First Edition: Aug. 4, 2020

Kaiser Health News: When Green Means Stop: How Safety Messages Got So Muddled 
When Marquita Burnett heard Philadelphia was moving to the “green” phase of reopening, she was confused. She was pretty sure the city had already earned a green designation from Pennsylvania’s governor (it had). The next thing she knew, the city was scaling back some of the businesses it had planned to reopen (namely, indoor dining and gyms). But it was still calling this phase “restricted green.” “I feel like it’s been back and forth — the mayor says one thing, the governor says another. So who do you really listen to?” asked Burnett, a 32-year-old teacher’s assistant. (Feldman, 8/4)

Kaiser Health News: Readers And Tweeters Defend Human — And Animal — Rights 
Many aspects of your story on homeless camps being “swept,” moved or cleared during this pandemic (“Sweeps of Homeless Camps Run Counter to COVID Guidance and Pile On Health Risks,” June 26) seemed tone-deaf or smacked of a skewed viewpoint by those who blame the homeless for poverty or other circumstances that lead them to camp on the street. (8/4)

Kaiser Health News: California GOP Consultant Rues ‘Big Mistake’ That Led To Family’s COVID Infections 
The tweet Richard Costigan posted July 23 was bluntly honest: “We tried our best to limit exposure to #COVID19 but we slipped up somewhere.” Costigan tweeted while waiting anxiously in the parking lot of a hospital outside Sacramento. The veteran Republican political consultant had just dropped his wife, Gloria, off at the emergency room. He wasn’t allowed to go in with her. (Young, 8/3)

Kaiser Health News: Listen: NPR Interview About Less Lethal Weapons That Can Maim Or Kill 
The streets in many U.S. cities have erupted with protests recently and police and federal officers have fired rubber bullets and other projectiles into crowds, injuring or even blinding some of the participants. This has been going on for decades, yet efforts to crack down on less-lethal ammo have failed locally and nationally. KHN senior correspondent Jay Hancock spoke with NPR’s Ailsa Chang on “All Things Considered” about why efforts to curb their use have failed. (8/3)

Kaiser Health News: Listen: ACA Heading To Supreme Court — Again
Julie Rovner, KHN’s chief Washington correspondent, joins “SCOTUStalk” podcast host Amy Howe to talk about the upcoming Supreme Court hearing on the Affordable Care Act. The two look at the law’s history before the court — it will be the seventh hearing in eight years on the ACA or one of its provisions — and what issues might be important to the justices, including whether Republican state officials bringing the case have standing or whether their argument that the elimination of the tax for people who don’t get insurance dooms the entire law. (8/3)

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Counts Smallest Daily Rise In Coronavirus Cases In Weeks
The U.S. reported more than 47,000 new coronavirus cases, the smallest daily increase in almost four weeks, despite signs of an uptick in new infections in some Northeast and Midwest states. Total coronavirus cases world-wide surpassed 18 million Monday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, with the U.S. accounting for more than one-quarter of the tally. The U.S. death toll was approaching 155,000. (Prang and de Avila, 8/3)

NPR: U.S. Handling Pandemic Worse Than Other Countries, Say Two-Thirds Of Americans 
With the national death toll from COVID-19 passing the grim 150,000 mark, an NPR/Ipsos poll finds broad support for a single, national strategy to address the pandemic and more aggressive measures to contain it. Two-thirds of respondents said they believe the U.S. is handling the pandemic worse than other countries, and most want the federal government to take extensive action to slow the spread of the coronavirus, favoring a top-down approach to reopening schools and businesses. (Mann, 8/4)

The Washington Post: After Months Of Favor, Birx Raises Trump’s Ire With Grim Coronavirus Assessment 
President Trump further disparaged his senior health advisers on Monday even as the pandemic deepened its hold on the nation, as the White House’s top coronavirus coordinator, Deborah Birx, joined Anthony S. Fauci and other scientists on the receiving end of the president’s ire. Birx — who built a career leading public health efforts against HIV/AIDS — quickly garnered Trump’s favor earlier this year for publicly championing the administration’s coronavirus response, becoming a prominent figure both inside and outside the White House. (Parker, Dawsey and Abutaleb, 8/3)

