Raphael Stevens

Giani Clarke,18, a senior at Wilson High School, takes a test in her AP Statistics class. The desks are doubled as a way to provide more social distancing.Ben Hasty | MediaNews Group | Getty ImagesThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday revised its guidance on social distancing in schools, saying most students can now sit 3 feet apart instead of 6 feet so long as they are wearing masks.The recommendation is for all K-12 students, regardless of whether community transmission is low, moderate or substantial, the CDC said.In communities where transmission is high, the CDC recommends that middle school and high school students remain at least 6 feet apart if schools aren’t able to keep students and teachers in assigned groups. In elementary schools, where younger children have been shown to be at less risk of transmitting the virus than teens, kids can stay safe at 3 feet apart with masks, the agency said.The CDC said it continues to recommend at least 6 feet of distance between adults in schools and between adults and students. It also still recommends 6 feet of social distancing in common areas, when eating, during in-door activities, such as band practice and sports, and in settings outside of the classroom.”CDC is committed to leading with science and updating our guidance as new evidence emerges,” the agency’s director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said in a statement. “Safe in-person instruction gives our kids access to critical social and mental health services that prepare them for the future, in addition to the education they need to succeed.”The updated guidance from federal health officials comes after a study published last week in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases suggested public schools could safely reopen as long as kids were 3 feet apart and other mitigation measures, such as wearing masks, were enforced.Some schools had complained that maintaining a 6 feet rule was not feasible. The World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics have both OK’d 3 feet social distancing.Walensky told lawmakers on Wednesday that the CDC was working on updated guidance for schools. The White House’s chief medical advisor, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said Thursday that shortened social guidelines would “likely” happen. He was also asked Sunday about the study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.”What the CDC wants to do is they want to accumulate data and when the data shows that there is an ability to be 3 feet they will act accordingly,” Fauci told CNN. “I can assure you within a reasonable amount of time, quite reasonable, they will be giving guidelines according to the data they have.”President Joe Biden has made safely reopening the nation’s schools for in-person learning a focus of his first 100 days in office. Some parents have been forced to stay at home to watch their children instead of going to work.New data from the CDC published Thursday suggests that virtual learning “might present more risks than in-person instruction related to child and parental mental and emotional health and some health-supporting behaviors.”The CDC surveyed 1,290 parents or legal guardians of school-age children up to age 12 between October and November. Overall, almost half — 46.6% — of all parents reported increased levels of stress, 16.5% said they were using more drugs or alcohol and 17.7% said they had trouble sleeping, among other deleterious effects from the pandemic. But those with kids in full-time or part-time virtual learning programs reported higher levels of suffering across the board than parents with kids in school, researchers found.The administration has said it is pouring $10 billion from the recently passed stimulus package into Covid-19 testing for schools in an effort to hasten the return of in-person learning across the country. The money will be used in part to provide diagnostic tests to symptomatic teachers, staff and students, as well as those who don’t have symptoms but might have been exposed to an infectious person. The CDC came under scrutiny last month after Walensky said teachers do not need to get vaccinated against Covid-19 before schools can safely reopen. The White House walked back Walensky’s comments, and Biden later urged states to states to prioritize vaccinating teachers and school staff.”Let me be clear, we can reopen schools if the right steps are taken even before employees are vaccinated,” Biden said March 2 at the White House. “But time and again, we’ve heard from educators and parents that have anxieties about it.”– CNBC’s Will Feuer contributed to this report. More

A customer fuels a vehicle at a gas station in Peoria, Illinois.Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesU.S. gasoline demand is approaching normal levels as Americans once again hit the road amid the economic recovery and the Covid-19 vaccine rollout.Demand is just about at normal March levels and continues to tick higher, according to the latest data from GasBuddy. Thursday’s demand was 17.5% higher than the average of the four prior Thursdays. “It’s been an impressive rebound in the last few weeks of demand and I continue to be surprised every day,” noted Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.He said that apart from one Sunday, every day since Feb. 20 has seen positive percentage growth. There are many factors that drive gas demand, of course, one of which could be people driving long distances for Covid-19 vaccines. Spring break could also be a driving force. Still, the trend shows an upward trajectory.”It’s still March, meaning as the economy recovers and we get closer to summer, all signs are for higher demand than I think almost anyone anticipated just a few months ago,” De Haan added.Zoom In IconArrows pointing outwardsSource: GasBuddyThe above chart illustrates the rebound in demand. It compares daily gasoline consumption against February 2020 levels, which was just before the U.S. went into lockdown. The data showed that demand this past Thursday was 1.8% higher than the final Thursday before Covid lockdowns went into effect in 2020. The data is not seasonally adjusted, however, and February does tend to be the weakest month for gas demand.More consumers hitting the road combined with a draw in gasoline stocks has led to a jump in prices.”On average, Americans are paying 14% more to fill-up compared to February,” Jeanette McGee, AAA spokesperson, said in a statement Monday. “With increased demand and tighter gasoline supplies, we are looking at more expensive pump prices with little relief in the weeks ahead.”On Friday the national average for a gallon of gas stood at $2.886, up 69 cents or 31.4% from a year ago, according to AAA. More

