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| Coronavirus US live: Trump attacks media in White House briefing | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Despite protests, new poll shows 61% of Americans overwhelmingly support measures to limit the spread of coronavirus | Despite protests, new poll shows 61% of Americans overwhelmingly support measures to limit the spread of coronavirus |
| The president says he told Georgia governor Brian Kemp that he disagreed “very strongly” with the decision to reopen businesses in the state. “I think it’s too soon,” he says. Georgia has not yet met the requirements to enter “Phase 1” of the White House plan to reopen the country, Trump noted. | |
| Trump and his public health officials seem to be saying two different things. Despite disagreement over the semantics of “difficult” versus “devastating”, Redfield and Dr Deborah Birx both noted that there is a potential for a second wave of coronavirus in the fall. | |
| “We are assured that the CDC is putting in place today what we are going to need in the fall ... if the virus comes back,” Birx said. Redfield noted that it’s important to prepare for two viruses circulating in the fall. | |
| But Trump predicted: “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.” | |
| “You could have some embers of corona,” he added. But, “we will not go through what we went through for the last two months”. | |
| The Washington Post’s headline, “CDC director warns second wave of coronavirus is likely to be even more devastating” was misleading because it should have said “difficult” rather than “devastating”, Redfield noted. | |
| But “I’m accurately quoted in the Washington Post,” the director said. | |
| “There’s a possibility that the assault of the virus on our nation next winter will actually be even more difficult than the one we just went through ... And when I’ve said this to others, they kind of put their head back, they don’t understand what I mean,” Redfield told the Post. | |
| The fall and winter could be “more difficult, more complicated”, with two respiratory illnesses – Covid-19 and the seasonal flu – circulating at the same time. | |
| “I didn’t say that this was going to be worse,” Redfield said. “I said it was going to be more difficult and potentially complicated.” Distancing measures and other hygiene guides will keep the coronavirus at bay, he noted. | |
| He encouraged Americans to get the flu vaccine so that the country can focus on the coronavirus threat. | |
| The president said that Robert Redfield, the CDC director, was “totally misquoted” saying that there would be a second wave of coronavirus in the autumn. The Post’s headline was “totally inaccurate”, Trump said. “As I say, it’s fake news.” | |
| Trump has invited Redfield to explain. | |
| Stay tuned for live coverage and fact-checking. | |
| Trump has indeed been touting hydroxychloroquine quite a lot – to the point where a company that makes tonic water had wrote up an FAQ after “receiving increasing numbers of questions from consumers asking whether there is a similarity to the quinine we use in our tonic waters and hydroxychloroquine”. | |
| Fever Tree has clarified: | |
| Tonic water was initially developed as a means to provide British troops in India a daily dose of quinine to protect them from malaria. | |
| It will not protect you from Covid-19, but it will pair nicely with gin and a lime wedge. | |
| My colleague David Smith in DC has more on Rick Bright, the vaccine expert who said he was ousted for his skepticism of hydroxychloroquine: | My colleague David Smith in DC has more on Rick Bright, the vaccine expert who said he was ousted for his skepticism of hydroxychloroquine: |
| 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. | 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. | “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.” | “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.” |
| 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?” | 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 a major analysis of the drug’s use in US veterans hospitals found no benefit. | But on Tuesday a major 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Donald Trump and conservative supporters have backed away from hyping the hydroxychloroquine as a potential cure for the coronavirus, The Guardian’s Kenya Evelyn reports: | Donald Trump and conservative supporters have backed away from hyping the hydroxychloroquine as a potential cure for the coronavirus, The Guardian’s Kenya Evelyn reports: |
| Fox News staffers have also pivoted from promoting the anti-malarial drug. | Fox News staffers have also pivoted from promoting the anti-malarial drug. |
| The dial-back came as a new report showed that a recent US trial of hydroxychloroquine had not gone well – and before a senior government doctor who led efforts to produce a Covid-19 vaccine told the New York Times he believed he was sacked because he pressed for rigorous testing of the supposed treatment. | The dial-back came as a new report showed that a recent US trial of hydroxychloroquine had not gone well – and before a senior government doctor who led efforts to produce a Covid-19 vaccine told the New York Times he believed he was sacked because he pressed for rigorous testing of the supposed treatment. |
| “Obviously there have been some very good reports,” Trump said in response to questions about hydroxychloroquine at a Tuesday press briefing. “Perhaps this one’s not a good report, but we’ll be looking at it.” | “Obviously there have been some very good reports,” Trump said in response to questions about hydroxychloroquine at a Tuesday press briefing. “Perhaps this one’s not a good report, but we’ll be looking at it.” |
