Parents with means are hiring teachers, creating ‘pods’ for their kids
Fed up with remote education, parents who can pay have a new plan for fall: import teachers to their homes.
Public Health
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Virus antibodies fade fast but not necessarily protection
New research suggests that antibodies the immune system makes to fight the coronavirus might only last a few months in people with mild illness, but that doesn’t mean protection also is gone or that it won’t be possible to develop an effective vaccine.
More area school districts hitting brakes on reopening plans
The shift indicates a wariness among school district leaders as COVID-19 cases statewide rise and both parents and teachers push back against bringing students into classrooms.
The Latest: Fun center closes due to pandemic losses; two big Indy events canceled
Get the latest tidbits on pandemic-related closures, delays, testing and other news in this ongoing series of updates.
Coronavirus infections far exceed reported cases, CDC estimates
The agency conducted a survey looking at antibodies to the virus in 10 U.S. regions, including Indiana. It found prevalence was highly variable from one region to the next, but far higher than the reported number of cases across the board.
Poll: Pandemic hurting Americans’ finances in disparate ways
For some, the virus has meant lost income or struggles to pay bills on time. Others have transitioned to working from home or have experienced the nation’s economic decline through a dip in the value of their investments.
Next federal virus aid package could easily swell past $1 trillion
With the pandemic showing no signs of easing, officials acknowledge the daunting challenge of trying to contain the coronavirus and prevent further economic distress.
Zoo cancels Zoobilation fundraising event set for August
The zoo told volunteers on Tuesday that the decision was made to “support the health and safety of our community.”
Indiana reports 20 more COVID-19 deaths, 734 new cases
The state on Tuesday reported an additional 20 deaths, the biggest single-day increase since June 27, when it reported a rise of 21.
Fishers issues mask mandate that begins Friday
Fishers joins Marion, Elkhart, LaGrange, Monroe and St. Joseph counties, plus the cities of Evansville and West Lafayette, as locations in Indiana with mask mandates.
NFL agrees to eliminate preseason, reaches deal with union on coronavirus testing
The league’s concessions on the preseason and daily testing of players increased the likelihood that all teams’ camps will open fully by July 28 as scheduled.
Tech drives stocks to new heights on Wall Street after choppy start
The rally, which gained strength in the final hour of trading, nudged the benchmark S&P 500 index to a slight gain for the year and drove the Nasdaq composite to an all-time high.
Talks begin on new federal coronavirus relief package
President Donald Trump said discussions were going well as the administration and congressional Republicans aim to form a unified front before launching contentious talks with Democrats on the last major relief bill before the November election.
Nordic study suggests open schools did not measurably affect spread of virus
It’s not the first time researchers have raised questions about the merits of shutting schools during the pandemic. A French study last month found that schoolchildren don’t appear to transmit COVID-19 to peers or teachers.
Indiana reports increase of 635 COVID-19 cases, 3 more deaths
The state has seen an increase of 5,169 cases over the past week, an average of 738 per day. That’s a significant increase over the previous week.
Oxford coronavirus vaccine safe and promising, according to Phase 1 results
The Oxford candidate is one of 23 vaccines now being tested in human trials, according to a running tally kept by the World Health Organization. More than 130 others are in preclinical trials.
Area builders see big jump in home-construction applications
After a slowdown in May, applications for home construction permits made a solid rebound in the Indianapolis area in June despite the pandemic.
IPS delays school reopenings due to COVID-19 concerns
In-person classes and remote learning will now begin on Aug. 17, instead of the previously planned Aug. 3 start. Families can also reconsider whether they want full-time virtual learning when school starts.
Trump seeks payroll tax cut while GOP insists on liability protections
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to introduce an approximately $1 trillion stimulus bill in coming days that will include a limited extension of federal unemployment benefits. Those benefits are set to expire as soon as this week.
Indiana reports second-highest daily increase in COVID-19 cases
Indiana has seen new COVID-19 cases rise for five straight days and has reported more than 700 new cases for four straight days.