Tropical Storm Isaias heads toward the East Coast; Hurricane warnings in the Bahamas via John Bernier of WRIC Tropical Storm Isaias is crossing the Dominican Republic this afternoon headed toward the North shore this evening. As of this afternoon around 8 p.m., it was located 14 miles WNW of Puerto Plataana in the Dominican Republic. Top winds are 60 miles an hour. Its still moving very rapidly to the northwest at 20 miles an hour. Currently, were looking at a track for the storm that will take it from a strong tropical storm to a minimal hurricane along the eastern coast of the United States just offshore through the weekend. As we head into Saturday, it will be over the Bahamas and approaching the southeastern portions of Florida. Then it will move up parallel to the coastline start to curve to the northeast.

Heads up, Tropical Storm Isaias is barreling toward Florida.

Gov. Ron DeSantis warns of impacts from Isaias via News Service of Florida With Tropical Storm Isaias expected to reach hurricane strength, DeSantis warned of impacts to Florida this weekend even if the growing system remains offshore. A tropical storm watch was issued along Floridas East Coast between Ocean Reef and the Sebastian Inlet. The system was bringing heavy rains and maximum sustained winds near 60 mph to Hispaniola Thursday. Isaias is the earliest storm to begin with an I on record, besting Hurricane Irene, which formed August 7, 2005. The 2005 season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record.

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Theres a new way to get your Florida Politics fix: The Spectrum News App.

Spectrum Networks new app allows viewers to check weather forecasts, browse local news and tune into livestreams of its networks across the country. It also puts the best of the best in print news from entertainment to business at users fingertips.

Internet and mobile customers are the fastest-growing segments of Spectrums customer base, and our viewers are consuming news online more now than ever before, said Spectrum Networks Executive Vice President Mike Bair. The Spectrum News App is the first content product available to all 28 million residential Spectrum customers, adding significant value to our existing local services, but particularly our internet-only customers who could not previously access our news reporting.

Spectrum Networks has partnered with news outlets small and large, mainstream and niche to ensure users get comprehensive coverage from a diverse mix of voices.

For statewide political news, Spectrum is turning to Florida Politics.

When Spectrum Networks needed Florida state political and policy reporting for their newly launched news app, they turned to Florida Politics.

We know that local journalism is vital to the communities we serve. From political coverage of press briefings, local debates and elections, to public affairs programming and community news that is relevant to local residents, our networks serve as a valuable resource, especially during times of crisis, Bair continued.

The Spectrum News App is available on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.

Access is free for everyone for the first 30 days, and after the trial period, will be available to all authenticated Spectrum residential video, internet and mobile customers at no additional charge.

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Another poll, another sign of flagging support for DeSantis.

According to a Mason-Dixon Polling survey released Friday, the Governors overall job approval rating has slipped into the negative.

The poll, conducted July 20-23, found Florida voters disapprove of the job DeSantis is doing by a 49-44% margin.

The minus-5 approval rating represents a monumental shift since March, when three-fifths of voters approved of his job performance and less than a quarter were unsatisfied.

The poll shows an across the board drop for DeSantis.

Over the past four months, hes lost the support of about 11% of Republicans, 17% of independents and 24% of Democrats. Men, women, Black and Hispanic voters also fled by double digits.

In no corner of the state did his numbers avoid a slashing hes down 18 points in Central Florida, 19 points in Tampa Bay and a whopping 23 points in South Florida.

There are no bright spots in the crosstabs, just some slightly less gloomy ones.

A majority of voters in North and Southwest Florida both Republican strongholds are still keen on him, though hes lost 9 points in the former and 12 in the latter.

DeSantis is still in positive territory among White voters though he is now supported by a slim plurality rather than a firm majority.

The over 50 crowd are the only demographic bloc where he still enjoys majority support, 51-45%. Hes at minus-17 among younger voters, however.

The Mason-Dixon Poll surveyed 625 Florida voters by telephone. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

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A new poll conducted by Clarity Campaign Labs found Floridians are souring on DeSantis, with 53% of voters disapproving of how hes handled the pandemic-induced unemployment crisis while just 41% approve.

