Introducing Vakkare: From Sound Healing to Blue Hole Diving, Vakkaru Maldives’ Unmatched New Hospitality Concept Will Take the Utmost Care of You -…

(MENAFN - MENAFN) Baa Atoll, Republic of Maldives, 16 July 2020 - Proud to represent one of the world''s foremost luxury resorts, the team at Vakkaru Maldives have always done everything in their power to ensure guests enjoy a holiday experience to treasure forever. But with all of the challenges that have swept across the world this year - and the time that family and friends share together more precious than ever before - it was decided that Vakkaru Maldives should take its commitment to truly supporting guests'' wellbeing even further. Launching on 1 August to coincide with the resort''s reopening, Vakkare is a new standard in luxury hospitality, unmatched in the Maldives, that will place the concept of care at the core of all that Vakkaru Maldives offers. Comprising four pillars - We Kare, Self Kare, Let''s Kare and After Kare - Vakkare incorporates not just the resort''s practical responses to the challenge of operating a remote private-island resort in the age of Covid-19 but also considers the physical, social and emotional needs of guests who have sought out this peaceful retreat as a timeless sanctuary in which to rest, rejuvenate and refocus following the exhaustions of the last few months. A mantra that will guide the Vakkaru team through this new era, We Kare signifies the resort team''s dedication to sincerely investing in the wellbeing of its members and everyone who visits. It is a renewed commitment towards displaying empathy, surpassing guest expectations, and delivering happiness. It also means ensuring every possible step is taken so each new arrival can be completely confident their health and safety is fully protected. Vakkaru Maldives has always upheld the highest hygiene standards, but nonetheless various new measures have been introduced in response to the emergence of Covid-19. They include thorough medical checks for team members and health screenings for new arrivals, alongside enhanced sanitisation practices and the provision to guests of We Kare packs to include face masks and other personal items and keepsakes. While social distancing is now a consideration around the world, its implementation didn''t require a drastic change to the property''s infrastructure. With the protection of privacy a consideration from day one, villas, restaurant seating and the like have always allowed for exclusivity. A portfolio that will deliver uplifting encounters, indulgent moments and wonderful memories, Self Kare refers to the many restorative, wellness-minded experiences and services that will be available to every guest. Among them are a range of enhanced light- and no-touch spa treatments and rituals that will complement the resort''s most popular massages and facials. Those returning to Vakkaru will find a greater emphasis on visiting practitioners who specialise in meditation and yoga, alongside a range of transcendental sound therapies facilitated by the reverberations of crystal healing bowls. The ultimate new spa immersion is the resort''s signature Merana Healing Journey, a day-long ritual that incorporates yoga, sound healing and a rebalancing coconut shell massage. For those inspired to improve their physical fitness, Vakkaru''s personal trainer is on hand to tailor programmes and the range of outdoor exercises on offer will include tennis, beach volleyball and family-friendly mini triathlons. Nourishing dining experiences will be available throughout Vakkaru''s restaurants, with the Vakkare symbol in menus signifying refreshing, nutritionally balanced dishes that promote good health without ever compromising on taste or satisfaction. To learn more about healthy eating, guests can pick perfect produce themselves in the resort''s flourishing organic garden, before participating in a Self Kare cooking class. Alternatively, the resort''s team will take care of everything by facilitating pleasure-filled private-dining experiences that might take place within sight of the ocean on the beach or under the glow of starlight within the comfort of guests'' villa. During the day, private nature walks will wind through the forest of over 2,300 coconut trees that shades Vakkaru''s interior - should anyone request refreshment, the walk''s guide will be happy to pluck a coconut directly from a treetop. With the healing power of nature so fundamental to Self Kare, guests will also be encouraged to explore the majesty and truly rare beauty of the seascape that envelops the resort. Located in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve internationally recognised for the abundance of sea life drawn to its warm, crystalline waters, Vakkaru Maldives can arrange private, marine biologist-led excursions in search of graceful manta rays and aweinspiring whale sharks, alongside access to superlative diving and snorkelling sites. They include a remarkable blue hole, so close to Vakkaru''s beach that it can be reached in just a few minutes by kayak. That abundance of natural wonders contributed significantly to Vakkare''s third pillar: Let''s Kare. Keenly aware of their responsibilities to this vulnerable, vital ecosystem, the team at Vakkaru Maldives already follow stringent sustainability procedures and will increasingly look to facilitate opportunities for curious guests who wish to contribute to environmental and community-based endeavours, be they participating in coral-planting programmes, assisting local conservation efforts or supporting community work on local islands. Vakkare means not just taking care of team members, guests and the resort, but making a meaningful, positive difference to the broader region and beyond. Those tenets combined with the incredible beauty, exceptional villas and world-class facilities Vakkaru Maldives has always provided should mean every stay stands out as truly special. So that sense of good health and happiness is sustained long after their return home, Vakkare''s After Kare will be a wellness-centred loyalty programme providing guests with tips from visiting practitioners and the Vakkaru team, alongside a range of exclusive offers and special surprises. Combined, those four pillars are intended to support a guest experience that holds an unwavering, sincere sense of true hospitality at its heart. At a time when so many feel the need for a worry-free escape more than ever, each warmly welcomed visitor to Vakkaru Maldives can count on the team''s commitment to Vakkare. They will be certain to take the utmost care of absolutely everything. Getting There Vakkaru Maldives promises an intimate slice of paradise, designed to create timeless memories, effortlessly. Whether traveling as a couple or family, guests can book direct their long-awaited getaway with Escape Awaits Reopening Offer starting from US$900++ per room per night in the Beach Pool Villa. Available for stays between 1 August and 22 December 2020, this exceptionally generous offer includes a 40% discount on accommodation and an array of benefits including complimentary transfers for up to two adults and two children, daily breakfast, complimentary daily dinner as well as a 60-minute relaxing body massage at Merana Spa. For reservations and general information, please visit vakkarumaldives.com or contact . For real-time updates, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/vakkarumaldives, Instagram @vakkarumaldives and Twitter @vakkarumaldives

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Introducing Vakkare: From Sound Healing to Blue Hole Diving, Vakkaru Maldives' Unmatched New Hospitality Concept Will Take the Utmost Care of You -...

Cruise Ships Still Have Their Fans, Even After Coronavirus – Bangkok Post

The pandemic has thrown a sizable iceberg at the cruise industry, but long-term customer demand won't crash

Landlubbers who wrote this industry off for dead just don't get it.

Cruise lines have navigated their share of hardships over the last several decades, but now they face what some see as a true existential threat from a mix of canceled business, heightened regulations, lawsuits and cleanup costs amid the pandemic.

Fortunately for them, it seems hard-core cruise goers can't wait to climb back aboard. Their loyalty should eventually resuscitate battered shares of major operators Carnival, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line -- as long as they can stay afloat financially in the meantime.

Research by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) shows the number of cruise passengers has grown each year for the past decade, with a cumulative 30% growth in passengers over the past five years. This growth has come even in the wake of recent disasters like the 2012 capsizing of the Costa Concordia, which killed 32 people, a 2013 engine room fire-turned-sewage flood and frequent instances of mass illness onboard.

While that streak will be broken in 2020, cruise goers are like Moby-Dick's Ishmael: drawn to the sea, no matter how it throws them. Analysts estimate about 30% are repeat customers. Carnival says the majority of its guests are, with many taking at least one cruise every year and some taking two or more. As with casino patrons, status in loyalty programs is a big draw, earning repeat cruisers anything from a lapel pin to a private dinner with their ship's captain.

The market has been expanding, too. UBS analyst Robin Farley notes that, while cruises are historically known to attract an older cohort, millennials are actually the fastest-growing segment of the market in absolute and percentage terms. Indeed, from high-end to budget, cat-themed to gothic, it seems there is now a cruise for literally anyone.

Clearly, the coronavirus has put the industry into a holding pattern without a definitive end and eroded some trust as well.

A Wall Street Journal investigation found cruise ship operators initially played a role in Covid-19's spread, sailing on despite passengers and crew showing symptoms of the disease. Regulations as a result of the disease's spread have since sidelined new voyages.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a no sail order for large cruise ships that will stand until at least late July. CLIA has issued a voluntary suspension of sailings from U.S. ports until September 15, and Carnival has now canceled all North American cruises through September 30.

When ships set sail again, the experience could look quite different. Packed bars, shows, pools and onboard buffets will have to wait until there is minimal risk of infectious disease.

Despite that, cruise loyalists are moving forward with plans for their next journey, even while ships remain docked. Carnival recently reported growing demand for cruises due to set sail next year, and not just from people trying to redeem the credits they got for canceled cruises earlier this year.

In a six-week stretch ending May 31, about two-thirds of Carnival's 2021 bookings were from people without those credits, the company said. Royal Caribbean recently said it was also seeing acceleration in 2021 bookings, exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

Indeed, 85% of cruise travelers in a May survey by UBS said they are likely to cruise again, 62% said they will cruise just as often in the future and more than half said they expect to cruise again in the next 18 months. A June survey from Cruise Critic, a travel website, shows 32% of its readers are already looking to book their next cruise.