Politico: Trump Blasts Birx After She Warns Coronavirus Pandemic Is 'Extraordinarily Widespread' 
“So Crazy Nancy Pelosi said horrible things about Dr. Deborah Birx, going after her because she was too positive on the very good job we are doing on combatting the China Virus, including Vaccines & Therapeutics,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “In order to counter Nancy, Deborah took the bait & hit us. Pathetic!” POLITICO reported last week that Pelosi tore into Birx in closed-door negotiations with administration officials, saying the White House was in “horrible hands” with the public health expert leading the coronavirus taskforce. Pelosi continued her criticism of Birx on Sunday during an appearance on ABC. (Cohen, 8/3)

The New York Times: Fauci Supports Birx’s Coronavirus Assessment After Trump Criticizes Her 
Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease specialist, agreed on Monday with his colleague Dr. Deborah Birx that the United States has entered a “new phase” of the coronavirus pandemic, in which the virus is now spreading uncontrolled in some states by asymptomatic people — comments that drew fire from President Trump. Dr. Fauci said Dr. Birx had been referring to the “inherent community spread” that is occurring in some states, adding: “When you have community spread, it’s much more difficult to get your arms around that and contain it.” (8/3)

The Hill: Fauci Warns Of 'Really Bad Situation' If Daily Coronavirus Cases Don't Drop To 10K By September 
Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease expert, warned on Monday that the U.S. could be in a “really bad situation” if the number of new coronavirus cases confirmed daily does not drop to 10,000 by next month. Fauci, the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a livestreamed interview with the Journal of the American Medical Association that he is basing that number on the expected emergence of the flu in the fall as well as the return of colder weather, which will likely drive more people indoors, where health experts say COVID-19 spreads more easily. (Coleman, 8/3)

Politico: Trump Extends National Guard Virus Mission Through 2020 But Cuts Federal Funds By Quarter 
President Donald Trump has extended the federal deployment of nearly 25,000 National Guard members detailed to coronavirus relief efforts until the end of 2020, but ordered states to start picking up 25 percent of the tab — millions per month at a time states are struggling financially. Though many states are reporting record cases and hospitalizations amid a resurgence of the virus, the memorandum released Monday night says the decrease in financial support comes "as the United States transitions to a period of increased economic activity and recovery in those areas of the Nation where the threat posed by COVID-19 has been sufficiently mitigated." (Miranda Ollstein, 8/3)

AP: Trump Wants Broader Role For Telehealth Services In Medicare
The Trump administration is taking steps to give telehealth a broader role under Medicare, with an executive order that serves as a call for Congress to make doctor visits via personal technology a permanent fixture of the program. The order President Donald Trump signed on Monday applies to one segment of Medicare recipients — people living in rural communities. But administration officials said it’s intended as a signal to Congress that Trump is ready to back significant legislation that would permanently open up telehealth as an option for all people with Medicare. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 8/3)

Politico: As Trump Downplays Covid-19 Testing, White House Begins Requiring It - POLITICO
As President Donald Trump continues to downplay the need for increased Covid-19 testing across the country, White House officials were told on Monday they will now be subjected to random testing for the virus. According to an email sent to executive branch employees, which POLITICO obtained, the new policy will require “random mandatory Covid-19 testing” for officials working inside the White House complex. Limited exceptions are available to aides who have spent the last 30 days working remotely or are on previously approved leave. (Orr, 8/3)

