in August.Some local school boards 
decided to delay opening until after Labor Day in September, but the 
Kansas Board of Education rejected the governor’s proposal to hold off 
until Sept. 9. Kelly argued school districts needed more time to prepare
 for an educational environment invaded by COVID-19.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597072174250.jpeg" alt="Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman sketches a chart showing a midsummer resurgence of infections in Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman sketches a chart showing a midsummer resurgence of infections in Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“The reason for that was 
pretty obvious. The number of cases is going up and, quite honestly, to 
make a safe environment for K through 12, or for that matter, higher ed.
 We’re not there yet,” the secretary said.Norman said controversial 
decisions by the governor to close schools to in-person teaching in 
March and to issue a shelter-in-place directive in April were the two 
factors early in the pandemic that had a beneficial influence on spread 
of the virus.The governor’s phased plan
 for reopening the state’s economy was initiated in May but subsequently
 derailed by the Kansas Legislature. It was anchored in health-related 
metrics that took into account needs of businesses to resume operations,
 he said.“I’ve been a chief medical
 officer at very large health systems, and I know the importance of the 
bottom line. It’s always been top of mind.&nbsp;I don’t ever make 
recommendations in a vacuum,” Norman said. “And&nbsp;that’s true with schools
 as well. Schools are much more than just teaching and learning. It’s 
about socialization, nutrition, mental health.”So far, the virus has been
 confirmed as a contributing factor in the death of 380 people and 
hospitalization of 1,875 individuals in Kansas. There have been 30,638 
positive tests and 285,874 negative tests for the virus across the 
state.Here’s the top dozen 
counties of confirmed infections: Johnson, 5,637; Wyandotte, 4,961; 
Sedgwick, 4,935; Ford, 2,161; Finney, 1,706; Shawnee, 1,522; 
Leavenworth, 1,487, Seward, 1,144; Douglas, 717; and Lyon, 668, Riley, 
438; and Crawford, 395.Norman, who has faced 
criticism from elected politicians and a skeptical public, said he 
continued to worry that not enough Kansans took COVID-19 seriously.“We can’t make people take
 it seriously. Rules help,” he said. “I think what’s going to happen is 
that people are going to get ground down and will either say, ‘I guess 
we have to take this seriously and I’m going to personally be 
responsible for myself and maybe my family members.’ Or, are they the 
other? They can just say, ‘Heck with it. Let’s just throw open the 
doors. I’m done.’ "Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

🎙 KDHE secretary warns of ‘lethal brew,’ says schools not yet safe


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Emergency Management Director Adam Weishaar knows the job of his office is to anticipate what might happen with the COVID-19 pandemic in regard to supply chain, both in the short and the long term.

"We know it's not going to end," Weishaar said Monday. "We're being told its 12 to 18 months is what we need to prepare for. It's completely different. We're trying to put plans in place now for the fall. We are also trying to get a lot of personal protective equipment, not only for county employees, but all of our health care professionals, so that's the clinic, that's the hospital and then our first responders, as well."

The concern is that the state, which has been able to provide resources to the county, may not be able to do so as readily in the coming months.

"It's really hard to forecast it, but what we try to do is we try to order enough from the state to get us, at our current burn rate, for approximately 60 days and we stock that. As agencies request that, it comes out of our stock and we fulfill those requests. When we get to under 15 days, that's when we'll make a new request from the state."

The county, for the most part, has been able to get their PPE via the state, but they're pretty sure that's not going to continue indefinitely, so they're looking to put money aside for when they have to purchase themselves.

"We've requested some of the CARES funding that's come to the county," Weishaar said. "We've requested some of that money to be able to purchase a 30 day stock of that personal protective equipment at current burn rates. That way, we can get it out to all the agencies."

The County Commission will look at those CARES funding requests as part of their meeting agenda Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585131092050.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Emergency Management Director Adam Weishaar knows the job of his office is to anticipate what might happen with the COVID-19 pandemic in regard to supply chain, both in the short and the long term."We know it's not going to end," Weishaar said Monday. "We're being told its 12 to 18 months is what we need to prepare for. It's completely different. We're trying to put plans in place now for the fall. We are also trying to get a lot of personal protective equipment, not only for county employees, but all of our health care professionals, so that's the clinic, that's the hospital and then our first responders, as well."The concern is that the state, which has been able to provide resources to the county, may not be able to do so as readily in the coming months."It's really hard to forecast it, but what we try to do is we try to order enough from the state to get us, at our current burn rate, for approximately 60 days and we stock that. As agencies request that, it comes out of our stock and we fulfill those requests. When we get to under 15 days, that's when we'll make a new request from the state."The county, for the most part, has been able to get their PPE via the state, but they're pretty sure that's not going to continue indefinitely, so they're looking to put money aside for when they have to purchase themselves."We've requested some of the CARES funding that's come to the county," Weishaar said. "We've requested some of that money to be able to purchase a 30 day stock of that personal protective equipment at current burn rates. That way, we can get it out to all the agencies."The County Commission will look at those CARES funding requests as part of their meeting agenda Tuesday.

Emergency management office still trying to keep PPE pipeline full

LAWRENCE — University of Kansas researchers studying what they call “digital homelessness” have received an additional grant to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting Americans who don’t have easy access to the internet.

Before the pandemic, people without their own devices or internet access often used local libraries to obtain those services, but many of those locations have been closed or greatly reduced their access during quarantine lockdowns.

“The folks we’re focused on don’t have a ‘digital home,’” said Bill Staples, principal investigator on the project, professor emeritus of sociology and director of the&nbsp;<a href="http://ipsr.ku.edu/SSRC/">Surveillance Studies Research Cente</a>r. “That is, their computing lives are resource-limited, transient, less private and more vulnerable to digital threats than those who own computers and access the web through broadband at their residences. When libraries closed, they were locked out of a digital life most of us take for granted.”

Staples and his colleagues want to find out how — and if — people experiencing digital homelessness are coping.

“There’s anecdotal information about libraries pumping Wi-Fi out into the parking lots,” he said. “Some libraries are helping, but we need to take a systematic look at what is going on.”

The research team is led by Staples; Perry Alexander, AT&amp;T Foundation Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering &amp; Computer Science and director of the&nbsp;<a href="http://ittc-research.ku.edu/">Information and Telecommunication Technology Center</a>; and Drew Davidson, assistant professor of electrical engineering &amp; computer science.

These KU scholars had already been&nbsp;<a href="https://news.ku.edu/2020/04/07/grant-will-fund-research-safeguard-public-internet-users">awarded a grant</a>&nbsp;from the National Science Foundation titled “Safeguarding and Enhancing the Experience of Public Internet Users,” funded through NSF’s Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace program. The two-year, $516,000 grant will support research about how people who use public internet resources — like libraries — navigate the internet and what security threats they face.

NSF has now awarded the team an additional Rapid Response Research grant of $200,000 to look at how the pandemic has affected such users.

“We’re trying to get a before, during and after snapshot” of how the issue has evolved with the onset of the pandemic, Staples said.

