Reuters: U.S. Health Experts, Officials Warn Protests May Add To Virus Spread
Public health experts and government officials, including New York’s governor, are warning that large street protests over racial inequities and excessive police force could worsen the spread of the novel coronavirus. The protests over the death of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, in police custody in Minneapolis last Monday, have spread to cities including New York, Los Angeles, and Baltimore. (Humer, 6/1)

The Wall Street Journal: Officials Fear U.S. Protests Will Spread Coronavirus; No New Cases For Spain
New York: Leaders in the state said they were concerned about a possible resurgence of coronavirus stemming from the protests, but acknowledged the significance of the demonstrations sparked by George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. “It’s very hard to say to people, when there’s such pain, such anger, that you say don’t come out because of the pandemic,” said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. “For those who have made either presence felt, made their voices heard, the safest thing from this point is to stay home, obviously,” he added. “We don’t want people in close proximity to each other.” (Calfas and Rasmussen, 6/1)

NPR: Anti-Racism Protests Versus COVID-19 Risk: 'I Wouldn't Weigh These Crises Separately'
Tens of thousands of people, masked and unmasked, have thronged the streets of Minneapolis, Atlanta, Louisville, Ky., and other cities in the week since George Floyd died after a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck. They are the largest public gatherings in the U.S. since the pandemic forced widespread shutdowns, and many local officials warned of a possible spike in new cases in one or two weeks. "Risk of transmission is lower in open spaces, but wherever there is a gathering there is still the risk of transmitting the virus," said Dr. Elaine Nsoesie, an assistant professor of global health at Boston University. (Chappell, 6/1)

The Hill: Protests Risk Spread Of Coronavirus 
“With protests, there is a high risk of spread in the sense that people are in close quarters with each other, they're screaming and yelling,” said Abraar Karan, a public health expert and internist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Health officials and experts are walking a fine line between telling protesters to go home, a warning that would almost certainly be ignored, and acknowledging the threat of the virus. The California Department of Public Health published recommendations for protesting while maintaining social distance. (Wilson, 6/1)

The Hill: Health Groups Call Police Brutality A Public Health Issue
Several leading health groups are speaking out against police brutality, calling it a public health issue that leads to poorer health outcomes for communities of color, especially during a pandemic. “Police brutality in the midst of public health crises is not crime-preventive — it creates demoralized conditions in an already strained time,” American Medical Association President Patrice Harris and Board Chair Jesse Ehrenfeld said in a statement. (Hellmann, 6/1)

Politico: Mass Protests Could Undo Hard-Won Progress In Pandemic
Mass protests over police brutality have shuttered coronavirus testing sites, complicated efforts to track people who have been exposed and set off fears among local officials that the unrest could spark fresh waves of virus infection. Testing sites in Pennsylvania, Florida, California and Illinois closed after violence broke out over the weekend, limiting cities’ ability to track the virus just as thousands of people participate in crowded demonstrations across the country. (Ollstein, Ehley, Goldberg and Lim, 6/1)

Sacramento Bee: Coronavirus Testing Sites Close Down In Some Cities Hit By Protests, Violenc
Community coronavirus testing sites are closing in several states as a precaution as protests and unrest spread over the death of George Floyd in police custody.Among the closures are sites in Illinois, California and Florida, according to reports. (Sweeney, 6/1)

Politico: Surgeon General: 'You Understand The Anger' 
There will likely be a new rash of coronavirus cases following widespread protests this weekend over racism and the death of George Floyd — but people’s concerns need to be heard, Surgeon General Jerome Adams said in an interview. “I remain concerned about the public health consequences both of individual and institutional racism [and] people out protesting in a way that is harmful to themselves and to their communities,” Adams said in a phone call. (Owermohle, 6/1)

Boston Globe: Trump Vows To Crack Down On Protesters, Ignoring Issues Of Racism And Brutality Fueling Unrest 
As heavily armed police officers advanced on peaceful protesters outside the White House Monday night, President Trump declared recent acts of protest across the country “domestic terror” and vowed to crack down on any future group violence in a brief speech that did not address the issue of racism or police brutality that has fueled the unrest. (Bidgood and Goodwin, 6/1)

Sacramento Bee: Pepper Balls And Tear Gas: Here’s How Police Crowd-Control Measures Affect The Body
Protesters and journalists have been met with tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper balls at rallies and riots across the U.S. over the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, who died while in police custody in Minnesota. The measures used by police, while not lethal, are designed to break up crowds and — in the case of pepper spray — can also be used by the general public for personal protection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But they can cause permanent damage. (Fowler, 6/1)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Impact Of COVID-19 Shutdown — And Now Police Brutality — May Cause Increase In ‘Deaths Of Despair’
Even before protesters across the country took to the streets in rage and grief over police brutality, Americans were already facing unprecedented stress, isolation, depression, and fear brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this month, as the country began to consider relaxing stay-at-home orders and reopening businesses, experts warned that the months of isolation and unemployment prompted by the coronavirus pandemic may increase deaths of despair, a term for an alarming rise in early deaths among young and mid-life Americans, from suicide, drug overdoses, and alcoholism. (Ao and Whelan, 6/1)

Modern Healthcare: Lockdowns, Curfews Limit Workers, Patients Access To Hospitals
As cities across the U.S. shut down access into and out of downtown areas in response to protests and riots over the death of George Floyd, access to hospitals is being limited for medical staff and patients. Health systems are limiting services, offering tips on how to clear police checkpoints and working with law enforcement to help staff and patients get to their facilities. (Christ, 6/1)

The New York Times: Black Workers, Already Lagging, Face Big Economic Risks
The coronavirus recession has hit black Americans particularly hard, amplifying racial inequalities that may worsen as the economy begins what is expected to be a slow climb back to where it was before the crisis. Black Americans have been slightly more likely to lose jobs or income in the recession that took root as states locked down their economies. They are more worried about the financial toll from the virus than white Americans and have far fewer resources available to ride it out, given that they earn less money and have had less ability to build wealth. And they are dying at higher rates from the virus than whites. (Smialek and Tankersley, 6/1)

The Washington Post: Economic And Health Effects Of Coronavirus In The Black Community Fuel Protests For George Floyd
In the Minneapolis area, where protests have turned violent in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd, the median income for black households is less than half of white ones — $38,200 compared to $85,000. In Washington, D.C., where protesters set fire to American flags and a historic church near the White House, the percentage of out-of-work black residents outpaces white residents at a rate of about 6 to 1. African American households have struggled more economically than the median household nationwide, even when unemployment was at single-digit historic lows. (Rosenberg and Van Dam, 6/1)

NPR: Protests Put Spotlight On Economic Divide, As Blacks Lag In Jobs, Homeownership
The death of a black man at the hands of white police officers has sparked days of civil unrest in the United States. Those sparks have landed in a tinderbox assembled over decades of economic inequality, now made worse by the coronavirus pandemic. Minneapolis police officers initially confronted the man — George Floyd — on suspicion that he'd used a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes. The viral video of what followed captured an individual tragedy. But it's set against a backdrop of poverty and discrimination that have long colored relations between law enforcement and the African American community. (Horsley, 6/1)

The Washington Post: In The Protests Over George Floyd’s Death, Restaurants Become Flash Points Of Class Disparity
As protests continue a week after Floyd’s death, those marching in the streets are expressing a desire not just for justice, but for economic equality. As the presidential election heats up, income inequality has become a central topic. According to the Pew Research Center, in 2018 the “top fifth of earners (with incomes of $130,001 or more that year) brought in 52 percent of all U.S. income.” Meanwhile, the pandemic has forced 40 million Americans to apply for unemployment benefits. People dining out during a pandemic, no matter what they’re eating, seem to be a symbol for the haves, in a country with many have nots. (Carman and Heil, 6/1)

Vox: The Racial Disparities In Minnesota’s Coronavirus Cases, Explained
Across the country, black Americans are getting infected with the coronavirus and dying from it at disproportionate rates compared to their share of the population. The Covid-19 mortality rate among black Americans is 2.4 times higher than it is for white people. There is not a single explanation for that racial disparity, but many. Black Americans have historically struggled with their health compared to whites, a reflection of the US’s longstanding socioeconomic stratification by race, and black Americans have high rates of preexisting conditions that make patients more vulnerable to Covid-19. They are also more likely to work jobs that have been considered “essential” and cannot be done from home, which increases their risk of exposure to the virus. Spread among intergenerational households and exposure to air pollution could also help explain the high infection rates among black people. (Scott, 5/29)

New Orleans Times-Picayune: 3 Out Of 4 Hospitalized Coronavirus Patients Were Black, Ochsner Study Finds
Black coronavirus patients made up three-fourths of those hospitalized in Louisiana's largest health system, according to a new study, underscoring the disproportionate toll COVID-19 has had on the state's black residents. The study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, used electronic health records from around 3,500 patients at Ochsner Health System hospitals in Louisiana who tested positive for coronavirus to examine the racial make-up of the patient population. It showed that about 77% of hospitalized coronavirus patients at Ochsner Health System were black. Typically, about 31% of Ochsner’s patient population is black. (Woodruff, 6/1)

Politico: Black Lawmakers Look To 'Forcefully Respond' To Police Brutality Crisis
The Congressional Black Caucus — with the blessing of Speaker Nancy Pelosi — is taking the lead on an aggressive response to the nationwide upheaval over racial injustice and police brutality, intent on seizing the moment as the United States is engulfed by one of the largest mass protests in 50 years. The House Judiciary Committee is planning to hold a hearing on police brutality next week, and the panel is also sifting through more than 40 proposals to mark up for floor consideration by the end of June, according to four Democratic aides. But Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) signaled they weren’t prepared to call the full House back into session yet. The House in recess until June 30 because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Ferris, Barron-Lopez, Bresnahan Caygle, 6/1)

The Oregonian: Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Says Protests Are The Result Of Years Of Deferred Police Accountability, Calls For Action Now
Gov. Kate Brown called for sweeping police and criminal justice reforms Monday in her first in-person statement on the massive protests, riots and looting that took place through the weekend in Portland, Eugene and other parts of the state. She said that even a recent Oregon law that reformed juvenile justice and efforts to reduce harsh penalties that disproportionately impact black people have taken too long and not gone far enough. During the hour-long press conference, Brown said she wants to make the state’s administrators look like the communities they serve, change rules and cultures within agencies and adjust funding streams to make Oregon more reflective and fair to people of color in the state. (Harbarger, 6/1)

