By TOM SHINE <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/wichita-airline-expert-pandemic-changes-everything-way-we-fly">Kansas News Service</a>

The coronavirus pandemic is raining on just about every type of business.

For the airline industry, though, it’s a full-blown monsoon.

The
 major domestic carriers are losing tens of millions of dollars a day. 
Airline traffic has fallen to levels last seen 60 years ago as carriers 
cancel flights and park their planes.

Not only is this bad news for the commercial airline industry, it’s 
also a problem for Wichita. The city’s largest employer, Spirit 
AeroSystems, makes parts for every Boeing airliner – and for several 
Airbus models as well. And thousands of other jobs here are tied to the 
supply chain that supports Spirit.

Dean Headley is a professor 
emeritus of marketing at Wichita State University and an expert on the 
airline industry. He’s co-author of the annual Airline Quality Rating, 
which ranks the performance of the nation’s largest airlines.

Headley watched the industry buckle and then rebound after 9/11.

He talked with Tom Shine and The Range about what’s ahead for the airline industry and for travelers.

The interview was edited for length and clarity.

On
 March 1, the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) screened 
about 2.3 million people at U.S airports. Last week, it was well below 
100,000 for several days. What we're seeing is unprecedented, isn't it?

It's
 certainly unprecedented. Not even 9/11 took us down this far. The 
airline industry took about 20% of the seat capacity during 9/11 out of 
the service. Now, we've got about 90% of the domestic seat capacity not 
flying, which is dramatically different.

Last Tuesday, April the 7th, was the lowest number of screened passengers since the 1960s in the domestic system.

After
 9/11, there was no commercial or travel in the U.S. for less than a 
week. It took, though, about two years for U.S. passenger traffic to 
return to pre-9/11 levels. How long is it going to take the airlines 
this time to return to pre-coronavirus levels?

That's 
really difficult to say at this point, obviously. A couple things play 
into that. I think the biggest one is the nature of the fear. … We don't
 know what that fear looks like. It's our spouse, our neighbor. It's a 
door knob. It's a seat in an airplane. It can be anywhere. It's 
faceless. It doesn't have a nature to it that we can see. So the fear 
that kept people from flying after 9/11 is different than the way the 
fear strikes us now with this, ‘Well, I can’t see it’ type of a problem 
that we’re facing.

And that has a good chance to push this recovery back further, doesn't it?

Certainly.
 This recovery will take certainly a lot longer than the 9/11 recovery. 
Like you said, it took about two years for that to get back to … 
pre-9/11 levels. And the airlines were cautious about that, and they're 
being overly cautious now, for good reason. And I think they will 
continue to be cautious about that.

This changes everything in 
the way we fly. The big change we saw after 9/11 was TSA and screening 
and being overly cautious about who we let on an airplane. How do we do 
that after the coronavirus? I don't know that we've really figured that 
one out yet. So that's going to add additional time – months certainly, 
if not maybe years – before this gets back to normal.

United
 Airlines is losing about $100 million a day. Delta is about $60 million
 a day. Congress has set aside about $50 billion in aid for passenger 
airlines. Is that going to be enough or are we going to see some 
airlines go under?

I don't think $50 billion is even 
going to come close to being enough for that. And it's possible that 
airlines could go under. But we don't have that many to go under, quite 
frankly.

Since then (9/11, we've had a lot of consolidation, so 
to speak. I don't know how much more consolidation or bankruptcy or 
going out of existence of airlines that this country can stand or that 
the flying public will tolerate. Choice is something that Americans tend
 to like, and right now we have a lot of choice in air travel for the 
most part. And if we start losing airlines, I'm not sure how the flying 
public's really gonna like that.

People flying, of 
course, is critical to planemakers like Boeing and Airbus, which means 
it's also critical to the Wichita economy because we … make planes for 
Boeing and Airbus. Does the slow buildup of airline travel also going to
 mean a slow buildup for the Wichita economy going forward?

Well,
 certainly airlines have a full cadre of airplanes that they park. They 
always have airplanes scheduled for delivery. And it really depends on 
how quickly the airline feels comfortable in going ahead with those 
plans … after surviving a financial disaster.

And, on the other 
side of the ledger, how quickly the production facility can bring its 
people back together and start producing a plane. It takes several weeks
 to produce a plane. So when everybody says go again, it's going to be 
two or three months before we can even hope to see some semblance of, 
"Well, that’s kind of what it was before."

I think Dr. (Anthony) Fauci was on TV the other day saying that we're just not going to turn the switch back on.

First
 of all, we don't know exactly which switches to turn on. And secondly, 
the switch turning on relies on the fact that there's somebody out there
 that wants to see that light, so to speak, or wants to use that 
service. And this is gonna make a lot of people gun shy. There's no 
question about it. We have seriously changed the way our country will 
function for a long time to come.

Some of that's going to be 
good, though. I mean, let's face it, people are a lot more caring and 
giving and understanding and appreciative, and there's a lot of good 
things there. But at the same token, there's going to be a lot of 
hesitation about re-engaging in the way that our American "Do what we 
want to do, when we want to do it" type of attitude has been in the 
past.

If we can … let's look two or three years out, four
 years out. What changes might your average traveler – the person who 
flies maybe two times a year, three times a year – see in the airline 
industry?

It's hard to say exactly how security will 
change. I'm not sure they can do the health screening, so to speak. 
They're not going to be taking your temperature and all that kind of 
stuff.

There may be some type of a health question that they ask.
 I could see that being possible, particularly if this virus lingers or 
comes back over and over again at various countries that maybe aren't 
quite as quick to shut it down or recognize it or control it as best you
 can.

I could see that … for the flying public. And they may have to have a note from your doctor … in that process.

But
 let's face it, we like to move around and anything that limits our 
movement, that seems a little bit out of reason, is going to take a 
while for the flying public to warm up to. How long did it take us to 
get used to the TSA stuff? … "No, you’ve got to take your shoes. You've 
got to take your belt off. You know, go ahead and disrobe while you're 
at it. So you might as well cause we're going to check everything."

How
 long did it take for them (TSA) to begin to soften that or ease that? 
This is a little different, but it's that type of a thing. It's taken 
several years with the TSA to ease some of their restrictions, and I 
expect the TSA will continue to play a role somehow in the screening of 
the traveling public. So they're going to be front and center in this 
process for the traveler.

I'm going to guess you're a frequent flyer given your job. You won't have any hesitancy about flying going forward, right?

Right
 now, yes. In the future, it depends on where I'm going and how that 
part of the world or the country is faring at this point. I've always 
taken precautions, even before the coronavirus thing. I wiped down the 
tray table in front of me. I wipe down the seats with disinfectant 
wipes. I keep my shoes on. I don't use their headphones … I didn't trust
 the interior of airplanes given that that airplane could be in four or 
five different states in one day, and who knows where everybody had come
 from. I didn't trust that in the first place. So I'm going to be a 
little bit more careful, shall we say, as I go forward.

Anything else that I haven't asked you that you'd like to mention or make a point about?

Well,
 just the point of encouragement really, and that is that this will 
pass, it will change things. Just like 9/11 changed the way we flew and 
used the air travel system. This will change the air travel system. It's
 hard to say exactly how.

I think one thing this has taught us is
 that … literally the world is so interconnected that we have to be 
aware of what's going on all the way around us. And … as I've said 
before, every traveler must be prepared to take care of themselves. 
Whether it's a glitch in a reservation or a missed connection or a 
health issue, you must be prepared to take care of yourself because 
while the airlines try their best, they can't do that for you. You must 
be responsible for your own outcomes as much as possible.