Cruise executives say they expect re-entry to be staged a few ships at a time rather than all at once. Analysts say an easy start will be shorter trips to private islands, which alleviate cross-border regulation risks and allow companies to control who comes and goes, all while enabling enhanced social distancing once onshore.

Carnival owns two private islands and Royal Caribbean recently made a major splash in the industry, investing $250 million to turn a Bahamian beach into a theme park featuring the tallest waterslide in North America and the largest wave pool in the Caribbean.

Regulatory and legal risks do muddy the waters. Tensions between cruise lines and the CDC have been mounting, according to people familiar with the matter. Meanwhile lawmakers are investigating the role of cruise operators in spreading the coronavirus, while plaintiff's attorneys are reportedly pursuing potential class-action class action claims over alleged consumer and shareholder fraud, as well as potential employment law violations.

Liquidity also becomes more of a concern the longer cruise ships are docked. But Carnival said it ended its fiscal second quarter with $7.6 billion in available liquidity, which at its average monthly burn rate would support operations for about a year without service.

Royal Caribbean said last month it has roughly $5.2 billion in total liquidity -- enough to get through what Chief Financial Officer Jason Liberty describes as a "prolonged out-of-service period," plus some leftover cash to ready itself for service.

Shares of all three major cruise lines plunged by more than 80% from mid-January to mid-March. While they have recovered some of those losses, shares of all three major cruise corporations are down well over 50% from pre-Covid levels.

U.S. regulators have long been concerned about the cruise industry's issues managing health outbreaks on board. Now, Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio says he is concerned Carnival in particular "is still trying to sell this cruise line fantasy," ignoring future threats to public health.

Call it what you will, but it is the industry's most loyal customers who are fantasizing about their next stroll on the lido deck.

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Cruise Ships Still Have Their Fans, Even After Coronavirus - Bangkok Post

Lab Mice Face Euthanasia As They Gather Due to the Halt of Non-COVID-19-Related Research – Science Times

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, institutions have been closing and ordering the halt of non-coronavirus research, claiming they were non-essential. Because of this, colonies of lab rats have been multiplying, leaving some scientists up to euthanizing them.

(Photo : Photo by Oxana Kuznetsova on Unsplash)Lab mice and rats are being euthanized as their population continue to rise amid the halt of non-COVID-19 research.

This has taken a toll on many researchers who claim it is never easy to end another being's life, whether animal or human.

Xiao-Tong Su, a postdoctoral fellow at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), shared how she apologizes to mice every time she euthanizes them. The researcher whose study on hypertension was put to hold says she thinks the mice have sacrificed a lot for science and human health.

As a pet owner herself, she said it was hard working in the lab as she became too attached to the animals she worked with. After working with rabbits, and being an owner of pet rabbits as well, she said she had to switch to working with mice early in her career.

Mouse and rat euthanasiais nothing new in the world of medical research. After the completion of an experiment, mice are basically rendered extraneous. They can no longer be used as a control, and are therefore humanely euthanized.

Many universities follow the reductionist policy, which means they use a few mice as much as possible. Whenever possible, a single mouse can be used for more than one study. Depending on their research, most researchers would only euthanize one animal per day.

Sayra Garcia, a second-year Ph.D. student at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, shares how the experience of euthanizing "never gets easier" with time.

Also Read: Neuron Found In Mice Could Have Implications For Effective Diet Drugs

When cases of the coronavirus started showing up at the beginning of March, institutions across the U.S. were suddenly forced to stop the majority of non-coronavirus-related research.

As laboratories were closed down and lab managers, researchers, and animal care technicians were ordered to stay at home, resources to support mouse colonies tapered off.

Due to this, directors at different institutions received orders from provosts to address the lab mouse population problem by reducing them. According to Eric Hutchinson, the director of research animal resources at Johns Hopkins, they had a high volume of euthanized lab mice in just one week. He shares how they somehow anticipated it to get both physically and emotionally overwhelming.

Euthanasiais usually performed by animal care technicians, who are also trained veterinarians. The procedure is done by injecting carbon dioxide, followed by surgically dislocating the neck to confirm death ultimately.

However, early during the pandemic, the technicians were scrambling to prepare for lab closures, which left the lab managers with the burden of performing the dreaded procedure.

In many labs, this meant that a single person was left responsible for euthanizing hundreds of mice. Most often, this was done in just one sitting.

One lab manager who wishes to remain anonymous shared how sometimes the mice would jump around the cage to try and escape. He shares how the worst part of the job is dislocating their neck surgically.

"They're already dead," he says, but protocols need to be followed. Having to grab their neck and tail, he says he really doesn't like doing it and having to do it 150 times definitely affected him.

Read Also: New Research Reveals Compound That Eliminates Chronic Pain in Mice; Promising Development for Medicine

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Lab Mice Face Euthanasia As They Gather Due to the Halt of Non-COVID-19-Related Research - Science Times

How Views Have Moved On Euthanasia And Cannabis | Scoop News – Scoop.co.nz

Thursday, 16 July 2020, 12:05 pmPress Release: Auckland University of Technology

Professor Emeritus of Sociology Charles Crothers hascompiled the existing data on New Zealanders attitudes toeuthanasia and cannabis going back decades.

Theupcoming general election is unusual for including referendaon both issues. There is a long history of polling publicattitudes on them in New Zealand.

Survey(and other social research) Data Related to the ForthcomingReferenda on Euthanasia and Cannabis summarises thesurveys to date.

"These two moral issues stand out asthe key moral issues of the day," Professor EmeritusCrothers says.

"Euthanasia and cannabis have spurredconsiderable survey research activity, with some 30 pollsfocusing on the first, and 45 or so in the second, since theturn of the millennium.

"The two issues have beendissimilar in that views on euthanasia have been broadlyconstant over time whereas those on cannabis have shown morevolatility."

The research note is designed to beof use to journalists and other researchers. It can bedownloaded from The Policy Observatory website here.

Scoop Media

Become a member Find out more

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How Views Have Moved On Euthanasia And Cannabis | Scoop News - Scoop.co.nz

In prison for bizarre plot to kill parents, woman says her elderly mother wanted to die – WBIR.com

Kimberly Hopkins pleaded guilty to zip-tying her mother's hands during a manicure and trying to put a plastic bag with helium over her head.

TELLICO VILLAGE, Tenn. A woman in prison after a bizarre plot to kill her parents told a parole board her mother wanted help to die.

Kimberly Hopkins said her elderly Tellico Village mother asked for her help to take her own life Father's Day weekend 2018. She said her mother had long suffered verbal and emotional abuse from her father and wanted to die that specific weekend to send a message.

"She had ordered some things to help her kill herself and so I agreed to do that. I regret that now, but I was just doing what she wanted me to do," Hopkins said.

Investigators said Jan Martin managed to break free and alert her husband, Jon.

On the scene, deputies found a pot roast in the fridge spiked with a sedative, a to-do list for death and a book on assisted suicide.

Prosecutors said the evidence found does not support Hopkins' story at the parole hearing. Assistant District Attorney Jed Bassett said Jan Martin denied asking her daughter for assistance killing herself.

Hopkins, he said, had been estranged from her parents for years.

"There was not any correspondence that she was talking about referencing an attempt to assist her mother in any suicide or euthanasia type situation," District Attorney General Russell Johnson said.

They say the murder plot was financially motivated: Hopkins wanted the money from her parent's estate after their death.

At the parole hearing, Hopkins objected.

"I would never have done anything that I did without my mothers permission," Hopkins said, her voice cracking with emotion. "I am telling the truth today. And she doesnt want me to tell the truth because it is embarrassing to her."

Johnson acknowledged Hopkins' father has a "controlling" personality and described the family as "dysfunctional." He said her mother is the opposite--caring and compassionate.

Prosecutors said the couple is split on what should happen to their adoptive daughter.

"The father literally wanted Mrs. Hopkins to receive a life sentence and spend the rest of her life in prison," Johnson said. "[The mother] did not want her daughter to go to prison, she wanted probation."

Hopkins agreed to a plea deal to serve at least 30% of a 15 year sentence. At her parole hearing, she said she deserved to serve the mandatory four and a half years.

Prosecutors said they ideally want her behind bars until her parents die.

"Theyre still at the same residence and theyre still pretty well-off. Her motivations are still there," Bassett said. "If she were to be let out on parole, theres a very high likelihood that she would try to do it again."

Her parents, both in their 80s, declined to be interviewed when contacted in November.

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In prison for bizarre plot to kill parents, woman says her elderly mother wanted to die - WBIR.com

Alaska does more COVID-19 tests with fewer positives than most other states. That doesn’t tell the whole story. – Anchorage Daily News

We're making coronavirus coverage available without a subscription as a public service. But we depend on reader support to do this work. Please consider joining others in supporting local journalism in Alaska for just $3.23 a week.

Alaska conducts more COVID-19 tests per capita than almost any other state in the country, a fact Gov. Mike Dunleavy mentions often at community briefings.