The Associated Press: Black Female Mayors In Spotlight Amid Protests And Pandemic
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms captured the nation’s attention when she addressed the civil unrest occurring in her city after George Floyd’s death. “I am a mother to four black children in America, one of whom is 18 years old,” Bottoms said Friday in a rousing speech. “When I saw the murder of George Floyd, I hurt like a mother.” Bottoms and other black female mayors, including Lori Lightfoot of Chicago, are leading some of the nation’s largest cities during an unprecedented moment of challenge as protests against police brutality overlap with the coronavirus pandemic and an economic collapse. (Stafford, 6/2)

The New York Times: ‘We Need Help’: Coronavirus Fuels Racism Against Black Americans In China
Jeff Remmington, an American professional basketball player trying his hand in China, had already been through xenophobic hell: ostracized in Guangzhou, where he was once celebrated for his acrobatic dunks, denied service at a restaurant with his 4-year-old son because of his skin color, quarantined for two weeks, though he showed no signs of coronavirus infection, he said. But the breaking point came in May when he tried to find a new apartment. He had finally found a landlord who would rent to a “foreigner,” signed a lease, and was preparing to move when neighborhood officials stepped in. (Williamson and Wang, 6/2)

CBS News: Cuomo Warns New Yorkers: "Don't Snatch Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory" In Coronavirus Fight
Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday warned New Yorkers gathering in ongoing protests that "we don't know the consequences of the COVID virus in mass gatherings." As parts of the state continue to move ahead with reopening and New York City set to reopen on June 8, Cuomo said "don't snatch defeat from the jaws of victory." (Linton, 6/1)

Pioneer Press: State Health Officials Urge Protesters To Monitor Themselves For Symptoms Of Coronavirus
Minnesota health officials are urging those protesting to closely monitor themselves for symptoms of the coronavirus and get tested. Since the death of George Floyd last week while in Minneapolis police custody, thousands have participated in protests across the Twin Cities and the country. While many participants wore masks, some were in close proximity to one another and COVID-19 cases may therefore increase. (Pross, 6/1)

CIDRAP: Protests, Unrest Across US Spark New Coronavirus Fears
In Minnesota, which has been the epicenter of protest activity, the state entered phase 2 of its reopening plan today, which includes limited outdoor restaurant dining, and limited salon openings. During a press conference today, Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm thanked community leaders for handing out masks during protests, but warned that subsequent cases are likely. Malcolm also highlighted the racial inequities seen in Minnesota's COVID-19 outbreak: Black people make up 6.6% of population but over 22% of all COVID-19 cases and 20% of hospitalizations, trends similar to those seen in the state's Hispanic population. (Soucheray, 6/1)

Austin Statesman: Protests Could Lead To Spike In Coronavirus Cases, Health And Local Officials Warn
[Autsin] Mayor Steve Adler warned of a possible spike in coronavirus cases because of the protests, saying the demonstrations could present “a super spreader opportunity.” “If people in that demonstration yesterday had the virus, then we have the potential in having an event which we can’t contact trace, that we’re not going to be able to contain,” he said in a Facebook Live interview Sunday with the American-Statesman. Contact tracing seeks to alert those who have come into contact with a person who has tested positive for the coronavirus. (Cobler, 6/1)

Los Angeles Times: Coronavirus Concerns Mount As Protesters Pack L.A. Streets
Black communities continue to bear the brunt of the virus’ impact. The disease has devastated the lives of black people at a higher rate than most other races, accounting for a disproportionate number of deaths, and has placed an incredible economic toll on workers who have lost jobs and hours. It’s impossible not to connect this fact with the current protests and outrage, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Monday. She pointed to racism and unequal access to healthcare as a root case of the inequities that put a larger strain on minority communities, noting that the health issues in the black community can be attributed to a “lifetime of stress” connected with oppression and daily fears. “When I report each week that we have seen elevated numbers of black deaths in this county due to COVID-19, I am reporting on the consequences of these long-standing inequities,” she said. (Shalby, 6/1)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Unrest Could Delay Philadelphia Entering ‘Yellow’ Phase, But Suburbs And New Jersey Move Ahead
As protests and civil unrest eclipsed the coronavirus pandemic for a third straight day, health officials warned of relaxed vigilance against a disease that, as of Monday, had killed at least 5,567 in Pennsylvania and 11,698 in New Jersey. Philadelphia’s Pennsylvania suburbs remained on track to allow more businesses to reopen — albeit carefully — Friday. But in Philadelphia, the continuing protests and ensuing chaos could affect plans to move out of the most restrictive “red” phase to add more business activity in the intermediate “yellow” phase, Mayor Jim Kenney said. (Avril, McCullough and McCarthy, 6/1)

KQED: Mayors Navigate The Lines Between Anger, Pain And Violence
In a city where social distancing has prevented large gatherings for months, hundreds of people jammed into San Francisco Civic Center Plaza Monday afternoon to protest the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and to demand one thing: social justice. The pandemic has mostly kept people apart, but under cloudless blue skies Monday, the need to be together in grief and anger seemed to outweigh the call for social distancing. Emcee and social activist Felicia Jones did her best to keep everyone safe, telling the crowd to come up and get a mask if they didn't have one. Most already did. (Shafer, 6/1)

San Francisco Chronicle: Choosing Between Tragedies: Mass Protests Vs. Coronavirus Safety
In the middle of the coronavirus pandemic — and as most of the Bay Area remains under strict orders to shelter in place — mass gatherings are about the least advisable activity for controlling spread of a highly infectious disease. But public health experts like Swartzberg of UC Berkeley acknowledge that in a time of national civic unrest and deplorable social injustice, the drive to speak out may supersede the desire to lie low and stay safe. (Allday, 6/2)

The Associated Press Fact Check: Trump’s Move To Quit WHO Cites Flawed Facts
President Donald Trump spread a number of false and misleading claims about the World Health Organization in announcing his decision to cut U.S. ties with the agency over the coronavirus epidemic. Trump last week said he would halt funding and a decades-long U.S. relationship with WHO, accusing it of being effectively controlled by China and misleading the world about the virus. The president referenced his May 18 letter to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that laid out specific allegations and demanded changes. (Yen, 6/2)

NPR: WHO's Measured Response To Trump's Pledge To Sever Ties And Funds
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, said he learned of President Trump's intentions of "terminating" the decades-long U.S. relationship with WHO through Trump's press briefing on Friday. "The U.S. government's and its people's contribution and generosity toward global health over many decades has been immense, and it has made a great difference in public health all around the world. It is WHO's wish for this collaboration to continue," Tedros said at a press conference Monday, offering no further comments when pressed. (Huang, 6/1)

The Associated Press: China Delayed Releasing Coronavirus Info, Frustrating WHO
Throughout January, the World Health Organization publicly praised China for what it called a speedy response to the new coronavirus. It repeatedly thanked the Chinese government for sharing the genetic map of the virus “immediately,” and said its work and commitment to transparency were “very impressive, and beyond words.” But behind the scenes, it was a much different story, one of significant delays by China and considerable frustration among WHO officials over not getting the information they needed to fight the spread of the deadly virus, The Associated Press has found. (6/2)

And in other news on Trump and the administration —

CNN: Dr. Anthony Fauci Hasn't Spoken With Trump In Two Weeks 
Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the most prominent members of the White House coronavirus task force, said on Monday that he has not spoken to or met with President Donald Trump in two weeks. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, added that that his contact with the President has become much less frequent. Their last interaction was May 18, when Trump invited Fauci to provide medical context during a teleconference with the nation's governors. The Task Force last met on May 28 and last held a White House press briefing on May 22. (Sciutto and LeBlanc, 6/1)

The Associated Press: Nearly 26,000 COVID Deaths In Nursing Homes Spur Inspections
Nearly 26,000 nursing home residents have died from COVID-19, the government reported Monday, as federal officials demanded states carry out more inspections and vowed higher fines for facilities with poor infection control. The partial numbers released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are certain to go higher, as only about 80% of nursing homes have reported. Also, the federal data does not include assisted living facilities, which some states count in their coronavirus totals. (Alonso-Zaldivar and Choi, 6/1)

The Wall Street Journal: Tally Identifies 26,000 Nursing-Home Deaths From Covid-19
The CMS rule that mandated the data collection, issued May 8, didn’t require nursing homes to report deaths and cases that occurred before early May. Also, assisted-living facilities, which aren’t regulated by CMS, didn’t have to submit any information, though they could do so voluntarily. CMS Administrator Seema Verma said the agency believed that the “vast majority” of nursing homes had provided data from before May 8, though CMS said about 20% of the nation’s 15,400 nursing homes had not reported required data by May 24. Ms. Verma said CMS couldn’t require the facilities to report information from before the rule took effect. (Kamp and Wilde Mathews, 6/1)

NPR: Nearly 26,000 Nursing Home Residents Have Died From COVID-19, Federal Data Show
CMS also announced Monday that it will be stepping up fines for nursing homes that fail to sufficiently control infections. Nursing homes that have previously been cited for lax infection control could receive fines ranging from $5,000 to $20,000. (Jaffe, 6/1)

NBC News: The Government Counts 26,000 COVID-19 Deaths In Nursing Homes. That's At Least 14,000 Deaths Too Low.
According to the latest NBC News tally, nearly 40,000 coronavirus deaths are associated with nursing homes, assisted living and other long-term care facilities since the beginning of the pandemic — representing almost 40 percent of all coronavirus deaths in the U.S. The NBC News tally is also likely to be an undercount, as a handful of states have still not released their nursing home death tolls. (Khimm and Strickler, 6/2)

The Hill: Nearly 26,000 Nursing Home Residents Died From COVID-19 
Only about 80 percent of the country's 15,400 Medicare and Medicaid nursing homes have reported the required data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nursing homes that don't report will be subject to fines. (Weixel, 6/1)

In other news on nursing homes —

The Philadelphia Inquirer: From Confusion To Threats, Some Pa. Nursing Home Residents Aren’t Getting Their Coronavirus Stimulus Checks
Federal stimulus checks aren’t reaching a growing number of seniors in Pennsylvania’s long-term-care homes, depriving them of money needed now more than ever to connect with family amid a pandemic that has overcome their facilities and isolated them from visitors. The reasons vary from apparent misunderstandings to facilities wrongly holding onto the $1,200 or, in one extreme case, threatening to evict residents unless they turned over the funds, according to watchdog advocates as well as state agencies that oversee the homes. (Pattani, 6/2)

Modern Healthcare: Rebuilding Nursing Homes After COVID-19
Residents in nursing homes—and the staff who care for them—have been among the hardest hit by COVID-19. They represent an outsize portion of deaths from the disease. About 5,900 residents have died in New York's nursing homes, or about 20% of the 29,500 who have or are presumed to have died from COVID-19 in the state as of May 26, according to data from the state and Johns Hopkins University. Nursing home residents make up about 1.2% of New York's population. (LaMantia, 6/1)

