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April 8, 2020
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Leading the News
The most influential U.S. coronavirus model revises its estimate down . . . A leading forecasting model used by the White House to chart the coronavirus pandemic predicted Monday that the United States may need fewer hospital beds, ventilators and other equipment than previously projected and that some states may reach their peak of covid-19 deaths sooner than expected. That glimmer of potential good news came on the same day New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) said his state may already be experiencing a “flattening of the curve.” New York reported 599 new deaths Monday, on par
with Sunday’s count of 594 and down from 630 on Saturday. Washington Post
U.S. hits record daily death toll with 1,890 fatalities . . . The US has hit a new record for the highest number of coronavirus deaths reported in a single day, hitting 12,908 deaths by Tuesday evening following a spike of 1,890 fatalities in 24 hours. The previous record for most new US COVID-19 deaths in a single day was on April 4 with a spike of 1,344 cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Across the country there are over
398,813 cases of the virus reported as of Tuesday evening. In the US there's a reported fatality rate of 3.2 percent from the virus. More than 22,000 people have recovered from the respiratory illness. Daily Mail
Court allows Texas to ban most abortions during pandemic . . . A federal appeals court sided Tuesday with Texas in allowing it to ban most abortions while the state is under an emergency order that limits non-essential surgeries during the coronavirus pandemic. A panel of judges at the New Orleans-based Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a decision by a lower court that blocked the ban last week. The ruling allows the ban
to stay in place pending further legal arguments.Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott last month ordered hospitals to cancel “non-essential” surgeries in order to free up hospital space and supplies that might be needed for coronavirus patients and doctors. Associated Press
Blacks at higher risk for coronavirus death . . . As the novel coronavirus sweeps across the United States, it appears to be infecting and killing black Americans at a disproportionately high rate, according to a Washington Post analysis of early data
from jurisdictions across the country. The emerging stark racial disparity led the surgeon general Tuesday to acknowledge in personal terms the increased risk for African Americans amid growing demands that public-health officials release more data on the race of those who are sick, hospitalized and dying of a contagion that has killed more than 12,000 people in the United States. A Post analysis of available data and census demographics shows that counties that are majority-black have
three times the rate of infections and almost six times the rate of deaths as counties where white residents are in the majority. Washington Post
FDA approves trial of Japanese coronavirus drug . . . A drug that the Japanese government has claimed could be a possible treatment for coronavirus is going to see its first clinical trial in the U.S., as three Massachusetts hospitals were approved to begin their study by the FDA on
Tuesday. “The drug looks promising,” said Dr. Robert W. Finberg, an infectious disease specialist at UMass Memorial. Favipiravir, the drug known under the brand name Avigan, has actually been around since a subsidiary of Fujifilm produced it more than a decade ago as a flu treatment.
Though its effectiveness for treating COVID-19 has not yet been proven, researchers around the globe have seen promising signs, and the fact that humans have been taking it for years means that its side effects are already well-known. New York Daily News
Elderly couple married for over 50 years die of coronavirus holding hands . . . An elderly Mississippi couple died from the coronavirus just minutes apart while holding hands — after they contracted the deadly illness on a cruise ship, their pastor said. Jerry Austin Williamson and his
wife, Frances Jewel Bond Williamson, both 72, died hand-in-hand on Wednesday just six minutes apart, North Long Beach Baptist Church Pastor Rick Clark said Monday during the couple’s livestreamed funeral service. The Long Beach couple — who had been married for more than 50 years — regularly went on
cruises, sometimes up to 20 trips per year. They often returned home with some type of sickness, Clark said. New York Post
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Voters prefer Trump over Biden as leader during crisis . . . When asked who would be a better leader during the outbreak, 52 percent of voters said Obama would be better during the crisis, compared with 38 percent who said Trump would be the stronger of the two leaders. Ten percent did not have an opinion. By an
8-point margin, more voters picked Trump (44 percent) as a better leader during the crisis than Biden (36 percent), though voters were split evenly in the survey when asked whom they would trust to handle the issue. Politico
Jared Kushner team seeks national coronavirus surveillance system . . . White House senior adviser Jared Kushner’s task force has reached out to a range of health technology companies about creating a national coronavirus surveillance system to give the government a near real-time view of where patients are
seeking treatment and for what, and whether hospitals can accommodate them, according to four people with knowledge of the discussions.
