President Donald Trump. | Win McNamee/Getty Images
Few Americans trust President Donald Trump when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey, and fewer than half of respondents believe the federal government is taking sufficient steps to combat the public health crisis.
An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released Tuesday shows that only 37 percent of those polled have either “a good amount” or “a great deal” of trust in the the information they hear from the president about the coronavirus, while 60 percent say they do “not very much” or “not at all” trust Trump’s words on the subject.
Among those surveyed, the president’s trust ratings regarding the coronavirus rank lower than other prominent sources of information, including the news media, state and local governments, and public health experts. More Americans than do not disapprove of the way he is handling the pandemic, 49 percent to 44 percent, and his overall job approval rating rests at 43 percent.
The claim: The coronavirus originated outside China
A piece published by the Centre for Research on Globalization and circulated on social media claims the virus known as COVID-19 originated outside China.
That March 11 posting makes references to a March 4 post on the same site by the same author that claims the virus “may have originated in the U.S.” Titled “A Shocking Update. Did The Virus Originate in the U.S.?” the earlier post makes several questionable claims about the origins of COVID-19 while misrepresenting cited research and media reports.
The central claim of both the March 4 and 11 posts — that COVID-19 may have been brought to China by the U.S. Army — was recently echoed by a Chinese government official on Twitter. The Chinese official’s claims were presented without evidence.
Several of the central statements in the March 4 article misrepresent cited research or make unclear assertions. USA TODAY reached out to Larry Romanoff, author of both posts, for clarification on several of the claims made, but was unable to reach him for comment.
What researchers say: COVID-19 originated in China
The consensus among researchers studying the spread of the virus pinpoints COVID-19’s likely origin to a “wet market,” or live animal market, in Wuhan, China. Though experts have not ruled out the possibility that the pathogen could have been brought to the market by an already infected person, there is no evidence to suggest COVID-19 originated outside the country.
The origin theory for the virus is supplemented by preliminary research into the disease’s genome, as well as the origins of similar diseases. Researchers at the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre published the genome of COVID-19 two weeks after cases were reported in late December 2019. Gene sequencing analysis strongly suggests the virus originated in bats and was transferred to humans through a yet-unidentified intermediary species. In early February, Chinese researchers published work suggesting the intermediary species may have been the pangolin (also called a scaly anteater), though this work has not yet undergone a peer-reviewed study.
The conditions for such interspecies pathogen transfer are ripe in wet markets, which are common in parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, resulted from a virus transferring from bats to civet cats and then humans. SARS, discovered in 2003, originated at a wet market similar to the one now suspected to be the origin of COVID-19.
Other claims and theories about the origins of COVID-19, including that the virus was brought to by the U.S. Army during the Military World Games in October in Wuhan, are unsubstantiated and not supported by research into the virus.
An article circulating on social media claims COVID-19 did not originate in China. We rate this claim FALSE because it is not supported by research. The consensus among experts researching the virus places the beginning of its spread at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, China.
Six counties in the San Francisco Bay Area issued a shelter-in-place order to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
The Monday order required all people in San Francisco to remain in their homes. Officials asked that residents only leave to exercise, buy food, or pick up medical supplies. The policy, which will be in place for three weeks, asks residents to avoid any other travel. Nearly 7 million people reside in the counties that issued the order.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed said the move was necessary after a “terrible response” to COVID-19 by the Trump administration. Breed explained, “We can’t sit back and wait for the federal government to do anything. Unfortunately, they have not been as proactive as they should in recognizing this is a crisis throughout the world.”
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo agreed, saying, “We must move aggressively and immediately. History will not forgive us for waiting an hour more.”
Grant Colfax, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, admitted that the policy sounded extreme but said it was necessary to keep people healthy. He explained, “I know today’s order is a radical step. It has to be. We need to act now, all of us, to protect the public health.”
Employees in some positions deemed essential will still be allowed to go to work, including those in the public safety, sanitation, and medical service industries. Restaurants will also be open, but only for carryout or delivery options.
San Francisco’s massive homeless populationis exempt from the shelter-in-place order, but authorities have urged people without homes to try and find a shelter to stay in as the outbreak continues.