His stature was lowest among Democrats, four-fifths of whom say DeSantis has fallen short. A majority of independents (53%) agree. Only Republicans are in the GOP Governors corner, though by a lower-than-usual 69-24% margin.

The coronavirus crisis has crippled Floridas tourism and service-based economy, forcing a staggering number of people to file for unemployment. Floridians are finding out firsthand that when it matters most Floridas leaders are failing them, Progress Florida executive director Mark Ferrulo said in a release highlighting the poll.

The poll also found Floridians support extending supplementary federal unemployment benefits by a 53-41% margin. Additionally, three-fifths of respondents believe containing the virus is more important than reopening the economy. About a third say the inverse.

Clarity Campaign Labs polled 2,039 likely voters online from July 6-13. Results were weighted to reflect a demographically and geographically representative statewide 2020 electorate.

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

@RealDonaldTrump: With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???

@NoahPransky: The real goal of this tweet? To get national media talking about this nonsensical debate instead of the new report of a 33% crash in our nations GDP in the 2Q.

@BarackObama: John believed that in all of us, there exists the capacity for great courage and a longing to do whats right. We are so lucky to have had him show us the way. I offered some thoughts today on his life and how, like him, we can give it all we have.

Tweet, tweet:

@Kriseman: The most densely populated county in Florida, Pinellas, has one of the lowest COVID-19 positive rates over the past week (6.8%). Only Alachua, Brevard, Calhoun & Franklin are lower. This isnt a time to celebrate or relax. It means what were doing, what youre doing, is working

@GGreenwald: Ive been hearing this for 15 years ever since bloggers built a large enough audience to force journalists, for the first time, to hear public critiques. Professions are strengthened, not weakened, when they hear public criticisms. You just have to see the public as not-trash.

@Sache: Saw that Tim Allen was trending this morning. Clicked on topic to find out why only to discover a bunch of tweets asking why Tim Allen was trending. So, Twitter is finally eating itself, apparently.

DAYS UNTIL

NHL resumes 1; Florida primaries for 2020 state legislative/congressional races 18; Florida Bar exams begin online (rescheduled) 19; Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee begins 19; Regal Cinemas reopen in U.S. 21; Indy 500 rescheduled 23; Republican National Convention begins in Charlotte 24; NBA draft lottery 25; Rev.Al Sharptons D.C. March 28; U.S. Open begins 31;Christopher Nolans Temet rescheduled premiere in U.S. 34; Rescheduled running of the Kentucky Derby 36; Rescheduled date for French Open 51; First presidential debate in Indiana 60; Wonder Woman premieres 63; Preakness Stakes rescheduled 64; First vice presidential debate at the University of Utah 67;Ashley Moodys 2020 Human Trafficking Summit 67; NBA season ends (last possible date) 73; Second presidential debate scheduled at Miami 76; NBA draft 77;Wes Andersons The French Dispatch premieres 77; NBA free agency 80; Third presidential debate at Belmont 83; 2020 General Election 95; BlackWidow premieres 99; NBA 2020-21 training camp 101; Florida Automated Vehicles Summit 112; No Time to Die premieres 112; NBA 2020-21 opening night 123; Super Bowl LV in Tampa 191; A Quiet Place Part II rescheduled premiere 203; Top Gun: Maverick rescheduled premiere 336; New start date for 2021 Olympics 357; Jungle Cruise premieres 365; Spider-Man Far From Home sequel premieres 462; Thor: Love and Thunder premieres 560; Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premieres 602; Black Panther 2 premieres 644; Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel premieres 798.

CORONA FLORIDA

Florida breaks single-day record for coronavirus deaths for 3rd straight day with more than 250 via Tony Pipitone of NBC Miami Floridas coronavirus-related deaths increased by a record of 253 residents Thursday, the third day in a row the state set a single-day record for virus-related deaths. The 253 deaths come a day after the state confirmed 216 COVID-related deaths on Wednesday. Florida reported 186 deaths on Tuesday. Only 18 of the 253 newly confirmed deaths occurred Wednesday. Just over half occurred a week ago or earlier, as reporting is delayed while the state confirms the deaths are COVID-19-related. As those deaths are confirmed by date it is clear just how deadly July has become, with 42% of the resident deaths occurring during the month so far.