WBUR: With Some Restrictions, You Can Now Visit A Loved One In A Mass. Nursing Home 
Ten weeks after asking nursing homes and other senior long-term care facilities to prohibit all outside visitors and non-essential health personnel, the Baker administration is easing the guidelines. (Wasser, 6/1)

The Wall Street Journal: At-Home Covid-19 Testing Arrives, With Accuracy And Access Questions
Companies are starting to roll out tests that can diagnose coronavirus infections at home, offering people who are seeking to return to work a potentially safer, more accessible option to check their health. Yet experts worry about the accuracy of the results generated by the at-home tests, costs that insurers often don’t cover and other factors that could limit use. At-home tests are the next wave of coronavirus diagnostics, following tests given by doctors at offices and hospitals. Some of the newest ones use a person’s saliva to detect an infection. (Scott, 6/2)

Reuters: In-Home Antibody Test Shows Promise; Recovering Surgery Patients At Risk From Coronavirus
The following is a brief roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. In-home COVID-19 antibody test shows high accuracy. A small study of a COVID-19 antibody test that can be done at home showed a high degree of accuracy, researchers reported. (Lapid, 6/1)

NPR: Trump Plan For Drive-Up COVID-19 Tests At Stores Yields Few Results 
Twice now, on March 13 and again on April 27, President Trump gathered some of the country's top corporate executives — from test producers to lab processors to major retailers — to tout his plan to make COVID-19 testing widely available. His vision: Blanket the country in drive-through testing sites. The president, speaking from the White House Rose Garden, promised that "stores in virtually every location" would be rolling out testing, including some of the "greatest retailers anywhere in the world" that "cover this country in large part," such as CVS, Target, Walgreens and Walmart. (Pfeiffer and Mak, 6/1)

And in other news —

NPR: Adm. Brett Giroir Will Leave Role Overseeing Coronavirus Testing This Month
The Trump administration's testing czar announced Monday that he will be leaving that position in mid-June. Adm. Brett Giroir told a meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS that he will be "demobilized" from his role overseeing coronavirus testing at FEMA in a few weeks and going back to his regular post at the Department of Health and Human Services. (Simmons-Duffin, 6/1)

The Hill: Trump Official Leading COVID-19 Testing To Return To Regular Duties 
More than 10 million COVID-19 tests were completed in May alone, a significant improvement from the early days of the epidemic in the U.S. But Harvard experts say the country should be running 900,000 tests daily to contain the coronavirus. (Hellmann, 6/1)

The Associated Press: Lawmakers Question Federal Prisons' Home Confinement Rules
Democratic lawmakers are raising questions about the federal Bureau of Prisons’ release of high-profile inmates and are calling for widespread testing of federal inmates as the number of coronavirus cases has exploded in the federal prison system. Sen. Kamala Harris and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries sent a letter Monday to Attorney General William Barr and Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal over the home confinement policies. (Balsamo, 6/1)

Los Angeles Times: First Pregnant Woman And First Jail Inmate Die From Coronavirus, L.A. County Officials Say
Los Angeles County officials Monday reported an additional 22 coronavirus-linked deaths, including a pregnant woman who had tested positive for the virus and had underlying health issues and a person who was incarcerated in a jail facility. Both deaths are the first of their kind in the county related to COVID-19, health officials said. At least 228 pregnant women in L.A. County have tested positive for the virus and 79% of them were symptomatic. (Shalby, 6/1)

Billings Gazette: Sheriff Hopeful COVID-19 Outbreak In Yellowstone County Jail Can Be Contained 
The jail confirmed its first positive case among inmates May 26. Follow-up testing since then has shown seven more female inmates had the disease, while one staff member did. The women’s unit where the case originated has been locked down, permitting no new inmates to be admitted and no inmates inside to leave. (Tollefson, 6/1)

The New York Times: What Pennsylvania’s ‘Dry Run’ Election Could Reveal About November
Every weekend since Gov. Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania issued a statewide stay-at-home order, on April 1, millions of cellphones across the commonwealth have buzzed with text messages from the state Democrats, checking on the status of voters’ mail-in ballots. During that period, state Republicans called two million phones around the state to try to mobilize support, and the Republican National Committee sent applications for mail-in ballots to thousands of targeted voters there. (Corasaniti, 6/2)

The Washington Post: In Pa., Officials Prepare For Coronavirus, Civil Unrest To Disrupt Tuesday Primary
Election officials across Pennsylvania are bracing for a chaotic day of voting in Tuesday’s primary, as the convergence of the coronavirus pandemic and protests over the death of George Floyd threaten to close in-person polling locations, even as thousands of voters who requested mail-in ballots still haven’t received them. In Philadelphia, city officials said they were working with police and other emergency personnel to prevent violence from disrupting voting. (Gardner, 6/1)

Politico: Mass Upheaval And Pandemic Spell Trouble For Tuesday's Mega-Primary
With widespread curfews keeping residents in their homes and some ballot-return locations shuttered, some voters could end up disenfranchised, voting rights activists warned. "We are particularly concerned about how the protests, and particularly the response to the protests, are going to affect voting," said Suzanne Almeida, the interim executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania. She cited two particular stress points: curfews and an increased police presence. "If you look at the genesis of the protest that we saw over the weekend, it is police violence toward people of color," Almeida said. "Then asking people to walk through, or near, or around police or National Guard who are armed can feel dangerous. Particularly voters of color, but other voters as well." (Montellaro, 6/2)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Pa. Extends 2020 Primary Election Mail Ballot Deadlines For Philadelphia, Five Other Counties
Voters in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and certain other parts of Pennsylvania will have an additional week for elections officials to receive their primary mail ballots if they are sent on Tuesday, officials said Monday. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf initially suggested he had extended the deadline for the entire state. The current deadline requires elections officials to have received mail ballots by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, when polls close. (Lai, 6/1)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: What We’re Watching For In Tuesday’s Unprecedented Pennsylvania Primary Election
Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday extended the deadline for receiving mail ballots in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and a handful of other counties. Even with that change, could Tuesday produce another Wisconsin, where voters in April were forced to stand in long lines and thousands of ballots didn’t reach voters in time? How long will it take to get results? And is there anything the outcome can tell us about the state of play in a swing state critical to the presidential election? (Tamari and Lai, 6/2)

The New York Times: Republicans Fear Trump’s Criticism Of Mail Voting Will Hurt Them
President Trump has relentlessly attacked mail voting, calling it a free-for-all for cheating and a Democratic scheme to rig elections.None of the charges are true. But as eight states and the District of Columbia vote on Tuesday in the biggest Election Day since the coronavirus forced a pause in the primary calendar, it is clear that Mr. Trump’s message has sunk in deeply with Republicans, who have shunned mail ballots. Republican officials and strategists warned that if a wide partisan gap over mail voting continues in November, Republicans could be at a disadvantage, an unintended repercussion of the president’s fear-mongering about mail ballots that could hurt his party’s chances, including his own. (Gabriel, 6/2)

The Washington Post: As Trump Attacks Voting By Mail, GOP Builds 2020 Strategy Around Limiting Its Expansion
The strategy, embraced by Trump’s reelection campaign, the Republican National Committee and an array of independent conservative groups, reflects the recognition by both parties that voting rules could decide the outcome of the 2020 White House race amid the electoral challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Helping drive the effort is William Consovoy, a veteran Supreme Court litigator who also serves as one of Trump’s personal lawyers. Consovoy’s Virginia-based law firm is handling a battery of legal actions on behalf of the RNC, several state GOPs and an independent group called the Honest Election­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­s Project, which is connected to a Trump adviser. (Gardner, Boburg and Dawsey, 6/1)

And presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden speaks out about racial disparities —

The Associated Press: 'Hate Just Hides': Biden Vows To Take On Systematic Racism
Joe Biden vowed to address institutional racism in his first 100 days in office as he sought to elevate his voice Monday in the exploding national debate over racism and police brutality. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee offered emotional support and promised bold action during an in-person discussion with black leaders in Delaware and a subsequent virtual meeting with big-city mayors who are grappling with racial tensions and frustrated by a lack of federal support. (Jaffe, Peoples and Weissert, 6/2)

Politico: 'The Scar Is Apparent': Biden Links Coronavirus Pandemic To Push For Racial Justice
The pandemic, which in America has affected minorities at disproportionate rates, had helped expose “institutional cracks across the board,” Biden argued. In doing so, the former vice president suggested the pandemic may have helped prime a new set of voters for the kinds of systemic changes he and fellow Democrats have called for. Biden argued Monday that such inequities may have awakened Americans who had previously been indifferent or passive to the struggles of minorities in America. (Oprysko, 6/1)

The Associated Press: Masks And Social Distancing Work, New Analysis Finds
Masks and social distancing can help control the coronavirus but hand washing and other measures are still needed, a new analysis finds. Researchers concluded single-layer cloth masks are less effective than surgical masks, while tight-fitting N95 masks provide the best protection. A distance of 1 meter (more than 3 feet) between people lowers the danger of catching the virus, while 2 meters (about 6 1/2 feet) is even better. (Johnson, 6/1)

Reuters: Distancing And Masks Cut COVID-19 Risk, Says Largest Review Of Evidence
“Our findings are the first to synthesise all direct information on COVID-19, SARS, and MERS, and provide the currently best available evidence on the optimum use of these common and simple interventions to help ‘flatten the curve’”, said Holger Schünemann from McMaster University in Canada, who co-led the research. Current evidence suggests COVID-19 is most commonly spread by droplets, especially when people cough, and infects by entering through the eyes, nose and mouth, either directly or via contaminated surfaces. (Kelland, 6/1)

NBC News: As Protests Sweep Nation, Research Finds Social Distancing Most Effective At Slowing Coronavirus Spread
Schünemann and his colleagues reviewed and analyzed 172 studies to assess how well infection control measures have worked to control COVID-19, as well as two other coronaviruses, SARS and MERS. They found that staying at least 3 feet away from others cut the risk of transmission to 2.6 percent, down from 12.8 percent, among those in closer physical contact. The study authors added that distances of 6 feet could be even more effective. (Edwards, 6/1)

The New York Times: Medical Workers Should Use Respirator Masks, Not Surgical Masks
A new analysis of 172 studies, funded by the World Health Organization, confirms what scientists have said for months: N95 and other respirator masks are far superior to surgical or cloth masks in protecting essential medical workers against the coronavirus. The results, published on Monday in The Lancet, make it clear that the W.H.O. and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should recommend that essential workers like nurses and emergency responders wear N95 masks, not just surgical masks, experts said. (Mandavilli, 6/1)