AP: Trump Nursing Home Plan Limits Supply Of Free COVID-19 Tests
The Trump administration’s plan to provide every nursing home with a fast COVID-19 testing machine comes with an asterisk: The government won’t supply enough test kits to check staff and residents beyond an initial couple of rounds. A program that sounded like a game changer when it was announced last month at the White House is now prompting concerns that it could turn into another unfulfilled promise for nursing homes, whose residents and staff represent a tiny share of the U.S. population but account for as many as 4 in 10 coronavirus deaths, according to some estimates. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 8/4)

The Hill: Trump Campaign Emails Supporters Encouraging Mask-Wearing: 'We Have Nothing To Lose' 
President Trump’s campaign emailed supporters on Monday encouraging them to wear masks when social distancing is not possible as the president has shifted his tone on the practice over the past few weeks. The reelection campaign’s email, which is signed by the president, requested Trump’s supporters don face coverings but acknowledged “there has been some confusion surrounding the usage of face masks.” (Coleman, 8/3)

The Hill: Wife Blames Trump, Lack Of Masks For Husband's Coronavirus Death In Obit: 'May Karma Find You All' 
The wife of a man who died from COVID-19 blamed President Trump, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and a lack of mask-wearing for her husband’s death in his obituary published last week. David Nagy’s obituary gained traction online Monday after his wife, Stacey Nagy, named Trump and Abbott in his obituary published in the Jefferson Jimplecute on July 30. "Dave did everything he was supposed to do, but you did not," Stacey Nagy wrote in the obituary. "Shame on all of you, and may Karma find you all!" (Coleman, 8/3)

The Hill: Trump Signs Order Expanding Use Of Virtual Doctors 
President Trump on Monday signed an executive order seeking to expand the use of virtual doctors visits, as his administration looks to highlight achievements in health care. The administration waived certain regulatory barriers to video and phone calls with doctors, known as telehealth, when the coronavirus pandemic struck and many people were stuck at home. Now, the administration is looking to make some of those changes permanent, arguing the moves will provide another option for patients to talk to their doctors. (Sullivan, 8/3)

The Hill: White House Sued Over Lack Of Sign Language Interpreters At Coronavirus Briefings 
A major organization representing deaf Americans and a group of deaf individuals are suing the White House over the lack of a sign language interpreter at the administration's COVID-19 briefings. CNN first reported the lawsuit, which was filed in district court in Washington, D.C., and accuses the Trump administration of a First Amendment violation. Plaintiffs argue that the captions carried on video of the events lack details that would be conveyed by a sign language interpreter. (Bowden, 8/3)

AP: Progress Slow On Virus Relief Bill As Negotiations Continue
Negotiators on a huge coronavirus relief bill reported slight progress after talks resumed in the Capitol, with issues like food for the poor and aid to schools struggling to reopen safely assuming a higher profile in the talks. Multiple obstacles remain, including an impasse on extending a $600-per-week pandemic jobless benefit, funding for the Postal Service, and aid to renters facing eviction. Democratic negotiators spoke of progress Monday at almost the very moment that top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell was slamming them for taking a hard line in the talks. (Taylor, 8/4)

Reuters: Congressional Democrats, White House Cite Progress In Talks On Coronavirus Bill 
A key sticking point remains what to do about the $600-per-week enhanced unemployment benefit, a key lifeline for the tens of millions of Americans thrown out of work during the pandemic, which expired on Friday. “We’re making some progress on certain issues, moving closer together,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters after Monday’s talks. “There are a lot of issues that are still outstanding. But I think there is a desire to get something done as soon as we can.” (Lawder and Cowan, 8/3)

The Washington Post: Trump Says He’s Examining Executive Orders On Evictions, Payroll Taxes If He Can’t Reach Deal With Democrats 
“A lot of people are going to be evicted, but I’m going to stop it because I’ll do it myself if I have to,” Trump told reporters at an event at the White House. “I have a lot of powers with respect to executive orders, and we’re looking at that very seriously right now.” ... Similarly, he told reporters he could use an executive order to lower payroll taxes, after the idea generated little enthusiasm on Capitol Hill. (Werner, Stein and Demirjian, 8/3)