Tom Shine is director of news and public affairs at KMUW. Follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/thomaspshine">@thomaspshine</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587153698111.jpeg" alt="Delta Airlines" />
 <figcaption>Delta Airlines</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOM SHINE <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/wichita-airline-expert-pandemic-changes-everything-way-we-fly">Kansas News Service</a>The coronavirus pandemic is raining on just about every type of business.For the airline industry, though, it’s a full-blown monsoon.The
 major domestic carriers are losing tens of millions of dollars a day. 
Airline traffic has fallen to levels last seen 60 years ago as carriers 
cancel flights and park their planes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587153748265.jpeg" alt=" Dean Headley / Wichita State University" />
 <figcaption> Dean Headley / Wichita State University</figcaption>
 </figure>Not only is this bad news for the commercial airline industry, it’s 
also a problem for Wichita. The city’s largest employer, Spirit 
AeroSystems, makes parts for every Boeing airliner – and for several 
Airbus models as well. And thousands of other jobs here are tied to the 
supply chain that supports Spirit.Dean Headley is a professor 
emeritus of marketing at Wichita State University and an expert on the 
airline industry. He’s co-author of the annual Airline Quality Rating, 
which ranks the performance of the nation’s largest airlines.Headley watched the industry buckle and then rebound after 9/11.He talked with Tom Shine and The Range about what’s ahead for the airline industry and for travelers.The interview was edited for length and clarity.On
 March 1, the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) screened 
about 2.3 million people at U.S airports. Last week, it was well below 
100,000 for several days. What we're seeing is unprecedented, isn't it?It's
 certainly unprecedented. Not even 9/11 took us down this far. The 
airline industry took about 20% of the seat capacity during 9/11 out of 
the service. Now, we've got about 90% of the domestic seat capacity not 
flying, which is dramatically different.Last Tuesday, April the 7th, was the lowest number of screened passengers since the 1960s in the domestic system.After
 9/11, there was no commercial or travel in the U.S. for less than a 
week. It took, though, about two years for U.S. passenger traffic to 
return to pre-9/11 levels. How long is it going to take the airlines 
this time to return to pre-coronavirus levels?That's 
really difficult to say at this point, obviously. A couple things play 
into that. I think the biggest one is the nature of the fear. … We don't
 know what that fear looks like. It's our spouse, our neighbor. It's a 
door knob. It's a seat in an airplane. It can be anywhere. It's 
faceless. It doesn't have a nature to it that we can see. So the fear 
that kept people from flying after 9/11 is different than the way the 
fear strikes us now with this, ‘Well, I can’t see it’ type of a problem 
that we’re facing.And that has a good chance to push this recovery back further, doesn't it?Certainly.
 This recovery will take certainly a lot longer than the 9/11 recovery. 
Like you said, it took about two years for that to get back to … 
pre-9/11 levels. And the airlines were cautious about that, and they're 
being overly cautious now, for good reason. And I think they will 
continue to be cautious about that.This changes everything in 
the way we fly. The big change we saw after 9/11 was TSA and screening 
and being overly cautious about who we let on an airplane. How do we do 
that after the coronavirus? I don't know that we've really figured that 
one out yet. So that's going to add additional time – months certainly, 
if not maybe years – before this gets back to normal.United
 Airlines is losing about $100 million a day. Delta is about $60 million
 a day. Congress has set aside about $50 billion in aid for passenger 
airlines. Is that going to be enough or are we going to see some 
airlines go under?I don't think $50 billion is even 
going to come close to being enough for that. And it's possible that 
airlines could go under. But we don't have that many to go under, quite 
frankly.Since then (9/11, we've had a lot of consolidation, so 
to speak. I don't know how much more consolidation or bankruptcy or 
going out of existence of airlines that this country can stand or that 
the flying public will tolerate. Choice is something that Americans tend
 to like, and right now we have a lot of choice in air travel for the 
most part. And if we start losing airlines, I'm not sure how the flying 
public's really gonna like that.People flying, of 
course, is critical to planemakers like Boeing and Airbus, which means 
it's also critical to the Wichita economy because we … make planes for 
Boeing and Airbus. Does the slow buildup of airline travel also going to
 mean a slow buildup for the Wichita economy going forward?Well,
 certainly airlines have a full cadre of airplanes that they park. They 
always have airplanes scheduled for delivery. And it really depends on 
how quickly the airline feels comfortable in going ahead with those 
plans … after surviving a financial disaster.And, on the other 
side of the ledger, how quickly the production facility can bring its 
people back together and start producing a plane. It takes several weeks
 to produce a plane. So when everybody says go again, it's going to be 
two or three months before we can even hope to see some semblance of, 
"Well, that’s kind of what it was before."I think Dr. (Anthony) Fauci was on TV the other day saying that we're just not going to turn the switch back on.First
 of all, we don't know exactly which switches to turn on. And secondly, 
the switch turning on relies on the fact that there's somebody out there
 that wants to see that light, so to speak, or wants to use that 
service. And this is gonna make a lot of people gun shy. There's no 
question about it. We have seriously changed the way our country will 
function for a long time to come.Some of that's going to be 
good, though. I mean, let's face it, people are a lot more caring and 
giving and understanding and appreciative, and there's a lot of good 
things there. But at the same token, there's going to be a lot of 
hesitation about re-engaging in the way that our American "Do what we 
want to do, when we want to do it" type of attitude has been in the 
past.If we can … let's look two or three years out, four
 years out. What changes might your average traveler – the person who 
flies maybe two times a year, three times a year – see in the airline 
industry?It's hard to say exactly how security will 
change. I'm not sure they can do the health screening, so to speak. 
They're not going to be taking your temperature and all that kind of 
stuff.There may be some type of a health question that they ask.
 I could see that being possible, particularly if this virus lingers or 
comes back over and over again at various countries that maybe aren't 
quite as quick to shut it down or recognize it or control it as best you
 can.I could see that … for the flying public. And they may have to have a note from your doctor … in that process.But
 let's face it, we like to move around and anything that limits our 
movement, that seems a little bit out of reason, is going to take a 
while for the flying public to warm up to. How long did it take us to 
get used to the TSA stuff? … "No, you’ve got to take your shoes. You've 
got to take your belt off. You know, go ahead and disrobe while you're 
at it. So you might as well cause we're going to check everything."How
 long did it take for them (TSA) to begin to soften that or ease that? 
This is a little different, but it's that type of a thing. It's taken 
several years with the TSA to ease some of their restrictions, and I 
expect the TSA will continue to play a role somehow in the screening of 
the traveling public. So they're going to be front and center in this 
process for the traveler.I'm going to guess you're a frequent flyer given your job. You won't have any hesitancy about flying going forward, right?Right
 now, yes. In the future, it depends on where I'm going and how that 
part of the world or the country is faring at this point. I've always 
taken precautions, even before the coronavirus thing. I wiped down the 
tray table in front of me. I wipe down the seats with disinfectant 
wipes. I keep my shoes on. I don't use their headphones … I didn't trust
 the interior of airplanes given that that airplane could be in four or 
five different states in one day, and who knows where everybody had come
 from. I didn't trust that in the first place. So I'm going to be a 
little bit more careful, shall we say, as I go forward.Anything else that I haven't asked you that you'd like to mention or make a point about?Well,
 just the point of encouragement really, and that is that this will 
pass, it will change things. Just like 9/11 changed the way we flew and 
used the air travel system. This will change the air travel system. It's
 hard to say exactly how.I think one thing this has taught us is
 that … literally the world is so interconnected that we have to be 
aware of what's going on all the way around us. And … as I've said 
before, every traveler must be prepared to take care of themselves. 
Whether it's a glitch in a reservation or a missed connection or a 
health issue, you must be prepared to take care of yourself because 
while the airlines try their best, they can't do that for you. You must 
be responsible for your own outcomes as much as possible.Tom Shine is director of news and public affairs at KMUW. Follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/thomaspshine">@thomaspshine</a>.

Kan. airline expert: 'This changes everything in the way we fly' 

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump held a call with faith leaders on Friday that included discussion about a phased-in return to broader in-person worship after weeks of religious services largely shifting online in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump’s call with faith leaders came one day after the White House included houses of worship among “large venues” that could be able to reopen while observing “strict physical distancing protocols” in the first stage of a three-part&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/420a38ec14101eab70e07be367ee6422">plan to reopen</a>&nbsp;a U.S. economy that’s been frozen by the toll of the highly contagious virus.

Trump “mentioned his memories as a young child attending Billy Graham’s service at Yankee Stadium, and acknowledged that while he has enjoyed watching services online from the White House, he told the faith leaders it is important for people to soon be able to once again come together, pray, and worship,” the White House said in its statement.

Participants in the call with faith leaders said it featured discussion about how restarting in-person worship could work, without any conclusion reached, and underscored their commitment to not imperiling the health of the faithful. Indeed, Trump has said that governors would be empowered to spearhead their states’ paces of economic reopening.

