New York to Ease School Rules; N.J. Ends Emergency: Virus Update

(Bloomberg) --

New York state plans to let school districts waive the mask mandate for students’ outdoor activities next week. More than 70% of adults in California have gotten at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine ahead of full reopening on June 15.

New Jersey ended its 15-month public health emergency in what Governor Phil Murphy called a “decisive step on the path toward normalcy.” Mexico City will gradually ease restrictions during June, allowing schools, convention centers and music venues to reopen.

The U.S. is sticking with plans to increase global vaccine dose donations to 80 million after an initial 25 million announced this week, according to the State Department’s Covid response coordinator.

Key Developments:

Amazon Defends Non-Payments for Screening Time (6:10 p.m. HK)

Amazon.com Services LLC has no obligation to pay fulfillment center workers for time spent undergoing mandatory Covid-19 screenings, which benefits the public in general, the company said in a motion to dismiss a would-be class action filed in the Eastern District of California.

The required screenings, conducted in accordance with government regulations and guidance—not just for employees but for all visitors—aren’t compensable “work” under the Fair Labor Standards Act because they aren’t primarily for Amazon’s benefit, the Thursday motion says. According to Amazon, the screenings benefit everyone, and its benefit is merely incidental.

Argentine Customs Officers Plans Strike (6 a.m. HK)

Argentina’s customs officers are planning to go on strike on June 8 to demand Covid-19 vaccines, the Supara union said in a statement on its website.

The country reported 30,950 new cases Friday, bringing the total to 3.9 million. It added 539 deaths, bringing the total to 80,411.

Argentina and Russia formally announced Friday that a pharmaceutical company in the South American nation will start producing the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine. Presidents Vladimir Putin and Alberto Fernandez marked the start of the vaccine production at Laboratorios Richmond SA in Argentina. The country has received 8.9 million doses of the Russian-developed vaccine this year, accounting for nearly half of its supply.

U.S. Plans More Global Vaccine Donations (5:26 p.m. NY)

The U.S. government plans to provide more vaccine donations in the months ahead and is counting on the authorization of AstraZeneca Plc doses that are stuck in a safety review, a State Department official said.

Distribution of an initial 25 million doses worldwide is based on maximizing global coverage, addressing surges and heading off others, and responding to requests from abroad, Gayle Smith, the State Department’s coordinator for global Covid response and health security, told reporters Friday.

”We will continue this three-part strategy to maximize supply,” she said.

The White House has stuck by Biden’s pledge to donate at least 80 million doses in June, a pledge built initially on the availability of 60 million AstraZeneca doses. Smith said the administration is still expecting the AstraZeneca doses to be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, but wouldn’t intervene in the process.

The U.S. expects the balance of the 80 million doses, or about 55 million more, will come from the AstraZeneca stockpile, she said.

Trumka Hits Biden on Delayed Federal Rules (2:35 p.m. NY)

The Biden administration has taken too long to implement Occupational Safety and Health Administration emergency regulations to ensure on-the-job protections for workers during the Covid-19 pandemic, said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka.

“I keep pushing the administration to get it done. They keep saying they’re working on it, but I have yet to see that temporary pandemic standard be issued,” the labor leader said in an interview Friday on Bloomberg Television’s “Balance of Power” program.

New York School Districts to Ease Mask Mandates (2:25 p.m. NY)

New York on Monday plans to allow school districts to waive the mask mandate for students outside of the building, State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said.

Zucker on Friday wrote a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention citing concerns over inconsistencies in the guidance between children who are unvaccinated at summer camps and rules for unvaccinated children at schools, according to a news release. Many summer camps take place on school grounds.

Zucker told CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky the state will align its camp and school guidance unless the CDC advises otherwise. The wearing of masks outside will be “encouraged” in high-risk circumstances, but not required for unvaccinated students, campers and staff, according to the letter.

California Not Lifting State of Emergency (1:50 p.m. NY)

Most of the Covid restrictions in California will be lifted by June 15, though there are no plans to lift the state of emergency immediately, Governor Gavin Newsom said.

“We’re mindful that this disease is not 100% behind us,” he said, adding that masks remain “an important part of our arsenal.”

More than 70% of California’s adult population have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, he said, as the state prepares to fully reopen in the middle of June.

The state drew 15 winners who each won a $50,000 cash price that’s part of a program to entice Californians to get vaccinated before the reopening.

Mexico City Will Reopen for Conventions, Concerts (1 p.m. NY)

Mexico City is reopening schools, convention centers and concert halls this month as Covid-19 cases and deaths reached their lowest levels in over a year.

Soccer stadiums and movie theaters will be able to fill half their seats and gyms will hold classes, in a gradual return over the course of this month. Surrounding the capital, Mexico state, the nation’s most populous, has also reduced its Covid restrictions to the lowest level, or “code green.”

Seychelles Seeks Answers to Surge That Defied Vaccine Success (12:28 p.m. NY)

Seychelles, where cases have surged despite the country’s world-leading share of vaccinated residents, expects to know the results of analysis of virus samples sent to a Kenyan institute in about two weeks.

A World Health Organization team has also been working with the island nation of 98,000’s health ministry for the last few weeks, Public Health Commissioner Jude Gedeon said.

CDC Cites Hospitalization Risk for Adolescents (12:11 p.m. NY)

Almost one-third of adolescents hospitalized with Covid-19 in the U.S. ended up in intensive care units in the first quarter, and 5% needed machines to help them breathe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said she’s “deeply concerned” by Friday’s data and encouraged adolescents to continue to wear masks until they’re fully vaccinated.

Russia Revises Monthly Death Numbers (12:07 p.m. NY)

Russia revised its Covid-19 death toll for April to 20,323, an increase of 80% from early official reports, compared with 24,042 in March, according to the Federal Statistics Service. The data include people who were infected with the virus when it was not regarded as the cause of death.

President Vladimir Putin’s appeals for the public to protect against the virus using domestically-developed vaccines are meeting widespread skepticism. More than 270,000 people have died of the disease in Russia since the virus emerged.

N.J. Ends Emergency, Extends Its Foreclosure Protection (11:56 a.m. NY)

Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation to end New Jersey’s 15-month public health emergency, affirming the lifting of most major restrictions that included indoor masking, social distancing and crowd limits.

It’s “a clear and decisive step on the path toward normalcy,” Murphy said in a statement.

Businesses, including retail shops, still may require patrons to follow masking and other virus-safety protocols, and precautions remain in places including public transportation, hospitals and schools.

The law also stipulates that the governor will continue to oversee the pandemic response, including vaccination. It delayed until Jan. 1 the removal of renters and property homeowners subject to eviction or foreclosure proceedings.

Carlyle, Warburg to Require Shots for Return to Office (11:25 a.m. NY)

Carlyle Group Inc., a private-equity firm that oversees $260 billion of assets, and Warburg Pincus, with $60 billion, have told U.S. employees they’ll need Covid-19 vaccinations to return to the office in September, according to people familiar with the plans.

They’re among the first financial-services companies to demand that employees get vaccinated in order to work in the office.

Namibia Reports Record Infections, Warns on Oxygen Supply (10:07 a.m. NY)

Namibia reported a record 717 new cases in a day and Health Minister Kalumbi Shangula said hospitalizations and deaths have risen sharply.

The surge “is an indication that the public is not strictly following the Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures,” Shangula said Friday. The country’s supply of medical oxygen is under pressure, according to the Health Ministry.

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