Florida breaks another record for the most COVID-19 deaths in a single day more than 250. Image via Getty.

At least 54 hospitals have reached ICU capacity in Florida via CNN At least 54 hospitals have reached capacity in their intensive care units and show zero ICU beds available, according to data released by the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). Ten of the hospitals at capacity are in Miami-Dade County, and eight of them are in Broward County, AHCA data shows. Another 44 hospitals have 10% or less ICU capacity available, according to AHCA. AHCA reports about 16% ICU beds are available across the State of Florida.

Virus testing turnaround times reveal wide disparity via Tamara Lush of the Associated Press Cameron Settles was swabbed for COVID-19 in mid-June at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando and it took him eight days to get the results. He was positive, and so his wife went to the convention center for her own test. It took four days to receive her results, and they were negative. The entire process, the couple said, was frustrating. As coronavirus cases surge in hard-hit Florida, so do the turnaround times for test results. But there is one place in Central Florida where a group of people are being tested and getting results within a day: the NBA.

COVID-19 cases, deaths continue to climb in prisons via News Service of Florida Three more Florida inmates have died from complications of COVID-19, bringing the total number of prisoner deaths to 49, according to data released by the state Department of Corrections. The inmate death toll has doubled since June 30, when 24 inmate deaths were recorded. July has proved to be the deadliest month in Floridas prison system since the start of the pandemic, with 25 inmates dying since July 1. By comparison, nine inmates died in June. As of mid-Thursday, 9,501 inmates and corrections workers had tested positive for COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus. As of Thursday, corrections and health officials have conducted 45,781 tests on inmates, including 7,875 prisoners who have tested positive.

Youth infections in juvenile system top 300 via News Service of Florida More than 300 youths in juvenile-justice facilities have tested positive for COVID-19, as the number of cases in the state system continues to steadily increase. As of Thursday afternoon, 306 youths had tested positive, up from 290 on Tuesday, according to information from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. Also, 235 workers at juvenile-justice facilities had tested positive, up from 221 on Tuesday. Overall, 101 of the 235 workers who had tested positive have been medically cleared to return to their jobs. The department has taken a series of steps, including suspending visitation at the facilities, to try to prevent the spread of the disease.

Record-high numbers of COVID-19 deaths wont end soon, experts say via Naseem S. Miller of the Orlando Sentinel For the third straight day, a record number of COVID-19 deaths were reported Thursday in Florida, and public health officials say they dont expect that to change any time soon. The seven-day average number of deaths continues its upward trend and will continue to do so in the coming weeks, say experts who have long cautioned that deaths would lag behind the spike in cases. The new deaths today would not trigger me to say that theres an emergency today that wasnt there before. I do think this is a snapshot of what happened a month ago, said Dr. Robert Cook, professor of epidemiology at the University of Florida.

FEMA: Florida veterans hospitals can admit nonveterans during pandemic via Ileana Najarro of the Tampa Bay Times Florida veterans hospitals are able to admit non-veteran patients if requested by the Florida Department of Health to assist community hospitals in treating patients with or without the coronavirus, according to Mary Kay Rutan, a spokeswoman for the Veterans Affairs network that oversees medical facilities in Florida. As of Thursday, there have been no requests for this assistance, Rutan added. Its the second mission assignment for Florida veterans hospitals from the Federal Emergency Management Agency during the pandemic.

Florida pair arrested for breaking COVID-19 quarantine order via Bobby Caina Calvan of the Associated Press Jose Freire Interianwas walking his dog near his Key West home when a neighbor began recording him on her cellphone. Hours later, police came knocking on his door with an arrest warrant and whisked Freire and his wife to the county jail. The charge: violating quarantine after testing positive forCOVID-19. As a national debate swirls over masks and self-quarantines, communities are grappling over how aggressively they should enforce myriad rules meant to control the spread of the novel strain of coronavirus, which has now infected more than 460,000 in Florida and killed nearly 6,600 of its residents.

BACK TO SCHOOL?