Alaskas testing positivity rate the number of positive tests out of total tests performed has also remained far below the national average, even though its rising slightly as time goes on. The states death rate among people with coronavirus is the nations second lowest.

Yet the states new COVID-19 case counts in communities like Anchorage and Fairbanks are soaring right now. New cases, especially among younger people, prompted health officials to warn of significant community transmission around the state.

Do the testing numbers tell the whole story? Not entirely.

Comparing Alaska to other states is complicated by the states unique strategy to screen travelers and seafood workers that adds a large pool of healthy people less likely to test positive for the virus.

Alaskas unique geographic isolation and fragile health care resources also prompted state health officials to adopt an aggressive testing strategy early on.

The positivity numbers are promising indicators the state is generally doing enough testing, officials say.

But they dont account for the dramatic increases showing up in new daily cases.

We do believe that weve got increasing community spread, not just increasing testing, Dr. Anne Zink, the states chief medical officer, said this week.

By Friday, Alaska was the third most-tested state in the nation. Only New York and Louisiana test more people per capita.

According to a national data initiative run by Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Alaska currently tests about a quarter of its total population or 21,167 tests for every 100,000 residents which is more tests per capita than all but those two states.

Widespread testing is crucial to gauge the spread of COVID-19 and to catch potentially contagious infected people with few if any symptoms, health officials say.

The current best guess is that about 40% of COVID-19 infections involve people without symptoms, said Dr. Jay Butler, Alaskas former chief medical officer who is now deputy director for infectious diseases at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That number may very well change as we learn more about this disease, Butler said in an interview from Anchorage, where he was working remotely for a week after helping head the national COVID-19 response. Also, theres a lot of very mild disease that occurs that may not be detected apart from very aggressive testing.

Alaskas testing is certainly aggressive when taken as a whole. But comparing our testing rates to that of other states is complicated.

Brennan Martin removes the cap of the vial for his COVID-19 test swab, taken at the testing site in the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on July 17, 2020. (Emily Mesner / ADN)

For one, the state adopted an unusually broad testing policy almost from the start of the pandemic to identify cases early and minimize the odds that a surge would overwhelm hospitals with limited resources, officials say.

One-fifth of acute care hospital beds in Alaska are in hospitals off the road system, in difficult-to-reach parts of the state, according to the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association. Alaskas ratio of hospital beds to people is on the low end of the spectrum. It can also be a struggle just getting testing swabs to rural villages.

Alaska struggled initially but then took steps to ramp up testing capacity faster than many other states given our small population size. That sets our rates apart.

It does make it hard to compare our state with other states, Zink said during a science briefing Wednesday. But its also hard to compare our hospital capacity with other states.

Another factor that really makes Alaskas numbers hard to compare is the large number of relatively healthy people tested this summer due to screening mandates for travelers and seafood workers. That makes for a higher number of tests, but probably also more people with negative results because theyre not sick.

Under a state health mandate that went into effect in June, travelers into Alaska must either show proof of a negative test, get tested at the airport or agree to quarantine.

In five weeks, Alaska screened more than 78,000 people as part of airport testing, Zink said on social media earlier this week. More than 27,000 tested before traveling, nearly 27,000 were tested at an airport, more than 8,800 chose to quarantine and more than 16,000 were involved in a screened industry or a previous COVID-19 case.

There were a total of just 134 positive test results.

Seafood industry and other workers are also required to get tested multiple times during their time in Alaska. In March, state health officials estimated that industry would need between 140,000 and 160,000 tests this summer.

So far, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services has distributed about 65,000 testing kits, said state pharmacist Coleman Cutchins. The industry used most of them, Cutchins said.

State testing data also lumps together Alaska residents tested out of state, nonresidents in Alaska, travelers and seafood workers getting tested when they arrive, according to Dr. Louisa Castrodale, the states infectious disease program manager. But the state isnt able to separate percent positive rates in residents and nonresidents, who may be skewing the numbers.

Those are tricky things to try and figure out, Castrodale said.

Coronavirus cases are spiking in Alaska, especially in Anchorage and Fairbanks, due to a combination of increased travel and group activities including churches, residential living facilities, workplaces, bars and social gatherings, state officials say.

Young people who officials say may be more likely to socialize and go to work, and less likely to mask up or social distance are driving the uptick: Most recent new cases have been people in their 20s and 30s.

A state update for the week reported more than a fifth of all the infections in Alaskans since the pandemic began were discovered last week, suggesting a large increase in transmission in the state.

Generally, the states worst indicators remain relatively low. Seventeen Alaskans have died with the virus.

A total of 96 residents have been hospitalized since March, giving the state a relatively good hospitalization rate. But early this week, physicians reported an increase in COVID-19 patients showing up at emergency rooms, a potential indicator for future hospitalizations. Nineteen people were hospitalized with the virus in Anchorage on Friday and another 13 patients were categorized as under investigation.

State officials say any gathering, especially indoor ones, poses an exposure risk. They urge people to keep their social circles small, wear face coverings and avoid large groups unless they can stay at least 6 feet apart ideally outside.

Despite the states soaring case counts, Alaskas positivity rate late this week was 1.78% over a seven-day average, the seventh lowest in the country.

Health authorities track testing positivity rate because its an important indicator of whether a community or state is doing enough testing to find coronavirus infections and stop the spread of the virus. The World Health Organization has said countries with broad testing should have a positivity rate that stays below 5% for 14 days.

A high positivity rate Fairbanks hit 14% this week can indicate that only the sickest people are getting tested and milder cases or asymptomatic cases are getting missed.

A lower positivity Alaskas overall rate this week was 1.85% and Anchorage was at 2.2% can indicate a community is including people with mild or no symptoms.

Karrington Hamilton swabs the inside of her nostril during a COVID-19 test at the testing site in the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on July 17, 2020. (Emily Mesner / ADN)

Public health officials have said that more testing is a good thing, because it allows for a more complete picture of where and how the virus is spreading. But it doesnt tell the whole story.

Looking at percent positive can be useful, because it can tell you if youre testing enough of the population, said Tom Hennessy, director of Arctic Investigations, a local subset of the Centers for Disease and Control.

A positive rate of over 10% indicates that you may not be testing enough, he said, citing the World Health Organization.

It doesnt tell us if testing is getting to all the people who need it, or if there are populations that arent getting tested, he said.

That is why looking at an overall testing positivity rate is just a crude measure, he explained.

The state plans to add to the COVID-19 data dashboard a metric that breaks down the percentage of positive cases by region, according to Zink. The more specific the data, the easier it can be to spot trends.

This week, officials said, they noticed that Fairbanks percent positive rate had creeped up to 14%, even though the states 14-day average was just under 2%.

The high rate prompted state epidemiologist Joe McLaughlin and others to meet with Fairbanks leaders to discuss testing there to make sure that were doing a good enough job, he said.

Thats another story Alaskas numbers dont tell.

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Alaska does more COVID-19 tests with fewer positives than most other states. That doesn't tell the whole story. - Anchorage Daily News

COVID-19 Daily Update 7-15-2020 – 10 AM – West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

TheWest Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR)reports as of 10:00 a.m., on July 15, 2020, there have been 215,450total confirmatorylaboratory results received for COVID-19, with 4,463 totalcases and 97 deaths.

In alignment with updated definitions fromthe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the dashboard includes probablecases which are individuals that have symptoms and either serologic (antibody)or epidemiologic (e.g., a link to a confirmed case) evidence of disease, but noconfirmatory test.

CASESPER COUNTY (Case confirmed by lab test/Probable case):Barbour(23/0), Berkeley (530/19), Boone (42/0), Braxton (5/0), Brooke (31/1), Cabell(196/7), Calhoun (4/0), Clay (13/0), Fayette (86/0), Gilmer (13/0), Grant(20/1), Greenbrier (74/0), Hampshire (45/0), Hancock (43/3), Hardy (47/1),Harrison (128/0), Jackson (148/0), Jefferson (254/5), Kanawha (430/12), Lewis(22/1), Lincoln (10/0), Logan (40/0), Marion (113/3), Marshall (69/1), Mason(26/0), McDowell (12/0), Mercer (63/0), Mineral (68/2), Mingo (29/2),Monongalia (604/14), Monroe (14/1), Morgan (19/1), Nicholas (19/1), Ohio(151/0), Pendleton (16/1), Pleasants (4/1), Pocahontas (37/1), Preston (84/21),Putnam (91/1), Raleigh (81/3), Randolph (191/2), Ritchie (2/0), Roane (12/0),Summers (2/0), Taylor (22/1), Tucker (7/0), Tyler (10/0), Upshur (31/2), Wayne(128/1), Webster (1/0), Wetzel (37/0), Wirt (6/0), Wood (185/9), Wyoming (7/0).

As case surveillance continues at thelocal health department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certaincounty may not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individualin question may have crossed the state border to be tested.

Pleasenote that delays may be experienced with the reporting of information from thelocal health department to DHHR.

