The race between US President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden remains too close to call, but the preliminary results of a nationwide CNN exit poll gives a picture of what was on voters’ minds as they cast their ballots in the election.
Amid a resurgence of Covid-19 cases, the economy weighed more heavily on people’s minds than the pandemic. About one-third of voters called the economy the most critical issue to their vote, while roughly 1 in 5 cited racial inequality and only about 1 in 6 named the coronavirus pandemic as their most pressing concern, Jennifer Agiesta, Tami Luhby, Grace Sparks and Ryan Struyk report.
While the economy was voters’ biggest issue when choosing a candidate, a narrow majority say the nation’s priority now should be containing the coronavirus rather than rebuilding the economy. Most voters feel the nation’s efforts to contain the virus are going badly. But that sentiment fell along partisan lines: more than 4 in 5 Biden voters feel that way compared to only 1 in 10 Trump supporters.
With coronavirus cases rising in many states, nearly 7 in 10 voters say they view wearing a face mask as a public health responsibility rather than a personal choice.
This comes as the US recorded 91,530 new Covid-19 infections on Tuesday, adding to a series of staggering case numbers reported within just the past week. The nationwide 7-day average of new cases now stands at 86,363 — more than double the figure a month ago — and affirms experts’ warnings that another surge is on its way.
Q: If I got infected with coronavirus yesterday, would a test today pick that up?
A: Probably not. A study in the medical journal Annals of Internal Medicine estimated that during four days of infection before symptoms typically started, the probability of getting an incorrect/negative test result on Day 1 was 100%.
On the day people started showing symptoms, the average false-negative rate dropped to 38%. Three days after symptoms started, the false-negative rate dropped to 20%.
There is no hard and fast rule on how many days a person should wait after possible exposure, “but the evidence suggests getting a test before the third day after exposure is not of much use,” Justin Lessler, a senior author of the study and associate professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told CNN.
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Europe’s second wave intensifies
France and Italy reported their highest daily tally of Covid-related deaths since the spring as Hungary reintroduced its state of emergency from midnight on Tuesday, after reporting a record 3,989 cases and 84 deaths.
A further 845 people died from Covid-19 related deaths in France on Tuesday, meaning one person on average died every 1 minute 41 seconds. Italy saw 353 coronavirus-related deaths on Tuesday, the highest daily figure since May 6. If cases continue to increase at the current rate, the country could run out of intensive care beds by the end of November, the Italian Association of Doctors warned on Monday.
WHO reports 46 million global Covid-19 cases, with a growing proportion among young people
There have been 46 million coronavirus cases and 1.2 million deaths globally, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) weekly Covid-19 update.
Its analysis shows younger people account for a growing number of coronavirus cases over the course of the pandemic, with the proportion of cases among 15 to 24-year-olds increasing from 4% in the beginning stages of the pandemic to 14% more recently, and from 50% to 65% among 25- to 64-year-olds. Among those aged 65 and older, the proportion of cases decreased from 40% to 15%. WHO also notes increasing reports of long-term effects of coronavirus, including among younger people.
China’s Xinjiang reports surge in Covid-19 infections, conducts new round of mass testing
China’s far western region of Xinjiang reported that 118 people tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday, according to the Xinjiang Information Office.
The new cases were reported in Shufu county in Kashgar prefecture in the region’s south, where a new outbreak surfaced late last month. In response to the new cases, Xinjiang will launch a new round of mass testing in the county on Wednesday, authorities said. In late October, Kashgar launched a citywide testing drive for its 4.7 million residents, after a single asymptomatic case was reported.
How to talk politics with angry loved ones who disagree with you
Election Day may be over, and ballots are still being counted, but the anger and frustration that divides America over issues such as coronavirus and politics continues to simmer.
Click here for suggestions on how to communicate that allow both sides to be heard without further tearing relationships apart.
“Before Covid… on average, it was once a week we were seeing a tooth fracture. And now it is at least once a day. Sometimes I would see five to six fractures in a day.” — Dr. Tammy Chen, prosthodontist in New York City
In today’s podcast, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks with stress researcher Professor Kate Harkness about how our bodies are impacted by stress and what we all can do about it. Listen Now.
Regulators authorized AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the European Union on Friday, amid criticism the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former FBI lawyer was sentenced to probation for altering an email that the Justice Department relied on during its surveillance of an aide to President Donald Trump during the Russia investigation.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers lashed out Friday at rival Republicans who tried to repeal his statewide mask mandate, saying killing the order would be a ridiculous move comparable to abolishing speed limits.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — As some conservatives in South Carolina celebrated getting a bill that would ban almost all abortions in the state past a legislative barrier and likely becoming law, they said they are not finished trying to end all abortions.
A Moscow court on Friday put the brother and several allies of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny under house arrest for two months as authorities sought to stymie more protests over the jailing of the top Kremlin foe.