The proposed national network could help determine which areas of the country can safely relax social-distancing rules and which should remain vigilant. But it would also represent a significant expansion of government use of individual patient data, forcing a new reckoning over privacy limits amid a national crisis. Politico
Democrats could cancel the Republican convention . . . Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper may soon find out what it's like to become "resistance" heroes among President Trump's detractors, and targets of his wrath. The pair of Democratic officials will have considerable say about
whether to cancel the Republican National Convention, set for Charoltte Aug. 24-27, due to social distancing concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic. Doing so would be an unpredecented move, but potentially in-line with health guidelines they've been pushing at the municipal and statewide level. Washington
Examiner
Trump assails "China centric" World Health Organization . . . Nice to see President Trump call out an agency that does China’s bidding when it is supposed to be looking after the world’s health. Meantime, it excludes Taiwan, which has been successful in its coronavirus efforts. “We pay for a majority, the
biggest portion of their money. And they actually criticized and disagreed with my travel ban at the time I did it. And they were wrong. They’ve been wrong about a lot of things,” Trump later said, suggesting he might put a hold on a lot of the money. White House Dossier
Kayleigh McEnany replaces Stephanie Grisham as press secretary . . . President Trump is moving campaign spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany over to become White House press secretary, replacing Stepanie Grisham, who will return to working for First Lady Melania Trump, this time as her chief of staff. Grisham
made the mistake of going into quarantine after hanging out with Brazilian officials who met with Trump and his aides and then tested positive for the coronavirus. So it appears she missed certain machinations by hostile parties with the palace. White House Dossier
Today's Trump Schedule
Phase IV coronavirus relief bill hits a wall . . . Pressure is building on Congress to pass another round of coronavirus relief legislation, but Republicans and Democrats have different ideas about what’s needed and how fast. Democrats want to move swiftly while GOP aides warn it’s unlikely a fourth bill
will pass before May. In a bid to give Congress more time to deliberate before passing another massive relief bill, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says he will ask for unanimous consent Thursday to provide as much as $250 billion in additional money to help small businesses keep workers on the payroll. The program, for
which Congress appropriated nearly $350 billion in the enacted $2.2 trillion CARES Act, is highly popular and faces an imminent shortfall of funding. The Hill
Senate Dems propose $25,000 bonus for essential workers . . . Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other Democrats are proposing to give
doctors, nurses and other essential workers, such as grocery store clerks, up to $25,000 in hazard pay as part of the phase four coronavirus relief bill. The bonus pay, which would amount to a $13-per-hour raise, would also go to truck drivers and janitors, who Democrats say are also essential to keeping the health care system and economy running during the crisis. It would stretch from the start of the public health emergency to the end of the year. The Hill
Rand Paul recovers from virus and volunteers at hospital
Trump removes watchdog overseeing relief bill spending . . .
President Donald Trump has upended the panel of federal watchdogs overseeing implementation of the $2 trillion coronavirus law, tapping a replacement for the Pentagon official who was supposed to lead the effort. A panel of inspectors general had named Glenn Fine — the acting Pentagon watchdog — to lead the group charged with monitoring the coronavirus
relief effort. But Trump on Monday removed Fine from his post, instead naming the EPA inspector general to serve as the temporary Pentagon watchdog in addition to his other responsibilities. Politico
Trump says he did not see aide's pandemic warning . . .
President Trump said he was not aware of memos written in January by a key adviser warning of an unfolding pandemic, but he claimed viewing them would have made no difference to his early response. For weeks, Trump was accused of playing down the potential threat from the novel coronavirus, saying it would disappear “like a miracle” in February, and of leaving the country unprepared. On Monday, it emerged that in late January, Peter Navarro, a leading China hawk in his administration, circulated memos suggesting that more than half a million Americans might die in a pandemic. Washington Examiner
ABC reporter Jonathan Karl salutes Fauci . . . Following the White House press briefing on coronavirus Monday, it appears that ABC reporter Jon Karl gives a salute to Dr. Anthony Fauci, who returned the gesture with “finger guns.” In a brief interaction only picked up on by a handful of
Twitter blue checks, Karl, who was eviscerated by President Donald Trump during the briefing, can be seen giving a little salute to Fauci. Daily Caller
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Soros-funded group urges governors to release as many prisoners as possible . . . The Brennan Center for Justice, which is heavily financed by George Soros, has submitted a letter to the governors of all fifty states urging them to use executive action to “release as many people as possible from incarceration” due to coronavirus fears “provided they do not pose serious public safety threats.” The letter cited concern that the U.S. prison population could face greater risk of illness and death than the general public due to the Chinese coronavirus pandemic. Breitbart
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Boris Johnson fever eases after second night in the ICU . . . Coronavirus-stricken British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s fever started easing as he remained in intensive care Wednesday — as Queen Elizabeth II sent a message of support to his
pregnant fiancée, according to reports. Johnson, 55, showed promising signs as he spent his second night in an intensive care unit, where he still did not need a ventilator, The Times of London reported. “He’s comfortable and in good spirits,” health minister
Edward Argar told ITV’s “Good Morning Britain,” according to The Times. New York Post
