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| Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today | Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today |
| (1 day later) | |
| This is the Coronavirus Briefing, an informed guide to the global outbreak. Sign up here to get the briefing by email. | This is the Coronavirus Briefing, an informed guide to the global outbreak. Sign up here to get the briefing by email. |
| Propping up the faltering U.S. economy with cash | Propping up the faltering U.S. economy with cash |
| Scientists race to find a treatment | Scientists race to find a treatment |
| Strict new rules at the U.S.-Mexico border | Strict new rules at the U.S.-Mexico border |
| Get the latest updates here, plus maps and full coverage | Get the latest updates here, plus maps and full coverage |
| With big pieces of the U.S. economy rapidly shutting down because of the coronavirus outbreak, President Trump urged Congress to “go big” with a stimulus package that would include sending checks directly to many Americans. | With big pieces of the U.S. economy rapidly shutting down because of the coronavirus outbreak, President Trump urged Congress to “go big” with a stimulus package that would include sending checks directly to many Americans. |
| The details were in flux. Steven Mnuchin, secretary of the Treasury, told Republican senators privately that the administration wanted to pump about $850 billion more into the economy. About $250 billion would be used to give all but the highest earners about two weeks’ pay each. The checks would go out sometime in April. | The details were in flux. Steven Mnuchin, secretary of the Treasury, told Republican senators privately that the administration wanted to pump about $850 billion more into the economy. About $250 billion would be used to give all but the highest earners about two weeks’ pay each. The checks would go out sometime in April. |
| The pandemic is beginning to hit workers hard. Restaurants, coffee shops, gyms and other businesses are laying people off. So are hotel chains: Marriott International is furloughing tens of thousands of employees. A flood of people inquiring about unemployment insurance in New York State crashed the website. | The pandemic is beginning to hit workers hard. Restaurants, coffee shops, gyms and other businesses are laying people off. So are hotel chains: Marriott International is furloughing tens of thousands of employees. A flood of people inquiring about unemployment insurance in New York State crashed the website. |
| In less directly affected industries, employers are largely trying to keep people on the payroll, even if it means cutting hours. But many lack the means to keep that up for very long. | In less directly affected industries, employers are largely trying to keep people on the payroll, even if it means cutting hours. But many lack the means to keep that up for very long. |
| “It’s simple math,” said Deborah Weinswig, founder of Coresight Research, a business consulting firm. “You can’t have all expenses and no revenue.” | “It’s simple math,” said Deborah Weinswig, founder of Coresight Research, a business consulting firm. “You can’t have all expenses and no revenue.” |
| Kevin Hassett, a former top economic adviser to Mr. Trump, thinks the U.S. economy could shed as many as a million jobs in March because of the coronavirus. The left-leaning Economic Policy Institute projects up to three million jobs lost by summer. | Kevin Hassett, a former top economic adviser to Mr. Trump, thinks the U.S. economy could shed as many as a million jobs in March because of the coronavirus. The left-leaning Economic Policy Institute projects up to three million jobs lost by summer. |
| One bright spot: Amazon said it would hire 100,000 workers to handle an expected surge in demand for home delivery of household goods. | One bright spot: Amazon said it would hire 100,000 workers to handle an expected surge in demand for home delivery of household goods. |
| Laid off because of the virus? There’s a good chance you qualify for unemployment benefits. If you’re new to all of that, here are the basics. | Laid off because of the virus? There’s a good chance you qualify for unemployment benefits. If you’re new to all of that, here are the basics. |
| Researchers are racing to come up with a drug to fight the coronavirus, either by destroying it or by interfering with how it attacks the body, our science correspondent Carl Zimmer reports. At least 50 possible drugs are being studied. | Researchers are racing to come up with a drug to fight the coronavirus, either by destroying it or by interfering with how it attacks the body, our science correspondent Carl Zimmer reports. At least 50 possible drugs are being studied. |
| Scientists at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and the Pasteur Institute in Paris are already testing some drugs on coronavirus grown in their labs. Findings are expected at the end of the week. | Scientists at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and the Pasteur Institute in Paris are already testing some drugs on coronavirus grown in their labs. Findings are expected at the end of the week. |
| A key piece of the puzzle is understanding exactly how the virus hijacks host cells. For that, researchers at the Quantitative Biosciences Institute at the University of California, San Francisco, have drawn a map of the coronavirus. That job, which might typically take two years, was done in a few weeks. | A key piece of the puzzle is understanding exactly how the virus hijacks host cells. For that, researchers at the Quantitative Biosciences Institute at the University of California, San Francisco, have drawn a map of the coronavirus. That job, which might typically take two years, was done in a few weeks. |
| “I got to the lab and said, ‘We’ve got to drop everything else,’” said Dr. Nevan Krogan, the institute’s director. “Everybody has got to work around the clock on this.” | “I got to the lab and said, ‘We’ve got to drop everything else,’” said Dr. Nevan Krogan, the institute’s director. “Everybody has got to work around the clock on this.” |