AP: Wave Of Evictions Expected As Moratoriums End In Many States
Kelyn Yanez used to clean homes during the day and wait tables at night in the Houston area before the coronavirus. But the mother of three lost both jobs in March because of the pandemic and now is facing eviction. The Honduran immigrant got help from a local church to pay part of July’s rent but was still hundreds of dollars short and is now awaiting a three-day notice to vacate the apartment where she lives with her children. She has no idea how she will meet her August rent. (Garcia Cano and Casey, 8/4)

Reuters: Trump Vows To Sue Nevada To Block Universal Mail-In Ballots 
President Donald Trump vowed on Monday he would sue Nevada after the state’s Democratic lawmakers passed a bill to send mail-in ballots to every voter ahead of November’s presidential election in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Trump, who has repeatedly claimed without evidence that voting by mail will lead to rampant fraud, wrote on Twitter the legislation approved on Sunday was an “illegal late night coup” and told reporters his administration was already preparing a lawsuit. “We will be suing in Nevada. And that’s already been taken care of, we’ll probably file something tomorrow,” he said during a White House briefing. (Ax and Whitesides, 8/3)

AP: Judge Extends Minnesota Vote-By-Mail Changes To November
A judge on Monday extended changes in Minnesota’s absentee ballot rules to the November general election. Ramsey County Judge Sara Grewing approved the agreement allowing Minnesota voters to submit their mail-in or absentee ballots in the Nov. 3 general election without witness signatures, the Star Tribune reported. (8/4)

Reuters: Biden Assails Trump For 'Bald-Faced Lies' About Voting By Mail 
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said on Monday that President Donald Trump was telling “bald-faced lies” about voting by mail to distract from his own failures, after Trump last week suggested it could be cause to delay the election. Biden’s remarks were his strongest on the issue since Trump, who trails the presumptive Democratic nominee in opinion polls, tweeted on Thursday that he would not trust the results of an election that included widespread mail voting - a measure many observers see as critical during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. (Martina, 8/3)

The Hill: Interior Stresses 'Showing Up For Work' After Grijalva Tests Positive For Coronavirus 
The Interior Department took a shot at the Democratic chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee in a statement wishing him a speedy recovery from COVID-19. “We wish Chairman [Raúl] Grijalva a speedy recovery. He’s paid a lot of money by the American people to be an elected official – a job he sought and was entrusted to uphold – and showing up for work like millions of other dedicated public servants, such as our law enforcement officers and firefighters, is true leadership,” Interior said in a statement. (Beitsch, 8/3)

Stat: Music In Drug Ads Makes It Easier For The Public To Tune Out Side Effects, Advocates Argue
This will not be music to the ears of the pharmaceutical industry. A pair of advocacy groups is asking the Food and Drug Administration to ban the use of music during the portion of television and online ads that recite potential side effects, warning consumers may be too easily distracted. In arguing their case, the advocacy groups contend that ads with music too often fail to comply with the so-called fair balance goals sought by the FDA when the agency loosened its rules in 1999 and made it easier for drug makers to advertise medicines on television. (Silverman, 8/3)

Stat: Following Court Ruling, NIH Warns Drug And Device Companies To Post Missing Trial Data
Hundreds of drug companies, medical device manufacturers, and universities owe the public a decade’s worth of missing data from clinical trials, federal officials warned last week. New rules issued last week in the wake of a federal court ruling in February instructed clinical trial sponsors to submit missing data for trials conducted between 2007 and 2017 “as soon as possible.” (Facher, 8/4)

