COVID-19 Coverage from Report for America

15 min readDec 5, 2020

Pennsylvania Commonwealth microbiologist Kerry Pollard performs a manual extraction of the coronavirus inside the extraction lab at the Pennsylvania Department of Health Bureau of Laboratories on Friday, March 6, 2020. (Photo by office of Governor Tom Wolf)

The World Health Organization’s official declaration that COVID-19 is a pandemic serves as a powerful reminder for us all of how connected we are as a planet. The measures adopted in Asia and Europe inform the local response to the virus, as America starts to see an increase of cases and implements plans to slow down the rate of infection.

Our Report for America corps members have been reporting on the pandemic from multiple angles, helping their audiences understand the scope of the pandemic and its effect on their community and lives.

December 4, 2020

Gaining the trust of the Black and Latino communities to convince them to take the COVID-19 vaccines about to be released will be crucial to inoculate these vulnerable populations. The COVID Collaborative, a nongovernmental group of researchers and health experts, released a new study that shows about a third of Latinos and 14% of Black people say they mostly or completely trust the vaccine, and that people of color are more likely to trust messages coming from someone of their own ethnicity.

Groups like the Health Bureau of the Latino-majority city of Allentown, and leaders like Rev. Bruce Alick of the Pennsylvania Baptist State Convention and the pastor of Zion Baptist Church in Reading, are working to serve as a bridge of communication to reach the Latino and Black communities among the mistrust of healthcare providers.

As pandemic fatigue increases, Ouray County officials are struggling to promote COVID-19 precautions and compliance as tighter restrictions are put into place. As county commissioners and members of the Ouray City Council and Ridgway Town Council debated on ways to reduce the spread of the virus in a Joint Policy Group meeting last week, they acknowledged that not all of their constituents are willing to listen and would rather have the county ignore the governor’s orders, allowing businesses to operate restriction-free. What they can agree on, though, is centering their efforts to returning to the yellow level on the state’s dial that dictates the intensity of such restrictions.

The county moved to “orange: high risk” on Nov. 16, just a week after moving to “yellow: concern” from “blue: caution.”

PHILADELPHIA, Penn. — ‘Fishbox’s Napoleon Suarez is finding ways to deliver during a year of constant change’ Michael Butler for Technical.ly

Since high school, Napoleon Suarez knew he wanted to have his own business. Now, as the founder and CEO of Fishbox, a mail delivery company, he is navigating the waters of COVID-19. The significant loss in revenue and in personal customer interaction has led Suarez to question the future of his business as it competes with global shipping companies like UPS. And, as an African American and Ecuadorian business owner in the predominantly white Bella Vista neighborhood of South Philadelphia, the pressure of frequently being the only Black or Latinx person some of his customers come in contact with can be overwhelming.

Doc McStuffins, Disney Junior’s beloved preschool doctor, hasn’t missed a beat with her young audience during the coronavirus pandemic. Her new special, “The Doc Is In,” she demonstrates healthful, age-appropriate habits, like hand washing and hydration, while using engaging songs and interacting with real children, families and medical professionals, to help kids stay healthy amid COVID-19. Dr. Myiesha Taylor, an emergency medicine physician who is on screen with Doc, believes the lessons show kids that they need to be active participants in their health, and that they do have control over some things, even during the pandemic.

ChirsAnna Mink explores how Doc, a young African American girl who aspires to be a doctor like her mother, makes the real jobs of doctors like Taylor, an African American woman, a little easier

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COVID-19 has devastated the wages of working-class, low-income and predominantly immigrant communities of Orange County, California. To provide support, volunteers in Santa Ana created the In’Lakesh Relief Fund. The program provides community-sourced financial aid for things like housing, legal and health care costs to those struggling to make ends meet. According to volunteers, funding is sourced from a mix of local donations and grants from advocacy organizations, and the program has been able to support roughly 1,300 people and their families so far.

“In’Lakesh” is a Mayan phrase that translates to “I am you, as you are me,” said Joel Cazares, an organizer for the relief fund.

