theguardian--2020-04-22--Top vaccine expert claims he was fired for resisting Trump on hydroxychloroquine

A senior US government doctor who worked on the search for a coronavirus vaccine has claimed he was fired after resisting Donald Trump ’ s push to use the unproven drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment , the New York Times reported on Wednesday .
Rick Bright was this week ousted as director of the US health department ’ s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority , or Barda , and as the deputy assistant secretary for preparedness and response .
In a stunningly candid statement , Bright highlighted his refusal to embrace hydroxychloroquine , a malaria drug relentlessly promoted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of scientific studies .
“ Specifically , and contrary to misguided directives , I limited the broad use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine , promoted by the administration as a panacea , but which clearly lack scientific merit , ” Bright said .
“ While I am prepared to look at all options and to think ‘ outside the box ’ for effective treatments , I rightly resisted efforts to provide an unproven drug on demand to the American public.
” Asked about Bright at the White House coronavirus briefing on Wednesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of him .
If a guy says he was pushed out of a job , maybe he was , maybe he wasn ’ t .
You ’ d have to hear the other side .
I don ’ t know who he is.
” Trump repeatedly touted hydroxychloroquine as therapy for coronavirus , pointing to a Democratic state representative in Michigan who claimed it benefited her and frequently asking : “ What do you have to lose ?
” But on Tuesday an analysis of the drug ’ s use in US veterans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ I insisted that these drugs be provided only to hospitalised patients with confirmed Covid-19 while under the supervision of a physician .
These drugs have potentially serious risks associated with them , including increased mortality observed in some recent studies in patients with Covid-19 .
“ Sidelining me in the middle of this pandemic and placing politics and cronyism ahead of science puts lives at risk and stunts national efforts to safely and effectively address this urgent public health crisis.
” Bright has reportedly hired lawyers Debra Katz and Lisa Banks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Christine Blasey Ford , who went public with allegations of sexual misconduct against Brett Kavanaugh during his supreme court nomination in 2018 .
On Wednesday , Ronald Klain , who led the Obama administration ’ s response to an Ebola outbreak in 2014 , tweeted : “ Dr Bright is a professional – an expert on vaccines – who I met during the Ebola response .
If this is true , it … represents an ongoing effort by the Trump administration to put politics ahead of science and safety.
” Dr Bright @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department inspector general investigate the way in which the Trump administration has “ politicised the work of Barda , and has pressured me and other conscientious scientists to fund companies with political connections and efforts that lack scientific merit .
“ Rushing blindly towards unproven drugs can be disastrous and result in countless more deaths .
Science , in service to the health and safety of the American people , must always trump politics.
” Bright , whose entire career had been spent in vaccine development , had led Barda since 2016 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ post at the National Institutes of Health .
He told the New York Times : “ I believe this transfer was in response to my insistence that the government invest the billions of dollars allocated by Congress to address the Covid-19 pandemic into safe and scientifically vetted solutions , and not in drugs , vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit .
“ I am speaking out because to combat this deadly virus , science – not politics or cronyism – has to lead the way .
”

A senior US government doctor who worked on the search for a coronavirus vaccine has claimed he was fired after resisting Donald Trump’s push to use the unproven drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.
Rick Bright was this week ousted as director of the US health department’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or Barda, and as the deputy assistant secretary for preparedness and response.
In a stunningly candid statement, Bright highlighted his refusal to embrace hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug relentlessly promoted by the president and Fox News despite a lack of scientific studies.
“Specifically, and contrary to misguided directives, I limited the broad use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, promoted by the administration as a panacea, but which clearly lack scientific merit,” Bright said.
“While I am prepared to look at all options and to think ‘outside the box’ for effective treatments, I rightly resisted efforts to provide an unproven drug on demand to the American public.”
Asked about Bright at the White House coronavirus briefing on Wednesday, Trump said: “I never heard of him. If a guy says he was pushed out of a job, maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t. You’d have to hear the other side. I don’t know who he is.”
Trump repeatedly touted hydroxychloroquine as therapy for coronavirus, pointing to a Democratic state representative in Michigan who claimed it benefited her and frequently asking: “What do you have to lose?”
But on Tuesday an analysis of the drug’s use in US veterans hospitals found no benefit.
Bright added: “I insisted that these drugs be provided only to hospitalised patients with confirmed Covid-19 while under the supervision of a physician. These drugs have potentially serious risks associated with them, including increased mortality observed in some recent studies in patients with Covid-19.
“Sidelining me in the middle of this pandemic and placing politics and cronyism ahead of science puts lives at risk and stunts national efforts to safely and effectively address this urgent public health crisis.”
Bright has reportedly hired lawyers Debra Katz and Lisa Banks, whose clients have included government whistleblowers and Christine Blasey Ford, who went public with allegations of sexual misconduct against Brett Kavanaugh during his supreme court nomination in 2018.
On Wednesday, Ronald Klain, who led the Obama administration’s response to an Ebola outbreak in 2014, tweeted: “Dr Bright is a professional – an expert on vaccines – who I met during the Ebola response. If this is true, it … represents an ongoing effort by the Trump administration to put politics ahead of science and safety.”
Dr Bright said he would request that the health department inspector general investigate the way in which the Trump administration has “politicised the work of Barda, and has pressured me and other conscientious scientists to fund companies with political connections and efforts that lack scientific merit.
“Rushing blindly towards unproven drugs can be disastrous and result in countless more deaths. Science, in service to the health and safety of the American people, must always trump politics.”
Bright, whose entire career had been spent in vaccine development, had led Barda since 2016. He was moved to a less influential post at the National Institutes of Health.
He told the New York Times: “I believe this transfer was in response to my insistence that the government invest the billions of dollars allocated by Congress to address the Covid-19 pandemic into safe and scientifically vetted solutions, and not in drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit.
“I am speaking out because to combat this deadly virus, science – not politics or cronyism – has to lead the way.”


theguardian--2020-04-22--Trump announces 60-day ban on immigrants seeking permanent status in US

Donald Trump has announced a 60-day ban on immigrants seeking to live and work in America permanently , and said he could extend it depending on the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic .
The US president framed the executive order , which he expects to sign on Wednesday , as an effort to protect American workers from foreign competition .
He said it would apply only to those seeking green cards and not temporary workers , but he did not explain how those whose applications are currently being processed would be affected .
“ By pausing immigration , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line for jobs as America reopens – so important , ” Trump told reporters at Tuesday ’ s coronavirus taskforce briefing .
“ It would be wrong and unjust for Americans laid off by the virus to be replaced with new immigrant labour flown in from abroad .
We must first take care of the American worker.
” The “ pause ” would be in effect for 60 days , he added , after which the need for an extension or alternation would be reviewed “ based on economic conditions at the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he might then decide to add a further 30 days or more .
Trump said : “ This order will only apply to individuals seeking a permanent residency .
In other words , those receiving green cards .
Big factor .
It will not apply to those entering on a temporary basis ... We want to protect our US workers and I think , as we move forward , we will become more and more protective of them.
” The president , who has long campaigned against illegal immigration and again touted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s briefing , added that the move would help conserve medical resources for US citizens .
About a million people were granted green cards last year .
The biggest share are family-based immigration sponsorships for permanent residency of foreign nationals by their American spouses .
Alexander Hunter-Mihalić , a CNN producer , tweeted : “ My wife ’ s greencard renewal is being – or was being – processed .
What does that mean for her ?
” The remarks followed an ambiguous tweet on Monday night that caught his own officials by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration rights groups and Democrats .
Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee to take on Trump in November ’ s election , said : “ Rather than execute a swift and aggressive effort to ramp up testing , Donald Trump is tweeting incendiary rhetoric about immigrants in the hopes that he can distract everyone from the core truth : he ’ s moved too slowly to contain this virus , and we are all paying the price for it.
” Ali Noorani , president of the National Immigration Forum , said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspend immigration to the US ignores the reality of our situation : the fact is that immigrants are standing shoulder to shoulder with US citizens on the frontlines helping us get through this pandemic .
How many families would go without health care , food or otherwise if it wasn ’ t for immigrants working alongside native-born Americans yesterday , today and tomorrow ?
” Immigrants account for 17 % of healthcare workers and 24 % of direct care workers nationwide , Noorani added , while H-1B visa holders are helping to find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to be essential in maintaining food chains that re-supply grocery stores .
Mayra Macías , executive director of Latino Victory , said : “ Trump is once again using his old playbook of scapegoating immigrants to cover up his failures .
But we will not be fooled – he ’ s doing it to distract us from his disastrous response to the coronavirus pandemic.
” In practice , much of the US immigration system has already been paralysed by the pandemic .
Travel from China , parts of Europe and Iran is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services are suspended .
The administration has used the crisis to effectively end asylum at US borders , including turning away children who arrive by themselves and putting a hold on refugee resettlement .
At Tuesday ’ s briefing Trump was also questioned about a malaria drug that he has been pushing relentlessly as a therapy for coronavirus , championing a Democratic state representative in Michigan who claimed it benefited her and frequently imploring : “ What do you have to lose ?
” An analysis showed that nearly a third of military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than patients who received standard treatment .
The president appeared to shrug off the finding , saying : “ Obviously there have been some very good reports .
Perhaps this one ’ s not a good report but we ’ ll be looking at it.
” Dr Stephen Hahn , the Food and Drug Administration ’ s commissioner , cautioned against drawing firm conclusions from the 368-patient sample .
“ This study is a small retrospective study at the VA [ Veterans Affairs ] , ” Hahn said .
‘ This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider as part of a decision in writing a prescription for hydroxychloroquine.
” Earlier on Tuesday Trump hosted Andrew Cuomo , the governor of New York , at the White House , with testing top of the agenda .
He said they agreed that the hospital ship USNS Comfort was no longer required by the state .
“ I ’ ve asked Andrew if we could bring the Comfort back to its base in Virginia so that we could have it for other locations and he said we would be able to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bringing the ship back at the earliest time and we ’ ll get it ready for its next mission , which will I ’ m sure be a very important one also .
But it was an honour.
” The US has 823,786 confirmed cases of the virus , and 44,999 deaths , according to the Coronavirus Resource Center at Johns Hopkins University .
More than 4 million people have been tested .

