Authorities Try To Track Down Cruise Passengers After COVID Outbreak

Reuters: At Least 40 Infected With COVID-19 On Norway Cruises Amid Scramble To Trace Passengers
At least 40 passengers and crew from a luxury cruise liner have tested positive for COVID-19 and the authorities are still trying to trace a number of passengers from two recent Arctic voyages, public health officials in Norway said on Sunday. Four crew members on the MS Roald Amundsen were hospitalised on Friday when the ship arrived at the port of Tromsoe, and later diagnosed with the respiratory illness. Tests showed another 32 of the 158 staff were also infected. (Solsvik, 8/2)

USA Today: Hurtigruten Cruise Line: 36 Crew Infected With COVID-19 In Norway
But the virus might not have been contained onboard. Potentially impacted passengers from two separate voyages had already disembarked a cruise on July 24 and the last cruise on Friday, leaving ample time for passengers to begin their voyages home and potentially spread the virus. The cruise line has contacted passengers who had been on the MS Roald Amundsen for its July 17 and July 24 departures. There were 209 guests on the first voyage and 178 guests on the second voyage, though the ship holds between 530 and 600 passengers, according to CruiseMapper. All have been asked to self-quarantine in accordance with Norwegian regulations, according to the cruise line. (Hines, 8/1)

The Washington Post: D.C. Catholic Pastor Charles Pope Who Preached Against Fear Of Virus Tests Positive For Covid-19 
The pastor of a Catholic church on Capitol Hill who urged people not to “cower in fear” of the novel coronavirus has contracted covid-19, the disease the virus causes, prompting D.C. health officials to tell about 250 staff and parishioners to self-quarantine for two weeks. Monsignor Charles Pope of Holy Comforter St. Cyprian Catholic Church on East Capitol Street was admitted to the hospital on July 27 after experiencing a high fever. He tested positive for the coronavirus after a rapid diagnostic test that afternoon. (Tan, 8/2)

The Washington Post: Fear Of Covid-19 Exposes Lack Of Health Literacy 
A Michigan library had to ask patrons to stop microwaving books to kill the coronavirus after noticing returned books with scorched pages. The Cleveland Clinic issued a public warning about the danger of using vodka concoctions as a hand sanitizer when recipes started to circulate. Then came the surge of calls to poison control centers about bleach. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had to double-down on warnings not to drink it or rinse food in it. (Glicksman, 8/2)

Kaiser Health News: What Seniors Can Expect As Their New Normal In A Post-Vaccine World 
Imagine this scenario, perhaps a year or two in the future: An effective COVID-19 vaccine is routinely available and the world is moving forward. Life, however, will likely never be the same — particularly for people over 60. That is the conclusion of geriatric medical doctors, aging experts, futurists and industry specialists. Experts say that in the aftermath of the pandemic, everything will change, from the way older folks receive health care to how they travel and shop. Also overturned: their work life and relationships with one another. (Horovitz, 8/3)

CNN: Do Some People Have Protection Against The Coronavirus? 
We're now more than seven months into the coronavirus pandemic that has upended the lives of most of Earth's inhabitants. And while it is true that the scientific community has learned many things about the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the disease it causes, Covid-19, there are also many gaps in our understanding. One big mystery: Why do some people get very sick and even die from their illness, while other similar people show no symptoms and may not realize they've been infected at all? (Gupta and Kane, 8/2)

WBUR: One Man's COVID-19 Death Raises The Worst Fears Of Many People With Disabilities 
Michael Hickson's death has become a cause among many with disabilities, an emblem of a medical system that they believe views their lives as having less value, even before a pandemic put doctors and hospitals under stress. And now Hickson's death may get the scrutiny of a federal civil rights office. (Shapiro, 7/31)

