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Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez has not made an announcement on how and when the county will reopen; but he made one thing clear during a virtual town hall Monday: opening beaches is not in the works.
Gimenez announced that his decision to reopen the county will be guided by the advice of medical experts. When the time comes, it will require social distancing, face coverings and groups of more than 10 people will not be allowed to convene.
During the virtual town hall, the mayor heard recommendations from members of his work group teams on reopening parks, waterways, golf courses and beaches.
They recommended that beaches in Miami-Dade not reopen at this time. If and when beaches reopen, the mayor’s team recommended that all beaches in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties coordinate reopening at the same time. Reopening should start during a weekday to ease into the weekend, per the recommendations.
The parks, waterways and golf course groups recommended strict rules for reopening those areas, including no group activities and strict distancing.
Gimenez stressed that when his county reopens zero-tolerance will be enforced.
The 51st edition of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) has been postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was announced on the organization’s website Monday.
The WSOP was scheduled to begin May 26 from the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. It is now targeted for the fall, with exact dates and events to be determined.
“In the interim, official WSOP competitions are expected to be played online this summer, and we will soon announce details of an expanded series of tournaments to be played on WSOP.com and through partnership with international operators, which will allow players to chase WSOP glory from their homes,” Stewart added.
Savannah, Georgia, Mayor Van Johnson said Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to allow some businesses in the state to reopen as early as Friday is “not based in any type of science or best practices.”
Johnson said Kemp did not talk to him or other local municipalities before announcing his decision Monday.
He said local mayors would “have the best information here on the ground.”
Kemp said earlier Monday that no local ordinance can restrict the openings, which will be implemented statewide. Johnson said because there is nothing he can do on a local policy level, he is encouraging people in Savannah to “follow common sense.”
“This is still a dangerous time, and it’s not the time for people to take their feet off the gas. Not the time to think we’re lulled into a false sense of security. This is still a dangerous world and Covid is still killing people,” he said.
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President Trump said during Monday’s White House press briefing that 50,000 to 60,000 people in the US are expected to die from coronavirus — far less than earlier projections made by the administration.
“Now we’re going toward 50 — I’m hearing, or 60,000 people. One is too many. I always say it. One is too many, but we’re going toward 50 or 60,000 people. That’s at the lower — as you know the lower (end of the projections) was supposed to be 100,000 people,” he said.
Late last month, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, told CNN’s “State of the Union” that based on models, 100,000 Americans or more could die from the virus.
According to Johns Hopkins University’s tally of cases in the United States, at least 41,575 people have died in the US from coronavirus.
President Trump and senior members of his administration suggested during Monday’s White House briefing that Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan did not need to secure coronavirus tests from South Korea.
Hogan, a Republican, has been pressing the federal government for more coronavirus testing capacity, and announced that the tests had been secured from South Korea earlier Monday.
Admiral Brett Giroir told reporters during the briefing, “I don’t know what the governor of Maryland is doing in South Korea, but there is excess capacity every day. If he wanted to send 30 or 40,000 tests to LabCorp and Quest, that could be done. That could be done tomorrow.”
Vice President Mike Pence said he would follow up with Hogan’s office. He also pointed to a slide that showed testing facilities “just in the state of Maryland.”
“I don’t know when the governor placed the order from South Korea. I wouldn’t begrudge him or his health officials for ordering tests. But the capacity for all the different laboratories and number of machines across Maryland is part of what we were communicating today,” Pence said, adding that governors were assured access to federal testing facilities.
The President was more pointed in his response to Hogan’s decision to get tests from South Korea, saying, “Take a look at that map. The governor of Maryland could have called Mike Pence, could have saved a lot of money.”
“I don’t think he needed to go to South Korea. I think he needed to get a little knowledge would’ve been helpful,” he added.
Following the President’s comments, Hogan’s spokesperson tweeted a copy of a letter from Hogan, Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam that “specifically asked for a federal testing site in the region.”
Hogan announced Monday that Maryland took delivery of 500,000 coronavirus tests from South Korea in a deal brokered with help from his South Korean born wife, Yumi.
A Boeing 777 landed at BWI on Saturday, part of what Hogan dubbed “Operation Enduring Friendship.” The coronavirus kits come from LabGenomics and Hogan says the half million kits are “equal to the total amount of testing which has been completed by four of the top five states in America combined.”
“I want to sincerely thanks our Korean partners for assisting us in this fight against our common hidden enemy,” Hogan said.
“The state of Maryland owes an incredible debt of gratitude to the people of South Korea,” he added.
President Trump said “we really don’t need” the Defense Production Act to manufacture more supplies for coronavirus testing.
Trump was asked at Monday’s White House briefing when the act will be invoked to compel a medical supplies company to make more testing swabs, and said, “We really don’t need it…sometimes all they have to do is see it coming.”