The Wall Street Journal: Why Are N95 Masks So Important?
N95 masks are so called because they are a U.S. standard that requires masks to be able to filter out at least 95% of very small particles, including droplets containing the coronavirus. They are typically worn by medical workers as well as employees at factories working with paint or industrial chemicals, for instance. Surgical masks and simpler cloth masks, by comparison, are largely intended to prevent the wearer from spreading germs and are simpler to put on and wear. Surgical masks don’t create as tight a seal to the face as N95 masks. (Hufford, 6/1)

The Wall Street Journal: Warnings Surface About New System To Disinfect N95 Masks
Hundreds of thousands of respirator masks to protect against coronavirus have been sent through a decontamination system that has triggered warnings from front-line workers and has so far cost the government more than $110 a mask. The system is made by Battelle Memorial Institute, a nonprofit research corporation that has built more than 50 mask-decontamination units after getting more than $400 million in federal government contracts. Battelle said its process allows for N95 respirator masks to be reused 20 times. (Hufford, Levy and Grimaldi, 6/1)

The Washington Post: Getting Kids To Wear Masks Is Hard Work For Parents, Teachers
The preschool teacher panned her iPhone camera over two bowls of water, set side-by-side and dusted with thick piles of pepper. As her students watched on Zoom, Jennifer Cross coughed into the first bowl, sending black flakes flying. Then she stretched an orange mask, patterned with swirls, over her mouth and coughed into the second. No movement, she pointed out, adding that the pepper flakes are just like germs. (Natanson, 6/1)

San Francisco Chronicle: Gavin Newsom’s Nearly $1 Billion Mask Deal: Company Misses Safety Review Deadline
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s medical mask deal with a Chinese manufacturer could be canceled after the company failed to obtain a federal safety certification. Sunday was the deadline for supplier BYD to secure safety certification for its N95 particulate-filtering respirators. But it did not meet that deadline, which had been extended after federal officials denied the company’s previous application. (Gardiner, 6/1)

The New York Times: New Regulator Warns Health Measures, Like Masks, May Hurt Banks
The new head of a powerful banking regulator is not letting his first full week on the job pass quietly, warning that measures meant to contain the spread of the coronavirus — including mandates for the use of masks in public — could endanger the financial system. Brian P. Brooks took over on Friday as the acting head of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the federal agency that oversees the country’s largest banks. Mr. Brooks, a former banker, sent letters to the country’s mayors and governors about the negative effects of restrictions on public activity. Among them, he said: Face masks could lead to more bank robberies. (Flitter, 6/1)

The New York Times: Six Months Of Coronavirus: Here’s Some Of What We’ve Learned
We don’t really know when the novel coronavirus first began infecting people. But as we turn a page on our calendars into June, it is fair to say that Sars-Cov-2 has been with us now for a full six months. At first, it had no name or true identity. Early in January, news reports referred to strange and threatening symptoms that had sickened dozens of people in a large Chinese city with which many people in the world were probably not familiar. After half a year, that large metropolis, Wuhan, is well-known, as is the coronavirus and the illness it causes, Covid-19. (6/1)

The New York Times: After 6 Months, Important Mysteries About Coronavirus Endure
In the time since the world’s scientists and public health officials first became widely aware of the new coronavirus in January, they’ve had six months to learn about it. They’ve reached many conclusions about the virus and the illness it causes, from the importance of wearing masks to contain it, to the unusual range of symptoms it provokes. But there are major gaps in scientific knowledge about the virus. In the half year that journalists of the health and science desk of The Times have been reporting on Sars-CoV-2, we have identified some of the enduring uncertainties. (6/1)

Reuters: WHO And Other Experts Say No Evidence Of Coronavirus Losing Potency
World Health Organization experts and a range of other scientists said on Monday there was no evidence to support an assertion by a high-profile Italian doctor that the coronavirus causing the COVID-19 pandemic has been losing potency. (Kelland and Parodi, 6/1)

The Washington Post: Is Coronavirus Weakening? Experts Say It Remains Lethal And Largely Unchanged.
The consensus among other experts interviewed Monday is that the clinical findings in Italy likely do not reflect any change in the virus itself. Zangrillo’s clinical observations are more likely a reflection of the fact that with the peak of the outbreak long past, there is less virus in circulation, and people may be less likely to be exposed to high doses of it. In addition, only severely sick people were likely to be tested early on, compared with the situation now when even those with mild symptoms are more likely to get swabbed, experts said. (Achenbach, Cha, Guarino and Janes, 6/1)

The New York Times: U.S. And Chinese Scientists Trace Evolution Of Coronaviruses In Bats
An international team of scientists, including a prominent researcher at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, has analyzed all known coronaviruses in Chinese bats and used genetic analysis to trace the likely origin of the novel coronavirus to horseshoe bats. In their report, posted online Sunday, they also point to the great variety of these viruses in southern and southwestern China and urge closer monitoring of bat viruses in the area and greater efforts to change human behavior as ways of decreasing the chances of future pandemics. (Gorman, 6/1)

The New York Times: How To Read A Coronavirus Study, Or Any Science Paper
A lot of people are reading scientific papers for the first time these days, hoping to make sense of the coronavirus pandemic. If you’re one of them, be advised the scientific paper is a peculiar literary genre that can take some getting used to. And also bear in mind that these are not typical times for scientific publishing. It is hard to think of another moment in history when so many scientists turned their attention to one subject with such speed. In mid-January, scientific papers began trickling out with the first details about the new coronavirus. By the end of the month, the journal Nature marveled that over 50 papers had been published. That number has swelled over the past few months at an exponential rate, fitting for a pandemic. (Zimmer, 6/1)

Los Angeles Times: Scientists To Choirs: Group Singing Can Spread Coronavirus
Scientists studying tiny exhaled particles that could transmit the coronavirus say a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention decision to drop warnings against choral singing is dangerous, risking more “super-spreading events” such as a Washington state choir practice linked to two deaths. The researchers say that the coronavirus can spread in respiratory aerosols, which may linger in the air for an hour or more, floating farther than the six feet commonly prescribed for social distancing. They say that choir members are particularly vulnerable to infection from airborne particles, because they exhale and inhale deeply to sing, often at close quarters in poorly ventilated rooms. (Read, 6/1)

The Wall Street Journal: Coronavirus Patients Lose Senses Of Taste, Smell—And Haven’t Gotten Them Back
Matt Newey was overcome with emotion clearing his deceased grandmother’s home in late April: He reached for her perfume, but he couldn’t smell a thing. “I loved her so much. I wanted to remember what she smelled like one last time,” said the 23-year-old, who recovered from Covid-19 in March. “It felt like I was losing that memory. It hurt.” Clinicians racing to understand the novel disease are starting to discern an unusual trend: one common symptom—the loss of smell and taste—can linger months after recovery. Doctors say it is possible some survivors may never taste or smell again. (Rana, 6/1)

ABC News: Having High Blood Pressure May Make Coronavirus More Dangerous. Here's What You Need To Know 
High blood pressure, a common disease affecting about 45% of Americans, is sometimes called the 'silent killer' because it can lead to early death even without symptoms. But new research shows that people with high blood pressure may be more likely to be hospitalized and become severely ill with the virus that causes COVID-19. (Anoruo, 6/1)

CIDRAP: Lung Complications Noted In Half Of COVID-19 Surgical Patients
Of 1,128 COVID-19 patients undergoing surgery at 235 hospitals in 24 countries, 577 (51.2%) had pulmonary complications, and 219 (38.0%) of them died, according to an observational study published late last week in The Lancet. In the partially retrospective, uncontrolled study, researchers in the COVIDSurg Collaborative enrolled patients 7 days before or 30 days after surgery from Jan 1 to Mar 31. Of the 268 patients who died, 219 (81.7%) had pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or needed mechanical ventilation. The death rate was highest in patients diagnosed as having ARDS (102 of 162 [63.0%]). (Van Beusekom, 6/1)

Kaiser Health News: Neurological Symptoms: ICUs Become A 'Delirium Factory' For Covid-19 Patients
Doctors are fighting not only to save lives from Covid-19, but also to protect patients' brains. Although Covid-19 is best known for damaging the lungs, it also increases the risk of life-threatening brain injuries — from mental confusion to hallucinations, seizures, coma, stroke and paralysis. The virus may invade the brain, and it can starve the brain of oxygen by damaging the lungs. To fight the infection, the immune system sometimes overreacts, battering the brain and other organs it normally protects. (Szabo, 6/1)

San Francisco Chronicle: Long After The Illness Is Gone, The Damage From Coronavirus May Remain
The roulette wheel of infection that determines which COVID-19 patients live and die has gripped the world in fear, but researchers are looking into another insidious danger — that the disease could be inflicting lasting, even permanent, damage on its victims. Infectious disease specialists have learned that the health problems caused by the coronavirus sometimes linger for months, raising fears that the virus may have long-term consequences for people’s health. (Fimtre, 5/31)

The Associated Press: Will Temperature Checks Of Employees Make Workplaces Safe?
Will temperature checks of employees make workplaces safe? No, not completely. They can help reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections but shouldn’t be the only safety measure employers take. Some employers are following White House guidelines to screen workers for a fever with daily temperature checks to help prevent the spread of infections. (6/2)

Reuters: Frequent Testing, Less Contact Recommended To Get Hollywood Cameras Rolling Again
Hollywood studios and labor unions on Monday proposed extensive coronavirus testing and other safeguards to allow actors and crew members to resume movie and TV show production in the United States. An entertainment industry task force sent dozens of recommendations to the governors of California and New York, two of the largest U.S. production hubs, and was awaiting a green light to return to sets. Filming around the world was halted in mid-March to help curb the coronavirus pandemic. (6/1)

Los Angeles Times: Hollywood Group Sends Set Safety Guidelines To Governors
No more buffet-style food service. Live audiences with face masks. A COVID-19 compliance officer on every set. Those are among the safety protocols recommended by Hollywood union officials and studio executives in a report to the governors of California and New York. (Lee, 6/1)

The New York Times: Getting Back To ‘Normal’ May Not Be So Easy. Crisis Experts Can Help.
After 80 days of lockdown, my husband and I yearned for company. Since New York City is slowly easing restrictions, we decided to ask friends for a socially distanced lunch. I planned the social experiment with the precision I do when reporting in war zones. We would invite only two people, for just two hours. We would choose only those we knew had been strict quarantineers and had gotten coronavirus tests. We would insist on face covers and a checklist of taboos that included touching your dinnerware but nothing else. We’d convene in the garden out back, with no lingering inside. (Matloff, 6/2)