Please visit thedashboard at http://www.coronavirus.wv.gov for more detailed information.

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COVID-19 Daily Update 7-15-2020 - 10 AM - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

Millennials, teens are Utah’s biggest sources of COVID-19 infections, and the state hasn’t been able to stop that – Salt Lake Tribune

Editors note: The Salt Lake Tribune is providing free access to critical stories about the coronavirus. Sign up for our Top Stories newsletter, sent to your inbox every weekday morning. To support journalism like this, please donate or become a subscriber.

So 16-year-old Zander was careful to not contract the virus until he wasnt.

The teen acknowledged Friday that he got lax about social distancing. He started hanging around more of his friends. They showed symptoms first. Then Zander felt sick.

He got word of his test result July 9. He has COVID-19.

I dont think we were really worried about it, Zander said, until one of our friends actually got it.

People ages 15 to 44 account for about 60% of Utahs coronavirus cases, according to the state health department. Lowering their infection rates would mark a major victory in reducing the spread, but Utah has seen little if any success in trimming those numbers.

While new cases among Utahns between ages 25 and 44, essentially millennials, have declined as a percentage of new infections, that trend has been offset by new infections among teens and those in their early 20s, who since schools let out in the spring have become the biggest source of new cases on a per 100,000 population basis.

Through their lens, it is not a serious disease, said Sue Jackson, a professor and head of the Department of Public and Community Health at Utah Valley University. It is more of an annoyance to their lives.

Utahns ages 15 to 44 who have been sickened have a hospitalization rate of about 3% and a fatality rate below 1%. Still, they can spread the virus to older people at higher risk of complications or death.

The teens, 20- and 30-somethings dont seem to appreciate how contagious they can be, Jackson said. She noted that age group includes many of the parents who have complained about masks being required in public schools.

Jackson, whose own children attend the Alpine School District, where angry adults on all sides of the masks-in-schools debate addressed the school board last week, said Friday she is feeling defeated about Utahs ability to contain the coronavirus.

I dont know how you fix this, Jackson said. I dont know how you get people to take this seriously.

In Salt Lake County, residents who are ages 20 to 29 represent the biggest segment of new coronavirus cases on a per 100,000 population basis, said Michelle Vowles, an epidemiologist with the county health department.

While that group often is seen as synonymous with nightlife, Vowles said there are no reports of anyone in Salt Lake County contracting COVID-19 in, say, a bar.

So it may not be a case of the young and the reckless. Instead, Vowles said, information from contact tracing shows these adults may be getting the virus at food, retail, warehouse and construction jobs where social distancing may be more difficult.

That age group, Vowles said, tends to be our workers.

When the pandemic struck, the average infected Salt Lake County resident was 43 years old, Vowles said. Now, he or she is 36.

The solution for the younger adults, she added, is the same as it is for everyone wash your hands, physically distance and, when you cant ensure that space, wear a mask.

New data shows how effective Salt Lake Countys recent mask mandate has been in reducing the spread of the virus, but Vowles said early reports indicate that more people are, at least, wearing face coverings.

A lot of times, she said, its hard to change behavior just by knowledge alone.

Jackson said a public service blitz targeted at people ages 15 to 44 might prove effective. Utah has already had campaigns to reduce suicide and alcohol use among young people.

Any COVID-19 push, Jackson said, cant just tell young people how many the virus has killed, but should tell personal stories of those who have died.

Thats so much more impactful, she said, than just sheer numbers.

Zander Moodys grandparents Carol and John Moody contracted COVID-19 in early May. Carol Moody died May 21 at age 71. John Moody is recovering.

The virus spread to Zanders parents and uncles over May, but not to the teenager or his sister. Zander began to feel a fever and sore throat July 8.

When his mother, Hilary Moody, took him to Alta View Hospital for testing, she said she started crying and had a panic attack in the parking lot. Its the same place she took her in-laws for testing when they were sick.

It just kind of brought it all back, she said.

After Zander tested positive, the family members did what they did in May. The patient Zander stayed in his room. His mother brought him food. She, Zanders father and sister are all in quarantine to ensure they cant infect others.

Hilary said the Salt Lake County Health Department warned her that she and her husband could contract COVID-19 again. Her 13-year-old daughter has not had the virus yet and fears contracting it after what happened to her grandmother and seeing others in her family so sick.

Before he fell ill, Zander was spending time only with a few friends, his mother said, but she believes that created a false sense of security.

You dont factor in that those kids are going to football or another school where they could get it, the mom said.

Zander said fatigue is his only remaining symptom. Not spending time with friends has been the hardest part of the pandemic for kids like him.

Were teenagers, he said. Its kind of what we do.

Tribune reporter Erin Alberty contributed to this story.

Continued here:

Millennials, teens are Utah's biggest sources of COVID-19 infections, and the state hasn't been able to stop that - Salt Lake Tribune

S.D. County Reports More Than 600 COVID-19 Cases For Second Time – KPBS

Photo by Alexander Nguyen

Above: A playground in San Diego County closed to reduce the spread of coronavirus in this undated photo.

The number of daily COVID-19 cases in San Diego County has crossed 600 for the second time as the number of total cases rose to 23,114.

County public health officials reported 625 new cases Saturday and six additional deaths, raising the death count to 478.

Of the six deaths, four were women and two were men. They died between July 8 and 16 and ranged in age from 60 to mid-90s. All had underlying health conditions.

The county recorded 10,290 tests Saturday, 6% of which returned positive. Saturday's test numbers were the second-highest numbers reported, trailing only Friday's figures. The 14-day rolling average is now 6%. The state's target is below 8% positive test rate.

One new community outbreak was identified, in a healthcare setting on July 10. In the past seven days, 17 community outbreaks were identified. The number of community outbreaks remains more than double the trigger of seven or more in seven days.

A community outbreak is defined as three or more COVID-19 cases in a setting and in people of different households.

Of the total positive cases, 2,180 or 9.4% have been hospitalized and 567 or 2.5% of cases have been admitted to an intensive care unit.

A new record of 153.2 of every 100,000 San Diegans are testing positive for the illness as of Thursday's data, well above the state's criterion of 100 per 100,000.

San Diego County COVID-19 data from July 18, 2020

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The last metric the county has failed to maintain is the percentage of cases that have been handled by a contact investigator within 24 hours of it being reported. There are more than 500 investigators employed by the county, and although 98% of all cases had been investigated in that time frame as recently as June 25, that rate has dropped to a dismal 37%. The county metric is to reach 71% of new cases in a day's span.

Dr. Wilma Wooten, San Diego County's public health officer, said in response to these flagging rates, the county is attempting to hire more contact investigators. In just a three-hour period after the job posting went online Wednesday, more than 300 applications came in.

To help the South Bay increase testing capability, the county Health and Human Services Agency and County Board of Supervisors Chairman Greg Cox opened a new testing site in Imperial Beach Thursday morning.

The free, drive-up testing site is in the parking lot of Mar Vista High School, at 505 Elm Ave. The site will offer up to 185 appointments per day.

This new location brings the total number to six testing sites in South County and is part of the County's South Bay Saturation strategy. Additional testing sites are located in San Ysidro, two in Chula Vista and two in National City.

The number of cases continues to rise in people between the ages of 20 and 49 and particularly in people in their 20s, prompting the county to make efforts at educating younger people.

San Diego residents between 20 and 29 years old account for 25% of the county's cases, the highest percentage of any age group, according to county data.

"While it's true that the mortality for younger people is lower, it's also true that the rate is not zero," said Dr. Scott Eisman, pulmonologist at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas. "The complications from this illness are far greater, much longer lasting and far more serious than the flu."

Eisman said in studies of the outbreaks of SARS and MERS other coronaviruses people who had the disease and showed symptoms sometimes didn't regain original lung capacity until a year or longer after the symptoms began.

"All indications lead us to expect it to be at least as serious as those diseases and much more aggressive," he said, adding that even otherwise healthy people could see months of complications from the illness.

Eisman also said heart attacks, strokes and serious blood clots were increasing among younger people confirmed to have COVID-19. A total of 58% of those confirmed to have the disease in the county were between the ages of 20 and 49.

Following Gov. Gavin Newsom's updated health order Monday, all indoor operations ceased at midnight Tuesday in gyms, houses of worship, non-critical office businesses, hair salons and barber shops, indoor malls and personal care services, such as massage businesses and tattoo parlors.

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club canceled its racing program for Saturday and Sunday after 15 jockeys recently tested positive for COVID-19. Racing is slated to resume July 24.

KPBS' daily news podcast covering local politics, education, health, environment, the border and more. New episodes are ready weekday mornings so you can listen on your morning commute.

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S.D. County Reports More Than 600 COVID-19 Cases For Second Time - KPBS

Almost 500 people have died of COVID-19 in Orange County – Los Angeles Times

Orange County reported 25 more deaths connected to the novel coronavirus on Saturday, the third-highest day on record as the number of confirmed cases continues to surge.