Mr. and Mrs. Met pose onstage at Delta Air Lines’ unveiling of the ‘Let’s Go Mets’ aircraft at JFK Airport to celebrate the team’s return to the postseason on October 6, 2015 in New York City.Brad Barket | Getty ImagesAs U.S. sports leagues continue to welcome back fans to stadiums, the impacts of Covid-19 are still lingering and may interfere with airline sponsorship revenue.Data analytics firm GlobalData projects sports leagues worldwide will face more than $300 million in sponsorship losses and “will likely see a wide withdrawal of the airline sector from its sponsorship commitments” as the travel sector recovers from Covid-19.”Given the damage done to the industry following government-enforced lockdowns around the world, and the subsequent fall in international travel, airlines, even those able to rely on sovereign wealth funds, have seen drastic losses and job cuts,” wrote Patrick Kinch, a sports analyst at GlobalData. “As a result, in an effort to recoup costs, it is likely the airline sector will withdraw from its current sporting commitments.”Added Kinch: “Rights holders will be facing the challenge of having to either find an industry that has been less troubled by the pandemic or accepting a reduced value for their sponsorship assets.”GlobalData released its findings on Thursday and estimates global airlines will spend roughly $737 million for sponsorships in 2021. And of that figure, U.S. sports leagues will receive approximately $197 million in fees for deals with American Airlines, United and Delta.In an interview with CNBC, Conrad Wiacek, head of sports analysis at GlobalData, estimates United Airlines will spend $29 million in 2021 on sports sponsorships, of which $13 million in deals will expire this year.A Delta Airlines Boeing 757-251 approaches Washington Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia on February 24, 2021.Daniel Slim | AFP | Getty ImagesAmerican Airlines is projected to spend $23.3 million this year, with approximately $11 million in agreements set to expire. And Delta will spend about $70 million, with $14 million in deals set to expire.GlobalData also projects those airlines spend about $60 million on the National Football League, combined, while the National Basketball Association has sponsorship agreements totaling $25.86 million for 2021.Asked if the deals will see renewals, Wiacek said: “It depends on many factors; mainly on how things are opening up as lockdowns ease and vaccinations continue.” He added “government support to keep airlines afloat” will also play a factor.As part of the $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief package, $14 billion is earmarked for U.S. airlines, the third round of federal aid for the industry. Airline contractors were set aside $1 billion. U.S. and international airlines serving the United States carried 398 million people last year, a 62% decline from 2019, according to the Department of Transportation.In addition to general travel declines, the pandemic upended airlines’ sports charter businesses as seasons were postponed or shortened. Before Covid-19 struck, airlines had added service for big sports events such as college football playoffs.Wiacek added airlines could be helped if consumers start to travel, especially to see sports teams play. If demand improves, airlines could retain some of their sponsorship deals.”People will want to travel; they’ll want to fly, and things like sports are the drivers of that,” Wiacek said. “That’s the positive and the thing that the airlines can look for — the eagerness to return to normality.” More