| Read more: | Read more: |
| Hi here, it’s Maanvi Singh blogging from the West Coast. | Hi here, it’s Maanvi Singh blogging from the West Coast. |
| The doctor who was of the federal agency overseeing research into a coronavirus vaccine said he was ousted from his post after he questioned the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug that the president has often touted. | The doctor who was of the federal agency overseeing research into a coronavirus vaccine said he was ousted from his post after he questioned the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug that the president has often touted. |
| Rick Bright, tho was the director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), was reassigned to a role with fewer responsibilities, according to a statement from his lawyer. The New York Times first reported the news. | Rick Bright, tho was the director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), was reassigned to a role with fewer responsibilities, according to a statement from his lawyer. The New York Times first reported the news. |
| “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,” Bright said in the statement to the Times. | “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,” Bright said in the statement to the Times. |
| “I am speaking out because to combat this deadly virus, science — not politics or cronyism — has to lead the way,” said the career official who had led BARDA since 2016. | “I am speaking out because to combat this deadly virus, science — not politics or cronyism — has to lead the way,” said the career official who had led BARDA since 2016. |
| Mail-in ballots can still be delivered without a stamp, the Guardian’s Sam Levine reports: | |
| Ballots without postage will still be delivered to local boards of elections, the United States Postal Service said in a statement Wednesday. “As required by federal law, appropriate postage must be affixed to all mailpieces entering into the US postal service mail stream. It is the postal service’s policy not to delay the delivery of completed absentee or vote-by-mail ballots even if no postage has been affixed or if the postage is insufficient,” Martha Johnson, a USPS spokeswoman said in a statement. | |
| “In cases where a ballot enters the mailstream without the proper amount of postage, the postal service will collect postage from the appropriate Board of Elections.” The postal service did not immediately respond to an inquiry on whether its policy applied to other election materials, such as a request for an absentee ballot. The postal service’s policy is not new (it gave a nearly identical statement in 2018), but many voters may not know they can put a ballot in the mail if they can’t get a stamp. | |
| The policy could have increased significance this year as it comes amid a national push to get states to pay for mail-in votes in November. Congressional Democrats are trying to secure funding to assist states in doing this in November and there are lawsuits in Georgia and Pennsylvania to force the state to pay for postage. Congressional Democrats are also trying to secure federal funding for states to pay for postage. | The policy could have increased significance this year as it comes amid a national push to get states to pay for mail-in votes in November. Congressional Democrats are trying to secure funding to assist states in doing this in November and there are lawsuits in Georgia and Pennsylvania to force the state to pay for postage. Congressional Democrats are also trying to secure federal funding for states to pay for postage. |
| In a first step toward easing lockdown restrictions and reopening the economy, California hospitals will begin to schedule essential surgeries effective immediately, governor Gavin Newsom announced today. | In a first step toward easing lockdown restrictions and reopening the economy, California hospitals will begin to schedule essential surgeries effective immediately, governor Gavin Newsom announced today. |
| California is not yet prepared to open wide swaths of society, he said, but the details on six key indicators for when and how communities will reopen – which include testing capacity and hospitalization data – are beginning to come into focus. | California is not yet prepared to open wide swaths of society, he said, but the details on six key indicators for when and how communities will reopen – which include testing capacity and hospitalization data – are beginning to come into focus. |
| As restrictions are lifted, public health experts will continue to monitor data and the state is looking to train and employ a force of 10,000 tracers who can help map the spread of the virus, the governor said. | As restrictions are lifted, public health experts will continue to monitor data and the state is looking to train and employ a force of 10,000 tracers who can help map the spread of the virus, the governor said. |
| “We’re not opening up plastic, cosmetic surgeries” Newsom said. “These are important medical procedures that if not attended to will become a crisis. That’s the first modification of stay at home order, and others are predicated on a more robust and inclusive testing regime (as well as) building an army of tracers.” | “We’re not opening up plastic, cosmetic surgeries” Newsom said. “These are important medical procedures that if not attended to will become a crisis. That’s the first modification of stay at home order, and others are predicated on a more robust and inclusive testing regime (as well as) building an army of tracers.” |