Stat: Gilead Pressured Again To Pursue Remdesivir-Like Drug To Fight Covid-19
In an unusual move, a pair of academics is escalating an effort to convince Gilead Sciences (GILD) to test a compound that is not only known for saving cats from a fatal virus, but is highly similar to remdesivir and, therefore, may be useful in combating Covid-19. At issue is a Gilead compound known as GS-441524, which works in the same way as remdesivir to inhibit viruses, according to research conducted partly by the company. The compound has not been tested in humans, but has been sold on black markets to repel feline infectious peritonitis, which is caused by a different coronavirus than the virus that causes Covid-19. (Silverman, 8/4)

Stat: Medicines May Be More Affordable Than You Think — Unless You Pay Cash
Amid growing complaints that many Americans cannot afford their prescription medicines, most people in the U.S. who have insurance are paying lower out-of-pocket costs, but cash-paying customers are shelling out significantly more than five years ago, according to a new analysis. Overall, the average amount paid out-of-pocket for a prescription by all patients — those with and without insurance — held steady at $10.67 in 2019, which was unchanged from the year before up just 33 cents since 2015. But commercially insured prescription costs declined from $10.83 to $8.90 between 2015 and 2019, according to the analysis by the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science. (Silverman, 8/4)

Politico: U.S. Lacks Plan For Getting Vaccine To Communities Of Color Devastated By Virus 
The United States is mounting the largest vaccination effort in its history — without a plan on how to reach racial and ethnic groups that have not only been devastated by the virus but are often skeptical about government outreach in their communities. For decades, communities of color have been underrepresented in clinical trials, faced greater barriers to getting vaccinated and harbored deeper distrust of a health care system that’s often overlooked or even harmed them. But now, the large-scale effort to defeat the virus depends not just on developing a safe and effective vaccine, but ensuring it reaches all corners of America. (Roubein and Owermohle, 8/3)

Reuters: Scientists Inspired By 'Star Wars' Create Artificial Skin Able To Feel 
Singapore researchers have developed “electronic skin” capable of recreating a sense of touch, an innovation they hope will allow people with prosthetic limbs to detect objects, as well as feel texture, or even temperature and pain. The device, dubbed ACES, or Asynchronous Coded Electronic Skin, is made up of 100 small sensors and is about 1 sq cm (0.16 square inch) in size. (8/3)

CNN: Your Hair Knows What You Eat, Study Says
You are what you eat, so the saying goes. But few people would suspect that dietary choices are reflected, inch by inch, in the hair growing on your head. Your mop can potentially shed light on whether you prefer veggie burgers or cheeseburgers, a new study has suggested. Researchers from the University of Utah collected discarded hair from barbers and hair salons from 65 cities across the United States. From the chemical traces in the cuttings the scientists found that American diets are dominated by animal-derived protein like meat and dairy. (Hunt, 8/3)

Stat: Covid-19 Apps And Wearables Are Everywhere. Can They Benefit Patients?
With Covid-19 cases again climbing, health tech companies and researchers are renewing their pitch for wearables and apps as a cutting-edge way to catch new cases and detect when patients are growing sicker. The flood of tech tools — and the marketing machinery playing up their potential — promises to give users more timely information and fill key gaps in testing and tracing cases. But it is not altogether certain that these devices will benefit patients. (Ross, 8/4)

The New York Times: Dementia On The Retreat In The U.S. And Europe 
Despite the lack of effective treatments or preventive strategies, the dementia epidemic is on the wane in the United States and Europe, scientists reported on Monday. The risk for a person to develop dementia over a lifetime is now 13 percent lower than it was in 2010. Incidence rates at every age have steadily declined over the past quarter-century. If the trend continues, the paper’s authors note, there will be 15 million fewer people in Europe and the United States with dementia than there are now. (Kolata, 8/3)

