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| Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today | Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today |
| (1 day later) | |
| This is the Coronavirus Briefing, an informed guide to the global outbreak. Sign up here to get the briefing by email. | This is the Coronavirus Briefing, an informed guide to the global outbreak. Sign up here to get the briefing by email. |
| Much tighter guidelines in the U.S. | Much tighter guidelines in the U.S. |
| No more going out to eat | No more going out to eat |
| Europe is “at war” with the virus | Europe is “at war” with the virus |
| Get the latest updates here, plus maps and full coverage | Get the latest updates here, plus maps and full coverage |
| The White House called on all Americans not to gather in groups larger than 10, eat in restaurants or food courts, or travel unnecessarily for the next 15 days, to slow the spread of the coronavirus. | The White House called on all Americans not to gather in groups larger than 10, eat in restaurants or food courts, or travel unnecessarily for the next 15 days, to slow the spread of the coronavirus. |
| “With several weeks of focused action, we can turn the corner” on the outbreak, President Trump said in announcing the new guidelines. When can we turn that corner? July or August, he suggested. | “With several weeks of focused action, we can turn the corner” on the outbreak, President Trump said in announcing the new guidelines. When can we turn that corner? July or August, he suggested. |
| When someone tests positive or gets sick, the whole household should self-quarantine, the guidelines say. Dr. Deborah L. Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said that was because most transmission seemed to happen within family units. | When someone tests positive or gets sick, the whole household should self-quarantine, the guidelines say. Dr. Deborah L. Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said that was because most transmission seemed to happen within family units. |
| Millennials “are the core group that will stop this virus,” Dr. Birx said, because they’re at the age when people socialize most. They tend not to get bad cases themselves, but they can still carry the virus, she said, so they need to help protect older, more vulnerable people by heeding the guidelines and socializing online. | Millennials “are the core group that will stop this virus,” Dr. Birx said, because they’re at the age when people socialize most. They tend not to get bad cases themselves, but they can still carry the virus, she said, so they need to help protect older, more vulnerable people by heeding the guidelines and socializing online. |
| The cap on gatherings of just 10 people was much lower than most previous guidance. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases, warned against thinking that it was harsher than necessary: “The best way to address it is to do something that looks like it might be an overreaction.” | The cap on gatherings of just 10 people was much lower than most previous guidance. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases, warned against thinking that it was harsher than necessary: “The best way to address it is to do something that looks like it might be an overreaction.” |
| Do it yourself: Earlier in the day, Mr. Trump told state governors they should not wait for the federal government to help them get respirators, ventilators and other vital medical equipment. “Try getting it yourselves,” he said. | Do it yourself: Earlier in the day, Mr. Trump told state governors they should not wait for the federal government to help them get respirators, ventilators and other vital medical equipment. “Try getting it yourselves,” he said. |
| Several state leaders reacted angrily. “If one state doesn’t get the resources and materials they need, the entire nation continues to be at risk,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico. | Several state leaders reacted angrily. “If one state doesn’t get the resources and materials they need, the entire nation continues to be at risk,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico. |
| Restaurants and bars across the U.S. face a grim new reality, as local governments order shutdowns that will severely limit how they serve customers. Restrictions take effect Monday evening in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, where dining establishments can now offer only takeout and delivery. | Restaurants and bars across the U.S. face a grim new reality, as local governments order shutdowns that will severely limit how they serve customers. Restrictions take effect Monday evening in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, where dining establishments can now offer only takeout and delivery. |
| Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York tried imposing less stringent rules last Friday, ordering the state’s bars and restaurants to operate at half capacity. But in New York City at least, many places were full over the weekend, prompting calls to close them completely. | Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York tried imposing less stringent rules last Friday, ordering the state’s bars and restaurants to operate at half capacity. But in New York City at least, many places were full over the weekend, prompting calls to close them completely. |
| “I always knew that when the end came, New Yorkers would watch it from a bar,” Pete Wells, our restaurant critic, writes. “But this was not the end any of us had imagined. Crowding together, not just a survival skill but an engine of the city in normal times, was the most dangerous thing of all.” | “I always knew that when the end came, New Yorkers would watch it from a bar,” Pete Wells, our restaurant critic, writes. “But this was not the end any of us had imagined. Crowding together, not just a survival skill but an engine of the city in normal times, was the most dangerous thing of all.” |
| Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington State and Puerto Rico have also announced dining shutdowns, as have cities like Paris and Madrid. | Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington State and Puerto Rico have also announced dining shutdowns, as have cities like Paris and Madrid. |
| Financial impact: The restrictions are likely to ripple across the economy, threatening many hourly workers with layoffs and wiping out the already thin profit margins at many restaurants. | Financial impact: The restrictions are likely to ripple across the economy, threatening many hourly workers with layoffs and wiping out the already thin profit margins at many restaurants. |
| President Emmanuel Macron of France ordered citizens on Monday to stay home for at least 15 days or risk punishment, as several other European countries also imposed tighter restrictions. | President Emmanuel Macron of France ordered citizens on Monday to stay home for at least 15 days or risk punishment, as several other European countries also imposed tighter restrictions. |
| “We are at war,” Mr. Macron said in a televised address. “Walking about, meeting up with one’s friends — this is no longer allowed.” | “We are at war,” Mr. Macron said in a televised address. “Walking about, meeting up with one’s friends — this is no longer allowed.” |
| France had already closed schools, cafes, restaurants, most shops and the Paris parks. Now the French are being told to leave home only for essential activities like food shopping. | France had already closed schools, cafes, restaurants, most shops and the Paris parks. Now the French are being told to leave home only for essential activities like food shopping. |
