Washington (AP) —Governors in places seeing huge spikes in coronavirus infections often cite statewide data to assure the public they have plenty of hospital capacity to survive the onslaught, even as the states routinely miss the critical benchmarks to guide their pandemic response.

Public health officials and experts say the heavy reliance on statewide hospital data is a misleading and sometimes irresponsible metric to justify keeping a state open or holding back on imposing new limits.

That is because statewide statistics can be deceiving, especially in large states where individual hospitals can be in crisis mode even while the overall capacity numbers look OK.

Thomas LaVeist, dean of the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, said basing pandemic and reopening policy on statewide hospital bed capacity ”is incredibly irresponsible.”

“To cherry-pick hospital capacity and to use that one metric without the context of number of cases, number of deaths, is shocking,” LaVeist said.

The issue of hospital capacity has gained urgency across the nation this week as Florida, Texas, California, Arizona and other states reported skyrocketing case numbers. Governors have repeatedly invoked hospital capacity in arguing against new business restrictions, though the dynamic began to shift Friday when Texas and Florida clamped down on bars amid an increasingly dire situation with COVID-19.

At the first White House coronavirus briefing nearly two months Friday, Vice President Mike Pence also cited hospitalizations in discussing the outlook for the pandemic.

Two months ago, Pence said 15% of patients were being hospitalized. Now it’s about 5%. That means the health care system is better positioned to cope with a resurgence in cases, he says.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas jumped by 568, fueled in part by outbreaks in sports practices and tournaments. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said Friday that there were now 13,538 cases, up 4.3% from Wednesday and 12% from last Friday. The state also reported three more deaths, bringing the total to 264 since the pandemic began in early March.&nbsp;

In Texas, the state health department’s website on Thursday showed 12,951 available beds, 1,320 available ICU beds, and 5,850 available ventilators. What it doesn’t break down is how bleak the situation is in some particular places, including Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city. Hospital beds in Houston are filling so fast that Texas Children’s Hospital is starting to treat adult patients, and 97% of ICU beds at Texas Medical Center were in use.

In Miami, Homestead Hospital confirmed Tuesday it was at capacity. The hospital was transferring patients to other hospitals and preparing to convert regular beds to beds for ICU and acute care patients, if needed.

In Arizona, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has declined to impose new restrictions on business activity or a stay-at-home order, repeatedly citing ample capacity in the state’s hospitals as the reason he is comfortable staying open.

“That’s what’s most important when there’s a rise in cases,” Ducey said earlier this month.

Ducey has condemned as “misinformation” the notion that hospital space is running short, even as state data shows that 85% of Arizona’s hospital beds are occupied. Arizona has about 2,500 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

At the same time, the state is badly missing the mark on the benchmarks established by the White House task force to guide the reopening of the economy, with 23 percent of COVID-19 tests coming back positive in the past week in Arizona.

The task force does not include statewide hospitalizations as part of its criteria that states are supposed to meet before reopening. Those criteria include a downward trajectory of cases within a two-week period. They also specify that hospitals should have enough intensive care unit capacity to treat a surge in patients and should have a robust testing program in place for at-risk healthcare workers, including virus antibody testing.

Dr. Joseph Gerald, associate professor of public health policy and management at the University of Arizona, said that if the trend continues, cases will likely exceed statewide hospital bed capacity within the next several weeks.

California has broken several of its own daily records for the number of positive tests and hospitalizations have risen by more than 30 percent in the past two weeks. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has sounded an upbeat tone in recent days about hospital capacity but changed his tune somewhat on Friday, saying he wants a Southern California county that borders Mexico to consider a stay-home order again.

Dr. Colleen Kraft, associate chief medical officer at Emory Hospital in Atlanta and a member of Georgia’s coronavirus task force, said regional hospital bed capacity would be a better metric than statewide capacity. She lamented that the pandemic has seemingly devolved into a “political situation.”

“As someone who came into medicine to serve people, it’s difficult to watch,” Kraft said.

Robyn Gershon, a professor and public health expert at New York University, called using statewide hospital bed capacity to guide policy “completely unethical.”

’’It’s unethical to say let’s just go about our business and by the way, we can handle the overflow,” Gershon said. “A better measure is the 14-day and seven-day case infection rate. That’s what’s telling us what’s going on right now.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593204436609.png" alt="Vice President Mike Pence and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speak during a briefing with members of the Coronavirus Task Force at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, Friday" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Mike Pence and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speak during a briefing with members of the Coronavirus Task Force at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, Friday</figcaption>
 </figure>By JIM SALTER and LINDSEY TANNERWashington (AP) —Governors in places seeing huge spikes in coronavirus infections often cite statewide data to assure the public they have plenty of hospital capacity to survive the onslaught, even as the states routinely miss the critical benchmarks to guide their pandemic response.Public health officials and experts say the heavy reliance on statewide hospital data is a misleading and sometimes irresponsible metric to justify keeping a state open or holding back on imposing new limits.That is because statewide statistics can be deceiving, especially in large states where individual hospitals can be in crisis mode even while the overall capacity numbers look OK.Thomas LaVeist, dean of the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, said basing pandemic and reopening policy on statewide hospital bed capacity ”is incredibly irresponsible.”“To cherry-pick hospital capacity and to use that one metric without the context of number of cases, number of deaths, is shocking,” LaVeist said.The issue of hospital capacity has gained urgency across the nation this week as Florida, Texas, California, Arizona and other states reported skyrocketing case numbers. Governors have repeatedly invoked hospital capacity in arguing against new business restrictions, though the dynamic began to shift Friday when Texas and Florida clamped down on bars amid an increasingly dire situation with COVID-19.At the first White House coronavirus briefing nearly two months Friday, Vice President Mike Pence also cited hospitalizations in discussing the outlook for the pandemic.Two months ago, Pence said 15% of patients were being hospitalized. Now it’s about 5%. That means the health care system is better positioned to cope with a resurgence in cases, he says.The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas jumped by 568, fueled in part by outbreaks in sports practices and tournaments. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said Friday that there were now 13,538 cases, up 4.3% from Wednesday and 12% from last Friday. The state also reported three more deaths, bringing the total to 264 since the pandemic began in early March.&nbsp;In Texas, the state health department’s website on Thursday showed 12,951 available beds, 1,320 available ICU beds, and 5,850 available ventilators. What it doesn’t break down is how bleak the situation is in some particular places, including Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city. Hospital beds in Houston are filling so fast that Texas Children’s Hospital is starting to treat adult patients, and 97% of ICU beds at Texas Medical Center were in use.In Miami, Homestead Hospital confirmed Tuesday it was at capacity. The hospital was transferring patients to other hospitals and preparing to convert regular beds to beds for ICU and acute care patients, if needed.In Arizona, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has declined to impose new restrictions on business activity or a stay-at-home order, repeatedly citing ample capacity in the state’s hospitals as the reason he is comfortable staying open.“That’s what’s most important when there’s a rise in cases,” Ducey said earlier this month.Ducey has condemned as “misinformation” the notion that hospital space is running short, even as state data shows that 85% of Arizona’s hospital beds are occupied. Arizona has about 2,500 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.At the same time, the state is badly missing the mark on the benchmarks established by the White House task force to guide the reopening of the economy, with 23 percent of COVID-19 tests coming back positive in the past week in Arizona.The task force does not include statewide hospitalizations as part of its criteria that states are supposed to meet before reopening. Those criteria include a downward trajectory of cases within a two-week period. They also specify that hospitals should have enough intensive care unit capacity to treat a surge in patients and should have a robust testing program in place for at-risk healthcare workers, including virus antibody testing.Dr. Joseph Gerald, associate professor of public health policy and management at the University of Arizona, said that if the trend continues, cases will likely exceed statewide hospital bed capacity within the next several weeks.California has broken several of its own daily records for the number of positive tests and hospitalizations have risen by more than 30 percent in the past two weeks. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has sounded an upbeat tone in recent days about hospital capacity but changed his tune somewhat on Friday, saying he wants a Southern California county that borders Mexico to consider a stay-home order again.Dr. Colleen Kraft, associate chief medical officer at Emory Hospital in Atlanta and a member of Georgia’s coronavirus task force, said regional hospital bed capacity would be a better metric than statewide capacity. She lamented that the pandemic has seemingly devolved into a “political situation.”“As someone who came into medicine to serve people, it’s difficult to watch,” Kraft said.Robyn Gershon, a professor and public health expert at New York University, called using statewide hospital bed capacity to guide policy “completely unethical.”’’It’s unethical to say let’s just go about our business and by the way, we can handle the overflow,” Gershon said. “A better measure is the 14-day and seven-day case infection rate. That’s what’s telling us what’s going on right now.”—-

As virus grows, governors rely on misleading hospital data

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — State health figures show the number of hospital beds available in Nebraska has dropped below 40% as the state continues to see more COVID-19 cases confirmed. 

The state's online coronavirus tracker shows that as of Thursday, 2,330 of the state's total 3,834 hospital beds were occupied. 

That left 1,504, or 39%, of hospital beds available. The site also shows that 43% of intensive care unit beds and 78% of ventilators in the state were available. 

The state saw another 125 cases of the virus reported on Thursday, to take the state's total to 18,346. 

There also were three new COVID-19 deaths, bringing the state's total to 260.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — State health figures show the number of hospital beds available in Nebraska has dropped below 40% as the state continues to see more COVID-19 cases confirmed. The state's online coronavirus tracker shows that as of Thursday, 2,330 of the state's total 3,834 hospital beds were occupied. That left 1,504, or 39%, of hospital beds available. The site also shows that 43% of intensive care unit beds and 78% of ventilators in the state were available. The state saw another 125 cases of the virus reported on Thursday, to take the state's total to 18,346. There also were three new COVID-19 deaths, bringing the state's total to 260.