Donald Trump has announced a 60-day ban on immigrants seeking to live and work in America permanently, and said he could extend it depending on the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
The US president framed the executive order, which he expects to sign on Wednesday, as an effort to protect American workers from foreign competition. He said it would apply only to those seeking green cards and not temporary workers, but he did not explain how those whose applications are currently being processed would be affected.
“By pausing immigration, we will help put unemployed Americans first in line for jobs as America reopens – so important,” Trump told reporters at Tuesday’s coronavirus taskforce briefing. “It would be wrong and unjust for Americans laid off by the virus to be replaced with new immigrant labour flown in from abroad. We must first take care of the American worker.”
The “pause” would be in effect for 60 days, he added, after which the need for an extension or alternation would be reviewed “based on economic conditions at the time”. Under questioning, he confirmed that he might then decide to add a further 30 days or more.
Trump said: “This order will only apply to individuals seeking a permanent residency. In other words, those receiving green cards. Big factor. It will not apply to those entering on a temporary basis ... We want to protect our US workers and I think, as we move forward, we will become more and more protective of them.”
The president, who has long campaigned against illegal immigration and again touted his US-Mexico border wall at Tuesday’s briefing, added that the move would help conserve medical resources for US citizens.
About a million people were granted green cards last year. The biggest share are family-based immigration sponsorships for permanent residency of foreign nationals by their American spouses. Alexander Hunter-Mihalić, a CNN producer, tweeted: “My wife’s greencard renewal is being – or was being – processed. What does that mean for her?”
The remarks followed an ambiguous tweet on Monday night that caught his own officials by surprise and provoked an angry backlash from immigration rights groups and Democrats.
Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee to take on Trump in November’s election, said: “Rather than execute a swift and aggressive effort to ramp up testing, Donald Trump is tweeting incendiary rhetoric about immigrants in the hopes that he can distract everyone from the core truth: he’s moved too slowly to contain this virus, and we are all paying the price for it.”
A supermarket in Miami, Florida. Many immigrants are working in essential roles that keep the US operating amid the virus. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Ali Noorani, president of the National Immigration Forum, said: “President Trump’s call to suspend immigration to the US ignores the reality of our situation: the fact is that immigrants are standing shoulder to shoulder with US citizens on the frontlines helping us get through this pandemic. How many families would go without health care, food or otherwise if it wasn’t for immigrants working alongside native-born Americans yesterday, today and tomorrow?”
Immigrants account for 17% of healthcare workers and 24% of direct care workers nationwide, Noorani added, while H-1B visa holders are helping to find a vaccine to Covid-19 and agricultural workers continue to be essential in maintaining food chains that re-supply grocery stores.
Mayra Macías, executive director of Latino Victory, said: “Trump is once again using his old playbook of scapegoating immigrants to cover up his failures. But we will not be fooled – he’s doing it to distract us from his disastrous response to the coronavirus pandemic.”
In practice, much of the US immigration system has already been paralysed by the pandemic. Travel from China, parts of Europe and Iran is mostly banned and most state department visa services are suspended. The administration has used the crisis to effectively end asylum at US borders, including turning away children who arrive by themselves and putting a hold on refugee resettlement.
At Tuesday’s briefing Trump was also questioned about a malaria drug that he has been pushing relentlessly as a therapy for coronavirus, championing a Democratic state representative in Michigan who claimed it benefited her and frequently imploring: “What do you have to lose?”
An analysis showed that nearly a third of military veterans died when treated with hydroxychloroquine, more than patients who received standard treatment. The president appeared to shrug off the finding, saying: “Obviously there have been some very good reports. Perhaps this one’s not a good report but we’ll be looking at it.”
Dr Stephen Hahn, the Food and Drug Administration’s commissioner, cautioned against drawing firm conclusions from the 368-patient sample. “This study is a small retrospective study at the VA [Veterans Affairs],” Hahn said. ‘This is something that a doctor would need to consider as part of a decision in writing a prescription for hydroxychloroquine.”
Earlier on Tuesday Trump hosted Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, at the White House, with testing top of the agenda. He said they agreed that the hospital ship USNS Comfort was no longer required by the state. “I’ve asked Andrew if we could bring the Comfort back to its base in Virginia so that we could have it for other locations and he said we would be able to do that.
“We’ll be bringing the ship back at the earliest time and we’ll get it ready for its next mission, which will I’m sure be a very important one also. But it was an honour.”
The US has 823,786 confirmed cases of the virus, and 44,999 deaths, according to the Coronavirus Resource Center at Johns Hopkins University. More than 4 million people have been tested.


theguardian--2020-04-23--'It's way too early': Georgia businesses wary of governor's invitation to reopen

Manuel ’ s Tavern , an institution in the unofficial capital of the American south , has been at the forefront of all things politics in Atlanta for the last 50 years , but on Friday the bar popular with the city ’ s power brokers will sit out the battle brewing in Georgia over the reopening of the state ’ s economy .
The conservative Republican governor , Brian Kemp , has announced Georgians will be able to get a tattoo , go bowling and get their nails done starting on Friday and sit at a table in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Manuel ’ s Tavern posted a notice on its Facebook page with a blunt response .
“ All of our experience and the wisdom of some really smart people that work at the tavern think it ’ s way too early .
As much as I would like to be open , it ’ s not happening .
Being closed has not been fun , but it ’ s been the safest , best thing we could do for our staff and our customers.
” The restaurant , where the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1970 and Barack Obama played a game of darts in 2015 , said to its fans , “ Don ’ t hate us for being safe.
” The opposing sides taken by the owners of Manuel ’ s – and many others like them in Georgia – and the state ’ s Republican leaders , backed by a few rightwing protest groups , are a microcosm of the controversy starting to play out across the US as some states push to reopen their economies in the face of dire warnings by many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are balking at the thought of allowing people into their establishments as Georgia ’ s coronavirus cases and deaths show no sign of following a sustained downward trajectory yet .
According to federal recommendations , Georgia should not be opening up businesses until sometime in June .
Critics of the governor call this a purely political move in a year in which he has faced much opposition , including from his own party .
Kemp has been at odds even with the Republican-majority legislature this session for his decision to place Kelly Loeffler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is looking towards an election year when demographics point to the red , southern state swinging left .
Critics say he is making decisions with politics uppermost in his mind , stirring a rightwing base in the hope of retaining power – much like Donald Trump .
“ This is absolutely a reckless political decision made to appease the president , despite the fact that experts tell us Georgia has neither enough widespread testing nor enough medical resources to reopen without endangering many lives , ” said the Georgia Democratic party chair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a dozen business owners and residents across the city and not one agreed with the new state guidelines .
Even Kemp seems aware of the risks of reopening .
When asked if the the state legislature ’ s session – suspended since 12 March – would also resume , the governor told WGAU ’ s Tim Bryant lawmakers were “ waiting to come back until it ’ s a safe environment to do so , and have the proper protocols where , you know , we can make sure that that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would need to be at the Capitol ” .
He also mentioned in the same interview that he had asked his mother and his wife to stay home due to pre-existing conditions .
Many of the governor ’ s critics say his decision to allow certain businesses to reopen will affect minority communities disproportionately , giving the dispute a racial tinge in a region already rife with such issues .
“ This virus has disproportionately impacted the lives of black and brown people .
We can not and will not stand silently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses that are mostly in the African American communities , ” the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus ( GLBC ) said in a group statement .
Bernice A King , daughter of Martin Luther King Jr and Coretta Scott King , who is also on the governor ’ s outreach taskforce , only found out about the decision when a friend texted her , she said on Twitter .
Killer Mike , the Atlanta-based rapper and barber shop owner who has been an advocate for the city ’ s African American community , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our first concern is ensuring the safety of our employees and patrons .
While we obviously want to reopen , and we have an incentive to do so as business owners , we do not want to contribute to the spread of the virus , ” he said in a statement to the Guardian .
Kemp ’ s office did not respond to a request for comment , though he and Loeffler held a teleconference town hall on Wednesday .
“ We feel like we can create a business model while keeping tables @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as our customers , so I think you will see some of that starting the first part of next week in a limited way , ” Kemp said .
“ We ’ re asking people to continue to not travel or run errands unless they need to .
Certainly they can go to these establishments that I just talked about and other ones that are necessary , ” he added about soon-to-be open nail salons and bowling alleys .