Children may carry coronavirus at high levels, study finds via Apoorva Mandavilli of The New York Times Infected children have at least as much of the coronavirus in their noses and throats as infected adults, according to the research. Indeed, children younger than age 5 may host up to 100 times as much of the virus in the upper respiratory tract as adults, the authors found. That measurement does not necessarily prove children are passing the virus to others. Still, the findings should influence the debate over reopening schools, several experts said. The school situation is so complicated there are many nuances beyond just the scientific one, said Dr. Taylor Heald-Sargent, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago, who led the study, published in JAMA Pediatrics.

Open schools are the exception, not the rule, around the world via Ryan Heath of POLITICO President Donald Trump often cites examples from Europe as evidence American schools can reopen in-person this fall despite COVID-19, but he fails to mention one thing: They are the exception, not the rule. Only a few countries have opened schools nationwide in the manner the Trump administration is pushing. They include Norway, France and New Zealand, as well as Nicaragua, Taiwan and Vietnam. On the other hand, 143 countries have instituted country-wide closures. Countries with open schools tend to fall into two categories. Some took swift action against the pandemic in January to minimize disruption. Others were less proactive in the fight against COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, but they prioritized education in their recovery plan, coordinated by the top levels of government. The United States did neither.

Students wearing masks attend a class in Dinh Cong secondary school in Hanoi, Vietnam. In Vietnam, schools closed in late January and remained closed until May. Image via AP.

How to stop magical thinking in school reopening plans via Valerie Strauss of The Washington Post The 2020-2021 school year is almost upon us, yet many districts around the country still dont know when or how they plan to do it. And even some of those that do know when they are opening havent completed plans to improve remote learning (some have barely started) so that students will have a better experience than they did in the spring, when schools everywhere shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, the author of this post writes, there are magical things in some of the plans being offered, recommendations by experts for measures that he says arent really possible. Can classes really be held outdoors or in empty spaces repurposed for school? Can students really stay six feet away from one another? Are teachers being asked to do and risk too much?

As pandemic continues, Richard Corcoran will send his kids to brick-and-mortar schools via Danielle Brown of the Florida Phoenix Corcoran revealed that his six children would be going back to school in the upcoming academic year, opting for traditional classroom experience and in-person instruction rather than an online learning program. Corcorans words are significant as hundreds of thousands of families make one of the most important decisions of their lives as the COVID-19 pandemic continues and the new school year looms. Every parent wrestles with what are the risk of not sending my kids to school? versus what are the risk of sending my kids? Corcoran said in a roundtable discussion on education.

Broward County Schools planning to start classes fully online via Colleen Wright of the Miami Herald Even with half the number of cases as Miami-Dade, Broward County Public Schools has already called it. The second-largest school district in the state will start the school year Aug. 19 fully online. Theres a lot of work that needs to be done at a community level for us to safely return, said Superintendent Robert Runcie, who said data showed how unlikely infection rates would drop below 5% by the start of school. Our teachers need to prepare and our parents need to plan. The sooner we can do that the better. Runcie said the school district spent the entire summer getting ready for this worst-case scenario.

Orange County School Board can decide when to reopen local campuses, state says via Leslie Postal of the Orlando Sentinel The Orange County School Board can decide when to reopen public schools and does not need a waiver from the state to do that, an attorney for the Florida Department of Education said in a letter Thursday that seemed to contradict the states school reopening order. The decision to open or close a traditional public school in Orange County rests with the School Board of Orange County. As a result, the waiver you have requested is unnecessary, read the letter from attorney David Wells. The Orange School Board and Superintendent Barbara Jenkins, like their counterparts across the state, had interpreted Floridas order as one that left them little room to make local decisions.

Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Barbara Jenkins: A court ruled that the district can determine whether schools will reopen. Image via I4 Business Magazine.

Orange County teachers sue over school reopening plan via Andrew Atterbury of POLITICO Florida The lawsuit was filed by the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association, which represents 14,000 educators in Floridas fourth-largest school district. It asks for a delay in opening and demands that school officials turn over critical information about summer COVID-19 outbreaks. The legal action comes as national union leaders warn of possible teacher strikes and on the heels of a lawsuit filed by Floridas largest teachers union against the state. And it was filed as the coronavirus death toll mounts. Since the district leadership has shown they will not stand up for the health and safety of our community, we have no choice but to challenge their illegal actions in court, Orange County union President Wendy Doromal told reporters.