The Washington Post: Coronavirus Pandemic Causes Another Health Concern ? Closed Public Restrooms 
When courier Brent Williams makes his daily deliveries around the city here, he runs into one persistent problem: There's almost nowhere to use the restroom. Most public buildings are closed under the pandemic, and restaurants and coffee shops that have shifted to carryout service won't let him use their facilities. “It’s hard to find any place where I can use the restroom,” said Williams, speaking outside a ­library in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood that has reopened its ­restrooms to the public. (Brown, 8/1)

Los Angeles Times: One Day In The Life Of The COVID-19 Pandemic In L.A. 
The pandemic may have slowed the city, but it hasn’t stopped it.Starting well before dawn, essential workers toil at factories and markets and restaurants. Some remain deep into the night; the lucky ones work from home. Parks and beaches and hiking trails beckon those desperate for a break. But COVID-19 has not been an equal-opportunity scourge. Those who see no choice but to work outside their homes are far more exposed than those who have the luxury of sheltering in place. Those in crowded households are far more likely to fall ill than those who live alone or in small families. (8/2)

NPR: Latinx Communities Hit Hard By Coronavirus Outbreak In Rural MO 
Francisco Bonilla is a pastor in Carthage, Mo., catering to the spiritual needs of the town's growing Latinx community. But he's also a media personality, casting his voice far beyond the white-painted walls of Casa de Sanidad. Inside the church, Bonilla runs a low-power, Spanish-language radio station. Bonilla mainly uses the station to broadcast sermons and religious music. But these days he is also focused on COVID-19: explaining the illness and its symptoms, updating his listeners with the newest case counts, and bringing on guests. He has broadcast interviews with a local nurse and with investigators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Martinez Valdivia, 8/1)

Dallas Morning News: ‘It’s Hell Living There’: Texas Inmates Say They Are Battling COVID-19 In Prisons With No A/C
There are more than 100 state-run jails and prisons in Texas. Only about 1 in 4 has air conditioning in inmate housing areas. As Texas enters what could be the hottest month of the year, prisoners said the pain and fear of battling COVID-19 is being exacerbated by inescapable heat. The continued spread of the virus behind bars has advocates and lawmakers talking once again about how to address the air-conditioning issue. They said a real solution would take years. (McGaughy, 7/31)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Metro Atlanta Stores Apply Soft Touch On Mask Mandates, With Success
Many of metro Atlanta’s biggest retailers now say they require shoppers to wear masks, and more start such mandates today. Enforcement appears minimal — and yet the gentle approach is mostly working. An average of 93% of shoppers at stores with mandates wore face coverings during spot checks this week by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. (Kempner, 8/1)

And people are still gathering in large groups —

Boston Globe: Baker Cites A Number Of Large Social Gatherings As A Recipe For Coronavirus Disaster 
Governor Charlie Baker said Friday that recent large gatherings in communities throughout the state were a “recipe for disaster” in potentially spreading the coronavirus, and warned residents that “we’re going to have to make some changes” if the positive test rate continues to move up. Baker made the comments during his regular State House briefing. (Andersen. 7/31)

CNN: Los Angeles Bar: Dozens Attend Party Without Covid-19 Precautions 
Dozens of people attended a party at a bar in Los Angeles on Friday night -- without wearing masks or adhering to social distancing. The party, according to a spokeswoman for the Hollywood bar, was meant to be a mix of first responders as a way to celebrate their profession. CNN was tipped off to the event by a source with direct knowledge of the party, who was told it would involve 100 to 150 law enforcement personnel at Sassafras Saloon. (Lah, Berryman and Andone, 8/2)

The New York Times: Arrests Over Illicit Party Boat With 170 Guests Cruising Around N.Y.C. 
The Liberty Belle, a riverboat with four bars, three outdoor decks and space for 600 guests, has been touted by its operators as a “favorite venue” of New Yorkers who hold parties, fund-raisers and other trendy events on the water. But now it has become yet another symbol of reckless socializing during the pandemic: The boat was used on Saturday to host a party with more than 170 guests, violating state and local social-distancing rules, according to the New York Sheriff’s Office. (Zaveri, 8/2)