As much as 30% of the American population lacks adequate broadband access at home. Researchers say this digital divide results from — and contributes to — widening economic inequality.&nbsp;

“I think this is an understudied population, and as such is a population that hasn’t been fully considered in the computing landscape,” Davidson said. “There’s an assumption as our lives move online that everybody can keep up, and that’s not the case. It’s important because the need is so great.”

“These people are digitally marginalized, socially and economically disadvantaged in a society in which internet has become a needed utility,” Staples said. “They cannot simply ‘work from home’ or e-learn new skills, nor can their children shift to ‘distance learning’ as millions have been asked to do. It’s like trying to get by without electricity in your house. It makes their lives that much more difficult and challenging.”

The new study will have three points of data collection. Users at the Lawrence Public Library, which has restored limited access to its computer lab, will be surveyed and some interviewed about their experiences. The researchers will also send an online survey to a representative sample of library directors across the United States to collect information on library policies and practices during the pandemic. Finally, team members will compile related stories from news sources around the country to capture what journalists have found out about was has been happening in their communities.&nbsp;

The team’s ultimate goal is to offer new tools to public internet users when they access the internet, including development of a device the team calls PUPS — public user privacy and security. The device is an isolated, portable, virtual computing environment on a USB stick, designed to provide a “digital home” to users, giving them a functional, seamless computing experience from one session and device to the next. There may be nontechnical solutions available as well, as researchers examine the contours of the issue more closely from both an engineering and a sociological perspective.

“I’m really happy we have this multidisciplinary team,” Davidson said. “I think there’s a lot of good that can be done.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://ipsr.ku.edu/">Institute for Policy &amp; Social Research</a>’s staff assisted with development of this proposal and will manage this grant.

More information and results can be found at the project's&nbsp;<a href="https://ittc.ku.edu/padlock/dh">website</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596486373395.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KU News ServiceLAWRENCE — University of Kansas researchers studying what they call “digital homelessness” have received an additional grant to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting Americans who don’t have easy access to the internet.Before the pandemic, people without their own devices or internet access often used local libraries to obtain those services, but many of those locations have been closed or greatly reduced their access during quarantine lockdowns.“The folks we’re focused on don’t have a ‘digital home,’” said Bill Staples, principal investigator on the project, professor emeritus of sociology and director of the&nbsp;<a href="http://ipsr.ku.edu/SSRC/">Surveillance Studies Research Cente</a>r. “That is, their computing lives are resource-limited, transient, less private and more vulnerable to digital threats than those who own computers and access the web through broadband at their residences. When libraries closed, they were locked out of a digital life most of us take for granted.”Staples and his colleagues want to find out how — and if — people experiencing digital homelessness are coping.“There’s anecdotal information about libraries pumping Wi-Fi out into the parking lots,” he said. “Some libraries are helping, but we need to take a systematic look at what is going on.”The research team is led by Staples; Perry Alexander, AT&amp;T Foundation Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering &amp; Computer Science and director of the&nbsp;<a href="http://ittc-research.ku.edu/">Information and Telecommunication Technology Center</a>; and Drew Davidson, assistant professor of electrical engineering &amp; computer science.These KU scholars had already been&nbsp;<a href="https://news.ku.edu/2020/04/07/grant-will-fund-research-safeguard-public-internet-users">awarded a grant</a>&nbsp;from the National Science Foundation titled “Safeguarding and Enhancing the Experience of Public Internet Users,” funded through NSF’s Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace program. The two-year, $516,000 grant will support research about how people who use public internet resources — like libraries — navigate the internet and what security threats they face.NSF has now awarded the team an additional Rapid Response Research grant of $200,000 to look at how the pandemic has affected such users.“We’re trying to get a before, during and after snapshot” of how the issue has evolved with the onset of the pandemic, Staples said.As much as 30% of the American population lacks adequate broadband access at home. Researchers say this digital divide results from — and contributes to — widening economic inequality.&nbsp;“I think this is an understudied population, and as such is a population that hasn’t been fully considered in the computing landscape,” Davidson said. “There’s an assumption as our lives move online that everybody can keep up, and that’s not the case. It’s important because the need is so great.”“These people are digitally marginalized, socially and economically disadvantaged in a society in which internet has become a needed utility,” Staples said. “They cannot simply ‘work from home’ or e-learn new skills, nor can their children shift to ‘distance learning’ as millions have been asked to do. It’s like trying to get by without electricity in your house. It makes their lives that much more difficult and challenging.”The new study will have three points of data collection. Users at the Lawrence Public Library, which has restored limited access to its computer lab, will be surveyed and some interviewed about their experiences. The researchers will also send an online survey to a representative sample of library directors across the United States to collect information on library policies and practices during the pandemic. Finally, team members will compile related stories from news sources around the country to capture what journalists have found out about was has been happening in their communities.&nbsp;The team’s ultimate goal is to offer new tools to public internet users when they access the internet, including development of a device the team calls PUPS — public user privacy and security. The device is an isolated, portable, virtual computing environment on a USB stick, designed to provide a “digital home” to users, giving them a functional, seamless computing experience from one session and device to the next. There may be nontechnical solutions available as well, as researchers examine the contours of the issue more closely from both an engineering and a sociological perspective.“I’m really happy we have this multidisciplinary team,” Davidson said. “I think there’s a lot of good that can be done.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://ipsr.ku.edu/">Institute for Policy &amp; Social Research</a>’s staff assisted with development of this proposal and will manage this grant.More information and results can be found at the project's&nbsp;<a href="https://ittc.ku.edu/padlock/dh">website</a>.&nbsp;

KU studying how pandemic affects Americans without easy access to the internet

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas counties that have mask mandates in place have seen a rapid drop in cases, while counties that only recommend their use have seen no decrease in cases, the state’s top health official said Wednesday.

Dr. Lee Norman, the state health department’s top administrator, said Wednesday that overall statewide the numbers of new cases is favorable, but that the reduction of new cases is entirely in the counties that require masks be worn in public spaces.

After Gov. Laura Kelly put a mask mandate in place last month, 15 counties stayed with the mandate while 90 counties abandoned it, Norman said at a news conference Wednesday.

Norman pointed to a graph showing the seven-day rolling average of cases per 100,000 people comparing counties with the mask mandates with those counties that abandoned it. The favorable trend line down was entirely in the counties that required the use of masks, while the trend line for those without one was flat, he said.

“Do masks work? Here in this natural experiment called Kansas where we have essentially — not due to any great design, but it has worked out that way — some counties have been the control group with a no mask mandate and some have been the experimental group with masks,” Norman said. “The experimental group is winning the battle. All improvements in case development comes from those counties wearing masks.”

It is important to understand, he noted, that the 15 counties with mask mandates represent two-thirds of the state’s population and include the more urban cities with greater population densities. People in those counties rely more on mass transit there and tend to have more racial and ethnic minority populations that are more likely to be infected by COVID-19.

The declining coronavirus cases per capita in those more urban counties suggest the improvement in the trend lines could be even steeper in rural counties if they had mask mandates in place, he said.