Illinois school districts are debating whether to give statewide assessments in the spring to provide data that shows how remote learning has affected students. Some school administrators say they already know what’s happening with students, and that they are better served in-person than virtual, while State Superintendent Carmey Ayala says “We need data so that our students today do not become the COVID-19 generation that is forever impacted.”

Early projections for student learning loss during Spring and Summer were dire, as The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) predicted students would lose half a year of learning in reading and nearly a third of a year in math. As of now, new NWEA data suggests that students are still learning through the pandemic, but just aren’t learning as much as the year before.

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Hospitals across Washington are postponing some elective surgeries in an effort to conserve critical care beds and adequate staffing for COVID-19 patients, in preparation for the next wave. Gov. Jay Inslee ordered hospitals to reschedule elective surgeries in the spring, including joint replacements, cataract surgeries, non-urgent cardiac procedures and some interventional radiology services.

Washington’s Health Officer Kathy Lofy reported the number of residents currently hospitalized each day exceeds numbers seen in the spring, when the first surge of the virus hit Western Washington.

North Dakota health officials reported on Wednesday the state’s plans for distributing the COVID-19 vaccine, announcing the immunization of healthcare workers and nursing home residents will be prioritized, and the initial shipment of the Pfizer vaccine is expected to arrive the week of Dec. 14. The state’s public health experts also emphasized the safety of the injections to residents.

According to the Department of Health’s immunization program manager Molly Howell, the first vaccine shipments to North Dakota are expected to be “extremely, extremely limited,” but the state is well-equipped to distribute it due to acquiring the necessary freezers and shipping materials.

The increase of COVID-19 cases in Indiana, and the measures taken to slow contagion are exacerbating its schools’ pre-existing teacher shortages. As of two weeks ago, 1,755 schools across Indiana reported at least one confirmed virus case, according to the State Department of Health, bringing the statewide total of students, teachers and staff who have tested positive to over 15,000.

Some schools have chosen to go virtual, while others are asking teachers to continue in-person instruction, sometimes asking teachers who were exposed to the coronavirus to keep working without the CDC’s recommended quarantine. Indiana State Teachers Association president Keith Gambill calls these situations “unsustainable and unsafe,” calling for counties hit hardest by the pandemic to return to virtual learning.

SPOKANE, Wash. — ‘The Supreme Court blocked New York’s COVID-19 restrictions for places of worship. What does that mean for Washington?’ Laurel Demkovich for the Spokesman-Review

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced new restrictions on religious services a few weeks ago, limiting indoor capacity to 25%, requiring mask wearing at all times and prohibiting the congregation from singing and choirs from performing.

These restrictions on religious institutions across Washington are unlikely to be affected by Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling that blocked New York’s gathering restrictions on churches and synagogues. However, while last week’s court decision only affects New York, it could indicate how the court will rule in other cases involving pandemic restrictions and places of worship, as at least 20 other states have similar cases pending.

SANTA FE, N.M. — ‘With no action by Washington, states race to offer virus aid’ Julie Carr Smyth and Cedar Attanasio for the Associated Press

New Mexico passed a relief bill last week that will deliver a $1,200 check to unemployed workers and give up to $50,000 to certain businesses.

“While the United States of America is on fire, the Trump administration has left states to fight this virus on their own,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said. “It is clear no help is coming — not from this president, not from this administration. As we have done every day this year, New Mexico will step up.”

RALEIGH, N.C. — ‘NC reports over 8,000 new COVID-19 cases over past two days as deaths top 5,200’ Ben Sessoms for the News & Observer

New rules issued by Gov. Roy Cooper under the statewide mask mandate took effect on Wednesday, requiring mask wearing in public indoor settings with non-household members, and in public outdoor settings when social distancing isn’t possible.

As of Friday, Nov. 27, the statewide death toll was 5,210, according to North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services.