Heading back to Catholic school? Sign a waiver, St. Petersburg diocese says. via Jeffrey S. Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times As students prepare to return to classes, the Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg stands ready to greet them at its schoolhouse doors. Were going to do everything we can to keep the children safe when they come to school, said Chris Pastura, superintendent of schools for the diocese. But the system cannot make blanket guarantees that everyone will be protected from the effects of COVID-19, Pastura acknowledged. So on Monday, it sent a letter to the parents of its nearly 13,000 students asking, among other things, that they sign a waiver of liability for the diocese if their children become ill because of the virus. At least one mom was outraged by what she called the death release.

CORONA LOCAL

South Florida prison tallies most inmate COVID-19 deaths among Florida facilities via Samantha J. Gross of the Miami Herald A South Florida prison Thursday emerged as the deadliest COVID-19 facility in the states prison system. The state reported nine COVID-19 deaths among inmates at the South Florida Reception Center, a mixed youth and adult mens facility in Doral, near Miami. The total number of inmates who have died of the highly contagious respiratory disease rose from 46 to 49 overnight, according to the Department of Corrections data. Two of the new deaths announced were inmates at the South Florida Reception Center. The South Florida prison, which holds 1,100 inmates, has 132 infected inmates. By that count, 7% of those infected with COVID-19 have died. The facilitys death toll has surpassed Blackwater Correctional Facility near Pensacola, which has reported seven COVID-19 related deaths.

Coronavirus did not kill Wellington-area nurse who worked on pandemics front lines, autopsy report says via Joe Capozzi of The Palm Beach Post When Wellington-area nurse Danielle DiCenso passed away in April after working on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, her grieving family was convinced she was another casualty of COVID-19. But DiCenso, who at the time appeared to be the youngest early coronavirus victim in Palm Beach County, did not die from the deadly respiratory disease, an autopsy released Tuesday by the Palm Beach County medical examiner said. The 33-year-old mother died April 9 from complications of acute pyelonephritis, a bacterial infection in the kidney, according to autopsy records. The findings came as a surprise to her ex-husband, David DiCenso, who said Danielle was convinced that shed contracted COVID-19 while working in the intensive care unit at Palmetto General Hospital in Hialeah.

MORE LOCAL

Three more Florida State Hospital patients with COVID-19 dead via Nada Hassanein of the Tallahassee Democrat Four Florida State Hospital patients have died after having COVID-19, according to the District 2 Medical Examiners office. The coroners report names three of those patients: Arthur Hayes and Robert Coles, both of whom died Wednesday and Fabian Pettiford, who died Sunday. The Department of Children and Families, which runs the Chattahoochee-based mental-health facility, released a statement from Secretary Chad Poppell. Poppell ordered mandatory testing for both staff and residents at the hospital, adding that the mandatory testing began Sunday, the day Pettiford died. His death was the first known death related to the facility.

More Florida State Hospital patients are dying of COVID-19. Image via Tallahassee Daily Photo.

Escambia County records 18 COVID-19 deaths in last five days via the Pensacola News Journal The deaths of four more Escambia County residents were reported Thursday, pushing the total since the pandemic began to 98. The county has recorded a staggering 18 deaths in the last five days, which correlates with the rising number of deaths in the state of Florida. Florida has set a record each of the last three days for the number of COVID-19-related deaths, recording 259 deaths Thursday. The Escambia County deaths included a 60-year-old man, an 81-year-old man, a 61-year-old woman and an 84-year-old woman. Santa Rosa County recorded three deaths this week and no new deaths Thursday. To date, 22 people have died in Santa Rosa County.

6 Niceville firefighters test positive for COVID-19 via Erin Franczak of the NWF Daily News

Sarasota Memorial Hospital expands COVID-19 antibody trial via the Sarasota Herald-Tribune Sarasota Memorial Hospital is expanding community access to a multinational clinical trial that is testing a new dual-action antibody cocktail to treat COVID-19. Two weeks ago,SMH became the first hospital in Floridato enroll hospitalized patients in Regeneron Pharmaceuticals experimental treatment (REGN-COV2) for COVID-19. This week, SMH opened the trial to people who have been infected with the novel coronavirus but arent sick enough to be hospitalized, the hospital said in a news release. In the past two weeks, SMH has enrolled 19 hospitalized patients, and enrolled its first outpatient on Monday.

