First Edition: Aug. 11, 2020

Kaiser Health News and The Guardian: Exclusive: Over 900 Health Workers Have Died Of COVID-19. And The Toll Is Rising.
More than 900 front-line health care workers have died of COVID-19, according to an interactive database unveiled Wednesday by The Guardian and KHN. Lost on the Frontline is a partnership between the two newsrooms that aims to count, verify and memorialize every U.S. health care worker who dies during the pandemic. It is the most comprehensive accounting of U.S. health care workers’ deaths in the country. (Renwick and Dubnow, 8/11)

Kaiser Health News and The Guardian: Lost On The Frontline: Explore The Interactive Database
Hundreds of U.S. health care workers have died fighting COVID-19. We count them and investigate why.

Kaiser Health News: Behind The Byline: Producing 'Lost On The Frontline'
In this video series on how KHN stories get made, come along as our producer describes the important, though difficult, responsibility of documenting health care worker deaths due to coronavirus. (8/11)

AP: Global Coronavirus Cases Top 20 Million, Doubling In 45 Days
It took six months or so to get to 10 million cases after the virus first appeared in central China late last year. It took just over six weeks for that number to double. An AP analysis of data through Aug. 9 showed the U.S., India and Brazil together accounted for nearly two-thirds of all reported infections since the world hit 15 million coronavirus cases on July 22. (Kurtenbach and Stevenson, 8/11)

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. New Covid-19 Cases Below 50,000 For Second Straight Day
The U.S. reported fewer than 50,000 new coronavirus cases for the second day in a row, even as the number of cases world-wide surpassed 20 million. More than 49,000 new cases were reported in the U.S., pushing the total number close to 5.1 million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The nation’s death toll exceeded 163,000. (Hall, 8/11)

The Hill: New Coronavirus Cases Generally Trending Downward, Analysis Shows 
New coronavirus cases in the U.S. are generally trending down as the country reported its lowest number of new cases in nearly a week, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis. The U.S. reported fewer than 47,000 new cases on Sunday, the Journal reported, citing data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The total number of cases in the U.S. surpassed 5 million on Sunday and the U.S. death toll is at 163,077 as of Monday morning. (Klar, 8/10)

The Washington Post: Russia Declares Victory In Global Vaccine Race With Untested Vaccine
The vaccine is named Sputnik V, a reference to the first orbital satellite, which was launched by the Soviet Union in 1957 and set off the global space race. “Of course, what counts most is for us to be able to ensure the unconditional safety of the use of this vaccine and its efficiency in the future. I hope that this will be accomplished,” Putin said at a meeting with government members Tuesday. (Khurshudyan and Johnson, 8/11)

Reuters: Russia Approves First COVID-19 Vaccine, Putin Says 
The vaccine still has to complete final trials, raising concerns among some experts at the speed of its approval, but the Russian business conglomerate Sistema has said it expects to put it into mass production by the end of the year. Russian health workers treating COVID-19 patients will be offered the chance of volunteering to be vaccinated in the coming weeks, a source told Reuters last month. Regulatory approval paves the way for the mass inoculation of the Russian population and authorities hope it will allow the economy, which has been battered by fallout from the virus, to return to full capacity. (8/11)  

AP: Russia Clears Virus Vaccine Despite Scientific Skepticism
Russia on Tuesday became the first country to clear a coronavirus vaccine and declare it ready for use, despite international skepticism. President Vladimir Putin said that one of his daughters has already been inoculated. Putin emphasized that the vaccine underwent the necessary tests and has proven efficient, offering a lasting immunity from the coronavirus. However, scientists at home and abroad have been sounding the alarm that the rush to start using the vaccine before Phase 3 trials — which normally last for months and involve thousands of people — could backfire. (Isachenkov, 8/11)

The Washington Post: White House Looks At Plan To Keep Out Citizens And Legal Residents Over Virus 
White House officials have been circulating a proposal that would give U.S. border authorities the extraordinary ability to block U.S. citizens and permanent residents from entering the country from Mexico if they are suspected of being infected with the novel coronavirus, according to two administration officials and a person familiar with the plans. It is unclear whether the Trump administration has the legal authority to block citizens and permanent residents from returning to their own country, but one official said the administration is weighing a public health emergency declaration that would let the White House keep out potentially infected Americans. (Janes, Dennis, Miroff and Dawsey, 8/10)