Jack Graham, pastor of Texas-based Prestonwood Baptist Church, said the call included conversation about “how would we go about bringing people back together,” adding that those involved agreed that “we’re going to do that carefully and gradually, and not put people at risk.”

Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Council, said that religious institutions “want to be a blessing and not a burden” by not returning to practices that could “cause more harm than good” if taken up too early.

Rodriguez added that he hoped to see clergy and other faith leaders nationwide identified as essential workers, as well as a clear resumption of outdoor religious services that can be conducted with people remaining in their automobiles. That sort of step would “help us transition to a new normal,” he said.

Cissie Graham Lynch of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, said churches would be committed to keeping their congregations safe and emphasized the importance of healing the spiritual pain caused by widespread social distancing restrictions imposed to fight the virus.

“People are lonely, people are scared,” Lynch said.

Those who participated in the call described Trump as closely engaged in the discussion.

“We may be opening, but we’re putting safety first,” the president told reporters Friday.

The faith leaders’ conversation with Trump is not the only sign that religious leaders are beginning to explore how to resume in-person worship services. The Christian executive search firm Vanderbloemen has launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vanderbloemen.com/reopening-church" target="_blank">ReopeningChurch.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vanderbloemen.com/reopening-school" target="_blank">ReopeningSchool.com</a>&nbsp;websites to start a conversation on that process.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587172818525.png" alt="President Trump discussed his visit with faith leaders to open Friday's Coronavirus Task Force press briefing -White House image" />
 <figcaption>President Trump discussed his visit with faith leaders to open Friday's Coronavirus Task Force press briefing -White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump held a call with faith leaders on Friday that included discussion about a phased-in return to broader in-person worship after weeks of religious services largely shifting online in response to the coronavirus pandemic.Trump’s call with faith leaders came one day after the White House included houses of worship among “large venues” that could be able to reopen while observing “strict physical distancing protocols” in the first stage of a three-part&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/420a38ec14101eab70e07be367ee6422">plan to reopen</a>&nbsp;a U.S. economy that’s been frozen by the toll of the highly contagious virus.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587086887250.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump “mentioned his memories as a young child attending Billy Graham’s service at Yankee Stadium, and acknowledged that while he has enjoyed watching services online from the White House, he told the faith leaders it is important for people to soon be able to once again come together, pray, and worship,” the White House said in its statement.Participants in the call with faith leaders said it featured discussion about how restarting in-person worship could work, without any conclusion reached, and underscored their commitment to not imperiling the health of the faithful. Indeed, Trump has said that governors would be empowered to spearhead their states’ paces of economic reopening.Jack Graham, pastor of Texas-based Prestonwood Baptist Church, said the call included conversation about “how would we go about bringing people back together,” adding that those involved agreed that “we’re going to do that carefully and gradually, and not put people at risk.”Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Council, said that religious institutions “want to be a blessing and not a burden” by not returning to practices that could “cause more harm than good” if taken up too early.Rodriguez added that he hoped to see clergy and other faith leaders nationwide identified as essential workers, as well as a clear resumption of outdoor religious services that can be conducted with people remaining in their automobiles. That sort of step would “help us transition to a new normal,” he said.Cissie Graham Lynch of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, said churches would be committed to keeping their congregations safe and emphasized the importance of healing the spiritual pain caused by widespread social distancing restrictions imposed to fight the virus.“People are lonely, people are scared,” Lynch said.Those who participated in the call described Trump as closely engaged in the discussion.“We may be opening, but we’re putting safety first,” the president told reporters Friday.The faith leaders’ conversation with Trump is not the only sign that religious leaders are beginning to explore how to resume in-person worship services. The Christian executive search firm Vanderbloemen has launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vanderbloemen.com/reopening-church" target="_blank">ReopeningChurch.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vanderbloemen.com/reopening-school" target="_blank">ReopeningSchool.com</a>&nbsp;websites to start a conversation on that process.___

Trump consults faith leaders on phased-in reopening

FREMONT, Neb. (Omaha World-Herald) — Two more workers have tested positive for coronavirus at a Nebraska plant that processes out chickens for Costco. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that brings to three the number of confirmed cases at the Fremont plant.

 It said it got its first COVID-19 case on Monday. 

Lincoln Premium Poultry supplies Costco with millions of rotisserie chickens and other cuts. 

FREMONT, Neb. (Omaha World-Herald) — Two more workers have tested positive for coronavirus at a Nebraska plant that processes out chickens for Costco. The Omaha World-Herald reports that brings to three the number of confirmed cases at the Fremont plant. It said it got its first COVID-19 case on Monday. Lincoln Premium Poultry supplies Costco with millions of rotisserie chickens and other cuts. The plant employs roughly 1,100 people.

Nebraska chicken plant says 2 more workers have coronavirus

A 25-bed hospital is selling blood 
tests it says will tell people if they have COVID-19 immunity, but 
public health officials say that's not what the tests do.

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-17/a-small-kansas-hospital-bought-its-own-coronavirus-tests-but-state-officials-say-it-only-detects-colds">Kansas News Service</a>

LAWRENCE — Herington Municipal Hospital got fed up 
with long waits for lab results that would tell its patients with 
respiratory symptoms whether they have the novel coronavirus.

So 
when a sales representative called the 25-bed hospital in rural central 
Kansas offering tests that produce results in less than half an hour, 
Herington ordered 500.

“We answered the phone on the right day,” CEO Isabel Schmedemann said in an interview this week. “I wish we had ordered more.”

One hundred people in her community have already come in for the test.

“They want answers,” she said. “They want to know. And they’re scared.”

Amid
 a pandemic that has hospitalized hundreds of Kansans and killed more 
than 80, supply shortages have slowed typical COVID-19 nose swab tests 
and health providers have scrambled to find solutions.

But public 
health officials around the world worry that desperation to access 
testing could open the way for unproven products that give patients a 
false sense of safety — putting them in greater danger.

Herington Hospital’s rollout of new blood-based tests triggered swift action from state and local health officials.

On
 its website, the hospital advertises the technology as approved by the 
state. “It tells you if you have immunity,” the hospital claims.

Wrong
 on both counts, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment says. 
Attempts to convince the hospital of the test’s problems over the phone 
weren’t successful, the agency says.

State health secretary Lee 
Norman said he would alert other hospitals and labs around the state to 
concerns about the tests. He warned the public in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/videos/214325436538782/" target="_blank">a press conference</a>
 viewed by tens of thousands of people on Facebook that many antibody 
tests — meant to show a patient’s exposure to a virus — don’t 
necessarily tell people what they want to know.

People who test 
positive with the Herington tests aren’t being counted toward the 
state’s COVID-19 tally. The state has about 1,500 known cases, including
 one in Dickinson County.

“You could get a positive if you had nothing other than a common cold,” county public health director John Hultgren said.

Dickinson County began calling Herington’s patients to inform them directly.

“I’m livid about this,” Schmedemann said. “We’re serious about providing quality health care.”

But KDHE points to the test manufacturer’s <a href="https://ucpbiosciences.com/product/covid-19/" target="_blank">own fine print</a>, which says a positive result could mean patients have or have had any of four coronaviruses that cause the common cold. Consequently, the results can’t confirm that a person has or had COVID-19, or that they are now immune.

Herington
 Hospital also advertises the product on its website as 100% specific to
 the virus that causes COVID-19. Manufacturer UCP Biosciences gave the 
hospital pamphlets bearing that claim, though clarifying that its 
calculations are based on about 100 samples. The company didn’t return a
 call to its California office.

The disclaimer about cold viruses doesn’t worry Shmedemann.

“The test is specific to COVID-19, but as with any test, this is part of the disclaimer,” she wrote in a follow-up email.

The
 kits, like most COVID-19 antibody tests on the market, aren’t approved 
by the Food and Drug Administration and haven’t received an expedited, 
emergency approval from the agency. Yet selling them is legal and 
Herington has continued to offer the product.

People with and 
without symptoms are eager for testing. The kits Herington bought seek 
to check whether someone has COVID-19 antibodies in their blood.

The
 goal of antibody testing is to check whether someone has been exposed 
to a specific virus and whether that could shield them from it in the 
future. (Antibodies wouldn’t yet be present for some people with current
 infections.)

Herington says on its website that the UCP test “not
 only tells you if you are positive or negative, it tells you if you 
have immunity.”