Available hospital beds drop in Nebraska as virus cases rise

LINCOLN-Governor Pete Ricketts discussed the State of Nebraska’s Community CARES program.&nbsp; Through the initiative, the State is allocating $85 million to support community organizations such as food banks, shelters, and mental health care providers as they face increased demand for their services due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) CEO Dannette R. Smith joined the Governor to provide specifics on the Community CARES program. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Additionally, the State’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Gary Anthone, and Caryn Vincent—Deputy Director of Public Health at DHHS—joined the Governor to emphasize the importance of keeping kids’ immunizations up-to-date.

Full video of today’s press briefing is available by&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dropbox.com%2Fs%2F4xoete9a5angbqp%2FPress%2520Conf%25206.25.2020.mp4%3Fdl%3D0&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7Ce89f81aa31dc4185e21008d819d9524b%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637287768459070504&amp;sdata=oYiuz3W6gVcllvQLoRV3CzobSyDlCS3gPwF8ePDjEzs%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.

LINCOLN-Governor Pete Ricketts discussed the State of Nebraska’s Community CARES program.&nbsp; Through the initiative, the State is allocating $85 million to support community organizations such as food banks, shelters, and mental health care providers as they face increased demand for their services due to the coronavirus pandemic.Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) CEO Dannette R. Smith joined the Governor to provide specifics on the Community CARES program. &nbsp;&nbsp;Additionally, the State’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Gary Anthone, and Caryn Vincent—Deputy Director of Public Health at DHHS—joined the Governor to emphasize the importance of keeping kids’ immunizations up-to-date.Gov. Ricketts: Test Nebraska<ul>
 <li>We continue to encourage people to take the&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftestnebraska.com%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7Ce89f81aa31dc4185e21008d819d9524b%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637287768459060542&amp;sdata=RGb8IyDepAUDtpa1i68MYLFHbBpcv8hFjQ0mezLIV4g%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">TestNebraska.com</a>&nbsp;assessment.</li><li>All Nebraskans are now eligible to get tested. The last remaining limiting criteria has been lifted in Douglas County.</li><li>The last remaining limiting criteria has been lifted in Douglas County.</li><li>Test Nebraska mobile sites will be in the following communities in the next few days: Hastings, Imperial, North Platte, Omaha, Seward, South Sioux City, and Springfield.</li><li>Next week, Test Nebraska will also partner with the following hospitals and health centers to do testing: Blair Memorial HospitalCommunity Hospital in ColumbusGood Neighbor Health Center in ColumbusKearney Regional Medical CenterFaith Regional Health Services in NorfolkFranciscan Care Services in West PointYork General Hospital</li><li>Blair Memorial Hospital</li><li>Community Hospital in Columbus</li><li>Good Neighbor Health Center in Columbus</li><li>Kearney Regional Medical Center</li><li>Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk</li><li>Franciscan Care Services in West Point</li><li>York General Hospital</li>
 </ul>CEO Smith: Community CARES<ul>
 <li>Community CARES offers $85 million for Nebraska’s charities and providers to respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus.</li><li>Stabilization Grants - $40 million These grants offer direct assistance to charitable and provider organizations that have experienced losses or increased expenses due to the pandemic.</li><li>These grants offer direct assistance to charitable and provider organizations that have experienced losses or increased expenses due to the pandemic.</li><li>Response and Recovery Grants - $43 million These grants support charitable and provider organizations as they offer services in their communities.Services include meals, housing, behavioral health care, outreach to underserved populations, and more.</li><li>These grants support charitable and provider organizations as they offer services in their communities.Services include meals, housing, behavioral health care, outreach to underserved populations, and more.</li><li>Services include meals, housing, behavioral health care, outreach to underserved populations, and more.</li><li>Healthy Places Grants - $2 million These grants will be made as one-time payments to child care providers and centers of worship to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies.</li><li>These grants will be made as one-time payments to child care providers and centers of worship to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies.</li><li>Potential applicants can visit&nbsp;<a href="http://dhhs.ne.gov/CommunityCares" target="_blank">dhhs.ne.gov/CommunityCares</a>&nbsp;for more information.</li><li>DHHS will also have a call center available to answer questions about the grants as of Monday, June 29th.&nbsp; The number is (833) 220-0018.</li>
 </ul>Dr. Anthone: Immunizations<ul>
 <li>Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements. &nbsp;They are among the most successful, cost-effective public health tools available for preventing disease and death.</li><li>Vaccination can protect against 14 serious childhood diseases, including measles, mumps, flu, tetanus, polio, and whooping cough.</li><li>Vaccines not only help protect those who receive them, but they also help protect entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of disease.</li><li>Nebraska has a strong history of everyone working together—parents, health care providers, local health departments, public clinics, and schools—to make sure our children are immunized.</li><li>However, during the coronavirus pandemic, data is showing a decline in routine childhood vaccinations nationwide.</li><li>As families stay home to help slow the spread of the virus, many have missed routine vaccination appointments.</li><li>The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend every child continue to receive routine vaccinations during the coronavirus outbreak.</li>
 </ul>Caryn Vincent: Immunizations<ul>
 <li>As communities are opening up, it’s important for parents to work with their health care provider to make sure children stay up-to-date on routine vaccines.</li><li>If your child is due for a well-child visit or an immunization, call your health care provider’s office, local clinic, or health center and ask about how they are offering visits during the pandemic.</li><li>Many health care providers are taking extra steps to make sure visits are safe, such as: Having all staff and patients wear masksReducing the number of people in waiting roomsScheduling well-child visits at a different time of day than sick visits or at a different locationAllowing only one adult to accompany a child to appointmentsOffering telehealth appointments with separate, in-office appointments for immunizations</li><li>Having all staff and patients wear masks</li><li>Reducing the number of people in waiting rooms</li><li>Scheduling well-child visits at a different time of day than sick visits or at a different location</li><li>Allowing only one adult to accompany a child to appointments</li><li>Offering telehealth appointments with separate, in-office appointments for immunizations</li><li>DHHS offers the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program. &nbsp;It’s a federally funded and state-operated vaccine supply program that provides vaccines to eligible children at no cost or low cost at various providers throughout the state.</li><li>Children are eligible for the VFC program if they are 18 years old or younger and meet at least one of the following requirements: Are American Indian or Alaska NativeAre eligible for MedicaidAre uninsuredAre underinsured</li><li>Are American Indian or Alaska Native</li><li>Are eligible for Medicaid</li><li>Are uninsured</li><li>Are underinsured</li><li>More information on the VFC program is available on the DHHS website:&nbsp;<a href="http://dhhs.ne.gov/immunizations" target="_blank">dhhs.ne.gov/immunizations</a>&nbsp;or by calling (800) 798-1696.</li>
 </ul>Full video of today’s press briefing is available by&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dropbox.com%2Fs%2F4xoete9a5angbqp%2FPress%2520Conf%25206.25.2020.mp4%3Fdl%3D0&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7Ce89f81aa31dc4185e21008d819d9524b%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637287768459070504&amp;sdata=oYiuz3W6gVcllvQLoRV3CzobSyDlCS3gPwF8ePDjEzs%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.

Gov. Ricketts highlights 'Community CARES' program, encourages immunization

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The latest state health figures show the number of hospital beds available in Nebraska has dropped below 40% as the state continues to see more COVID-19 cases confirmed.

As of Thursday, 2,330 of the state's total 3,834 hospital beds were occupied, according to the state's&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/4213f719a45647bc873ffb58783ffef3" target="_blank">online coronavirus tracker</a>. That left 1,504, or 39%, of hospital beds available.

The site also shows that 43% of intensive care unit beds and 78% of ventilators in the state were available. The state saw another 125 cases of the virus reported on Thursday, as well as three new COVID-19 deaths.

The new numbers came as Gov. Pete Ricketts warned on Thursday that the state could see a spike in new cases if residents don't continue to take safety precautions like wearing masks in public places and keeping a distance of at least 6 feet from other people.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The latest state health figures show the number of hospital beds available in Nebraska has dropped below 40% as the state continues to see more COVID-19 cases confirmed.As of Thursday, 2,330 of the state's total 3,834 hospital beds were occupied, according to the state's&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/4213f719a45647bc873ffb58783ffef3" target="_blank">online coronavirus tracker</a>. That left 1,504, or 39%, of hospital beds available.The site also shows that 43% of intensive care unit beds and 78% of ventilators in the state were available. The state saw another 125 cases of the virus reported on Thursday, as well as three new COVID-19 deaths.The new numbers came as Gov. Pete Ricketts warned on Thursday that the state could see a spike in new cases if residents don't continue to take safety precautions like wearing masks in public places and keeping a distance of at least 6 feet from other people.For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness.

LINCOLN, Neb. – Select state park area service centers will reopen to the public July 1 for customer service, information and permit sales.

Amenities such as interpretive displays and gift shops will not be available. Restrooms may be open. All park service center visitors must wear a face mask. A list of service centers opening on July 1 can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA2MjYuMjM1NjkxMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi9oZWFsdGhpbmZvLyJ9.r9OCoyX6KYe3axvNYg6Zo0T6du2I7EawYRBF22WKgg0/s/497221905/br/80387569797-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov/healthinfo</a>.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is continuing to make services and amenities available and is committed to keeping the public and its staff safe during the COVID-19 health crisis.

"We are pleased to continue to provide great opportunities for outdoor recreation at our beautiful state parks and recreation areas and further restore additional services to safely serve our patrons," Game and Parks Director Jim Douglas said.