The San Francisco Bay Area is just the latest of several cities and states to announce closures of public places, including schools, bars, and restaurants. As of Monday, California had 400 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. The country as a whole has more than 4,200 cases.
The Coronavirus pandemic is putting further pressure on some of the world’s lowest-paid workers. Governments are putting cities in lockdown, urging everyone to avoid public spaces and to work from home if possible. However, many so-called ‘gig economy’ workers around the world don’t have that option. Workers such as couriers, ride-share drivers, service staff and the self-employed face weeks without pay. Many say they can’t afford to miss work because they don’t get social benefits like sick pay or medical insurance. So, how to protect the millions of workers potentially exposing themselves to COVID-19?
Presenter: Maryam Nemazee
Guests:
Greg Howard – Delivery Driver for various apps such as Deliveroo who is currently in self-isolation at home.
Shannon Liss-Riordon – Attorney who has represented gig economy workers in the United States.
Vicky Pryce – Chief Economic Adviser at the UK-based think tank Centre for Economics and Business Research.
The hope on the part of White House officials is not to avoid a sharp economic slowdown — they all know it is coming — but that the short-term pain from extreme measures will lead to a flattening in the curve of the virus spread. Then economic activity can be made up when the crisis ebbs.
But that will require agreement on a massive package of aid for both individuals and corporations to stave off mass bankruptcies and waves of layoffs. The White House hopes for a V-shaped economic cycle this time: a recession in which growth plunges then sharply recovers as consumers emerge from their bunkers with jobs to go to and money to spend.
Kevin Hassett, the former White House Council of Economic Advisers chairman who remains in contact with Trump and the White House, said in an interview that jobs reports for March and April could show horrific numbers that will force massive congressional action if it has not already occurred by then.
He predicted losses of perhaps over 1 million jobs in coming reports and a spike in the jobless rate. “We really could see the worst jobs reports we’ve ever seen in our history.”
Hassett said he did calculations over the weekend with conservative economist Larry Lindsey showing that the economy could contract by 5 percent in the second quarter, though a swift containment of the virus could lead to a bounce-back in the third quarter. (Goldman Sachs economists also predicted a drop of around 5 percent in economic growth in the second quarter.)
And he noted that infighting between the House and Senate and uncertainty about the next stimulus package from the White House could make matters far worse. The White House is trying to settle on a package that would include a payroll tax suspension and emergency lending facilities, including from the Federal Reserve, and other measures for impacted businesses that would stop short of direct cash “bailouts,” a politically toxic word since the bank rescues of 2008 and 2009.
William Lee, chief economist at the Milken Institute, suggested the United States is headed into what could be the first recession whose length and depth will be determined largely by how effectively Washington responds, both on the fiscal and public health fronts.
“This will be first recession induced by public health policies, and the nature of those public health policies and their effectiveness accelerating the recovery from the virus. And that will determine the course of the depth of the recession.”
Lee said he was certain the second quarter would show a contraction, but that multiple policies, most of which are currently under consideration, could prime the economy to bounce back.
Those policies would include direct aid to corporations slammed by the virus, through loan forbearance and acceptance of late payments. He also suggested credit rating firms would have to take into account the impact of the virus when making ratings changes, including potentially crippling downgrades.
On the consumer side, Lee said supplemental sick pay leave and extended benefits for laid-off workers would be critical along with payments to cover day care. “Our avenues for pushing this stuff out through negative income taxes for households can be easily done. The key thing as that as soon as people feel safe to go out, that they have money in their pockets and they go and spend it.”
Lee said he did not believe in giving free money away to corporations, but that decisions would have to be made about which companies are simply mismanaged and which are suffering directly from the virus. “We have to be generous about getting money out. It’s really important to preserve the transport infrastructure. We can’t have airlines filing for bankruptcy.”
Joel Prakken, chief U.S. economist and IHS Markit, said in a note to clients that the spread of Covid-19 to the U.S. “is causing a sharp contraction in spending on activities that involve travel and congregating in public.” His firm now expects a recession to start in the second quarter, delivering a peak-to-trough decline in GDP of 2.3 percent, with the jobless rate rising to 6 percent by mid-2021.