The New York Times: Trump Considers Banning Re-Entry By Citizens Who May Have Coronavirus 
Under the proposal, which relies on existing legal authorities of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to protect the country, the government could block a citizen or legal resident from crossing the border into the United States if an official “reasonably believes that the individual either may have been exposed to or is infected with the communicable disease.” (Shear and Dickerson, 8/10)

The Hill: Trump Says Children Unlikely To Catch Coronavirus, Unconcerned About Reports Of Infections 
President Trump on Monday doubled down on his assertion that children are "essentially immune" from COVID-19, despite increasing evidence that shows otherwise. Trump downplayed a new report showing nearly 100,000 children tested positive for COVID-19 at the end of July and said he does not think it means schools should stay closed. (Weixel, 8/10)

USA Today: Trump Erroneously Says 1918 Spanish Flu 'Probably Ended' WWII, Which Happened Two Decades Later
President Donald Trump erroneously stated Monday that the Spanish Flu of 1918 ended World War II, incorrectly citing both the year the pandemic occurred and the year that the Second World War ended. The events took place more than two decades apart. "The closest thing is in 1917, they say, the great pandemic. It certainly was a terrible thing where they lost anywhere from 50 to 100 million people, probably ended the Second World War," Trump said. "All the soldiers were sick. That was a terrible situation." (Behrmann, 8/10)

Reuters: Trump: Order On Pre-Existing Conditions A 'Double Safety Net' Despite Obamacare Law
President Donald Trump said on Monday an executive order requiring health insurance companies to cover patients with pre-existing conditions would emphasize Republican support for the practice even though it is already part of existing law. ... Asked on Monday why he needed an executive order to mandate something that is already legally required, Trump said it would provide “a double safety net” and would “let people know that the Republicans are totally, strongly in favor of ... taking care of people with pre-existing conditions.” (Mason, 8/10)

Politico: Trump: Executive Order On Pre-Existing Conditions Is 'A Signal'
President Donald Trump on Monday acknowledged a prospective executive order he's considering to make insurers cover pre-existing conditions amounted to political messaging — and that Obamacare already offered such protections. "It's a signal to people ... it's a second platform," Trump said at a White House briefing. "Pre-existing conditions will be taken care of 100 percent by Republicans and the Republican party. I actually think it's a very important statement." (8/10)

The New York Times: Trump’s Order On Coronavirus Relief Alarms Governors As Stimulus Talks Stall 
Governors across the United States struggled on Monday with how to make good on President Trump’s order that their economically battered states deliver billions more in unemployment benefits to jobless residents. Democrats were harshly critical of Mr. Trump’s order, which he signed on Saturday night after talks with Congress on a broad new pandemic aid package collapsed. But even Republican governors said the order could strain their budgets and worried it would take weeks for tens of millions of unemployed Americans to begin seeing the benefit. (8/10)

The Hill: No Signs Of Breakthrough For Stalemated Coronavirus Talks 
The White House and congressional Democrats dug in deeper in their respective tranches on Monday amid the stalemate over a new coronavirus relief package. The Senate was technically back in session on Monday, but there were no signs of a quick detente on the political and policy differences between the two sides. (Carney, 8/10)

The Hill: State Aid Emerges As Major Hurdle To Reviving COVID-19 Talks 
Federal money for state and local governments is a key sticking point to reviving negotiations over the next coronavirus relief package. The White House and congressional Democrats are deeply divided over whether states should get more money — and if so, how much. (Carney, 8/10)

Politico: Trump Administration Steps In As Advocacy Groups Warn Of Covid ‘Death Panels’
State policies for rationing health care during the coronavirus pandemic could allow doctors to cut off treatment for some of the sickest patients in hot zones and revive the specter of so-called death panels, say disabled rights groups who are urging the Trump administration to intervene. The effort has recently gained urgency due to guidelines in Texas and Arizona that let doctors base treatment decisions on factors like a patient’s quality of life if they survive, or the odds they’ll live at least five years. The advocacy groups since March have filed an unprecedented 11 complaints with the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Civil Rights, which has mediated four cases and could add more as Covid-19 continues to spread across most of the country. (Luthi, 8/10)

