Reopening updates: Centre County adds 2 new cases of COVID-19, and other updates for Aug. 5
We’re keeping track of the most up-to-date coronavirus news as Penn State and local schools prepare to reopen. Check back for updates.
Big Ten football players share list of requests for the season. Here’s what they want
More than 1,000 Big Ten football players have gone public with a list of requests from the Big Ten and the NCAA in order to feel safe about playing during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. College Athlete Unity — a member organization of intercollegiate athletes seeking to address injustice and affect positive change using its privilege and platforms — published the requests on The Players’ Tribune Wednesday afternoon.
The “Big Ten Unity Proposal” included several subjects with underlying proposals to meet those points: oversight and transparency; prevention and safety protocols; testing, contact tracing and related procedures; player assurances and hazard-related economic support.
- by Jon Sauber
Penn State football’s Micah Parsons to sit out 2020 season, report says
Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons’ career as a Nittany Lion has reportedly come to an end. Yahoo! Sports reported late Tuesday night that Parsons will sit out the 2020 season and declare for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Parsons was expected to make the announcement official Wednesday afternoon, but as of late Wednesday afternoon, neither he nor Penn State had made an announcement.
- by Jon Sauber
Centre County’s free meal programs will continue this fall, with new challenges
As summer lunch programs wind down, hunger advocates have joined forces to ensure kids not returning for in-person classes will be fed.
The Centre County YMCA summer feeding program is set to end Aug. 21, but the YMCA and Central Pennsylvania Food Bank have teamed up to continue some programming that began in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although some need will be alleviated by school meal programs, Director of the Moshannon Valley YMCA Mel Curtis said food insecurity isn’t going to disappear once schools reopen.
“We still have lots to do,” Curtis said. “This isn’t going away any time soon.”
- by Marley Parish
Lawmakers hear schools face range of challenges in reopening
Pennsylvania state lawmakers heard about the slew of challenges ahead when schools reopen during a pandemic, as two days of hearings that ended Wednesday offered little reason for optimism.
In hours of testimony before the House Education Committee, school officials and other experts said there has been months of planning but there are also concerns about what lies ahead.
“How prepared are we? We’re as prepared as you possibly can be,” said John Callahan, lobbyist for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.
- The Associated Press
Centre County adds 2 new cases of COVID-19
Centre County added two new positive cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, as Pennsylvania’s count increased by 705, according to the state Department of Health.
Centre County has now had 361 cases of the novel coronavirus since the first case was reported on March 20. Of those 361 cases, 323 are confirmed and 38 are probable. There have been 9,054 negative tests, per the DOH.
The statewide total is now 115,714, with an estimated recovery rate of 76%, according to the DOH. There were 12 new COVID-19-related deaths reported in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, bringing the total to 7,244. According to the DOH, 10 of those deaths have been Centre County residents.
The age breakdown of those who have tested positive in Pennsylvania is:
- 1% are ages 0-4;
- 1% are ages 5-12;
- 3% are ages 13-18;
- 9% are ages 19-24;
- 37% are ages 25-49;
- Nearly 23% are ages 50-64; and
- 24% are ages 65 or older.
Statewide, there have been 19,740 resident cases and 4,047 cases among employees in 867 nursing and personal care homes. In Centre County, there have been 33 cases in residents and 19 cases in staff in five facilities. The DOH attributes eight of Centre County’s 10 COVID-19 deaths to nursing home residents.
The breakdown of confirmed Centre County cases by ZIP code is as follows, according to the DOH:
- 16801 (State College): 74
- 16823 (Bellefonte and Pleasant Gap): 63
- 16803 (State College): 49
- 16875 (Spring Mills): 20
- 16841 (Howard): 16
- 16866 (Philipsburg): 16
- 16827 (Boalsburg): 15
- 16870 (Port Matilda): 12
- 16822 (Beech Creek): 12
- 16828 (Centre Hall): 9
- 16686 (Tyrone): 9
- 16853 (Milesburg): 6
- 16865 (Pennsylvania Furnace): 5
- 16666, 16802, 16820, 16829, 16832, 16844, 16845, 16851, 16852, 16854, 16860, 16868, 16872, 16874, 16877, 16882: 1-4 cases each.
The state does not give specific numbers when there are fewer than five cases to protect patient privacy and does not identify exactly where a case occurred in a ZIP code that spans multiple counties.
- by Lauren Muthler
Not wearing a mask? Hosting a small party? Under a new State College ordinance, you’ll face fines
Visitors, students and residents of State College will have to immediately take heed of a new borough law that requires mask-wearing and severely limits gathering size — or they’ll face $300 fines.
In a bid to better fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the State College Borough Council unanimously voted Tuesday to pass an ordinance that would require a mask when in public, forbid long lines and cap gatherings in residences at 10 people. Those who refuse to comply will be hit with a $300 fine by police (or other officials).
The local law officially went into effect Wednesday afternoon.
- by Josh Moyer
Here’s what the Big Ten’s new 10-game schedule means for Penn State football
While uncertainty continues to shroud the 2020 college football season, the Big Ten released its new conference-only schedule on Wednesday, and with it, a date for Penn State football’s season opener.
The new schedule has set opening weekend as Sept. 5 for all 14 Big Ten teams.
The Nittany Lions will take on Northwestern that day at Beaver Stadium. Penn State was originally scheduled to play the Wildcats Sept. 26.
- by Jon Sauber
Community outreach/appreciation
Reopenings
Campus check-in
The NCAA Board of Governors on Wednesday directed each division of the association to decide independently by Aug. 21 whether it will be able to conduct championship events safely in fall sports such as soccer, volleyball and lower levels of football during the coronavirus pandemic.
UConn canceled its 2020-2021 football season Wednesday, becoming the first FBS program to suspend football because of the coronavirus pandemic, as other schools had taken the Huskies off their schedules and the governor was reluctant to allow UConn to travel to states with high infection rates.
Colorado State President Joyce McConnell says she will launch an investigation into how the athletic department handled COVID-19 safety protocols amid a report that players were told not to reveal symptoms.
Eastern Kentucky kicker Landon White has quit the football team in a social media post that accuses the FCS program of being lax in coronavirus testing and following protocols.
The American Athletic Conference says it will keep its eight-game conference football schedule in place and allow its 11 schools to play up to four nonconference games.
Michigan State defensive end Jacub Panasiuk says he’s redshirting this season because of concerns about COVID-19.
Louisville has paused workouts for men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey and volleyball after 29 members of those programs tested positive for COVID-19.
Three days after Pac-12 football players listed “unity demands” and threatened a boycott, Big Ten players have expressed their own desires in a Players’ Tribune piece.
West Virginia safety Kerry Martin is opting out of the upcoming college football season due to health concerns.
Things to do
Free food options
This story was originally published August 5, 2020 at 10:24 AM.