August 10 coronavirus news

By Julia Hollingsworth, Adam Renton, Meg Wagner and Melissa Macaya, CNN

Updated 12:01 a.m. ET, August 11, 2020
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6:34 p.m. ET, August 10, 2020

Trump abruptly leaves coronavirus briefing after shooting near White House

From CNN's Nikki Carvajal, Kevin Liptak, Dana Bash and Kaitlan Collins 

President Donald Trump is being removed from the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on Monday, August 10.
President Donald Trump is being removed from the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on Monday, August 10. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

After being abruptly rushed out of the White House press briefing Monday, President Trump came back to the briefing room, saying the situation “seems to be very well under control.” 

He told reporters that he had been escorted out of the briefing because there was a shooting outside of the White House.

"I'd like to thank the Secret Service for doing their always quick and very effective work, but there was an actual shooting, and somebody's been taken to the hospital. I don't know the condition of the person. Seems that the person was shot by Secret Service, so we'll see what happens," Trump said.

Asked by CNN’s Jeremy Diamond if he was taken to the bunker under the White House, Trump replied, “no, we were taken just out to the oval office.” 

The President was also asked if he was rattled, he said, “I don’t know, do I seem rattled?” 

“I feel very safe with the Secret Service, they’re fantastic people, they’re the best of the best, they’re highly trained,” Trump told reporters. “They just wanted me to step aside for a little while just to make sure that everything was clear outside.”

The suspect shot by Secret Service did not breach “anything,” Trump added. 

“I don’t know if he was close or not, he or she,” the President said. He added that he had “such confidence” in the Secret Service. 

“I don’t think the person breached anything,” he added. “I don’t believe anything was breached, I asked that question.”

A senior administration official confirmed to CNN's Dana Bash that there was active shooter and the shooter is in custody.

The incident happened at the corner of 17th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, just outside of the White House grounds and close to Lafayette park. 

Trump abruptly departed the briefing room after a Secret Service agent approached him as he was speaking to the press and whispered something in his ear. "Sir, we’re just going to have to step outside," the agent can be heard saying.

"Excuse me?" Trump asked.

"Step outside," the agent said.

"Oh," Trump said before departing the room.

Trump said he never thought about not returning to the briefing after being rushed out. 

CNN reporters at the White House report the complex is still under lockdown. 

See the moment here:

5:44 p.m. ET, August 10, 2020

Jefferson Parish schools will delay start of school by two weeks

From CNN’s Annie Grayer

The superintendent of schools in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, James Gray, announced Monday that the district would delay the start of school by two weeks.

School in the Louisiana district was supposed to start on Aug. 12 and now will start on Aug. 26.

Several school districts have announced delays in reopening, as well as shifts from in person to virtual only models as the start of the school year draws closer and coronavirus outbreaks continue to occur across the country.

Gray announced that Ochsner Hospital for Children will be providing rapid tests for symptomatic parents, teachers and employees beginning Aug. 26, a new initiative that led the district to delay the start of school.

“Having rapid testing results available for our symptomatic teachers employees allows us to quickly determine if an employee has Covid-19 and take the appropriate precautions. Since Covid-19 rapid testing would not be available until August 26 we have decided to delay the opening of school until August 26. We remain diligent in our efforts to provide a safe environment, and this will allow us to add another layer of safety for our employees and students to ensure that we mitigate the spread of Covid-19,” Gray said at Monday’s news conference.

The school district is currently set to open under a combination of in-person and remote learning.

5:45 p.m. ET, August 10, 2020

Colorado governor announces two free testing sites that promise to deliver fast Covid-19 results

From CNN’s Sharif Paget

KUSA
KUSA

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced the opening of two free testing sites in Aurora and Adams County on Monday that promise to deliver faster Covid-19 results after people complained they weren’t hearing back for more than a week. 

“A lot of the testing being done at the national labs was simply taking too long,” Polis said at a briefing at Water World in Adams County, which is now the location of a free testing site. “People weren’t hearing back for nine, 10 days.” 