Manuel’s Tavern, an institution in the unofficial capital of the American south, has been at the forefront of all things politics in Atlanta for the last 50 years, but on Friday the bar popular with the city’s power brokers will sit out the battle brewing in Georgia over the reopening of the state’s economy.
The conservative Republican governor, Brian Kemp, has announced Georgians will be able to get a tattoo, go bowling and get their nails done starting on Friday and sit at a table in a restaurant at the start of next week. But Manuel’s Tavern posted a notice on its Facebook page with a blunt response.
“All of our experience and the wisdom of some really smart people that work at the tavern think it’s way too early. As much as I would like to be open, it’s not happening. Being closed has not been fun, but it’s been the safest, best thing we could do for our staff and our customers.”
The restaurant, where the former president Jimmy Carter announced his gubernatorial campaign in 1970 and Barack Obama played a game of darts in 2015, said to its fans, “Don’t hate us for being safe.”
President Barack Obama throws darts at Manuel’s Tavern in Atlanta on 10 March 2015. Photograph: Pete Souza/The White House
The opposing sides taken by the owners of Manuel’s – and many others like them in Georgia – and the state’s Republican leaders, backed by a few rightwing protest groups, are a microcosm of the controversy starting to play out across the US as some states push to reopen their economies in the face of dire warnings by many healthcare professionals.
Across Atlanta, businesses are balking at the thought of allowing people into their establishments as Georgia’s coronavirus cases and deaths show no sign of following a sustained downward trajectory yet.
According to federal recommendations, Georgia should not be opening up businesses until sometime in June. Critics of the governor call this a purely political move in a year in which he has faced much opposition, including from his own party. Kemp has been at odds even with the Republican-majority legislature this session for his decision to place Kelly Loeffler in a US Senate seat, and he is looking towards an election year when demographics point to the red, southern state swinging left.
Critics say he is making decisions with politics uppermost in his mind, stirring a rightwing base in the hope of retaining power – much like Donald Trump.
“This is absolutely a reckless political decision made to appease the president, despite the fact that experts tell us Georgia has neither enough widespread testing nor enough medical resources to reopen without endangering many lives,” said the Georgia Democratic party chair, Nikema Williams.
The Guardian spoke with a dozen business owners and residents across the city and not one agreed with the new state guidelines.
Even Kemp seems aware of the risks of reopening.
When asked if the the state legislature’s session – suspended since 12 March – would also resume, the governor told WGAU’s Tim Bryant lawmakers were “waiting to come back until it’s a safe environment to do so, and have the proper protocols where, you know, we can make sure that that’s not a dangerous situation for anyone that would need to be at the Capitol”.
He also mentioned in the same interview that he had asked his mother and his wife to stay home due to pre-existing conditions.
Many of the governor’s critics say his decision to allow certain businesses to reopen will affect minority communities disproportionately, giving the dispute a racial tinge in a region already rife with such issues.
Governor Brian Kemp addresses the media at the state capitol building, accompanied by a sign language interpreter. Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA
“This virus has disproportionately impacted the lives of black and brown people. We cannot and will not stand silently by and watch the premature opening of businesses that are mostly in the African American communities,” the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus (GLBC) said in a group statement.
Bernice A King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr and Coretta Scott King, who is also on the governor’s outreach taskforce, only found out about the decision when a friend texted her, she said on Twitter.
Killer Mike, the Atlanta-based rapper and barber shop owner who has been an advocate for the city’s African American community, said his business would not reopen.
“Our first concern is ensuring the safety of our employees and patrons. While we obviously want to reopen, and we have an incentive to do so as business owners, we do not want to contribute to the spread of the virus,” he said in a statement to the Guardian.
Kemp’s office did not respond to a request for comment, though he and Loeffler held a teleconference town hall on Wednesday.
“We feel like we can create a business model while keeping tables separated and protecting our employees as well as our customers, so I think you will see some of that starting the first part of next week in a limited way,” Kemp said.
“We’re asking people to continue to not travel or run errands unless they need to. Certainly they can go to these establishments that I just talked about and other ones that are necessary,” he added about soon-to-be open nail salons and bowling alleys.


theguardian--2020-04-23--Two states: one Democrat, one Republican. Two very different outcomes

Just last month , when he was still regularly wearing a suit and tie , Kentucky ’ s rookie governor , Andy Beshear , told schools across the southern state that they needed to be prepared to close down with little notice to contain the spread of Covid-19 .
At the time , there were just a handful of cases in Kentucky .
Bars and restaurants were still open , people shook hands and live sports was on TV .
But on 11 March , Beshear , a 42-year-old Democrat , told Kentucky residents that the actions they took over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determining how the state would fare in the pandemic .
As Beshear was wrapping up , the man he defeated by just 5,136 votes in November ’ s gubernatorial election offered a glimpse of how differently he might have handled the health emergency had he been victorious .
“ BREAKING NEWS : Chicken Little has just confirmed that the sky IS indeed falling , ” wrote the former Republican governor Matt Bevin on Twitter .
“ Everyone is advised to take cover immediately and bring lots of toilet paper when they do so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so blase if he were actually governor is impossible to know .
‘ He took the right approach ’ On paper , Kentucky is not poised to do well in a pandemic .
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation , 43.6 % of Kentucky ’ s adult population is at a higher risk for serious illness if infected with Covid-19 , putting Kentucky ’ s risk factor second only to West Virginia ’ s in the US .
Kentucky had reported 3,373 Covid-19 cases with 185 deaths as of Wednesday .
Though it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts say the state appears to be flattening the curve .
“ It ’ s encouraging that we are seeing slower acceleration than has been seen in other states and I do think it is largely due to the social distancing measures that were implemented early and aggressively , ” said Kathleen Winter , an epidemiologist with the University of Kentucky .
“ It ’ s too soon to say we ’ re really on the right track and whether this will have a longer-lasting impact.
” “ We ’ re not where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re certainly making progress , ” said Paul McKinney , associate dean for research at the University of Louisville ’ s school of public health and information sciences .
“ And we ’ re not nearly as bad as we could have been.
” While other states lagged behind , Kentucky was nearly keeping pace with measures adopted in coronavirus hotspots like New York : on 5 March Beshear started holding daily press briefings on the virus ; on the 6th , he declared a state of emergency ; on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; on the 19th he banned all mass gatherings , including church services ; and on the 22nd he announced the closure of all businesses that were not “ life sustaining ” .
Combined with his quick pandemic response , his calm , empathetic daily briefings ( which he starts by saying , “ Repeat after me : we will get through this.
” ) have seen his popularity explode in recent weeks .
Some have likened him to Mr Rogers , but he has also been firm , calling out those that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozens of people who protested against the stay-at-home measures last week .
“ I think that the governor here , our current governor , took the right approach , ” said McKinney when asked about how Kentucky ’ s coronavirus might have looked with different election results .
Al Cross , director of the University of Kentucky ’ s institute for rural journalism and community issues and a longtime observer of politics in the Bluegrass state , said he couldn ’ t say that Bevin would necessarily have handled the situation differently and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of stupid assumptions ” about how the former governor might act .
“ It would certainly be in character for Bevin to behave more like the Republican governors who have been more lax than Beshear , but I have to believe that he would keep an open mind on this question because it ’ s so fundamentally important , ” he said .
“ Granted , this is the guy who exposed his children to chicken pox because he thought it was the best thing for them.
” ‘ A very different outcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense of how things might have looked with different leadership , Kentuckians have been looking across their southern border into Tennessee , where Governor Bill Lee was initially reluctant to close down bars , restaurants and non-essential businesses , hoping to find a balance between economic security and public health .
Lee held off on issuing such a stay-at-home order even as the state ’ s three largest cities – Nashville , Memphis and Knoxville – issued orders of their own .
While Lee issued recommendations for Tennesseans to avoid crowds , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them apart , that the state ’ s residents could be trusted to do their part without government interference .
In the end , Tennessee adopted many of the same measures that Kentucky did – but they usually came about a week later .
As Tennessee lagged behind , Beshear warned Kentuckians not to travel there in late March .
Tennessee had reported 7,842 confirmed cases and 166 deaths as of Wednesday .
Charts created by Kentucky resident and educator Stephanie Jolly comparing infection rates and numbers in Tennessee and Kentucky show a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kentucky maintained a flatter curve .
They have received a fair deal of attention in Kentucky recently as a sign that social distancing efforts have paid off , though there are caveats : Tennessee has conducted more testing and has a higher population and Winter , the epidemiologist , says it ’ s more useful to look at hospitalizations , though that data is harder to acquire .
“ I think we could have been facing a very different outcome and a lot of Kentuckians are recognizing that as well , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the shutdown and an assertion that the virus ’ s spread had been slowed to a manageable level , Lee announced on Monday that he would not be extending Tennessee ’ s stay-at-home order past its 30 April expiration and that some businesses could begin reopening as soon as 27 April .
“ While the health outlook is showing signs of improvement , our economic outlook tells a very different story : record unemployment numbers , thousands of businesses closed , ” he said .
“ For the good of our state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic shutdown can not .
” However , the lifting of restrictions does not apply to six Tennessee counties that have their own health departments – among them , the counties home to the state ’ s largest cities .
Those areas will formulate their own reopening strategies and timelines .
Lee ’ s announcement came as the governors of Georgia and South Carolina said that they , too , would be reopening their economies and relaxing restrictions in the coming days .
Across the border in Kentucky , Beshear has remained more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dependent on meeting benchmarks , particularly a 14-day decline in the number of new cases and the expansion of testing capabilities .
And although businesses may reopen in the coming weeks and months , Beshear has worked to temper expectations that life will fully return back to normal soon , saying gatherings like summer weddings and even fall sporting events may be in jeopardy .
On Monday , the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases , Dr Anthony Fauci , warned that failing to follow careful guidelines of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result in a surge in cases .
“ It does go to show why elections matter and that elections have consequences , ” said James Line , 24 , a former Beshear campaign staffer who is the administrator of a Beshear meme Facebook group that has gained popularity as a result of the governor ’ s handling of the pandemic .
“ If 5,000 votes had gone the other way we would have another governor right now and probably a lot more lives lost .
”

