Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
More Than 26K Cases Were Reported In 24-Hour Span This Weekend While States Begin Reopening
The Wall Street Journal: Lockdowns Ease, But Coronavirus Cases Still Rise In Some Places
U.S. states and countries world-wide advanced measures to relax lockdowns that have lashed their economies during the global pandemic, even as the number of new coronavirus cases rose in many locations. More than 26,500 new cases were reported across the U.S. in the 24 hours to 8 p.m. Saturday, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University, bringing the total of confirmed infections to 1.13 million. More than 66,000 people have died. (Morris, Caldwell and Sylvers, 5/2)
The Wall Street Journal: Georgia Officials Watch Coronavirus Infection Data After Reopening
A week into the most ambitious reopening in the U.S., Georgia officials are watching coronavirus infection rates for any aftershocks from lifting restrictions. Epidemiologists warned it was too soon to tell. The virus can incubate for two weeks before symptoms appear, and then it can take longer for tests to be taken and results reported. The state reported 1,000 new cases in 24 hours Friday, which was a jump from previous days, according to Department of Public Health data. The state attributed that to a doubling of testing in the past week. (Siddiqui and Donati, 5/3)
The Washington Post: Maryland Gov. Hogan Resists Pressure To Reopen Quickly As Coronavirus Deaths, Infections Rise Throughout Washington Region
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) on Sunday pushed back against pressure to lift his stay-at-home order, saying he respects the rights of demonstrators who gathered over the weekend to protest the restrictions but that it is too soon to safely reopen the state. Hogan pointed to the crowds of people gathered at the Mall and in other public spaces to enjoy the weekend's temperate spring weather as cause for concern — an example of why he is reluctant to immediately lift measures designed to contain the deadly coronavirus. (Marimow, Tan and Cox, 5/3)
The Wall Street Journal: Surf’s Up—And So Are Tensions—After California Closes Beaches
Surfers walked right by law-enforcement officials telling them the beach was closed this weekend. Cyclists zipped across bike paths that were supposed to be off limits. Protesters shouted at police and passersby, denouncing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order to close the beaches in Orange County, the wealthy coastal enclave south of Los Angeles. Long a symbol of free-spirited life, Southern California’s beaches have been transformed into ground zero in the fight over coronavirus lockdown rules in the state. (Lovett, 5/3)
NPR: Orange County Beaches Shut Down, But Legal Battle Still Making Waves
Two Orange County cities' attempt to legally challenge Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom's beach shutdown order failed for now, but the battle between local and state officials over the shoreline will continue. Huntington Beach, Dana Point and various local private businesses in Orange County requested a temporary restraining order in Orange County Superior Court on Friday that would have blocked Newsom's executive beach closure order and kept beaches open in those cities. (Hagemann, 5/3)
Los Angeles Times: Coronavirus: Some California Businesses Reopen In Defiance Of Orders
As Californians prepare to enter the seventh week of stay-at-home restrictions, signs of fatigue are becoming evident. From the high desert to the beach enclaves of Orange County, a growing number of businesses deemed nonessential are choosing to reopen in defiance of orders from local and state authorities. In Victorville, 24-hour fitness studio the Gym reopened Friday with an 8-by-10-foot printout of the Constitution posted by the front door. (Wigglesworth, 5/3)
ABC News: NYC Doctor Worries About Reopening: 'We Can't Let Our Guard Down'
Dr. Sujana Chandrashaker, a top ear, nose and throat specialist in New York and northern New Jersey, started reading about COVID-19 in medical journals and began tracking the virus clinically in early March. She was shocked and scared by what she saw... Chandrashaker said the battle between politics and medicine is hurting society, but she understands the push to reopen. (Schneider, 5/2)