The state health department on Wednesday reported that Kansas has confirmed 29,717 cases since the outbreak began, a 841 increase since the last update on Monday. The state reported 368 deaths, up three from Monday.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment identified on its website Wednesday 370 outbreaks which have infected 7,853 people and led to 247 of the state’s 368 deaths.

Of particular concern was the 63 coronavirus cases tied to nine sports clusters because there have been a lot fewer sports this summer than there will be in the fall and winter when schools reopen, Norman said.

“Interestingly, we thought there would be a natural protection, if you will, in softball and baseball because you are out in the wide, open air for the most part, but we have had them essentially in all ... sports,” Norman said.

Other large clusters reported Wednesday include 136 at private businesses, 98 at long-term care facilities. Another 55 outbreaks were from gatherings, nine outbreaks tied to restaurants and bars that resulted in 221 coronavirus infections.

On Wednesday, the Shawnee County Health Department said they have multiple cases linked to Jeremiah Bullfrog Bar and Grille in Topeka, and warned people who were at the establishment July 24-25 and July 27-28 were at risk of exposure.

In Chanute, Kansas, 11 school administrators who attended a leadership retreat last week in Branson are in quarantine after six of them tested positive for the virus, the Kansas City-Star reported. Superintendent Kellen Adams said their symptoms range from minor to severe, with one being treated in a hospital ICU.

He defended the retreat, saying it was necessary to discuss details of how to operate schools during a global pandemic.

Chanute schools are scheduled to open to teachers on Aug. 10 and to students on Aug. 24. Adams said the outbreak among administrators has not, so far, changed that.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586545924801.png" alt="Lee Norman demonstrates how to wear a face mask during a press conference in April." />
 <figcaption>Lee Norman demonstrates how to wear a face mask during a press conference in April.</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROXANA HEGEMANBELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas counties that have mask mandates in place have seen a rapid drop in cases, while counties that only recommend their use have seen no decrease in cases, the state’s top health official said Wednesday.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKDHEnews%2Fvideos%2F3181624445282231%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Dr. Lee Norman, the state health department’s top administrator, said Wednesday that overall statewide the numbers of new cases is favorable, but that the reduction of new cases is entirely in the counties that require masks be worn in public spaces.After Gov. Laura Kelly put a mask mandate in place last month, 15 counties stayed with the mandate while 90 counties abandoned it, Norman said at a news conference Wednesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596718264258.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Norman pointed to a graph showing the seven-day rolling average of cases per 100,000 people comparing counties with the mask mandates with those counties that abandoned it. The favorable trend line down was entirely in the counties that required the use of masks, while the trend line for those without one was flat, he said.“Do masks work? Here in this natural experiment called Kansas where we have essentially — not due to any great design, but it has worked out that way — some counties have been the control group with a no mask mandate and some have been the experimental group with masks,” Norman said. “The experimental group is winning the battle. All improvements in case development comes from those counties wearing masks.”It is important to understand, he noted, that the 15 counties with mask mandates represent two-thirds of the state’s population and include the more urban cities with greater population densities. People in those counties rely more on mass transit there and tend to have more racial and ethnic minority populations that are more likely to be infected by COVID-19.The declining coronavirus cases per capita in those more urban counties suggest the improvement in the trend lines could be even steeper in rural counties if they had mask mandates in place, he said.The state health department on Wednesday reported that Kansas has confirmed 29,717 cases since the outbreak began, a 841 increase since the last update on Monday. The state reported 368 deaths, up three from Monday.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment identified on its website Wednesday 370 outbreaks which have infected 7,853 people and led to 247 of the state’s 368 deaths.Of particular concern was the 63 coronavirus cases tied to nine sports clusters because there have been a lot fewer sports this summer than there will be in the fall and winter when schools reopen, Norman said.“Interestingly, we thought there would be a natural protection, if you will, in softball and baseball because you are out in the wide, open air for the most part, but we have had them essentially in all ... sports,” Norman said.Other large clusters reported Wednesday include 136 at private businesses, 98 at long-term care facilities. Another 55 outbreaks were from gatherings, nine outbreaks tied to restaurants and bars that resulted in 221 coronavirus infections.On Wednesday, the Shawnee County Health Department said they have multiple cases linked to Jeremiah Bullfrog Bar and Grille in Topeka, and warned people who were at the establishment July 24-25 and July 27-28 were at risk of exposure.In Chanute, Kansas, 11 school administrators who attended a leadership retreat last week in Branson are in quarantine after six of them tested positive for the virus, the Kansas City-Star reported. Superintendent Kellen Adams said their symptoms range from minor to severe, with one being treated in a hospital ICU.He defended the retreat, saying it was necessary to discuss details of how to operate schools during a global pandemic.Chanute schools are scheduled to open to teachers on Aug. 10 and to students on Aug. 24. Adams said the outbreak among administrators has not, so far, changed that.

Kansas counties with mask mandate show steep COVID-19 drop

By MATTHEW PERRONE, NICKY FORSTER and MICHELLE LIU

U.S. testing for the coronavirus is dropping even as infections remain high and the death toll rises by more than 1,000 a day, a worrisome trend that officials attribute largely to Americans getting discouraged over having to wait hours to get a test and days or weeks to learn the results.

An Associated Press analysis found that the number of tests per day slid 3.6% over the past two weeks to 750,000, with the count falling in 22 states. That includes places like Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri and Iowa where the percentage of positive tests is high and continuing to climb, an indicator that the virus is still spreading uncontrolled.

Amid the crisis, some health experts are calling for the introduction of a different type of test that would yield results in a matter of minutes and would be cheap and simple enough for millions of Americans to test themselves — but would also be less accurate.

“There’s a sense of desperation that we need to do something else,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, director of Harvard’s Global Health Institute.

Widespread testing is considered essential to managing the outbreak as the U.S. approaches a mammoth 5 million confirmed infections and more than 157,000 deaths out of over 700,000 worldwide.

Testing demand is expected to surge again this fall, when schools reopen and flu season hits, most likely outstripping supplies and leading to new delays and bottlenecks.

Some of the decline in testing over the past few weeks was expected after backlogged commercial labs urged doctors to concentrate on their highest-risk patients. But some health and government officials are seeing growing public frustration and waning demand.

In Iowa, state officials are reporting less interest in testing, despite ample supplies. The state’s daily testing rate peaked in mid-July but has declined 20% in the last two weeks.

“We have the capacity. Iowans just need to test,” Gov. Kim Reynolds said last week.

Jessica Moore of rural Newberry, South Carolina, said that after a private lab lost her COVID-19 test results in mid-July, she had to get re-tested at a pop-up site organized by the state.

Moore and her husband arrived early on a Saturday morning at the site, a community center, where they waited for two hours for her test. Moore watched in the rear-view mirror as people drove up, saw the long line of cars, and then turned around and left.

“If people have something to do on a Saturday and they want to get tested, they’re not going to wait for two hours in the South Carolina heat for a test, especially if they’re not symptomatic,” Moore said.

Before traveling from Florida to Delaware last month, Laura DuBose Schumacher signed up to go to a drive-up testing site in Orlando with her husband. They were given a one-hour window in which to arrive.