| There’s work on a vaccine, too. The first human testing of an experimental vaccine began Monday in Seattle, with 45 healthy adult subjects ages 18 to 55. The trial is expected to take at least a year. | There’s work on a vaccine, too. The first human testing of an experimental vaccine began Monday in Seattle, with 45 healthy adult subjects ages 18 to 55. The trial is expected to take at least a year. |
| The Trump administration plans to immediately turn back anyone attempting to illegally enter the United States from Mexico in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus, several officials told The New York Times. | The Trump administration plans to immediately turn back anyone attempting to illegally enter the United States from Mexico in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus, several officials told The New York Times. |
| The administration officials said ports of entry would remain open to American citizens, green-card holders and foreigners with proper documentation, as well as to commercial traffic. | The administration officials said ports of entry would remain open to American citizens, green-card holders and foreigners with proper documentation, as well as to commercial traffic. |
| But the order calls for anyone found to have entered the United States away from a legal crossing point, including asylum seekers, to immediately be returned to Mexico, and not be detained or given any hearing in the United States. | But the order calls for anyone found to have entered the United States away from a legal crossing point, including asylum seekers, to immediately be returned to Mexico, and not be detained or given any hearing in the United States. |
| Officials said the effort was intended to prevent a virus outbreak inside border detention facilities, which they feared could spread quickly among the immigrant population and border patrol agents. | Officials said the effort was intended to prevent a virus outbreak inside border detention facilities, which they feared could spread quickly among the immigrant population and border patrol agents. |
| President Trump has already announced restrictions on travel from China and numerous countries in Europe, where there are large outbreaks of the virus. But Mexico has had only 82 confirmed cases to date — far fewer than the United States. The measure would not affect the border with Canada, which has more than 470 cases. | President Trump has already announced restrictions on travel from China and numerous countries in Europe, where there are large outbreaks of the virus. But Mexico has had only 82 confirmed cases to date — far fewer than the United States. The measure would not affect the border with Canada, which has more than 470 cases. |
| A new project from The Times’s graphics team explores just how far coronavirus testing in the United States has lagged behind other countries. Recent data shows that about 125 people per million have been tested in the United States; Italy has tested more than 16 times as many, and South Korea more than 40 times. | A new project from The Times’s graphics team explores just how far coronavirus testing in the United States has lagged behind other countries. Recent data shows that about 125 people per million have been tested in the United States; Italy has tested more than 16 times as many, and South Korea more than 40 times. |
| Updated June 16, 2020 | |
| The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave. | |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. |
| Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. | Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. |
| States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. | States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) |
| Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. | Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. |
| The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. | The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. |
| If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. | If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. |
| The coronavirus has now been identified in all 50 U.S. states, and more than 100 deaths in the country have been linked to the illness. | The coronavirus has now been identified in all 50 U.S. states, and more than 100 deaths in the country have been linked to the illness. |
| France, with more than 6,600 reported cases and 148 deaths, went into lockdown on Tuesday at noon, turning Paris into a ghost town. The European Union banned all nonessential travel to 26 member countries for the next 30 days. | France, with more than 6,600 reported cases and 148 deaths, went into lockdown on Tuesday at noon, turning Paris into a ghost town. The European Union banned all nonessential travel to 26 member countries for the next 30 days. |
| The French Open, a Grand Slam tennis tournament scheduled for May, was postponed until September. The Brooklyn Nets said four members of the team, including the all-star Kevin Durant, had tested positive. | The French Open, a Grand Slam tennis tournament scheduled for May, was postponed until September. The Brooklyn Nets said four members of the team, including the all-star Kevin Durant, had tested positive. |
| St. Patrick’s Day passed without parades in New York City, Boston and Dublin. Bars and pubs were closed in all three cities. In Ireland, people were encouraged to celebrate the day virtually using the hashtag #StPatricksDayTogether. | St. Patrick’s Day passed without parades in New York City, Boston and Dublin. Bars and pubs were closed in all three cities. In Ireland, people were encouraged to celebrate the day virtually using the hashtag #StPatricksDayTogether. |
| Florida moved to bar beach groups of more than 10, after photos showed Gulf Coast beaches packed this week. | Florida moved to bar beach groups of more than 10, after photos showed Gulf Coast beaches packed this week. |