Just last month, when he was still regularly wearing a suit and tie, Kentucky’s rookie governor, Andy Beshear, told schools across the southern state that they needed to be prepared to close down with little notice to contain the spread of Covid-19.
At the time, there were just a handful of cases in Kentucky. Bars and restaurants were still open, people shook hands and live sports was on TV. But on 11 March, Beshear, a 42-year-old Democrat, told Kentucky residents that the actions they took over the next month would be critical in determining how the state would fare in the pandemic.
As Beshear was wrapping up, the man he defeated by just 5,136 votes in November’s gubernatorial election offered a glimpse of how differently he might have handled the health emergency had he been victorious.
“BREAKING NEWS: Chicken Little has just confirmed that the sky IS indeed falling,” wrote the former Republican governor Matt Bevin on Twitter. “Everyone is advised to take cover immediately and bring lots of toilet paper when they do so …”
Whether Bevin would have remained so blase if he were actually governor is impossible to know.
‘He took the right approach’
On paper, Kentucky is not poised to do well in a pandemic. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 43.6% of Kentucky’s adult population is at a higher risk for serious illness if infected with Covid-19, putting Kentucky’s risk factor second only to West Virginia’s in the US.
Kentucky had reported 3,373 Covid-19 cases with 185 deaths as of Wednesday. Though it is not out of the woods, experts say the state appears to be flattening the curve.
Joanne Collins Brock, a teacher at a school in Goshen, Kentucky, has been holding online lessons daily in her empty classroom. Photograph: Andy Lyons/Getty Images
“It’s encouraging that we are seeing slower acceleration than has been seen in other states and I do think it is largely due to the social distancing measures that were implemented early and aggressively,” said Kathleen Winter, an epidemiologist with the University of Kentucky. “It’s too soon to say we’re really on the right track and whether this will have a longer-lasting impact.”
“We’re not where we want to be ultimately, but we’re certainly making progress,” said Paul McKinney, associate dean for research at the University of Louisville’s school of public health and information sciences. “And we’re not nearly as bad as we could have been.”
While other states lagged behind, Kentucky was nearly keeping pace with measures adopted in coronavirus hotspots like New York: on 5 March Beshear started holding daily press briefings on the virus; on the 6th, he declared a state of emergency; on the 16th he closed down bars and restaurants; on the 19th he banned all mass gatherings, including church services; and on the 22nd he announced the closure of all businesses that were not “life sustaining”.
Combined with his quick pandemic response, his calm, empathetic daily briefings (which he starts by saying, “Repeat after me: we will get through this.”) have seen his popularity explode in recent weeks. Some have likened him to Mr Rogers, but he has also been firm, calling out those that have defied social distancing orders, including dozens of people who protested against the stay-at-home measures last week.
A child dribbles a basketball in a park in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, on 29 March. The city’s playgrounds are closed until May. Photograph: Andy Lyons/Getty Images
“I think that the governor here, our current governor, took the right approach,” said McKinney when asked about how Kentucky’s coronavirus might have looked with different election results.
Al Cross, director of the University of Kentucky’s institute for rural journalism and community issues and a longtime observer of politics in the Bluegrass state, said he couldn’t say that Bevin would necessarily have handled the situation differently and that many had made “a lot of stupid assumptions” about how the former governor might act.
“It would certainly be in character for Bevin to behave more like the Republican governors who have been more lax than Beshear, but I have to believe that he would keep an open mind on this question because it’s so fundamentally important,” he said. “Granted, this is the guy who exposed his children to chicken pox because he thought it was the best thing for them.”
‘A very different outcome’ across the border
To get a sense of how things might have looked with different leadership, Kentuckians have been looking across their southern border into Tennessee, where Governor Bill Lee was initially reluctant to close down bars, restaurants and non-essential businesses, hoping to find a balance between economic security and public health.
Lee held off on issuing such a stay-at-home order even as the state’s three largest cities – Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville – issued orders of their own. While Lee issued recommendations for Tennesseans to avoid crowds, he said no mandates were necessary to keep them apart, that the state’s residents could be trusted to do their part without government interference.
In the end, Tennessee adopted many of the same measures that Kentucky did – but they usually came about a week later.
As Tennessee lagged behind, Beshear warned Kentuckians not to travel there in late March.
Billy Kennedy offers hugs to parishioners at a parking lot church service on 29 March in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. Photograph: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
Tennessee had reported 7,842 confirmed cases and 166 deaths as of Wednesday. Charts created by Kentucky resident and educator Stephanie Jolly comparing infection rates and numbers in Tennessee and Kentucky show a steeper rise in cases in Tennessee while Kentucky maintained a flatter curve. They have received a fair deal of attention in Kentucky recently as a sign that social distancing efforts have paid off, though there are caveats: Tennessee has conducted more testing and has a higher population and Winter, the epidemiologist, says it’s more useful to look at hospitalizations, though that data is harder to acquire.
“I think we could have been facing a very different outcome and a lot of Kentuckians are recognizing that as well,” said Jolly.
Citing the devastating economic impact of the shutdown and an assertion that the virus’s spread had been slowed to a manageable level, Lee announced on Monday that he would not be extending Tennessee’s stay-at-home order past its 30 April expiration and that some businesses could begin reopening as soon as 27 April.
“While the health outlook is showing signs of improvement, our economic outlook tells a very different story: record unemployment numbers, thousands of businesses closed,” he said. “For the good of our state, social distancing must continue but our economic shutdown cannot.”
However, the lifting of restrictions does not apply to six Tennessee counties that have their own health departments – among them, the counties home to the state’s largest cities. Those areas will formulate their own reopening strategies and timelines.
Medical personnel work a drive through coronavirus testing site on 18 April in Springfield, Tennessee. Photograph: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
Lee’s announcement came as the governors of Georgia and South Carolina said that they, too, would be reopening their economies and relaxing restrictions in the coming days.
Across the border in Kentucky, Beshear has remained more cautious, saying a limited reopening is dependent on meeting benchmarks, particularly a 14-day decline in the number of new cases and the expansion of testing capabilities. And although businesses may reopen in the coming weeks and months, Beshear has worked to temper expectations that life will fully return back to normal soon, saying gatherings like summer weddings and even fall sporting events may be in jeopardy.
On Monday, the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr Anthony Fauci, warned that failing to follow careful guidelines of a gradual reopening could “backfire” and result in a surge in cases.
“It does go to show why elections matter and that elections have consequences,” said James Line, 24, a former Beshear campaign staffer who is the administrator of a Beshear meme Facebook group that has gained popularity as a result of the governor’s handling of the pandemic. “If 5,000 votes had gone the other way we would have another governor right now and probably a lot more lives lost.”


theguardian--2020-04-23--‘Too soon’: Trump disagrees with Georgia governor’s decision to reopen businesses