They got there at the start of the window, but after 50 minutes it looked as if the wait would be another hour. Others who had gone through the line told them that they wouldn’t get their results until five days later, a Monday, at the earliest. They were planning to travel the next day, so they gave up.

“Monday would have been pointless, so we left the line,” Schumacher said.

The number of confirmed infections in the U.S. has topped 4.7 million, with new cases running at nearly 60,000 a day on average, down from more than 70,000 in the second half of July.

U.S. testing is built primarily on highly sensitive molecular tests that detect the genetic code of the coronavirus. Although the test is considered the gold standard for accuracy, experts increasingly say the country’s overburdened lab system is incapable of keeping pace with the outbreak and producing results within two or three days, the time frame crucial to isolating patients and containing the virus.

“They’re doing as good a job as they possibly can do, but the current system will not allow them to keep up with the demand,” said Mara Aspinall of Arizona State University’s College of Health Solutions.

Testing delays have led researchers at Harvard and elsewhere to propose a new approach using so-called antigen tests — rapid technology already used to screen for flu, strep throat and other common infections. Instead of detecting the virus itself, such tests look for viral proteins, or antigens, which are generally considered a less accurate measure of infection.

A number of companies are studying COVID-19 antigen tests in which you spit on a specially coated strip of paper, and if you are infected, it changes color. Experts say the speed and widespread availability of such tests would more than make up for their lower precision.

While no such tests for the coronavirus are on the U.S. market, experts say the technology is simple and the hurdles are more regulatory than technical. The Harvard researchers say production could quickly be scaled into the millions.

A proposal from the Harvard researchers calls for the federal government to distribute $1 saliva-based antigen tests to all Americans so that they can test themselves regularly, perhaps even daily.

Even with accuracy as low as 50%, researchers estimate the paper strip tests would uncover five times more COVID-19 cases than the current laboratory-based approach, which federal officials estimate catches just 1 in 10 infections.

But the approach faces resistance in Washington, where federal regulators have required at least 80% accuracy for new COVID-19 tests.

To date, the Food and Drug Administration has allowed only two COVID-19 antigen tests to enter the market. Those tests require a nasal swab supervised by a health professional and can only be run on specialized machines found at hospitals, doctor’s offices, nursing homes and clinics.

Also, because of the risk of false negatives, doctors may need to confirm a negative result with a genetic test when patients have possible symptoms of COVID-19.

On Tuesday, the governors of Maryland, Virginia, Louisiana and three other states announced an agreement with the Rockefeller Foundation to purchase more than 3 million of the FDA-cleared antigen tests, underscoring the growing interest in the technology.

When asked about introducing cheaper, paper-based tests, the government’s “testing czar,” Adm. Brett Giroir, warned that their accuracy could fall as low as 20% to 30%.

“I don’t think that would do a service to the American public of having something that is wrong seven out of 10 times,” Giroir said last week. “I think that could be catastrophic.”

By MATTHEW PERRONE, NICKY FORSTER and MICHELLE LIUAssociated PressU.S. testing for the coronavirus is dropping even as infections remain high and the death toll rises by more than 1,000 a day, a worrisome trend that officials attribute largely to Americans getting discouraged over having to wait hours to get a test and days or weeks to learn the results.An Associated Press analysis found that the number of tests per day slid 3.6% over the past two weeks to 750,000, with the count falling in 22 states. That includes places like Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri and Iowa where the percentage of positive tests is high and continuing to climb, an indicator that the virus is still spreading uncontrolled.Amid the crisis, some health experts are calling for the introduction of a different type of test that would yield results in a matter of minutes and would be cheap and simple enough for millions of Americans to test themselves — but would also be less accurate.“There’s a sense of desperation that we need to do something else,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, director of Harvard’s Global Health Institute.Widespread testing is considered essential to managing the outbreak as the U.S. approaches a mammoth 5 million confirmed infections and more than 157,000 deaths out of over 700,000 worldwide.Testing demand is expected to surge again this fall, when schools reopen and flu season hits, most likely outstripping supplies and leading to new delays and bottlenecks.Some of the decline in testing over the past few weeks was expected after backlogged commercial labs urged doctors to concentrate on their highest-risk patients. But some health and government officials are seeing growing public frustration and waning demand.In Iowa, state officials are reporting less interest in testing, despite ample supplies. The state’s daily testing rate peaked in mid-July but has declined 20% in the last two weeks.“We have the capacity. Iowans just need to test,” Gov. Kim Reynolds said last week.Jessica Moore of rural Newberry, South Carolina, said that after a private lab lost her COVID-19 test results in mid-July, she had to get re-tested at a pop-up site organized by the state.Moore and her husband arrived early on a Saturday morning at the site, a community center, where they waited for two hours for her test. Moore watched in the rear-view mirror as people drove up, saw the long line of cars, and then turned around and left.“If people have something to do on a Saturday and they want to get tested, they’re not going to wait for two hours in the South Carolina heat for a test, especially if they’re not symptomatic,” Moore said.Before traveling from Florida to Delaware last month, Laura DuBose Schumacher signed up to go to a drive-up testing site in Orlando with her husband. They were given a one-hour window in which to arrive.They got there at the start of the window, but after 50 minutes it looked as if the wait would be another hour. Others who had gone through the line told them that they wouldn’t get their results until five days later, a Monday, at the earliest. They were planning to travel the next day, so they gave up.“Monday would have been pointless, so we left the line,” Schumacher said.The number of confirmed infections in the U.S. has topped 4.7 million, with new cases running at nearly 60,000 a day on average, down from more than 70,000 in the second half of July.U.S. testing is built primarily on highly sensitive molecular tests that detect the genetic code of the coronavirus. Although the test is considered the gold standard for accuracy, experts increasingly say the country’s overburdened lab system is incapable of keeping pace with the outbreak and producing results within two or three days, the time frame crucial to isolating patients and containing the virus.“They’re doing as good a job as they possibly can do, but the current system will not allow them to keep up with the demand,” said Mara Aspinall of Arizona State University’s College of Health Solutions.Testing delays have led researchers at Harvard and elsewhere to propose a new approach using so-called antigen tests — rapid technology already used to screen for flu, strep throat and other common infections. Instead of detecting the virus itself, such tests look for viral proteins, or antigens, which are generally considered a less accurate measure of infection.A number of companies are studying COVID-19 antigen tests in which you spit on a specially coated strip of paper, and if you are infected, it changes color. Experts say the speed and widespread availability of such tests would more than make up for their lower precision.While no such tests for the coronavirus are on the U.S. market, experts say the technology is simple and the hurdles are more regulatory than technical. The Harvard researchers say production could quickly be scaled into the millions.A proposal from the Harvard researchers calls for the federal government to distribute $1 saliva-based antigen tests to all Americans so that they can test themselves regularly, perhaps even daily.Even with accuracy as low as 50%, researchers estimate the paper strip tests would uncover five times more COVID-19 cases than the current laboratory-based approach, which federal officials estimate catches just 1 in 10 infections.But the approach faces resistance in Washington, where federal regulators have required at least 80% accuracy for new COVID-19 tests.To date, the Food and Drug Administration has allowed only two COVID-19 antigen tests to enter the market. Those tests require a nasal swab supervised by a health professional and can only be run on specialized machines found at hospitals, doctor’s offices, nursing homes and clinics.Also, because of the risk of false negatives, doctors may need to confirm a negative result with a genetic test when patients have possible symptoms of COVID-19.On Tuesday, the governors of Maryland, Virginia, Louisiana and three other states announced an agreement with the Rockefeller Foundation to purchase more than 3 million of the FDA-cleared antigen tests, underscoring the growing interest in the technology.When asked about introducing cheaper, paper-based tests, the government’s “testing czar,” Adm. Brett Giroir, warned that their accuracy could fall as low as 20% to 30%.“I don’t think that would do a service to the American public of having something that is wrong seven out of 10 times,” Giroir said last week. “I think that could be catastrophic.”___