Tropical Storm Isaias is shifting east. COVID-19 testing may remain open in Manatee via Ryan Callihan of the Bradenton Herald Florida officials are reconsidering their decision to close local COVID-19 testing sites in Manatee County after a favorable shift to the east for Tropical Storm Isaias forecast track. After strengthening overnight, forecasts show the storm traveling through the Hispaniola region before heading to Floridas East Coast, instead of the Gulf of Mexico as originally expected. The state expects to decide on coronavirus testing around 5 p.m. Thursday. In a presentation to the Manatee Board of County Commissioners Thursday afternoon, Public Safety Director Jake Saur said his department is also declining to request a local state of emergency because of the storm.

FSU sends letter preparing boosters for reduced stadium capacity for 2020 football season via Wayne McGahee III of the Tallahassee Democrat Florida State sent a letter to boosters and season ticket holders with details pertaining to the 2020 college football season. FSU stated that attendance for the home games this season will likely be limited and could be as low as 25% of the stadiums overall capacity. Season ticket holders may also not have their normal seats due to social distancing practices that will be implemented in the stadium. Doak Campbell Stadiums capacity is listed at 79,560. A reduced capacity to 25% would be 19,890. FSU has currently sold just over 20,000 season tickets. FSU also stated that ticket and parking assignments for 2020 will roll over to 2021 regardless of how the ticketing changes this year.

Florida-FSU series shelved as SEC football adopts conference-only, 10-game schedule via Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times When the ACC announced its updated football schedule, it included one nonconference game to preserve in-state, nonconference rivalries like Florida-Florida State. That protection lasted all of 24 hours. The SEC shelved the series when it announced it was abandoning its entire nonconference schedule, instead opting for 10 league-only games because of the coronavirus pandemic. Most importantly for now in the Sunshine State, it ices the fierce rivalry between the Seminoles and Gators a series that needed help from the state government to launch but has been played annually since 1958.

UCF football may get schedule boost following SEC decision via Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel UCFs football scheduling challenges may ease a bit after the SEC announced it is moving forward with a conference-only schedule this fall. The decision wipes away a handful of rivalry games between SEC and ACC teams, including Florida versus Florida State, Georgia versus Georgia Tech, Clemson versus South Carolina and Louisville versus Kentucky. The SEC decision opens the door for UCF as an attractive option for both North Carolina and Georgia Tech. The American Athletic Conference isnt expected to make a decision on the fall until next week.

Volusia residents masking up, avoiding fines via Eileen Zaffiro-Kean of The Daytona Beach News-Journal Whatever the motivation for wearing face masks, the majority of people in at least a few Volusia County cities are complying with indoor face-covering mandates, area officials say. Not a single face mask fine has been imposed yet in Daytona Beach, DeLand or Orange City, the only local municipalities that have adopted measures empowering police and code enforcement officers to impose financial penalties for mask violators. Were getting total compliance. Its amazing, said Daytona Beach Police Chief Craig Capri. I think people are really taking this serious. In Ponce Inlet last week, there was a mask-related uproar over a fundraiser for the towns community center that centered on T-shirt sales. The T-shirts said Your Choice Mask It or Casket, and the point was reinforced with the images of a black mask and a black casket.

Hillsborough could consider tougher mask rule via C.T. Bowen of the Tampa Bay Times Hillsborough Commissioner Kimberly Overman wants the county to consider toughening its face mask rules to include wearing the coverings outdoors. Overman made her suggestion at the conclusion of the Emergency Policy Group meeting Thursday afternoon, saying the countys emergency order should align with the recommendation from Dr. Scott Rivkees, Floridas Surgeon General. Rivkees issued an updated recommendation July 20, calling for masks to be worn both indoors and outdoors when social distancing isnt possible and to limit social gatherings to no more than 10 people. The previous recommendation called for limiting group gatherings to 50 people and for masks to be worn in any setting, but did not specify outdoors specifically.