Politico: 'Play College Football!' Trump Demands As Fall Seasons Collapse
President Donald Trump and several Republican members of Congress are pushing universities to save the college football season as the coronavirus dampens hopes for the sport this fall. "Play College Football!" the president tweeted Monday afternoon, earning tens of thousands of "likes" in a matter of minutes. (Perez Jr., 8/10)

Reuters: U.S. Health Chief, Visiting Taiwan, Attacks China's Pandemic Response
U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar attacked China’s response to the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday and said that if such an outbreak had emerged in Taiwan or the United States it could have been “snuffed out easily”. The Trump administration has repeatedly criticised Beijing for trying to cover up the virus outbreak, first identified in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, and prevaricating on information sharing. China angrily denies the accusations. (Lee, 8/10)

Yahoo News: Neck Gaiters May Actually Increase COVID-19 Transmission, Study Finds
[A] new study published in Science Advances is shedding light on which masks are most effective — and which may actually be hurting the effort to curb COVID-19. The analysis, carried out by researchers at Duke University School of Medicine, relied on an “optimal measurement method” that uses a laser beam and cellphone camera to track the number of droplets that emerged from an individual while he or she wore a mask. Of the 14 masks, the two that proved least effective were a bandanna and what the researchers refer to as a neck fleece, also known as a neck gaiter. (Haglage, 8/10)

Business Insider: Women Who Use Marijuana During Pregnancy Are 1.5 Times More Likely To Have A Child With Autism, According To The Largest Study Of Its Kind
Using marijuana during pregnancy is linked to 50% greater chance of having a child with autism, according to the largest study of its kind. The study, published in Nature Medicine on Monday, reviewed data from more than a half a million women in Ontario, Canada — about 3,000 of whom reported using cannabis during pregnancy and about 2,200 of whom reported using cannabis and no other substances. (Medaris Miller, 8/10)

The Hill: WHO: Coronavirus Unaffected By Seasonal Changes 
The novel coronavirus does not appear to wax and wane with the passing of the seasons, experts at the World Health Organization said Monday. “In the absence of control measures, very often, viruses can show seasonal patterns. We’ve certainly seen that with influenza. This virus has demonstrated no seasonal pattern as such, so far,” said Mike Ryan, who heads the WHO’s emergencies program. “What it has clearly demonstrated is, you take the pressure off the virus, the virus bounces back.” (Wilson, 8/10)

Stat: Antibody Drugs Could Be Key Tools Against Covid-19. But Will They Matter?
From the moment Covid-19 emerged as a threat, one approach to making drugs to treat or prevent the disease seemed to hold the most promise: They’re known as monoclonal antibodies. Now, scientists are on the brink of getting important data that may indicate whether these desperately needed therapies could be safe and effective. (Herper and Feuerstein, 8/11)

The New York Times: Citrus Flavoring Is Weaponized Against Insect-Borne Diseases 
Adding a new weapon to the fight against insect-borne illnesses like Lyme disease and malaria, the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday approved a new chemical that both repels and kills ticks and mosquitoes. The chemical, nootkatone, an oil found in cedar trees and grapefruits, is so safe that it is used by the food and perfume industries. Nootkatone is considered nontoxic to humans and other mammals, birds, fish and bees, the E.P.A. said in a statement. (McNeil Jr., 8/10)

Stat: Routine Blood Tests Outperform Genomic Sequencing In Newborn Screening
With advanced technology, clinicians can now sequence the genomes of apparently healthy newborn babies, seeking to turn up hidden inherited diseases that aren’t caught by routine blood testing. But new research sharpens questions about whether these DNA tests are sufficiently accurate. (Robbins, 8/10)

Stat: Seres Announces Positive Late-Stage Results For Its Microbe-Based Drug
Four years after a devastating clinical trial failure, Seres Therapeutics seems to have found success. The company announced positive results Monday for its late-stage clinical trial of a microbe-based treatment for C. difficile. About 11% of patients who got Seres’ drug, a pill made with bacteria, still had a C. difficile recurrence; about 41% of people who did not get the drug saw their infection recur. (Sheridan, 8/10)

