Report: Pandemic likely to last two years . . . The coronavirus pandemic is likely to last as long as two years and won’t be controlled until about two-thirds of the world’s population is immune, a group of experts said in a report. Because of its ability to spread from people who don’t appear to be ill, the virus may be harder to control than influenza, the cause of most pandemics in recent history, according to the report from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. People may actually be at their most infectious before symptoms appear, according to the report. Bloomberg

 

Trump says he has seen evidence virus emerged from Wuhan lab . . . President Trump said Thursday that he has seen evidence linking the novel coronavirus to a lab in Wuhan, China, without providing further details. “Yes, I have,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked directly whether he had seen evidence that gives him confidence the virus was tied to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. “And I think that the World Health Organization should be ashamed of themselves because they’re like the public relations agency for China,” Trump added. The president, noting that the matter was under investigation, declined to answer later when pressed on what gave him such confidence to link the virus to the lab in China. “I can’t tell you that. I am not allowed to tell you that,” Trump said. The Hill

 

 

Fauci warns states against opening too fast . . . America's top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci has warned states against moving too fast as more than two dozen move ahead with plans to relax coronavirus restrictions on business and social life. With White House guidelines for social distancing expire today, and states have been grappling with when and how to revive their economies while still keeping residents safe with stay-at-home and social-distancing policies. The states that have, or are about to reopen, have put plans in place despite the safeguards the White House had recommended, including 14-day declines in infection rates and expanded virus testing. Fauci warned those states that are reopening that they could be tempting a rebound by opening too soon. Daily Mail

 

 

Nearly 900 workers at Tyson Foods pork plant test positive . . . 

Nearly 900 workers at an Indiana Tyson Foods pork processing plant have tested positive for the coronavirus. The meat processing facility in Logansport, Indiana, is one of several Tyson plants across the country that have voluntarily closed due to virus outbreaks. County officials have been working with Tyson, the largest US meat supplier, to develop a reopening plan. The plan gained steam after President Trump on Tuesday invoked the Defense Production Act to mandate meat plants stay open during the pandemic, the report said. The Logansport plant employs 2,200 people — 890, or 40 percent of which, have tested positive for the illness. New York Post

 

Coronavirus cases surge at reopened beef plant . . . COVID-19 cases at a JBS meatpacking plant in Colorado have more than doubled “in a number of days” and a sixth employee died of the virus, a union official said on Thursday, underscoring the risks of U.S. meat plants reopening. The beef plant in Greeley, Colorado, started operating last Friday after it was closed for about two weeks following an outbreak among workers. Reuters

 

Biden picks Chris Dodd of "waitress sandwich" fame to vet VP picks . . . Former Vice President Joe Biden selected former Sen. Chris Dodd as a key member of his committee that will select a female running mate Thursday - despite allegations about the Connecticut senator's conduct involving a woman at a D.C. restaurant with Sen. Ted Kennedy in the 1980s. Dodd has known Biden for decades. He also developed a close friendship with the Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, and the two men became the subjects of reporting about alleged alcohol-fueled conduct. In one case, the six-foot-two, 225-plus-pound Kennedy grabs the five-foot-three, 103-pound waitress and throws her on the table. She lands on her back, scattering crystal, plates and cutlery and the lit candles. 'Several glasses and a crystal candlestick are broken. Kennedy then picks her up from the table and throws her on Dodd, who is sprawled in a chair. Daily Mail

 

Video || Pelosi said Thursday she was "satisfied" with Biden response, then told there was none
 

Trump tells Acosta CNN "tormented" Gen. Flynn and demands it cover him fairly . . . The new evidence emerging that the FBI targeted former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn by trying to entrap him is both abhorrent and frightening. The press thinks President Trump is going to create a police state, when in fact it was their hero James Comey and likely others in the Obama administration all along. Now Trump demands CNN cover the newest information about the Flynn investigation with the same intensity they followed the attempt to put him in jail. Trump knows that no such thing will happen, but he does want to point out the bias. White House Dossier

 

 

Pence wears a face mask . . .  Vice President Mike Pence wore a face mask Thursday while touring a ventilator manufacturing facility after taking heat for not doing so at the Mayo Clinic earlier this week. Pence, touring a General Motors/Ventec plant in Indiana, was joined in wearing a mask by White House adviser Peter Navarro and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. On Tuesday, Pence opted not to wear a mask on a visit to the Minnesota health center, creating significant controversy. New York Post

 

Trump threatens new tariffs against China in retaliation  for coronavirus . . . Trump said on Thursday his hard-fought trade deal with China was now of secondary importance to the coronavirus pandemic and he threatened new tariffs on Beijing, as his administration crafted retaliatory measures over the outbreak. Trump’s sharpened rhetoric against China reflected his growing frustration with Beijing over the pandemic, which has cost tens of thousands of lives in the United States alone, sparked an economic contraction and threatened his chances of re-election in November. Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a range of options against China were under discussion, but cautioned that efforts were in the early stages. Reuters

 

Lockdowns ease across Asia . . . In Asia, many places have seen a sharp decline in cases recently.

