July 29, 2021 US coronavirus news

Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger today said his officers are not intending to make arrests over violations of mask rules in the House.

"We do have the responsibility to enforce the rules here," Manger told CNN's Jake Tapper. "Whether a person wears the mask or doesn't wear a mask, it is not a law it is a rule." 

Manger went on to suggest he's directed officers to avoid arrests if possible.

"The last thing anybody wants is for somebody to be arrested in a situation like that," he said. "...It hasn't happened yet... I don't imagine there being any, but it is up to officers to make sure that they are complying with that mandate."

Earlier today, many House Republicans purposefully defied mask rules reinstated by Capitol Attending Physician Dr. Brian Monahan, appearing on the floor maskless.

This is the latest sign of the deep divide and tension between Republicans and Democrats in the House on how to handle the Covid-19 pandemic and various other issues, with it even festering at the top, between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

The state of Illinois announced on Thursday that face coverings are now required in all state facilities for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. 

State employees are now required to cover their nose and mouth while in a workplace or performing work duties in indoor settings unless they have a medical condition, said the release.

Employees must also maintain a physical distancing of at least six feet at all times, or as much as reasonably possible while performing work duties.

Any visitors above the age of 2 are also required to wear a face-covering while inside state offices unless they have a medical condition that prevents it, said the release. Additionally, state facilities will receive regular cleaning services and employees will be provided cleaning supplies to disinfect their workspaces. 

Following a suggestion from President Biden at his Thursday news conference on Covid-19, the state of New Mexico is restarting its incentive program to pay people $100 to get a shot.

The revived program, paid for with federal stimulus money, will be available to any registered New Mexican who gets a vaccine dose starting Aug. 2 and continue for the rest of the month. Residents do not have to be fully vaccinated, although no individual can get more than a single $100 payment.

The original incentive program “led to a 333% increase in single-shot vaccines and a 26% overall boost in completed vaccinations,” the state's health department said Thursday in a news release.

Gov. Eric Holcomb renewed the Covid-19 executive orders for Indiana that address the impact and spread of the virus on Thursday. 

All businesses and individuals must adhere to the guidelines of the order, which take effect Aug. 1 and continue through Aug. 30, according to the orders.

Some context: Since the governor first issued the order on March 6, 2020, the virus has spread to every Indiana county within the state with over 768,000 confirmed cases and over 13,500 deaths.

According to the order, the state has demonstrated a seven-day average positivity rate which has risen to 6.3% from 2.1% in a month. There have been new confirmed cases daily and continued hospitalizations and deaths.

As a result of this, the executive order says everyone in the state should take responsibility for their health and safety, as well as the safety of those around them by taking preventative matters.

According to the order, over 2.9 million people have been vaccinated out of the 5.7 million eligible and 98% of new Covid-19 cases are from those who are unvaccinated. The order strongly encourages those ages 12 and above to get vaccinated.

The Biden administration is not considering a nationwide Covid-19 vaccine requirement, White House Covid-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients said Thursday.

“That’s not an authority that we're exploring at all,” Zients told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.

President Biden announced Thursday that all federal employees must attest to being vaccinated or agree to regular testing and other protocols. 

Zients noted that Biden’s “Justice Department has said that it is legal for employers to require vaccinations.”

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it will release a study Friday that supports this week’s decision to change mask guidance.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Tuesday the agency was changing guidelines for fully vaccinated people because of new science.

She said even fully vaccinated people should wear masks indoors in areas where transmission of the virus is substantial or high.

Walensky said new data indicated that people who get breakthrough infections involving the Delta variant of the virus can be as likely to infect someone else as unvaccinated people are. And she promised that data would be released soon. 

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) will require weekly Covid-19 testing for all students and employees returning to in-person learning, regardless of vaccination status, school officials announced in a news release Thursday.

"All students and employees, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, returning for in-person instruction must participate in baseline and ongoing weekly COVID testing," the district said. "This is in accordance with the most recent guidance from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health."

LAUSD is the second-largest school district in the country with more than 600,000 students. Testing for all students and employees begins on Aug. 2, officials said. Full return to in-person instruction across most LAUSD campuses begins on Aug. 16.

The district's preparations for the start of the new school year also include mandatory masking indoors for all students, staff, and visitors, officials said.

Legal guardians of students will be required to schedule the ongoing Covid-19 testing appointments. All results will be emailed and shared with appropriate scientists, administrators, and health authorities, officials said.

CNN has reached out to United Teachers Los Angeles, the union which represents LAUSD teachers, for comment.

As most of Nevada prepares for an indoor mask mandate to resume Friday, state health officials say it’s their best option right now to slow the Delta variant.

Officials said the number of people getting their first Covid-19 vaccine has increased over the past two weeks, signaling that more people are taking the rise in cases seriously.

But McDaniel said it’s still a bigger challenge to convince people to get vaccinated than it was when shots were in short supply.

“Now we are working on a smaller scale in neighborhoods, connecting with people and answering questions,” she said.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said every member of Congress should be vaccinated or submit to regular tests to ensure they are not carrying the virus. 

Those who are not vaccinated "ought to have to be tested on a relatively regular basis to make sure they're not bringing virus into the chamber," added Hoyer. 

Earlier today, many House Republicans purposefully defied mask rules reinstated by Capitol Attending Physician Dr. Brian Monahan, appearing on the floor maskless.

This is the latest sign of the deep divide and tension between Republicans and Democrats in the House on how to handle the Covid-19 pandemic and various other issues, with it even festering at the top, between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.