AP: Telemedicine Shines During Pandemic But Will Glow Fade?
Racked with anxiety, Lauren Shell needed to talk to her cancer doctor. But she lives at least an hour away and it was the middle of her workday. It was also the middle of a pandemic. Enter telemedicine. The 34-year-old Leominster, Massachusetts, resident arranged a quick video visit through the app Zoom in May with her doctor in Boston. He reassured her that he was confident in their treatment plan, and the chances of her breast cancer returning were low. (Murphy, 8/10)

The Wall Street Journal: This Doctor Understands Her Long-Term Covid Patients—She’s Been One Herself 
As head of primary care at University of California, San Francisco, Coleen Kivlahan sees up to 20 Covid patients some days in virtual appointments. Some got infected months ago, but still have persistent symptoms. She understands their experience better than most: She has lived it. (Reddy, 8/10)

The New York Times: Stephen Hahn, F.D.A. Chief, Is Caught Between Scientists And The President
As the coronavirus surged across the Sunbelt, President Trump told a crowd gathered at the White House on July 4 that 99 percent of virus cases are “totally harmless.” The next morning on CNN, the host Dana Bash asked Dr. Stephen Hahn, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and one of the nation’s most powerful health officials: “Is the president wrong?” (Kaplan, 8/10)

Stat: Medical School Association Backed A Dark-Money, Anti-Pharma Group
The dark-money group Citizens for Truth in Drug Pricing, which has run several major anti-pharma campaigns on conservative radio shows, received significant funding from the Association of American Medical Colleges, according to a recent review of federal tax documents. AAMC, the nonprofit organization that administers the MCAT exam and lobbies on behalf of medical schools and teaching hospitals, gave the group $500,000 in 2018, according to a disclosure form. (Facher, 8/11)

Stat: Critics Push For Overhaul On Transparency Into Indian Drug Approvals
As Indian regulators endorse controversial treatments for Covid-19, a group of high-profile physicians and activists is urging the government to bolster transparency surrounding all drug approvals, the release of clinical trial data, and licenses issued for pharmaceutical manufacturing. Critics have long complained that Indian government oversight of its pharmaceutical industry is lax, but the issue has intensified in recent weeks over approvals for certain medicines to combat the new coronavirus. (Silverman, 8/10)

The Hill: Federal Government Pauses Kodak Loan Pending Probes 
Shares of Eastman Kodak Co. plummeted Monday after a federal agency blocked a $765 million government loan to the company following the deal, which was touted by President Trump, coming under congressional scrutiny. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) said in a Friday tweet that “recent allegations of wrongdoing raise serious concerns. We will not proceed any further unless these allegations are cleared.” (Weixel, 8/10)

Stat: With Livongo's Devices, Teladoc Is Poised To Move Into Remote Monitoring
As part of its landmark $18.5 billion deal to buy Livongo, telehealth giant Teladoc Health is poised to inherit a set of devices that the chronic care company has used for years to turn mountains of patient data into easily digestible health advice. The technology — which includes connected blood pressure cuffs, glucose monitors, and weight scales — will be a key asset for the newly combined company, which will be called Teladoc. (Brodwin, 8/11)

AP: Over 500 People Tested For COVID In Experimental Initative
More than 500 people in one of the poorest counties in Mississippi were tested for the coronavirus by the state Department of Health over the past week as part of a new experimental initiative to slow the spread of the virus by community transmission. State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said medical professionals went in with the goal to test every resident in Lexington, the Holmes County seat, where 2,000 people live. By identifying those who are asymptomatic, Dobbs said, officials hoped to limit cases of the virus being passed unknowingly from person to person. (Willingham, 8/10)

Stat: Inspired By Llamas, Scientists Make Potent Anti-Coronavirus Agent 
Inspired by a unique kind of infection-fighting antibody found in llamas, alpacas, and other camelids, a research team at the University of California, San Francisco, has synthesized a molecule that they say is among the most potent anti-coronavirus compounds tested in a lab to date. Called nanobodies because they are about a quarter of the size of antibodies found in people and most other animals, these molecules can nestle into the nooks and crannies of proteins to block viruses from attaching to and infecting cells. (McFarling, 8/11)