Virus testing in the US is dropping, even as deaths mount

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/01/food-insecurity-rates-rising-amid-covid-19-kansas-advocates-call-for-assistance/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Haley Kottler 
sees firsthand desperation of young families struggling to put food on 
the table as the economy wilts under the COVID-19 pandemic.

She understands the lifeline offered by the federally funded <a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program">Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program</a>, a U.S. Department of Agriculture program that delivers food benefits nationwide.

“Families often depend on 
school lunches, and SNAP picks up the slack without them,” Kottler said.
 “I know a single mother who was able to continue to pay her utilities 
and keep the internet on so her daughter could continue her schoolwork 
because of the flexibility provided.”

Kotter works for Kansas 
Appleseed, a statewide advocacy group working to provide access to 
affordable food and housing. She said when Gov. Laura Kelly closed 
schools to slow the spread of COVID-19, it left many families requiring 
extra assistance from programs like SNAP.

SNAP affords qualifying 
low-income families targeted and temporary food benefits to get them 
through difficult periods. It is also known as the Food Assistance 
Program in Kansas.

Amid the pandemic, food 
insecurity rates are rising and the number of SNAP recipients in Kansas 
has skyrocketed from just under 190,000 in February to over 213,000 in 
June, a more than 12% increase. Expenditures rose to nearly $40 million 
in the month of June, a 95% increase.

Numbers nationwide have followed suit, with more than 54 million people expected to<a href="https://www.feedingamericaaction.org/the-impact-of-coronavirus-on-food-insecurity/"> experience food insecurity due to COVID-19</a>.

“We’ve seen millions of 
people across the county struggling to put food on the table, as 
unemployment rises and food prices increase, turning to SNAP,” said Luis
 Guardia, president of the Food Research and Action Center, during a 
panel discussion Wednesday on the importance of increasing SNAP program 
boosts.

Last month, 2,500 organizations from every state <a href="https://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/FINAL-Senate-Letter_18June2020.pdf">signed a letter</a>
 asking Congress to boost the maximum snap benefit by 15% and to 
increase the minimum monthly benefit from $16 to $30. Kottler joined 
Guardia and several other advocates from across the United States to 
voice displeasure for a lack of such action in the US. Senate Majority 
Leader Mitch McConnell’s latest proposed COVID-19 relief package.

“With the uncertainty 
surrounding school scheduling, unemployment payments set to drop from 
$600 back to $200, this crisis will only continue to worsen, and more 
families will turn to SNAP,” Kottler said. “We need deep investment and 
care in the program as the situation potentially worsens.”

According to the Feeding America study<a href="https://www.feedingamerica.org/research/coronavirus-hunger-research"> “The Impact of Coronavirus on Food Insecurity,”</a> Kansas’ projected overall food insecurity rate for 2020 is 17.7%. That marks a 5% increase since 2018.

Karen Siebert, public 
policy and advocacy adviser for Harvester’s — The Community Food 
Network, a food bank serving 16 counties in Kansas, said these numbers 
are troubling for organizations like hers.

“Our agencies have seen an
 average 40% increase in those coming in for help since the pandemic 
began,” Siebert said. “The problem isn’t going away for these people, 
and these supports, <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/31/14000-attempts-balky-technology-expiring-benefits-worry-workers-state-leaders/">like unemployment</a>, are all falling away. We’re worried we’ll see another influx of people.”

From the 2019 fiscal year 
to fiscal year 2020, Harvesters saw a 20% increase in the amount of food
 distributed. In addition, as food donations plummeted, Harvesters spent
 $1.8 million during the 2020 fiscal year, as opposed to just $100,000 
in 2019, Siebert said.

Harvesters’ was prepared 
for the initial rush of pandemic food need, but for food banks who rely 
on donations and volunteers, continued demand at this rate is not a 
viable business model.

“We need our volunteers to
 help repackage foods so we can send them out to families, but many of 
them are at-risk, or we just can’t use them in the same way,” Siebert 
said. “Our entire business model has been upended.”

That is why Siebert and 
Harvester’s, a private charity, are staunch advocates for public 
programs like SNAP. Siebert said for every meal they provide, SNAP can 
provide nine.

“SNAP is a lifeline for so
 many Kansans,” Kottler said. “We need to do more because it’s the best 
way we can mitigate hunger in Kansas.”

