All posts by nedhamson

Activist, writer, researcher, addicted to sharing information and facts.

Eurosurveillance | A large COVID-19 outbreak in a high school 10 days after schools’ reopening, Israel, May 2020

On 13 March 2020, Israel’s government declared closure of all schools. Schools fully reopened on 17 May 2020. Ten days later, a major outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) occurred in a high school. The first case was registered on 26 May, the second on 27 May. They were not epidemiologically linked. Testing of the complete school community revealed 153 students (attack rate: 13.2%) and 25 staff members (attack rate: 16.6%) who were COVID-19 positive.

Source: Eurosurveillance | A large COVID-19 outbreak in a high school 10 days after schools’ reopening, Israel, May 2020

Coronavirus case surge exacerbates California inequities – Los Angeles Times

COVID-19 has already killed nearly triple the number of people in L.A. County than died from flu or pneumonia during the most recent eight-month flu season. Between October and May, 1,521 people died from the flu and pneumonia; as of Thursday, 4,263 people have died from COVID-19 in L.A. County.

Source: Coronavirus case surge exacerbates California inequities – Los Angeles Times

Trump Moves to Repeal Anti-Segregation Laws in Suburbs aka: Trump Still Thinks Cosplaying As Richard Nixon Will Help Him Win the Votes of (White) Suburban Women

Take Jane Scilovati, a Pennsylvania schoolteacher who recently told the New York Times that the way Trump handles issues of race is a “disgrace” and “deplorable,” and that she regrets her decision to vote for him in 2016. “He doesn’t have any compassion or empathy; he doesn’t reference historical facts correctly,” she told the Times. “He’s brought more division to this country than we’ve seen since the Civil Rights Act.”

All the suburb-dwellers like Jane want is some peace and quiet, not necessarily a new civil rights movement. They want a president who can say the right words about racism, and not necessarily do anything to combat decades (or centuries, if we want to be accurate) of discrimination and segregation. But all Trump has in his playbook is division and white grievance. It may have worked once, but if polls are to be believed, it’s unlikely to work again.

 

Source: Trump Moves to Repeal Anti-Segregation Laws in Suburbs

Brown and Blue: A Mexican American Police Family Tries To Reconcile ‘Who We Once Were, Who We Now Are, And Who We Want To Be’ : LAist

Idealism isn’t easy when the realities push you to cynicism. Idealism is difficult when at times like this, I am thinking not so much with my brain instead coming from a place in my past, experiencing feelings I thought I could leave behind when I moved out of Venice.

All I do know is that now it’s not my mom sitting in the next room feeling the same worry, it’s my 17-year-old who can’t go to sleep until she hears her dad enter, put his bag down and sigh, saying “I’m home,” indicating we no longer have to worry. Until tomorrow.

For me, it’s a familiar feeling. For my daughter, she now knows what I felt when I was her age, waiting for my brothers to walk in the door safe for another day.

To be Brown and Blue, that’s our L.A. story.

 

Source: Brown and Blue: A Mexican American Police Family Tries To Reconcile ‘Who We Once Were, Who We Now Are, And Who We Want To Be’ : LAist

A Powerful New Video From the Human Rights Campaign and Billy Porter Reminds Us Voting Matters

This is not only about the presidency,” said David. “This is about seizing back the Senate. This is about holding onto the Supreme Court. This is about electing mayors and city council members who actually decide how much money to give it to the police departments and who is actually going to be a police chief. So if you’re focused only on racial justice and you’re concerned about making sure that we have more diverse people that are working in policing, you need to vote…

“Our job is to make sure people are informed about how this country functions, [and] understands their power in our democracy,” he added. “We can’t lose again. If we lose again, we lose the Supreme Court…we have to appreciate that this election is the election of our lifetimes; everyone has to understand how important this is, and that is what we’re fighting for.”

 

Source: A Powerful New Video From the Human Rights Campaign and Billy Porter Reminds Us Voting Matters

Harris County orders schools closed until Sept. 8

Texas’ most populous county ordered Friday that all public and non-religious private schools stay closed and provide online learning until after Labor Day due to concern over the continued spread of the coronavirus.
Many other counties have also ordered schools to push back their start dates for in-person learning.

Many other counties have also ordered schools to push back their start dates for in-person learning.
Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune

Texas’ most populous county ordered Friday that all public and non-religious private schools stay closed and provide online learning until after Labor Day due to concern over the continued spread of the coronavirus.

A joint public health order from Harris County and city of Houston health officials states schools must remain closed until at least Sept. 8. But the order could be extended beyond that date, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said.

“We are all desperate to move on from this crisis and get life back to normal. September 8 is still likely too soon, but the truth is, the fastest way we can all work together to bring this virus under control, the sooner we will be in a position to reopen again for the long term,” Hidalgo said in a written statement.

Hidalgo said reopening schools now would be “self-defeating” as the number of people infected with and hospitalized with the virus continues to reach record highs in parts of the state.

“We cannot talk about sending our children, teachers, and staff back to school when the virus is spreading uncontrollably in our community,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner in a written statement. “We are at a critical moment in the fight against COVID-19, and we must take a step back and work to lower the positivity rate and hospitalizations.”

Last week the Texas Education Agency confirmed schools can remain closed for longer than three weeks and continue getting funding from the state as long as they offer remote instruction to all students and have a mandate from their local public health officials.

The move came after pushback from teachers, parents and schools confused about wavering guidance from TEA and concerned about the safety of reopening.

Other Texas counties that will require online learning for the initial weeks of the school year include Travis County, Tarrant County, Dallas County and El Paso County.

The Harris County order comes a week after Harris County officials recommended schools delay in-person teaching until at least October. Houston ISD has already said that it plans to start the year with six weeks of virtual classes right after Labor Day, subject to change if state or local officials issue other guidance.

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DOD is scouting contractors to set up potential mobile coronavirus hospitals in Florida as outbreak worsens

Good if the money goes to real performers and not political hacks setting instant non-performing LLCs

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The Army is helping Florida in case it needs to quickly build out more surge capacity at its hospitals as Covid-19 cases continue to rise, seeking contractors who can build temporary facilities with ten days notice.