The Washington Post: ‘We’re Ready’: New York Plans To Welcome 700,000 Students Back To School Buildings In September
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday that he plans to welcome 700,000 students back to school buildings for in-person instruction for the start of the academic year in September, an extraordinary announcement that comes while other big cities plan for remote learning as the pandemic continues to rack the nation. The city is home to the nation’s largest public school system, serving more than a million children, and is being closely watched by education leaders as it prepares to open its doors. Under the plan, approved by the state this week, students who opted for in-person instruction will still do much of their learning virtually and will only head to classrooms on certain days to prevent crowding in classrooms and hallways. (Balingit, 8/10)

AP: Cuomo: NY Lacks Reopening Plans From 1 In 7 School Districts
As many as 1 in 7 New York school districts have yet to submit a plan to the state’s health agency for the opening of the new school year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday. The governor said districts that don’t submit their plans by Friday cannot provide in-person learning this year. He said state health officials are reviewing plans and will work with district leaders on incomplete submissions.“How you didn’t submit a plan is beyond me,” Cuomo said in a Monday conference call with reporters. (Villeneuve, 8/10)

Politico: In Florida, A Coronavirus Showdown As DeSantis Rejects Tampa-Area Schools Plan
Gov. Ron DeSantis took a hard line on school reopenings Monday, standing firm against Florida's third-largest school district in a showdown over classroom instruction and Covid-19. DeSantis and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran on Monday traveled to Hillsborough County to reiterate their case for re-opening schools just days after they rejected a plan from the county school district to hold online-only classes for its 223,300 students during the first four weeks of the fall semester slated to begin Aug. 24. (Atterbury, 8/10)

The Hill: Kentucky Governor Recommends Schools Postpone In-Person Classes 
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) recommended on Monday that schools postpone in-person classes until Sept. 28. Beshear issued his recommendation for K-12 schools during a press briefing citing an overall increasing number of cases over the past five or six weeks and a growing infection rate among children in the state. The governor avoided mandating the delay in an executive order. (Coleman, 8/10)

Los Angeles Times: Coronavirus: Inside A California School That Has Reopened 
Inside Mount St. Mary’s Academy, a Catholic school in this Gold Rush town in the Sierra Nevada foothills, a life-size statue of the Virgin Mary stands sentinel over the check-in table at the front door. Students returning for the fall session stop under her watchful gaze for a modern ritual of pandemic life: temperature check, hand sanitizer, questions on their potential as virus vectors. Thursday morning, Principal Edee Wood wore a red paisley-printed mask as she wielded a digital thermometer intended to protect the 160 students at her school, one of the few in California attempting in-person classes this fall. At Mount St. Mary’s, life is going back to normal with crisp uniforms, sharp pencils and classes five days a week. (Chabria, 8/10)

AP: Schools Mull Outdoor Classes Amid Virus, Ventilation Worries
It has been seven years since the central air conditioning system worked at the New York City middle school where Lisa Fitzgerald O’Connor teaches. As a new school year approaches amid the coronavirus pandemic, she and her colleagues are threatening not to return unless it’s repaired. Her classroom has a window air conditioning unit, but she fears the stagnant air will increase the chances that an infected student could spread the virus. (Spencer, 8/10)

The Hill: Teachers Union Launches $500K Ad Buy Calling For Education Funding In Relief Bill 
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the second largest teachers union in the U.S., launched a $500,000 ad campaign Monday accusing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) of stonewalling funds to help schools to reopen safely. The six-figure buy comes as negotiations over the next coronavirus relief bill, which is expected to include funding for K-12 schools, have all but collapsed. President Trump’s unilateral action to extend relief over the weekend, which aimed to break the gridlock, did not include education funding. (Bikales, 8/10)

The Wall Street Journal: The No-Win School Reopening: One Superintendent’s Dilemma
Schools superintendent Michael Hinojosa stepped on a land mine while laying plans to reopen his 153,000-student district amid the coronavirus pandemic. He wanted teachers instructing from classrooms, even if students were at home, to make sure they stayed focused. “It is better for us if they come in,” Dr. Hinojosa said from his office at Dallas Independent School District headquarters late last month. “It is unprofessional if kids are yelling in the background, dogs barking and husbands walking back and forth.” (Hobbs, 8/10)