The governor said the partnership with MAKO Medical will aim to provide “free, quick, easy testing.” Tests will take 15 minutes and the results should be available in two to four days, Polis added.

Polis, who got tested at the new site, stressed that these new sites are accessible to everyone.

“You don’t need appointments, you don’t need a doctor or primary caregiver, you don’t need a note,” he said.

4:39 p.m. ET, August 10, 2020

Illinois reports more than 1,300 new Covid-19 cases

From CNN’s Brad Parks in Chicago and Kay Jones

Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,319 new cases today, for a total of 195,399. 

One new death was reported today, bringing that total to 7,637.

The seven day positivity rate for new cases is steady at 4.1%. 

IDPH reports that 1,481 people are hospitalized statewide with the virus, with 352 of those in intensive care units.

Note: These numbers were released by the Illinois Department of Public Health and may not line up exactly in real time with CNN’s database drawn from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project.

4:37 p.m. ET, August 10, 2020

More than 500 people from a Georgia school district are in quarantine due to Covid-19

From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch 

At least 484 students and 21 staff members in the Cherokee School District have been quarantined since school began on Aug. 3, according to the school’s website

The district is reporting 25 positive cases among students and six cases among staff. 

The district has about 42,500 students, a spokesperson tells CNN. 

4:15 p.m. ET, August 10, 2020

22 schools in Mississippi are reporting Covid-19 cases

From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch 

There are 22 schools in Mississippi that are reporting positive Covid-19 cases, State Health Director Dr. Thomas Dobbs said in a news conference.

Dobbs said there have been 19 cases reported among students and 15 cases among staff.

Last week, Gov. Tate Reeves ordered a two-week mask mandate for every county in the state, including in schools.

4:15 p.m. ET, August 10, 2020

California governor on Trump's unemployment proposal: "The money simply does not exist"

From CNN's Cheri Mossburg

Pool via KCRA
Pool via KCRA

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that President Trump’s unemployment proposal, which would require states to pitch in 25% of a $400 benefit, would cost the state approximately $700 million each week.

“The money simply does not exist,” Newsom said. “We simply do not have the capacity. We are simply not in that position.”

Newsom acknowledged that a $400 benefit rather than the current $600 weekly payment would be advantageous for those Californians who are otherwise looking at nothing.

He warned that it would add to the “enormous economic stress” already menacing the California's government.

“We are at peril of being in a position where we’re making false commitments, false promises,” Newsom said.

3:43 p.m. ET, August 10, 2020

The FDA will "not cut corners" to approve a Covid-19 vaccine, official says

From CNN's Jen Christensen

The US Food and Drug Administration will not compromise on the safety of a Covid-19 vaccine, even with the speed with which it must evaluate vaccine candidates, FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn told American Medical Association President Dr. Susan Bailey in an online conversation Monday.

Hahn acknowledged that because of the speed with which the agency is working, some experts have questioned if the FDA will compromise its scientific principles in reviewing clinical trial data.  

“Let me assure you that we will not cut corners,” Hahn said. “All of our decisions will continue to be based on good science and the same careful deliberative processes we have always used when reviewing medical products.”

Hahn asked the doctors listening to the conversation to urge patients to take the vaccine once it is approved. He said that he has seen surveys that report a significant part of the public will be reluctant to get a Covid-19 vaccine. A CNN poll in May found one-third of Americans said they would not try to get vaccinated against Covid-19, even if the vaccine is widely available and low cost.

“We hope that you will urge your patients to take an approved vaccine, so that we can seek to establish widespread immunity,” Hahn said.

More context: There are 26 vaccines in human trials around the world with four in the United States. There are also 139 in preclinical trials around the world, according to the World Health Organization. 

3:40 p.m. ET, August 10, 2020

McConnell says Senate will be in session all week 

From CNN's Ted Barrett and Manu Raju

Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images
Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell confirmed to CNN that the Senate will be in session all week.

Most senators are gone and no votes are scheduled — with no stimulus deal to vote on.

Senators will have 24-hours notice to return if they have to vote.  

McConnell wouldn’t answer when CNN asked if he will be negotiating with Democrats this week.