Additional restored services and amenities include:

• RV and tent camping returned to Danish Alps State Recreation Area in Dakota County on June 26. All campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and modern restrooms and showers are open.

• Guests again are able to enjoy restaurants at Platte River and Fort Robinson state parks as well as food service at the Fort Robinson Sutler’s Store and the marina at Lewis and Clark state recreation area. To ensure the safety of the public and employees, food service staff have implemented health department and Nebraska Restaurant Association recommendations. Self-serve options (salad bars, buffets, soda fountains) will not be available and menu selections may be reduced. To-go menu options will be available at some locations. For hours of operation, guests are advised to contact the park directly. Caddy’s Parkside Bar and Grille at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park opened earlier in June.

• The year-to-date reservation process will return July 1 for cabins, lodge rooms meeting rooms, group lodges, cabooses, pavilions, and picnic shelters. This does not affect RV and tent camping, which – until further notice – will continue to allow reservations no more than 30 days in advance.

• Special Occasion Permit applications for July will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants may be required to include a safety protocol for maintaining social distancing, group sizing and proper hygiene.

• The outdoor shooting range at Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area will reopen July 1.

• Some limited educational and recreational programming at select state park areas will begin July 1.

For more information regarding state parks and the impacts of COVID-19, or to purchase a park entry permit, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA2MjYuMjM1NjkxMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi8ifQ.lRLp5DwC5N8FWNJMqGMx2aWtIuK4BgzLFPLOvpZip4c/s/497221905/br/80387569797-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.org</a>. Find park contact information at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA2MjYuMjM1NjkxMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi9zdGF0ZXBhcmtzLyJ9.o63LDAx2SyWSG0LcChenmQMaBqTlru9ps22V4QyLJ70/s/497221905/br/80387569797-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov/stateparks</a>.

LINCOLN, Neb. – Select state park area service centers will reopen to the public July 1 for customer service, information and permit sales.Amenities such as interpretive displays and gift shops will not be available. Restrooms may be open. All park service center visitors must wear a face mask. A list of service centers opening on July 1 can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA2MjYuMjM1NjkxMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi9oZWFsdGhpbmZvLyJ9.r9OCoyX6KYe3axvNYg6Zo0T6du2I7EawYRBF22WKgg0/s/497221905/br/80387569797-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov/healthinfo</a>.The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is continuing to make services and amenities available and is committed to keeping the public and its staff safe during the COVID-19 health crisis."We are pleased to continue to provide great opportunities for outdoor recreation at our beautiful state parks and recreation areas and further restore additional services to safely serve our patrons," Game and Parks Director Jim Douglas said.Additional restored services and amenities include:• RV and tent camping returned to Danish Alps State Recreation Area in Dakota County on June 26. All campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and modern restrooms and showers are open.• Guests again are able to enjoy restaurants at Platte River and Fort Robinson state parks as well as food service at the Fort Robinson Sutler’s Store and the marina at Lewis and Clark state recreation area. To ensure the safety of the public and employees, food service staff have implemented health department and Nebraska Restaurant Association recommendations. Self-serve options (salad bars, buffets, soda fountains) will not be available and menu selections may be reduced. To-go menu options will be available at some locations. For hours of operation, guests are advised to contact the park directly. Caddy’s Parkside Bar and Grille at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park opened earlier in June.• The year-to-date reservation process will return July 1 for cabins, lodge rooms meeting rooms, group lodges, cabooses, pavilions, and picnic shelters. This does not affect RV and tent camping, which – until further notice – will continue to allow reservations no more than 30 days in advance.• Special Occasion Permit applications for July will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants may be required to include a safety protocol for maintaining social distancing, group sizing and proper hygiene.• The outdoor shooting range at Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area will reopen July 1.• Some limited educational and recreational programming at select state park areas will begin July 1.For more information regarding state parks and the impacts of COVID-19, or to purchase a park entry permit, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA2MjYuMjM1NjkxMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi8ifQ.lRLp5DwC5N8FWNJMqGMx2aWtIuK4BgzLFPLOvpZip4c/s/497221905/br/80387569797-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.org</a>. Find park contact information at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA2MjYuMjM1NjkxMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi9zdGF0ZXBhcmtzLyJ9.o63LDAx2SyWSG0LcChenmQMaBqTlru9ps22V4QyLJ70/s/497221905/br/80387569797-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov/stateparks</a>.

Some state park service centers to reopen July 1

NORTH PLATTE, Neb.-The West Central District Health Department (WCDHD) has announced that Test Nebraska is coming to
North Platte. 
 
Test
Nebraska will be in North Platte on Friday June 26th&nbsp;and
Saturday June 27th from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST. The testing services
will be located at the North Platte Public School District Bus Barn,
1200 Industrial Avenue, North Platte, NE 69101 (just North of the
North Platte Post Office). 
 
Test
Nebraska services are free of charge and require no medical providers
order. 
 
If
you are interested in free testing, please sign up with Test
Nebraska’s link found below:
<a href="https://covid19testingne.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cJa8ezYYRQfZRCl">https://covid19testingne.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cJa8ezYYRQfZRCl</a> 
 
“Test
Nebraska is expanding our testing capacity and is a vital step in
getting back to normalcy”, said Shannon Vanderheiden, Executive
Director of WCDHD.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb.-The West Central District Health Department (WCDHD) has announced that Test Nebraska is coming to
North Platte. 
 
Test
Nebraska will be in North Platte on Friday June 26th&nbsp;and
Saturday June 27th from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST. The testing services
will be located at the North Platte Public School District Bus Barn,
1200 Industrial Avenue, North Platte, NE 69101 (just North of the
North Platte Post Office). 
 
Test
Nebraska services are free of charge and require no medical providers
order. 
 
If
you are interested in free testing, please sign up with Test
Nebraska’s link found below:
<a href="https://covid19testingne.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cJa8ezYYRQfZRCl">https://covid19testingne.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cJa8ezYYRQfZRCl</a> 
 
“Test
Nebraska is expanding our testing capacity and is a vital step in
getting back to normalcy”, said Shannon Vanderheiden, Executive
Director of WCDHD.

Test Nebraska in North Platte on Saturday

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials estimate that 20 million Americans have been infected with the coronavirus since it first arrived in the United States, meaning that the vast majority of the population remains susceptible.

Thursday’s estimate is roughly 10 times as many infections as the 2.3 million cases that have been confirmed. Officials have long known that millions of people were infected without knowing it and that many cases are being missed because of gaps in testing.

The news comes as the Trump administration works to tamp down nationwide concern about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">COVID-19 pandemic&nbsp;</a>as about a dozen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/778da4a2da7e5d9d12e6105c012b8cf9">states are seeing worrisome increases</a>&nbsp;in cases.

The administration also looks to get its scientific experts back before the public more as it tries to allay anxieties about the pandemic while states begin reopening. Since mid-May, when the government began stressing the need to get the economy moving again, the panel’s public health experts have been far less visible than in the pandemic’s early weeks.

Twenty million infections means that about 6% of the nation’s 331 million people have been infected.

“It’s clear that many individuals in this nation are still susceptible,” Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on a call with reporters Thursday. “Our best estimate right now is that for every case that was reported, there actually are 10 more infections.”

Previously, CDC officials and the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, have said that as many as 25% of infected people might not have symptoms.

“There’s an enormous number of people that are still vulnerable,” said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, vice dean at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “It still remains a potentially lethal disease. It’s a roll of the dice for everybody who gets the illness. Also, you’re rolling the dice for other people who you may give the virus to.”

The new estimate is based on CDC studies of blood samples collected nationwide — some by the CDC and others from blood donations and other sources. Many infections were not caught in early testing, when supplies were limited and federal officials prioritized testing for those with symptoms.

Administration officials are pointing to the new data to allay public anxieties, claiming that while there have been significant spikes, they have the outbreaks well in hand. They maintained they were not trying to minimize a public health crisis, but said the nation is in a markedly different place with the virus now than when the U.S. last saw similar infection numbers in mid-April, when testing infrastructure was weaker. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity late Wednesday to discuss the matter candidly.

“This is still serious,” Redfield said on the call with reporters Thursday. “But I’m asking people to recognize that we’re in a different situation today than we were in March or April,” with more cases today in younger people who are not as likely to develop serious illness or die from infection, he said.

President Donald Trump, who refuses to wear a face mask in public, has tried to play down the risk. He told a crowd in Wisconsin on Thursday that the administration had done an “incredible job” fighting the virus and added that “if we didn’t test, we wouldn’t have cases,” which ignores other indicators of the extent of the problem such as surging hospitalizations in some areas.

Redfield said infection prevalence rates ranged from 1% in some areas of the West Coast to much higher in New York City.

Several independent experts said the methods and locations of sampling are key to interpreting the numbers.

Dr. Thomas Tsai, a Harvard University health policy researcher, said 20 million seems reasonable, but “most of these estimates exist in a range” and it’s important to know how wide that is.

“It’s hard to interpret this just from a single number and without the context for it,” such as what locations were sampled and whether it was truly a random slice of a population or areas of low or high prevalence, which can skew the results.

Justin Lessler, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said 20 million infected “is about what you’d expect based on the case fatality rate” and the number of deaths that have occurred so far in the U.S.

Despite the phaseout of daily White House coronavirus briefings, the administration has been closely monitoring data on the spread of COVID-19 and has been deploying teams from the CDC to identify and stem outbreaks around the country.

