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What you need to know about coronavirus: A timeline

Mar. 14, 2020

The World Health Organization characterized it as a pandemic Wednesday

People visit an international terminal at John F. Kennedy airport, Friday, March 13, 2020, in New York. A ban on travelers from most European countries begins at midnight Friday, and travelers returning from there will be screened. The ban is the latest calamity for a global travel industry already reeling from falling bookings and canceled reservations as people try to avoid contracting and spreading the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

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Spain to follow Italy into lockdown, US expands travel ban

By Joseph Wilson | Mar. 14, 2020

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — France ordered the closing of just about everything the rest of the world loves about it — the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the cafes, restaurants and cinema — and Spain drew up plans Saturday to lock down its 46 million citizens as governments took increasingly desperate measures to put more space between people and contain the coronavirus.

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Trump declares virus emergency; Pelosi announces aid deal

By Andrew Taylor | Mar. 13, 2020

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency in order to free up more money and resources. But he denied any responsibility for delays in making testing available for the new virus, whose spread has roiled markets and disrupted the lives of everyday Americans.

Pictured is the Santa Fe College clock tower.

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Santa Fe College goes fully online, Florida public schools close and other coronavirus updates

By Alyssa Feliciano , Hannah Phillips , Chasity Maynard and Valentina Botero | Mar. 13, 2020

Santa Fe College announced today that its classes will be online starting Monday. Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered schools to be canceled for two weeks.

Nomfumo Manaba, a 23-year-old UF journalism and political science junior, video calls into her class at Library West.

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UF cancels on-campus classes, events

By Alyssa Feliciano , Hannah Phillips , Chasity Maynard , Meghan McGlone and Kaelyn Cassidy | Mar. 13, 2020

Classes will be online until at least March 30

Customers are turned away from a ticket booth in Times Square, Thursday, March 12, 2020, in New York. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday he will announce new restrictions on gatherings to halt the spread of the new coronavirus in the coming days. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some it can cause more severe illness. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

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Coronavirus brings entertainment world to a standstill

By Jake Coyle | Mar. 12, 2020

NEW YORK (AP) — The entertainment industry prepared Thursday for an unprecedented shutdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus, canceling upcoming movies, suspending all Broadway performances and scuttling concert tours until it's safe to welcome crowds back.

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UF offers emergency funding for students

By Hannah Phillips | Mar. 12, 2020

Students must provide evidence of “extenuating circumstances” to qualify for the aid

Andrew Jensen, the Overall Director of Dance Marathon 2019, rocks out during the Savants of Soul’s performance Saturday night in the O’Connell Center. Dance Marathon lasted for 26.2 hours and raised $3,230,025.23 for children at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital and Children’s Miracle Network.

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Andrew Yang’s visit is postponed for now; Dance Marathon is canceled

By Hannah Phillips and Kaelyn Cassidy | Mar. 12, 2020

Yang was going to be paid $50,000 to come to UF

An employee disinfects the glass cover of a butcher counter to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in a food store in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, March 11, 2020. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. (Tamas Kovacs/MTI via AP)

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Tests show new virus lives on some surfaces for up to 3 days

By Marilynn Marchione | Mar. 11, 2020

The new coronavirus can live in the air for several hours and on some surfaces for as long as two to three days, tests by U.S. government and other scientists have found.

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UF coronavirus: classes required to move online; Shands hospital has first coronavirus case

By Alyssa Feliciano , Hannah Phillips , Meghan McGlone and Kaelyn Cassidy | Mar. 11, 2020

UF Shands confirmed that it is treating a patient from Georgia. Meanwhile, UF is cancelling on-campus classes and moving to an online format by Monday, emails sent to faculty show.

Peter Sturgeon, 26, stands outside his food truck, Soup to Nuts, as he prepares for an event at First Magnitude Brewery.

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Food trucks to serve acai bowls, chicken near Lake Alice

By Charlene Medders | Mar. 11, 2020

There will be a different food truck once a week

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WHO declares that virus crisis is now a pandemic

By Nicole Winfield | Mar. 11, 2020

ROME (AP) — Expressing alarm both about mounting infections and slow government responses, the World Health Organization declared Wednesday that the global coronavirus crisis is now a pandemic but also said it's not too late for countries to act.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., speaks before introducing Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., at a campaign rally in Springfield, Va., Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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UF Muslims have concerns for safety, policy in primary election

By Samia Lagmis | Mar. 10, 2020

78 percent of Muslim Americans approved of President Obama

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What do black UF students want from presidential candidates?

By Samantha Chery | Mar. 10, 2020

Older black voters appeared to favor former Vice President Joe Biden on Super Tuesday

Michell Hernandez, a 22-year-old UF microbiology and cell science senior, and Saira Gonzalez, an 18-year-old UF anthropology sophomore, work with UF Chispas. Both are DACA recipients, and Hernandez is co-president, while Gonzalez is the assistant membership director.

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These UF students can’t vote. But they want others to cast their ballot this election season.

By AJ Bafer | Mar. 10, 2020

DACA recipients and international students weigh in on the upcoming primary election

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First case of coronavirus confirmed in Alachua County; officials await other tests results

By Alex De Luca , Alexandra DeLuca and Hannah Phillips | Mar. 10, 2020

An unknown number of lab tests are still pending

Diane McFarlin, the dean of UF's College of Journalism and Communications, was named a member of Florida Trend Magazine’s Florida 500 list. She attributes her success to the team she works with.

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UF College of Journalism and Communications dean announces retirement

By Stephany Matat | Mar. 9, 2020

Diane McFarlin, the dean of the UF College of Journalism and Communications, took over the position in January 2013. She’s been the dean for seven years after a long career in newspapers.

The Accent Speakers Bureau announced Monday that Andrew Yang will speak at UF March 16.

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Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang is making a stop. But it’s not on the campaign trail.

By AJ Bafer | Mar. 9, 2020

Andrew Yang, a former Democratic candidate, will speak in March, the UF Accent Speaker’s Bureau announced Monday. This comes a semester after Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle spoke at UF and were paid $50,000 in student fees.

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UF urges faculty to move classes online to prevent spread of coronavirus

By Hannah Phillips | Mar. 9, 2020

Though not a requirement, it likely will be by the end of the semester, UF officials say

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UF expands alcohol sales to Spring sporting events

By Elisabell Velazquez | Mar. 8, 2020

The pilot program will affect baseball, softball and lacrosse fans