Goldman Sachs analysts increased their expectations for stimulus action out of Washington. Their base case is to see stimulus worth 1 to 2 percent of GDP in both 2020 and 2021, or roughly $400 billion to $800 billion worth.
White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow said Monday the administration was pursuing at least $800 billion in relief for an economy hit by the crisis.
Seven counties in the greater San Francisco Bay Area region have issued a shelter-in-place order to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Here’s how it works.
Why it’s being done
The San Francisco Bay Area is the hardest-hit region in California with regards to coronavirus cases. More than 290 cases have been reported in the six Bay Area counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara, as well as the neighboring county of Santa Cruz.
In Santa Clara County alone, more than 130 cases were confirmed and more than 50 have been hospitalized. Officials expect the number of cases to worsen.
Officials say slowing the spread of the virus is urgent to prevent hospitals from getting overwhelmed. Older adults and those with underlying medical conditions are most at risk for critical illness, with their bodies unable to fight off a viral infection of the lungs that can result in a failure to breathe on their own, septic shock and multiple organ failure.
“Some individuals who contract the COVID-19 virus have no symptoms or have mild symptoms, which means they may not be aware they carry the virus,” the order said. “Because even people without symptoms can transmit the disease, and because evidence shows the disease is easily spread, gatherings can result in preventable transmission of the virus.”
What does the order say?
Officials are directing the public to stay at home as much as possible, with certain exceptions, such as to go out and get food at supermarkets, pick up prescriptions at the pharmacy, buy gas, go to the bank and check up on relatives.
“You will still be able to walk your dog, or go on a hike alone or someone you live with, or even with another person, as long as you keep six feet between you,” Dr. Grant Colfax, the San Francisco director of health, said at a press conference.
Certain essential activities are exempt, such as essential government and business services or essential public infrastructure construction, like housing. Essential activities are defined below.
The order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. It’ll continue until 11:59 p.m. on April 7, unless rescinded earlier or extended.
What kinds of businesses are now ordered closed?
All bars and nightclubs
Gyms and recreation facilities
Essential businesses are urged to remain open. A list of them is below.
Are restaurants and cafes ordered closed?
Restaurants and cafes can remain open for takeout and delivery.
How big can gatherings be now?
All public and private gatherings of any number of people outside a single household or living unit are now banned, with certain exceptions listed below.
What kind of travel is banned?
All travel, including by car and public transit, is banned except for essential travel or essential activities, as defined below. Public transit riders should try to stay six feet away from others.
What about homeless people?
Homeless people are not subject to this order but are urged to find shelter.
How will it be enforced?
San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said police are asking the public to voluntarily comply. While violation of the health order could be enforceable as a misdemeanor, “that is an absolute last resort,” Scott said. “This is not about a criminal justice approach to a public health issue.”
What are essential activities that are still allowed to occur?
To do things essential to health and safety of the household, including pets, like getting medical supplies, visiting a clinic or hospital, or obtaining supplies to work from home.
To obtain needed services or supplies, like buying groceries.
To engage in outdoor activities like walking, hiking or running, while keeping six feet away from others.
To do work defined as essential business, defined below.
To care for a family member or pet in another household.
To continue working for a healthcare operation, like a hospital, clinic, dentist’s office, pharmacy, pharmaceutical and biotech company, a healthcare facility, healthcare supplier, home healthcare service, mental health provider, veterinary office or other related services.
To continue working for construction projects needed for essential infrastructure, such as building housing, airport operations, and work on water, sewer, gas, electrical, oil refining, roads and highways, public transportation, solid waste collection, internet, and telecom systems.
To continue working as first responders, emergency management personnel, emergency dispatchers, court personnel, and law enforcement. Anyone needed to ensure the continuing operation of government agencies and provide for the health, safety and welfare of the public is exempt.
People at high risk for severe illness, such as the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, are urged to remain at home except as needed to seek medical care.
If you go out, what are you supposed to do?
