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Infecting young, healthy people with COVID-19 is an important, but controversial, part of creating a viable vaccine.

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As coronavirus cases once again surge around the country, the nation’s schools are also entering a new phase of reopening as some of the largest districts return for in-person instruction.

Most of the largest school districts have some form of in-person learning now, increasing since September when only two did.

Meanwhile, at a campaign rally in Florida on Sunday, President Donald Trump suggested he might fire Dr. Anthony Fauci after the election. “Don’t tell anybody, but let me wait until a little bit after the election,” Trump said as his supporters chanted “Fire Fauci.”

Eighteen states set records for new cases in a week and, in the week ending Sunday, the U.S. set a record of new coronavirus cases reported for the week at 569,350 new cases, according to a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data.

Five states also reported a record number of deaths in a week: Alaska, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

📈 Today’s numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 9.2 million cases and more than 231,500 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: 46.8 million cases and 1.2 million deaths.

🗺️ Mapping coronavirus: Track the U.S. outbreak in your state.

This file will be updated throughout the day. For updates in your inbox, subscribe to The Daily Briefing newsletter.

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California museums push state to loosen ‘restrictive’ reopening rules

About three-quarters of the nation’s museums have reopened with precautions designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus. But California is taking a slower approach that some say is overly cautious.

“From what I’m seeing, California is one of the – if not, the most – restrictive,” Laura Lott, president and CEO of American Alliance of Museums, told USA TODAY.

While the focus has been on whether to let theme parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood to reopen, California’s museums are also urging state officials to take a less restrictive approach. They say they can take steps like temperature checks, timed tickets and mandatory mask wearing.

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon goes into quarantine, tests negative so far

Add another governor who is having to isolate for 14 days after possibly coming into contact with the coronavirus. This time, it’s Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican.

Gordon, who may have been exposed during a meeting, tested negative for the coronavirus in a rapid test and was awaiting results of a secondary test, the governor’s office said in a statement Monday. Everyone at the meeting had been wearing a mask.

The self-isolation will last until Nov. 11.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and his wife have also been in isolation after possibly coming into contact with someone infected with COVID-19. 

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker imposes modified stay-at-home order

Alarmed at a rise in cases of COVID-19, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is instituting a partial stay-at-home order.

The revised order seeks to restrict late-night congregating, telling residents to stay from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. EST. But it allows trips to work, running “critical errands,” such as going for groceries or for health reasons, and allows people to take walks.

Restaurants, liquor stores, gyms, hair salons, theaters and some other recreational businesses and attractions must close from 9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. as well. Restaurants, however, may be allowed to stay later for takeout food. It takes effect Nov. 6.

Private gatherings at people’s homes, limited to 10 people inside and 25 outdoors, must end by 9:30 p.m.

All residents also must wear face masks even when they can maintain six feet of distance from others under the order.

Here’s how to see Trump’s and Biden’s views on pandemic at a glance

Where are the views of President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden farthest apart when it comes to issues surrounding the coronavirus epidemic?

The answer, based on a USA TODAY analysis that ranks the candidates on a 0-to-6 scale, is on whether the wearing of face masks should be mandated. Trump opposes a masks mandate while Biden supports one.

But on issues like reopening the country, reopening schools specifically or whether to embrace a vaccine when it is approved, Trump takes only a slightly more favorable position than Biden, the analysis found. The analysis was based on analyzing their speeches, websites and tweets.

Their priorities appear to be in line with those of their respective parties. A Kaiser Foundation survey found Republicans place a far higher priority on maintaining a strong economy than Democrats, who see the COVID-19 outbreak as more important.

– Karina Zaiets,and Janet Loehrke

People with COVID-19 can vote in person, CDC says

You can vote in person Tuesday even if you have COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told CNN on Monday.

“CDC’s recommendations for isolating someone who has COVID-19 or quarantining someone who was in close contact with a person with COVID-19 would not preclude them from exercising their right to vote,” the CDC said to CNN.

“In-person voting can be carried out safely following CDC’s recommendations for polling locations and voters,” according to the CDC.

Voters who are sick or in quarantine should let poll workers know about their condition when arriving at the polling location, the CDC said. They should also take steps to protect poll workers and other voters. The steps include:

  • Wear a mask
  • Stay at least 6 feet away from others
  • Wash hands or use hand sanitizer before and after voting

In some locations, alternative voting options such as a separate polling site or curbside voting may be available for those who are sick.

Texas records highest number of total COVID-19 cases in US

Texas has surpassed California in recording the highest number of positive coronavirus tests in the U.S. so far, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

As the coronavirus pandemic surges across the nation, the data from Sunday – the most recent available – says that there have been 937,317 cases in Texas, the nation’s second-largest state.

California, the most populous state, has had 936,198 cases, followed by Florida with 807,412. 

The true number of cases is likely higher because many people haven’t been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.

Texas health officials have reported more than 18,000 deaths so far from COVID-19.

CDC: Pregnant women with COVID may face increased risk of premature baby

Pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy may be at risk for preterm birth, according to a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report, published Monday in the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, studied 3,912 infants who were born to women with COVID-19.

Researchers found that 12.9% of infants were premature, higher than the national estimate of 10.2%. The study primarily comprised of women who were infected during their second or third trimester. 

The CDC emphasizes these are preliminary findings and highlights several limitations in the study.

For example, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic mothers were “disproportionately represented” in the study. In 2019, the rate of preterm birth among Black women (14.4%) was about 50 percent higher than the rate of preterm birth among white or Hispanic women (9.3% and 10%, respectively), according to the CDC. 

