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President Donald Trump is seeking $500 billion to go directly to taxpayers and then an additional $500 billion for small businesses. Still, the prospect of escalating government intervention fell far short of reassuring investors Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Fed and Europe's Central Bank continues taking emergency measures to try to stabilize the markets.
Opinion writers weigh in on government's response during the pandemic.
China announced it would expel American journalists and demand they hand back their press cards, announcing the decisions “are entirely necessary and reciprocal countermeasures ... in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations experience in the U.S.”
The news organizations have also reported in the past year on other issues deemed extremely sensitive by Chinese officials,
The administration said the nation cannot risk allowing the coronavirus to spread through detention facilities and among Border Patrol agents. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Canada are eyeing a mutual agreement to end all non-essential travel over the border.
Medicare's administrator Seema Verma said the move will help prevent the spread of illness, but critics say telehealth is limited, especially in rural areas, and seniors who don't know how to use devices might be imperiled if family members get close in order to teach them.
Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study says coronavirus can live for three days on some surfaces. It survives longest on plastic and steel. Other research news is on how long social distancing might be necessary, how long the pandemic can last and the importance of taking walks.
In the midst of a crisis, when tensions are running high, tech and government officials are struggling to find a balance between deploying technology and keeping patients’ data safe. Meanwhile, will the internet be able to bear the extra strain of so many people working from home? And Facebook's algorithm is flagging coronavirus posts even when they're not spam.
Researchers from around the globe are working at an unprecedented pace to try to get ahead of the fast-moving virus. So far, scientists have mapped the human proteins that the coronavirus interacts with and identified existing drugs that may prove effective against it. But a blood shortage could throw a wrench in the progress. Meanwhile, China has given the go-ahead for researchers to start human trials on a vaccine.
Former Vice President Joe Biden emerged the presumptive nominee after victories on Tuesday. During his victory speech, Biden said of the outbreak, “This is the moment for each of us to see and believe the best in every one of us.” Meanwhile, there's a growing call for voting to be switched from in-person to a mailed ballot, but there are risks involved with that system as well.
A new study looks at how age plays a role in the outbreak. While the study shows that the illness is less severe in kids, there are nuances that aren't considered in the broader narrative around the illness. Meanwhile, the older generations struggle to cope with the outbreak.
West Virginia was the last state to announce a confirmed case. According to the Johns Hopkins database, there are now 5,894 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country, although many experts expect the actual number is far larger due to under-testing. The majority of people who have died were in their 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. The youngest were in their early or mid-50s. Meanwhile, researchers scramble to model an accurate prediction for the worst-case scenarios.
While the line is blurred between what's essential and non-essential, many people are trying to follow guidelines to shelter-in-place in the first state issuing such drastic orders.
While President Donald Trump downplayed the seriousness of the outbreak, governors were thrust into the spotlight as they tried to manage the crisis in their states. “Our leaders in the federal government at every level ought to be thinking of this moment as December 8, 1941,” said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, whose state was one of the first hit by the pandemic. He said states should be calling for “the same federal response we had the morning after Pearl Harbor.” Meanwhile, about half of Americans support stringent measures to curb the outbreak, and New York City leaders warn that a "shelter in place" order may be coming eventually. Media outlets look at how other states are dealing with the crisis, as well.
Health providers are among the most vulnerable workers to contract the coronavirus. But even as hospitals try to take measures to protect their staff during the crisis, shortages of masks and other protective gear threaten those efforts.
There's reportedly a high-level of interest among Republicans to support the administration's proposal to send checks to Americans to help stimulate the economy. The Senate will also take up, and expects to OK, a House-passed, $100 billion coronavirus stimulus bill referred to as "Phase 2." Senate GOP aides said the bill could be through the chamber as early as Wednesday. Meanwhile, as industries scramble to get emergency money, Democrats try to stave off Congress writing business blank checks.
It's difficult to determine the exact numbers for how much the health system will be taxed, especially now that states are taking measures to slow the spread. But one resounding message is that many hospitals are braced to be overwhelmed. The New York Times offers a look at what areas in the country are the most vulnerable.
Frustration has been growing over the country's inability to properly test Americans to get an accurate count on just how bad the outbreak is. Meanwhile, rumors that the U.S. turned down tests offered by WHO are false -- WHO does not sell tests to wealthy countries, which usually prefer to make their own.
When asked in January if he was worried about a pandemic, President Donald Trump said, “No, not at all. We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.” This week he claimed he knew it was going to be a pandemic before it was called a pandemic. Meanwhile, a recent poll finds that many Americans don't trust his response to the crisis.
The idea of sending checks to Americans isn't new: During the Great Recession, the federal government sent about every adult a $300 to $600 check. Economists concluded that it was one of the most effective measures deployed to blunt the impact. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin warns of a grim economic future, including a 20% jobless rate, if lawmakers don't act.
Although the military and some other agencies are ramping up efforts to address the crisis, many government resources are awaiting orders. Hospital ships are at port; the VA, which is legally designated as the backup health care system in national emergencies, awaits requests for help; and HHS' system of of emergency doctors and nurses has yet to be deployed.
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