A dozen states in recent weeks have seen a worrisome uptick in new cases, as well as in the more critical measure of the percentage of positive cases discovered in tests performed. Seven states have seen more than 10% of tests come back positive. And troublesome spikes in Sun Belt states have dominated news coverage in recent days, to the consternation of Trump administration officials.

They point instead to more nuanced county-level data, which shows positivity rates exceeding 10% in just 3% of the nation’s counties. Yet they acknowledge that some of the areas with the highest transmission rates are generally the most populous, suggesting tens of millions of Americans could be living in areas with spiking infections.

As states reopen, the administration says it is up to governors and local officials to determine how to respond to the spikes. Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott, for example, put a hold on any further steps to reopen and reimposed a ban on elective surgeries in some areas to preserve hospital space after the number of patients statewide more than doubled in two weeks.

The CDC teams, officials said, are working to trace new outbreaks and reinforce protective measures like social distancing and mask wearing in hard-hit areas and to remind vulnerable populations to take extreme precautions. The administration says those efforts have helped slow new infections in North Carolina and Alabama, where they were deployed earlier this month.

One of the hard-hit areas is Phoenix, where Trump held an event Tuesday with thousands of young attendees, nearly all of whom were maskless.

The officials say the nature of the outbreak now is different than months ago, when deaths topped more than 1,000 per day for weeks and hospitals were stretched beyond capacity across the country. The new increase in positive cases, they said, is capturing what has long been there. They say it is only now showing up in data because the U.S. has increased testing and surveillance.

Meanwhile, mortality data has steadily declined, as have hospitalizations in all but a few hot spots.

To the administration officials, that reinforces their hypothesis that millions unknowingly had the virus earlier this year. Through early May, federal guidelines prioritized testing for symptomatic people, those exposed to a positive case and those in high-risk environments.

With testing far more widespread now, officials believe 50% of new cases in Florida and Texas are among people ages 35 or younger, and most of them are asymptomatic.

The U.S. is testing about 500,000 patients per day. On a per capita basis, the U.S. rate falls behind several other countries, including Spain, Australia, Russia and Iceland, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.

There is no scientific consensus on the rate of testing needed to control the virus. But many experts say the U.S. should be testing roughly 1 million to 3 million people daily to catch new cases and prevent flareups. Administration officials said they expect to be able to run 20-40 million tests per month beginning this fall.

Testing is constrained by laboratory supplies needed to run the tests but also lack of demand for tests in some areas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589829316756.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman. The Agency reported&nbsp; 12,970 positive virus cases in Kansas on Wednesday. Missouri has reported&nbsp; 19,421 cases." />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman. The Agency reported&nbsp; 12,970 positive virus cases in Kansas on Wednesday. Missouri has reported&nbsp; 19,421 cases.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials estimate that 20 million Americans have been infected with the coronavirus since it first arrived in the United States, meaning that the vast majority of the population remains susceptible.Thursday’s estimate is roughly 10 times as many infections as the 2.3 million cases that have been confirmed. Officials have long known that millions of people were infected without knowing it and that many cases are being missed because of gaps in testing.The news comes as the Trump administration works to tamp down nationwide concern about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">COVID-19 pandemic&nbsp;</a>as about a dozen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/778da4a2da7e5d9d12e6105c012b8cf9">states are seeing worrisome increases</a>&nbsp;in cases.The administration also looks to get its scientific experts back before the public more as it tries to allay anxieties about the pandemic while states begin reopening. Since mid-May, when the government began stressing the need to get the economy moving again, the panel’s public health experts have been far less visible than in the pandemic’s early weeks.Twenty million infections means that about 6% of the nation’s 331 million people have been infected.“It’s clear that many individuals in this nation are still susceptible,” Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on a call with reporters Thursday. “Our best estimate right now is that for every case that was reported, there actually are 10 more infections.”Previously, CDC officials and the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, have said that as many as 25% of infected people might not have symptoms.“There’s an enormous number of people that are still vulnerable,” said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, vice dean at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “It still remains a potentially lethal disease. It’s a roll of the dice for everybody who gets the illness. Also, you’re rolling the dice for other people who you may give the virus to.”The new estimate is based on CDC studies of blood samples collected nationwide — some by the CDC and others from blood donations and other sources. Many infections were not caught in early testing, when supplies were limited and federal officials prioritized testing for those with symptoms.Administration officials are pointing to the new data to allay public anxieties, claiming that while there have been significant spikes, they have the outbreaks well in hand. They maintained they were not trying to minimize a public health crisis, but said the nation is in a markedly different place with the virus now than when the U.S. last saw similar infection numbers in mid-April, when testing infrastructure was weaker. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity late Wednesday to discuss the matter candidly.“This is still serious,” Redfield said on the call with reporters Thursday. “But I’m asking people to recognize that we’re in a different situation today than we were in March or April,” with more cases today in younger people who are not as likely to develop serious illness or die from infection, he said.President Donald Trump, who refuses to wear a face mask in public, has tried to play down the risk. He told a crowd in Wisconsin on Thursday that the administration had done an “incredible job” fighting the virus and added that “if we didn’t test, we wouldn’t have cases,” which ignores other indicators of the extent of the problem such as surging hospitalizations in some areas.Redfield said infection prevalence rates ranged from 1% in some areas of the West Coast to much higher in New York City.Several independent experts said the methods and locations of sampling are key to interpreting the numbers.Dr. Thomas Tsai, a Harvard University health policy researcher, said 20 million seems reasonable, but “most of these estimates exist in a range” and it’s important to know how wide that is.“It’s hard to interpret this just from a single number and without the context for it,” such as what locations were sampled and whether it was truly a random slice of a population or areas of low or high prevalence, which can skew the results.Justin Lessler, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said 20 million infected “is about what you’d expect based on the case fatality rate” and the number of deaths that have occurred so far in the U.S.Despite the phaseout of daily White House coronavirus briefings, the administration has been closely monitoring data on the spread of COVID-19 and has been deploying teams from the CDC to identify and stem outbreaks around the country.A dozen states in recent weeks have seen a worrisome uptick in new cases, as well as in the more critical measure of the percentage of positive cases discovered in tests performed. Seven states have seen more than 10% of tests come back positive. And troublesome spikes in Sun Belt states have dominated news coverage in recent days, to the consternation of Trump administration officials.They point instead to more nuanced county-level data, which shows positivity rates exceeding 10% in just 3% of the nation’s counties. Yet they acknowledge that some of the areas with the highest transmission rates are generally the most populous, suggesting tens of millions of Americans could be living in areas with spiking infections.As states reopen, the administration says it is up to governors and local officials to determine how to respond to the spikes. Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott, for example, put a hold on any further steps to reopen and reimposed a ban on elective surgeries in some areas to preserve hospital space after the number of patients statewide more than doubled in two weeks.The CDC teams, officials said, are working to trace new outbreaks and reinforce protective measures like social distancing and mask wearing in hard-hit areas and to remind vulnerable populations to take extreme precautions. The administration says those efforts have helped slow new infections in North Carolina and Alabama, where they were deployed earlier this month.One of the hard-hit areas is Phoenix, where Trump held an event Tuesday with thousands of young attendees, nearly all of whom were maskless.The officials say the nature of the outbreak now is different than months ago, when deaths topped more than 1,000 per day for weeks and hospitals were stretched beyond capacity across the country. The new increase in positive cases, they said, is capturing what has long been there. They say it is only now showing up in data because the U.S. has increased testing and surveillance.Meanwhile, mortality data has steadily declined, as have hospitalizations in all but a few hot spots.To the administration officials, that reinforces their hypothesis that millions unknowingly had the virus earlier this year. Through early May, federal guidelines prioritized testing for symptomatic people, those exposed to a positive case and those in high-risk environments.With testing far more widespread now, officials believe 50% of new cases in Florida and Texas are among people ages 35 or younger, and most of them are asymptomatic.The U.S. is testing about 500,000 patients per day. On a per capita basis, the U.S. rate falls behind several other countries, including Spain, Australia, Russia and Iceland, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.There is no scientific consensus on the rate of testing needed to control the virus. But many experts say the U.S. should be testing roughly 1 million to 3 million people daily to catch new cases and prevent flareups. Administration officials said they expect to be able to run 20-40 million tests per month beginning this fall.Testing is constrained by laboratory supplies needed to run the tests but also lack of demand for tests in some areas.

Health officials estimate 20M Americans have had coronavirus

NORTH PLATTE, Neb.-When it comes to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, local organizations and businesses have found themselves looking for funds to support programs and services they offer, often free of charge.

Eagle Radio and The Schmidt Foundation recently launched a matching funds fundraiser for The Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center in North Platte.

Local businesses and individuals donated to the cause and, on Thursday, Eagle Radio General Sales Manager Lewys Carlini presented Bridge of Hope representatives with a check for $5,200 to support programs and services they offer.

The Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center facilitates a child-focused approach to child abuse cases by coordinating investigation and intervention services, bringing together professionals and agencies as a multidisciplinary team. The key components of our Center include forensic interviewing, medical evaluations, advocacy and support, therapeutic intervention coordination, case review and tracking.&nbsp;

Eagle Radio and the Schmidt Foundation recently helped raise $16,000 for the North Platte Salvation Army food pantry.

Bob Schmidt, the longtime owner of Eagle Communications, was determined to continue to be a major contributor to projects important to Kansas and Nebraska through the Bob and Pat Schmidt Foundation. Fort Hays State University, Hays Medical Center, numerous civic groups, and industry groups have received his generous philanthropic support.