The Wall Street Journal: For Some, A Recovery From Covid Brings A Greater Sense Of Safety 
After fighting off cases of Covid-19, Danielle Vito and her husband needed a break. When they tested positive for antibodies, they decided to take a trip to Mexico in July. “That played a big factor when I was traveling,” says Ms. Vito, a 28-year-old social media marketer. “It gives a little sense of hope that you will be safer.” People who have recovered from Covid-19 are starting to venture back into the world, often with a greater confidence to pursue normal activities than people who haven’t had it. They’re taking trips, eating indoors at restaurants and visiting friends. In many cases, people who recovered believe they have a degree of immunity and are less likely to get or spread the illness. (Dizik, 8/3)

Los Angeles Times: People Live Longer In Blue States Than Red; New Study Points To Impact Of State Policies 
Weak environmental protections, safety rules and labor and civil rights protections may be cutting lives short in conservative states and deepening the divide between red and blue states, according to a new study on links between life expectancy and state policy. The report, published Tuesday in the health policy journal Milbank Quarterly, finds that states where residents live longest, including California, tend to have much more stringent environmental laws, tougher tobacco and firearms regulations and more protections for workers, minorities and LGBTQ residents. (Levey, 8/3)

AP: Virus Outbreak At West Virginia Nursing Home Grows
More than 60 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in an ongoing outbreak at a West Virginia nursing home, officials said Monday. Republican Gov. Jim Justice said 31 staffers and 33 residents at the Princeton Health Care Center have tested positive. Nineteen people linked to the Mercer County facility have been hospitalized. Three have died. “Absolutely the Princeton situation is not good." (8/3)

AP: NY Rolls Back Legal Immunity For Hospitals, Nursing Homes
Nursing homes and hospitals in New York can once again be held liable in lawsuits and criminal prosecutions for care provided to patients not being treated for COVID-19 under a law signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo Monday. Nursing homes, hospitals and other health care facilities were granted a broad legal shield to fend off lawsuits and criminal prosecutions over care provided to all patients during the pandemic in an April state budget provision that Cuomo and lawmakers approved and well-heeled hospital lobbyists said they drafted. (Villeneuve, 8/4)

CIDRAP: Health Workers, Especially Minorities, At High Risk For COVID, Even With PPE
At the peak of the pandemic in the United States and the United Kingdom, frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) who had adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) were still at more than three times the risk of COVID-19 infection than the general public—even after accounting for differences in testing frequency, according to a study published late last week in The Lancet Public Health. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and King's College London used data entered into the COVID Symptom Study smartphone app by 99,795 frontline HCWs and 2,035,395 community members. From Mar 24 to Apr 23, positive coronavirus tests were identified in 5,545 app users. (Van Beusekom, 8/3)

Politico: New Rural Hot Spots Are ICU Bed Deserts, Study Finds 
More than half of all rural low-income communities in the U.S. have zero ICU beds, forcing local hospitals to rely on transfers to wealthier communities for their sickest coronavirus patients, according to a new study. The findings, published in Health Affairs, underscore the economic disparities shaping the nation’s coronavirus response, especially as the virus shifts from wealthier coastal metros to rural communities in the Southeast and West that have historically struggled with access to care. (Doherty, 8/3)

AP: Nickelodeon Universe At Mall Of America To Reopen Aug. 10
The Mall of America said Monday the Nickelodeon Universe amusement park inside the mall will reopen Aug. 10 after being closed nearly five months due to COVID-19. Officials of the Bloomington, Minnesota, mall said the seven-acre (2.8-hectare) theme park will reopen with significant changes aimed at maintaining a safe, healthy and comfortable environment. To meet state guidelines, Nickelodeon Universe will operate with a reduced capacity of 250 visitors at any time. (8/3)

The Wall Street Journal: Why The Teenage Brain Pushes Young People To Ignore Virus Restrictions 
Monica Sager didn’t see her boyfriend for four months after she moved back into her childhood home in Pottstown, Pa., in March. She also didn’t go to any friends’ houses or social events. Now, her parameters have started to shift. Her boyfriend visited from New York over the Fourth of July weekend, and in August she will move into an apartment with roommates in Worcester, Mass., when she returns for her senior year at Clark University. (Keates, 8/3)