Health officials said that 109 deaths have been reported in the last two weeks, and 494 since the pandemic began. The deaths reported Saturday included seven people who lived in institutional settings such as nursing homes.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases countywide climbed to 29,011, with 702 new cases reported Saturday. The number of infections in Orange County has grown dramatically over the last month, and is now second only to Los Angeles County.

Across California, transmission rates for coronavirus continued to rise. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases topped 375,000 Friday, and the number of deaths exceeded 7,600.

Gov. Gavin Newsom added Orange County to his coronavirus watchlist because the share of COVID-19 tests that have come back positive, and the number of people infected per 100,000 residents, are too high to meet state benchmarks.

Over a seven-day period, 13.9% of COVID-19 tests came back positive. Over the last two weeks, officials have confirmed 12,531 new cases, an average of 396 positive tests per 100,000 Orange County residents a rate equivalent to that of L.A. County.

Orange and Riverside counties have seen the number of hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 infections nearly triple in the last two months. In San Bernardino County, that number has more than quadrupled. All three counties allowed many businesses to reopen a week before Los Angeles County.

California has mandated face coverings in public settings since June 18. But Orange County has become a hotbed of opposition to that rule, sparking concern from public health officials who say the coverings are among the most effective tools to slow the spread of the virus.

Orange Countys former health officer resigned after receiving weeks of verbal abuse, including a death threat, over her mandatory mask order.

Last week, education officials approved recommendations that would allow public schools to reopen in the fall without requiring social distancing or mandatory mask policies, prompting immediate backlash.

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Almost 500 people have died of COVID-19 in Orange County - Los Angeles Times

Employers are requiring COVID-19 testing that workers cannot get – Street Roots News

Many employers in Oregon are sending healthy workers in for COVID-19 testing when a coworker gets sick. Public health officials wish theyd stop.

Debbie Lamberger said its becoming a regular occurrence: Coworkers arrive in a group of cars at one of Oregon Health & Science Universitys mobile testing sites to request COVID-19 testing, all saying someone at their workplace recently tested positive. Now, their boss has directed them to the testing site.

Thats what these mobile testing sites are for, and OHSU has two: one at Portland Expo Center and one at Hillsboro Stadium.

But upon further discussion, Lamberger, who is OHSUs director of ambulatory operations, told Street Roots, shell discover the patients dont meet the criteria for testing.

Ill say, Have you been within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes? Lamberger said. As soon as I ask the question specifically, people wise up, and they know theres only one right answer if theyre going to get tested.

But, she said, patients tell her they cant return to work unless they can prove theyve tested negative for the virus.

They are often low-wage workers or people who are not covered under Oregons sick time law, Lamberger said. The law offers a week of paid sick time to employees at companies that employ 10 or more people and unpaid-but-protected sick time to workers at smaller businesses.

This means without a test to show theyre negative, they may temporarily lose their source income while they quarantine.

She gave an example of a group of workers at a small construction company she turned away because they didnt meet the criteria for testing.

It does result in hardship for all of these workers who dont have sick time when the lowest-barrier site in the state, which is us, we wont do it, Lamberger said.

Lamberger and Jessica Guernsey, Multnomah Countys deputy director of public health, agreed that in ideal circumstances, testing as many people as possible would be key to helping contain the virus.

Experts touted broadly available on-demand testing as a key component in keeping South Koreas case count low, for example. To date, the country has reported 12,460 recovered cases and just 293 deaths.

Do I agree that testing should keep everyone safe? Absolutely, Guernsey said. Is the reality on the ground consistent, given the lack of testing strategy?

Instead, public health officials are urging employers not to make testing a requirement for returning to the jobsite unless theres a known exposure at a worksite where individuals work in close proximity.

And, theyre prioritizing tests for individuals with symptoms, those with recent close exposures such as family members or coworkers who work side by side as well as individuals in high-risk groups.

We cant make employers not ask people (to get tested), Guernsey said. Were asking them to follow CDC requirements and not refer people for testing if they havent had symptoms or a recent exposure.

ZOOM+Cares chief medical officer, Erik Vanderlip, said his chain of urgent care clinics is also seeing patients who were sent in for testing at the request of their employer.

He said ZOOM+Care is actively working with employers to develop a COVID-19 detection program that will help keep their workplaces safe and productive.

But, its difficult to determine how many employers are making negative COVID-19 test results a condition of returning to work and what industries theyre in.

Employment status is not part of standard intake questions and not something Multnomah Countys health clinics are tracking, Guernsey said.

The states Bureau of Labor and Industries began tracking employment complaints related to COVID-19 at the beginning of April and released a list of 28 complaints to Street Roots.

The list didnt give specific details on the reports, but did categorize them by nature of complaint. Two, for example, were related to sick leave, five were related to disability, one to race, one to sex and one to whistleblowing.

More than half fell under the umbrella of the Oregon Occupational Health & Safety Administration.

According to Oregon OSHA spokesperson Aaron Corvin, the majority of COVID-19-related complaints his agency has received have, by and large, involved allegations of failures to follow COVID-19 restrictions including social distancing, mask wearing and other measures.

More testing is a good thing, Corvin said. Employers implementing robust testing protocols is in line with universal controls meant to address a public health crisis.

According to Lamberger, some large employers have reached out to OHSU about providing onsite testing at workplaces.

Heres the unfortunate catch-22: Weve had a number of employers reach out to us and say, Well pay if you test our employee, but we dont have the staff, Lamberger said.

Instead, OHSU has referred employers to private lab partners, and OHSU is trying to increase its staffing for tests despite reporting financial losses related to the pandemic.

According to Oregon Health Authority spokesperson Delia Hernndez, the state currently has the capacity to process 41,000 weekly tests. Last week OHSU processed about 3,200 tests.

During the week of July 6-12, less than 33,000 people in Oregon were tested for COVID-19 in Oregon. Thats 8,000 fewer than the state says it has the capacity to test.

As of Friday, 323,478 tests had been conducted statewide since the start of the pandemic.

Were doing a swab every 90 seconds, Lamberger said.

So far, local labs are reporting turnaround times for test results that fall within national guidelines.

We turn around test results within 48 to 72 hours from the point at which its collected at one of the mobile sites, OHSU spokesperson Erik Robertson told Street Roots.

Legacy has said it can get test results in two to three days.

But nationally, labs say theyre so overwhelmed with test results that theyre not getting results to patients for a week or more and that chips away at the usefulness of testing.

Multnomah County officialssay turnaround time for test results locally has varied since thepandemic began and it depends on which category a patient is in. The Department of Health and Human Services has defined three patient priority levels, with hospitalized patients and health care workers with symptoms being highest priority.

Right now, those patients are getting test results within 24 hours, Multnomah County spokesperson Kate Wilson said.

Patients in Multnomah County who fall into the second priority category those who arein long-termcare facilities with symptoms, patients older than 65 with symptoms, patients with underlying conditions with symptoms and first responders with symptoms are currentlygetting results within two days, Wilson said.

And finally,for patients in the third priority category those who are critical infrastructure workers with symptoms,individuals not in the other categories who have symptoms,health care facility workers,first respondersand individuals in communities experiencing high numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations the turnaround time is 11 to 12 days.

Wison confirmed that the county does notkeep track of the number of people who ask for tests but are turned away.

If we start testing everyone, its going to take two weeks to get tests back and then theres no point in testing, Lamberger said.

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Employers are requiring COVID-19 testing that workers cannot get - Street Roots News

Another confirmed COVID-19 case in Curry County | Bandon News – Coos Bay World

CURRY COUNTY On the afternoon ofJuly 18, Curry County Public Health received notification from Curry General Hospital of two confirmed cases of COVID-19. Public Health reached out to one of the individuals and learned that the person has not been in close contact with anyone for an extended period of time other than his spouse, according to a press release from Curry County Public Health Administrator Sherri Ward.

Contact tracing has been initiated in this case and at this point the individual has been instructed to self-isolate and monitor his symptoms.

The second person who tested positive is from Southern California and has been visiting and staying with family in Crescent City, Calif. That individual was able to get tested at Curry Medical Center in Brookings. This individual will be referred back to California for further contact tracing.

"It is important that we all follow the OHA and CDC guidelines and Governors directives about social distancing, wearing facial coverings in public buildings and protecting yourselves by staying home to slow the spread and save lives," Ward wrote.

Curry County Public Health will continue to keep the public informed with all the COVID-19 information.

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Another confirmed COVID-19 case in Curry County | Bandon News - Coos Bay World

WHO Director-General pays tribute to Spain’s sacrifices and leadership to confront COVID-19 – World Health Organization

World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus today joined the leadership of Spain, paying homage to those who have lost their lives in the country due to COVID-19, saluting the heroic efforts of heath workers and praising the governments resolute and robust response to reverse the viruss transmission.

It is with great respect that I join the King of Spain, the Prime Minister and the entire government of the country to pay tribute to the people who have fallen victim to COVID-19, said Dr Tedros. I extend my deepest condolences to the families of all people who have lost their lives due to this virus in Spain, and around the world.