| Meantime, officials say two people died from the virus in California in early February – before the first reported death from the virus in the US – indicating the virus was circulating on the west coast before previously suspected. Further details are expected to emerge from the story. | Meantime, officials say two people died from the virus in California in early February – before the first reported death from the virus in the US – indicating the virus was circulating on the west coast before previously suspected. Further details are expected to emerge from the story. |
| Asked about the early cases by a reporter on Wednesday, Newsom said he’s asked coroners to re-examine deaths from as far back as December to look for signs of Covid-19 and help guide a greater understanding of the trajectory of the virus. | Asked about the early cases by a reporter on Wednesday, Newsom said he’s asked coroners to re-examine deaths from as far back as December to look for signs of Covid-19 and help guide a greater understanding of the trajectory of the virus. |
| Two pet cats in New York state have tested positive for the coronavirus, marking the first cases in companion animals in the United States, the Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control announced Wednesday. | Two pet cats in New York state have tested positive for the coronavirus, marking the first cases in companion animals in the United States, the Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control announced Wednesday. |
| The cats, which had mild respiratory illnesses and are expected to fully recover, are believed to have contracted the virus from people in their households or neighborhoods, officials said. The tests on the felines did not come at the expense of humans as they are conducted veterinary labs using different chemicals. | The cats, which had mild respiratory illnesses and are expected to fully recover, are believed to have contracted the virus from people in their households or neighborhoods, officials said. The tests on the felines did not come at the expense of humans as they are conducted veterinary labs using different chemicals. |
| Federal authorities stressed “there is no evidence that pets play a role in spreading the virus”, but are recommending that any pet owners who have tested positive for Covid-19 avoid contact with their animals as much as possible. | Federal authorities stressed “there is no evidence that pets play a role in spreading the virus”, but are recommending that any pet owners who have tested positive for Covid-19 avoid contact with their animals as much as possible. |
| A small number of confirmed cases of the virus have been found in animals worldwide, including seven lions and tigers at the Bronx Zoo earlier this month. | A small number of confirmed cases of the virus have been found in animals worldwide, including seven lions and tigers at the Bronx Zoo earlier this month. |
| Montana governor Steve Bullock announced the first phase of a staggered reopening for the state on Wednesday, lifting some of the restrictions that went into effect nearly a month ago. | Montana governor Steve Bullock announced the first phase of a staggered reopening for the state on Wednesday, lifting some of the restrictions that went into effect nearly a month ago. |
| Bullock said churches will be permitted to hold services on Sunday and restaurants, breweries, distilleries and bars can reopen beginning Monday as long as they practice social distancing. Local school districts will have the option to return to in-classroom teaching starting on 7 May, the governor added. | Bullock said churches will be permitted to hold services on Sunday and restaurants, breweries, distilleries and bars can reopen beginning Monday as long as they practice social distancing. Local school districts will have the option to return to in-classroom teaching starting on 7 May, the governor added. |
| “There are very few states in the country that can say they have seen the number of positive cases decline over these past weeks. Montana can say that because, together, we have made that decline in cases possible,” Bullock said in a release. “While there is reason for optimism this is not a time for celebration. I am going to ask Montanans to continue to go to great lengths to protect one another, to continue looking out for our neighbors who need it the most, and to continue being vigilant in every step we take.” | “There are very few states in the country that can say they have seen the number of positive cases decline over these past weeks. Montana can say that because, together, we have made that decline in cases possible,” Bullock said in a release. “While there is reason for optimism this is not a time for celebration. I am going to ask Montanans to continue to go to great lengths to protect one another, to continue looking out for our neighbors who need it the most, and to continue being vigilant in every step we take.” |
| Montana reached 439 total cases on Wednesday, after two weeks of flattening the curve. A total of 14 people have died statewide. | Montana reached 439 total cases on Wednesday, after two weeks of flattening the curve. A total of 14 people have died statewide. |
| That’s it from me today. My colleagues, Bryan Graham and Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours. | That’s it from me today. My colleagues, Bryan Graham and Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours. |
| Here’s where the day stands so far: | Here’s where the day stands so far: |