Stay six feet away from other people — the distance at which virus-infected saliva can travel in someone’s cough or sneeze; wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds often or use hand sanitizer; cover coughs and sneezes; stop shaking hands;
Other than healthcare workers and other essential workers, if you have a medical condition that puts you at risk for serious complications for the coronavirus, stay at home;
For employers, take all steps needed to allow workers to work from home to the extent possible.
What are essential businesses under this order?
Healthcare operations
Grocery stores, certified farmers’ markets, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores, and other establishments that sell canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, pet supplies, fresh meats, fish and poultry, and household products such as cleaning and personal care products.
Food cultivation, like farming, livestock and fishing
Businesses that provide food, shelter and social services and other necessities of life for the needy
Newspapers, TV, radio and other media services
Gas stations, auto supply, auto repair and related facilities
Banks and related financial institutions
Hardware stores
Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, and other service providers who provide services that are necessary to maintaining safety and sanitation
Businesses providing mailing and shipping services, including post office boxes
Educational institutions — including public and private K-12 schools, colleges and universities — for purposes of facilitating distance learning or performing essential functions
Laundromats, dry cleaners, and laundry service providers
Restaurants and other facilities that prepare and serve food, but only for delivery or carry out. Schools and other entities that typically provide free food services to students or members of the public may continue to do so under this order on the condition that the food is provided to students or members of the public on a pickup and takeaway basis only. Schools and other entities that provide food services under this exemption shall not permit the food to be eaten at the site where it is provided, or at any other gathering site
Businesses that supply products needed for people to work from home
Businesses that supply other essential businesses with the support or supplies necessary to operate
Businesses that ship or deliver groceries, food, goods or services directly to residences
Airlines, taxis and other private transportation providers providing transportation services necessary for essential activities
Home-based care for seniors, adults and children
Residential facilities and shelters for seniors, adults and children
Professional services, such as legal or accounting services, when necessary to assist in compliance with legally mandated activities
Childcare facilities providing services that enable employees exempted in this order to work as permitted. To the extent possible, childcare facilities must operate under the following mandatory conditions:
Childcare must be carried out in stable groups of 12 or fewer (“stable” means that the same 12 or fewer children are in the same group each day).
Children shall not change from one group to another.
If more than one group of children is cared for at one facility, each group shall be in a separate room. Groups shall not mix with each other.
Childcare providers shall remain solely with one group of children.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said the state’s primary polls will be ordered closed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The Republican governor said in a statement, “During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis, to conduct an election tomorrow would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at an unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus.”
DeWine said Amy Acton, director of the state’s health department, will order the polls closed as a health emergency. He also said Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose will pursue voting options through the courts.
Ohio was one of the four states scheduled to hold presidential primaries on Tuesday. Illinois, another state expected to vote Tuesday, said in an earlier Monday statement that it was “proceeding with plans for tomorrow’s primary as scheduled.”
DeWine’s announcement comes after a judge rejected a lawsuit that sought to postpone the state’s primaries to June 2.
The Columbus Dispatch had reported that Franklin County Judge Richard Frye said such a delay, 12 hours before voting was scheduled to begin, would set a “terrible precedent.” Ohio polls were scheduled to open at 6:30 a.m. ET Tuesday.
Earlier, DeWine said that although he lacked the legal authority to suspend the election, he made the recommendation in light of guidance from public health officials. Over the weekend, the CDC had advised people to reschedule events with 50 or more people.
On Sunday, DeWine ordered bars and restaurants in Ohio to close their doors to in-house customers. He said, however, restaurants would still be able to continue their takeout and delivery options.
As of 2 p.m. Monday, the Ohio Department of Health has reported 50 cases in the state. Nationwide, there have been at least 4,600 cases, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
— CNBC’s Tucker Higgins contributed to this report.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has been critical of the Trump administration’s response to the … [+] coronavirus pandemic.
Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Topline: President Trump told a group of governors on Monday to “try getting [emergency equipment] yourselves,” the New York Times first reported, after several state and city officials blasted his administration’s slow response to the coronavirus pandemic, as the number of cases and deaths nationwide continues to climb.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who said Wednesday that coronavirus would be “the public health version of Hurricane Katrina” and slammed the Centers for Disease Control’s initial response as “absurd and nonsensical,” wrote in a Sunday New York Times op-ed that, “Every country affected by this crisis has handled it on a national basis. The United States has not.”
New York City mayor and former Democratic presidential candidate Bill de Blasio on February 28 described the federal response as “malpractice,” and in a Sunday CNN appearance said the administration was playing “catch up” with the virus.
J.B. Pritzker, the governor of Illinois, tweeted on Saturday that the “federal government needs to get its s@#t [sic] together NOW” after travelers were met with four-hour long lines for medical screening at O’Hare International Airport after the Trump administration enacted a 30-day travel ban from Europe.
Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot tweeted at Trump that “we have no time for your incompetence” due to O’Hare’s airport chaos; Mayor Ron Nirenberg of San Antonio, Texas, on March 9 described the Trump administration’s lack of a coordinated response as “simply stunning.”
Former New York City mayor and Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg funded an ad in February for his now-defunct campaign attacking Trump over coronavirus, in which he says “There’s nobody here to figure out what the hell we should be doing.”
Despite Trump calling Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee a “snake,” on March 6 and claiming that he told Vice President Mike Pence to not be complementary of the governor, Inslee brushed off the slight, calling it “background noise,” Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan said later that day the administration’s “name-calling and making inaccurate off-the-cuff comments [was] simply irresponsible.”
Crucial quote: “Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment—try getting it yourselves,” Trump told the governors, according to the Times, adding, “We will be backing you, but try getting it yourselves. Point of sales, much better, much more direct if you can get it yourself.”
Chief critic: Trump. He fired back at Cuomo on Twitter Monday: “Cuomo of New York has to “do more”.[sic] Cuomo shot back, writing, “I have to do more? No—YOU have to do something! You’re supposed to be the President.”
Key background: According to the Washington Post, the administration, and specifically Pence, have been in regular contact with state governments as they work to contain the spread of coronavirus. Part of that response has been requests from state governments for equipment needed to fight the coronavirus on the ground. New York City, for example, has asked for 300,000 additional masks and other protective gear from the federal government. The virus, however, has continued to infect more Americans, with over 3,800 cases and at least 69 deaths as of Monday afternoon, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Trump said Friday that he does not take responsibility for the slow, botched rollout of testing for coronavirus during a press conference to announce a national state of emergency over the pandemic, despite an earlier report that said Trump didn’t push more aggressively for tests because it might hurt his chances for reelection.
Hong Kong will put all visitors under a two-week quarantine and medical surveillance starting midnight on March 19 to prevent further spread of the new coronavirus, chief executive Carrie Lam said at a press briefing.
The government also told Hong Kong residents to avoid all non-essential travel and issued its second-highest red outbound travel alert to all countries and territories except for mainland China, Macao and Taiwan.
As of Monday, Hong Kong, which is one of Asia’s major financial hubs, has confirmed 157 cases and four deaths in the city. The first cases in the city were detected as early as January but swift measures, as well as social distancing efforts, kept the number of infections relatively low.
The coronavirus, which was first detected in China’s Hubei province, causes the COVID-19 disease that infected at least 168,000 people worldwide and killed more than 6,600 people, according to data from the World Health Organization. Many countries have recently stepped up travel restrictions and business closures to prevent the virus from spreading.
Lam said Hong Kong recorded 57 new cases in recent weeks, and 50 of those cases are imported from overseas and that local transmission remained low. Without taking stringent measures at the moment, Hong Kong’s past efforts to prevent the spread of the disease would go to waste, she said in a translation of her remarks.
Lack of proper measures could lead to community outbreaks and burden Hong Kong’s health care system.
Trump was joined at the briefing by his key health advisers, including Fauci, Birx and Vice President Mike Pence, who is leading the administration’s response.
A growing number of governors earlier Monday followed the lead of fellow executives, announcing closures of bars, restaurants and other venues in states across the country. The new guidance similarly calls for any bars, restaurants, food courts, gyms and other venues to be closed in areas where there’s evidence of community transmission.