Hillsborough Commissioner Kimberly Overman is urging the county to consider stricter mask rules.

Tampa Bay power companies among first to resume shut-offs via Malena Carollo of the Tampa Bay Times The clock is ticking for Tampa Bay utility customers who havent paid their power bills during the pandemic. Beginning in September, both of Tampa Bays major power companies will resume shut-offs for those who havent paid their bills or made payment arrangements. Their Florida peers havent put a date on when they will resume disconnections. And other areas of the country are putting even wider moratoriums on power shut-offs. Like many businesses, we must now take steps toward resuming our standard billing practices, Tampa Electric said in a letter to customers. Tampa Electric Co. and Duke Energy Florida are the areas two primary power companies. Each will resume shut-offs as early as Sept. 1.

BayCare to close drive-thru coronavirus test sites at the Trop, Gulf High School via Caitlin Johnston of the Tampa Bay Times Friday is the last day to get tested for COVID-19 at Tropicana Field and Gulf High School in Port Richey. BayCare Health Systems, which has operated different drive-thru sites for COVID-19 testing since March, announced it would close the two sites to align resources with community need and further collaborate with government partners, according to a statement. BayCare officials said neither the Mahaffey nor the Trop site have experienced full capacity since both have been operating the past three weeks. They plan to open an additional drive-thru site with closer access for central and north Pinellas residents, but did not share additional details in Thursdays statement.

CORONA NATION

2nd US virus surge hits plateau, but few experts celebrate via Mike Stobbe and Nicky Forster of The Associated Press While deaths from the coronavirus in the U.S. are mounting rapidly, public health experts are seeing a flicker of good news: The second surge of confirmed cases appears to be leveling off. Scientists arent celebrating by any means, warning that the trend is driven by four big, hard-hit places, Arizona, California, Florida and Texas, and that cases are rising in close to 30 states in all, with the outbreaks center of gravity seemingly shifting from the Sun Belt toward the Midwest. Some experts wonder whether the apparent caseload improvements will endure. Its also not clear when deaths will start coming down. COVID-19 deaths do not move in perfect lockstep with the infection curve, for the simple reason that it can take weeks to get sick and die from the virus. The future? I think its very difficult to predict, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the governments foremost infectious-disease expert.

Healthcare worker Dante Hills passes paperwork to a woman in a vehicle at a COVID-19 testing site outside of Marlins Park in Miami. Image via AP.

At the heart of dismal U.S. coronavirus response, a fraught relationship with masks via Griff Witte, Ariana Eunjung Cha and Josh Dawsey of The Washington Post The country hit a tipping point on widespread mask use only this month, with a majority of states and the nations largest retailers all mandating them. But the science has long been pointing toward the efficacy of masks even if the guidance from health authorities wasnt. Health officials had made their recommendations based on the flawed assumption that the bulk of transmission was taking place from people with obvious signs of illness. The thinking was that if people with fevers, coughs and other symptoms were to isolate, case counts would remain under control. But it wasnt long before CDC contact tracers began to find evidence of silent spreaders. Many experts backed the anti-mask guidance, arguing they werent sure face coverings would make a significant difference. They were worried masks could make people less disciplined about social distancing.

Young people are infecting older family members in shared homes via Lenny Bernstein of The Washington Post As the death toll escalates in coronavirus hot spots, the evidence is growing that young people who work outside the home, or who surged into bars and restaurants when states relaxed shutdowns, are infecting their more vulnerable elders, especially family members. Front-line caregivers, elected officials, and experts in Houston, South Florida and elsewhere say they are seeing patterns of hospitalization and death that confirm fears this would happen, which were first raised in May and June. That was when Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and other states reopened in efforts to revive their flagging economies. The emerging trend highlights the difficulty of relying on the Trump administrations strategy of sheltering the most vulnerable while the young and healthy return to work and school.

Anthony Fauci to tell House panel unclear how long pandemic lasts via Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Matthew Perrone of the Associated Press Theres no end in sight tothe coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Fauciand other top government health experts will tell Congress. While it remains unclear how long the pandemic will last, COVID-19 activity will likely continue for some time, Fauci. At a time when early progress seems to have been lost and uncertainty clouds the nations path forward, Fauci, the governments top infectious disease expert, is calling on lawmakers and all other Americans to go back to public health basics such associal distancingandwearing masks.