Scientists and public health experts say it’s not 
that simple. In addition to the risk that antibodies from the common 
cold could trigger a positive result, researchers don’t yet know how 
effective COVID-19 antibodies will be for staving off future infections.

“It’s
 an attractive hypothesis,” said Jim Zehnder, a professor of pathology 
and medicine at Stanford University, “but it hasn't been rigorously 
proven yet.”

Stanford has developed its own test for the antibodies that result from COVID-19.

But it hasn’t evaluated UCP’s test, and couldn’t speak to its quality. Similar tests have raised concerns, Zehnder said.

“I
 believe partly in response to these concerns raised, the FDA announced 
that they are going to start evaluating this class of test,” he said. 
“There just is not enough information at the moment to say anything 
definitive” about the UCP product.

Kansas wants to start antibody testing soon, too, health secretary Norman said this week.

In
 a followup email, the agency said it would use a platform with minimal 
risk for confusion of various viruses, and combine that with other steps
 to verify results.

The University of Kansas is researching 
COVID-19 antibodies in clinical trials. It believes widespread antibody 
testing could ultimately prove vital to the battle to control COVID-19, 
ease social distancing measures and return to life as normal.

“We 
think there will be an absolute need,” said Dana Hawkinson, a professor 
and medical director of infection control at KU Health System. “But at 
this point in time, there hasn’t been really good validated tests that 
we can use to determine that.”

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a>
 or email her at celia@kcur.org. The Kansas News Service is a
 collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public
 Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587149517051.png" alt="Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman displays a swab used for COVID-19 testing. A small hospital in central Kansas has deployed blood tests that state health officials say can produce false positives among people with common colds. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman displays a swab used for COVID-19 testing. A small hospital in central Kansas has deployed blood tests that state health officials say can produce false positives among people with common colds. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A 25-bed hospital is selling blood 
tests it says will tell people if they have COVID-19 immunity, but 
public health officials say that's not what the tests do.</h2>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-17/a-small-kansas-hospital-bought-its-own-coronavirus-tests-but-state-officials-say-it-only-detects-colds">Kansas News Service</a>LAWRENCE — Herington Municipal Hospital got fed up 
with long waits for lab results that would tell its patients with 
respiratory symptoms whether they have the novel coronavirus.So 
when a sales representative called the 25-bed hospital in rural central 
Kansas offering tests that produce results in less than half an hour, 
Herington ordered 500.“We answered the phone on the right day,” CEO Isabel Schmedemann said in an interview this week. “I wish we had ordered more.”One hundred people in her community have already come in for the test.“They want answers,” she said. “They want to know. And they’re scared.”Amid
 a pandemic that has hospitalized hundreds of Kansans and killed more 
than 80, supply shortages have slowed typical COVID-19 nose swab tests 
and health providers have scrambled to find solutions.But public 
health officials around the world worry that desperation to access 
testing could open the way for unproven products that give patients a 
false sense of safety — putting them in greater danger.Herington Hospital’s rollout of new blood-based tests triggered swift action from state and local health officials.On
 its website, the hospital advertises the technology as approved by the 
state. “It tells you if you have immunity,” the hospital claims.Wrong
 on both counts, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment says. 
Attempts to convince the hospital of the test’s problems over the phone 
weren’t successful, the agency says.State health secretary Lee 
Norman said he would alert other hospitals and labs around the state to 
concerns about the tests. He warned the public in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/videos/214325436538782/" target="_blank">a press conference</a>
 viewed by tens of thousands of people on Facebook that many antibody 
tests — meant to show a patient’s exposure to a virus — don’t 
necessarily tell people what they want to know.People who test 
positive with the Herington tests aren’t being counted toward the 
state’s COVID-19 tally. The state has about 1,500 known cases, including
 one in Dickinson County.“You could get a positive if you had nothing other than a common cold,” county public health director John Hultgren said.Dickinson County began calling Herington’s patients to inform them directly.“I’m livid about this,” Schmedemann said. “We’re serious about providing quality health care.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587149611485.png" alt="From the website of Herington Municipal Hospital. It says: "Our clinic is now offering onsite Kansas Department of Health and Environment COVID-19 testing that generates results in just 20 minutes. Think you’ve had COVID-19? We also offer a 20 minute antibody test that not only tells you if you are positive or negative, it tells you if you have immunity. This COVID-19 test has an overall sensitivity ≥ 89.2%, the overall specificity is 100% and the overall accuracy is ≥ 96%."" />
 <figcaption>From the website of Herington Municipal Hospital. It says: "Our clinic is now offering onsite Kansas Department of Health and Environment COVID-19 testing that generates results in just 20 minutes. Think you’ve had COVID-19? We also offer a 20 minute antibody test that not only tells you if you are positive or negative, it tells you if you have immunity. This COVID-19 test has an overall sensitivity ≥ 89.2%, the overall specificity is 100% and the overall accuracy is ≥ 96%."</figcaption>
 </figure>But KDHE points to the test manufacturer’s <a href="https://ucpbiosciences.com/product/covid-19/" target="_blank">own fine print</a>, which says a positive result could mean patients have or have had any of four coronaviruses that cause the common cold. Consequently, the results can’t confirm that a person has or had COVID-19, or that they are now immune.Herington
 Hospital also advertises the product on its website as 100% specific to
 the virus that causes COVID-19. Manufacturer UCP Biosciences gave the 
hospital pamphlets bearing that claim, though clarifying that its 
calculations are based on about 100 samples. The company didn’t return a
 call to its California office.The disclaimer about cold viruses doesn’t worry Shmedemann.“The test is specific to COVID-19, but as with any test, this is part of the disclaimer,” she wrote in a follow-up email.The
 kits, like most COVID-19 antibody tests on the market, aren’t approved 
by the Food and Drug Administration and haven’t received an expedited, 
emergency approval from the agency. Yet selling them is legal and 
Herington has continued to offer the product.People with and 
without symptoms are eager for testing. The kits Herington bought seek 
to check whether someone has COVID-19 antibodies in their blood.The
 goal of antibody testing is to check whether someone has been exposed 
to a specific virus and whether that could shield them from it in the 
future. (Antibodies wouldn’t yet be present for some people with current
 infections.)Herington says on its website that the UCP test “not
 only tells you if you are positive or negative, it tells you if you 
have immunity.”Scientists and public health experts say it’s not 
that simple. In addition to the risk that antibodies from the common 
cold could trigger a positive result, researchers don’t yet know how 
effective COVID-19 antibodies will be for staving off future infections.They’re scrambling to figure that out.“It’s
 an attractive hypothesis,” said Jim Zehnder, a professor of pathology 
and medicine at Stanford University, “but it hasn't been rigorously 
proven yet.”Stanford has developed its own test for the antibodies that result from COVID-19.But it hasn’t evaluated UCP’s test, and couldn’t speak to its quality. Similar tests have raised concerns, Zehnder said.“I
 believe partly in response to these concerns raised, the FDA announced 
that they are going to start evaluating this class of test,” he said. 
“There just is not enough information at the moment to say anything 
definitive” about the UCP product.Kansas wants to start antibody testing soon, too, health secretary Norman said this week.In
 a followup email, the agency said it would use a platform with minimal 
risk for confusion of various viruses, and combine that with other steps
 to verify results.The University of Kansas is researching 
COVID-19 antibodies in clinical trials. It believes widespread antibody 
testing could ultimately prove vital to the battle to control COVID-19, 
ease social distancing measures and return to life as normal.“We 
think there will be an absolute need,” said Dana Hawkinson, a professor 
and medical director of infection control at KU Health System. “But at 
this point in time, there hasn’t been really good validated tests that 
we can use to determine that.”Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a>
 or email her at celia@kcur.org. The Kansas News Service is a
 collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public
 Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy.

Rural Kan. hospital's virus test may only show you've had a cold

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday upheld the murder conviction and death penalty sentence of a state prisoner who admitted killing his cellmate in 2017 for being too talkative.

Patrick Schroeder, 42, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ffd042904cea49748a67615ad2481181" target="_blank">sentenced to death</a>&nbsp;by a panel of three judges in 2018 for strangling 22-year-old Terry Berry in April 2017 at the Tecumseh State Prison in southeast Nebraska. At the time, the two were sharing a 10-by-12 cell meant for solitary confinement. Schroeder told investigators that he killed Berry for being too talkative and said he had warned Berry several times that he needed to "shut up." Schroeder said he attacked Berry because Berry kept talking during a televised mixed martial arts match.