Eagle Radio operates local radio stations KELN (97.1 FM), KNPQ (107.3 FM), and KOOQ (98.1 FM/1410AM) as well as the North Platte Post.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593121537343.png" alt="Eagle Radio General Sales Manager Lewys Carlini presents a check to representatives of the Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center." />
 <figcaption>Eagle Radio General Sales Manager Lewys Carlini presents a check to representatives of the Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center.</figcaption>
 </figure>NORTH PLATTE, Neb.-When it comes to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, local organizations and businesses have found themselves looking for funds to support programs and services they offer, often free of charge.Eagle Radio and The Schmidt Foundation recently launched a matching funds fundraiser for The Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center in North Platte.Local businesses and individuals donated to the cause and, on Thursday, Eagle Radio General Sales Manager Lewys Carlini presented Bridge of Hope representatives with a check for $5,200 to support programs and services they offer.The Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center facilitates a child-focused approach to child abuse cases by coordinating investigation and intervention services, bringing together professionals and agencies as a multidisciplinary team. The key components of our Center include forensic interviewing, medical evaluations, advocacy and support, therapeutic intervention coordination, case review and tracking.&nbsp;Eagle Radio and the Schmidt Foundation recently helped raise $16,000 for the North Platte Salvation Army food pantry.Bob Schmidt, the longtime owner of Eagle Communications, was determined to continue to be a major contributor to projects important to Kansas and Nebraska through the Bob and Pat Schmidt Foundation. Fort Hays State University, Hays Medical Center, numerous civic groups, and industry groups have received his generous philanthropic support.Eagle Radio operates local radio stations KELN (97.1 FM), KNPQ (107.3 FM), and KOOQ (98.1 FM/1410AM) as well as the North Platte Post.

Eagle Radio, Schmidt Foundation present $5,200 check to Bridge of Hope

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska is seeing fewer new cases of the coronavirus and its hospitals are well-positioned to treat patients, but that could change quickly if residents don't continue to take safety precautions, Gov. Pete Ricketts said Thursday.

Ricketts said the state is likely to see another uptick in virus cases due to relaxed social distancing restrictions as well as the recent mass protests over the death of George Floyd after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck.

Nebraska officials confirmed 129 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, a number has been trending down from the high of 677 on May 7, according to the state's online tracking portal. Hospital capacity remained relatively strong, with 38% of its regular beds, 44% of its intensive care unit beds and 80% of its ventilators available for patients.

"While we're in a good position right now, we can't get cocky," Ricketts said at a news conference. "We've got to continue to manage this."

Nebraska never imposed a formal stay-home order as many other states did, but Ricketts effectively closed restaurants and bars and forced the cancellation of large gathering to keep the virus from spreading. He has gradually&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/30d46c434c6c7246be0720627e300d4d" target="_blank">been easing those restrictions</a>, seeking to strike a balance between public health and the need to resume normal life.

Nebraska officials have confirmed 18,221 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began out of 163,368 people who were tested. Of those known cases, 257 people have died.

State officials also detailed some of their plans Thursday for how they intend to spend a small part of the $1.25 billion Nebraska received from the federal coronavirus relief package.

Dannette Smith, the CEO of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, said the state will set aside $85 million for nonprofit groups that help people who are struggling to feed or house themselves and people with mental health problems.

By GRANT SCHULTE-Associated Press LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska is seeing fewer new cases of the coronavirus and its hospitals are well-positioned to treat patients, but that could change quickly if residents don't continue to take safety precautions, Gov. Pete Ricketts said Thursday.Ricketts said the state is likely to see another uptick in virus cases due to relaxed social distancing restrictions as well as the recent mass protests over the death of George Floyd after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck.Nebraska officials confirmed 129 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, a number has been trending down from the high of 677 on May 7, according to the state's online tracking portal. Hospital capacity remained relatively strong, with 38% of its regular beds, 44% of its intensive care unit beds and 80% of its ventilators available for patients."While we're in a good position right now, we can't get cocky," Ricketts said at a news conference. "We've got to continue to manage this."Nebraska never imposed a formal stay-home order as many other states did, but Ricketts effectively closed restaurants and bars and forced the cancellation of large gathering to keep the virus from spreading. He has gradually&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/30d46c434c6c7246be0720627e300d4d" target="_blank">been easing those restrictions</a>, seeking to strike a balance between public health and the need to resume normal life.Nebraska officials have confirmed 18,221 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began out of 163,368 people who were tested. Of those known cases, 257 people have died.For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness.State officials also detailed some of their plans Thursday for how they intend to spend a small part of the $1.25 billion Nebraska received from the federal coronavirus relief package.Dannette Smith, the CEO of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, said the state will set aside $85 million for nonprofit groups that help people who are struggling to feed or house themselves and people with mental health problems.

Ricketts: 'We can't get cocky' with Nebraska virus response

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Health officials worry an event in Wyoming’s capital city last weekend could worsen a spike in coronavirus cases. 

The Cheyenne area went weeks with few new cases. Then on Monday, city officials announced 15 new cases, most of them people between 20 and 30 years old. 

The new cases preceded a weekend “Summertime On the Streets” event that brought hundreds of people downtown. Some went to a microbrewery where workers recently tested positive for COVID-19. 

Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department officials say they worry people not wearing masks at the event will probably lead to yet more cases.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Health officials worry an event in Wyoming’s capital city last weekend could worsen a spike in coronavirus cases. The Cheyenne area went weeks with few new cases. Then on Monday, city officials announced 15 new cases, most of them people between 20 and 30 years old. The new cases preceded a weekend “Summertime On the Streets” event that brought hundreds of people downtown. Some went to a microbrewery where workers recently tested positive for COVID-19. Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department officials say they worry people not wearing masks at the event will probably lead to yet more cases.

Cheyenne WY health officials: Event could worsen COVID-19 spike

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s call for another round of stimulus checks to most taxpayers is getting a lukewarm endorsement from his GOP allies on Capitol Hill, but it’s emerging as an early area of potential agreement with Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the next coronavirus bill.

In a fractured Washington, that could be a foundation of a winning coalition as lawmakers inch toward talks on the fifth, and possibly final, coronavirus relief measure before November’s elections.

Trump told an interviewer Monday that he supports another round of direct economic stimulus payments similar to the $1,200 checks issued to most individuals earlier this year.

“Yeah, we are,” Trump told a correspondent for Scripps television stations. “We will be doing another stimulus package. It’ll be very good. It’ll be very generous.”

On Tuesday, neither Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin — the lead White House negotiator on the first package — nor Trump’s GOP allies raced to endorse the idea.

“As we’ve said before, we’re talking about a bunch of different ideas that we may need to do in another bill,” Mnuchin said after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans where the topic received little discussion. “We’re going to take our time and make sure that we’re thoughtful. Whatever we do, it will be much more targeted, much more focused on jobs.”

Congress passed the first round of checks nearly unanimously in March as part of a coronavirus response bill, at a cost of almost $300 billion. Both parties said the aid was essential as coronavirus lockdowns brought the economy to a near standstill. The jobless rate is still high at almost 15% nationwide, though retail sales have rebounded.

House Democrats are fully onboard with another round, having included direct payments in a more than $3 trillion measure that they pushed through the House in May. But views in the GOP are more mixed, despite Trump’s support.

“He’s always wanted a second round of stimulus checks, and probably for good reason,” said Sen. Ken Cramer, R-N.D., who mostly endorsed the idea. “What we do next in addition to something like that should be very targeted, very specific to restarting, really restarting the economy. ... I think direct contribution installments to individuals could be a nice, a nice stimulus.”

Skeptics of direct stimulus payments say they are not targeted enough, but they have an undeniable political appeal, especially with the elections less than five months away.

Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has made it clear that he does not want negotiations with Democrats and Pelosi on another COVID-19 response bill to begin until next month.

Negotiations on the legislation are also likely to center on providing another round of aid to states and local governments and extending unemployment benefits — though not the $600 per week supplement enacted in March.

“My preference would be to extend unemployment insurance, but to do that in a more limited way, and a more targeted way,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who also wants adjustments to payroll subsidies for businesses and aid to states and local governments seeking help with their ballooning budget deficits.

Most Republicans know that Trump’s posture means it’s likely a cinch that another round of direct payments will make it into the upcoming bill, despite their reservations. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., discounted a reporter’s suggestion that there’s “pretty strong skepticism” by Republicans toward another set of stimulus checks.

“I don’t think it got to the point you can say that,” Blunt said.

Several Republicans, however, said they want to tighten eligibility for the stimulus payments to try to control costs.