Johnson & Johnsons coronavirus vaccine protects monkeys, study finds via Carl Zimmer of The New York Times An experimental coronavirus vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson protected monkeys from infection in a new study. It is the second vaccine candidate to show promising results in monkeys this week. The company recently began a clinical trial in Europe and the United States to test its vaccine in people. It is one of more than 30 human trials for coronavirus vaccines underway across the world. But until these trials are complete, which will probably take several months, the monkey data offers the best clues to whether the vaccines will work. This week has been good now we have two vaccines that work in monkeys, said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University who was not involved in the studies. Its nice to be upbeat for a change.

Drugmakers race to build COVID-19 vaccine supply chains via Elaine Chen of The Wall Street Journal Pharmaceutical companies that are racing to develop vaccines for the coronavirus are already working behind the scenes to build the supply chains needed to deliver their drugs to billions of people as rapidly as possible. To serve global demand once a vaccine is approved, a complicated and high-stakes supply chain would kick into gear on a scale that the drug industry has rarely seen. The preparations involve lining up raw materials and factory capacity to manufacture a vaccine in large volumes, and the equipment needed to transport many millions of doses at once through distribution channels that will be subject to tight security and temperature controls.

Most voters say theyd rather wait for an effective coronavirus vaccine via Zachary Brennan of POLITICO More than 60% of voters think the U.S. should fully test any coronavirus vaccine even if that delays rolling it out and allows the virus to keep spreading in the meantime. Just 22% of respondents said the government should make a vaccine available as soon as possible, even if it had not been fully tested. Republicans (26%) were slightly more likely than Democrats (21%) to favor getting a vaccine out as quickly as possible. Trump has repeatedly promised that a vaccine will be available by years end, raising fears among researchers and public health experts that his administration will rush to approve a shot without clear evidence that it is safe and effective.

A patient receives a shot in the first-stage safety study clinical trial of a potential vaccine for COVID-19 at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. Image via AP.

CORONA ECONOMICS

U.S. suffered worst quarterly contraction on record as virus ravages economy via Ben White of POLITICO The U.S. economy crashed in historic fashion this year, shrinking at a nearly 33% annualized pace in the second quarter, as the coronavirus pandemic ravaged businesses and sent joblessness soaring. The question now for Trump, trailing in the polls and facing a daunting reelection effort, is just how much conditions can snap back in the months leading up to Election Day. At least for the moment, the spike in COVID-19 cases, the potential for fresh trouble this fall and a bitter fight over how to pump more federal money into the ailing economy suggest the sharp bounce-back Trump is counting on may not show up in a way he envisions.

As coronavirus ravages the United States, the nation suffers its worst quarterly contraction on record. Image via AP.

1.43 million filed new state unemployment claims last week. via Nelson D. Schwartz of The Tampa Bay Times The number of Americans filing new claims for state unemployment benefits totaled 1.43 million last week, the Labor Department reported. It was the 19th straight week that the tally exceeded 1 million, an unheard-of figure before the coronavirus pandemic. And it was the second weekly increase in a row after nearly four months of declines, a sign of how the rebound in cases has undercut the economys nascent recovery. Claims for the previous week totaled 1.42 million. New claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, the governments program aimed at covering freelancers, the self-employed and other workers not covered by traditional unemployment benefits, totaled 830,000, down from 975,000 the week before.

New filings for unemployment fall in Florida again but continue to climb in the rest of the U.S. via Rob Wile of the Miami Herald The number of Floridians filing for unemployment benefits for the first time fell for the second-straight week. But the figure climbed in the rest of the U.S., suggesting the national economic picture remains grim. For the week ending July 25, Florida workers filed 87,062 new claims for unemployment, down from 108,976 the week prior. Nationally, new claims climbed by 12,000 to 1,434,000. And the insured unemployment rate, or the percentage of workers on unemployment for two-consecutive weeks, hit 11.6%, an increase of 0.5 percentage points the previous weeks rate.

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Sunburn The morning read of what's hot in Florida politics 7.31.20 - Florida Politics