December 1, 2020

MODESTO, Calif. — ‘Blacks in California are dying from COVID-19 at a higher rate. What’s being done to help?’ ChrisAnna Mink for the Modesto Bee

African Americans make up 6% of California’s population and slightly over 4% of COVID-19 cases, but account for 7.4% of deaths. To discuss this disproportionately high death rate, along with challenges and solutions, California’s surgeon general Dr. Burke Harris, the state’s Legislative Black Caucus, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office and Assemblywoman Dr. Shirley Weber held a conversation with Black leaders from across the state on Monday.

Black leaders highlighted the need for appropriate messaging and messengers, overcoming the mistrust of public health officials and ensuring equitable distribution of virus vaccines. According to Dr. Burke Harris, California is the only state that’s implemented a health equity metric, which “holds state leaders accountable for monitoring the disparate impacts of COVID-19 and creating plans to address those disparities.”

DENVER, Colo. — ‘GOP aide sent home from Colorado Legislature had COVID-19’ Patty Nieberg for the Associated Press

Democratic legislators criticized their Republican counterparts for allowing a GOP aide who tested positive for COVID-19 to attend a House of Representatives session on Monday. House Republican leader Hugh McKean said the aide was cleared to work in person by a physician. After the Democrats voiced their complaints, the aide was sent home.

The special session of Colorado’s Legislature was convened by Gov. Jared Polis to pass bills offering COVID-19 relief. Lawmakers proposed bills offering combined $280 million to help small businesses, tenants and public school districts, as well as sustain child care facilities and boost food pantry stocks. Lawmakers are also considering new legislation to allow restaurants and bars to keep state sales tax collections.

BISMARCK, N.D. — ‘National Guard sustains its longest operation in North Dakota to support pandemic response’ Adam Willis for The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead

The National Guard has been supporting North Dakota’s COVID-19 response since March 16, stretching on for months longer than most officials predicted, as the state’s Health Department remains overwhelmed by waves of new cases.

So far, around 680 guardsmen and women have assisted in the state’s pandemic response, and the number of active working guardsmen has averaged around 270 at any given time, with work focused on staffing testing and contact tracing efforts, according to director of military response for the North Dakota National Guard, Col. Tad Schauer.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — ‘Beshear says vaccine to arrive in Kentucky by mid-December’ Piper Hudspeth Blackburn for the Associated Press

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced Monday the state is likely to receive about 38,000 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine by mid December, and a second round of vaccines manufactured by Moderna by the end of the year. Gov. Beshear reported health care workers and long-term care residents and staff will be the first to receive doses.

Kentucky’s public health commissioner Dr. Steven Stack noted that the amount of doses is one-third of what state officials had expected, but that the limited distribution of vaccines to those in long-term care will help reduce the pressure on the healthcare system. As of Monday, almost all of Kentucky’s 120 counties are reported to be in the red zone, the most serious category for COVID-19 rates.

November 30, 2020

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — ‘Indiana teacher, substitute shortage worsened by COVID-19’ Casey Smith for the Associated Press

SPOKANE, Wash. — ‘The Supreme Court blocked New York’s COVID-19 restrictions for places of worship. What does that mean for Washington?’ Laurel Demkovich for the Spokesman-Review

SANTA FE, N.M. — ‘With no action by Washington, states race to offer virus aid’ Julie Carr Smyth and Cedar Attanasio for the Associated Press

New Mexico passed a relief bill last week that will deliver a $1,200 check to unemployed workers and give up to $50,000 to certain businesses.

RALEIGH, N.C. — ‘NC reports over 8,000 new COVID-19 cases over past two days as deaths top 5,200’ Ben Sessoms for the News & Observer

As of Friday, Nov. 27, the statewide death toll was 5,210, according to North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services.

November 24, 2020

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — ‘Utah relaxes gathering restrictions ahead of Thanksgiving’ Sophia Eppolito for the Associated Press

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert announced Monday he won’t extend his two-week order that required people to limit social gatherings to those in their immediate household, despite COVID-19 continuing to surge statewide. Gov. Herbert recommended the use of masks, enforcing social distancing and smaller gatherings for Thanksgiving, and the interim director of Utah’s health department Rich Saunders recommended people in high transmission counties — 26 of the state’s 29 counties — limit social gatherings to 10 or fewer.