“But we need targeted tailoring of any kind of stimulus measures if we really want to get it to the people who are hurting the most,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593001408779.png" alt="President Donald Trump spoke with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday. Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Donald Trump spoke with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday. Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s call for another round of stimulus checks to most taxpayers is getting a lukewarm endorsement from his GOP allies on Capitol Hill, but it’s emerging as an early area of potential agreement with Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the next coronavirus bill.In a fractured Washington, that could be a foundation of a winning coalition as lawmakers inch toward talks on the fifth, and possibly final, coronavirus relief measure before November’s elections.Trump told an interviewer Monday that he supports another round of direct economic stimulus payments similar to the $1,200 checks issued to most individuals earlier this year.“Yeah, we are,” Trump told a correspondent for Scripps television stations. “We will be doing another stimulus package. It’ll be very good. It’ll be very generous.”On Tuesday, neither Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin — the lead White House negotiator on the first package — nor Trump’s GOP allies raced to endorse the idea.“As we’ve said before, we’re talking about a bunch of different ideas that we may need to do in another bill,” Mnuchin said after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans where the topic received little discussion. “We’re going to take our time and make sure that we’re thoughtful. Whatever we do, it will be much more targeted, much more focused on jobs.”Congress passed the first round of checks nearly unanimously in March as part of a coronavirus response bill, at a cost of almost $300 billion. Both parties said the aid was essential as coronavirus lockdowns brought the economy to a near standstill. The jobless rate is still high at almost 15% nationwide, though retail sales have rebounded.House Democrats are fully onboard with another round, having included direct payments in a more than $3 trillion measure that they pushed through the House in May. But views in the GOP are more mixed, despite Trump’s support.“He’s always wanted a second round of stimulus checks, and probably for good reason,” said Sen. Ken Cramer, R-N.D., who mostly endorsed the idea. “What we do next in addition to something like that should be very targeted, very specific to restarting, really restarting the economy. ... I think direct contribution installments to individuals could be a nice, a nice stimulus.”Skeptics of direct stimulus payments say they are not targeted enough, but they have an undeniable political appeal, especially with the elections less than five months away.Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has made it clear that he does not want negotiations with Democrats and Pelosi on another COVID-19 response bill to begin until next month.Negotiations on the legislation are also likely to center on providing another round of aid to states and local governments and extending unemployment benefits — though not the $600 per week supplement enacted in March.“My preference would be to extend unemployment insurance, but to do that in a more limited way, and a more targeted way,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who also wants adjustments to payroll subsidies for businesses and aid to states and local governments seeking help with their ballooning budget deficits.Most Republicans know that Trump’s posture means it’s likely a cinch that another round of direct payments will make it into the upcoming bill, despite their reservations. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., discounted a reporter’s suggestion that there’s “pretty strong skepticism” by Republicans toward another set of stimulus checks.“I don’t think it got to the point you can say that,” Blunt said.Several Republicans, however, said they want to tighten eligibility for the stimulus payments to try to control costs.“But we need targeted tailoring of any kind of stimulus measures if we really want to get it to the people who are hurting the most,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

Debate continues on sending another virus stimulus check

WASHINGTON (AP) — The next few weeks are critical to tamping down a disturbing coronavirus surge, Dr. Anthony Fauci told Congress on Tuesday — issuing a plea for people to avoid crowds and wear masks.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a>&nbsp;to watch a replay of the testimony

Fauci and other top health officials also said they have not been asked to slow down virus testing, in contrast to Trump’s claim last weekend that he had ordered fewer tests be performed because they were uncovering too many infections. Trump said earlier Tuesday that he wasn’t kidding when he made that remark.

“We will be doing more testing,” Fauci, infectious disease chief at the National Institutes of Health, pledged to a House committee conducting oversight of the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic.

The leading public health officials spent more than five hours testifying before the committee at a fraught moment, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.

Fauci told lawmakers he understands the pent-up desire to get back to normal as the U.S. begins emerging from months of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But that has “to be a gradual step-by-step process and not throwing caution to the wind,” he said.

“Plan A, don’t go in a crowd. Plan B, if you do, make sure you wear a mask,” Fauci said.

Troubling surges worsened Tuesday in several states, with Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas setting single-day records for new coronavirus cases, and some governors saying they’ll consider reinstating restrictions or delaying plans to ease up in order to help slow the spread of the virus.

Arizona, where Trump was headed for a speech at a Phoenix megachurch, reported a new daily record of nearly 3,600 additional coronavirus infections Tuesday. Arizona emerged as a COVID-19 hot spot after Republican Gov. Doug Ducey lifted his stay-home orders in mid-May. Last week he allowed cities and counties to require masks in public places and many have done so.

Texas surpassed 5,000 new cases for a single day for the first time — just days after it eclipsed 4,000 new cases for the first time — as America’s largest pediatric hospital began taking adult patients to free up bed space in Houston. The infection rate in Texas has doubled since late May. And Nevada surpassed a record one-day increase for the fourth time in the past eight days. Other states also were experiencing worrisome surges, including Louisiana, Utah and South Carolina.

Another worrisome trend: an increase in infections among young adults. Fauci said while COVID-19 tends to be less severe in younger people, some of them do get very sick and even die. And younger people also may be more likely to show no symptoms yet still spread the virus.

If people say, “’I’m young, I’m healthy, who cares’ — you should care, not only for yourself but for the impact you might have” on sickening someone more vulnerable, Fauci said.

About 2.3 million Americans have been infected and some 120,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Republican Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia asked if Fauci regretted that the American public wasn’t urged sooner to wear face masks, and then interrupted before the visibly annoyed scientist finished answering.

Fauci said he didn’t regret the change in recommendations. Early in the pandemic there was a “paucity of equipment” for health workers “who put themselves daily in harm’s way” and “we did not want to divert” those scarce supplies, he said.

Scientists eventually recommended the general public use cloth masks, after they better understood that people with no symptoms could be spreading the virus —

Trump, meanwhile, doubled down on testing claims that have public health experts appalled, tweeting Tuesday:

“Cases are going up in the U.S. because we are testing far more than any other country, and ever expanding. With smaller testing we would show fewer cases! “

Less testing in fact means more infections going undetected. The U.S. was slow in ramping up and currently is testing about 500,000 people a day. Many experts say to control the spread of the virus, it should be testing 900,000 or more.

Brett Giroir, a Health and Human Services assistant secretary, told lawmakers Tuesday the next step is testing patient samples in large batches to stretch limited supplies, which would expand U.S. screening between fivefold and tenfold.

Instead of testing each person individually, health workers would pool samples from 50, 100 or more people from the same office or school, for example. A negative result would clear everyone, while a positive would require each person to be individually re-tested.

And Dr. Robert Redfield, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, added that it’s now recommended for workers in nursing homes — hard-hit by the virus — to be tested weekly.

As for the anxiously awaited vaccine, Fauci said he believes “it will be when and not if” it arrives, and he’s “cautiously optimistic” that some vaccine could be available at the end of the year.

More than a dozen vaccine candidates are in various stages of testing around the globe, and the U.S. next month is poised to begin the largest study — in 30,000 people — to get the needed proof that one really works. Meanwhile, countries, including the U.S. under a program called “Operation Warp Speed,” are beginning to stockpile millions of doses of different shots, in hopes at least some will prove usable.

Health officials assured lawmakers Tuesday that there won’t be shortcuts on safety.

“We absolutely must maintain regulatory independence and make the right decision for the American people based on the science and the data,” said Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn.

Democrats blasted Trump for confusing the public with erroneous statements — from testing to masks to unproven treatments — and ignoring the public health experts’ advice.

“It costs lives,” Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida said of Trump’s false claims. She urged the public health specialists to do more to counter the president: “We really expect you to be more outspoken.”

Pushed on whether schools should reopen in August and September, Redfield insisted that will vary not just by state but by school district, depending on how many infections are in a particular area.

“Many jurisdictions will be reopening schools,” and CDC will soon issue some guidelines to help, he said.

Fauci noted that schools should tailor their decisions to local conditions, saying some might need few restrictions and others more. He offered the same advice to colleges, saying they should assume some students will get infected and that there must be ways to keep them and their classmates safe.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government’s top infectious disease expert told a House committee on Tuesday he believes “it will be when and not if” there will be a COVID-19 vaccine and that he remains “cautiously optimistic” that some will be ready at the end of the year.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a> to watch a replay of the testimony

Dr. Anthony Fauci has returned to Capitol Hill at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1b92ce21f8ddf7eefb634b92fee38fed">fraught moment</a>&nbsp;in the nation’s pandemic response, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.

Fauci was testifying along with the heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Since Fauci’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e64f20bbacb7d48d15e1d76339220486">last appearance at a high-profile hearing</a>&nbsp;more than a month ago, the U.S. has been emerging from weeks of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But it’s being done in an uneven way, with some states far less cautious than others. A trio of states with Republican governors who are bullish on reopening — Arizona, Florida and Texas — are among those seeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/feb4c26d9364497cf82ee7c0c1b1b3d5">worrisome increases in cases</a>.

Last week, Vice President Mike Pence published an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal saying the administration’s efforts have strengthened the nation’s ability to counter the virus and should be “a cause for celebration.”

Then Trump said at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1a59b4efe97f2249d414ae4f0b3c6495">his weekend rally in Tulsa</a>&nbsp;that he had asked administration officials to slow down testing, because too many positive cases are turning up. Many rally goers did not wear masks, and for some that was an act of defiance against what they see as government intrusion. White House officials later tried to walk back Trump’s comment on testing, suggesting it wasn’t meant to be taken literally.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey said during Tuesday’s hearing that Trump’s testing comment at the rally “was an extremely reckless action, and unfortunately it continues the president’s pattern of ignoring the advice of his own public health experts.”

Trump, departing the White House for a visit to Arizona on Tuesday, played down those comments, saying under his administration the U.S. is doing more testing than any other country. Trump’s trip includes a rally at a megachurch.

Fauci has recently warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f401d034122b820a89773432cbf51152">the U.S. is still in the first wave</a>&nbsp;of the pandemic and has continued to urge the American public to practice social distancing. And, in a recent ABC News interview, he said political demonstrations such as protests against racial injustice are “risky” to all involved. Asked if that applied to Trump rallies, he said it did. Fauci continues to recognize widespread testing as critical for catching clusters of COVID-19 cases before they turn into full outbreaks in a given community.

About 2.3 million Americans have been sickened in the pandemic, and some 120,000 have died,&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">according to data from Johns Hopkins University</a>.

Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is joined by CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield, FDA chief Dr. Stephen Hahn and the head of the U.S. Public Health Service, Adm. Brett Giroir.

Giroir was tapped by the White House to oversee the expansion of coronavirus testing. But he gained notoriety after a whistleblower complaint flagged him for trying to push&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0fbe485717c9a74e6d6c48aee7d208ae">a malaria drug touted by Trump</a>&nbsp;to treat COVID-19 without conclusive scientific evidence. The FDA has since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/33f67f8aa5ef2280215087f8e5364017">withdrawn its emergency use authorization</a>&nbsp;for hydroxychloroquine.