Noah Taborda started his journalism career in public radio at KBIA in Columbia, Missouri, covering local government and producing an episode of the podcast Show Me The State while earning his bachelor’s degree in radio broadcasting at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Noah then made a short move to Kansas City, Missouri, to work at KCUR as an intern on the talk show Central Standard and then in the newsroom, reporting on daily news and feature stories.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596481208709.jpeg" alt="Harvesters, a private food bank, saw the amount of food distributed increase from 54 million pounds in 2019 to 65 million in 2020. In this picture, food is distributed at a drive-in in Kansas City, Kansas. (Harvesters — The Community Food Network)" />
 <figcaption>Harvesters, a private food bank, saw the amount of food distributed increase from 54 million pounds in 2019 to 65 million in 2020. In this picture, food is distributed at a drive-in in Kansas City, Kansas. (Harvesters — The Community Food Network)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/01/food-insecurity-rates-rising-amid-covid-19-kansas-advocates-call-for-assistance/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Haley Kottler 
sees firsthand desperation of young families struggling to put food on 
the table as the economy wilts under the COVID-19 pandemic.She understands the lifeline offered by the federally funded <a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program">Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program</a>, a U.S. Department of Agriculture program that delivers food benefits nationwide.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596481276548.png" alt="Haley Kottler during a panel on the need for SNAP boosts from Congress, June 28, 2020 (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Haley Kottler during a panel on the need for SNAP boosts from Congress, June 28, 2020 (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“Families often depend on 
school lunches, and SNAP picks up the slack without them,” Kottler said.
 “I know a single mother who was able to continue to pay her utilities 
and keep the internet on so her daughter could continue her schoolwork 
because of the flexibility provided.”Kotter works for Kansas 
Appleseed, a statewide advocacy group working to provide access to 
affordable food and housing. She said when Gov. Laura Kelly closed 
schools to slow the spread of COVID-19, it left many families requiring 
extra assistance from programs like SNAP.SNAP affords qualifying 
low-income families targeted and temporary food benefits to get them 
through difficult periods. It is also known as the Food Assistance 
Program in Kansas.Amid the pandemic, food 
insecurity rates are rising and the number of SNAP recipients in Kansas 
has skyrocketed from just under 190,000 in February to over 213,000 in 
June, a more than 12% increase. Expenditures rose to nearly $40 million 
in the month of June, a 95% increase.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596481308150.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Numbers nationwide have followed suit, with more than 54 million people expected to<a href="https://www.feedingamericaaction.org/the-impact-of-coronavirus-on-food-insecurity/"> experience food insecurity due to COVID-19</a>.“We’ve seen millions of 
people across the county struggling to put food on the table, as 
unemployment rises and food prices increase, turning to SNAP,” said Luis
 Guardia, president of the Food Research and Action Center, during a 
panel discussion Wednesday on the importance of increasing SNAP program 
boosts.Last month, 2,500 organizations from every state <a href="https://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/FINAL-Senate-Letter_18June2020.pdf">signed a letter</a>
 asking Congress to boost the maximum snap benefit by 15% and to 
increase the minimum monthly benefit from $16 to $30. Kottler joined 
Guardia and several other advocates from across the United States to 
voice displeasure for a lack of such action in the US. Senate Majority 
Leader Mitch McConnell’s latest proposed COVID-19 relief package.“With the uncertainty 
surrounding school scheduling, unemployment payments set to drop from 
$600 back to $200, this crisis will only continue to worsen, and more 
families will turn to SNAP,” Kottler said. “We need deep investment and 
care in the program as the situation potentially worsens.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596481328931.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>According to the Feeding America study<a href="https://www.feedingamerica.org/research/coronavirus-hunger-research"> “The Impact of Coronavirus on Food Insecurity,”</a> Kansas’ projected overall food insecurity rate for 2020 is 17.7%. That marks a 5% increase since 2018.Karen Siebert, public 
policy and advocacy adviser for Harvester’s — The Community Food 
Network, a food bank serving 16 counties in Kansas, said these numbers 
are troubling for organizations like hers.“Our agencies have seen an
 average 40% increase in those coming in for help since the pandemic 
began,” Siebert said. “The problem isn’t going away for these people, 
and these supports, <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/31/14000-attempts-balky-technology-expiring-benefits-worry-workers-state-leaders/">like unemployment</a>, are all falling away. We’re worried we’ll see another influx of people.”From the 2019 fiscal year 
to fiscal year 2020, Harvesters saw a 20% increase in the amount of food
 distributed. In addition, as food donations plummeted, Harvesters spent
 $1.8 million during the 2020 fiscal year, as opposed to just $100,000 
in 2019, Siebert said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596481366813.jpeg" alt="Karen Siebert, a public policy and advocacy adviser for Harvester’s, said while Harvesters was prepared for the initial surge at the beginning of the pandemic, a continued demand for food at this rate is unsustainable. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>Karen Siebert, a public policy and advocacy adviser for Harvester’s, said while Harvesters was prepared for the initial surge at the beginning of the pandemic, a continued demand for food at this rate is unsustainable. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>Harvesters’ was prepared 
for the initial rush of pandemic food need, but for food banks who rely 
on donations and volunteers, continued demand at this rate is not a 
viable business model.“We need our volunteers to
 help repackage foods so we can send them out to families, but many of 
them are at-risk, or we just can’t use them in the same way,” Siebert 
said. “Our entire business model has been upended.”That is why Siebert and 
Harvester’s, a private charity, are staunch advocates for public 
programs like SNAP. Siebert said for every meal they provide, SNAP can 
provide nine.“SNAP is a lifeline for so
 many Kansans,” Kottler said. “We need to do more because it’s the best 
way we can mitigate hunger in Kansas.”Noah Taborda started his journalism career in public radio at KBIA in Columbia, Missouri, covering local government and producing an episode of the podcast Show Me The State while earning his bachelor’s degree in radio broadcasting at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Noah then made a short move to Kansas City, Missouri, to work at KCUR as an intern on the talk show Central Standard and then in the newsroom, reporting on daily news and feature stories.

As food insecurity rates rise, Kansas advocates call for assistance


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County Health Director Nick Baldetti has announced his resignation. Mr. Baldetti has accepted a position as the Executive Director of Healthcare Initiative for McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas. His last day with Reno County will be Friday, August 14, 2020.

Mr. Baldetti was hired by the Reno County Health Department in March 2013, as the health educator. He was promoted to assistant director in September 2013 and then as the director in March 2015. During his time at the health department, Nick oversaw the following accomplishments for the health department.

• Accreditation process with the Public Health Accreditation Board • Departmental solvency through increased grant activity • Departmental program expansion in health equity, substance abuse and mental health

Nick Baldetti stated, “I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with and lead so many talented and committed individuals in helping to better this community through direct and indirect clinical, social, emotional and economic interventions. I could not be more proud of the team at the Health Department and am excited to continue to address access to health and assurance of community welfare in a brand-new way for Kansas at McPherson College”.

Reno County Commission Chairman Ron Sellers expressed the County’s gratitude to Nick for his work and the health department and particularly his recent work with COVID-19. According to Chairman Sellers, 

“He has led the County in such a way that Reno County has minimized COVID cases and has kept the public especially well informed as to the current situation of the County. His coordination of all Reno County partners has been excellent. Reno County’s health department is one of the top departments within the State and we owe much of this to Nick’s past efforts”.

County Administrator Randy Partington stated, “Nick has done an exceptional job as the health director and public health officer, especially while being at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic. He will be missed at Reno County”.

Following Nick’s departure from the county, the health department’s two assistant directors will become appointed interim directors. Reno County will begin searching for a new health director with more details to follow. Regarding the public health officer, the county will look at the alternatives and notify the public when an announcement is ready. 

Citizens of Reno County will continue to receive COVID-19 related updates in a timely manner.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589472383275.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County Health Director Nick Baldetti has announced his resignation. Mr. Baldetti has accepted a position as the Executive Director of Healthcare Initiative for McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas. His last day with Reno County will be Friday, August 14, 2020.Mr. Baldetti was hired by the Reno County Health Department in March 2013, as the health educator. He was promoted to assistant director in September 2013 and then as the director in March 2015. During his time at the health department, Nick oversaw the following accomplishments for the health department.• Accreditation process with the Public Health Accreditation Board • Departmental solvency through increased grant activity • Departmental program expansion in health equity, substance abuse and mental healthNick Baldetti stated, “I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with and lead so many talented and committed individuals in helping to better this community through direct and indirect clinical, social, emotional and economic interventions. I could not be more proud of the team at the Health Department and am excited to continue to address access to health and assurance of community welfare in a brand-new way for Kansas at McPherson College”.Reno County Commission Chairman Ron Sellers expressed the County’s gratitude to Nick for his work and the health department and particularly his recent work with COVID-19. According to Chairman Sellers, “He has led the County in such a way that Reno County has minimized COVID cases and has kept the public especially well informed as to the current situation of the County. His coordination of all Reno County partners has been excellent. Reno County’s health department is one of the top departments within the State and we owe much of this to Nick’s past efforts”.County Administrator Randy Partington stated, “Nick has done an exceptional job as the health director and public health officer, especially while being at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic. He will be missed at Reno County”.Following Nick’s departure from the county, the health department’s two assistant directors will become appointed interim directors. Reno County will begin searching for a new health director with more details to follow. Regarding the public health officer, the county will look at the alternatives and notify the public when an announcement is ready. Citizens of Reno County will continue to receive COVID-19 related updates in a timely manner.

