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South Dakota governor takes federal COVID-19 rescue cash, spends $5M of it on tourism ad
The governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem, has come under fire for using millions worth of federal COVID-19 rescue funds — to pay for a tourism advert.
The 30-second ad, designed to draw people to the state at a time when many regions are hoping to keep visitor numbers to a minimum, comes with an eye-watering price tag of $5 million. This will be taken from the state’s total allocation of federal funds, totalling $1.25 billion.
‘Quiet zones’ could help reduce coronavirus spread, say researchers
More quiet zones in high-risk indoor spaces, such as hospitals and restaurants, could help to cut coronavirus contagion risks, researchers have said, after a study showed that lowering speaking volume can reduce the spread of the disease.
In efforts to rein in transmission, a reduction of 6 decibels in average speech levels can have the same effect as doubling a room’s ventilation, scientists said on Wednesday, in an advance copy of a paper detailing their study.
“The results suggest that public health authorities should consider implementing ‘quiet zones’ in high-risk indoor environments, such as hospital waiting rooms or dining facilities,” wrote the six researchers from the University of California, Davis.
The World Health Organization changed its guidance in July to acknowledge the possibility of aerosol transmission, such as during choir practice, or when in restaurants or fitness classes.
Source: – Calgary Herald