“There have been a lot of unfortunate missteps in the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Pallone said. “As communities across the country ease social distancing guidance and reopen their economies, it is critically important that both the administration and Congress remain focused on containing the spread of the coronavirus and providing the resources and support Americans need during this time of crisis.”

There is still no vaccine for COVID-19, and there are no treatments specifically developed for the disease, although the antiviral drug remdesivir has been shown to help some patients, as well as a steroid called dexamethasone, and plasma from patients who have recovered.

Since Fauci last testified, hospital physicians have become more skilled in treating coronavirus patients with the techniques and medications at their disposal. The U.S. continues to ramp up testing, with some 27.5 million Americans, or more than 8% of the population, tested thus far. But most communities still lack enough health workers trained in doing contact tracing, the work of identifying people who have had interactions with an infected person. That could make it more difficult to tamp down emerging outbreaks.

The Energy and Commerce Committee has oversight over drugs and vaccines, among other facets of the U.S. health care system. Committee Democrats have been harshly critical of the administration. However, not all Republicans have lined up to defend the White House. Some GOP members were growing concerned early in the year that the administration wasn’t doing enough to prepare.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592928665531.png" alt="Dr. Anthony Fauci prior to his testimony on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Anthony Fauci prior to his testimony on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The next few weeks are critical to tamping down a disturbing coronavirus surge, Dr. Anthony Fauci told Congress on Tuesday — issuing a plea for people to avoid crowds and wear masks.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a>&nbsp;to watch a replay of the testimonyFauci and other top health officials also said they have not been asked to slow down virus testing, in contrast to Trump’s claim last weekend that he had ordered fewer tests be performed because they were uncovering too many infections. Trump said earlier Tuesday that he wasn’t kidding when he made that remark.“We will be doing more testing,” Fauci, infectious disease chief at the National Institutes of Health, pledged to a House committee conducting oversight of the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic.The leading public health officials spent more than five hours testifying before the committee at a fraught moment, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.Fauci told lawmakers he understands the pent-up desire to get back to normal as the U.S. begins emerging from months of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But that has “to be a gradual step-by-step process and not throwing caution to the wind,” he said.“Plan A, don’t go in a crowd. Plan B, if you do, make sure you wear a mask,” Fauci said.Troubling surges worsened Tuesday in several states, with Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas setting single-day records for new coronavirus cases, and some governors saying they’ll consider reinstating restrictions or delaying plans to ease up in order to help slow the spread of the virus.Arizona, where Trump was headed for a speech at a Phoenix megachurch, reported a new daily record of nearly 3,600 additional coronavirus infections Tuesday. Arizona emerged as a COVID-19 hot spot after Republican Gov. Doug Ducey lifted his stay-home orders in mid-May. Last week he allowed cities and counties to require masks in public places and many have done so.Texas surpassed 5,000 new cases for a single day for the first time — just days after it eclipsed 4,000 new cases for the first time — as America’s largest pediatric hospital began taking adult patients to free up bed space in Houston. The infection rate in Texas has doubled since late May. And Nevada surpassed a record one-day increase for the fourth time in the past eight days. Other states also were experiencing worrisome surges, including Louisiana, Utah and South Carolina.Another worrisome trend: an increase in infections among young adults. Fauci said while COVID-19 tends to be less severe in younger people, some of them do get very sick and even die. And younger people also may be more likely to show no symptoms yet still spread the virus.If people say, “’I’m young, I’m healthy, who cares’ — you should care, not only for yourself but for the impact you might have” on sickening someone more vulnerable, Fauci said.About 2.3 million Americans have been infected and some 120,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.Republican Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia asked if Fauci regretted that the American public wasn’t urged sooner to wear face masks, and then interrupted before the visibly annoyed scientist finished answering.Fauci said he didn’t regret the change in recommendations. Early in the pandemic there was a “paucity of equipment” for health workers “who put themselves daily in harm’s way” and “we did not want to divert” those scarce supplies, he said.Scientists eventually recommended the general public use cloth masks, after they better understood that people with no symptoms could be spreading the virus —Trump, meanwhile, doubled down on testing claims that have public health experts appalled, tweeting Tuesday:“Cases are going up in the U.S. because we are testing far more than any other country, and ever expanding. With smaller testing we would show fewer cases! “Less testing in fact means more infections going undetected. The U.S. was slow in ramping up and currently is testing about 500,000 people a day. Many experts say to control the spread of the virus, it should be testing 900,000 or more.Brett Giroir, a Health and Human Services assistant secretary, told lawmakers Tuesday the next step is testing patient samples in large batches to stretch limited supplies, which would expand U.S. screening between fivefold and tenfold.Instead of testing each person individually, health workers would pool samples from 50, 100 or more people from the same office or school, for example. A negative result would clear everyone, while a positive would require each person to be individually re-tested.And Dr. Robert Redfield, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, added that it’s now recommended for workers in nursing homes — hard-hit by the virus — to be tested weekly.As for the anxiously awaited vaccine, Fauci said he believes “it will be when and not if” it arrives, and he’s “cautiously optimistic” that some vaccine could be available at the end of the year.More than a dozen vaccine candidates are in various stages of testing around the globe, and the U.S. next month is poised to begin the largest study — in 30,000 people — to get the needed proof that one really works. Meanwhile, countries, including the U.S. under a program called “Operation Warp Speed,” are beginning to stockpile millions of doses of different shots, in hopes at least some will prove usable.Health officials assured lawmakers Tuesday that there won’t be shortcuts on safety.“We absolutely must maintain regulatory independence and make the right decision for the American people based on the science and the data,” said Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn.Democrats blasted Trump for confusing the public with erroneous statements — from testing to masks to unproven treatments — and ignoring the public health experts’ advice.“It costs lives,” Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida said of Trump’s false claims. She urged the public health specialists to do more to counter the president: “We really expect you to be more outspoken.”Pushed on whether schools should reopen in August and September, Redfield insisted that will vary not just by state but by school district, depending on how many infections are in a particular area.“Many jurisdictions will be reopening schools,” and CDC will soon issue some guidelines to help, he said.Fauci noted that schools should tailor their decisions to local conditions, saying some might need few restrictions and others more. He offered the same advice to colleges, saying they should assume some students will get infected and that there must be ways to keep them and their classmates safe.----------WASHINGTON (AP) — The government’s top infectious disease expert told a House committee on Tuesday he believes “it will be when and not if” there will be a COVID-19 vaccine and that he remains “cautiously optimistic” that some will be ready at the end of the year.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a> to watch a replay of the testimonyDr. Anthony Fauci has returned to Capitol Hill at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1b92ce21f8ddf7eefb634b92fee38fed">fraught moment</a>&nbsp;in the nation’s pandemic response, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.Fauci was testifying along with the heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services.Since Fauci’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e64f20bbacb7d48d15e1d76339220486">last appearance at a high-profile hearing</a>&nbsp;more than a month ago, the U.S. has been emerging from weeks of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But it’s being done in an uneven way, with some states far less cautious than others. A trio of states with Republican governors who are bullish on reopening — Arizona, Florida and Texas — are among those seeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/feb4c26d9364497cf82ee7c0c1b1b3d5">worrisome increases in cases</a>.Last week, Vice President Mike Pence published an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal saying the administration’s efforts have strengthened the nation’s ability to counter the virus and should be “a cause for celebration.”Then Trump said at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1a59b4efe97f2249d414ae4f0b3c6495">his weekend rally in Tulsa</a>&nbsp;that he had asked administration officials to slow down testing, because too many positive cases are turning up. Many rally goers did not wear masks, and for some that was an act of defiance against what they see as government intrusion. White House officials later tried to walk back Trump’s comment on testing, suggesting it wasn’t meant to be taken literally.House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey said during Tuesday’s hearing that Trump’s testing comment at the rally “was an extremely reckless action, and unfortunately it continues the president’s pattern of ignoring the advice of his own public health experts.”Trump, departing the White House for a visit to Arizona on Tuesday, played down those comments, saying under his administration the U.S. is doing more testing than any other country. Trump’s trip includes a rally at a megachurch.Fauci has recently warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f401d034122b820a89773432cbf51152">the U.S. is still in the first wave</a>&nbsp;of the pandemic and has continued to urge the American public to practice social distancing. And, in a recent ABC News interview, he said political demonstrations such as protests against racial injustice are “risky” to all involved. Asked if that applied to Trump rallies, he said it did. Fauci continues to recognize widespread testing as critical for catching clusters of COVID-19 cases before they turn into full outbreaks in a given community.About 2.3 million Americans have been sickened in the pandemic, and some 120,000 have died,&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">according to data from Johns Hopkins University</a>.Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is joined by CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield, FDA chief Dr. Stephen Hahn and the head of the U.S. Public Health Service, Adm. Brett Giroir.Giroir was tapped by the White House to oversee the expansion of coronavirus testing. But he gained notoriety after a whistleblower complaint flagged him for trying to push&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0fbe485717c9a74e6d6c48aee7d208ae">a malaria drug touted by Trump</a>&nbsp;to treat COVID-19 without conclusive scientific evidence. The FDA has since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/33f67f8aa5ef2280215087f8e5364017">withdrawn its emergency use authorization</a>&nbsp;for hydroxychloroquine.“There have been a lot of unfortunate missteps in the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Pallone said. “As communities across the country ease social distancing guidance and reopen their economies, it is critically important that both the administration and Congress remain focused on containing the spread of the coronavirus and providing the resources and support Americans need during this time of crisis.”There is still no vaccine for COVID-19, and there are no treatments specifically developed for the disease, although the antiviral drug remdesivir has been shown to help some patients, as well as a steroid called dexamethasone, and plasma from patients who have recovered.Since Fauci last testified, hospital physicians have become more skilled in treating coronavirus patients with the techniques and medications at their disposal. The U.S. continues to ramp up testing, with some 27.5 million Americans, or more than 8% of the population, tested thus far. But most communities still lack enough health workers trained in doing contact tracing, the work of identifying people who have had interactions with an infected person. That could make it more difficult to tamp down emerging outbreaks.The Energy and Commerce Committee has oversight over drugs and vaccines, among other facets of the U.S. health care system. Committee Democrats have been harshly critical of the administration. However, not all Republicans have lined up to defend the White House. Some GOP members were growing concerned early in the year that the administration wasn’t doing enough to prepare.