The Washington Post: University Of Maryland To Start Fall Classes Online, Asks Students To Stay Inside, Citing Covid-19 
Three weeks before the fall semester starts at the University of Maryland, the school’s president announced that classes would begin online. The state flagship school had planned to hold in-person classes in the fall. But Darryll J. Pines, the new president of U-Md., announced Monday that undergraduate classes would be held virtually until mid-September because of the prevalence of the coronavirus in Maryland and Prince George’s County, where the College Park campus is located. (Svrluga and Lumpkin, 8/10)

AP: University Of Iowa Pushes Ahead With Plan To Reopen For Fall
University of Iowa administrators pushed ahead Monday with plans to resume in-person classes and on-campus housing, even as student leaders argued those steps were too risky during the coronavirus pandemic. The university said it would not test students who will begin moving into the Iowa City campus in the coming days, unlike last week’s mass testing at Iowa State University that identified dozens of infected students. (Foley, 8/10)

USA Today: Smash Mouth Plays To Packed, Unmasked Crowd At Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
Smash Mouth's concert in Sturgis, South Dakota was not a smash hit. The rock band faced backlash after performing for thousands of bikers at the jam-packed Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Sunday as coronavirus cases continue to surge in the U.S. "We’re all here together tonight," frontman Steve Harwell said while headlining the Buffalo Chip concert series. "(Screw) that COVID (expletive)." (Henderson, 8/10)

The Hill: Police Searching For Man Who Punched Teen Sesame Place Worker Over Mask Requirement 
A teen employee at Sesame Place had to undergo surgery on Monday after being punched by a man he told to wear a face mask, and police say they are still searching for the suspect. According to a local NBC News affiliate, a teen employee at Sesame Street theme park in Pennsylvania asked a man to wear a face mask, noting they are required in the park. Police say the man later confronted the teen at Captain Cookie's High C's Adventure ride and punched him in the face. (Seipel, 8/10)

NPR: 'I Remember Him With That Smile': Beloved Phoenix Doctor Dies Of COVID-19 At 99 
In June, Marcel Lopez and his cousins set up a Zoom video call to say goodbye to their grandfather. Retired physician, José Gabriel López-Plascencia — Dr. López for short — was near death at his home in Phoenix. He was unable to speak, but he let his grandchildren know he was listening. "Every time we talked to him, he'd kick his leg and move his arms to let us know he was hearing us," Marcel says. As they sang his favorite song "Por Un Amor," he noticed over the video call that his grandfather started crying. "I would've loved to have been there holding his hand, just to see him one last time."A few hours later, Dr. López died from complications due to the coronavirus. He had just turned 99. (Hajek, 8/11)

People.com: NH Woman Becomes First Person In US To Receive Second Face Transplant 
A New Hampshire woman who suffered severe burns in a domestic attack has received her second full face transplant, becoming the first person in the United States — and the second in the world — to ever undergo the procedure twice. Carmen Blandin Tarleton, 52, underwent her second operation for a new face in July after the transplant she received seven years ago began failing, according to Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where the surgery took place. (Chung, 8/7)

AP: New York’s True Nursing Home Death Toll Cloaked In Secrecy
Riverdale Nursing Home in the Bronx appears, on paper, to have escaped the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, with an official state count of just four deaths in its 146-bed facility. The truth, according to the home, is far worse: 21 dead, most transported to hospitals before they succumbed. (Condon, Sedensky and Hoyer, 8/11)

USA Today: COVID Travel Issues Didn't Dissuade Americans From Visiting Hot Spots
Jacqui Slay, a 38-year-old stay-at-home mom of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, planned her family trip to Disney World in Florida a year ago. One month away from her scheduled tour in early September, she said she wasn't sure if she would go, citing recent record-high COVID-19 cases in Florida. “We’re kind of up in the air about it,” she said. Slay is one of many Americans who faces a travel dilemma during the COVID-19 pandemic: Is it worth the risk to travel and escape the monotony of quarantine life, or is it better to wait until the country has the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, more under control? (Zhang and Oliver, 8/10)