Politico: Murphy OKs ‘Stage Two’ Of New Jersey’s Reopening
New Jersey will enter the next phase of its economic reopening beginning in two weeks, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday. The Garden State has lost more that 11,700 residents to Covid-19 since March, but sustained declines in both the number of new positive cases and hospitalizations has allowed state officials to move forward with developing guidance for outside dining, in-person retail and personal grooming services like barbershops and salons. (Sutton, 6/1)

The Wall Street Journal: As Amusement Parks Reopen, Will Americans Ride Rollercoasters In A Pandemic?
At this time of year, Brian Witherow can usually hear the screams of riders on some of the world’s fastest roller coasters from his office in the middle of Cedar Point, a 150-year-old amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. Mr. Witherow, the chief financial officer of the park’s operator, Cedar Fair LP, says it’s quiet right now in the park, which juts into the southwest corner of Lake Erie. He is at his desk struggling to manage the financial fallout of a monthslong shutdown at the park and others owned by the company across the U.S. (Patterson, 6/2)

Southern California News Group: Disneyland Surveys Passholders About Masks, Temperature Checks And Health Questionnaires
Disneyland has begun surveying annual passholders about their feelings and opinions on potential COVID-19 health and safety protocols as the Anaheim theme park prepares to reopen following an extended coronavirus closure. Disneyland passholders were asked a series of survey questions about face masks, temperature checks at park entrances and pre-arrival health questionnaires, according to MiceChat. (MacDonald, 6/2)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Dental Offices Trying To Reopen Show How Hard Back-To-Work Can Get
On May 8, the Pennsylvania Department of Health set new safety guidelines for reopening dental practices. Since then, MacCrory said, she’s been flooded with calls from dentists desperate to restart their practices, but struggles to find hygienists willing to risk constant exposure to saliva and respiratory droplets that could be swarming with the coronavirus. (Ruderman and Gantz, 6/2)

KQED: Yes, You Can Go To The Dentist. And Yes, The Coronavirus Means It Will Be Incredibly Different
As California entered Stage 2 of the state’s reopening in early May, when curbside pickup for some retail like flower shops and bookstores was permitted, the state also allowed routine dental care, such as cleanings and exams, to resume. But like the loosening of other restrictions, the return to regular dental care varies based on permission from counties themselves. What's resulted is a patchwork of rules and regulations, and confusion for dentists and patients alike. (Klivans, 6/1)

Boston Globe: Baker Says Camps, Child Care Can Reopen During Phase Two Of Reopening 
Day camps and child care facilities will be allowed to reopen during the next phase of Massachusetts’ gradual reopening of the economy, once they have met several requirements for keeping children and staff safe, Governor Charlie Baker said Monday. Though overnight camps will not be able to reopen until later this summer, day camps and child care centers can begin to submit plans after they satisfy the newly released minimum requirements during the second phase of reopening, which is slated to begin as soon as Monday. (Ebbert, 6/1)

New Orleans Times-Picayune: New Orleanians Will Deal With Trauma From The Coronavirus Pandemic Long After The City Reopens 
Soon after New Orleans’ stay-at-home order was put in place, the University of Holy Cross began offering the public free, remote counseling sessions through its Thomas E. Chambers Counseling and Training Center. The center offers low-cost — normally $20 for a 50-minute session— counseling services for the public, faculty and students. It also is a training ground for students working toward degrees in counseling. (Clapp, 6/1)

The Advocate: Louisiana Moving To Phase 2 Of Coronavirus Restrictions; Here's What That Means
Louisiana is loosening its restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus, allowing bars to reopen and expanding the occupancy requirements to 50% for a host of businesses, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Monday. The decision, made after consultation with state health officials, comes three weeks after Edwards said he would end the state’s stay-at-home order and start a phased reopening. The first phase of that reopening allowed a host of businesses, like restaurants, retailers and casinos, operate at 25% occupancy. (Karlin, 6/1)

San Francisco Chronicle: Santa Clara County To Allow Shopping, Small Religious Services, Outdoor Dining
Shopping, outdoor dining, childcare programs and religious services will resume in Santa Clara County under an amended shelter-in-place policy expected to go into effect Friday, officials announced. Under the new order, low or no-contact services such as house cleaning, pet grooming and shoe repair may resume, as well as outdoor religious or cultural ceremonies — including funerals — in groups no larger than 25. (Sanchez, 6/1)

The Wall Street Journal: Eli Lilly Begins Testing Covid-19 Drug Derived From Blood Of Survivor
Eli Lilly & Co. said Monday it began the first study of an experimental drug derived from a blood sample of an early U.S. survivor of Covid-19, a new effort to take advantage of the molecular defenses developed by recovered patients. The Indianapolis company said the testing aims to assess the drug’s potential to treat patients hospitalized with the coronavirus. (Loftus, 6/1)

Stat: Eli Lilly Begins First Human Tests Of An Antibody Drug Against Covid-19
The medicine, a human-made antibody against the coronavirus that causes the disease, was discovered by a Vancouver company, AbCellera, and is being developed by Eli Lilly, the Indianapolis-based drug giant. Two other efforts, one from the biotechnology firm Regeneron and another from the partnership of Vir Biotechnology and GlaxoSmithKline, are expected to begin testing of their own antibody drugs soon. Lilly’s current study will only test the drug for obvious side effects, giving it to 32 people at various doses. (Herper, 6/1)

Stat: Industry Group Backs Use Of Horseshoe Crab Blood To Test Drugs
After a lengthy review, the organization that sets manufacturing standards for drug makers will keep a decades-old test — derived from horseshoe crabs — as its go-to tool for detecting contamination in medicines and vaccines, rather than recommending that drug makers switch to a synthetic alternative. The decision centers around endotoxin tests, which are used to detect bacterial contamination in intravenous drugs and vaccines, among other products. But controversy over the ongoing supply of horseshoe crabs — whose blood is used for reagents — and a battle between two of the biggest test suppliers prompted the U.S. Pharmacopeia to review its standards. (Silverman, 6/1)

Reuters: Wildlife Groups Pressure Big Pharma To Curb Crab Blood Addiction
Fishermen net hundreds of thousands of the creatures off the U.S. East Coast and Asia every year, draining their prized milky-blue blood for use in medical safety tests that detect bacterial contamination in intravenous drugs or implants. The National Audubon Society, Defenders of Wildlife and other groups called for greater use of a man-made option, called recombinant Factor C (rFC), in a statement released on Monday by umbrella organization the Horseshoe Crab Recovery Coalition. (Miller, 6/1)

CNN: Moderna's Coronavirus Vaccine Announcement Set Off A Frenzy On Wall Street. Now Some Are Calling For An Investigation 
Moderna set off a frenzy on Wall Street earlier this month when it announced positive, preliminary results from its coronavirus vaccine trial. As the hype grew, the young biotech company and its leading investor wasted no time capitalizing on the briefly surging stock price. Even as critics accused Moderna of overhyping the results released on May 18, a series of transactions were executed before its share price fizzled over the next week. The timing of those deals, former SEC officials said, appear to be "highly problematic" and should be investigated for potential illegal market manipulation. (Egan and Kuznia, 6/1)

Stat: Hydroxychloroquine Debate Spills Into Congressional Campaigns
Five months ahead of the general election, Democrats are escalating their attacks against Republicans over the use of a malaria drug to treat Covid-19, dragging a highly polarized medical debate even further into the political realm. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in recent weeks has vocally criticized two GOP incumbents and two challengers for echoing President Trump’s enthusiasm for hydroxychloroquine in March and April. Joe Biden, Trump’s presumptive Democratic challenger, has seized on the president’s remarks, calling his hydroxychloroquine advocacy “totally irresponsible” after the president announced he was taking the drug as a preventive measure. (Facher, 6/2)

Reuters: South Korea Expects Human Trials Of Celltrion's Potential COVID-19 Treatment In Europe
South Korea expects clinical trials of Celltrion Inc’s experimental COVID-19 treatment to begin in Europe next month and aims to secure sizable supplies of the drug by the first half of next year, a senior health official said on Tuesday. Drugmakers worldwide are rushing to develop treatments for the flu-like illness caused by the new coronavirus that has killed more than 374,000 globally since it first emerged late last year in China. (6/2)

The Associated Press: Gilead Says Drug Helped Moderately Ill Coronavirus Patients
A California biotech company says its experimental drug remdesivir improved symptoms when given for five days to moderately ill, hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Gilead Sciences gave few details on Monday but said full results would soon be published in a medical journal. Remdesivir is the only treatment that’s been shown in a rigorous experiment to help fight the coronavirus. (Marchione, 6/1)

Reuters: Gilead's Remdesivir Shows Modest Improvement In Moderate COVID-19 Patients
Remdesivir, which is administered intravenously in hospital, is the first drug to show improvement in COVID-19 patients in formal clinical trials, and new information about its efficacy is being closely watched around the world, as nations battle the pandemic. The late stage study of nearly 600 patients evaluated the safety and efficacy of 5- and 10-day treatment with remdesivir in addition to standard care for those with moderate COVID-19 - the disease caused by the new coronavirus - compared with standard care alone. (Erman and Beasley, 6/1)

Stat: Gilead’s Remdesivir Shows Some Benefit In Patients With Moderate Covid-19
Remdesivir, the drug developed as a treatment for Covid-19 by Gilead Sciences, helped patients with “moderate” disease recover more quickly when they received it for five days, but the benefit was not statistically significant when given for 10 days, the company said Monday. The new data, from a study conducted by the company, add to the evidence that the medicine is at least somewhat effective treatment for Covid-19. But they will also likely add to the debate of exactly how effective the remdesivir is, and in what patients. (Herper, 6/1)

Sacramento Bee: Antiviral Drug Remdesivir Helps Moderately Ill Coronavirus Patients In Trial, Maker Says
The trial included 600 randomized patients who were equally divided into groups given a five-day treatment, 10-day treatment or just standard care, the release says. The patients were hospitalized with confirmed cases of the virus and “evidence of pneumonia without reduced oxygen levels.” Monday’s release represents initial results of the trial and an expansion phase will include up to 1,000 more moderately sick patients., Gilead said. Those results are expected in the next few months. (Aldridge, 6/1)