Schroeder - who was already serving a life sentence for the 2006 killing of 75-year-old Pawnee City farmer - pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for killing Berry. He also served as his own attorney and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/113d4a083db342eda3ea9e14f8f8b446" target="_blank">did not contest</a>&nbsp;prosecutors' death penalty case, saying he wanted to be put to death for his crimes.

Friday's ruling by the state's high court came on a direct appeal of his conviction and sentence filed by lawyers on Schroeder's behalf. Nebraska law requires a mandatory appeal of all death penalty convictions.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday upheld the murder conviction and death penalty sentence of a state prisoner who admitted killing his cellmate in 2017 for being too talkative.Patrick Schroeder, 42, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ffd042904cea49748a67615ad2481181" target="_blank">sentenced to death</a>&nbsp;by a panel of three judges in 2018 for strangling 22-year-old Terry Berry in April 2017 at the Tecumseh State Prison in southeast Nebraska. At the time, the two were sharing a 10-by-12 cell meant for solitary confinement. Schroeder told investigators that he killed Berry for being too talkative and said he had warned Berry several times that he needed to "shut up." Schroeder said he attacked Berry because Berry kept talking during a televised mixed martial arts match.Schroeder - who was already serving a life sentence for the 2006 killing of 75-year-old Pawnee City farmer - pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for killing Berry. He also served as his own attorney and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/113d4a083db342eda3ea9e14f8f8b446" target="_blank">did not contest</a>&nbsp;prosecutors' death penalty case, saying he wanted to be put to death for his crimes.Friday's ruling by the state's high court came on a direct appeal of his conviction and sentence filed by lawyers on Schroeder's behalf. Nebraska law requires a mandatory appeal of all death penalty convictions.

Nebraska Supreme Court upholds death sentence for inmate

DEWEESE, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating the shooting of a suspect by a sheriff’s deputy in south-central Nebraska. 

The patrol says the shooting happened around 4 p.m. Thursday, when a Nuckolls County sheriff’s deputy responding to a 911 call encountered 44-year-old Wesley Blessing, of Hasting. 

The deputy reported Blessing was armed with a handgun and that he shot Blessing, who was wanted in a Clay County investigation.

 Blessing was taken to a Hastings hospital with serious injuries and later transferred to a Lincoln hospital. 

Officials have not released the name of the deputy who shot Blessing.

DEWEESE, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating the shooting of a suspect by a sheriff’s deputy in south-central Nebraska. The patrol says the shooting happened around 4 p.m. Thursday, when a Nuckolls County sheriff’s deputy responding to a 911 call encountered 44-year-old Wesley Blessing, of Hasting. The deputy reported Blessing was armed with a handgun and that he shot Blessing, who was wanted in a Clay County investigation. Blessing was taken to a Hastings hospital with serious injuries and later transferred to a Lincoln hospital. Officials have not released the name of the deputy who shot Blessing.

Patrol says deputy shot suspect in south-central Nebraska

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are struggling to break a stalemate over President Donald Trump’s $250 billion emergency request for a small-business program, stoking uncertainty about when additional support will be available in a key rescue program now exhausted of funds.

A Senate session quickly adjourned without any progress, though staff aides to House and Senate Democrats and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin convened another conference call, on legislation to shore up the Paycheck Protection Program and demands by Democrats for potential additions. The Small Business Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dded8ead64598a3893f4046bbe857d2e">announced Thursday&nbsp;</a>it has reached its $349 billion lending limit and is no longer accepting applications, and Trump immediately weighed in on Twitter to bash Democrats.

“Democrats are blocking additional funding for the popular Paycheck Protection Program. They are killing American small businesses. Stop playing politics Dems! Support Refilling PPP NOW – it is out of funds!” Trump wrote.

GOP aides said that Mnuchin is prepared to accept additional funding sought by Democrats for hospitals, but that additional aid to state and local governments couldn’t get approval in the current round. The aides spoke on condition of anonymity to characterize internal party deliberations.

Thursday’s Senate session featured a short speech by a frustrated majority leader, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., but no effort to pass Trump’s $250 billion request — or to shame Democrats, were they to block it as they did last week. Instead, McConnell said that he had cleared the $250 billion package on the GOP side but that Democrats would have stopped it.

“Democrats would not let us reopen the program,” McConnell said. “This really should be above politics.”

The Capitol is largely shuttered, requiring consensus from all sides for any legislation to pass, and top GOP leaders are vowing to stick closely to Trump’s request despite Democrats’ additional demands.

The Senate is away from Washington through May 4, but it convenes twice each week for pro forma sessions that could be used to pass more coronavirus aid — though only if no senator objects. The next Senate pro forma is Monday afternoon; no action is expected at a brief Friday House session.

McConnell, asked by a reporter whether he could support any agreement reached by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Mnuchin, was noncommittal.

“Well, look, we’d take a look at it. My members want to plus up the small-business program. We think the need is obvious,” he told reporters. “And all the money for the other programs is not yet out the door. It doesn’t mean we won’t be dealing with them later, but we have an emergency, we ought to deal with it.”

GOP leaders McConnell and Kevin McCarthy are back in Washington to monitor developments. McCarthy, the House minority leader, is closer to Trump, but both seem to fear Mnuchin might be willing to contemplate concessions that rank-and-file Republicans would find objectionable.

At issue is a $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program that is a centerpiece of last month’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2099a53bb8adf2def7ee7329ea322f9d">massive rescue bill.&nbsp;</a>The Congressional Budget Office issued an estimate for the legislation, passed virtually unanimously last month, pegging its deficit cost at $1.8 trillion. That’s less than the $2.2 trillion informal White House estimate, and the difference is because the CBO believes an almost half-trillion-dollar loan guarantee program designed to stabilize large companies and state and local governments won’t have deficit costs because the money would be paid back.

The program gives grants to businesses with fewer than 500 workers so that they can maintain payroll and pay rent while shutting down their businesses during social distancing edicts.

The program has been swamped by businesses applying for loans and has reached its appropriations limit. Mnuchin says $250 billion more is needed immediately.

But Democrats want money for hospitals burdened under COVID-19 caseloads and additional funding for states and local governments straining as the economy slides into recession.

They also want to make sure the Paycheck Protection Program is opened up more to businesses that don’t have established relationships with banks that have been accepting applications for rescue funding.

Pelosi is pressing to add money to be distributed by community development financial institutions, which are small, nontraditional lenders that focus on making loans in underdeveloped and underserved neighborhoods, typically communities with larger minority populations.

“We want to make sure that, as it gets more money, many more people get access to the credit,” Pelosi said.

Eventually, the need for consensus seems likely to result in a relatively limited package.