Donald Trump has rebuked a state governor and Republican ally over his decision to reopen bowling alleys , hair salons and other businesses on Friday “ in violation ” of the phased federal guidelines .
“ I want him to do what he thinks is right , but I disagree with him on what he ’ s doing , ” the US president said of Brian Kemp , the governor of Georgia .
“ I think spas and beauty salons and tattoo parlours and barbershops in phase one ... is just too soon.
” Trump was speaking on Wednesday at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which he announced he had signed a “ very powerful ” order curbing immigration , contradicted experts on how long the virus will linger and compared the crowd size at his last 4 July celebration to Martin Luther King ’ s I Have a Dream speech .
Georgia ’ s huge gamble is likely to be watched with closely by state governors across the nation .
Trump released national guidelines last week for states to pursue a staggered reopening of their economies once they achieve 14 days of declining new infections – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met .
Kemp endured widespread ridicule when he admitted , on April Fools ’ Day , that he had only just learned that people without symptoms can still spread coronavirus , even though health experts had warned about the possibility for months .
Georgia now has more more than 21,000 infections and 846 deaths , according to the state department of public health .
The state has tested less than 1 % of its population for Covid-19 , ranking in the bottom 10 per capita and raising fears that it could suffer a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Friday , elective medical procedures will resume and barbershops , nail salons and gyms will reopen with restrictions and requirements to stagger shifts and keep workspaces six feet apart .
Limited in-restaurant dining will resume next week but bars and nightclubs will remain closed .
Trump said he had spoken to Kemp , for whom he campaigned against Democrat Stacey Abrams in 2018 , and made his views clear .
“ They can wait a little bit longer , just a little bit , not much , because safety has to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So I told the governor very simply that I disagree with his decision but he has to do what he thinks is right.
” Dr Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , joined the criticism .
“ If I were advising the governor , I would tell him that he should be careful , ” Fauci said at the briefing .
“ I would advise him not to just turn the switch on and go , because there is a danger of a rebound.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remarks .
Nikema Williams , the chairwoman for Democratic party of Georgia , said : “ You know it ’ s a serious failure when Donald Trump , whose failed leadership is responsible for how badly this crisis is hitting America , distances himself from his crony Brian Kemp , who is endlessly determined to make this crisis as painful as possible for Georgians.
” Trump and his experts appeared less in sync , however , on the potential risk of a coronavirus resurgence in the autumn , or fall .
First the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , had been “ totally misquoted ” in a Washington Post article about the danger of the virus in tandem with seasonal flu .
He then had to look on as Redfield told reporters : “ I ’ m accurately quoted in the Washington Post.
” Trump shifted gear and objected to the newspapers headline , before seeking once again to downplay the threat : “ We will not go through what we went through for the last two months ... And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it won ’ t be coming back in the form that it was .
It will be coming back in smaller doses that we can contain ...
It may not come back at all.
” Fauci , however , was bluntly realistic : “ We will have coronavirus in the fall .
I am convinced of that.
” Trump also announced that he had signed an executive order that will temporarily suspend the issuance of certain green cards for 60 days he said aimed at protecting American jobs .
The order includes a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who are currently in the country , those who have valid immigrant visas , people seeking entry to work as physicians and nurses , and the spouses and unmarried children of US citizens .
But the American Civil Liberties Union warned that the order will delay the ability of families to reunite and of employers to hire workers necessary to their enterprises .
Omar Jadwat , director of its immigrants ’ rights project , said : “ While the order is limited in scope , President Trump ’ s transparent attempt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unwarranted suspension will cause real pain for families and employers across the country .
“ Meanwhile , he continues to fail to take obvious steps that will save lives – like releasing people from Ice facilities that can not keep them safe from Covid-19 .
We all deserve better leadership than this.
” In a bizarre riff , Trump also spoke optimistically about staging a 4 July celebration on the National Mall , including an air display .
He compared the turnout at last year ’ s event to the March on Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magnificent picture of Dr Martin Luther King and I saw a magnificent picture of our event last year , and both of them were maxed out .
It was beautiful to see .
Beautiful , very similar .
This year , most likely , we ’ ll be standing six feet apart .
We ’ ll have to do that in a very interesting way.
” Histories of the Trump presidency are likely to record how he compared the crowd size at his inauguration , also on the National Mall , to that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show his predecessor ’ s was significantly bigger .

Donald Trump has rebuked a state governor and Republican ally over his decision to reopen bowling alleys, hair salons and other businesses on Friday “in violation” of the phased federal guidelines.
“I want him to do what he thinks is right, but I disagree with him on what he’s doing,” the US president said of Brian Kemp, the governor of Georgia. “I think spas and beauty salons and tattoo parlours and barbershops in phase one ... is just too soon.”
Trump was speaking on Wednesday at a wide-ranging coronavirus taskforce briefing in which he announced he had signed a “very powerful” order curbing immigration, contradicted experts on how long the virus will linger and compared the crowd size at his last 4 July celebration to Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech.
Georgia’s huge gamble is likely to be watched closely by state governors across the nation. Trump released national guidelines last week for states to pursue a staggered reopening of their economies once they achieve 14 days of declining new infections – a criterion that the Peach State has not met.
Kemp endured widespread ridicule when he admitted, on April Fools’ Day, that he had only just learned that people without symptoms can still spread coronavirus, even though health experts had warned about the possibility for months.
Georgia now has more more than 21,000 infections and 846 deaths, according to the state department of public health. The state has tested less than 1% of its population for Covid-19, ranking in the bottom 10 per capita and raising fears that it could suffer a resurgence and be forced into another lockdown.
On Friday, elective medical procedures will resume and barbershops, nail salons and gyms will reopen with restrictions and requirements to stagger shifts and keep workspaces six feet apart. Limited in-restaurant dining will resume next week but bars and nightclubs will remain closed.
Trump said he had spoken to Kemp, for whom he campaigned against the Democrat Stacey Abrams in 2018, and made his views clear. “They can wait a little bit longer, just a little bit, not much, because safety has to predominate. We have to have that. So I told the governor very simply that I disagree with his decision but he has to do what he thinks is right.”
Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, joined the criticism. “If I were advising the governor, I would tell him that he should be careful,” Fauci said at the briefing. “I would advise him not to just turn the switch on and go, because there is a danger of a rebound.”
Democrats seized on the president’s remarks. Nikema Williams, the chairwoman for Democratic party of Georgia, said: “You know it’s a serious failure when Donald Trump, whose failed leadership is responsible for how badly this crisis is hitting America, distances himself from his crony Brian Kemp, who is endlessly determined to make this crisis as painful as possible for Georgians.”
Trump and his experts appeared less in sync, however, on the potential risk of a coronavirus resurgence in the autumn, or fall. First the president falsely claimed that Dr Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had been “totally misquoted” in a Washington Post article about the danger of the virus in tandem with seasonal flu.
He then had to look on as Redfield told reporters: “I’m accurately quoted in the Washington Post.”
Trump shifted gear and objected to the newspaper’s headline, before seeking once again to downplay the threat: “We will not go through what we went through for the last two months … And if it comes back, though, it won’t be coming back in the form that it was. It will be coming back in smaller doses that we can contain … It may not come back at all.”
Fauci, however, was bluntly realistic: “We will have coronavirus in the fall. I am convinced of that.”
Trump also announced that he had signed an executive order that will temporarily suspend the issuance of certain green cards for 60 days he said aimed at protecting American jobs. The order includes a long list of exemptions, including for those who are currently in the country, those who have valid immigrant visas, people seeking entry to work as physicians and nurses, and the spouses and unmarried children of US citizens.
But the American Civil Liberties Union warned that the order will delay the ability of families to reunite and of employers to hire workers necessary to their enterprises. Omar Jadwat, director of its immigrants’ rights project, said: “While the order is limited in scope, President Trump’s transparent attempt to distract from his own failures with this unwarranted suspension will cause real pain for families and employers across the country.
“Meanwhile, he continues to fail to take obvious steps that will save lives – like releasing people from Ice facilities that cannot keep them safe from Covid-19. We all deserve better leadership than this.”
In a bizarre riff, Trump also spoke optimistically about staging a 4 July celebration on the National Mall, including an air display. He compared the turnout at last year’s event to the March on Washington in 1963. “I saw a magnificent picture of Dr Martin Luther King and I saw a magnificent picture of our event last year, and both of them were maxed out. It was beautiful to see. Beautiful, very similar. This year, most likely, we’ll be standing six feet apart. We’ll have to do that in a very interesting way.”
Histories of the Trump presidency are likely to record how he compared the crowd size at his inauguration, also on the National Mall, to that of Barack Obama, even though photos show his predecessor’s was significantly bigger.


theguardian--2020-04-23--Coronavirus US live: Trump says he's signed order restricting immigration - as it happened

America ’ s addiction to mass incarceration could almost double its number of deaths from coronavirus , with jails acting @ @ @ @ @ and spreading a further 100,000 fatalities across the US .
The startling warning comes from @ @ @ @ @ Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU ) and academic researchers , released on Wednesday .
The @ @ @ @ @ action is taken to reduce jail populations , a terrible price will be paid .
@ @ @ @ @ and women not yet convicted , will act as mass vectors of the contagion .
@ @ @ @ @ people could die in the US as a result of the virus being contracted behind @ @ @ @ @ predicts .
Of those , 23,000 are projected to succumb behind bars and 76,000 in @ @ @ @ @ of inmates spreading the virus upon release .