At one point, Spain was among the countries impacted most by COVID-19. At the outbreaks peak, close to 10,000 new cases were reported in a single day in Spain. Since then, intensive efforts, led by robust surveillance, testing, contact tracing, treatment and isolation, have managed to suppress transmission.

Dr Tedros said this shift was due to the leadership shown by Spain and the strong resolve shown by the Spanish public to adhere to strict restrictions, including lockdowns, physical distancing and other critical measures to contain transmission. These efforts, combined, have successfully changed the course of the countrys outbreak.

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WHO Director-General pays tribute to Spain's sacrifices and leadership to confront COVID-19 - World Health Organization

Public Health: 11000 children and teens have been infected with COVID-19 – Santa Clarita Valley Signal

The Los Angeles County Public Health Department reported Saturday that since the onset of the pandemic, 11,000 children and teens have been infected with COVID-19.

The Santa Clarita Valley saw 23 more cases be reported across both incorporated and unincorporated communities in the last day, bringing the total number of cases to 3,886.

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital released its weekly tallies Wednesday, which showed that more than 150 tests have been conducted in the past 48 hours, totaling 4,482 since the start of the pandemic. Of those, 495 returned positive, an increase of 41 in the past 48 hours, and 4,201 negative, an increase in 191, while 458 remain pending, according to spokesman Patrick Moody. A total of 140 people have recovered and 23 remained at the hospital an increase of eight since Monday.

Additionally, in the last 24 hours, there have been 37 new deaths and 2,770 new cases reported countywide. This brings the cumulative total number of cases to 153,041 and the total number of deaths related to COVID-19 to 4,084.

For the families that are experiencing the profound grief of losing a loved one to COVID-19, we grieve with you and you are in my thoughts, said Barbara Ferrer, director of public health, in a statement issued Saturday. We continue to see concerning data, including data that shows us that younger people are contributing to the increased spread of COVID-19.

Currently, there are 21,888 confirmed cases that have had to be hospitalized, 28% of those people are in the iCU and 18% require ventilators. Data shows that the 18-40 year old age group continue to be hospitalized at the highest rate.

Throughout the country, .7% to 9.1% of all child COVID-19 cases resulted in hospitalization, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Of those who died within the last day countywide, 25 people were over the age of 65 years old, nine people who died were between the ages of 41 and 65 years old and two people who died were between the ages 18 and 40. 31 people had underlying health conditions.

The mortality rate countywide is now at 2.66% among confirmed cases.

Santa Clarita Valley cases

The number of SCV cases, including all area health care providers daily figures and those at Pitchess Detention Center, totaled 3,886 on Saturday, broken down into region, are as follows:

City of Santa Clarita: 1,761

Unincorporated Acton: 37

Unincorporated Agua Dulce: 15

Unincorporated Bouquet Canyon: 1

Unincorporated Canyon Country: 62

Unincorporated Castaic: 1,834 (majority of Castaic cases come from Pitchess Detention Center, exact number unavailable)

Unincorporated Lake Hughes: 1

Unincorporated Newhall: 4

Unincorporated Placerita Canyon: 0

Unincorporated San Francisquito Canyon/Bouquet Canyon: 0

Unincorporated Sand Canyon: 2

Unincorporated Saugus: 11

Unincorporated Saugus/Canyon Country: 1

Unincorporated Stevenson Ranch: 91

Unincorporated Val Verde: 37

Unincorporated Valencia: 29

To view all coronavirus-related stories, visit signalscv.com/category/news/coronavirus.

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Public Health: 11000 children and teens have been infected with COVID-19 - Santa Clarita Valley Signal

Texas pastor dies of Covid-19 a month after giving sermon on the virus’ impact on her community – CNN

At her church, she spoke about racial tensions in our country and the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd. She also talked about Covid-19 testing shortages and remembered the more than 100,000 people who have died from the coronavirus in the US in the last four months.

A little more than a month later, on July 10, the progressive pastor died of pneumonia caused by the coronavirus. Rev. Gibbs was 57. Her death came five days after she had tested positive, her wife Cassandra White says.

After arriving at Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church, she helped establish the church's gospel ensemble and also formed an African American women's ensemble. Rev. Gibbs worked in various other roles at the church over the last 40 years, including as a member of the church's Board of Directors and as a confidential administrative assistant for its senior pastor.

Rev. Gibbs was ordained in December 2014, and continued to serve as the church's curriculum specialist and Diversity and Inclusion Program coordinator. She then transitioned to her current role as associate pastor in 2015.

Rev. Gibbs married White, the gospel ensemble director at the church, in 2016. According to her wife, Vickey was diagnosed with lupus at a young age and had exceeded her life expectancy.

In an interview with CNN, White said she'll miss her passion for social justice as well as her ability to whip up colorful, beautiful breakfasts for them to eat together.

Rev. Gibbs's passion for social justice extended outside of the church as well, her wife says. White said that Vickey would try to call out racism in daily life and participated in countless marches and events in Houston, even though she knew that she would get sick because of her lupus.

White says that after her passing, she found a list that she had left for her. On top of that list was an apology from Vickey exclaiming her sadness that they did not have more time together. The next item on the list was a reminder to White to tell their grandson, whom Vickey had nicknamed "Boo," every day that she loves him.

White says from early in their relationship she realized that she had to share Vickey with the world, because she had a calling and was destined for greatness.

Rev. Gibbs is also survived by two daughters, Cara and Ariel, and a grandson who she doted on constantly.

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Texas pastor dies of Covid-19 a month after giving sermon on the virus' impact on her community - CNN

Covid-19 impact on ethnic minorities linked to housing and air pollution – The Guardian

The severe impact of Covid-19 on people from minority ethnic groups has been linked to air pollution and overcrowded and poor-standard homes by a study of 400 hospital patients.

It found patients from ethnic minorities were twice as likely as white patients to live in areas of environmental and housing deprivation, and that people from these areas were twice as likely to arrive at hospital with more severe coronavirus symptoms and to be admitted to intensive care units (ITU).

Minority ethnic groups were known to be disproportionately affected by Covid-19: they account for 34% of critically ill Covid-19 patients in the UK despite constituting 14% of the population. But the reasons for the disparity remain unclear.

The research is the first to examine the role of environmental and housing deprivation. Doctors praised the study but cautioned it has yet to be formally reviewed by other scientists and that additional, detailed studies in other areas are urgently needed.

The study also found patients from ethnic minorities were on average 10 years younger than the white patients, though the explanation for this is unknown. Age, frailty and underlying health conditions remain critical factors for all patients in determining the outcome of Covid-19.

The study concluded: Patients of black, Asian and minority ethnicity (BAME) are more likely to be admitted from regions of highest air pollution, housing quality and household overcrowding deprivation. This is likely to contribute an explanation towards the higher ITU admissions reported among Covid-19 BAME patients.

David Thickett, professor of respiratory medicine at the University of Birmingham and one of the study team, said. Its no surprise that people living in poor areas and poor housing do badly in a pandemic. Its been true since the Black Death and this reaffirms the importance of deprivation in influencing the pattern of disease.

A Public Health England report released in June showed a link between overall deprivation and worse coronavirus outcomes, but did not examine specific types of deprivation. At the time, the equalities minister, Kemi Badenoch, rejected claims that systemic injustice was the reason for the disparities. There is also compelling evidence of an association between dirty air and coronavirus infections and deaths.

Thickett said the public health message of the new study was better targeting of social distancing and handwashing advice to people in deprived areas and particularly those living in large households. I dont think there was very good engagement with ethnically diverse populations, particularly in terms of language barriers, he said.

The limitation of this study is that its in a single centre. Thickett said. What you really want is data from several different areas. This research is being planned.

Prof Stephen Holgate, the Royal College of Physicians special adviser on air quality, said: This seems a strong study with appropriate methods used. It suggests air pollution may be an important driver, he said.

Dr Aarash Saleh, an NHS respiratory doctor and member of the Doctors Against Diesel campaign said: We need more research like this to understand how air pollution interacts with other societal injustices to exacerbate health inequities, including death from Covid-19. Strategic responses to air pollution are urgently needed and must acknowledge and address the socioeconomic and racial intersections of this public health crisis.

The study, which has been submitted to a medical journal and made available online, followed 400 Covid-19 patients admitted to the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham. Two-thirds of the patients listed their ethnicity as white, 21% as Asian/Asian British and 7% were Black/African/Caribbean.

The analysis used deprivation data from the English Indices of Deprivation 2019 report published by the government. This divides the country into 33,000 small areas, containing an average of 650 households. Among the seven measures of deprivation are living environment, which comprises air pollution, housing in poor condition and road traffic accidents.

Another measure is barriers to housing and services, including household overcrowding, distance to amenities such as schools and GPs, and housing affordability. The researchers found a strongly suggestive statistical link between those living in the bottom 20% of areas under these measures, being from an ethnic minority and Covid-19 outcomes, said Thickett.

