Apr 20 W.Va. governor calls for easing restrictions By Associated Press The Republican governor said he will allow hospitals to begin performing elective procedures if the facilities meet an unspecified set of criteria, saying it would be the first step to restarting the economy. Continue reading
Apr 20 States work to keep meat plants open despite virus outbreaks By Ryan Foley, Associated Press Governors in the Midwest are working to keep large meatpacking plants operating despite coronavirus outbreaks that have sickened hundreds of workers and threaten to disrupt the nation's supply of pork and beef. Continue reading
Apr 20 Watch 4:26 Crowds gather to protest restrictions, but health experts issue grim warning By William Brangham Continue watching
Apr 20 Feds to track and share information on nursing home outbreaks By Candice Choi, Associated Press Calling nursing homes ground zero of the coronavirus crisis, federal officials said Monday they plan to start monitoring infections and deaths in such facilities to help spot trends and early signs the virus is spreading in communities. Continue reading
Apr 20 Watch 4:21 Brazil’s people fear a COVID-19 threat their president denies By Nick Schifrin, Ali Rogin How does a country mobilize to fight COVID-19 when its own president says the virus isn’t a serious matter? Brazil is in the process of finding out, as President Jair Bolsonaro prioritizes Latin America’s largest economy in the face of… Continue watching
Apr 20 Texas can ban medication abortions during virus efforts, appeals court rules By Associated Press A federal appeals court says Texas can now ban medication abortions as part of the state's emergency effort to fight the spread of the new coronavirus. Continue reading
Apr 20 Brazil’s Bolsonaro seeks end to social isolation measures By Mauricio Savarese, Associated Press The Brazilian president favors a less restrictive model in which only those in high-risk groups would be quarantined at home until the end of the outbreak. Continue reading
Apr 20 Watch 3:17 A sanitation worker’s fears about collecting trash during the pandemic During the COVID-19 pandemic, the phrase “essential workers” tends to bring to mind first responders and hospital staff. But a key function of American society is collecting garbage to keep our communities clean. PBS station WTTW in Chicago is producing… Continue watching
Apr 20 WATCH: Georgia governor aims to reopen some businesses as early as Friday By Associated Press Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has rolled out aggressive plans to reopen the state’s economy, saying many businesses shuttered to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus may reopen their doors as early as Friday. Continue reading
Apr 20 Florida slowest state in U.S. to process unemployment claims By Bobby Caina Calvan, Associated Press Nearly 7 of every 8 Floridians who managed to file claims during the three weeks from mid-March until early April were waiting to have them processed. Continue reading