Health News

Royal Caribbean sets 2021 cruises in Florida, Texas, Alaska

MIAMI (AP) — Royal Caribbean International said Friday that eight of its ships will resume U.S. voyages in July and August with trips leaving ports in Florida, Texas and Washington state.

The cruise line said all crew members will be vaccinated against COVID-19. Passengers 16 and older on cruises to Alaska will also be required to be vaccinated. The requirement will be expanded to cover Alaska-bound passengers 12 and over starting Aug. 1.

For other trips passing through U.S. water, Royal Caribbean said that passengers are “strongly recommended” to get vaccinated. Unvaccinated passengers must be tested for the virus and follow other measures that will be announced later, the company said.

Royal Caribbean said that its first U.S. sailing since March 2020 will leave Miami on July 2 on the Freedom of the Seas.

The company said that over the following six weeks, five other ships will sail the Caribbean after leaving from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Port Canaveral, Florida, and Galveston, Texas. Two ships will sail from Seattle to Alaska.

Royal Caribbean, which is headquartered in Miami but registers its ships in other countries, plans to have 12 ships operating worldwide by the end of August. Those include ships sailing from the United Kingdom, Europe and the Bahamas.

In the U.S., cruise companies are still talking with federal, state and local officials about health measures and trial sailings. Royal Caribbean plans trial voyages starting later this month. Those pilot trips are required before cruise lines can operate regular sailings with less than 95% of passengers being vaccinated.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials this week said that a Florida lawsuit against the federal government over conditions for cruise lines to resume sailing could threaten plans to restart cruising in Alaska.

Calif. governor seems unlikely to lift worker mask mandate

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom appeared disinclined Friday to insert himself into the regulatory process for workplaces after a state safety board upset business groups by approving new rules that require all workers to wear masks unless everyone around them is vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The revised rules, approved after a long and sometimes contentious meeting Thursday, eliminate social distancing requirements in workplaces but run counter to Newsom’s plan to ”fully” reopen California in less than two weeks and allow vaccinated people to skip face coverings in nearly all situations.

Critics hadn’t decided if they will push Newsom to override the worksite rules adopted on the second try by the board that sets standards for California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA.

“Who knows what Gavin Newsom’s going to do exactly? But I think that this, even revised as they did yesterday, is wildly at variance with what the governor has indicated he wants to do on June 15,” said Bryan Little, California Farm Bureau director of employment policy.

Cal/OSHA’s regulations apply to almost every workplace in the state, including workers in offices, factories and retail operations. Its pandemic rules apply to all employees except those working from home or where a single employee does not have contact with others. The revisions are expected to take effect in mid-June.

Newsom said he was beginning to review the decision by what he called an independent board but that is one he appoints.

“We’re pleased they made progress moving in the right direction,” he said Friday.

But Newsom urged the board to keep revising its rules as infection rates fall and vaccinations increase, and he promised to keep working with management and labor “to see where we land.”

“This is the sausage-making process,” Newsom said. “As you know, it was quite an intense conversation,” referring to the previous day’s meeting that saw the board first reject the new rules on a 4-3 vote but then vote again and unanimously approve them.

The vote change was prompted by realization that if the new rules weren’t approved it would leave employees in workplaces subject to the current standards that require masks for all employees regardless of vaccination status, along with social distancing and partitions between employees in certain circumstances.

The new rules are an improvement but business groups want more changes, said California Chamber of Commerce policy advocate Rob Moutrie.

Newsom likely faces a recall vote in the fall, driven by critics of his stewardship of the state during the health crisis. Newsom has been aggressive in using executive orders to impose policies and in the early months faced backlash even from some fellow Democrats that he was doing too many things that circumvented the Legislature’s constitutional powers to provide checks on the executive office.

Newsom in December used his executive authority to amend a Cal/OSHA board rule, but that was only to bring the regulation into compliance with federal guidance by shortening the length of quarantine periods from 14 days to 10 days.

At a news conference he was asked specifically if he would use an executive order to overturn the board’s decision on masks. He said there remain unanswered questions from the board’s action but said it is “healthy” that the governor not determine their decisions even as he more broadly guides the state’s reopening and worker policies.

“Face coverings remain an important part of our arsenal,” Newsom said. “I know a lot of employers support that.”

One of those seeking his job, Republican former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, called the board’s decision on masks “just another example of Gavin Newsom refusing to follow the science and sowing confusion among the people of California.”

A newly appointed board subcommittee is beginning to consider revisions that could be discussed when the board next meets on June 17. But any significant changes can’t realistically be considered until August at the earliest, board executive officer Christina Shupe said.

CalChamber’s Moutrie said business groups have not been in touch with the governor’s office and expect to work through the regulatory process.

“Obviously this is an emergency regulation with the most urgent issue in the state or the nation,” said Moutrie, so the board’s staff “will move heaven and earth to the extent they can.”