Air pollution and household overcrowding were already known to be associated with higher rates of community-acquired pneumonia and the worst air pollution levels are in neighbourhoods with a high population of minority ethnic residents. Thickett said the research was unlikely to explain why a disproportionate number of NHS staff from ethnic minorities had died from Covid-19: That cant just be due to deprivation, because they are at least in employment.

Prof Chris Griffiths, at Barts and the London School of Medicine, said: This study suggests that markers of socio-economic and environment are linked to pneumonia and ITU admission with Covid-19. This is important, but the [deprivation] measures used are really too broad to be able to point the finger at a specific component of each of these markers. More work is urgently needed.

Teasing out the individual components is difficult, said Prof Jonathan Grigg, of Queen Mary, University of London. He said the study was in line with his research showing exposure to air pollution increases the number of the ACE2 receptors that the coronavirus hijacks to enter the body.

Dr Gilles de Wildt, a Birmingham GP, said: Though the study is not yet peer reviewed, this is such an important area of research. We have all felt the clean air in Birmingham during the lockdown and know that emissions need to be curbed drastically for all healths sake, not just Covid-19.

Thickett said: For most diseases, theres a relationship with deprivation, frailty, [underlying illnesses] and age its not rocket science. What youre looking for is things that you can modify, to make things better for the future.

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Covid-19 impact on ethnic minorities linked to housing and air pollution - The Guardian

The Community That Covid-19 Built – The New York Times

The wagon on Jennifer Oiss front porch is a symbol of the coronaviruss silver lining. Its red and wooden, with black rubber wheels that once fell off, when Ms. Ois was towing her first child and a frozen turkey home from a store many years ago.

These days, the wagon is crowded with homemade things like fermented turmeric soda, ginger-berry kefir water, lemongrass ice cream and fresh lettuce from the garden, all waiting to be picked up by a neighbor.

Now its got a whole other purpose, says Ms. Ois. Its carrying kindness down her street.

Since visiting her neighborhood on Hiawatha Road a few weeks ago, Ive returned to it many times in my mind. I find it comforting. It reminds me that despite the viruss darkness, it has offered some illumination a slowing of time and a return to lifes essentials. The people on this street have used that time to learn old-fashioned skills like fermentation and growing vegetables, and in the process theyve become a community.

Theyve been lucky, too while some on the street have lost employment to the virus, this part of the city has been relatively unscathed by Covid-19 infections and deaths.

The street is classic east-end Toronto three long blocks of houses huddled together, as if for warmth. It was once part of a 600-acre farm owned by the Ashbridges, an English Quaker family from Pennsylvania who fled to Canada as Loyalists after the American Revolution. It remained a farm outside the city limits for more than a century, until the land was parceled and sold off for shacks for the immigrating poor and for planned subdivisions.

Walking down the street, you can see the signs of that history in the architecture old working-class bungalows wedged beside gentrified two-story brick homes. You can also see locals homesteading in ways that Sarah Ashbridge, the matriarch of the Quaker settlers, would likely recognize.

Ms. Ois is known locally as the fer-mentor. On her stove, a pot of water, grated ginger and molasses cools next to her ginger bug the makings for ginger ale. Her slow cooker is warming milk for yogurt. She pulls colorful jars out of her fermenting cupboard homemade vinegars, kombuchas and pickles.

For many years, she bugged her neighbors to try her hobby, but they were too busy, rushing from work to childrens hockey practices. When the country went into lockdown in March, she found a captive audience with long days to fill and anxiety to expend.

When this all happened, everyone else came into my world, said Ms. Ois, 43, a stay-at-home parent. Many said, I dont know what to do. Well, I know what to do. Im an expert at it.

She offered kombucha scobies, sourdough starter, and seeds for her neighbors nascent vegetable patches. She left them all in the wagon on her front porch, and texted pictures of her handwritten recipes.

Just down the street, Guillermo del Aguila had set up a hydroponics nursery in his basement for the first time, to supply the seedlings for his familys backyard greenhouse. He was better at it than he expected. He joined in the exchange, issuing his own community offerings: eggplant, sweet pepper, tomato and leek seedlings.

Jon Harris lives a few doors down. Both he and his wife had been deemed essential workers, so time had not stopped still for them. But he found making bread soothing. The baking section of grocery store shelves was bare, but he knew of a commercial mill and put out a call to the street. His first order was for 300 kilograms of flour and 25 pounds of yeast.

Theres something magical happening, said Mr. Harris, 44, an electrician.

He added, I wonder if there is something about watching the world spin around you and thinking about your mortality. We have a little more space to grab onto the things we want to be important.

The trading and pioneer hobbies have continued, even as the city has begun slowly to open up. Ms. Ois set up a swap page on Facebook, and offers went up from neighbors for homemade granola, freezer strawberry jam, lavender, eggs, espresso syrup, bitters for cocktails. Deborah MacDonald ventured to the red wagon to pick up champagne yeast to make raspberry mead, with Ms. Oiss handwritten recipe. She left fresh-baked bread.

I used to joke I didnt know anybody on the street, said Ms. MacDonald, a film producer who often clocked 11-hour days at the office. While there was a sense of community before, many of her neighbors barely knew each other before the virus stitched their friendships.

Weve all helped each other get through this crazy time, said Ms. MacDonald. In some respects its allowed us to forget a little about all the terrible.

Ms. Oiss husband hammered together a greenhouse in their backyard that she called the house Covid built. She and the del Aguila family plan to grow seedlings for their neighbors bursting gardens next spring.

Theres no going back, said Kara del Aguila, Guillermos wife, who considers the street her precious lifeline.

We dont order flowers for delivery anymore, she said. We go to our neighbors homes and knock on the front door and give them something we made.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized again this week this time for taking part in a decision to award a no-bid government contract to a charity deeply connected to his family. The countrys ethics commissioner is digging into the affair, marking the third time Mr. Trudeau has been investigated for breaking conflict-of-interest rules since coming to power in 2015.

Since a New Jersey hedge fund quietly assumed ownership of Postmedia, Canadas largest newspaper chain, the company has cut its work force, shuttered papers across Canada, reduced salaries and benefits, and centralized editorial operations in a way that has made parts of its 106 newspapers into clones of one another, my colleague Edmund Lee reports.

Catherine Porter is the Canada bureau chief, based in Toronto. Before she joined the Times in 2017, she was a columnist and feature writer for The Toronto Star, Canadas largest-circulation newspaper. Follow her on Twitter at @porterthereport

Were eager to have your thoughts about this newsletter and events in Canada in general. Please send them to nytcanada@nytimes.com.

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The Community That Covid-19 Built - The New York Times

Cell Therapy Processing Market Size, Share Growth, Trends, Devices, Applications, Competitive Analysis, Industry Expansion Strategies, By 2027 -…

The global Cell Therapy Processing market report provides geographic analysis covering regions, such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World. The Cell Therapy Processing market for each region is further segmented for major countries including the U.S., Canada, Germany, the U.K., France, Italy, China, India, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, and others.

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Cell therapy is the therapeutic application of cells despite cell kind or clinical indication a platform technology. Regenerative drugs is an approach to treating patients and so definitely not a platform technology. Its nearest to a hospital specialty, for example, medicine, medical specialty or palliative drugs, in alternative words platform technology independent. Its goals are ultimately to cure and so a paradigm shift away from typical symptom management and pain management. While its true that some cell therapies are regenerative, the bulk are not. Even as regenerative drugs is much larger than regenerative cell therapies alone, cell therapies collectively represent a market opportunity several orders of magnitude bigger than regenerative drugs. Equating one with the other is therefore not advantageous however instead will each a major disservice.

The global Cell Therapy Processing market is expected to exceed more than US$ 11.5 Billion by 2024, at a CAGR of 16.2% in the given forecast period.

Market Insights

The global Cell Therapy Processing market is segregated on the basis of Process as Cell Processing, Cell Preservation, Distribution, and Handling, and Process Monitoring and Quality Control. Based on Product Type the global Cell Therapy Processing market is segmented in Equipment, 1 Cell Processing Equipment, 2 Single-Use Equipment, 3 Other Equipment, Systems & Software, and Consumables. Based on End User the global Cell Therapy Processing market is segmented in Life Science Research Companies and Research Institutes.

Based on Cell Type, the global Cell Therapy Processing market is segmented in Human Cells, 1 Stem Cells, 2 Differentiated Cells, and Animal Cells.

Competitive Rivalry

Stemcell Technologies, Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Beckman Coulter, Inc, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Ge Healthcare, Sartorius, Merck KGaA, Lonza Group, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Terumo Bct, Inc, and others are among the major players in the global Cell Therapy Processing market. The companies are involved in several growth and expansion strategies to gain a competitive advantage. Industry participants also follow value chain integration with business operations in multiple stages of the value chain.

The Cell Therapy Processing Market has been segmented as below:

The Cell Therapy Processing Market is segmented on the lines of Cell Therapy Processing Market, By Process, Cell Therapy Processing Market, By Product Type, Cell Therapy Processing Market, By End User, Cell Therapy Processing Market, By Cell Type, Cell Therapy Processing Market, By Region and Cell Therapy Processing Market, By Company.