The Washington Post: Lawmakers To Unveil Bipartisan Privacy Bill To Regulate Contact-Tracing Apps
Senate lawmakers plan to unveil a bipartisan bill on Monday that would regulate contact-tracing and exposure-notification apps, seeking to ensure new digital tools meant to combat the coronavirus don’t come at the expense of users’ privacy. The proposal, called the “Exposure Notification Privacy Act,” would erect federal guardrails around Silicon Valley’s nascent efforts to track people’s movements and alert them whenever they come in close contact with someone who has tested positive for covid-19. (Romm, 6/1)

Kaiser Health News: Hiring A Diverse Army To Track COVID-19 Amid Reopening
As a contact tracer, Teresa Ayala-Castillo is sometimes asked whether herbal teas and Vicks VapoRub can treat COVID-19. These therapies aren’t exactly official health guidance, but Ayala-Castillo isn’t fazed. She listens and then suggests other ideas — like getting rest and drinking plenty of fluids. “I don’t want to call them old wives’ tales, but these remedies are things that I’m 100% familiar with because my mom used them on me,” said Ayala-Castillo, a bilingual first-generation Ecuadorian American who works for the city of Long Beach, California. (Heredia Rodriguez and Almendrala, 6/2)

Sacramento Bee: CA State Worker Q&A: Coronavirus Contact Tracing Assignments
Managers in California state departments have supplied lists of their workers to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration for contact tracing assignments. The assignments involve calling, texting and emailing people who have been in contact with those who have tested positive for the coronavirus. (Venteicher, 6/1)

In other news from Capitol Hill —

Roll Call: CBO: Democrats' Latest Virus Aid Bill To Cost Nearly $3.5 Trillion
House Democrats' massive pandemic relief bill would cost nearly $3.5 trillion, according to an official estimate, dwarfing the previous record-setting March package aimed at preserving the coronavirus-battered U.S. economy. That's in line with preliminary estimates from congressional aides who had put the tally at over $3 trillion, but the new figures from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office could give skeptical Republicans another talking point. The White House has already threatened to veto the measure, which the House passed 208-199 on a mostly party-line vote last month. (Krawzak, 6/1)

The New York Times: Coronavirus To Shave Trillions From The Economy Over 10 Years
The Congressional Budget Office projected on Monday that the coronavirus pandemic would inflict a serious long-term blow to the United States economy, taking 3 percent off the gross domestic product 10 years from now. Without adjusting for inflation, the budget agency said, the pandemic would cost nearly $16 trillion over the next 10 years. Adjusting for inflation, that number would still total $7.9 trillion. The estimates were an official tally of the damage the crisis has wrought, reflecting expectations of dampened consumer spending and business investment in the years ahead. (Cochrane, 6/1)

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Economy Faces Projected 10-Year Recovery From Coronavirus Effects
The Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan legislative agency, said the sharp contraction triggered by the coronavirus caused it to mark down its 2020-30 forecast for U.S. economic output by a cumulative $7.9 trillion, or 3% of gross domestic product, relative to its January projections. GDP isn’t expected to catch up to the previously forecast level until the fourth quarter of 2029, the CBO added. The roughly $3.3 trillion in stimulus programs enacted by Congress since March will only “partially mitigate the deterioration in economic conditions,” the CBO said. (Hannon and Kiernan, 6/1)

CNBC: The Coronavirus Will Cost The Economy Nearly $8 Trillion, Congressional Budget Office Says
“Business closures and social distancing measures are expected to curtail consumer spending, while the recent drop in energy prices is projected to severely reduce U.S. investment in the energy sector,” CBO Director Phillip L. Swagel said in a written response to an inquiry from Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “Recent legislation will, in CBO’s assessment, partially mitigate the deterioration in economic conditions.” (Cox, 6/1)

The Hill: COVID-19 Pandemic Will Shrink Economy By $8 Trillion In Next Decade: CBO
The report also noted that "recent legislation will, in CBO’s assessment, partially mitigate the deterioration in economic conditions." Congress passed some $3.6 trillion worth of emergency relief legislation through March, pumping cash into struggling small businesses, as well as providing more robust unemployment benefits and stimulus checks among other actions. (Elis, 6/1)

The Washington Post: Coronavirus Will Cost U.S. Economy $8 Trillion Through 2030, CBO Says
The stark illustration of the pandemic’s potential economic impact comes one week after White House officials confirmed they would not release their own updated projections this summer in their annual “mid-session” budget review. The pandemic will hamper U.S. economic growth by reducing the amount of consumer spending and closing numerous businesses, the CBO said. Part of the impact will be mitigated by the more than $2 trillion the federal government has already approved in emergency spending for households and businesses. (Stein, 6/1)

KQED: Stressed About Paying June Rent? Check Here First
California's businesses and activities are slowly starting to open, but many renters in the Bay Area — and across the state — are still having trouble paying rent for June after being financially impacted by the coronavirus and resulting regional shelter-in-place orders. In response, some cities and counties are extending eviction moratoriums. For renters in Alameda, Solano and Sonoma counties, eviction moratoriums remain in place up to 90 days after California's state of emergency ends. Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in early March and hasn't yet announced when it will end. (Wiley, Solomon and Baldassari, 6/1)

Sacramento Bee: Millions Of Californians Could Lose Affordable Housing In Recession, Advocates Warn
More tenants — even ones who keep jobs and make rent — could lose their subsidized housing if enough of their neighbors fall behind and a complex goes out of business, allowing new landlords to hike rents to market prices. Affordable housing advocates say as much as 79 percent of California’s existing affordable housing is at risk. (Irby and Wiley, 6/1)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: More Than 16,000 Philadelphia Households Missed Out On Food Monday Because Of Demonstrations
Since March 30, the City of Philadelphia has run 40 food distribution sites supplied by anti-hunger nonprofits every Monday and Thursday to feed people during the pandemic. Those spots were closed on Monday because of fears generated by the protests roiling the area. The result: Around 16,000 city households missed out on 250,000 pounds of food for the day, according to George Matysik, executive director of Share Food Program, one of the hunger-fighting agencies. Share typically provides food for the Monday distributions. (Lubrano, 6/1)

New Orleans Times-Picayune: New Orleans Launches Program That Will Feed 30,000 Residents And Boost Restaurant Industry
New Orleans will feed thousands of residents this summer who have struggled amid the coronavirus lockdown under a program meant to relieve food insecurity and stimulate the city's restaurant industry. The city will by June 14 hire restaurants and kitchens who will prepare and deliver up to two meals a day to eligible residents, officials said Monday. After the city selects one or more food service providers, more than 30,000 people who aren't getting other forms of federal food assistance may receive the meals. (Williams, 6/1)

San Francisco Chronicle: SF, Silicon Valley Rents Plunge Amid Downturn: 'Never Seen Anything Like It'
The cost of renting an apartment in the Bay Area plummeted in May, as layoffs and the increased flexibility of working from home drove a double-digit drop in some of the nation’s most expensive housing markets. Rents for a one-bedroom apartment dropped most in the cities richest in high-paying tech jobs, falling 9.2% in San Francisco compared with May of 2019. In Mountain View, home to Google, rents fell 15.9% year over year, while in Apple’s hometown of Cupertino rents dipped 14.3%, according to the rental search engine Zumper. In San Bruno, where YouTube has its offices, rents tumbled 14.9%. (Dineen, 6/1)

The Washington Post: Covid-19 Is Causing Hospital Layoffs And Furloughs
One hospital is in a hot spot, battling a widespread virus that has resulted in thousands of patients. The other hospital has seen just a few covid-19 patients and there’s no surge in sight. Yet the disease threatens the financial health of both institutions as their most profitable customers — non-emergency patients — have stayed home. Both hospitals saw the number of their inpatients drop by half in April. (Mellnik, Karklis and Ba Tran, 6/1)

Modern Healthcare: Medicaid Expansion Boosts Rural Hospitals' Margins
Medicaid expansion has played a significant role in the viability of rural hospitals, according to a new study. While rural hospitals' profitability varied significantly based on ownership, those in Medicaid expansion states generally fared better, according to an analysis of more than 1,000 non-government rural hospitals from 2011 to 2017. The median overall profit margin among not-for-profit critical access hospitals in Medicaid expansion states increased from 1.8% to 3.7%, compared to a decrease from 3.5% to 2.8% among their peers in non-expansion states. (Kacik, 6/1)

Modern Healthcare: COVID-19 Could Lead More Hospitals To Breach Debt Covenants
With the coronavirus pandemic slashing hospitals' revenue and cash flow, the number of organizations that breach their debt covenants is likely to tick up in 2020. Federal stimulus grants under the CARES Act may mitigate some of those risks, but nevertheless, a new report from Moody's Investors Service predicted that hospitals will have a difficult time staying in compliance. (Bannow, 5/29)

CNN: Parents And Child Care Providers Are Falling Apart. It Could Get Much Worse 
Child care is so scarce in Kate Littlefield's Vermont community that she joined a wait-list when she was six weeks pregnant. It wasn't soon enough to find a placement for her infant twins after they were born. "We couldn't get in until they were 8 months old," she said. "That was the earliest spot we could get, and we called every child care center in my area." With local child care centers now closed due to the pandemic, Littlefield's 17-month-old babies have been back at home, where she and her husband are working remotely. (Smith, 6/1)

Kaiser Health News: California AG Seeks More Power To Battle Merger-Hungry Health Care Chains
California’s health care industry has a consolidation problem. Independent physician practices, outpatient clinics and hospitals are merging or getting gobbled up by private equity firms or large health care systems. A single company can dominate an entire community, and in some cases, vast swaths of the state.Such dominance can inflate prices, and consumers end up facing higher insurance premiums, more expensive outpatient services and bigger out-of-pocket costs to see specialists. (Bluth, 6/2)

KQED: Laguna Honda's New CEO Hopes To Focus On COVID-19 Care, Not Past Scandal
A new chief executive officer begins at San Francisco’s Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center this week, almost a year after the last one resigned. Michael Phillips says he wants to focus on the facility’s stabilization of an early outbreak of the coronavirus, rather than its recent rocky past. “My vision is to ensure the safety and well-being of all of our residents,” Phillips says.For the last few years, he ran Silver Lake Medical Center, a small acute-care hospital with campuses in downtown Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. (Peterson, 6/1)

ProPublica: Senior Citizens In Subsidized Housing Have Been Dying Alone At Home, Unnoticed Because Of Coronavirus Distancing
Someone needed to check on Leonard Graves. The 57-year-old lived alone in a senior building on Chicago’s North Side, and no one had seen him in at least two days. Volunteers called community ambassadors usually checked on fellow residents in the Edith Spurlock Sampson Apartments, a 394-unit Chicago Housing Authority complex. But after the coronavirus began spreading in Chicago, leaders say the CHA suspended the program. With the help of a building maintenance worker, a worried friend entered Graves’ apartment on March 14. (Duke and Coryne, 6/2)