The President did not provide more clarity about when or whether the act would be invoked.
Admiral Brett Giroir, assistant secretary of health and the unofficial coronavirus task force testing czar, said there are two sides to the act — a “force” side and “a hand up” to companies.
Trump announced Sunday he will compel a US company to make swabs under the Defense Production Act, but Peter Navarro, his trade adviser who Trump tapped to coordinate DPA use, clarified to CNN Monday that the White House plans to use the act to give Puritan Medical Supplies federal funding to boost production.
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Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said that while governors have been asked to follow the federal guidelines around reopening state economies, each governor is able to “decide for themselves.”
“We have asked every governor to follow the guidelines,” Birx said, responding to a question from CNN’s Kaitlan Collins about what she thought of South Carolina beginning to reopen without reaching federal guidelines.
Birx then added though that “each of the governors can decide for themselves whether they’ve reached specific guidelines.”
She noted that states need to publicly make available their data on coronavirus cases and specifically applauded Florida for their website.
Birx also noted that Jacksonville, Florida, opened before the rest of the state and said that it makes sense because the city has had less than 20 cases a day — far less than southern parts of the state.
States starting to reopen: In addition to South Carolina loosening restrictions, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday that certain businesses in the state would be able to reopen this week in “a small step forward” out of the social distancing measures.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee also made a similar announcement today, saying the economy would start to reopen by May 1.
Democratic governors of Illinois and Louisiana also signaled Monday that different parts of their states could reopen in the near future.
Detroit’s Democratic Mayor Mike Duggan reacted to Georgia GOP Gov. Brian Kemp’s announcement that certain businesses in the state could reopen later in the week, saying it may be premature according to the science.
“The science does not support that, at least certainly not in Michigan,” said Duggan, when asked by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer of Kemp’s plan to prioritize the opening of businesses including gyms and hair salons. “…In the city of Detroit … we have knocked down the rate of this dramatically … by making a commitment as a city to care for each other.
Duggan was commended over the weekend by Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, for his effort to get coronavirus testing for everyone in the city, which has been among the hardest hit in the US by the pandemic.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said he felt that the state “was in a good spot to move forward” with the reopening of certain businesses, but acknowledged that with more people are out, cases will likely go up.
Kemp continued: “I believe we’ll be able to stay on top of it. If we have an instance where a community starts becoming a hot spot, then, you know, I will take further action. But right now feel like we’re in a good spot to move forward. “
When asked about the political implications of his decision today, Kemp said bluntly, “I don’t give a damn about politics right now.”
Earlier today: Kemp announced some businesses in the state can reopen as early as Friday.
This would include places like gyms and fitness centers, bowling alleys, body art studios, barbers, hair salons and estheticians. Theaters and restaurants can open on April 27.
All businesses that reopen must follow social distancing guidelines and screen employees for illness, the governor said.
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Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has extended the state’s stay-at-home order through May 1 to contain the spread of Covid-19.
However, some businesses, such as nurseries, garden centers, and pet grooming, will be allowed to reopen.
At least 11,686 people in Indiana have tested positive for coronavirus and at least 569 people have died, according to the statement.
President Trump took a swipe at two governors at today’s coronavirus press briefing.
Trump said Vice President Mike Pence outlined testing capacity during his call with governors earlier in the day, providing each state’s governor with a list of names, addresses, and phone numbers of labs with additional testing capacity.
He claimed Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, “didn’t understand” the list.
“Some of the governors, like, as an example, the governor from Maryland, didn’t really understand the list. He didn’t understand too much about what was going on,” Trump said.
He then criticized Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat.
“Pritzker from Illinois did not understand his capacity (to test), not simply ask the federal government to provide unlimited support,” he said.
Trump also praised comments from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo regarding his state’s testing capacity, noting that Cuomo will be traveling to Washington tomorrow and will meet with him in the Oval Office “with some of his people.”
Cuomo’s spokesperson Dani Lever confirmed the meeting will take place tomorrow afternoon, but had no further details about the visit or attendees.
The President said during the briefing that Vice President Mike Pence explained existing coronavirus testing capabilities to governors on a call earlier Monday.
“Through the public-private partnerships and deregulation, the federal government has already made immense testing capabilities available, but some states need to take action fully utilize it,” Trump said.
“We’ll be doubling our number of daily tests if the governors bring their states fully online through the capability that they have. They have tremendous capability already out there, existing and we explained that to the governor(s) today,” Trump told reporters. “Mike and all the people explained it very strongly to the governors. They really get it now, I think.”
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President Trump suggested today that there could be a Senate vote on a supplemental small business package Tuesday.
“Hopefully, tomorrow the Senate’s going to be able to vote. A lot of progress has been made on that, tremendous progress, great plan,” Trump said.