Moutrie hoped for swifter action if the board limits changes to removing what employers called an expensive and unrealistic requirement that they provide the most effective N95 masks to any worker who asks for them, starting July 1. That was one of the most contentious provisions and will otherwise force employers to stockpile millions of masks in competition with health care workers, business groups said.

Many other concerns, such as clarifying what employers called confusing record-keeping rules, could be done without new regulations, Moutrie and Little said.

Derek Tran, an attorney who focuses on employment law but is not lobbying the board, expects it’s “going to be another lengthy rule change, outside of the governor stepping in and mandating something different.”

“He does hold a lot of authority and sway on what he wants. This is his board,” Tran said.

He expects the conflicting rules will further confuse the public as the state reopens in mid-June. In the workplace, the new rules will force employers to distinguish between those who are vaccinated, unvaccinated, or unable to be vaccinated because of other health considerations.

“That opens a whole can of worms” as employers learn of workers’ underlying health issues, Tran said. “It opens the possibility of discrimination. … That opens the door for a lot of litigation.”

Tevez leaves Boca Juniors to rest; no talk of retirement

BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Veteran striker and captain Carlos Tevez announced Friday he is leaving Boca Juniors, triggering a clause in his contract that allows him to become a free agent on June 30.

“It is not goodbye, it is see you soon,” the 37-year-old Tevez told a news conference at the La Bombonera stadium. He said he’ll remain a club fan and “the Carlitos of the people.” He did not talk about retirement.

Tevez lifted 11 trophies for Boca, including the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 2003. His last title in the blue and yellow jersey was the Copa Maradona in January.

He made his debut with Boca at age 17 in 2001. Three years later he was transferred to Brazil’s Corinthians, then West Ham, Manchester United, Manchester City, Juventus and China’s Shanghai Shenshua.

The veteran striker leaves after Boca lost on penalties to Racing in the Argentinian league cup semifinals.

“I have nothing else to give. As a player I gave my all, so I am happy,” Tevez said, adding that the death of his father from COVID-19 earlier this year is affecting him. “Boca always needed me at 120%, mentally I am not ready to give that.”

Tevez suggested his career might not be over.

“I always said the last club I would play for in this country would be Boca,” he said. “I don’t know what I will do in my life — now I want to rest and be with my family.”

Boca president Jorge Amor Ameal, who was also present at the news conference, said he wants Tevez to work at the club.

Tevez played in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups for Argentina.

He scored 94 goals for Boca, the last against Brazil’s Santos in the Copa Libertadores group stage this year. He is one of the top 10 goal scorers in Boca history.

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

20 of 30 MLB teams reach 85% vaccinations, relax protocols

NEW YORK (AP) — Two-thirds of Major League Baseball’s 30 teams have been able to relax coronavirus protocols after four additional clubs qualified and raised the total to 20 franchises reaching 85% vaccinations for players and other on-field personnel.

The commissioner’s office and the players’ association said Friday that two additional teams had reached the 85% level of having received final doses and will be able to relax protocols within the next two weeks once they are fully vaccinated.

Relaxed protocols include dropping the requirements for facemasks in dugouts and bullpens, and loosening restrictions on mobility during road trips.

MLB said 85.2% of Tier 1 individuals such as players, managers, coaches, trainers and support personnel had been partially or fully vaccinated, up just 0.7% from the previous week, and 82.9% had been fully vaccinated, up 1.7% from the previous week.

There were two positive tests — one for a major league player and one for a Triple-A player — among 9,291 tests in the past week, a 0.02% positive rate.

So far this season, there have been 64 positive tests — 36 players, 28 staff — among 185,551 samples tested, a 0.03% positive rate. The positive tests are among 25 teams.

The Chicago Cubs said Friday they will move to 100% capacity at Wrigley Field starting with a June 11 game against St. Louis.

Only Texas among the 30 major league teams began this season at 100% after fans weren’t permitted last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Atlanta went to full capacity on May 7.

Others announcing the move to full capacity in-season have been Atlanta (May 7), Arizona (May 25), Boston (May 29), Kansas City (May 31), Baltimore (June 1), Cincinnati and Cleveland (June 2). Detroit (June 8), Washington (June 11), Philadelphia (June 12), St. Louis (June 14), Houston and Milwaukee (June 25), and Minnesota (July 5).

MLB announced a “Vaccinate At The Plate” program in which each of the 30 teams will stage at least one event in June offering a free ticket to anyone getting vaccinated at the ballpark. The commissioner’s officer said more than 1 million shots had been given at ballparks during the pandemic and that MLB and teams had provided more than 1.5 million PCR tests to schools, youth academies, charities and communities.

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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

No. 4 regional seed USF upsets Gators; slam saves Tennessee

South Florida posted the biggest upset and Tennessee’s Drew Gilbert came through with the biggest hit on the first day of the NCAA baseball tournament.