Wuhan lockdown ends . . . But even as Wuhan reopens its borders after 76 days, some restrictions within the city will remain in place, and officials warn that the threat of further infections remains far from over. The metropolis of 11 million, where the coronavirus was first detected in December, had been sealed off from the outside world since January 23 in an unprecedented effort to contain the outbreak. On Wednesday, healthy residents and visitors will finally be allowed to leave Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, with trains and flights resumed and highway entrances reopened. Wuhan's railway authority estimated more than 55,000 passengers will leave Wuhan by train Wednesday. CNN
Israel makes wearing of masks in public compulsory . . . The Israeli government issued orders on Tuesday making the wearing of masks in public compulsory to try to stem the spread of the coronavirus. It also approved a timeline for tightened travel restrictions for the Passover holiday, which begins on Wednesday when Jewish families gather for the festive "seder" meal commemorating the Biblical exodus from slavery in Egypt. Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu has said that this year, the dinner should be a small affair, limited to household members, in a bid to keep infection rates in check. Washington Free Beacon
China snake village scales down . . . Since China began frantic efforts to curb a coronavirus epidemic in late January, residents in the tiny snake breeding village of Zisiqiao have had to come to terms with a ban on wildlife trading, its lifeline for decades. Zisiqiao employed hundreds of people to breed three million snakes a year. Now, the rows of wooden slats that housed the captive reptiles stand empty, and abandoned. The Chinese
character for “snake” has even been removed from the sign on the front wall of a specialty snake meat restaurant on the village’s edge. “In the village now, there’s definitely no one breeding snakes,” said Yang Heyong, a 71-year old former breeder. Reuters
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Trump team is prepping plans to reopen the economy . . . The White House is developing plans to get the U.S. economy back in action that depend on testing far more Americans for the coronavirus than has been possible to date, according to people familiar with the matter. The effort would likely begin in smaller cities and towns in states that haven’t yet been heavily hit by the virus. Cities such as New York, Detroit, New Orleans
and other places the president has described as “hot spots” would remain shuttered. The planning is in its early stages. But with encouraging signs that the outbreak has plateaued in New York after an aggressive but economically costly social-distancing campaign, President Donald Trump and his top economic advisers are once again boldly talking about returning Americans to work. Bloomberg
Kudlow: Economy may not reopen for four to eight weeks . . . Top Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Tuesday that the economy may not re-open for as many as eight weeks as the coronavirus pandemic continues to bring American life to a halt.
Kudlow, who Politico calls a “self-described optimist” told the outlet that he believes the economy may reopen “in the next four to
eight weeks.” Daily Caller
Four requirements for getting life back to normal . . . Cases falling for 14 days, open hospital beds, a test for EVERY person showing symptoms and infection monitoring are key before 'normal' life can resume, experts say. Daily Mail
Nearly two thirds of jobs cannot be done remotely . . . A new report from the National Bureau of Economic Research has found that working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic won't be an option for two-thirds of American workers. Researchers found a strong association between the ability to work remotely with high wage positions, while sectors such as hospitality and agriculture would be harder hit, according to the report. The study, which shows that only 37 percent of American jobs can be transitioned to telecommuting, provides "an important input to predicting the economy's performance during
this or subsequent periods of social distancing." Daily Mail
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Seders to be powered by Zoom . . . There will be an extra couple of items on Kenneth Baer’s Passover Seder table this year: his iPad and his laptop. “We need lots of camera angles,” said Baer, a Democratic strategist who worked as a senior adviser in the Obama White House’s Office of Management and Budget. Baer, along with his wife and two children, will be hosting the Seder over Zoom this year with 11 others joining their table
virtually. The Hill
Folk-country singer John Prine dead at 73 of coronavirus . . .
John Prine, who for five decades wrote rich, plain-spoken songs that chronicled the struggles and stories of everyday working people and changed the face of modern American roots
music, died Tuesday at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He was 73. The cause was complications related to COVID-19. Prine, who left behind an extraordinary body of folk-country classics, was hospitalized last month after the sudden onset of COVID-19 symptoms, and was placed in intensive care for 13 days. Prine’s wife and manager, Fiona, announced on March 17th that she had tested positive for the virus after they had returned from a European tour. Rolling Stone
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Customers tackle man who coughed, spit on food at the Stop and Shop . . . They don’t mess around in Massachusetts.Customers at a grocery store in Kingston tackled a man who coughed and spit on produce amid the coronavirus pandemic, video shows. “Some guy at Stop and Shop in Kingston was coughing and spitting on the produce, he didn’t last long,” wrote Kyle Mann, who posted footage on Facebook, showing at least three men wrestling the creep. “He fought an employee and good customers took him down until the cops arrived.” New York
Post
Chicago mayor encourages social distancing and then gets a haircut . . . Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot (D.) is on defense after she was spotted getting a haircut, flouting Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker's stay-at-home order that also shut down nonessential businesses like hair salons. Photos emerged Sunday of Lightfoot getting a trim after the mayor made public service announcements encouraging social distancing and saying activities like "getting your roots done" were not essential. Washington Free Beacon
People posting lots of nudes during the pandemic . . . It took a global pandemic to motivate Alicia to send a naked photograph of herself to a friend. The US-based college student had sent nudes in the past, but only to her partner when she was in a relationship. Now single, Alicia was stuck in quarantine and wanted some validation. "So I sent them to her for her to say nice things and hype me up," Alicia told BuzzFeed News. "She responded 'she thicc, ok ok i see you mami 🔥, absolutely killing the
game'. I was happy." Alicia is not alone. Buzzfeed
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Have a great day.
Keith
Keith Koffler
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