Republicans are agitating to help rural hospitals, while Democrats are also keen to boost aid to cash-strapped states and local governments whose revenues have cratered. Aiding the states may be a stretch for now, however, as the issue can easily provoke fights between large, high-tax states like California and New York and smaller states more typically run by Republicans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587127575852.png" alt="Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D) Virginia, designated to act as Speaker pro tempore in the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D) Virginia, designated to act as Speaker pro tempore in the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are struggling to break a stalemate over President Donald Trump’s $250 billion emergency request for a small-business program, stoking uncertainty about when additional support will be available in a key rescue program now exhausted of funds.A Senate session quickly adjourned without any progress, though staff aides to House and Senate Democrats and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin convened another conference call, on legislation to shore up the Paycheck Protection Program and demands by Democrats for potential additions. The Small Business Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dded8ead64598a3893f4046bbe857d2e">announced Thursday&nbsp;</a>it has reached its $349 billion lending limit and is no longer accepting applications, and Trump immediately weighed in on Twitter to bash Democrats.“Democrats are blocking additional funding for the popular Paycheck Protection Program. They are killing American small businesses. Stop playing politics Dems! Support Refilling PPP NOW – it is out of funds!” Trump wrote.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585696207171.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>GOP aides said that Mnuchin is prepared to accept additional funding sought by Democrats for hospitals, but that additional aid to state and local governments couldn’t get approval in the current round. The aides spoke on condition of anonymity to characterize internal party deliberations.Thursday’s Senate session featured a short speech by a frustrated majority leader, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., but no effort to pass Trump’s $250 billion request — or to shame Democrats, were they to block it as they did last week. Instead, McConnell said that he had cleared the $250 billion package on the GOP side but that Democrats would have stopped it.“Democrats would not let us reopen the program,” McConnell said. “This really should be above politics.”The Capitol is largely shuttered, requiring consensus from all sides for any legislation to pass, and top GOP leaders are vowing to stick closely to Trump’s request despite Democrats’ additional demands.The Senate is away from Washington through May 4, but it convenes twice each week for pro forma sessions that could be used to pass more coronavirus aid — though only if no senator objects. The next Senate pro forma is Monday afternoon; no action is expected at a brief Friday House session.McConnell, asked by a reporter whether he could support any agreement reached by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Mnuchin, was noncommittal.“Well, look, we’d take a look at it. My members want to plus up the small-business program. We think the need is obvious,” he told reporters. “And all the money for the other programs is not yet out the door. It doesn’t mean we won’t be dealing with them later, but we have an emergency, we ought to deal with it.”GOP leaders McConnell and Kevin McCarthy are back in Washington to monitor developments. McCarthy, the House minority leader, is closer to Trump, but both seem to fear Mnuchin might be willing to contemplate concessions that rank-and-file Republicans would find objectionable.At issue is a $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program that is a centerpiece of last month’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2099a53bb8adf2def7ee7329ea322f9d">massive rescue bill.&nbsp;</a>The Congressional Budget Office issued an estimate for the legislation, passed virtually unanimously last month, pegging its deficit cost at $1.8 trillion. That’s less than the $2.2 trillion informal White House estimate, and the difference is because the CBO believes an almost half-trillion-dollar loan guarantee program designed to stabilize large companies and state and local governments won’t have deficit costs because the money would be paid back.The program gives grants to businesses with fewer than 500 workers so that they can maintain payroll and pay rent while shutting down their businesses during social distancing edicts.The program has been swamped by businesses applying for loans and has reached its appropriations limit. Mnuchin says $250 billion more is needed immediately.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585696236815.png" alt="White House" />
 <figcaption>White House</figcaption>
 </figure>But Democrats want money for hospitals burdened under COVID-19 caseloads and additional funding for states and local governments straining as the economy slides into recession.They also want to make sure the Paycheck Protection Program is opened up more to businesses that don’t have established relationships with banks that have been accepting applications for rescue funding.Pelosi is pressing to add money to be distributed by community development financial institutions, which are small, nontraditional lenders that focus on making loans in underdeveloped and underserved neighborhoods, typically communities with larger minority populations.“We want to make sure that, as it gets more money, many more people get access to the credit,” Pelosi said.Eventually, the need for consensus seems likely to result in a relatively limited package.Republicans are agitating to help rural hospitals, while Democrats are also keen to boost aid to cash-strapped states and local governments whose revenues have cratered. Aiding the states may be a stretch for now, however, as the issue can easily provoke fights between large, high-tax states like California and New York and smaller states more typically run by Republicans.

New pressure on lawmakers as virus aid for firms hits limit

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump gave governors a road map Thursday for recovering from the economic pain of the coronavirus pandemic, laying out “a phased and deliberate approach” to restoring normal activity in places that have strong testing and are seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases.

He added, “This is a gradual process.”

The new guidelines are aimed at easing restrictions in areas with low transmission of the coronavirus, while holding the line in harder-hit locations. They make clear that the return to normalcy will be a far longer process than Trump initially envisioned, with federal officials warning that some social distancing measures may need to remain in place through the end of the year to prevent a new outbreak. And they largely reinforce plans already in the works by governors, who have primary responsibility for public health in their states.

“You’re going to call your own shots,” Trump told the governors Thursday afternoon in a conference call, according to an audio recording obtained by The Associated Press. “We’re going to be standing alongside of you.”

Places with declining infections and strong testing would begin a three-phase gradual reopening of businesses and schools.

In phase one, for instance, the plan recommends strict social distancing for all people in public. Gatherings larger than 10 people are to be avoided and nonessential travel is discouraged.

In phase two, people are encouraged to maximize social distancing and limit gatherings to no more than 50 people unless precautionary measures are taken. Travel could resume.

Phase three envisions a return to normalcy for most Americans, with a focus on identification and isolation of any new infections.

Trump said recent trends in some states were so positive that they could almost immediately begin taking the steps laid out in phase one.

“They will be able to go literally tomorrow,” Trump said.

Governors of both parties made clear they will move at their own pace.

Delaware Gov. John Carney, a Democrat, said the guidelines “seem to make sense.”

“We’re days, maybe weeks away from the starting line and then you have to have 14 days of declining cases, of declining symptoms and hospital capacity that exists in case you have a rebound,” he said.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a Trump ally, cautiously floated the idea of reopening parts of the state, but said testing capacity and contact tracing would need to be considerably ramped up before restrictions could be safely lifted.

“All would be forgotten very quickly if we moved into a stage quicker than we should, and then we got into a situation where we had people dying like flies,” Justice told reporter

At the earliest, the guidelines suggest, some parts of the country could see a resumption in normal commerce and social gatherings after a month of evaluating whether easing up on restrictions has led to a resurgence in virus cases. In other parts of the country, or if virus cases pick up, it could be substantially longer.

In briefing governors on the plan, Trump said they were going to be responsible for deciding when it is safe to lift restrictions in their states. Just days before, he had drawn swift pushback for claiming he had absolute authority to determine how and when states reopen.

“We have a very large number of states that want to get going and they’re in very good shape,” Trump said. “That’s good with us, frankly.”

The guidelines also include general recommendations to businesses as they plan for potential reopenings, suggesting temperature-taking, rapid COVID-19 testing and widespread disinfection efforts in workplaces.

Those most susceptible to the respiratory disease are advised to remain sheltered in place until their area enters the final phase — and even then are encouraged to take precautions to avoid close contact with other people.

Governors, for their part, have been moving ahead with their own plans for how to safely revive normal activity. Seven Midwestern governors announced Thursday they will coordinate on reopening their economies. Similar pacts were announced earlier in the week in the West and Northeast.

Two in three Americans expressed concerns that restrictions meant to slow the spread of the virus would be eased too quickly, according to a Pew Research Center survey released Thursday. More than 30,000 people in the United States have died from the virus.

Trump also held conference calls Thursday with lawmakers he named to a new congressional advisory task force on reviving the economy. The economic costs were clear in new federal data showing that at least 22 million Americans have been thrown out of work in the last month. But the legislators repeatedly urged the president not to sacrifice public health by moving too quickly.

“My highest priority on this task force will be to ensure the federal government’s efforts to reopen our economy are bipartisan, data-driven, and based on the expertise of public health professionals,” said Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia.

The federal government envisions a gradual recovery from the virus, in which disruptive mitigation measures may be needed in some places at least until a vaccine is available — a milestone unlikely to be reached until sometime next year.

“It’s not going to immediately be a situation where we have stadiums full of people,” said Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson on Thursday. “We’re Americans. We will adapt,” he added.

Trump on Thursday claimed the U.S. has “built the most advanced and robust testing anywhere in the world.” But even people close to him warned more would be necessary.

“We are struggling with testing at a large scale,” South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham told ABC’s “The View.” “You really can’t go back to work until we have more tests.”

There was also concern that the White House was taking too rosy a view on trends in the U.S.

“I would not declare a peak almost anywhere in the U.S. yet,” said Marc Lipsitch, a Harvard epidemiology professor who is director of the university’s Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics. He recommended “working to enhance surveillance and testing so if we do hit a peak, it will be possible to identify it with greater certainty.”

But some of Trump’s conservative allies, like economist Stephen Moore, have encouraged him to act swiftly, warning of “a mini Great Depression if we keep the economy shut down.”

“That is a catastrophic outcome for our country. Period,” Moore said he advised the president.

A big testing ground for Trump’s road map could be Texas, where Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who has stuck close to federal guidance throughout the crisis, will lay out his reopening plan Friday. Abbott has said the process will be gradual, but he is facing pressure from conservative lawmakers to get Texas back to work.