Politico: Newsom Provides Path For Elementary Schools To Open, Strictly Limits Youth Sports
California elementary schools that want to open their doors for in-person learning must consult with parents, labor unions and others on campus and demonstrate their plans for contact-tracing and other public health measures that have been widely implemented in summer camps and child care settings, according to new guidelines released Monday night. The highly anticipated guidance — along with new rules that impose strict restrictions on youth sports — comes as teachers and families are starting to head back to school across California. It follows Gov. Gavin Newsom's mid-July announcement that the state would generally require fully online learning for public and private schools located in counties that have landed on the Covid-19 watch list within the past 14 days — which would apply to 38 counties with more than 90 percent of California residents combined. (Murphy and White, 8/3)

Los Angeles Times: LAUSD And Teachers Reach Tentative Online Learning Deal 
After a troubled and uneven spring of distance learning, Los Angeles schools will reopen in two weeks with a major reboot for learning at home that includes a structured schedule, mandatory attendance-taking and more required online time with teachers and counselors, under a tentative agreement between the teachers union and the district. The official schedule will be shorter than a normal on-campus school day, beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 2:15 p.m., with teachers expected to work an average of six hours while exercising broad discretion over how much time they spend teaching live online classes versus providing recorded sessions and supervising students working independently. (Blume, 8/3)

Politico: New Jersey Will Require All Students To Wear Masks While In School
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is continuing to assert that schools will reopen for in-person instruction in the fall, announcing Monday that all students will be required to wear masks in school buildings. Murphy said the state Department of Education has updated its reopening guidance document to require face coverings “for all students at all times while inside a school building regardless of social distancing,” unless doing so would inhibit the individual’s health. The updated guidance also includes exceptions for students with disabilities. (Sitrin, 8/3)

AP: More Mississippi Schools Begin Classes As Virus Cases Surge
This week, 44 Mississippi school districts are resuming in-person instruction for the first time since March, many with safety precautions like mandatory mask-wearing, temperature checks and daily sanitizing. Another six districts are starting this week with only remote instruction. (Willingham, 8/3)

The Hill: Fewer Parents Want Full-Time, In-Person Instruction For Their Children: Gallup 
The percentage of parents who say they want full-time, in-person school for their children in the fall has fallen 20 points in recent months, although more still favor it than fully remote classes, according to Gallup. Thirty-six percent of K-12 parents say they favor resuming in-person, full-time classes in the fall, down from 56 percent in May and early June. Twenty-eight percent are currently in favor of full-time remote classes, up 21 percentage points from earlier in the year. Another 36 percent now favor a combination of the two options. (Budryk, 8/3)

AP: A Cough Could Lead To Red Card In Soccer
A soccer player who deliberately coughs close to another player or match official can be issued a red card. The International Football Association Board, the game’s lawmaker, updated its guidelines while the pandemic perseveres. A referee can only red card a player when they are certain the cough is intentional. A yellow card is also optional. (8/4)

The Wall Street Journal: Can You Test Positive For Coronavirus And Be At Work? Sports Leagues Say Yes 
When American sports leagues began to chart their paths for the pandemic, they faced countless questions. How often should they test? Would the NBA’s bubble burst? How many rule changes does it take to drive MLB purists cuckoo? But the thorniest question they had to reckon with is one that applies to multibillion-dollar sports enterprises and small businesses alike. When is it safe for someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 to return to work?The answer is as surprising as it is murky. (Beaton and Radnofsky, 8/3)

Los Angeles Times: Former UCLA Gynecologist Faces 17 Additional Felony Charges 
Los Angeles County prosecutors dramatically expanded their case against a former UCLA gynecologist on Monday, charging him with 17 additional felonies related to his alleged sexual abuse of five former patients. Dr. James M. Heaps, 67, who was already facing three similar charges of alleged abuse against two other former patients, was handcuffed and taken into custody. His bond was set at $650,000. (Cosgrove, 8/3)

