INDIANAPOLIS — Monday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic.
The Vogue hosting 'Movie Mondays'
The Vogue is returning to its roots and hosting "Monday movie nights." The theater in Broad Ripple, which originally opened as a movie theater in 1938 will open its doors every Monday at 7 p.m. for an 8 p.m. movie time.
The July and August movie lineup includes:
- Monday, July 13 – Fight Club
- Monday, Jul 20 – Top Gun
- Monday, July 27 – Rocketman
- Monday, Aug. 3 – The Sandlot
- Monday, Aug. 10 – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
- Monday, Aug. 17 – The Princess Bride
- Monday, Aug. 24 – Yesterday
- Monday, Aug. 31 – Anchorman
Tickets are on sale now.
ISDH reports new cases and deaths
The state is reporting 452 more positive cases and 2 additional deaths from COVID-19. So far, more than 570,000 Hoosiers have been tested.
There have been 52,037 positive cases of the virus and 2,569 deaths. Marion County has the most cases in the state with 12,111.
Hospitalizations across the state increased from the previous day. There were 764 patients being treated for the virus in hospitals as of Sunday — an increase from 702 on Saturday.
West Lafayette mask order in effect
People are now required to wear masks in public in West Lafayette under order of the mayor.
The executive order went into effect on July 13.
A violation of the order could mean $100 fine for the first offense and $250 for each additional offense. The mayor said that by not wearing a mask, a person "endangers the public health is a public nuisance."
An end date for the executive order has not been set.
Washington Township changes to online school for start of year
Students in Washington Township will not return to the classroom when school is back in session. The district announced Monday its decision to make all learning virtual until further notice. The new school year will still begin July 30.
"While several of the most significant numeric and statistical measures relating to the coronavirus continue to rise, and while we understand our continuing responsibility to address students’ educational, social and emotional needs, it is the Board’s judgment that the best course of action in the near term is not to have students return to the classroom while coronavirus indicators increase," the board said in a statement.
All extracurricular events and activities, including athletics, have also been suspended or postponed until further notice.
The school board will continue to track the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and consider when students and teachers can safely return to in-person education.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been 3.3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. as of 3:30 a.m. ET Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 135,000 deaths and 1 million people recovered.
Worldwide, there have been 12.91 million confirmed cases with more than 569,000 deaths and 7.11 million recovered.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
Coin shortage impacts Kroger customers
Kroger customers paying with cash will not be getting coins handed back in change starting today or tomorrow.
The pandemic has created a nationwide shortage of coins, and Kroger will offer customers two options for cash transactions. They can roll over their change onto their store loyalty card to apply to their next purchase, or donate to the store's Zero Hunger - Zero Waste plan to help local food pantries.
IPS holds virtual back-to-school town hall tonight
Indianapolis Public Schools will host a virtual Family and Community Town Hall tonight at 6:30 p.m.
Supt. Aleesia Johnson and IPS leadership will answer families' questions on Zoom and Facebook Live.
Marion County Public Health Department Director Dr. Virginia Caine will also join the discussion as a special guest.
Those who wish to join can register for the Zoom event HERE. Space is limited to the first 5,000 participants. Anybody can watch the Facebook stream.
IPS announced that it will resume classes both in person and through a full-time remote learning option Aug. 3. Families can learn more about that option and register HERE.
RELATED: Parents faced with difficult decision of in-person vs. virtual learning as schools prepare to reopen
Coronavirus spread — not politics — should guide schools, doctors say
As the Trump administration pushes full steam ahead to force schools to resume in-person education, public health experts warn that a one-size-fits-all reopening could drive infection and death rates even higher.
They’re urging a more cautious approach, which many local governments and school districts are already pursuing.
But U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos doubled down on President Donald Trump's insistence that kids can safely return to the classroom.
“There’s nothing in the data that suggests that kids being in school is in any way dangerous,” she told Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday."
Still, health experts say there are too many uncertainties and variables for back-to-school to be back-to-normal.
Where is the virus spreading rapidly? Do students live with aged grandparents? Do teachers have high-risk health conditions that would make online teaching safest? Do infected children easily spread COVID-19 to each other and to adults?
Regarding the latter, some evidence suggests they don’t, but a big government study aims to find better proof. Results won’t be available before the fall, and some schools are slated to reopen in just a few weeks.
“These are complicated issues. You can’t just charge straight ahead,” Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Wednesday during an online briefing.
RELATED: Parents faced with difficult decision of in-person vs. virtual learning as schools prepare to reopen
Children infected with coronavirus are more likely than adults to have mild illnesses, but their risk for severe disease and death isn’t zero. While a virus-linked inflammatory condition is uncommon, most children who develop it require intensive care, and a few have died. Doctors don’t know which children are at risk.
“The single most important thing we can do to keep our schools safe has nothing to do with what happens in school. It’s how well we control COVID-19 in the community,” Frieden said. “Right now there are places around the country where the virus is spreading explosively and it would be difficult if not impossible to operate schools safely until the virus is under better control.”
Click here to read more.
South Africa returns to ban on alcohol sales as coronavirus surges
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says the country will immediately return to a ban on the sale of alcohol to reduce the volume of trauma patients so that hospitals have more beds open to treat COVID-19 patients.
Confronted by surging hospitalizations due to the coronavirus, South Africa is also reinstating a night curfew to reduce traffic accidents and made it mandatory for all residents to wear face masks when in public.
Ramaphosa said, in a nationally televised address Sunday night, that top health officials warn of impending shortages of hospital beds and medical oxygen as South Africa reaches a peak of COVID-19 cases, expected between the end of July and September. He said some hospitals have had to turn away patients because all their beds are full.
South Africa’s rapid increase in reported cases has made it one of the world’s centers for COVID-19, as it is ranked as the 9th country most affected by the disease, according to Johns Hopkins University. The country has reported increases of more than 10,000 confirmed cases for several days and the latest daily increase was nearly 13,500. South Africa accounts for 40% of all the confirmed cases in Africa, with 276,242, an increase of 12,058 in one day.
South Africa has recorded 4,079 deaths, 25% of which have been in the past week, said Ramaphosa.