Reno County announces Nick Baldetti's resignation


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Former Kansas Gov. Dr. Jeff Colyer sees the COVID-19 response from the state as being more localized than one size fits all.

"We don't need to do this as one big sledgehammer," Colyer said. "This is a surgical operation. Working by individual county for schools, for businesses, is the best way of doing this. That way, you don't close down things that don't need to be closed and wear people out."

Colyer acknowledges the seriousness of the COVID-19 issue, but it's also important to use the new knowledge we're getting about the virus over the last several months to guide that response.

"We understand about distancing," Colyer said. "You and I are distancing now. You can have an interaction. We can work. We've learned so much about telehealth. We know how restaurants can work better with having some simple barriers and some spacing. There are a lot of things that we can do that have a big impact without making everybody sit at home. That's the problem. We need to isolate the few to protect the many."

Colyer also is confident we will get to therapies that work, but that it's likely there will be no single silver bullet for COVID-19.

"I'm currently on the scientific board for a company that has a vaccine," Colyer said. "We actually begin our human trials here in the next week or two. It's going to be important that we get several vaccines. You're probably going to need three or four different kind of vaccines to make sure they're absolutely safe. Certain vaccines may work better, say, in an older population, or another one in kids. Spending a lot of effort on that is very important."

Colyer was announced earlier this month as a member of the Arcturus Therapeutics Vaccine Platform Scientific Advisory Board. The key to the vaccine Arcturus is proposing is that it would be a single dose, while other candidates would require booster shots to work.

<a href="https://usave.it/1154172/bw-news-special-reports/">Colyer had a lot to say, including campaigning for his former Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann, who is running for the First District seat in Congress. Click here to hear the bonus podcast with Colyer</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596195325592.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Former Kansas Gov. Dr. Jeff Colyer sees the COVID-19 response from the state as being more localized than one size fits all."We don't need to do this as one big sledgehammer," Colyer said. "This is a surgical operation. Working by individual county for schools, for businesses, is the best way of doing this. That way, you don't close down things that don't need to be closed and wear people out."Colyer acknowledges the seriousness of the COVID-19 issue, but it's also important to use the new knowledge we're getting about the virus over the last several months to guide that response."We understand about distancing," Colyer said. "You and I are distancing now. You can have an interaction. We can work. We've learned so much about telehealth. We know how restaurants can work better with having some simple barriers and some spacing. There are a lot of things that we can do that have a big impact without making everybody sit at home. That's the problem. We need to isolate the few to protect the many."Colyer also is confident we will get to therapies that work, but that it's likely there will be no single silver bullet for COVID-19."I'm currently on the scientific board for a company that has a vaccine," Colyer said. "We actually begin our human trials here in the next week or two. It's going to be important that we get several vaccines. You're probably going to need three or four different kind of vaccines to make sure they're absolutely safe. Certain vaccines may work better, say, in an older population, or another one in kids. Spending a lot of effort on that is very important."Colyer was announced earlier this month as a member of the Arcturus Therapeutics Vaccine Platform Scientific Advisory Board. The key to the vaccine Arcturus is proposing is that it would be a single dose, while other candidates would require booster shots to work.<a href="https://usave.it/1154172/bw-news-special-reports/">Colyer had a lot to say, including campaigning for his former Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann, who is running for the First District seat in Congress. Click here to hear the bonus podcast with Colyer</a>.

Former Gov. Jeff Colyer talks about COVID-19 response

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 942 to a total of 27,812 the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 358, an increase of 9 since the last report.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 942 to a total of 27,812 the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 358, an increase of 9 since the last report.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596214992689.png" alt="July 31, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>July 31, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the world races to find a vaccine and a treatment for COVID-19, there is seemingly no antidote in sight for the burgeoning outbreak of coronavirus conspiracy theories, hoaxes, anti-mask myths and sham cures.

The phenomenon, unfolding largely on social media, escalated this week when President Donald Trump retweeted a false video about an anti-malaria drug being a cure for the virus and it was revealed that Russian intelligence is spreading disinformation about the crisis through English-language websites.

Experts worry the torrent of bad information is dangerously undermining efforts to slow the virus, whose death toll in the U.S. hit 150,000 Wednesday, by far the highest in the world, according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Over a half-million people have died in the rest of the world.

Hard-hit Florida reported 216 deaths, breaking the single-day record it set a day earlier. Texas confirmed 313 additional deaths, pushing its total to 6,190, while South Carolina’s death toll passed 1,500 this week, more than doubling over the past month. In Georgia, hospitalizations have more than doubled since July 1.

“It is a real challenge in terms of trying to get the message to the public about what they can really do to protect themselves and what the facts are behind the problem,” said Michael Osterholm, head of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

He said the fear is that “people are putting themselves in harm’s way because they don’t believe the virus is something they have to deal with.”

Rather than fade away in the face of new evidence, the claims have flourished, fed by mixed messages from officials, transmitted by social media, amplified by leaders like Trump and mutating when confronted with contradictory facts.

“You don’t need masks. There is a cure,” Dr. Stella Immanuel promised in a video that promoted hydroxychloroquine. “You don’t need people to be locked down.”

The truth: Federal regulators last month revoked their authorization of the drug as an emergency treatment amid growing evidence it doesn’t work and can have deadly side effects. Even if it were effective, it wouldn’t negate the need for masks and other measures to contain the outbreak.

None of that stopped Trump, who has repeatedly praised the drug, from retweeting the video. Twitter and Facebook began removing the video Monday for violating policies on COVID-19 misinformation, but it had already been seen more than 20 million times.

Many of the claims in Immanuel’s video are widely disputed by medical experts. She has made even more bizarre pronouncements in the past, saying that cysts, fibroids and some other conditions can be caused by having sex with demons, that McDonald’s and Pokemon promote witchcraft, that alien DNA is used in medical treatments, and that half-human “reptilians” work in the government.

Other baseless theories and hoaxes have alleged that the virus isn’t real or that it’s a bioweapon created by the U.S. or its adversaries. One&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4ac3679b6f39e8bd2561c1c8eeafd855">hoax&nbsp;</a>from the outbreak’s early months claimed new 5G towers were spreading the virus through microwaves. Another popular story held that Microsoft founder Bill Gates plans to use COVID-19 vaccines to implant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3287934e9316b008e2a6c7735b7b01df">microchips&nbsp;</a>in all 7 billion people on the planet.