The Hill: Zoloft Shortages Reported Amid Increased Demand, Strained Supply Lines 
The Food and Drug Administration is reporting shortages of Zoloft and the generic version of the antidepressant as demand soars and supply chains for key ingredients are interrupted by the pandemic. Pfizer, the maker of Zoloft, told the FDA it has a limited supply available of the 100-count bottles of 100-milligram pills due to a “demand increase” for the drug. Some other doses of Zoloft are still available. (Hellmann, 6/1)

The Wall Street Journal: How Sleep Has Changed In The Pandemic: Insomnia, Late Bedtimes, Weird Dreams
When Covid-19 cases and fears brought lockdowns to much of the nation, for many, schedules went out the window—and with that a good night’s sleep. Aubrey Wolff, a 44-year-old teacher and mom in Teaneck, N.J., says she has difficulty falling asleep even when taking melatonin, a natural hormone that induces sleepiness. “I’m going to bed at 12 a.m. but I’m not falling asleep,” says Ms. Wolff, a first-grade teacher with three children, ages 8, 11 and 13. “I’m not in a routine plus I’m not moving around as much, and there’s the stress of all my to-do lists.” She tends to fall asleep as late as 2 a.m. (Reddy, 6/1)

NPR: How To Get Sleep In Uneasy Times
Having trouble getting to sleep these days? You're not alone. For people with a history of insomnia, sleep problems are magnified right now. And many who never struggled before are suddenly experiencing interruptions in their nightly rest or difficulty falling asleep. It's pretty typical that in moments of anxiety, sleep suffers, but the situation we're all living through today means the anxiety never stops, says neurologist and sleep specialist Dr. Douglas Kirsch, past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (Neighmond, 6/2)

The New York Times: Zappos Offers To Listen To Pandemic Worries
When Rose Wang called the customer service line at Zappos, all she wanted was a quick confirmation that a gift receipt was included with the hot pink Crocs she had ordered for her mother for Mother’s Day. But a few minutes into the call, Ms. Wang, 33, realized something felt different. After helping her with the gift receipt, the customer service representative, who was based in Las Vegas, started making small talk. In a calming voice that reminded Ms. Wang of a grandmother, the representative told her that she, too, found it nearly impossible to buy gifts for her mother. (Gross, 5/31)

CNN: 5 Natural Ways To Boost Your Mental Health During Stressful Times
Life today is razor's-edge tense. If your regular coping methods aren't measuring up, there are science-backed actions we can add on our own to ease anxiety, depression and stress — all done naturally, no doctor's note required. (LaMotte, 6/2)

The Washington Post: She Came To The U.S. Legally And Was Trying To Do Everything Right. Then Came The Coronavirus.
On her last legal day in the United States, Tatiana Angulo awoke before sunrise in her attic bedroom and listened for a few moments to the sounds of what her life had become. Her boyfriend, Pablo Ruiz, was still sleeping next to her. He would be up soon, telling her what she already knew, that when midnight came, “things are going to be different for you,” but for now, what she heard was the unsettling sound of someone coughing in one of the bedrooms downstairs, and more coughing from the closet next to her room, where a man had recently begun living because he had nowhere else to go. (Hannah Dreier, 6/1)

The Wall Street Journal: Chicken Soup, Remdesivir And Deep Breaths: How Older Patients Survived Covid-19
A Covid-19 diagnosis can be serious for older adults. Roughly eight out of 10 U.S. deaths from the illness are people 65 and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the majority of those diagnosed with the virus survive. We spoke with a number of older adults who all were diagnosed with Covid-19 but experienced very different recoveries. Some were hospitalized, others stayed home. Recounting their ordeals brought up strong emotions. After regaining their health, some resumed their daily routines and others made landmark changes. (Dizik, 6/1)

Kaiser Health News: Pandemic Presents New Hurdles, And Hope, For People Struggling With Addiction
Before Philadelphia shut down to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Ed had a routine: most mornings he would head to a nearby McDonald’s to brush his teeth, wash his face and — when he had the money — buy a cup of coffee. He would bounce between homeless shelters and try to get a shower. But since businesses closed and many shelters stopped taking new admissions, Ed has been mostly shut off from that routine.He’s still living on the streets. “I’ll be honest, I don’t really sleep too much,” said Ed, who’s 51 and struggling with addiction. “Every four or five days I get a couple hours.” (Feldman, 6/2)

KQED: Blood Bank Now Testing All Donated Blood For COVID-19 Antibodies
Vitalant, formerly known as Blood Centers of the Pacific, announced Monday that it will begin testing all blood donations for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The nonprofit blood collection organization serves hospital patients throughout the Bay Area and has a critical need for blood donations. (6/1)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Is It Safe To Have Play Dates During Coronavirus Pandemic
As the coronavirus pandemic continues into the warmer months, some parents have been looking for new ways to occupy their children’s time. While time spent with family has increased with social distancing being encouraged by health officials, the lifting of restrictions in Georgia and around the country has led some parents to wonder if play dates can resume. (Willis, 6/1)

ProPublica/Anchorage Daily News: Unheard
Alaska has the highest rate of sexual assault in the nation, nearly four times the national average. About one third of women in Alaska have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime. Yet it is a secret so steeped into everyday life that to discuss it is to disrupt the norm. These 29 women and men did not choose to be violated, but they now are choosing to speak about what happened to them. Last year, the Anchorage Daily News partnered with ProPublica to investigate sexual violence in Alaska, and explore why the situation isn’t getting better. We continue that work this year. (Gallardo, Sussman, Chang, Hopkins and Theriault, 6/1)

ProPublica: Here’s What Experts Say To Do After Experiencing Sexual Assault
In the course of reporting Unheard and interviewing dozens of survivors, questions surfaced again and again about what to do after a sexual assault, and how to navigate social services and the legal system. The following resources are intended to inform survivors, their family members and friends, and others in the community about ways they can seek help. We consulted six professionals in Alaska, including a therapist, a law enforcement officer, advocates for survivors, a nurse and a prosecutor. (Gallardo and Sussman, 6/1)

CBS News: Whitmer To Testify About "Confusion" Over PPE In Early Days Of Coronavirus Pandemic 
In testimony before Congress Tuesday, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is expected to slam the Trump administration over "confusion" in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic in coordinating the allocation of personal protective equipment (PPE) from the federal government, according to prepared remarks obtained by CBS News. Michigan was hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic, with over 57,000 cases since the pandemic began. During the height of the pandemic, Whitmer became nationally known as she enforced some of the strictest lockdowns in the country. (Turman, 6/1)

The Baltimore Sun: Coronavirus Is Helping The Chesapeake Bay By Curbing Pollution, But What Happens After The Pandemic 
In the midst of the devastating human toll and economic collapse caused by the coronavirus, a few environmental improvements seem — on the surface — like silver linings on all the dark clouds. Air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions declined as fewer people drove to work and airplanes idled. The burning of coal and oil plummeted. Noise pollution diminished because there was less traffic and more people were out walking, suddenly having more time to witness the blooming of flowers. (Tom Pelton, 6/1)

CalMatters: How California Farms Can Survive The Post-Pandemic World
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, few industries have been quite as essential to the nation as agriculture. From pickers crouching for nine hours a day to scoop up strawberries to CEOs making handshake deals to keep their companies afloat, hundreds of thousands of workers are feeding America. But, in many ways, the pandemic is forcing farmers to reevaluate how they do business. Across California, nearly 60% of farmers have lost significant revenue, washing their milk down drains, beefing their dairy cows and ploughing under their lettuce and other crops, according to surveys carried out by the California Farm Bureau Federation and the Monterey County Office of Agriculture. (Cimini, 5/28)

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Sisolak Announces Expanded Coronavirus Testing, Tracing 
Nevada will vastly expand its COVID-19 testing and contact tracing abilities under a framework announced Monday by Gov. Steve Sisolak, an effort funded by federal pandemic response money as well as $96 million from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Dentzer, 6/1)

Boston Globe: Raimondo Announces Fewer COVID-19 Cases; Rejects Trump’s Advice To ‘Dominate’ Floyd Protesters 
In the past three months, when Governor Gina M. Raimondo spoke about “keeping Rhode Islanders safe,” she was referring to the swift spread of the highly contagious coronavirus. But on Monday, as she announced the “great news” of the decline in positive cases and deaths from COVID-19, Raimondo also addressed the new crisis -- the reaction to the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after being detained by a white Minneapolis police officer who knelt on his neck for several minutes. (Milkovits, 6/1)

Sacramento Bee: Two Coronavirus Deaths Reported In Sacramento County, Bringing Total To 58
Two more coronavirus-related deaths were reported Monday morning in Sacramento County, bringing its death toll to 58 as California continues its battle against the pandemic. The county’s death toll increased for the first time since May 18. (McGough, 6/1)

Boston Globe: Offices In Boston Are Open For Business, But Few Workers Are Showing Up 
Workers could finally return to Boston’s office towers Monday, but the city’s central business district still looked more like a ghost town than a boom town. The pandemic, not scenes of violence and looting from Sunday night, kept most people away. Several business leaders said that one night of unrest would not change attitudes about commuting into the city, unless the violence escalates. (Chesto and Gardizy, 6/1)

New Orleans Times-Picayune: Pair Of New Orleans Hotels To Lay Off 139 Workers, Plan To Reopen When Tourists Return 
More than 100 workers are slated to be laid off across two hotels in downtown New Orleans because of the economic downturn spurred by the coronavirus pandemic, which has frozen much of the tourism the Crescent City relies on. The goal is to reopen once tourists return to New Orleans and demand for hotel rooms pick up, an official said. (Mosbrucker, 6/1)

CalMatters: Planning To Reopen, California Schools Seek Guidance, Money
Guidance from Gov. Gavin Newsom, as well as from the state Department of Education, is forthcoming. In the coming weeks, California’s educators will try to answer one question: How will schools safely reopen campuses for students and educators in the fall? Social interaction among peers and teachers, educators say, is just as much an integral part of students’ education as the learning that takes place inside California’s classrooms. This will make social distancing, they say, a tall task, if not nearly impossible, to enforce in school settings, and much more so without guidance and funding. (Cano, 6/1)

Bay Area News Group: Chabot College Raises Nearly $200,000 For COVID-19 Relief
Community college students in Hayward most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic have received $93,000 in direct aid and 200 Chromebooks since April 1, with close to another $100,000 in donations to be distributed in advance of the fall semester. The Friends of Chabot College established its COVID-19 Emergency Student Aid Appeal to assist with distance learning and to help those struggling to pay for basic needs, including food and rent. (Mazeika, 6/2)