Maanvi Singh in San Francisco (now) and Bryan Armen Graham in New York, Joan E Greve in Washington and Joanna Walters in New York (earlier)

23 Apr 2020 02.50 BST Summary The president signed an executive order restricting immigration for 60 days. The policy will stop new green card applicants from obtaining permanent residency but will exempt key medical workers from abroad as well as some family members of American citizens.
The policy will stop new green card applicants from obtaining permanent residency but will exempt key medical workers from abroad as well as some family members of American citizens. The president said he disagreed with Georgia governor Brian Kemp’s decision to have some businesses start reopening. “I think it’s too soon,” he said during the daily coronavirus briefing.
“I think it’s too soon,” he said during the daily coronavirus briefing. The governor of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt announced that the state’s personal care businesses, including hair salons and barbershops, could start reopening on Friday.
A top health official in charge of the federal agency overseeing research for a coronavirus vaccine claimed he was fired after resisting the president’s push to hydroxychloroquine as a treatment.
Updated at 03.08 BST
23 Apr 2020 02.12 BST Ed Pilkington America’s addiction to mass incarceration could almost double its number of deaths from coronavirus, with jails acting as incubators of the disease and spreading a further 100,000 fatalities across the US. The startling warning comes from groundbreaking modeling by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and academic researchers, released on Wednesday. The analysis found that unless instant action is taken to reduce jail populations, a terrible price will be paid. Jails, which house men and women not yet convicted, will act as mass vectors of the contagion. As many as 99,000 more people could die in the US as a result of the virus being contracted behind jail walls, the study predicts. Of those, 23,000 are projected to succumb behind bars and 76,000 in surrounding communities as a result of inmates spreading the virus upon release. Mass incarceration could add 100,000 deaths to US coronavirus toll, study finds Read more
23 Apr 2020 01.49 BST Jessica Glenza A federal appeals court has allowed Arkansas to enforce a ban on most surgical abortions, as part of a state directive aimed at postponing medical procedures not deemed urgent during the coronavirus outbreak. The ruling from the eighth US circuit court of appeals in St Louis, Missouri, lifted a federal judge’s order which had allowed abortions to continue. The new ruling does not affect abortion induced through medication in the early stages of pregnancy, which is still allowed. The ruling comes two days after another federal appeals court, the fifth circuit, allowed Texas to enforce curbs on abortions via medication, as part of its response to the pandemic. Arkansas can enforce surgical abortion ban amid pandemic, federal court rules Read more
23 Apr 2020 01.36 BST Republican senator Lindsay Graham said he agrees with Trump that Georgia is reopening businesses too quickly. In a statement, he said: I have great respect for Governor Kemp and believe that future re-openings can occur rather quickly but we must get Phase I right. I totally understand Governor Kemp’s desire to allow businesses to reopen as small business owners are under great stress... We are fifty individual states but when it comes to the virus we are all in this fight together. Because of the sacrifices we have made as a nation there is light at the end of the tunnel. Better days are ahead.”
22 Apr 2020 00.50 BST Fact checks: A few quick ones “We had the greatest economy in the history world,” Trump said. This is a gross exaggeration. Also, the GDP growth rate during the Trump administration was lower than the peak growth rate during the previous administration.
Trump referred to the pandemic of 1917. Spanish Influenza spread globally in 1918 and 1919.
“This wasn’t the flu, you know, they like to say the flu,” Trump said. But he was the “they” who repeatedly compared coronavirus to the flu.
Updated at 00.54 BST
22 Apr 2020 00.33 BST Good news for pet owners: our favorite fluffy friends are unlikely transmitters of coronavirus, according to Dr Fauci. Pets and animals can get infected with the virus, but “there’s no evidence that the virus is transmitted from a pet to a human,” Fauci said. “Anything is possible,” Fauci added, but right now it seems unlikely.
22 Apr 2020 00.24 BST “We’re building infrastructure and capacity ... to bring testing to scale,” Dr Birx said. Trump interjected, “but without anything new, they have tremendous capability” for testing, undercutting the public health official’s point.
Updated at 00.27 BST
22 Apr 2020 00.21 BST Fact check: Michelle Obama Trump named Michelle Obama as one of the public figures who campaigned for Stacey Abrams, a Democrat and voting rights advocate, during her gubernatorial run against Georgia’s Brian Kemp. CNN’s Daniel Dale helps us out with this one: Michelle Obama did not go to Georgia to campaign for Stacey Abrams. Trump has said this repeatedly. He keeps adding her to the list with Oprah and Barack Obama. It just didn't happen. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 22, 2020
Updated at 00.23 BST
22 Apr 2020 00.17 BST Fact check: Testing “Not everybody believes as strongly on testing,” the president said. Maybe so, but most disease experts say that testing is key to learning more about how the disease spreads and safely reopening the country. “As we look to reopen, we should have in place a system where we can much more easily, quickly test more people,” Art Reingold, who heads the epidemiology and biostatistics division at UC Berkeley’s school of public health, told the Guardian. “Then we can determine who is infected, isolate those individuals, and the people they were in contact with.” Trump also claimed, once again, that the US is the “best” in the world at testing. That’s not true. Overall, the US had administered more than 4.5m coronavirus tests, according to the Covid Tracking Project. From a very slow start, the US, with a population of 329m, had ramped up to a testing rate of one in every 80 people – a bit better than to South Korea’s rate of 1 in every 90 people. Germany has done even better, testing every 1 in 63 people. In America, despite the recent increase in testing, backlogs are reported in labs across the country, and many people with symptoms – including health workers – are still struggling to access tests. 'We hope to be a model': the California town testing every resident for coronavirus Read more
Updated at 00.19 BST
22 Apr 2020 00.08 BST Asked about Rick Bright, the vaccine expert who said he was ousted for questioning the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine, Trump said he didn’t know Bright. “Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t,” Trump said. “I’ve never heard of him.”
Updated at 00.20 BST
22 Apr 2020 00.04 BST Dr Anthony Fauci: “We will have coronavirus in the fall. I am convinced of that.” Whether or not the outbreak in the fall will be “big or small is going to depend on our response ... Nobody can predict what’s going to happen with an outbreak.” Fauci’s statement seems to contradict what Donald Trump said earlier when the president tried to downplay the threat in the fall and winter and said that a second wave of illness “might not happen”.
Updated at 00.20 BST
22 Apr 2020 00.01 BST More on the immigration executive order: Medical and other essential workers from abroad will be exempt, as will the spouses and minor children of American children, and “certain other aliens”.
The administration will review guest worker programs.
“The administration will continue to monitor the labor market to amend or extend the proclamation if needed,” per the White House.
Updated at 00.21 BST


theguardian--2020-04-23--Covid-19 is the dress rehearsal for 21st century global crises | Stephen Marche

The phrase Generation X , when Douglas Coupland coined it over two decades ago , was always supposed to be a placeholder , an unknown variable .
We were the generation who didn ’ t know what the terms of our generation were .
Now we know .
Covid-19 has solved for x .
We belong to Generation Lockdown .
As we all joked on Twitter , there was always something inevitable about our generation being asked to save the world by sitting at home watching television .
Covid-19 affects everyone ; it is killing older people and it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But it belongs , in a unique way , to those of us who find ourselves with young children and elderly parents .
For that cohort , the feeling of being under lockdown is oddly familiar .
At moments , Covid-19 feels like no more than an allegory for the condition of my generation : we have been inside , behind screens , while a global catastrophe unfolds , since our 20s .
The defining fact of our generation is that the defining fact of our generation happens to each of us alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the standard position of my life has been the one I find myself in right now – everyone I know isolated and suddenly broke , unless they inherited money , watching the bottom fall out of things .
The obvious historical events like September 11 , the 2008 crash , Covid-19 were interruptions in a series of longer-term collapses : the manufacturing sector , the humanities , media , the American republic .
As severe and nightmarish as Covid-19 is , I can ’ t help feeling that it ’ s just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The problems of the 21st century will be global and they will be intimate .
Covid-19 is the purest demonstration possible that , in the very realest sense , there is direct physical connection between the wet markets of Wuhan , the piazzas of Lombardy and the office buildings of New York .
Everyone breathes the same air .
It ’ s all the same spit .
The solutions to the problems of the 21st century , like the solution to Covid-19 , will come only one way : through an empowered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s it .
Nothing else will solve it .
Libertarianism in the 21st century is about as relevant as geocentrism .
In the 21st century , it is solidarity or death .
That ’ s what we ’ ve been shown .
That ’ s what Covid-19 is , a crisis of intimacy that can only be solved by solidarity .
This has been , in hindsight , the task of our generation : the confrontation with crises of intimacy , the shattering of the terms of intimacy and the attempt to put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built since the second world war exists to destroy union , to break communion , to collapse community , to eviscerate solidarity .
“ Each in the cell of himself is almost convinced of his freedom , ” is how WH Auden put it .
We are a generation steeped in cynicism and skepticism and irony but it can not last .
The generational task of confronting and overcoming brokenness has turned political .
The divisiveness that has overwhelmed our political discourse can not stand .
If you wish now that your government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease , go and listen to what the climate change experts know , right now , is going to happen over the next 30 years .
A recent study charting the inevitable displacement of Americans from the eastern seaboard estimated the number of internal refugees at 13 million .
That ’ s not a problem that can be solved by a huge military thrown against foreign opponents .
It can only be solved by collectively accepted information and collaboration and sacrifice .
The older generation continues their rake ’ s progress of conspiratorial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be two ancient boomers looking for one last grope .
The fury of the millennials has been well earned : why any one of them would believe in or participate in the system as it currently exists is beyond me .
Surely this catastrophe will point them towards an alternative future .
One thing that has become clear in each of the crashes : the responsible suffer , the irresponsible triumph .
At what point does it become beneath basic human dignity to continue to play a rigged game ?
Careerism is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only ism standing .
The 60s enjoined the boomers to turn on , tune in , drop out .
I don ’ t see how younger people have any choice but an even more wholesale rejection .
And yet this time , as desperate as it has been , has been the first time I have felt hope since I can remember .
The choice of the 21st century has been clarified : how much mass death is acceptable to maintain the economic status quo ?
We have seen that governments can take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vast majority of people are willing to go on a war footing to protect their fellow citizens in emergencies .
This is a realization with profound consequences .
Economic interactions are not the sum total of human society .
Market fundamentalism has its limits .
As for the Generation formerly known as X , a generation educated in radical skepticism now must find a way to collective action .
This isn ’ t hippy nonsense anymore : we must work together or die alone .
Are we ready for war without enemies @