| Germany halted all religious services and ordered bars to close, among other measures. Italy, especially hard hit, announced $28 billion in emergency aid to individuals, businesses and the health care system. The country has reported more than 2,100 deaths, the most outside China. Hospital morgues are inundated as funerals are postponed. | Germany halted all religious services and ordered bars to close, among other measures. Italy, especially hard hit, announced $28 billion in emergency aid to individuals, businesses and the health care system. The country has reported more than 2,100 deaths, the most outside China. Hospital morgues are inundated as funerals are postponed. |
| Updated June 16, 2020 | |
| The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave. | |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. |
| Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. | Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. |
| States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. | States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) |
| Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. | Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. |
| The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. | The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. |
| If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. | If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. |
| The European Union leaders will vote on Thursday on a proposal to halt nonessential travel into the bloc for 30 days, but many countries have also imposed border lockdowns. Spain said it would shut its land borders to foreigners at midnight Monday. | The European Union leaders will vote on Thursday on a proposal to halt nonessential travel into the bloc for 30 days, but many countries have also imposed border lockdowns. Spain said it would shut its land borders to foreigners at midnight Monday. |
| Six counties in Northern California, including San Francisco, ordered millions of residents to “shelter in place” and not leave home except for the most essential reasons. | Six counties in Northern California, including San Francisco, ordered millions of residents to “shelter in place” and not leave home except for the most essential reasons. |
| The number of cases in the United States crossed the 4,000 mark, and the number of deaths surged past 70, including the first deaths in Indiana, Nevada and South Carolina. | The number of cases in the United States crossed the 4,000 mark, and the number of deaths surged past 70, including the first deaths in Indiana, Nevada and South Carolina. |
| The governor of Ohio moved to postpone the state’s presidential primary, scheduled for Tuesday. Three other states — Arizona, Illinois and Florida — are also scheduled to vote on Tuesday. | The governor of Ohio moved to postpone the state’s presidential primary, scheduled for Tuesday. Three other states — Arizona, Illinois and Florida — are also scheduled to vote on Tuesday. |
| The pace of infections in Europe has accelerated, with the total now at more than 58,000. | The pace of infections in Europe has accelerated, with the total now at more than 58,000. |
| Spain, with about 8,000 cases and about 300 deaths so far, ordered medical students, private hospitals and factories that make medical equipment to pitch in and help the public health system. | Spain, with about 8,000 cases and about 300 deaths so far, ordered medical students, private hospitals and factories that make medical equipment to pitch in and help the public health system. |
| The Vatican said the religious services traditionally held in the week before Easter would not be open to the public. | The Vatican said the religious services traditionally held in the week before Easter would not be open to the public. |
| Keep your distance. The virus spreads most readily through close contact, so social distancing is vital to slowing it down. Have questions about that? Here are answers. | Keep your distance. The virus spreads most readily through close contact, so social distancing is vital to slowing it down. Have questions about that? Here are answers. |
| Work from home if possible. If you are new to it, here’s some advice: Try to wake up at the same time daily, and schedule a break in the middle of the day, so you don’t forget to get up from your desk. | Work from home if possible. If you are new to it, here’s some advice: Try to wake up at the same time daily, and schedule a break in the middle of the day, so you don’t forget to get up from your desk. |
| Navigating the outbreak while pregnant? Here are tips from readers, from buying your own prenatal yoga mat to thinking twice about looking at photos on a friend’s phone. | Navigating the outbreak while pregnant? Here are tips from readers, from buying your own prenatal yoga mat to thinking twice about looking at photos on a friend’s phone. |
| When you finish reading this, wash your hands. Scrub with soap and water for 20 seconds. And remember to clean “high-touch” surfaces like phones and tablets — Apple recommends using 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. | When you finish reading this, wash your hands. Scrub with soap and water for 20 seconds. And remember to clean “high-touch” surfaces like phones and tablets — Apple recommends using 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. |
| With everybody working or streaming at home, will your internet slow to a crawl? | With everybody working or streaming at home, will your internet slow to a crawl? |
| Religious congregations that can no longer gather to worship are trying to maintain their bonds of friendship and faith. | Religious congregations that can no longer gather to worship are trying to maintain their bonds of friendship and faith. |
| Gun stores and ammunition dealers in the U.S. have seen a surge in sales, especially among first-time buyers, as anxiety builds over the virus outbreak. | Gun stores and ammunition dealers in the U.S. have seen a surge in sales, especially among first-time buyers, as anxiety builds over the virus outbreak. |
| Some contrarians are arguing that America may be overreacting and paying too little heed to the harm that drastic measures will do. | Some contrarians are arguing that America may be overreacting and paying too little heed to the harm that drastic measures will do. |
| Free-for-all versus quarantine versus social distancing: The Washington Post built a simulator that visualizes how effective staying home can be in slowing the virus’s spread. | Free-for-all versus quarantine versus social distancing: The Washington Post built a simulator that visualizes how effective staying home can be in slowing the virus’s spread. |
| I’m a nurse and also have a small medicinal and culinary herb farm. I am making sure to take time to hike alone in the woods, and start lots of seedlings. These help me take care of myself so I can care for others. | I’m a nurse and also have a small medicinal and culinary herb farm. I am making sure to take time to hike alone in the woods, and start lots of seedlings. These help me take care of myself so I can care for others. |
| — Melody Wright, Connecticut | — Melody Wright, Connecticut |
| Let us know how you’re dealing with the outbreak. Send us a response here, and we may feature it in an upcoming newsletter. | Let us know how you’re dealing with the outbreak. Send us a response here, and we may feature it in an upcoming newsletter. |
| Sign up here to get the briefing by email. | Sign up here to get the briefing by email. |
| Lara Takenaga and Tom Wright-Piersanti contributed to today’s newsletter. | Lara Takenaga and Tom Wright-Piersanti contributed to today’s newsletter. |