By Nectar Gan, Adam Renton, Melissa Macaya, Mike Hayes, Sebastian Shukla and Meg Wagner, CNN
Updated 12:00 a.m. ET, November 18, 2020
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10:42 a.m. ET, November 17, 2020
“Try as best as possible to keep the schools open,” Fauci says
From CNN's Naomi Thomas
Dr. Anthony Fauci on CNN's "Newsroom" on November 17. CNN
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN’s Jim Sciutto on Tuesday that, even as some sites close, schools should stay open as much as possible.
“We’re seeing certain local people, be they mayors or leaders in the community, doing selected closing of places that are highly vulnerable, clearly among them are bars and anything that has congregate setting, particularly indoors,” he said.
But, Fauci said, in many cases, schools can be kept open safely.
“The default position to be is try as best as possible to keep the schools open, but you’ve got to have not one size fits all, you’ve got to take a look at what is going on in the particular location where you’re at,” Fauci said. “But we should be trying to keep the children in school as safely as we possibly can.”
One way to do that, he said, is getting resources to schools to allow, for example, hybrid schooling with some physical distancing or with some alternating of classes.
“I don’t want to dictate that from here to the school, because I’m not there,” Fauci said, “but, do what you can to keep the children and the teachers safe, but try as best as possible to keep the schools open.”
WATCH:
10:09 a.m. ET, November 17, 2020
GOP. Sen. Chuck Grassley is quarantining after he was exposed to Covid-19
From CNN's Lauren Fox and Kristin Wilson
Sen. Chuck Grassley walks in the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, DC, on October 23. Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley was exposed to Covid-19 and will immediately quarantine, according to an announcement from his office.
Grassley issued the following statement:
“I learned today that I’ve been exposed to the coronavirus. I will follow my doctors’ orders and immediately quarantine as I await my test results. I’m feeling well and not currently experiencing any symptoms, but it’s important we all follow public health guidelines to keep each other healthy.”
10:00 a.m. ET, November 17, 2020
More than 247,000 people have died from Covid-19 in the US
There have been at least 11,214,231 cases of coronavirus in the US and at least 247,356 people have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases.
So far today, Johns Hopkins has reported 11,251 new cases and 154 reported deaths.
10:04 a.m. ET, November 17, 2020
North and South Dakota doctors face ICU and staffing shortages as coronavirus cases skyrocket
From CNN's Adrienne Vogt
From left, on CNN's "New Day" on November 17: Dr. Michael LeBeau, president of the Bismarck region of Sanford Health in North Dakota and Dr. Nancy Babbitt, a family medicine physician at Creekside Medical in Rapid City, South Dakota. CNN
North and South Dakota health officials say that doctors and nurses are struggling to keep up with the number of coronavirus patients.
Dr. Nancy Babbitt, a family medicine physician at Creekside Medical in Rapid City, South Dakota, said that there are not enough nurses available to help Covid-19 patients use the bathroom.
“When we look at the South Dakota Department of Health website, it does indicate that there are beds available and hospital capacity and ventilator capacity, but when I speak to physicians that work at the hospital and I speak to nurses that work at the hospital, they're struggling because of staffing issues,” Babbitt said.
“I spoke to a nurse last week and she was devastated because the nurses are finding Covid patients are so weak that they can't get out of bed and the nurses are not able to get to them in time to help them get to the bathroom,” she added.
There was a day last week where her county hit 88% positivity, Babbitt said.
“That is devastating for our community because it tells us that we are grossly under-testing. … It's just still shocking to me how far into this we are and people are still complaining of not enough tests,” she said.
Dr. Michael LeBeau, president of the Bismarck region of Sanford Health in North Dakota, said his facility has no ICU beds left.
While administrators are working on different plans for the near future, it’s up to the public to help stop the spread, he said.
“The message is simple: The rate of spread is not sustainable. And we have been very active with our community continuing to educate and explain that if we're going to make any changes, today’s got to be that day,” he said.
Babbitt said she tries to “educate, educate, educate” patients who are still skeptical of the pandemic. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem still maintains that she will not implement a mask mandate.
“I think our governor should acknowledge [she has] no experience with a viral pandemic. She's not alone. Nobody did really. Go to the experts and lay out a plan associated with all of the information that we've been given and that we know. We have learned so much in the last six, seven months. There's absolutely no reason why we shouldn't be going to the experts for this advice,” Babbitt said.
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10:31 a.m. ET, November 17, 2020
Fauci: “I will take a vaccine and will recommend to my family to also take it” when FDA approves
From CNN's Aditi Sangal
Dr. Anthony Fauci on CNN's "Newsroom" on November 17. CNN
The nation's top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci sais he will take the Covid-19 vaccine and will recommend it to his family once it is scrutinized and approved by the scientists at the Food and Drug administration.
"When they say it's safe and effective to give... I will take a vaccine and I will recommend to my family to also take it," he told CNN Tuesday.
He added:
"The process is transparent and independent. You have to trust me on that. The independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board looked at that data and judged that this was an effective vaccine," he said. "Those data are going to be scrutinized by career scientists at the FDA. Those data will be presented to an advisory committee that are going to look at it, an independent advisory committee. People like myself and fellow scientists will have access to the data."