| Two famous island resorts in the U.S. — North Haven, off the coast of Maine, and North Carolina’s Outer Banks — are trying to seal themselves off from the virus by barring all visitors. | Two famous island resorts in the U.S. — North Haven, off the coast of Maine, and North Carolina’s Outer Banks — are trying to seal themselves off from the virus by barring all visitors. |
| In Greece, the government forced the Greek Orthodox Church to suspend services. Doctors Without Borders called for the country’s overcrowded migrant camps to be evacuated. | In Greece, the government forced the Greek Orthodox Church to suspend services. Doctors Without Borders called for the country’s overcrowded migrant camps to be evacuated. |
| Survive your self-quarantine: Here are our suggestions for what to watch, listen to, cook and do with your kids. | Survive your self-quarantine: Here are our suggestions for what to watch, listen to, cook and do with your kids. |
| Manage your anxiety: A psychiatrist explains how simple awareness training can hack your brain to keep panic at bay. | Manage your anxiety: A psychiatrist explains how simple awareness training can hack your brain to keep panic at bay. |
| Don’t fall for myths: Vitamin C won’t ward off the virus; neither will zinc, echinacea or green tea. And wearing gloves may not be protective as you think. | Don’t fall for myths: Vitamin C won’t ward off the virus; neither will zinc, echinacea or green tea. And wearing gloves may not be protective as you think. |
| Master hand-washing: Experts taught us the proper technique for keeping your hands clean, including how to turn off a faucet and to scrub often-overlooked areas like fingertips and wrists. They recommend liquid soap over bars, and clean cloth or paper towels over hand dryers. | Master hand-washing: Experts taught us the proper technique for keeping your hands clean, including how to turn off a faucet and to scrub often-overlooked areas like fingertips and wrists. They recommend liquid soap over bars, and clean cloth or paper towels over hand dryers. |
| Pandemics are anti-urban, preying on the human longing for connection and the draw toward centers of capital and creativity, Michael Kimmelman, The Times’s architecture critic, observes. | Pandemics are anti-urban, preying on the human longing for connection and the draw toward centers of capital and creativity, Michael Kimmelman, The Times’s architecture critic, observes. |
| But it’s not just crowded metropolitan areas. Rick Rojas writes about how a cluster of cases has upended a rural Kentucky town. | But it’s not just crowded metropolitan areas. Rick Rojas writes about how a cluster of cases has upended a rural Kentucky town. |
| Wall-to-wall crowds packed Disney World on Sunday, the last day the theme park was open. | Wall-to-wall crowds packed Disney World on Sunday, the last day the theme park was open. |
| One good thing that may come out of the crisis? Our tech columnist, Kevin Roose, writes: “The virus is forcing us to use the internet as it was always meant to be used — to connect with one another, share information and resources and come up with collective solutions to urgent problems.” | One good thing that may come out of the crisis? Our tech columnist, Kevin Roose, writes: “The virus is forcing us to use the internet as it was always meant to be used — to connect with one another, share information and resources and come up with collective solutions to urgent problems.” |
| The coronavirus isn’t a temporary disruption — it’s the start of a completely different way of life, writes the editor in chief of the M.I.T. Technology Review. | The coronavirus isn’t a temporary disruption — it’s the start of a completely different way of life, writes the editor in chief of the M.I.T. Technology Review. |
| Seeking one last hurrah, carefree young people around the world have flouted restrictions and thrown lockdown-themed parties. | Seeking one last hurrah, carefree young people around the world have flouted restrictions and thrown lockdown-themed parties. |
| How Cardi B’s off-the-cuff video became a coronavirus anthem: It started as a 46-second monologue. It was remixed into a dance track. Now the rapper and the D.J. who transformed Cardi B's clip are promising it’ll help the needy. | How Cardi B’s off-the-cuff video became a coronavirus anthem: It started as a 46-second monologue. It was remixed into a dance track. Now the rapper and the D.J. who transformed Cardi B's clip are promising it’ll help the needy. |
| The pandemic has brought most major sports to a standstill, but the Tokyo Olympics, set to begin in late July. Can they possibly take place? | The pandemic has brought most major sports to a standstill, but the Tokyo Olympics, set to begin in late July. Can they possibly take place? |
| My three kids and I are using the time to get creative together in the kitchen and reconnect with “from scratch” cooking. We kicked things off this morning with colorful new drinks using fruits and herbs. Tomorrow, I’ll be baking my first homemade bread — I found a two-hour recipe that looks amazing! | My three kids and I are using the time to get creative together in the kitchen and reconnect with “from scratch” cooking. We kicked things off this morning with colorful new drinks using fruits and herbs. Tomorrow, I’ll be baking my first homemade bread — I found a two-hour recipe that looks amazing! |
| — Chana Davis, Vancouver | — Chana Davis, Vancouver |
| Let us know how you’re dealing with the outbreak. Send us a response here, and we may feature it in an upcoming newsletter. | Let us know how you’re dealing with the outbreak. Send us a response here, and we may feature it in an upcoming newsletter. |
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| Lara Takenaga and Tom Wright-Piersanti contributed to today’s newsletter. | Lara Takenaga and Tom Wright-Piersanti contributed to today’s newsletter. |