The Associated Press: Spain Reports No Virus Deaths For First Time Since March
Spain on Monday reported no official deaths from the new coronavirus in a 24-hour period for the first time since March. The development is “very, very encouraging,” emergency health response chief Fernando Simón said. Also, Spain recorded only 71 new COVID-19 infections over the past 24 hours, he told a news conference. “We are in a very good place in the evolution of the pandemic,” Simón said. “The statistics are following a trend. They are going in the right direction.” (6/1)

Reuters: UK COVID-19 Death Toll Rises To Nearly 50,000, Reuters Tally Shows
The United Kingdom’s COVID-19 death toll neared 50,000 on Tuesday, a grim figure for Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he takes steps to ease the coronavirus lockdown. The toll now stands at 49,646, including death certificate data for England and Wales released on Tuesday up to May 22, previous figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland, and recent hospital deaths in England. (6/2)

The Associated Press: Virus-Tracking App Angers Thousands In Moscow With Fines
When nurse Maria Alexeyeva caught coronavirus at work, she isolated herself at home and followed the rules set down by Moscow authorities: She checked in with doctors regularly, didn’t leave her apartment and downloaded a smartphone app required by the city to keep tabs on quarantined patients. The Social Monitoring app tracks users via GPS and sends them random notifications demanding a selfie to prove they’re still at home. If it detects they’ve left home or they fail to provide a photo, they face a fine of about $56 each time. (Litvinova, 6/2)

The Associated Press: Mexican President Defies Leftist Label In Virus Response
When Andrés Manuel López Obrador won Mexico’s presidency after years of agitating for change, many expected a transformative leader who would take the country to the left even as much of Latin America moved right. Instead, López Obrador is leading like a conservative in many ways — cutting spending, investing heavily in fossil fuel development and helping the U.S. crack down on the northbound flow of migrants. (Stevenson, 6/2)

CBS News: Coronavirus In India Still Spreading Fast As World's Biggest COVID-19 Lockdown Moves Into "Unlock" Phase Today 
More than two months after India enforced a strict nationwide lockdown to control the spread of coronavirus, the country is allowing most businesses and services to resume and lifted most restrictions on the movement of people and goods. It's the biggest change in the rules since March 25, when the world's biggest national lockdown began. (Zargar, 6/1)

CNN: Ebola Outbreak In Congo Kills 5, UNICEF Says 
Five people, including a 15-year-old girl, have died of Ebola in a fresh outbreak of the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations Children's Fund said Monday. Nine cases total have been reported, UNICEF said. "Four additional people who contracted the virus -- all contacts of the deceased and including the child of one of the fatal cases -- are being treated in an isolation unit at the Wangata Hospital in Mbandaka," UNICEF said in a statement. (Fox, 6/2)

CIDRAP: New Ebola Outbreak Detected In Northwestern DRC
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) today announced a new Ebola outbreak in Equateur province, the same area hit by an outbreak in 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement. The event marks the DRC's eleventh Ebola outbreak and comes during the countdown to the end of the country's tenth and biggest outbreak in the eastern part of the country and amid battles against COVID-19 and the world's largest measles outbreak. (Schnirring, 6/1)

Bloomberg: Ebola Outbreak In Democratic Republic Of Congo Kills 4: Minister
The infections were identified in the western city of Mbandaka in Equateur province, Longondo said in a text message Monday. “There are already four deaths and four suspected cases” who are still alive, he said. Equateur province last experienced an Ebola outbreak in 2018, with 54 cases and 33 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Congo is still struggling to extinguish the second-largest Ebola epidemic in history in the eastern part of the country, where more than 2,260 people have died despite the use of two new vaccines. (Kavanagh, 6/1)

The New York Times: New Ebola Outbreak In Congo, Already Hit By Measles And Coronavirus
Less than two months ago, Congo was about to declare an official end to an Ebola epidemic on the eastern side of the country that had lasted nearly two years and killed more than 2,275 people. Then, with just two days to go, a new case was found, and the outbreak could not be declared over. But officials say it is in its final stages. It is unclear how Ebola emerged in Mbandaka, which is about 750 miles west of the nearly-vanquished outbreak on the country’s eastern edge. Congo (formerly known as Zaire) is the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa, and has been under travel restrictions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. (Maclean, 6/1)

Stat: Cutting Ties With WHO Creates A Scientific And Leadership Vacuum 
In yet another example of brash finger-pointing, President Trump called out China last week as the reason to terminate U.S. membership in and funding of the World Health Organization. The president cited WHO’s supposed too-warm relationship with China, which he said delayed the global response to the pandemic. (Ashish K. Jha, 6/1)

The Wall Street Journal: Nursing Homes, Coronavirus And Medicaid
A national tragedy began in March when Covid-19 killed 35 residents of Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash. Since then, more than 22,000 nursing-home residents have died in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Nearly half of all Americans who have fallen victim to the novel coronavirus lived in nursing homes. Politicians have made plenty of mistakes. Governors in several states, including New York and Pennsylvania, ordered nursing homes to take coronavirus patients discharged from hospitals and reversed the orders only after weeks of casualties. Families are suffering, forced to stare at their parents and grandparents through windows or talk only by phone. Overworked caregivers are at high risk of exposure. (Stephen A. Moses and Brian C. Blase, 6/1)

Stat: Covid-19 Has Exposed Cracks In The Global Medicines Supply Chain 
The Covid-19 pandemic has upended the normal ways of doing everything from going to school to making sure countries have the medications their citizens need. It has also exposed vulnerabilities in the global medicine supply chain, leading to uncertainty, drug shortages, quality issues, and price volatility. (Anthony Lakavage, 6/2)

Bloomberg: Are Antibody Tests Accurate? No. Is The FDA Allowing Them? Yes.
Doctors, medical administrators and consumers are falling for misleading marketing of Covid-19 antibody tests. And the FDA has exerted almost no oversight over a hodgepodge of different tests that have come on the market since April, promoted with a blitz of direct emails to clinics and hospitals that tout the tests’ ability to detect past infections of SARS-CoV2. The FDA made the opposite mistake with the diagnostic tests meant to flag active infections. Those rolled out too slowly, when even imperfect tests would have saved lives at that early stage. There’s no reason to rush out antibody tests since there are no clear lifesaving benefits to detecting past infections — and obvious risk of harm if the tests give misleading results. (Faye Flam, 6/1)

The Wall Street Journal: The Lancet’s Politicized Science On Antimalarial Drugs
President Trump has often mentioned hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for Covid-19. Last month he announced that he was taking the antimalaria drug, also known as HCL, as a prophylaxis after two White House staffers tested positive for the virus. Mr. Trump’s critics in the press seem to be on a mission to discredit the therapy. Now a prestigious medical journal may be joining in. The Lancet published a study on May 22 that purported to find a 30% increased risk of death for hospitalized Covid-19 patients treated with HCL or chloroquine, a related treatment. “Study says drug hailed by Trump is harmful,” the Washington Post reported. The World Health Organization suspended its HCL trial. France, Belgium and Italy announced they would prohibit the drug for the treatment of Covid patients. (Allysia Finley, 6/1)

ABC News: The Note: Trump's Quick Response To Protests Highlights Slow Response To Coronavirus 
The president hesitated to mobilize military assets to help produce needed protective gear and add resources in the fight against the coronavirus, but he was quick to press for what would be a remarkable use of military force within our own borders, against U.S. citizens nonetheless, who are protesting police brutality. Of course there is a difference between protesters and rioters, but it is clear that this president views even peaceful and calm protesters differently depending on their message. (Mary Alice Parks and Alisa Wiersema, 6/2)

Stat: My Nightmare: Covid-19 Meets Racism Meets George Floyd's Killing 
This is my nightmare: Covid-19 meets racism meets the killing of yet another Black person by a police officer. Some weeks back, in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, I had a discussion about worst-case scenarios with a colleague in emergency management. Top of mind for him as we head into hurricane season was the fear of a natural disaster in the midst of this pandemic. My biggest fear as a Black woman and public health leader was the all-too-likely murder of an unarmed Black person at the hands of police leading to mass protests amid the virulence of two infectious diseases: racism and Covid-19. (Lauren Powell, 6/2)

NBC News: Protests Could Spread Coronavirus. But A Second Wave Was Coming Before The Demonstrations.
A second wave of COVID-19 cases is coming. In some corners of the world, it's already upon us. This is not a vague projection by fevered anti-Trumpers. It's a reality proven by past pandemics. (David A. Andelman, 6/1)

The Baltimore Sun: Measles, Chickenpox And Other Diseases Could Make A Comeback Because Fewer Kids Are Getting Vaccinated 
In the U.S. our children rarely fall ill to grave infections because they are protected by vaccines. Serious illnesses like measles, mumps, congenital rubella syndrome, chickenpox, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, rotavirus diarrhea, hepatitis (A and B), polio and bacterial meningitis are all preventable through routine childhood vaccinations. It is not magic that keeps our children safe from these many serious illnesses, it is vaccines — routine delivery of safe and effective vaccines. What will happen if we stop vaccinating or if we reduce our vaccination rates? These diseases will return. (James Campbell, 6/1)

Stat: Optimism, Not Evidence, Is Driving America’s Return-To-Work Strategy 
Consensus seems to be emerging that businesses can safely reopen by checking the temperatures of people entering them and by putting in place environmental controls — from social distancing and wearing masks to improved air circulation — to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the workplace. This consensus is rational. It is convenient. And it is driven by the well-founded desire to bring life back to normal by reopening businesses, schools, places of worship, and more. (Rajaie Batniji, 6/2)

Lexington Herald Leader: Disinfectant To Stop COVID-19 Can Pose Dangers, Too 
Disinfectants are selling like hotcakes: stores can’t keep them in stock. The first thing you may notice when you walk into a shop these days is the ripe smell of strong cleaning products, often masked with a fragrance. However, do we know how effective disinfectants are in fighting the coronavirus, and furthermore, are they safe? Should businesses and households pause to evaluate what types of disinfectants they are using, considering the inherent risks of most chemically based ones? (Kathy McDonald, 5/28)

San Francisco Chronicle: The Virus Does Not Discriminate, But Our Social Structures Do 
More than 10 weeks into the COVID-19 public health order, more than 6,500 San Franciscans still have nowhere to safely shelter in place. Our city has followed one public health policy for those with housing and a separate one for people experiencing homelessness. The virus does not discriminate who it infects. Our social structures, however, do. (Olivia Park, Juliana Morris and Rupa Marya, 5/1)