Coronavirus Update: U.S. has highest death toll, walk-up testing and a COVID fee


Today is Thursday, May 28, and United States COVID-19 mortalities have risen over 100,000,
more than any country in the world. The World Health Organization released a manifesto of what it believes could lead to a healthy worldwide recovery from the pandemic.


Bay News 9 reported that activists held mock funeral processions, at least one including symbolic body bags, across Florida on Wednesday to protest the reopening of the state. Protesters expressed concern over the disproportionate vulnerability of the African-American community, which makes up 22 percent of the state’s COVID-19 deaths.

Residents will be able to receive walk-up testing for the novel coronavirus and its antibodies at Frankie Rolle community center in Coconut Grove on Friday, May 29 according to a statement released on Tuesday by Miami-Dade County. The testing will last from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. No appointments are required for COVID-19 testing, but they are preferred for antibody testing. Appointments can be made by calling Oneblood at (305) 975-3728.

The Elders Affair Advisory Board donated 1000 masks to seniors living in public housing and at the Helen Sawyer ALF. Elderly residents at nursing homes have accounted for 60 percent of COVID-19 related deaths in Florida, the Miami Herald reported earlier this month

WSVN reported on Tuesday that several businesses are now charging a “COVID-19 fee” to cover the costs of sanitation, personal protective equipment (PPE) or losses suffered during the lockdown.

PetSmart Charities have granted $10,000 in emergency relief funds to Animal Services for essential items for shelter pets staying with temporary families.

Multimedia story of the day: Polling conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center For Public Affairs Research found that if scientists did succeed in creating a vaccine, only about half of Americans would get vaccinated.


Tweet of the day: 

Beatriz is a broadcast media major at Florida International University and is the managing editor for Caplin News. She aspires to become a documentarian.

Victor Jorges is a broadcast journalist specialized in covering stories about culture, arts and human interaction. His work includes documentaries, feature packages and written profiles. He currently works at CNN en Español as an associate producer. He hopes to cover Miami's Hispanic American culture for a local network upon graduation. Jorges was born in Caracas, Venezuela and moved to Miami in 2007.