The phrase Generation X, when Douglas Coupland coined it over two decades ago, was always supposed to be a placeholder, an unknown variable. We were the generation who didn’t know what the terms of our generation were. Now we know. Covid-19 has solved for x. We belong to Generation Lockdown.
As we all joked on Twitter, there was always something inevitable about our generation being asked to save the world by sitting at home watching television. Covid-19 affects everyone; it is killing older people and it is ruining the childhoods of the young. But it belongs, in a unique way, to those of us who find ourselves with young children and elderly parents. For that cohort, the feeling of being under lockdown is oddly familiar. At moments, Covid-19 feels like no more than an allegory for the condition of my generation: we have been inside, behind screens, while a global catastrophe unfolds, since our 20s. The defining fact of our generation is that the defining fact of our generation happens to each of us alone, apart.
At moments, Covid-19 feels like no more than an allegory for the condition of my generation
The crisis is extraordinary but the standard position of my life has been the one I find myself in right now – everyone I know isolated and suddenly broke, unless they inherited money, watching the bottom fall out of things. The obvious historical events like September 11, the 2008 crash, Covid-19 were interruptions in a series of longer-term collapses: the manufacturing sector, the humanities, media, the American republic. As severe and nightmarish as Covid-19 is, I can’t help feeling that it’s just the dress rehearsal for the 21st century.
The problems of the 21st century will be global and they will be intimate. Covid-19 is the purest demonstration possible that, in the very realest sense, there is direct physical connection between the wet markets of Wuhan, the piazzas of Lombardy and the office buildings of New York. Everyone breathes the same air. It’s all the same spit. The solutions to the problems of the 21st century, like the solution to Covid-19, will come only one way: through an empowered bureaucracy informed by expertise. That’s it. Nothing else will solve it. Libertarianism in the 21st century is about as relevant as geocentrism.
In the 21st century, it is solidarity or death. That’s what we’ve been shown. That’s what Covid-19 is, a crisis of intimacy that can only be solved by solidarity. This has been, in hindsight, the task of our generation: the confrontation with crises of intimacy, the shattering of the terms of intimacy and the attempt to put them back together.
The consumer culture built since the second world war exists to destroy union, to break communion, to collapse community, to eviscerate solidarity. “Each in the cell of himself is almost convinced of his freedom,” is how WH Auden put it. We are a generation steeped in cynicism and skepticism and irony but it cannot last. The generational task of confronting and overcoming brokenness has turned political.
The divisiveness that has overwhelmed our political discourse cannot stand. If you wish now that your government had listened to the experts on infectious disease, go and listen to what the climate change experts know, right now, is going to happen over the next 30 years. A recent study charting the inevitable displacement of Americans from the eastern seaboard estimated the number of internal refugees at 13 million. That’s not a problem that can be solved by a huge military thrown against foreign opponents. It can only be solved by collectively accepted information and collaboration and sacrifice.
This isn’t hippy nonsense anymore: we must work together or die alone
The older generation continues their rake’s progress of conspiratorial recklessness. The 2020 election is going to be two ancient boomers looking for one last grope. The fury of the millennials has been well earned: why any one of them would believe in or participate in the system as it currently exists is beyond me. Surely this catastrophe will point them towards an alternative future. One thing that has become clear in each of the crashes: the responsible suffer, the irresponsible triumph. At what point does it become beneath basic human dignity to continue to play a rigged game? Careerism is futile, yet somehow it is the only ism standing. The 60s enjoined the boomers to turn on, tune in, drop out. I don’t see how younger people have any choice but an even more wholesale rejection.
And yet this time, as desperate as it has been, has been the first time I have felt hope since I can remember. The choice of the 21st century has been clarified: how much mass death is acceptable to maintain the economic status quo? We have seen that governments can take significant interventions. We have seen that the vast majority of people are willing to go on a war footing to protect their fellow citizens in emergencies. This is a realization with profound consequences. Economic interactions are not the sum total of human society. Market fundamentalism has its limits.
As for the Generation formerly known as X, a generation educated in radical skepticism now must find a way to collective action. This isn’t hippy nonsense anymore: we must work together or die alone. Are we ready for war without enemies?


theguardian--2020-04-23--'Too soon': Trump 'strongly' disagrees with Georgia governor's reopening plan – video

US president Donald Trump said he told Georgia governor Brian Kemp he disagreed with his plan to reopen certain businesses @ @ @ @ @ was 'too soon ' for businesses like spas , beauty salons and tattoo parlours to @ @ @ @ @ a little bit longer , just a little bit - not much .
Because safety @ @ @ @ @ have to have that .
So I told the governor very simply that I disagree @ @ @ @ @ has to do what he thinks is right , ' Trump said at the White @ @ @ @ @ Kemp , a Republican , is allowing gyms , hair salons , bowling alleys and @ @ @ @ @ reopen on Friday , followed by movie houses and restaurants next week • ‘ It @ @ @ @ @ : Trump disagrees with Georgia governor ’ s decision to reopen businesses • Coronavirus US @ @ @ @ @ 's signed order restricting immigration - as it happened

US president Donald Trump said he told Georgia governor Brian Kemp he disagreed with his plan to reopen certain businesses this month, saying it was 'too soon' for businesses like spas, beauty salons and tattoo parlours to reopen. 'They can wait a little bit longer, just a little bit - not much. Because safety has to predominate. We have to have that. So I told the governor very simply that I disagree with his decision but he has to do what he thinks is right,' Trump said at the White House coronavirus news briefing. Kemp, a Republican, is allowing gyms, hair salons, bowling alleys and tattoo and massage parlours to reopen on Friday, followed by movie houses and restaurants next week


theguardian--2020-04-24--Coronavirus US live: Trump says federal distancing guidelines could extend into summer

While the president ’ s suggestions that light and disinfectact could be injected into people as a cure for the coronavirus has attracted the most attention tonight , we ’ ve also been wondering about the emerging research that the DHS ’ s Bill Bryan presented during the daily White House briefing .
“ Our most striking observation to date is the powerful effect that solar light appears to have on killing the virus , both surfaces and in the air , ” Bryan said .
The research he referenced has yet to be published or validated .
David Brenner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Research at Columbia University Medical Center told The Guardian that “ Prima facie , the suggestion that solar light will have an effect on the Covid-19 pandemic seems implausible.
” There are different types of UV light : UVA and UVB are the ones we encounter as the ones that can cause sunburns , tanning and sun damage .
UVC gets mostly filtered out by the Earth ’ s ozone later — “ there is almost no UVC in the sunlight that reaches us , ” Brenner says .
But it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Brenner ’ s research looks into a type of UVC light that he and his colleagues believe has the potential to kill the Covid-19 virus , while being safe for exposure to humans .

Maanvi Singh in San Francisco (now) and Joan E Greve in Washington and Joanna Walters in New York (earlier)