The White House proposal presented Thursday is different from what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended last week, according to a draft of the recommendation obtained by The Associated Press. The CDC talked about using more specific criteria and in many cases looking for improvement over longer periods of time before easing restrictions in high-transmission areas. Examples include wanting to see sustained reductions over 30 days in positive tests for coronavirus, and sustained reductions over 15 days in numbers of coronavirus deaths.

WASHINGTON (AP) — New White House guidelines outline a phased approach to restoring normal commerce and services, but only for places with strong testing and seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases.

President Donald Trump unveiled his administration’s plans to ease social distancing requirements on a call Thursday with the nation’s governors. The new guidelines are aimed at clearing the way for an easing of restrictions in areas with low transmission of the coronavirus, while keeping them in place in harder-hit locations.

Places with declining infections and strong testing would begin a three-phased gradual reopening of businesses and schools, with each phase lasting at least 14 days, meant to ensure that the virus outbreak doesn’t accelerate again.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the guidelines before their public release.

The recommendations make clear that the return to normalcy will be a far longer process than Trump initially envisioned, with federal officials warning that some social distancing measures may need to remain in place through the end of the year to prevent a new outbreak.

At earliest, the guidelines suggest that some parts of the country could see a resumption in normal commerce and social gatherings after a month of evaluating whether the easing of restrictions leads to a resurgence in virus cases. In other parts of the country, or if virus cases resume an up-tick, it could be substantially longer.

Trump briefed the nation’s governors on the plan Thursday afternoon, saying they were going to be responsible for deciding when it is safe to lift restrictions in their states.

“You’re going to call your own shots,” Trump told governors, according to an audio recording obtained by The Associated Press. “We’re going to be standing along side of you.”

Meanwhile, under the federal guidelines, those most susceptible to the respiratory disease would be advised to remain sheltered in place until their area enters the final phase — and even then are advised to take precautions to avoid close contact with other people.

The federal guidelines come after seven governors in the Midwest announced Thursday they will coordinate on reopening the economy, after similar pacts were announced earlier this week in the West and Northeast.

Trump held conference calls earlier Thursday with lawmakers he named to a new congressional advisory task force. The economic costs were clear in new federal data showing that at least 22 million Americans have been thrown out of work in the last month. But the legislators repeatedly urged the president not to sacrifice public health in an effort to reopen the economy.

Business leaders, too, raised concerns to the president in a round of calls Wednesday, warning that a dramatic increase in testing and wider availability of protective equipment will be necessary before they can safely revive operations.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said at a news conference before the call with the White House that he planned to ask the president for “direct cash assistance,” citing the state’s troubled tax revenues. He also said he would press for “robust health care infrastructure” and mass testing with quick turnaround times before reopening the economy.

Trump said Wednesday that data indicates the U.S. is “past the peak” of the COVID-19 epidemic. He said the numbers have “put us in a very strong position to finalize guidelines for states on reopening the country.”

Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator, added that data from across the country showed the nation “improving,” but that Americans had to recommit to social distancing to keep up the positive momentum.

She said nine states have fewer than 1,000 cases and just a few dozen new cases per day. She said those would likely be the first to see a lifting in social distancing restrictions at the direction of their governors under the guidelines set to be released Thursday.

But participants in a Wednesday call with Trump that included executives of dozens of leading American companies raised concerns about the testing issue, according to one participant who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the private discussion.

Another participant said it was stressed to Trump that expansion of testing and contact tracing was crucial, as well as guidelines for best practices on reopening businesses in phases or in one fell swoop.

The participant said those on the call noted to the administration that there was about to be a rush on personal protective equipment. Many businesses that are now shuttered will need the protective equipment to keep their employees and customers safe.

Trump was told “the economy will look very different and operations will look very different,” one participant said.

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican close to Trump, said the lack of widespread testing was an impediment to lifting the social distancing guidelines. “We are struggling with testing at a large scale.,” he told ABC’s “The View.” “You really can’t go back to work until we have more tests.”

“That is a catastrophic outcome for our country. Period,” Moore said he advised the president. “We can’t have 30 million people in this country unemployed or you’re going to have social chaos.”