Hong Kong reported two new cases Friday after a five-day string of zero new infections. New cases have stayed below five over the past 13 days. China’s National Health Commission on Friday reported 12 new infections for the previous day, with half of those coming from overseas travelers. In South Korea, one of the hardest-hit countries in Asia in the early stages of the pandemic, daily cases have stayed below 11 all week, prompting many people to take advantage of a six-day public holiday. Wall Street Journal

Amazon loses money during second quarter . . . 

Amazon on Thursday said it could post its first quarterly loss in five years even as revenue surges because it is spending at least $4 billion in response to the coronavirus pandemic, including plans to test its workforce for COVID-19. Shares of Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, fell 5% in after-hours trade. Jeff Bezos, the company’s founder and world’s richest person, said in a statement, “we’re not thinking small,” a sign that the e-commerce company would invest heavily during the pandemic. Rival brick-and-mortar retailers have had to shut stores while Amazon hired 175,000 people. Reuters

 

The 17-year-old was pictured being pinned to the side of a vehicle by a police officer after chaos broke out between law enforcement and mourners at the funeral of Rabbi Cheskel Wagshel in Borough Park. Shocking footage also showed officers chasing after a hearse as they tried to disperse the crowds of people ignoring social distancing. Screams and shouts can be heard in the videos, posted on social media, as officials faced came under renewed criticism for singling out Jews. Daily Mail

 

Drive-in theaters make a comeback . . . Thousands of people across the country are staying home to stop the spread of the coronavirus -- but an old-school activity is making a comeback. Drive-in movie theaters nationwide have become a nostalgic way for families to pass the time while social distancing guidelines are in place. The Starlight Drive-in theater in Atlanta was forced to closed in March when the coronavirus hit home. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the Atlanta drive-in reopened last week, and residents are packing the theater -- all in the comfort, and safety, of their vehicle. Fox News

 

 

Price of filet mignon drops by 40% . . . Top-shelf meats such as filet mignon have dropped to their lowest prices in a decade as steakhouses across the country are shut down due to nationwide lockdowns. The coronavirus pandemic has seen the value of prime meats typically sold in restaurants and steakhouses plunge nearly 40 percent due to a decrease in demand. At the same time, the cost of simpler meats like ground beef and ribeyes have surged as customers flock to stores and stock up food to wait out quarantine orders - and the prices will likely keep rising due to meat packing closures. Daily Mail

 

NASCAR to resume season without spectators . . . NASCAR, which postponed racing in mid-March due to concerns over the novel coronavirus, said its season will resume on May 17 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. The race will be the first of seven over an 11-day span at Darlington Raceway and Charlotte Motor Speedway. “NASCAR and its teams are eager and excited to return to racing, and have great respect for the responsibility that comes with a return to competition,” Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer said in a statement. Reuters

 

Anderson Cooper welcomes a son . . . Anderson Cooper has announced the birth of his child, a boy named Wyatt Cooper. 

The CNN town hall anchor shared the first picture of his son Thursday night, telling viewers: 'As a gay kid I never thought I'd have a child.'

He thanked the child's surrogate mother and the medical professionals who delivered him amid the coronavirus outbreak during the emotional segment which began by acknowledging the 'difficult times' the nation is going through. Daily Mail

 

Andrew Cuomo: Hey girls, I'm available . . . "I am eligible," Cuomo said during an interview with 1010 WINS anchor Susan Richards on Thursday. Richards asked the 62-year-old father of three about new poll results by Long Island matchmaker Maureen Tara Nelson who said she surveyed 100 of her 2,000 female clients and concluded that Cuomo and his younger brother, Chris Cuomo -- an anchor on CNN -- are two of the most eligible bachelors in the country. “Now that you raise it, most wanted eligibility, my brother is married, I am not married, so I don’t think he would qualify as eligible, however, I am eligible,” Cuomo joked. Fox News

 

"Black Death doctor" roams British village . . . There are ways to dress protectively during a pandemic, and there are ways that scream, “too soon.” A mysterious black-swathed figure dressed in full 17th-century plague doctor garb falls into that category, according to residents of the otherwise idyllic English village he has been roaming through for the past two weeks. “Scared the life out of my missus,” wrote one social media commentator. “Terrifying for kids.” Another was flummoxed. “It’s bloody terrifying for poor little kids.” NY Daily News