AP: Company Accused Of Saying Product Could Lower COVID-19 Risk
A Georgia company falsely claimed a vitamin D product it was selling could lower the risk of becoming infected with COVID-19, federal prosecutors said. Matthew Ryncarz and his company Fusion Health and Vitality, which operated as Pharm Origins, are accused of saying a product called Immune Shot would lower the risk of getting COVID-19 by 50%, according to federal prosecutors in Savannah. The product “bore false and misleading labeling,” leading to a charge of selling a misbranded drug, prosecutors said in a news release Monday. (8/10)

The Wall Street Journal: Match Group Looks To Capitalize On Video Dating During The Pandemic
Online-dating firm Match Group Inc. is giving users new features to woo each other via video call, providing the company with additional income streams as the coronavirus pandemic changes courtship behavior. Dallas-based Match operates several dating apps, including Tinder, Hinge and OkCupid, as well as its namesake brand. Match released video-chatting features for its apps in the spring as users started avoiding traditional dating spots such as bars and restaurants. The company is now in the beginning stages of developing features such as games and icebreakers to make those one-on-one video calls more engaging—part of a broader strategy to find new ways to generate revenue from its millions of users, according to Chief Financial Officer Gary Swidler. (Broughton, 8/10)

The Wall Street Journal: Why Are Some Groceries Still So Hard To Find During Covid? 
At the beginning of the pandemic, it was nearly impossible to find toilet paper, cleaning supplies or canned soup. Five months later, supplies of those goods are recovering, according to data from market-research firm IRI. But shelves remain generally emptier than they were before the pandemic, and it could get worse before it gets better. As Covid-19 cases continue to rise in certain states, grocers are reporting a new increase in staples purchases that could lead to scarcity. The even-stronger demand for items such as baking ingredients and paper towels has made it tough for manufacturers to produce the items fast enough to keep shelves full. (Gasparro and Stamm, 8/10)

USA Today: Simon Cowell's Accident: E-Bike Sales Are Soaring, But Are They Safe?
Electric bicycle sales are soaring amid the coronavirus pandemic, but how safe are they? Safety concerns about e-bikes sparked again after Simon Cowell broke his back in multiple places while trying out his new e-bike on Saturday in the courtyard of his Malibu home, Syco Entertainment confirmed to USA TODAY in a statement provided by Ann-Marie Thomson. Cowell, 60, underwent six hours of surgery that included placing a metal rod in his back. (Ryu, 8/10)

AP: Connecticut Issues First $1,000 Fines To Travel Violators
The Connecticut Department of Public Health issued its first $1,000 fines on Monday to two individuals who Gov. Ned Lamont said failed to comply with the travel advisory for residents who return home from states with high COVID-19 infection rates. The Democrat said the two unnamed people had flown back to Connecticut from Louisiana and Florida and neither filled out a health form that’s required from anyone entering from any state with a 10% or higher positive rate over a seven-day rolling average or a new daily positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents. (Haigh, 8/10)

Politico: Newsom Indicates California Health Officer's Abrupt Departure Related To Data Blunder
Gov. Gavin Newsom took responsibility Monday for California's coronavirus test data problems and hinted that the abrupt departure late Sunday of his state public health officer was related to the information blunder. "At the end of the day, the buck stops with me. I'm accountable," Newsom said. "And I recognize that as governor of the state of California as it relates to my responsibility, it extends to my team and it extends to our efforts to keep you safe, to keep you healthy and to mitigate the spread of this disease." (Yamamura and Colliver, 8/10)

AP: Whitmer Vetoes Bill To Expand Immunity From Medical Lawsuits
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday vetoed Republican-sponsored legislation that would have given additional health providers and facilities legal protection from lawsuits in any state-declared emergency and have continued the immunity for longer during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The governor, a Democrat, said she would have considered signing the bill if it only had attempted to “mop up” an issued created when the GOP-led Legislature refused to lengthen her declared COVID-19 emergency. The measure goes “much further,” however, she wrote in a letter to senators. (Eggert, 8/10)