NPR: 'They Know What A Pandemic Is': HIV Survivors See Similarities To AIDS Epidemic 
In January, two weeks after Rick Solomon joined the YMCA near his home, he fell ill. The 65-year-old Bay Area resident hoped to spend the month working out, instead he lay in bed wheezing, with crippling muscle aches. He missed several days of work at a small publishing house. "I was sick for most of the month of February with a horrible cough like I've never had before," said Solomon as he ran his fingers through his thick salt and pepper hair. "It went into my chest. I used inhalers for the first time in my life." (McClurg, 8/3)

NPR: Mississippi On Track To Become No. 1 State For New Coronavirus Cases Per Capita 
Mississippi is heading for a title that no state would want: It is on track to overtake Florida to become the No. 1 state for new coronavirus infections per capita, according to researchers at Harvard. The state already faces high levels of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and obesity. As a result, the challenges specific to the coronavirus pandemic are "layered on top of our existing challenges," says Dr. LouAnn Woodward, who is the top executive at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. (Shapiro and Pao, 8/3)

CNN: Florida Coronavirus: Two Teens Die Of Complications 
Two teenagers in Florida have died from Covid-19 complications, according to data posted by the Florida Department of Health. The teens were between the ages of 14 and 17, the department said. This brings the total number of minors who have died in relation to the virus in Florida to seven. The others were a 9-year-old girl from Putnam County, an 11-year-old boy in Miami-Dade County, an 11-year-old girl in Broward County, a 16-year-old girl in Lee County, and a 17-year-old boy in Pasco County. (Colbert, 8/3)

AP: Missouri Voters To Decide On Health Care For More Adults
Missouri voters on Tuesday will decide whether to expand Medicaid health care coverage to thousands more low-income adults after years of resistance from Republican lawmakers. The vote on health care, as well as primaries for statewide offices and congressional seats, comes as coronavirus cases are increasing in the state, which could impact voter turnout. Missouri’s Republican-led Legislature repeatedly rejected Medicaid expansion proposals over the past decade, which prompted supporters to turn to the initiative process. (Ballentine, 8/4)

Los Angeles Times: California Has The Most Coronavirus Cases Of Any State, But There Are Signs Of Hope, Newsom Says 
Over the last two weeks, California saw an average of 121 deaths per day, Newsom said. On Friday, the state reported 214 fatalities, 21% more than the previous record, set two days prior. Still, there are some early signs of hope, Newsom said. The number of people hospitalized statewide has fallen about 10% over two weeks, and admissions to intensive care units have fallen by 5%, he said. (Nelson and Miller, 8/3)

AP: Billings Shuts City Hall, Library After Employees Infected
Officials in Billings shut down city hall and the public library for cleaning after three public employees in Montana’s largest city tested positive for the coronavirus. City hall was scheduled to re-open to the public Thursday following cleaning work and then operate two days a week under limited hours until August 17. (8/3)

Politico: NYC's Outdoor Dining Program Will Return Next Year
New York City’s pandemic-era outdoor dining program will continue next year, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday. With indoor dining banned indefinitely because of the coronavirus risk, thousands of restaurants have been allowed to take over the parking spaces outside their eateries to seat customers — and de Blasio said the al fresco dining push would usher in a longer-term change to the city’s streetscape. (Durkin, 8/3)

AP: Health Clubs Try Again To Undo Ducey’s Gym Closure Order
Arizona’s top public health official was grilled in court Monday over why health clubs must remain closed in a bid to guard against the spread of the coronavirus, yet supermarkets, restaurants and other businesses can remain open. Dr. Cara Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, testified in a lawsuit filed by two health club chains challenging Gov. Doug Ducey’s gym closure order. The clubs lost an earlier challenge but renewed their reopening request after the governor extended the closure. (Billeaud, 8/4)