Trump said his administration is pushing for an additional $75 billion for hospitals and other health care providers in the deal.
The Senate will try to pass a deal as soon as tomorrow afternoon, according to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Sources tell CNN House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told House Democrats that a deal could be reached as soon as tonight and said if there’s a deal tonight, the vote in the House will be Wednesday. If the deal comes together Tuesday, she said, the House vote will be Thursday.
Iowa Premium National Beef Plant in Tama has resumed operations today, just one day after state health officials said at least 177 of its employees had tested positive for Covid-19 and the governor reported the plant as a “new outbreak” location at today’s news conference.
An employee who answered the phone at the plant Monday afternoon told CNN that “we are back online as of today, we did a kill today.”
The plant originally closed on April 10.
CNN has reached out to National Beef for comment but has not heard back.
The bigger picture: Several major meat processors across the US are starting to shut down plants as employees are getting infected by coronavirus.
Consumers are unlikely to see any shortages because of production disturbances. But the closures are devastating for some meat producers, which have remained open during the pandemic. Food suppliers are essential businesses.
The United States has a large enough meat inventory to prevent shortages for consumers, explained Christine McCracken, senior analyst of animal protein for Rabobank. Processors that were previously servicing restaurants or cafes have started to sell to retailers. And some restaurants are selling groceries, including meat, directly to customers.
Protesters marched through the streets of downtown Sacramento today, voicing their displeasure with California’s stay-at-home order instituted by health officials and the governor to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
While the protesters had obtained a permit to stage the demonstration, organizers had said initially that they intended to practice the social distancing guidelines being promoted, and simply drive around the state capitol in their cars, honking their horns.
However, aerial video from CNN affiliate KCRA showed dozens of protesters gathering and walking along the sidewalk, outside of their vehicles.
A California Highway Patrol spokesperson for the Capitol Protection Division said it is too early to tell how the protest will evolve since it is still underway.
The Sacramento protest, permitted for 500 people, mirrors protests in other American cities in recent days.
Some background: The event was promoted on social media from an organization called Freedom Angels, which called it a “family friendly event.”
“You have a choice to either participate in the gridlock by remaining in your vehicle or join us by foot as we assemble on the West Steps of the Capitol,” the group said on Facebook.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced she will be taking a 10% pay cut to her salary during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking at a news conference, she said she asked her senior executive staff to also take a 5% cut.
Whitmer went on to say the state is facing a tough budget.
Michigan has at least 32,000 cases of Covid-19, the fifth-highest number in the nation, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker told reporters that as he considers changes to the statewide stay-at-home order scheduled to expire at the end of the month, he could consider different guidelines for reopening certain parts of the state.
“There’s a lot of distance, as you can imagine, between people’s homes in rural areas of Illinois. And so the idea of people going outside and wearing a mask on a property of theirs that might be 100 acres, or 10 acres, is much different than the prospect of somebody you know on the north side or the west side of Chicago,” he said.
But Pritzker said the decision on how and when to open what is not simple.
“I think the important thing is that that we want to keep people safe and also give them the ability to do as much as possible without spreading the virus. And so those are the complications,” he said. “None of this is done on a whim.”
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the White House is taking credit for bringing badly needed personal protection equipment into the country, but that when it arrives, it rarely goes straight to state governments to disperse themselves.
Pritzker said an airplane brings goods, like personal protection equipment, from China back to the United States.
He said the distributors then decide where those goods go, not the government.
“So what they’re taking credit for, the White House, is that the distributors have customers in Illinois, that they’re sending goods to, because those customers ordered those items,” Pritzker continued. “So that’s a far cry from delivering to the state so that we can distribute to, for example, a nursing home that has an outbreak.”
“That’s not what’s happening by them. What they’re doing is delivering to for profit businesses that are selling for profit to their prior customers who have ordered things from them,” he added.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told House Democrats that a deal could be reached as soon as tonight on the small business package, according to three sources on the call.
She said if there’s a deal tonight, the vote in the House will be Wednesday. If the deal comes together tomorrow, she said the House vote will be Thursday.
The Senate will try to pass a deal as soon as tomorrow afternoon, according to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Connecticut has 1,853 new coronavirus cases and 204 new deaths since yesterday, Gov. Ned Lamont announced on Monday.
There is now at least 19,815 coronavirus cases and 1,331 coronavirus deaths in the state.
Lamont said the jump can be attributed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changing the way cases are classified to include people who died of Covid-like symptoms or complications related to coronavirus.
Lamont said more testing is still needed before the state can reopen. He said some parts of the state might be able to reopen earlier than others.
The state has also ordered tens of thousands of “fever-meters” thermometers, which Lamont says will be “incredibly helpful” when people go back to work. The thermometers can be used at big manufacturers to check workers before they enter the building, he said.