| A new poll showed the majority of Americans still support stay-at-home orders, despite recent protests against the orders. The AP/NORC poll found that 61% of Americans believe the steps taken by government officials to limit the spread of the virus in their area are about right, and another 26% said the measures adopted do not go far enough. Only 12% said the restrictions go too far. | A new poll showed the majority of Americans still support stay-at-home orders, despite recent protests against the orders. The AP/NORC poll found that 61% of Americans believe the steps taken by government officials to limit the spread of the virus in their area are about right, and another 26% said the measures adopted do not go far enough. Only 12% said the restrictions go too far. |
| Oklahoma’s governor announced personal-care businesses could start reopening Friday. Republican governor Kevin Stitt said businesses like hair salons and barbershops could start reopening later this week if they observed proper restrictions. A similar announcement from Georgia governor Brian Kemp earlier this week has raised concerns about a potential surge in coronavirus cases. | Oklahoma’s governor announced personal-care businesses could start reopening Friday. Republican governor Kevin Stitt said businesses like hair salons and barbershops could start reopening later this week if they observed proper restrictions. A similar announcement from Georgia governor Brian Kemp earlier this week has raised concerns about a potential surge in coronavirus cases. |
| New York governor Andrew Cuomo said he would not allow political pressure to dictate when the state reopens. The Democratic governor acknowledged some local officials are anxious to ease social distancing restrictions, but he said he would not jeopardize New Yorkers’ lives by reopening too quickly. | New York governor Andrew Cuomo said he would not allow political pressure to dictate when the state reopens. The Democratic governor acknowledged some local officials are anxious to ease social distancing restrictions, but he said he would not jeopardize New Yorkers’ lives by reopening too quickly. |
| Trump is expected to soon sign his executive order barring immigrants from seeking permanent residency for 60 days. The president said yesterday that he would sign an order temporarily blocking green card applicants from being granted permanent status, an announcement that came one day after Trump reportedly surprised even his own advisers by tweeting about the issue. | Trump is expected to soon sign his executive order barring immigrants from seeking permanent residency for 60 days. The president said yesterday that he would sign an order temporarily blocking green card applicants from being granted permanent status, an announcement that came one day after Trump reportedly surprised even his own advisers by tweeting about the issue. |
| Trump said US national parks would begin to reopen. But the president provided no details on the plan, and he has previously set lofty goals for reopening the country that have not come to fruition, so it’s unclear how or when the parks would reopen. | Trump said US national parks would begin to reopen. But the president provided no details on the plan, and he has previously set lofty goals for reopening the country that have not come to fruition, so it’s unclear how or when the parks would reopen. |
| Bryan and Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned. | Bryan and Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned. |
| The Republican governor of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt, has just announced that the state’s personal care businesses, including hair salons and barbershops, may start reopening on Friday. | The Republican governor of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt, has just announced that the state’s personal care businesses, including hair salons and barbershops, may start reopening on Friday. |
| Stitt said restaurants, churches and gyms could start reopening on May 1 as long as the establishments took proper precautions to limit the spread of coronavirus. Bars will not yet be allowed to reopen. | Stitt said restaurants, churches and gyms could start reopening on May 1 as long as the establishments took proper precautions to limit the spread of coronavirus. Bars will not yet be allowed to reopen. |
| The governor said the state would follow the White House’s guidelines on reopening and would reevaluate after 14 days whether they can continue the reopening by allowing non-essential travel and gatherings of more than 10 people. | The governor said the state would follow the White House’s guidelines on reopening and would reevaluate after 14 days whether they can continue the reopening by allowing non-essential travel and gatherings of more than 10 people. |
| Georgia governor Brian Kemp announced plans to reopen his state on Monday, sparking backlash from some of the state’s mayors, who have warned the reopening could cause a surge in coronavirus cases. | Georgia governor Brian Kemp announced plans to reopen his state on Monday, sparking backlash from some of the state’s mayors, who have warned the reopening could cause a surge in coronavirus cases. |
| The Republican mayor of Oklahoma City, David Holt, quickly said that the city’s shelter-in-place order would remain in effect until April 30, at which point local officials may consider “entering a new phase” of restrictions. | The Republican mayor of Oklahoma City, David Holt, quickly said that the city’s shelter-in-place order would remain in effect until April 30, at which point local officials may consider “entering a new phase” of restrictions. |