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10:32 a.m. ET, November 17, 2020
Fauci says it's OK to celebrate vaccine news — but don't let up on public health measures
From CNN's Naomi Thomas
Dr. Anthony Fauci testifies at a hearing on September 23 in Washington, DC. Alex Edelman/Pool/Getty Images
While it is OK to celebrate news about vaccine efficacy, it’s not a signal to pull back on public health measures, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on Tuesday.
“Yes, it’s OK to celebrate it because from a scientific and potential public health standpoint, this is an extraordinarily important advance,” Fauci told NPR’s Rachel Martin on “Morning Edition.”
Fauci said he had previously said that he would feel good if there was a vaccine that was 70 to 75% effective, which, combined with public health measures, could have had an impact on the outbreak. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccine candidates have a 90% and 94.5% efficacy, respectively.
“94.5% for this and more than 90% for the Pfizer candidate, to me, is a very, very important advance in our armamentarium of trying to stop this outbreak,” he said.
However, vaccines won’t do it alone.
“That’s the important point, this should not be a signal to pull back on the public health measures that we must continue to implement,” said Fauci.
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8:52 a.m. ET, November 17, 2020
These state measures are taking effect this week
From CNN's Christina Maxouris
A person walks past empty tables at a restaurant and bar in Pullman, Washington, on November 16. Geoff Crimmins/Moscow-Pullman Daily News/AP
The US has now recorded more than 100,000 daily infections for two weeks straight and on Monday reported more than 166,000 new cases. On the same day, another new high: more than 73,000 Covid-19 hospitalized patients nationwide, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project.
Oklahoma: The governor announced that starting Thursday, all tables in restaurants must be at least 6 feet apart and added that bars and restaurants will have to close by 11 p.m. local time. Only restaurant drive-through windows or curbside pickup will be allowed after that. And starting Tuesday, all 33,000 state employees under the executive branch will be required to wear a mask in common areas or when they're around other people, the governor's office said.
California: Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state is experiencing the "fastest increase in cases we have seen yet" and announced 28 counties were moving into the most restrictive tier of the state's reopening plan.
Washington state: New restrictions went into effect Monday, which limit bars and restaurants to outdoors with capacity limits and to-go service. Indoor social gatherings with people from outside the home are also prohibited under the restrictions, unless participants quarantine for 14 days prior, or quarantine for seven days before the gathering and receive a negative Covid-19 test result no more than 48 hours prior.
Oregon: New measures will also take effect in the state on Wednesday, when the state will go into a "Two-Week Freeze." Social gatherings will be limited to no more than six people total from a maximum of two households and restaurants will be limited to delivery and takeout only, among other measures.
These are the states with the highest number of Covid-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University:
10:19 a.m. ET, November 17, 2020
Group that donates menstrual products is reporting a huge increase in need during the pandemic
From CNN's Nina Avramova
UK charity Bloody Good Period is reporting a surge in the number of menstrual packs they have donated since the beginning of the pandemic.
The charity — which donates packs of menstrual products to refugees, food banks, staff at the UK's National Health Service staff and homeless people — reports that it has given more than 54,000 packs of period products since March.
Usually, BGP donates 2,000 products a month, according to data from the organization. This year, the charity reported surging numbers came in April, May and June.
In April alone, 10,631 packs were distributed. This huge increase is partially because of stockpiling, among other factors.
"Frontline workers were working such long hours that they couldn’t get to shops to buy period products, and if they could get there, they typically found empty shelves as people were stockpiling pads and tampons," the organization's CEO and founder, Gabby Edlin, said in a statement.
BGP has focused its donations on groups that support asylum-seekers and refugees. To date, these groups have received 30% of the overall donations, according to the charity.
BGP is bracing for the situation to worsen, though.
"There’s really no let-up in sight to this increased level of demand — in fact we are planning for demand to continue to increase. As recession bites, more people lose their jobs, and more people are pushed into financial hardship and poverty," Edlin said in the statement. "Periods continue to happen, every month. If people don't have the products they need, they're forced to use alternatives like toilet paper, socks, newspaper, or to not change pads or tampons frequently — all of those options are obviously not appropriate, and can cause infections. Some people have no choice but to use nothing at all."
7:52 a.m. ET, November 17, 2020
India's daily cases fall to lowest level since July
From CNN's Manveena Suri in New Delhi
A health care worker collects a swab sample for a Covid-19 test on October 29 in Mumbai, India. Satish Bate/Hindustan Times/Getty Images
Daily coronavirus infections fell in India to their lowest levels since mid-July on Tuesday, with 29,163 cases reported in 24 hours, bringing the total to 8,874,290, the Health Ministry said.
While the number of cases decline nationwide, the Indian capital region of Delhi is experiencing a third wave and cases are at a "record high," Rajesh Bhushan, secretary for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said at a press conference on Tuesday.
The government is responding to the surge in infections by increasing hospital beds, including intensive care beds, doubling testing to 100,000 to 120,000 per day, focusing on contact tracing and enforcing containment zones where required, Bhushan added.
Delhi has nearly 4,000 so-called containment zones, areas identified as hotspots where strict lockdowns have been imposed.