NFL executive Brian Rolapp told CNBC on Friday the league’s new blockbuster media deal offers a chance to enhance the viewing experience for fans through digital streaming.The broadcast pact features Amazon Prime Video as the exclusive provider of Thursday Night Football games beginning in 2023, the first all-digital package in the league’s history. Four other media-rights holders — ViacomCBS, Fox, NBCUniversal parent Comcast and ESPN owner Disney — all have the ability to broadcast their respective games on their various streaming platforms.”I think the [streaming] experiences will be different,” Rolapp, the NFL’s chief media and business officer, said on “Squawk Alley.” “What they will be, I think, remains to be seen, but the underlying rights of these deals provide for that type of innovation, which I think we’re excited to see and was really part of these discussions. Nobody just wanted to put television on the internet.”ViacomCBS’ slate of games can air on Paramount+, while NBC can use its Peacock service to stream its contests. Fox’s agreement permits it to show NFL content on Tubi, its ad-supported streaming platform. Disney, which also obtained rights to broadcast two Super Bowls on ABC, will be able to simulcast its games on ESPN+.”I think with these partners, you’ll see them take advantage of all the different things that a digital technology allows you to do,” Rolapp said. “There could be developed interactive features. It clearly can change advertising, because once you have a digital platform, the targeting and the interactivity of that advertising can certainly change, something you can’t get on television.”Rolapp said the agreement — which CNBC estimates could be worth more than $100 billion — does not spell the end of linear TV just because digital takes a bigger focus. “If you look at this contract, I think we’ve allocated all of our games to television distribution in some shape or form,” he said, noting Amazon’s Thursday contests will still air on TV in the local markets of the teams playing.”I think streaming will certainly provide reach as people spend more and more time on digital. But if we’re getting to the end of these deals and all we’re doing is putting television on the internet, I think we’ve missed an opportunity,” Rolapp said, regarding the new media agreements that start in 2023 and extend through the 2033 season.One piece of the NFL media rights that was not included in Thursday’s announcement was DirecTV’s Sunday Ticket. AT&T currently owns DirecTV, but last month the company announced a deal with TPG to spin it off into a new entity along with its AT&T TV and U-Verse business. The existing Sunday Ticket deal lasts through 2022.Asked about the next steps for Sunday Ticket, Rolapp said the NFL has seen “lots of interest” in acquiring the out-of-market package rights.”It’s a premium package for people who want to pay to get all of the games. It’s done well in a paid-TV environment, and I think it will continue to do well in a paid-TV environment,” he said. However, he added, “the type of custom nature of it, … the fact that it’s subscription lends itself very well to digital platforms, and so we believe Sunday Ticket has a very bright future, certainly in the digital space.”Figuring out where exactly that future will be, he said, is “clearly the next thing on our docket, which we’ll get to work on.”Disclosure: Comcast is the owner of NBCUniversal, parent company of CNBC. More

A student raises her hand in her virtual classroom at the Roxbury YMCA in Boston on Sept. 21, 2020.Suzanne Kreiter | Boston Globe | Getty ImagesParents with kids stuck home during the pandemic will tell you how stressed they are, but now the CDC has scientific evidence that virtual schooling is taking a real physical and emotional toll — driving some parents to drugs and alcohol to help cope.The findings, published Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suggest that virtual learning “might present more risks than in-person instruction related to child and parental mental and emotional health and some health-supporting behaviors.”Schools nationwide were quickly shuttered last spring as the coronavirus rapidly swept across the U.S., forcing millions of students and their parents to unexpectedly grapple with online learning throughout the year. While some states have made extensive efforts to return children to the classroom, others have struggled to respond to safety concerns from parents and educators.Increased stress levelsThe CDC surveyed 1,290 parents or legal guardians of school-age children up to age 12 between October and November. Among participants, 45.7% said their kids received virtual instruction, 30.9% in-person and 23.4% of kids were in a hybrid teaching program.Overall, almost half — 46.6% — of all parents reported increased levels of stress, 16.5% said they were using more drugs or alcohol and 17.7% said they had trouble sleeping, among other deleterious effects from the pandemic. But those with kids in full-time or part-time virtual learning programs reported higher levels of suffering across the board than parents with kids in school, researchers found.More than half, 54%, of parents with kids stuck in virtual school said they suffered from increased emotional distress, 16.4% said they were increasingly using drugs or alcohol and 21.6% said they had trouble sleeping at night. Those issues were less prevalent among parents with kids attending school in person. Just 38.4% of those parents said they were more stressed, 13.7% said they were using drugs or alcohol to cope and 12.9% said they had trouble sleeping at night.Substance useIncreased substance use was most prevalent among parents with kids in hybrid learning programs — where students were virtual some days and in class others — with 20.5% reporting increased use, researchers found.Parents with kids in virtual learning programs were also most likely to have lost their job, worry about job stability, face child-care challenges and experience conflict between their work and kids.Virtual learning was harder on students as well, researchers found.More than half, 62.9%, of parents with children learning from home said their kids were getting less exercise, 58% said they were spending less time outside, 86.2% said they were spending less time hanging out in person with friends and 24.9% said their kids’ mental or emotional health had worsened.The findings, which researchers said represent the broader U.S. population, said virtual instruction was more commonly found among racial and ethnic minority parents. Further research is required to determine whether remote learning has disproportionately negative effects on those groups.Disrupting services”The pandemic is disrupting many school-based services, increasing parental responsibilities and stress, and potentially affecting long-term health outcomes for parents and children alike,” wrote Jorge Verlenden, the study’s lead author.The CDC’s findings come as President Joe Biden makes reopening schools for in-person learning a top priority in the first 100 days of his administration.On Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that it would pour $10 billion from the recently passed stimulus package into Covid-19 testing for schools beginning in April.New school guidanceAlmost half of K-12 students are back to learning in person five days a week, while another 30% are attending school in person at least part of the time, according to recent data from Burbio, a service that tracks school opening plans. Nearly 21% of students are still learning online only.The CDC updated its safety guidance for reopening schools Friday, reducing its social distancing recommendations from 6 feet to 3 feet in most cases so long as everyone wears masks.”CDC is committed to leading with science and updating our guidance as new evidence emerges,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement. “Safe in-person instruction gives our kids access to critical social and mental health services that prepare them for the future, in addition to the education they need to succeed.”Biden has pushed states to open vaccine eligibility to all educators by the end of March. As for students, White House chief medical officer Dr. Anthony Fauci said Wednesday that high schools students could have access to a shot before the fall school year while younger, elementary-aged students will likely have to wait until the first quarter of 2022.— CNBC’s Will Feuer contributed to this report. More

