Coronavirus Updates: Virus can sometimes be spread by airborne transmission, CDC says

COVID-19 Live Updates, News and Information

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Coronavirus symptoms, tips amid outbreak

Learn more about coronavirus symptoms and other helpful information during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The CDC says airborne transmission plays a role in spreading COVID-19 coronavirus.

In a post on the CDC website, the agency emphasized "limited, uncommon circumstances" when the virus can spread among people more than 6 feet away or after an infected person left the room.

They say "In these instances, transmission occurred in poorly ventilated and enclosed spaces that often involved activities that caused heavier breathing, like singing or exercise."

The updated language does not change CDC recommendations on social distancing, mask wearing, avoiding large gatherings, and conducting any event or gathering outside as much as possible.

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What's Open, What's Closed in the Tri-State area

Here are more of today's headlines:

SUNY Cortland pauses in-person classes and activities

State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras and SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum on Monday announced a pause on all in-person classes and activities following an increase in COVID cases.

Iconic Boathouse in Central Park lays off staff, closed through 2021

The legendary Loeb Boathouse restaurant in Central Park has temporarily closed its doors and laid off its staff amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials with the NYC Parks Department said the restaurant closed in mid-March due to coronavirus and has not reopened.

A representative with the Boathouse said they have been in talks with the city and intend to reopen next spring in April of 2021. They say ongoing discussions are taking place with NYC officials to figure out how the Boathouse can safely reopen and rehire the 175 employees that were laid off.

Halloween is on in New Jersey

The New Jersey Department of Health is releasing guidance for local officials, schools, and outside organizations and businesses to help ensure a safe Halloween. The health department advises everyone to wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth. A costume mask dodes not count because it does not provide the necessary level of protection. Guidance also strongly encourages instead of placing treats directly in the bags of trick or treaters or having communal bowls wherehands would have to reach into, that the treats be arranged in such a way they can be quickly and safely accessed w out multiple pieces being touched. Guidance strongly encourages all Halloween activities to be outdoors.

NYC schools in cluster areas closing on Tuesday

Governor Cuomo said that he has decided to close schools in hot spot ZIP codes in NYC starting on Tuesday. He said he would not send his kids to schools in areas with rates over 3% and he would not want other parents to either. In addition, the state is cracking down on religious institutions that don't abide by the governor's executive orders on masks and social distancing. He says the state will take over enforcement while the local governments provide the personnel. Cuomo also announced the state is taking over enforcing COVID-19 mandates in state-wide clusters and will use local resources and personnel to do so. Cuomo said the state is stepping in because local governments have failed to enforce compliance.

Murphy: Trump fundraiser put lives at risk

President Donald Trump's fundraiser at his Bedminster golf club hours before he announced he had contracted the coronavirus was wrong and "put lives at risk," New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday. Murphy called the trip the "wrong decision at every level" and said it should have been canceled. He said the state is trying to keep tabs on the 206 attendees and 19 workers in an effort to thwart a potential outbreak stemming from the gathering Thursday.

Yonkers schools switch from all remote to hybrid learning

Yonkers schools made the switch from all remote to hybrid learning on Monday. Superintendent Dr. Edwin Quezada said the district is following the New York State education and health departments' guidance and social distancing guidelines. The transition is designed to ensure the health and safety of every individual in school buildings, and millions of dollars have been spent on ventilation repairs, masks, and body temperature scanners to protect the safety of students and staff.

SUNY schools expand mental health services during pandemic

SUNY has now launched a new plan to expand access to mental health services due to the impact of the pandemic. The chancellor says every student at SUNY's 64 campuses will have access to a network of more than 6,000 licensed mental health service providers. The school is giving students access to an app that breaks down a number of barriers students may encounter, while reaching out for help.

Latest on President Donald Trump's health amid COVID fight

President Donald Trump's medical team says the president "may not entirely be out of the woods yet" as he heads back home to the White House. Dr. Sean Conley, the president's physician, delivered an update on the president's health Monday. Earlier, Trump tweeted that he would be leaving Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday evening after a three-day hospitalization with the coronavirus. He says Trump "may not entirely be out of the woods yet" but he and the team "agree that all our evaluations and, most importantly, his clinical status support the president's safe return home, where he'll be surrounded by world class medical care."

Kayleigh McEnany tests positive for COVID-19

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany tweeted Monday, Oct. 5, that she had tested positive for COVID-19. This comes days after President Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus. McEnany said in a statement that she tested positive Monday morning and is experiencing no symptoms at this time. She spoke briefly with reporters Sunday evening but said that no members of the White House press corps spent enough time around her to be considered close contacts. She says that she is beginning the quarantine process and "will continue working on behalf of the American People remotely."

Cybercriminals targeting those working from home during pandemic, Europol warns

The European Union police agency says in a new report that cybercriminals are cashing in on the coronavirus crisis by targeting people and companies that are spending more time online due to work-from-home orders. Europol issued its annual Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment Monday. It underscores earlier warnings by the Hague-based police organization to the EU's 27 member states about cybercrime during the pandemic. The assessment covers all aspects of cybercrime. It cautions that "many individuals and businesses that may not have been as active online before the crisis became a lucrative target" for cybercriminals who are able to quickly adapt existing online crime to fit emerging vulnerabilities.

Many Americans blame coronavirus crisis on US government, poll finds

More Americans blame the U.S. government instead of foreign nations for the coronavirus crisis in the United States, a rebuke to the Trump administration's contention that China or other countries are most at fault, a new poll shows. The poll by The University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research was conducted before President Donald Trump tested positive for the virus Friday and was hospitalized. Trump has downplayed the severity and impact of the pandemic in recent months. Although many see plenty of blame to go around and there's a wide bipartisan divide over who is responsible, 56% of Americans say the U.S. government has substantial responsibility for the situation. That compares with 47% who place that much blame on the governments of other countries and only 39% who say the same about the World Health Organization.

President Trump's quick drive was 'unnecessary,' potentially exposed others to COVID-19, doctors say

President Donald Trump's short drive to wave to his supporters outside of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center could've infected many around him, health experts say.

"Undoubtedly, I would worry that the Secret Service members would have to be quarantined and tested," said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, Professor of Medicine and Infectious Disease Specialist at UCSF.

The same concern was raised by a medical doctor at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where the President has been hospitalized since Friday.

Regal and Cineworld to suspend operations at hundreds of cinemas

Shares in the company that owns the Regal, Cineworld and Picturehouse movie theaters fell as much as 58% after it said it will temporarily close the venues because delays to the latest James Bond film left it with few blockbusters to attract customers during the pandemic. Cineworld Group Plc said Monday that 536 Regal cinemas in the U.S. and 127 Cineworld and Picturehouse venues in the U.K. would close on Thursday. Some 45,000 employees are affected. The company has high debts and is, like the wider industry, struggling with the effects of the pandemic. It said that with major markets such as New York closed and no guidance on when they will reopen, "studios have been reluctant to release their pipeline of new films."

Stay informed with ABC7's NYC COVID-19 positivity rate tracker

As New York City public schools inch closer to reopening in-person learning, much of the success will rely heavily on schools keeping the COVID rate of infection in check. According to the city, public schools can only stay open if the COVID positivity rate stays below 3%. To stay informed, you can follow ABC7's NYC COVID-19 positivity rate tracker.

MORE NEWS: Watch Eyewitness to a Pandemic

The sense of doom grew, especially after March 1, when the first confirmed case arrived in Manhattan. Soon, there was a hotspot in New Rochelle, and small curfews and containment zones across the area offered a hint of a frightening future we still thought we could avoid.