Cell Therapy Processing Market, By Process this market is segmented on the basis of Cell Processing, Cell Preservation, Distribution, and Handling and Process Monitoring and Quality Control. Cell Therapy Processing Market, By Product Type this market is segmented on the basis of Equipment its covers 1 Cell Processing Equipment, 2 Single-Use Equipment & 3 Other Equipment. Systems & Software and Consumables. Cell Therapy Processing Market, By End User this market is segmented on the basis of Life Science Research Companies and Research Institutes. Cell Therapy Processing Market, By Cell Type this market is segmented on the basis of Human Cells its covers 1 Stem Cells & 2 Differentiated Cells. And Animal Cells. Cell Therapy Processing Market, By Region this market is segmented on the basis of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. Cell Therapy Processing Market, By Company this market is segmented on the basis of Stemcell Technologies, Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Beckman Coulter, Inc, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Ge Healthcare, Sartorius, Merck KGaA, Lonza Group, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. and Terumo Bct, Inc.

The report covers:

Report Scope:

The global Cell Therapy Processing market report scope includes detailed study covering underlying factors influencing the industry trends.

The report covers analysis on regional and country level market dynamics. The scope also covers competitive overview providing company market shares along with company profiles for major revenue contributing companies.

The report scope includes detailed competitive outlook covering market shares and profiles key participants in the global Cell Therapy Processing market share. Major industry players with significant revenue share include Stemcell Technologies, Miltenyi Biotec GmbH , Beckman Coulter, Inc, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Ge Healthcare, Sartorius , Merck KGaA, , Lonza Group , Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Terumo Bct, Inc, and others.

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Table of Contents:

5. Cell Therapy Processing Market, By Process

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Cell Therapy Processing Market Size, Share Growth, Trends, Devices, Applications, Competitive Analysis, Industry Expansion Strategies, By 2027 -...

Longevity And Anti-Senescence Therapy Market Value Chain and Forecast COVID-19 2023 – Kentucky Journal 24

The global longevity and anti-senescence therapies market should grow from $329.8 million in 2018 to $644.4 million by 2023 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.3% during 2018-2023.

Report Scope:

The scope of this report is broad and covers various therapies currently under trials in the global longevity and anti-senescence therapy market. The market estimation has been performed with consideration for revenue generation in the forecast years 2018-2023 after the expected availability of products in the market by 2023. The global longevity and anti-senescence therapy market has been segmented by the following therapies: Senolytic drug therapy, Gene therapy, Immunotherapy and Other therapies which includes stem cell-based therapies, etc.

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Revenue forecasts from 2028 to 2023 are given for each therapy and application, with estimated values derived from the expected revenue generation in the first year of launch.

The report also includes a discussion of the major players performing research or the potential players across each regional longevity and anti-senescence therapy market. Further, it explains the major drivers and regional dynamics of the global longevity and anti-senescence therapy market and current trends within the industry.

The report concludes with a special focus on the vendor landscape and includes detailed profiles of the major vendors and potential entrants in the global longevity and anti-senescence therapy market.

Report Includes:

71 data tables and 40 additional tables An overview of the global longevity and anti-senescence therapy market Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2017 and 2018, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2023 Country specific data and analysis for the United States, Canada, Japan, China, India, U.K., France, Germany, Spain, Australia, Middle East and Africa Detailed description of various anti-senescence therapies, such as senolytic drug therapy, gene therapy, immunotherapy and other stem cell therapies, and their influence in slowing down aging or reverse aging process Coverage of various therapeutic drugs, devices and technologies and information on compounds used for the development of anti-ageing therapeutics A look at the clinical trials and expected launch of anti-senescence products Detailed profiles of the market leading companies and potential entrants in the global longevity and anti-senescence therapy market, including AgeX Therapeutics, CohBar Inc., PowerVision Inc., T.A. Sciences and Unity Biotechnology

Summary

Global longevity and anti-senescence therapy market deals in the adoption of different therapies and treatment options used to extend human longevity and lifespan. Human longevity is typically used to describe the length of an individuals lifetime and is sometimes used as a synonym for life expectancy in the demography. Anti-senescence is the process by which cells stop dividing irreversibly and enter a stage of permanent growth arrest, eliminating cell death. Anti-senescence therapy is used in the treatment of senescence induced through unrepaired DNA damage or other cellular stresses.

Global longevity and anti-senescence market will witness rapid growth over the forecast period (2018-2023) owing to an increasing emphasis on Stem Cell Research and an increasing demand for cell-based assays in research and development.

An increasing geriatric population across the globe and a rising awareness of antiaging products among generation Y and later generations are the major factors expected to promote the growth of global longevity and anti-senescence market. Factors such as a surging level of disposable income and increasing advancements in anti-senescence technologies are also providing traction to the global longevity and anti-senescence market growth over the forecast period (2018-2023).

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the total geriatric population across the globe in 2016 was over REDACTED. By 2022, the global geriatric population (65 years and above) is anticipated to reach over REDACTED. An increasing geriatric population across the globe will generate huge growth prospectus to the market.

Senolytics, placenta stem cells and blood transfusions are some of the hot technologies picking up pace in the longevity and anti-anti-senescence market. Companies and start-ups across the globe such as Unity Biotechnology, Human Longevity Inc., Calico Life Sciences, Acorda Therapeutics, etc. are working extensively in this field for the extension of human longevity by focusing on study of genomics, microbiome, bioinformatics and stem cell therapies, etc. These factors are poised to drive market growth over the forecast period.

Global longevity and anti-senescence market is projected to rise at a CAGR of REDACTED during the forecast period of 2018 through 2023. In 2023, total revenues are expected to reach REDACTED, registering REDACTED in growth from REDACTED in 2018.

The report provides analysis based on each market segment including therapies and application. The therapies segment is further sub-segmented into Senolytic drug therapy, Gene therapy, Immunotherapy and Others. Senolytic drug therapy held the largest market revenue share of REDACTED in 2017. By 2023, total revenue from senolytic drug therapy is expected to reach REDACTED. Gene therapy segment is estimated to rise at the highest CAGR of REDACTED till 2023. The fastest growth of the gene therapy segment is due to the Large investments in genomics. For Instance; The National Human Genome Research Institute (U.S.) had a budget grant of REDACTED for REDACTED research projects in 2015, thus increasing funding to REDACTED for approximately REDACTED projects in 2016.

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Longevity And Anti-Senescence Therapy Market Value Chain and Forecast COVID-19 2023 - Kentucky Journal 24

Duvelisib May Reduce Lung Inflammation in Patients With COVID-19 – Targeted Oncology

Duvelisib (Copiktra), an anticancer drug, is currently being explored as treatment to reduce lung inflammation in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in an investigator-initiated phase 2 study at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.

The rationale behind the use of duvelisib is that the drug may be able to calm the systemic inflammation that exacerbates COVID-19-associated pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome, stated principal investigator Edmund K. Waller, MD, PhD, professor, Hematology and Medical Oncology, Medicine and Pathology, Emory University School of Medicine, holder of Rein Saral, MD Professorship in Cancer Medicine, and medical director, Center for Stem Cell Processing and Apheresis, Emory University Hospital.

Pre-clinical data suggests that the agent can mitigate T cell exhaustion. More research has demonstrated T cell exhaustion limits the effectiveness of the immune system in fighting the infection.

Wallers lab has also previously tested whether duvelisib can enhance the activity of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy in patients with cancer prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The phase 2 study will enroll 40 patients who are hospitalized with COVID-19-associated pneumonia. The trial is expected to last for 1 year. Every patient will receive either duvelisib or placebo for 2 weeks. Efficacy will be determined after 1 month. Patients will receive standard-of-care treatment and may receive antiviral medications, such as remdesivir (Veklury).

Waller is joined by co-investigators Aneesh K. Mehta, MD, and Marshall Lyon III, MD, infectious disease specialists, Emory Winship.

"This study is an example of how research on cancer immunology can be repurposed and deployed against COVID-19, possibly improving patient outcomes during this crisis," said Walter J. Curran, Jr, MD, the Lawrence W. Davis Chair, Radiation Oncology, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar, Chair in Cancer Research, and executive director, Winship, in a statement. "We are happy to be able to cooperate with our infectious disease and critical care colleagues in this effort."

The FDA previously granted approval to duvelisib in September 2018 for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL). Duvelisib can reduce levels of some of the same immune messenger cytokines that become elevated during a COVID-19 infection, according to previous data from patients with leukemia and lymphoma. In the phase 3 DUO trial (NCT02004522), the study in which the approval was based on, duvelisib reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 60% compared with ofatumumab (Arzerra) in patients with relapsed/refractory CLL/SLL who had received at least 2 prior lines of therapy.

Reference

Repurposing a cancer drug to reduce COVID-19 lung inflammation. News Release. July 13, 2020. Accessed July 16, 2020. https://bit.ly/2WpWrr2

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Duvelisib May Reduce Lung Inflammation in Patients With COVID-19 - Targeted Oncology