Across Utah, there were 545 people hospitalized for COVID-19 on Monday, and ICU beds reached 91.9% occupancy, according to state data. The state’s seven-day average of new daily cases continued to climb to 3,349 per day.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — ‘As cases surge, Beshear defends new COVID-19 restrictions’ Piper Hudspeth Blackburn for the Associated Press

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear defended the restrictions he issued last week to slow the spread of COVID-19, warning on Monday that if the increasing virus cases and hospitalizations doesn’t slow down, the state’s healthcare system could be at risk, and even more lives will be at stake. Gov. Beshear’s restrictions, including bans on in-person gatherings at restaurants, schools and event venues, have drawn criticism from republican lawmakers, business owners and private schools.

Kentucky reported 2,135 new cases and five deaths on Monday, and public health commissioner Dr. Steven Stack urged residents to not travel for Thanksgiving, saying that multiple-household gatherings were “a sure recipe for disaster.”

In response to data released about how wind instruments spread COVID-19, Mitchell Bahr, the instrumental music teacher at California’s Foothill High School, flipped his curriculum this year to offer new classes for instruments that don’t have the potential to spread the virus. He wanted to ensure that his jazz classes, concert band classes and orchestra could still have the chance to experience music education, and is teaching them to refocus their musicality on other instruments.

Bahr also teaches about wellness to help students with their social and emotional health, focusing on gratitude. He teaches students how to flip their mindsets from negative thoughts to “what can I be thankful for,” during these challenging times.

Wisconsin nursing homes reported that 294 residents died from COVID-19 between Oct. 12 and Nov. 8, a significant increase from the 28 deaths reported in the previous month, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In the latest four-week period, Wisconsin nursing homes also reported 2,130 confirmed cases among residents, according to CMS, which is up 387 new cases in the four-week period from Sept. 14 to Oct. 11.

The spike in COVID-19 deaths and cases within nursing homes has come as daily cases continue to hit record highs in Wisconsin. Over the seven-day period ending last Wednesday, the state averaged 6,564 new cases per day, a new high that is nine times what it was on Sept. 1.

The North Dakota Department of Health is urging residents to limit Thanksgiving gatherings and travel to slow the spread of COVID-19, as the next coming weeks are crucial for the state. North Dakota could report anywhere from 322 to 808 additional related deaths by Dec. 30, according to the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and only the residents’ actions can determine what that course will look like.

North Dakota reported 710 new COVID-19 cases and six new virus-related deaths on Monday.

The economic toll of COVID-19 has been especially taxing for working moms. Detroit mothers share experiences of being forced to choose between a job to help sustain the household or being there for the children, and finding child care widely unaffordable and inaccessible.

More than 800,000 women nationwide left the workforce in September, compared with 216,000 men, and in Michigan, the number of women participating in the labor force fell nearly 6%, compared with a drop of less than 1% among men, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Experts indicated that this shift may lead to lasting challenges for women finding work and facing lower wages.

The shift to remote learning due to COVID-19 has left students in the Cuba Independent School District, which is on the sparsely populated fringe of New Mexico’s Navajo Nation, completely isolated. To help, the Cuba school district has kept their buses running every other day to bring the “classroom” to these students, carrying assignments, art supplies, meals and counselors who check in with students, along with other necessities for the families.

The buses are a lifeline for many families in the district, of whom nearly half are Hispanic and half are Native American, many of whom live without running water, electricity and internet.

Kansas is spending up to $1.5 million of its federal COVID-19 relief funds on media ads promoting mask wearing, set to start this week and run through January or longer. The campaign is aimed to get more residents to wear masks and help curb the coronavirus’ spread, but some officials worry that politics are driving too much resistance for the new campaign to be effective, while others believe that people are already bombarded with pro-mask messages.

COVID-19 Coverage from Report for America

Written by joker