The highly contagious variant first identified in the U.K. likely accounts for up to 30% of Covid-19 infections in the United States, White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said Friday.The variant, called B.1.1.7, has been reported in at least 94 countries and detected in 50 jurisdictions in the U.S., Fauci said during a White House news briefing on the pandemic, adding that the numbers are likely growing.The U.K. first identified the B.1.1.7 strain, which appears to spread more easily and quickly than other variants, last fall. It has since spread across the world, including the U.S., Fauci said. U.S. researchers have identified 5,567 cases through genetic sequencing as of Thursday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. health officials say the variant could become the dominant strain in the U.S. by the end of this month or in early April.New variants are especially a concern for public health officials as they could become more resistant to antibody treatments and vaccines. Top health officials, including Fauci, have urged Americans to get vaccinated as quickly as possible, saying the virus can’t mutate if it can’t infect hosts and replicate.Public health officials and Americans can counter the variant by doing two things, Fauci said. “Get as many people vaccinated as quickly and as expeditiously as possible with a vaccine that we know works against this variant, and finally to implement the public health measures that we talked about all the time … masking, physical distancing and avoiding congregate settings, particularly indoors.”A recent study published in the British Medical Journal found the variant is associated with a 64% higher risk of dying from Covid-19 than earlier strains. Researchers at the University of Exeter and the University of Bristol analyzed data from more than 100,000 patients in the U.K. between Oct. 1 and Jan. 28.”We’re at a position right now where we have a plateauing at around 53,000 cases per day,” Fauci said. “The concern is that throughout the country there are a number of states, cities, regions that are pulling back on some of the mitigation methods that we’ve been talking about: the withdrawal of mask mandates, the pulling back to essentially non-public health measures being implemented.”Fauci’s comments on B.1.1.7 come a day after he squared off with Republican Sen. Rand Paul over masks at a hearing.Paul maintained that people shouldn’t have to wear masks after getting vaccinated because there is “virtually 0% chance” they are going to get Covid-19. “Isn’t it just theater?” the Kentucky junior senator, an ophthalmologist, asked during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing.In response, Fauci said the emergence of new, highly contagious variants poses a threat to people who have antibodies. ″Can I just state for the record that masks are not theater,” Fauci said. “I totally disagree with you.” More

A man wearing a face mask walks past a Nike store in Central Business District, Beijing, China on February 17, 2020.Andrea Verdelli | Getty ImagesNike shares are falling on Friday, after the company reported mixed third-quarter earnings late Thursday and confirmed it was laying off employees.Shares were down nearly 4% midday. The stock has gained more than 95% over the past year and has a market value of $217 billion.Nike did not disclose the jobs cuts in its Thursday earnings report or call with investors. The layoffs were first reported by The Oregonian, which covers the Portland-area based sneaker company. Nike said the cuts follow layoffs that began last summer. As of May 31, 2020, Nike employed about 75,400 workers worldwide, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In a prepared statement, Nike it was “focused on shifting resources and creating capacity to reinvest in our highest potential growth areas.””We are building a flatter, nimbler company and more quickly transforming Nike to define the marketplace of the future,” it said. On Thursday, the athletic apparel retailer said its revenue dropped 10% year over year in North America during its fiscal third quarter ended Feb. 28, as backlogged ports delayed shipments. That caused merchandise to arrive weeks late to its own stores and those of its wholesale partners, such as department stores and sporting goods outlets, and increased the risk of it winding up on the clearance rack.Nike said sales at its stores in Europe, Middle East and Africa dropped during the quarter due to pandemic-related closures and restrictions, too.”The good news here is supply chain issues shoud subside in the next few quarters while Europe will open back up in time as the vaccine is rolled out further, ” Jefferies analyst Randal Konik said in a research note. Konik rates Nike shares a hold, with a $140 price target. Nike pointed to bright spots such as the growth of its direct-to-consumer business, momentum in China and strong online sales. The company said it hit its first quarter with $1 billion in online sales in North America, as consumers snapped up new sneakers and workout apparel during their time at home. Sales shot up 51% in Greater China. And the company said it expects a similar resurgence of sales as other countries recover from the pandemic. More