The panel, which Trump dubbed the new Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups, also could help give him a measure of cover. If cases surge once restrictions are lifted, as many experts have warned, Trump will be able to tell the public he didn’t act alone and the nation’s top minds — from manufacturing to defense to technology — helped shape the plan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587087044524.png" alt="President Trump answers questions Thursday on the plan during the Coronavirus Task Force briefing- Image courtesy White House&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>President Trump answers questions Thursday on the plan during the Coronavirus Task Force briefing- Image courtesy White House&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump gave governors a road map Thursday for recovering from the economic pain of the coronavirus pandemic, laying out “a phased and deliberate approach” to restoring normal activity in places that have strong testing and are seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases.He added, “This is a gradual process.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587086887250.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>The new guidelines are aimed at easing restrictions in areas with low transmission of the coronavirus, while holding the line in harder-hit locations. They make clear that the return to normalcy will be a far longer process than Trump initially envisioned, with federal officials warning that some social distancing measures may need to remain in place through the end of the year to prevent a new outbreak. And they largely reinforce plans already in the works by governors, who have primary responsibility for public health in their states.“You’re going to call your own shots,” Trump told the governors Thursday afternoon in a conference call, according to an audio recording obtained by The Associated Press. “We’re going to be standing alongside of you.”Places with declining infections and strong testing would begin a three-phase gradual reopening of businesses and schools.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587086594833.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>In phase one, for instance, the plan recommends strict social distancing for all people in public. Gatherings larger than 10 people are to be avoided and nonessential travel is discouraged.In phase two, people are encouraged to maximize social distancing and limit gatherings to no more than 50 people unless precautionary measures are taken. Travel could resume.Phase three envisions a return to normalcy for most Americans, with a focus on identification and isolation of any new infections.Trump said recent trends in some states were so positive that they could almost immediately begin taking the steps laid out in phase one.“They will be able to go literally tomorrow,” Trump said.Governors of both parties made clear they will move at their own pace.Delaware Gov. John Carney, a Democrat, said the guidelines “seem to make sense.”“We’re days, maybe weeks away from the starting line and then you have to have 14 days of declining cases, of declining symptoms and hospital capacity that exists in case you have a rebound,” he said.West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a Trump ally, cautiously floated the idea of reopening parts of the state, but said testing capacity and contact tracing would need to be considerably ramped up before restrictions could be safely lifted.“All would be forgotten very quickly if we moved into a stage quicker than we should, and then we got into a situation where we had people dying like flies,” Justice told reporterAt the earliest, the guidelines suggest, some parts of the country could see a resumption in normal commerce and social gatherings after a month of evaluating whether easing up on restrictions has led to a resurgence in virus cases. In other parts of the country, or if virus cases pick up, it could be substantially longer.In briefing governors on the plan, Trump said they were going to be responsible for deciding when it is safe to lift restrictions in their states. Just days before, he had drawn swift pushback for claiming he had absolute authority to determine how and when states reopen.“We have a very large number of states that want to get going and they’re in very good shape,” Trump said. “That’s good with us, frankly.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587086755141.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>The guidelines also include general recommendations to businesses as they plan for potential reopenings, suggesting temperature-taking, rapid COVID-19 testing and widespread disinfection efforts in workplaces.Those most susceptible to the respiratory disease are advised to remain sheltered in place until their area enters the final phase — and even then are encouraged to take precautions to avoid close contact with other people.Governors, for their part, have been moving ahead with their own plans for how to safely revive normal activity. Seven Midwestern governors announced Thursday they will coordinate on reopening their economies. Similar pacts were announced earlier in the week in the West and Northeast.Two in three Americans expressed concerns that restrictions meant to slow the spread of the virus would be eased too quickly, according to a Pew Research Center survey released Thursday. More than 30,000 people in the United States have died from the virus.Trump also held conference calls Thursday with lawmakers he named to a new congressional advisory task force on reviving the economy. The economic costs were clear in new federal data showing that at least 22 million Americans have been thrown out of work in the last month. But the legislators repeatedly urged the president not to sacrifice public health by moving too quickly.“My highest priority on this task force will be to ensure the federal government’s efforts to reopen our economy are bipartisan, data-driven, and based on the expertise of public health professionals,” said Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia.The federal government envisions a gradual recovery from the virus, in which disruptive mitigation measures may be needed in some places at least until a vaccine is available — a milestone unlikely to be reached until sometime next year.“It’s not going to immediately be a situation where we have stadiums full of people,” said Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson on Thursday. “We’re Americans. We will adapt,” he added.Trump on Thursday claimed the U.S. has “built the most advanced and robust testing anywhere in the world.” But even people close to him warned more would be necessary.“We are struggling with testing at a large scale,” South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham told ABC’s “The View.” “You really can’t go back to work until we have more tests.”There was also concern that the White House was taking too rosy a view on trends in the U.S.“I would not declare a peak almost anywhere in the U.S. yet,” said Marc Lipsitch, a Harvard epidemiology professor who is director of the university’s Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics. He recommended “working to enhance surveillance and testing so if we do hit a peak, it will be possible to identify it with greater certainty.”But some of Trump’s conservative allies, like economist Stephen Moore, have encouraged him to act swiftly, warning of “a mini Great Depression if we keep the economy shut down.”“That is a catastrophic outcome for our country. Period,” Moore said he advised the president.A big testing ground for Trump’s road map could be Texas, where Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who has stuck close to federal guidance throughout the crisis, will lay out his reopening plan Friday. Abbott has said the process will be gradual, but he is facing pressure from conservative lawmakers to get Texas back to work.The White House proposal presented Thursday is different from what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended last week, according to a draft of the recommendation obtained by The Associated Press. The CDC talked about using more specific criteria and in many cases looking for improvement over longer periods of time before easing restrictions in high-transmission areas. Examples include wanting to see sustained reductions over 30 days in positive tests for coronavirus, and sustained reductions over 15 days in numbers of coronavirus deaths.___WASHINGTON (AP) — New White House guidelines outline a phased approach to restoring normal commerce and services, but only for places with strong testing and seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases.President Donald Trump unveiled his administration’s plans to ease social distancing requirements on a call Thursday with the nation’s governors. The new guidelines are aimed at clearing the way for an easing of restrictions in areas with low transmission of the coronavirus, while keeping them in place in harder-hit locations.Places with declining infections and strong testing would begin a three-phased gradual reopening of businesses and schools, with each phase lasting at least 14 days, meant to ensure that the virus outbreak doesn’t accelerate again.The Associated Press obtained a copy of the guidelines before their public release.The recommendations make clear that the return to normalcy will be a far longer process than Trump initially envisioned, with federal officials warning that some social distancing measures may need to remain in place through the end of the year to prevent a new outbreak.At earliest, the guidelines suggest that some parts of the country could see a resumption in normal commerce and social gatherings after a month of evaluating whether the easing of restrictions leads to a resurgence in virus cases. In other parts of the country, or if virus cases resume an up-tick, it could be substantially longer.Trump briefed the nation’s governors on the plan Thursday afternoon, saying they were going to be responsible for deciding when it is safe to lift restrictions in their states.“You’re going to call your own shots,” Trump told governors, according to an audio recording obtained by The Associated Press. “We’re going to be standing along side of you.”Meanwhile, under the federal guidelines, those most susceptible to the respiratory disease would be advised to remain sheltered in place until their area enters the final phase — and even then are advised to take precautions to avoid close contact with other people.The federal guidelines come after seven governors in the Midwest announced Thursday they will coordinate on reopening the economy, after similar pacts were announced earlier this week in the West and Northeast.Trump held conference calls earlier Thursday with lawmakers he named to a new congressional advisory task force. The economic costs were clear in new federal data showing that at least 22 million Americans have been thrown out of work in the last month. But the legislators repeatedly urged the president not to sacrifice public health in an effort to reopen the economy.“My highest priority on this task force will be to ensure the federal government’s efforts to reopen our economy are bipartisan, data-driven, and based on the expertise of public health professionals,” said Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia.Business leaders, too, raised concerns to the president in a round of calls Wednesday, warning that a dramatic increase in testing and wider availability of protective equipment will be necessary before they can safely revive operations.The federal government envisions a gradual recovery from the virus, in which disruptive mitigation measures may be needed in some places at least until a vaccine is available — a milestone unlikely to be reached until sometime next year.“It’s not going to immediately be a situation where we have stadiums full of people,” said Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson on Thursday. “We’re Americans. We will adapt,” he added.New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said at a news conference before the call with the White House that he planned to ask the president for “direct cash assistance,” citing the state’s troubled tax revenues. He also said he would press for “robust health care infrastructure” and mass testing with quick turnaround times before reopening the economy.Trump said Wednesday that data indicates the U.S. is “past the peak” of the COVID-19 epidemic. He said the numbers have “put us in a very strong position to finalize guidelines for states on reopening the country.”Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator, added that data from across the country showed the nation “improving,” but that Americans had to recommit to social distancing to keep up the positive momentum.She said nine states have fewer than 1,000 cases and just a few dozen new cases per day. She said those would likely be the first to see a lifting in social distancing restrictions at the direction of their governors under the guidelines set to be released Thursday.But participants in a Wednesday call with Trump that included executives of dozens of leading American companies raised concerns about the testing issue, according to one participant who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the private discussion.Another participant said it was stressed to Trump that expansion of testing and contact tracing was crucial, as well as guidelines for best practices on reopening businesses in phases or in one fell swoop.The participant said those on the call noted to the administration that there was about to be a rush on personal protective equipment. Many businesses that are now shuttered will need the protective equipment to keep their employees and customers safe.Trump was told “the economy will look very different and operations will look very different,” one participant said.South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican close to Trump, said the lack of widespread testing was an impediment to lifting the social distancing guidelines. “We are struggling with testing at a large scale.,” he told ABC’s “The View.” “You really can’t go back to work until we have more tests.”But some of Trump’s conservative allies, like economist Stephen Moore, have encouraged him to act swiftly, warning of “a mini Great Depression if we keep the economy shut down.”“That is a catastrophic outcome for our country. Period,” Moore said he advised the president. “We can’t have 30 million people in this country unemployed or you’re going to have social chaos.”The panel, which Trump dubbed the new Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups, also could help give him a measure of cover. If cases surge once restrictions are lifted, as many experts have warned, Trump will be able to tell the public he didn’t act alone and the nation’s top minds — from manufacturing to defense to technology — helped shape the plan.___

Trump gives governors plan to reopen economy

BLAIR, Neb. (Omaha World-Herald) — Police say at least one officer in the small eastern Nebraska town of Blair shot and killed a man armed with a rifle during a domestic disturbance call. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports the shooting happened around 10 p.m. Wednesday night, when police were called to a home to quell a disturbance. 

Blair Police Capt. Aaron Barrow says officers and deputies with the Washington County Sheriff's Office entered the home and were confronted by a man armed with a rifle.

 The man was then shot. He died at a hospital. 

The Nebraska State Patrol, which is conducting an investigation into the shooting, on Thursday identified the man as 39-year-old Leslie Flynn.

BLAIR, Neb. (Omaha World-Herald) — Police say at least one officer in the small eastern Nebraska town of Blair shot and killed a man armed with a rifle during a domestic disturbance call. The Omaha World-Herald reports the shooting happened around 10 p.m. Wednesday night, when police were called to a home to quell a disturbance. Blair Police Capt. Aaron Barrow says officers and deputies with the Washington County Sheriff's Office entered the home and were confronted by a man armed with a rifle. The man was then shot. He died at a hospital. The Nebraska State Patrol, which is conducting an investigation into the shooting, on Thursday identified the man as 39-year-old Leslie Flynn.

Armed man dies in Blair after confrontation with police

LINCOLN –&nbsp;This afternoon, Governor Pete Ricketts issued a statement following President Donald J. Trump’s announcement of “Opening Up American Again Guidelines.”

“I appreciate President Trump’s guidelines for reopening pieces of the economy that have been closed temporarily,” said Governor Ricketts.&nbsp; “It is critical that we get people back to work safely and continue to slow the spread of the virus as the country opens up.”

LINCOLN –&nbsp;This afternoon, Governor Pete Ricketts issued a statement following President Donald J. Trump’s announcement of “Opening Up American Again Guidelines.”“I appreciate President Trump’s guidelines for reopening pieces of the economy that have been closed temporarily,” said Governor Ricketts.&nbsp; “It is critical that we get people back to work safely and continue to slow the spread of the virus as the country opens up.”