24 Apr 2020 02.20 BST Summary During the daily White House press briefing, the DHS’ Bill Bryan presented emerging research suggesting that sunlight, heat and humidity could slow the coronavirus. “Our most striking observation to date is the powerful effect that solar light appears to have on killing the virus, both surfaces and in the air,” he said. But the findings have not been peer-reviewed or published in a medical journal. Previous research has suggested that sunlight is unlikely to kill the novel coronavirus.
“Our most striking observation to date is the powerful effect that solar light appears to have on killing the virus, both surfaces and in the air,” he said. But the findings have not been peer-reviewed or published in a medical journal. Previous research has suggested that sunlight is unlikely to kill the novel coronavirus. Donald Trump suggested that light and disinfectant could be injected into people’s bodies as a cure for coronavirus. His public health advisors immediately played down the idea. Medics warn that attempting such at thing at home is very dangerous and could be fatal.
His public health advisors immediately played down the idea. Medics warn that attempting such at thing at home is very dangerous and could be fatal. The president ignored questions about Dr Rick Bright, who said he would file a whistleblower complaint after being removed from his role overseeing the development of a coronavirus vaccine. Bright said he was removed from his post overseeing the development of a coronavirus vaccine at the department of health and human services because he refused to promote hydroxychloroquine as a potential coronavirus treatment. Trump has repeatedly touted the drug as a cure despite limited evidence.
Bright said he was removed from his post overseeing the development of a coronavirus vaccine at the department of health and human services because he refused to promote hydroxychloroquine as a potential coronavirus treatment. Trump has repeatedly touted the drug as a cure despite limited evidence. The House approved a $484bn coronavirus relief bill, which the president said he would sign into law. The package would boost a depleted loan program for small businesses and provide funding for hospitals and coronavirus testing efforts. Only five representatives voted against the bill. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez was the only one to oppose it, maintaining that it didn’t provide enough relief for medical facilities.
The package would boost a depleted loan program for small businesses and provide funding for hospitals and coronavirus testing efforts. Only five representatives voted against the bill. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez was the only one to oppose it, maintaining that it didn’t provide enough relief for medical facilities. Congress also approved a resolution to create a select committee to review the distribution of coronavirus relief funds. The final vote was 212-182 and fell exactly along party lines, with Republicans unanimously voting against the Democratic proposal. .
The final vote was 212-182 and fell exactly along party lines, with Republicans unanimously voting against the Democratic proposal. . Few Americans trust Trump as a source for information on the pandemic. According to a new AP/NORC poll, only 23% of Americans say they have high levels of trust in the information the president shares. Another 21% say they have a moderate amount of trust in his information.
According to a new AP/NORC poll, only 23% of Americans say they have high levels of trust in the information the president shares. Another 21% say they have a moderate amount of trust in his information. New York governor Andrew Cuomo fiercely criticized Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell for suggesting states should declare bankruptcy instead of receiving more federal funds. The Democratic governor called McConnell’s suggestion “one of the really dumb ideas of all time,” and he said McConnell’s warning against “bailouts” for Democratic states was “irresponsible” and “reckless.”
The Democratic governor called McConnell’s suggestion “one of the really dumb ideas of all time,” and he said McConnell’s warning against “bailouts” for Democratic states was “irresponsible” and “reckless.” Elizabeth Warren announced her older brother died of coronavirus this week. The Massachusetts senator and former presidential candidate had not previously disclosed that her brother, Don Reed Herring, had tested positive for the virus.
24 Apr 2020 02.05 BST More info on sunlight and the coronavirus While the president’s suggestions that light and disinfectact could be injected into people as a cure for the coronavirus has attracted the most attention tonight, we’ve also been wondering about the emerging research that the DHS’s Bill Bryan presented during the daily White House briefing. “Our most striking observation to date is the powerful effect that solar light appears to have on killing the virus, both surfaces and in the air,” Bryan said. The research he referenced has yet to be published or validated. David Brenner, who directs the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University Medical Center told The Guardian that “Prima facie, the suggestion that solar light will have an effect on the Covid-19 pandemic seems implausible.” There are different types of UV light: UVA and UVB are the ones we encounter as the ones that can cause sunburns, tanning and sun damage. UVC gets mostly filtered out by the Earth’s ozone later — “there is almost no UVC in the sunlight that reaches us,” Brenner says. But it’s mostly UVC light that contains antimicrobial properties. Brenner’s research looks into a type of UVC light that he and his colleagues believe has the potential to kill the Covid-19 virus, while being safe for exposure to humans.
24 Apr 2020 01.07 BST Medics are reminding the public to disregard Trump’s suggestion that disinfectant could be injected into the body to cure coronavirus. Injecting disinfectant into your body will kill you. While it feels completely unnecessary to even say this, people drank fish tank cleaner containing chloroquine because of what they heard from rumors about the substance. We must fight deadly misinformation no matter how stupid. — Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) April 24, 2020 As a physician, I can’t recommend injecting disinfectant into the lungs or using UV radiation inside the body to treat COVID-19. Don’t take medical advice from Trump. https://t.co/YcZXJXfSxu — Kashif Mahmood (@kashmood) April 23, 2020 The President of the United States is calling for UV light therapy for COVID (External or endoluminal?!?!). Also injecting or ingesting disinfectants.....I just can’t believe that after almost 900k cases and 50k deaths in 60 days...this is our elected leader :( https://t.co/WU2ado1Jlg — Robert Lookstein MD, MHCDL (@roblookstein) April 23, 2020
Updated at 01.08 BST
23 Apr 2020 00.49 BST Julia Carrie Wong Hydroxychloroquine – an old anti-malarial drug that is today more commonly used to treat lupus – has become another partisan political wedge issue in the US: conservative politicians and media figures have hyped studies that support the theory that the drug is a potential treatment. And on Wednesday, Rick Bright, the head of a US government agency charged with investing in treatments and responses for pandemics, said he was forced out of his job over his resistance to the administration’s “misguided directives” promoting “broad use” of the drug, which he said “clearly lack scientific merit”. The limited evidence around hydroxychloroquine so far has come in a steady stream of scientific studies, often as soon as they are posted online as “preprints” – ie before they have gone through the rigorous vetting process known as peer review. None of the studies that have been released meet the gold standard for demonstrating a drug’s effectiveness – a large-scale, double-blinded randomized controlled trial (RCT), though multiple trials of that kind are under way. While the world awaits those results, here’s a guide to some of the studies released thus far: Hydroxychloroquine and coronavirus: a guide to the scientific studies so far Read more
23 Apr 2020 00.24 BST During the briefing, the president evaded questions about Rick Bright, the vaccine expert who says he was removed from his post after resisting the president’s push to use hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for coronavirus without proper vetting and testing. Bright said he would file a whistleblower complaint, after being reassigned from his post overseeing the development of a coronavirus vaccine. President Trump doesn’t answer multiple questions about Rick Bright, who alleges his removal was retaliation. The White House has not really pushed back on his allegations in any formal capacity. — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) April 23, 2020 Read more: Top vaccine expert claims he was fired for resisting Trump on hydroxychloroquine Read more
Updated at 00.39 BST
23 Apr 2020 00.00 BST Fact check: Testing As he does almost daily during his briefings, Trump repeated the claim that the US has done “more tests than all other countries combined”. This is not true. Moreover, overall, the US had administered more than 4.6m coronavirus tests, according to the Covid Tracking Project. From a very slow start, the US, with a population of 329m, had ramped up to a testing rate of one in every 71 people – a bit better than to South Korea’s rate of 1 in every 90 people. But Germany has done even better, testing every 1 in 63 people. In America, despite the recent increase in testing, backlogs are reported in labs across the country, and many people with symptoms – including health workers – are still struggling to access tests.
Updated at 03.16 BST
23 Apr 2020 23.57 BST The briefing has ended. Trump finished by criticizing the media (“CNN is fake news. Don’t talk to me.”), the “fake Russia, Russia, Russia deal” and the “illegal witch hunt,” and implying that the media is giving Joe Biden “a pass”.
23 Apr 2020 23.55 BST The president is “not happy about Brian Kemp” Trump said, referring to the governor of Georgia, who has moved ahead with a plan to reopen businesses despite criticisms from the president and other Republican and Democratic lawmakers. “I don’t want this thing to flare up because you’re deciding to do something that’s not in the guidelines,” Trump said.
23 Apr 2020 23.47 BST “Medical doctors,” should see “if there any way to apply light and heat to cure”, the president said. He asked Dr Deborah Birx if that’s possible. Fevers are the body’s way of apply heat to treat itself, but she hasn’t heard of it being used as a treatment, she responded. “It’s just a suggestion,” Trump said. “If heat is good and if sunlight it good, that’s. a great thing as far as I’m concerned.”
23 Apr 2020 23.44 BST Will federal distancing guidelines be extended until summer? “We may, we may go beyond that - we’ll have to see where it is. Until we feel it’s safe, we’re going to be extending,” Trump said.
The president’s message today is much different than what he’s said earlier this week.
23 Apr 2020 23.32 BST We cannot immediately fact-check Bryan on the emerging research he is presenting on the effect of heat, light, and humidity on the coronavirus, but we’ll circle back to it. As I noted earlier, while there are a few preliminary studies suggest that hotter temperatures could slow the virus, most of this research so far has not been through a rigorous process of peer review.
Updated at 23.43 BST
23 Apr 2020 23.28 BST The DHS’s Bryan is asked about the president’s suggestions that disinfectants be injected into a person. “We don’t do that within our lab,” Bryan said. “Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t work,” Trump interjected — but a disinfectant like isopropyl alcohol definitely has an effect on “stationary objects.” Note: If you are not a stationary object and are, in fact, a person, please follow medical advice and do not inject disinfectant into your body.
Updated at 03.32 BST
23 Apr 2020 23.19 BST “Supposing you brought the light inside the body - either through the skin or some other way,” Trump wondered. He also mused about ways to use disinfectants on people, “by injections inside or almost a cleaning.” “It’d be interesting to check that,” the president said. “You’d have to use medical doctors.”
23 Apr 2020 23.17 BST The DHS has worked with Johns Hopkins to test how the virus in droplets of saliva and respiratory fluids survives at different temperatures, Bryan said. The virus survives best indoors, in dry conditions. UV rays and hotter, more humid temps cut down the halflife of the virus.
Updated at 00.38 BST