🎥 Fauci: Next few weeks critical to tamping down virus spikes

News Release
The North Platte Public Library will
be relaxing some additional restrictions for the public, beginning on
July 1, 2020, based on the Governor’s phase III DHM rules.

The
North Platte Public Library reserves the right to modify (stricter or
loosen) these provisions of service based on Health Care Directives
from the West Central District Health Department and/or City of North
Platte Administration.

You
are using the library at your own risk. The North Platte Public
Library is not responsible if you contract coronavirus or any other
communicable disease. We are taking all precautions to protect our
staff and our patrons.

News Release
The North Platte Public Library will
be relaxing some additional restrictions for the public, beginning on
July 1, 2020, based on the Governor’s phase III DHM rules.

HOURS
OF OPERATION<ul>
 <li>
	Monday-Friday: 8:00AM –
	5:00PM – all public are required to use hand sanitizer upon
	entering the building.
	</li><li>
	Saturday and Sunday:
	Library is closed – the book drop will be open.
</li>
 </ul>RESTRICTIONS/MODIFICATIONS<ul>
 <li>
	*NEW*
	Library is now open to all people of all ages. Children
	ages 12 and under, must
	be accompanied by an adult.
	 Adults and Children
	will be required to use hand sanitizer. Infants are expected to stay
	in a carrier or stroller. This is for the safety of all citizens to
	limit contamination of library materials by the virus.
</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>
	*NEW*
	The drinking fountain is not available.
	</li><li>
	*NEW*
	A maximum of 50 people (excluding library staff)
	will be allowed in the
	facility at any time
	</li><li>
	*NEW*
	The entire second floor library collections and services, including
	Computer Services, are now accessible to the public. In
	order to maintain social distancing in the computer areas, a maximum
	of 8 public computers, 2 Genealogy Area computers and one young
	adult computer area will be made available. The first floor
	computers are now just library catalog access only computers. Please
	note that due to social distancing guidelines, computer assistance
	is very limited.
	</li><li>
	*NEW*
	The Creation Station is now open with limited hours, by appointment
	only, with modifications and restrictions. Call
	308-535-8036 X3320 to make an appointment.
	</li><li>
	*NEW*
	Group programming may be
	requested by contacting the Library Director.
	Due to social distancing guidelines, meeting room capacity is
	limited.
	</li><li><a></a>
	*NEW*
	Teens Explore will be held July
	9, 16, and 23, 2020 at 4:00PM,
	with a maximum of 24 participants and 1 library staff member. 
	
	</li><li>
	*NEW*
	All persons visiting the library will need to check in with a
	library teammate and use hand sanitizer before entering the main
	area of the library. All
	persons will be asked their name and required to use hand sanitizer
	(provided by the Library). This is for the safety of all citizens to
	limit contamination of library materials by the virus. Masks are
	encouraged, but not required.
	</li><li>
	*NEW*
	All library staff are encouraged (but not required) to wear masks
	and may be further protected as their comfort level dictates.
	</li><li>
	A maximum time limit of 60 minutes per
	visit per day will be enforced.
	</li><li>
	Tables with a maximum of 6 chairs have
	been spaced 6 feet apart, to maintain social distancing. 
	
	</li><li>
	All library materials must be returned
	through the book drop (not the front desk). The library’s book
	drop is open 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. All returned library
	materials are put through a 72 hour quarantine.
	</li><li>
	Public Restrooms are open, however they
	are only cleaned once a day and should only be used in an emergency
	situation.
</li>
 </ul>The
North Platte Public Library reserves the right to modify (stricter or
loosen) these provisions of service based on Health Care Directives
from the West Central District Health Department and/or City of North
Platte Administration.You
are using the library at your own risk. The North Platte Public
Library is not responsible if you contract coronavirus or any other
communicable disease. We are taking all precautions to protect our
staff and our patrons.

North Platte Public Library to loosen restrictions further on July 1

<a href="https://unknews.unk.edu/2020/06/18/unk-plans-cope-stadium-outdoor-commencement-for-july-31/">By Todd Gottula-UNK News</a>

KEARNEY – The University of Nebraska at Kearney’s combined 2020 Spring and Summer Commencement will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 31. To support COVID-19 directed health response, it is being planned as an outdoor event on Foster Field at Cope Stadium.

The backup location, if needed because of inclement weather, will be the UNK Health and Sports Center. The event will begin at 10 a.m.

In support of current safety protocol and to meet facility capacity requirements, in-person attendance will be limited to no more than three invited guests per graduate.

A livestream will be provided for an overflow crowd and additional guests beyond the three-per-student limit. Guests who are unable to attend in person may watch the ceremony via the livestream or view the recording later via UNK’s website.

Students participating in the ceremony will be required to wear traditional commencement attire, and current protocol requires face coverings and physical distancing for participating students, personnel and guests. Individuals will be asked to monitor themselves for symptoms and stay at home if they are feeling ill.

The commencement website,&nbsp;<a href="http://unk.edu/about/commencement">unk.edu/about/commencement</a>, will provide additional details, including parking directives, entrance locations and other information as the event gets closer.

On March 31, due to the expanding health crisis,&nbsp;<a href="http://unknews.unk.edu/2020/03/31/unk-may-commencement-combined-with-july-exercises/">UNK announced</a>&nbsp;the postponement of spring commencement and plans to combine the ceremony with its 2020 summer exercises. A printed spring program and video were produced in recognition of the spring graduates, and those graduates were invited to participate in the summer ceremony.

“Commencement is one of the most important days in our life, and we made sure to stay focused on that by honoring as many traditions and wishes for these families’ celebrations as was possible, given the health and safety measures,” said Kelly Bartling, vice chancellor for enrollment management and marketing.

Bartling said the decision to limit guests is based on UNK’s strong desire to offer a meaningful, memorable and enjoyable commencement experience for graduates and their guests and, at the same time, observe current safety guidelines and regulations in their strictest sense.

<a href="https://unknews.unk.edu/2020/06/18/unk-plans-cope-stadium-outdoor-commencement-for-july-31/">By Todd Gottula-UNK News</a>KEARNEY – The University of Nebraska at Kearney’s combined 2020 Spring and Summer Commencement will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 31. To support COVID-19 directed health response, it is being planned as an outdoor event on Foster Field at Cope Stadium.The backup location, if needed because of inclement weather, will be the UNK Health and Sports Center. The event will begin at 10 a.m.In support of current safety protocol and to meet facility capacity requirements, in-person attendance will be limited to no more than three invited guests per graduate.A livestream will be provided for an overflow crowd and additional guests beyond the three-per-student limit. Guests who are unable to attend in person may watch the ceremony via the livestream or view the recording later via UNK’s website.Students participating in the ceremony will be required to wear traditional commencement attire, and current protocol requires face coverings and physical distancing for participating students, personnel and guests. Individuals will be asked to monitor themselves for symptoms and stay at home if they are feeling ill.The commencement website,&nbsp;<a href="http://unk.edu/about/commencement">unk.edu/about/commencement</a>, will provide additional details, including parking directives, entrance locations and other information as the event gets closer.On March 31, due to the expanding health crisis,&nbsp;<a href="http://unknews.unk.edu/2020/03/31/unk-may-commencement-combined-with-july-exercises/">UNK announced</a>&nbsp;the postponement of spring commencement and plans to combine the ceremony with its 2020 summer exercises. A printed spring program and video were produced in recognition of the spring graduates, and those graduates were invited to participate in the summer ceremony.“Commencement is one of the most important days in our life, and we made sure to stay focused on that by honoring as many traditions and wishes for these families’ celebrations as was possible, given the health and safety measures,” said Kelly Bartling, vice chancellor for enrollment management and marketing.Bartling said the decision to limit guests is based on UNK’s strong desire to offer a meaningful, memorable and enjoyable commencement experience for graduates and their guests and, at the same time, observe current safety guidelines and regulations in their strictest sense.“We plan to stay flexible regarding a change of venue from Foster Field to the Health and Sports Center for weather-related issues. A definitive decision will be made by July 29 and communicated accordingly,” Bartling said.Graduates are asked to continually check their email, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unk.edu/about/commencement/">unk.edu/commencement</a>&nbsp;website and social media for updates and specific final details such as designated entrances, and graduate check-in, line-up and seating. Commencement rehearsal will be held at 3 p.m. on Thursday, July 30.“Graduates and their families and friends have been so patient and understanding through this spring and summer as we have worked to make decisions and plans. This will certainly be a day for us all to remember.”Bartling said planners expect more than 500 graduates to participate.Graduates who have questions that aren’t answered on the commencement website should call the Registrar’s office at 308-865-8527 or email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:unkregistrar@unk.edu">unkregistrar@unk.edu</a>.

Coronavirus Update