Then there are the political theories — that doctors, journalists and federal officials are conspiring to lie about the threat of the virus to hurt Trump politically.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596107178939.png" alt="Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg during his testimony before a congressional committee Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg during his testimony before a congressional committee Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — As the world races to find a vaccine and a treatment for COVID-19, there is seemingly no antidote in sight for the burgeoning outbreak of coronavirus conspiracy theories, hoaxes, anti-mask myths and sham cures.The phenomenon, unfolding largely on social media, escalated this week when President Donald Trump retweeted a false video about an anti-malaria drug being a cure for the virus and it was revealed that Russian intelligence is spreading disinformation about the crisis through English-language websites.Experts worry the torrent of bad information is dangerously undermining efforts to slow the virus, whose death toll in the U.S. hit 150,000 Wednesday, by far the highest in the world, according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Over a half-million people have died in the rest of the world.Hard-hit Florida reported 216 deaths, breaking the single-day record it set a day earlier. Texas confirmed 313 additional deaths, pushing its total to 6,190, while South Carolina’s death toll passed 1,500 this week, more than doubling over the past month. In Georgia, hospitalizations have more than doubled since July 1.“It is a real challenge in terms of trying to get the message to the public about what they can really do to protect themselves and what the facts are behind the problem,” said Michael Osterholm, head of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.He said the fear is that “people are putting themselves in harm’s way because they don’t believe the virus is something they have to deal with.”Rather than fade away in the face of new evidence, the claims have flourished, fed by mixed messages from officials, transmitted by social media, amplified by leaders like Trump and mutating when confronted with contradictory facts.“You don’t need masks. There is a cure,” Dr. Stella Immanuel promised in a video that promoted hydroxychloroquine. “You don’t need people to be locked down.”The truth: Federal regulators last month revoked their authorization of the drug as an emergency treatment amid growing evidence it doesn’t work and can have deadly side effects. Even if it were effective, it wouldn’t negate the need for masks and other measures to contain the outbreak.None of that stopped Trump, who has repeatedly praised the drug, from retweeting the video. Twitter and Facebook began removing the video Monday for violating policies on COVID-19 misinformation, but it had already been seen more than 20 million times.Many of the claims in Immanuel’s video are widely disputed by medical experts. She has made even more bizarre pronouncements in the past, saying that cysts, fibroids and some other conditions can be caused by having sex with demons, that McDonald’s and Pokemon promote witchcraft, that alien DNA is used in medical treatments, and that half-human “reptilians” work in the government.Other baseless theories and hoaxes have alleged that the virus isn’t real or that it’s a bioweapon created by the U.S. or its adversaries. One&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4ac3679b6f39e8bd2561c1c8eeafd855">hoax&nbsp;</a>from the outbreak’s early months claimed new 5G towers were spreading the virus through microwaves. Another popular story held that Microsoft founder Bill Gates plans to use COVID-19 vaccines to implant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3287934e9316b008e2a6c7735b7b01df">microchips&nbsp;</a>in all 7 billion people on the planet.Then there are the political theories — that doctors, journalists and federal officials are conspiring to lie about the threat of the virus to hurt Trump politically.Social media has amplified the claims and helped believers find each other. The flood of misinformation has posed a challenge for Facebook, Twitter and other platforms, which have found themselves accused of censorship for taking down virus misinformation.Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was questioned about Immanuel’s video during an often-contentious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/25a4d18ae3989402f0ad23f38d8cfa23">congressional hearing</a>&nbsp;Wednesday.“We did take it down because it violates our policies,” Zuckerberg said.U.S. Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat leading the hearing, responded by noting that 20 million people saw the video before Facebook acted.“Doesn’t that suggest that your platform is so big, that even with the right policies in place, you can’t contain deadly content?” Cicilline asked Zuckerberg.It wasn’t the first video containing misinformation about the virus, and experts say it’s not likely to be the last.A professionally made 26-minute video that alleges the government’s top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, manufactured the virus and shipped it to China was watched more than 8 million times before the platforms took action. The video, titled “Plandemic,” also warned that masks could make you sick — the false claim Facebook cited when it removed the video down from its site.Judy Mikovits, the discredited doctor behind “Plandemic,” had been set to appear on the show “America This Week” on the Sinclair Broadcast Group. But the company, which operates TV stations in 81 U.S. markets,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/36c9e59603c007df13702c0dc4095c7d">canned&nbsp;</a>the segment, saying it was “not appropriate” to air.This week, U.S. government officials speaking on condition of anonymity cited what they said was a clear link between Russian intelligence and websites with stories designed to spread disinformation on the coronavirus in the West. Russian officials rejected the accusations.Of all the bizarre and myriad claims about the virus, those regarding masks are proving to be among the most stubborn.New York City resident Carlos Lopez said he wears a mask when required to do so but doesn’t believe it is necessary.“They’re politicizing it as a tool,” he said. “I think it’s more to try to get Trump to lose. It’s more a scare tactic.”He is in the minority. A recent AP/NORC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9126a38ef22c244f9ca18f9584061f8d">poll</a>&nbsp;said 3 in 4 Americans — Democrats and Republicans alike — support a national mask mandate.Still, mask skeptics are a vocal minority and have come together to create social media pages where many false claims about mask safety are shared. Facebook has removed some of the pages — such as the group Unmasking America!, which had nearly 10,000 members — but others remain.Early in the pandemic, medical authorities themselves were the source of much confusion regarding masks. In February, officials like the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Surgeon_General/status/1233725785283932160" target="_blank">U.S. surgeon general</a>&nbsp;urged Americans not to stockpile masks because they were needed by medical personnel and might not be effective in everyday situations.Public health officials changed their tune when it became apparent that the virus could spread among people showing no symptoms.Yet Trump remained reluctant to use a mask, mocked his rival Joe Biden for wearing one and suggested people might be covering their faces just to hurt him politically. He did an abrupt about-face this month, claiming that he had always supported masks — then later retweeted Immanuel’s video against masks.The mixed signals hurt, Fauci acknowledged in an interview with NPR this month.“The message early on became confusing,” he said.Many of the claims around masks allege harmful effects, such as blocked oxygen flow or even a greater chance of infection. The claims have been widely debunked by doctors.Dr. Maitiu O Tuathail of Ireland grew so concerned about mask misinformation he posted an online video of himself comfortably wearing a mask while measuring his oxygen levels. The video has been viewed more than 20 million times.“While face masks don’t lower your oxygen levels. COVID definitely does,” he warned.Yet trusted medical authorities are often being dismissed by those who say requiring people to wear masks is a step toward authoritarianism.“Unless you make a stand, you will be wearing a mask for the rest of your life,” tweeted Simon Dolan, a British businessman who has sued the government over its COVID-19 restrictions.Trump’s reluctant, ambivalent and late embrace of masks hasn’t convinced some of his strongest supporters, who have concocted ever more elaborate theories to explain his change of heart. Some say he was actually speaking in code and doesn’t really support masks.O Tuathail witnessed just how unshakable COVID-19 misinformation can be when, after broadcasting his video, he received emails from people who said he cheated or didn’t wear the mask long enough to feel the negative effects.That’s not surprising, according to University of Central Florida psychology professor Chrysalis Wright, who studies misinformation. She said conspiracy theory believers often engage in mental gymnastics to make their beliefs conform with reality.“People only want to hear what they already think they know,” she said.___

Coronavirus Update