The USF Bulls were the only No. 4 regional seed to win Friday, knocking off Florida 5-3 in the Gainesville Regional in a game that portended surprises sure to come in a year when fallout from COVID-19 made evaluating teams and setting up the bracket arduous tasks for the Division I Baseball Committee.

Top four national seeds Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee and Vanderbilt won their openers in the double-elimination regionals.

Arkansas (47-10) hit five home runs and erased a three-run deficit in a 13-8 win over NJIT.

Tennessee escaped No. 4 regional seed Wright State thanks to Gilbert’s walk-off grand slam in the ninth inning that beat the Raiders 9-8.

USF ended the regular season 24-26 after being picked last in the American Athletic Conference, and it had to win its league tournament to get into the NCAAs.

Florida had won 19 of 21 meetings with the Bulls in Gainesville, and had beaten them in the national tournament in 1996, 2015 and 2017.

But the Gators (39-20), which also lost their regional opener in 2019, couldn’t sustain any offense against four USF pitchers. The Bulls (29-27) have won seven of their last eight.

“We’re definitely playing well at the right time,” catcher Jake Sullivan said. “What we’re doing more than anything is playing for each other. We’re not worried about who’s on the other side of the field, who’s in the stands, where we’re playing.”

It was the second straight NCAA Tournament that opened with a No. 4 regional seed from the AAC winning its opener. Cincinnati beat Oregon State in 2019. There was no tournament in 2020 because of the pandemic.

No. 3 regional seeds Liberty, Dallas Baptist, Florida State, UC Santa Barbara and North Carolina also won.

Brady Gulakowski homered twice and drove in six runs as Liberty beat ACC tournament champion Duke 11-6. The Flames, who had lost 5-4 and 7-0 to the Blue Devils in the regular season, ended Duke’s 12-game win streak.

Dallas Baptist won 6-5 over Oregon State, with Peyton Sherlin and Kragen Kechely finishing the game with 2 2/3 innings of one-hit shutout relief.

Four Florida State pitchers combined to surrender no earned runs in a 5-2 win over Southern Mississippi. UCSB’s Marcos Castanon went 5 for 6 with a homer and five RBIs in a 14-4 win over Oklahoma State. Austin Love gave North Carolina a strong 6 2/3 innings in a 5-4 win over UCLA.

CONE HEAD

East Carolina’s Thomas Francisco was front and center for one of the nation’s most creative home run celebrations after his three-run shot gave his team the lead over Norfolk State in an 8-5 win.

As has been the practice for all East Carolina home run hitters all season, teammates put an orange traffic cone over Francisco’s head upon his return to the dugout. The cone, found in a mudroom in the team’s baseball facility, has a hole cut into it so the wearer can see. It’s known as the “Birdhouse,” perhaps because of its triangular shape.

GLOVE AND BAT

Christian Franklin righted Arkansas after a rocky start against NJIT.

With his team down 3-2 in the fourth and runners on first and second with two outs, the center fielder made a long run to take away a gapper that would have produced at least one run. Franklin led off the seven-run fifth with the first of the Razorbacks’ three homers in the inning.

CORBIN’S 900TH

Vanderbilt’s Tim Corbin beat the school that gave him his start as a head coach for career win No. 900.

Kumar Rocker allowed two hits and struck out nine in seven innings and Dominic Keegan homered twice in a 10-0 victory over Presbyterian, where Corbin was coach from 1988-93.

BIG BATS

— Anthony Hall hit two homers and drove in six runs in Oregon’s 13-10 win over Central Connecticut State.

— Texas Tech’s Cal Conley homered twice in a 6-3 win over Army.

— National home run co-leaders Wes Clarke of South Carolina and Mat Nelson of Florida State each went deep for the 23rd time.

— Notre Dame’s Niko Kavadas hit his 17th and 18th homers in a 10-0 win over Central Michigan.

— Duke’s Peter Matt went 4 for 5 with two homers and a double.

— Devonte Brown homered twice in North Carolina State’s 8-1 win over Alabama.

— Stanford’s Tim Tawa homered twice in a 9-1 win over North Dakota State.

MOUND MARVELS

— Notre Dame’s John Michael Bertrand pitched a five-hit shutout, his third complete game of the season.

— Miami’s Alejandro Rosario allowed four hits in 6 1/3 innings and Carson Palmquist worked two innings for the save in a 1-0 win over South Alabama.

— Tristan Stevens gave up four hits in seven shutout innings for Texas.

— Reid Johnston allowed four hits and one run in eight innings for NC State.

— Stanford’s Alex Williams pitched seven innings and combined with two relievers to limit North Dakota State to four hits and one walk and strike out 11 in a 9-1 win.

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More NCAA baseball tournament coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/college-world-series

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