Additionally, researchers did not account for risk factors associated with preterm delivery for the study. 

If Dr. Anthony Fauci is fired by Donald Trump, Harvard offers landing spot 

President Donald Trump hinted that he might fire Dr. Anthony Fauci after the election, telling a raucous rally in Florida that the infectious disease expert got much wrong about the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump was responding to the crowd in Opa-locka, Florida, which began chanting “Fire Fauci” shortly after the president took the stage for the final of five rallies Sunday night. “Don’t tell anybody, but let me wait until a little bit after the election,” Trump said in response to the crowd.

Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984, drew renewed criticism from Trump and White House aides following a weekend interview in the Washington Post in which he criticized Trump’s assertion that the nation is “rounding the turn” on COVID-19 despite a surge in cases and hospitalizations.

On Monday, what was largely a high-level public health discussion by some of the leading scholars in the world ended with a virtual group hug for Fauci.

As an hour-long public Zoom call sponsored by the Harvard Medical School Department of Global Health and Social Medicine was wrapping up, the four health experts began their thanks for the chance to speak. But it immediately became a love fest for their long-time friend and colleague Fauci.

“We love you Tony,” said Dr. George Daley, Dean of Harvard Medical School. “Hey, Tony. If you happen to be out of a job in a few weeks, come on and talk to us. We have a wonderful landing pad for you right here in Boston…though we hope you’ve got another few decades ahead of you at NAIDA,” he said.

– John Fritze, Courtney Subramanian and Elizabeth Weise

Prince William caught COVID-19 in the spring, but kept diagnosis secret, reports say

Britain’s Prince William contracted COVID-19 in the spring but kept his diagnosis secret to avoid worrying the nation, according to the BBC and other media. 

The Duke of Cambridge, 38, second in line to the throne, is believed to have tested positive for the virus in April. His father, Prince Charles, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, was confirmed to have the virus March 25. William’s apparent diagnosis was revealed as Britain prepares for another national lockdown Thursday. 

Kensington Palace said it would not confirm or deny William’s April diagnosis. 

The Sun tabloid newspaper, which first reported the news, said William was treated by palace doctors and followed official guidelines by isolating at the family home in Norfolk. It claimed that at one point in his sickness, William was “struggling to breathe.”

– Susan Haas and Kim Hjelmgaard

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COVID-19 widespread testing is crucial to fighting the pandemic, but is there enough testing? The answer is in the positivity rates.

USA TODAY

‘Pandemic fatigue’ driving holiday flight bookings despite COVID spikes

Airlines have reported encouraging holiday booking signs in the past two weeks – a welcome boost during a year of devastating financial losses.

Airline traffic is still severely depressed from normal levels, but passenger counts have been on the rise. American Airlines said 45% of its flights were more than 80% full in September, compared with just 20% of July flights.

However, the improvement comes on the heels of COVID-19 surge in most parts of the country. As of Sunday, 18 states had set records for new cases in a week while five states reported a record number of deaths in a week, according to Johns Hopkins data. 

More than seven months into the pandemic, some states – including most of the Northeast – still have travel quarantines in place. Some state officials have urged residents not to travel out of state for the holidays for fear of inviting a second wave of coronavirus.

– Dawn Gilbertson

El Paso, Texas, adds fourth mobile morgue as COVID deaths surpass 600 

The El Paso County Medical Examiner’s Office is getting a fourth mobile morgue as COVID-19 deaths continue to rise, according to KVIA-TV.

County data showed deaths had exceeded 600 by Monday morning and officials expect more this week as 237 people remain in intensive care and 143 on ventilators. COVID-19 patients made up 43% of all county hospitalizations.

El Paso County reported 1,643 new coronavirus cases Saturday, a new record high. Public health officials reported 1,148 new cases on Sunday. 

El Paso County ordered a two-week shutdown of nonessential services on Thursday starting at midnight, however, many businesses have reportedly defied those orders citing economic concerns. 

Arriving travelers walk by a COVID-19 travel advisory sign at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport in this June 25 file photo. (Photo: Kathy Willens, AP)

Traveling to New York? You will first need to take a COVID-19 test

New York is scrapping its weekly list of states from where visitors had to quarantine and instead implementing a new COVID-19 testing system for all travelers outside contiguous states.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the change Saturday, saying a rigorous testing standard is a better way to control the virus’ spread in New York.

Almost all states were on the state’s 14-day quarantine list, making its weekly metrics to determine who met the criteria a fluid system. Even New York itself was trending toward making its own list on Tuesday, when it was next due to be updated.

“Given the changing facts, we’re coming up with a new program,” Cuomo said on a conference call with reporters. “And all the experts suggest we shift to a testing system, and that’s what we are going to do.”

– Joseph Spector and Jon Campbell, New York State Team

WHO chief self-quarantines after possible exposure to COVID-19

The chief of the World Health Organization said Sunday that he is self-quarantining after being in contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19.

In a tweet, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was “without symptoms.”

“I have been identified as a contact of someone who has tested positive for #COVID19. I am well and without symptoms but will self-quarantine over the coming days, in line with @WHO protocols, and work from home,” Tedros said on Twitter.

Tedros’ tweet came the same day as authorities in Geneva, where the U.N. health agency is based, announced a tightening of restrictions aimed to curb the spread of the virus. A recent spike has more than 1,000 new cases recorded each day recently in an area of about 500,000 people.

COVID-19 resources from USA TODAY 

Contributing: The Associated Press

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