Virus Outbreak, ADVISORY

Could the U.S. really see a coronavirus vaccine before Election Day? A letter from federal health officials instructing states to be ready to begin distributing a vaccine by Nov. 1 — two days before the election — has met, not with exhilaration, but with suspicion among public health experts and others. They wonder whether the Trump administration is hyping the possibility or intends to rush approval for political gain. The administration is giving assurances it not sacrifice safety.

The AP plans the following coverage today of the virus outbreak. For up-to-the minute information, visit AP Newsroom’s coverage hub Find AP Virus Alerts here

SENT/DEVELOPING:

VIRUS OUTBREAK: The credibility of two of the nation’s leading public health agencies was under fire this week after controversial decisions that outside experts said smacked of political pressure from President Donald Trump as he attempts to move past the devastating toll of the coronavirus ahead of the November election. SENT: 1280 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-THE LATEST

JOBLESS AID-FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS: More than 1 million unemployed Americans face a tough financial struggle because they won’t likely qualify for the $300 weekly federal benefit the Trump administration is offering to replace an expired $600-a-week check. Many had been low-paid workers before the pandemic struck and so are receiving less than the $100 weekly state jobless benefit that is the minimum to qualify for the $300-a-week federal benefit. Others had been mainly gig or contractor workers and also don’t qualify. Such loopholes are weakening the White House’s efforts to aid the jobless at a time of high unemployment. SENT: 1130 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-THE LATEST: Latest global developments in the coronavirus pandemic. SENT; developing.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS: The number of laid-off Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell to roughly 880,000 last week, a sign of possible improvement but evidence that the viral pandemic keeps forcing many businesses to slash jobs. SENT: 790 words, photos.

FINANCIAL MARKETS: Stocks fell sharply on Wall Street Thursday as high-flying technology companies took a tumble after months of spectacular gains. SENT: 800 words, photos.

WHO-PANDEMIC PROBE: An independent panel appointed by the World Health Organization to review its coordination of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic will have full access to any internal U.N. agency documents, materials and emails necessary. SENT: 500 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-BRITAIN: The British government says it is investing in a coronavirus test that gives results in as little as 20 minutes. It’s touting the move as the latest milestone in efforts to take the U.K. to the front of the global pack in testing for COVID-19. SENT: 460 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-BRITAIN SCHOOLS: Children are slowly returning to school in England, most of them for the first time in six months because of the coronavirus pandemic. For those just starting high school, it’s a particularly important milestone. SENT: 580 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-FRANCE: Facing resurgent virus infections, France will spend $118 billion to try to pull the country out of its worst economic slump since World War II. SENT; developing.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MIDEAST: The confirmed death toll from the coronavirus has gone over 50,000 in the Middle East as the pandemic continues. That’s according to a count Thursday from The Associated Press. SENT; developing.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-AFGHANISTAN-LIFE AFTER LOCKDOWN: Afghans desperate for relief from endless war and now a pandemic that closed even the few recreational areas they can safely attend can again go to parks, wedding halls, swimming pools and gyms as the government eases a lockdown that has been in effect since March. SENT: 870 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-ASIA: Beijing’s main international airport is again receiving international flights. Roughly 500 passengers per day will be allowed in from a few countries considered at low risk of coronavirus infection. SENT: 970 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-THAILAND: Health officials in Thailand say a prison inmate has tested positive for the coronavirus in the country’s first confirmed locally transmitted case in 100 days.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEVADA CHURCH: A rural Nevada church is trying again to persuade the 9th U.S. Circuit of Appeals that the state’s 50-person cap on religious gatherings is unconstitutional. SENT: 630 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-TYSON CLINICS: Tyson Foods says it is planning to open medical clinics at several of its U.S. plants to improve the health of its workers and better protect them from the coronavirus. SENT: 580 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-VIRAL QUESTIONS-REINFECTION: Can I get the coronavirus twice? It seems possible, though how often it happens isn’t known. SENT: 260 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-ONE GOOD THING-BANGLADESH AID: Starting with a personal fund of $236 three young friends have raised about $230,000 to help people hit hard by coronavirus pandemic in Bangladesh. SENT: 530 words, photos.

ALSO:

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SOUTH AFRICA-HEALTHCARE WORKERS PROTEST: More than 100 South African healthcare workers have protested against poor working conditions and urged the government to end corruption in the purchase of COVID-19 personal protective equipment. SENT: 440 words, photos.

NEPAL-PROTEST: Thousands of protesters defying a government coronavirus lockdown to take part in an religious festival have clashed with riot police in Nepal, leaving several people injured. SENT: 330 words.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-AUSTRALIA-ARREST: A pregnant woman says she didn’t know she had broken any law when she was handcuffed by police in front of her children in her Australian home and led away in pajamas for allegedly inciting activists to demonstrate against pandemic lockdown. SENT: 230 words.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles City Council has declared a fiscal emergency because of the coronavirus pandemic, paving the way to furlough about 15,000 employees. SENT: 340 words.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-THE BATMAN: A member of production on “The Batman” has tested positive for COVID-19 and the U.K shoot has been temporarily suspended. SENT: 90 words, photos.

INTERACTIVES/GRAPHICS:

-US cases county-by-county. Embed code can be found in Coverage Plan. A static graphic also will be available in AP Newsroom.

-State trends (table): Trends in new cases and positivity rates for each U.S. state over the past 14 days.

-Case count (table): Searchable table of confirmed cases, including recoveries and deaths, by country, updated each hour.

-Interactive breakdown of unemployment filings by state with time scale for each (going back as far as 2000)

-Virus Europe Spread (map): An auto updating European map tracking the total confirmed cases, recoveries and deaths from coronavirus.

Additional graphics and interactives include:

- Flattening the Coronavirus Curve (Chart): Chart compares the cumulative cases over time in some of the hardest hit countries by coronavirus.

-Virus Global Spread (table): Table of countries which have confirmed cases of the virus. Table also includes when the virus was initially reported and the number of deaths by country.

-Virus Global Spread (Map): Map of countries which have confirmed cases of the virus. Map also includes when the virus was initially reported and the number of deaths by country.

-Virus US State Map: State by state count of confirmed cases in the U.S.

-Virus US State Table: Table tracks the number of cases, recoveries and deaths for the US including its territories.

-Status of Cases Worldwide: Auto-updating once a day, this chart tracks the levels of active cases and deaths from COVID-19 around the world over time.

PHOTOS:

AP photos have moved from France, Italy, Sweden, Britain, Norway,South Africa, Afghanistan, Indonesia, India, Nepal, various US, Latin America locations.

VIDEO:

AP video has moved from Syria, Turkey, UK, Australia, Afghanistan, Greece, Bangladesh, various US, Latin America locations.