Trump held separate video teleconferences with G-7 leaders and governors on Monday morning to discuss the response to the coronavirus.
“Went very well,” he tweeted after speaking to governors.
During the call, however, Trump urged governors to try to get respirators, ventilators and other equipment themselves. Hospital systems have raised alarms over a lack of beds and medical supplies to handle the crush of anticipated patients, and already some hospitals are beginning to postpone certain procedures in an effort to free up space and medical personnel.
“We will be backing you, but try getting it yourselves,” the president told them, according to a source in the room. “Point of sales, much better, much more direct if you can get it yourself.”
The New York Times first reported the president’s remarks to governors.
Trump told reporters that governors would be able to get what they need sooner if they don’t rely on the federal government. Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, a Democrat, said while “the words did not quite come out right,” the president encouraged states to use whatever supply chains they have access to while the federal government attempts to maintain more respirators and ventilators.
Administration officials also stressed the important role millennials can play in combating the spread of the virus. Birx called that generation “the core group that will stop the virus.”
She said millennials are the most likely group to be the least symptomatic but also the group most likely to be out and about and in social gatherings. That means they could unknowingly spread the virus to older people or those with underlying issues, who are more vulnerable, if they ignore guidance and recommendations, but they’re also adept at communicating via text and across social media platforms.
“Public health people like myself don’t always come out with compelling and exciting messages that a 25- to 35-year-old may find interesting and something that they’ll take to heart,” Birx said. “But millennials can speak to one another about how important it is in this moment to protect all of the people.”
Surgeon General Jerome Adams told CNN on Monday morning that the U.S. was “at a critical inflection point,” noting that America now has the same number of cases that Italy had two weeks ago. Italy is now on lockdown as it deals with more than 27,000 cases of the coronavirus, trailing only China, where the outbreak began.
And public health experts have warned that without further dramatic steps, the U.S. could look like Italy by month’s end, with hospitals swamped by sick patients and hundreds of thousands of infected people freely circulating.
“We have a choice to make: Do we want to really lean into social distancing and mitigation strategies and flatten the curve or do we just want to keep going on with business as usual and end up being Italy?” Adams said.
As of Monday afternoon, more than 4,100 cases have been confirmed in the U.S., though experts expect that number to rise as more testing becomes available. More than 70 people have died.
Rachel Roubein and Dan Goldberg contributed to this report.
Betty Montgomery, a Republican former Ohio attorney general, acknowledged that Trump’s challenge in governing amid the pandemic is massive. But she said that, particularly in the beginning, “his communication was, at best, poor.”
Six counties across the Bay Area in California issued a “shelter in place” order on Monday for all residents – requiring roughly 6.7 million people to stay in their homes – in an attempt to slow the coronavirus outbreak.
For the next three weeks, people living in San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa and Alameda counties will be restricted from all “non-essential travel” by “foot, bicycle, scooter, automobile, or public transit” outside their homes. Also, most businesses will be forced to close until April 7, starting at midnight on Monday.
“Because of the risk of the rapid spread of the virus, and the need to protect all members of the community and the Bay Area region, especially including our members most vulnerable to the virus and also health care providers,” the order states, “this Order requires all individuals anywhere in San Francisco to shelter in place – that is, stay at home – except for certain essential activities and work to provide essential business and government services or perform essential public infrastructure construction, including housing.”
San Francisco Mayor London Breed, speaking at an online streaming news conference, encouraged residents to stay calm and thanked both officials and the public for remaining diligent during the unprecedented public health emergency. Emphasizing that the directive came directly from county health experts, she also encouraged everyone to continue washing their hands and cleaning surfaces and keeping distance from others when entering public.
“These measures will be disruptive to everyday life,” she said, “but there is no need to panic.” Breed also shared that the counties could amend the order, making it either shorter or longer, depending on what happens in the coming weeks.
People will be allowed out only to shop for food and health care supplies, to help family and friends, or leave the area if they are not residents. County health officials also said outside recreation, including dog-walking and hikes, are allowed.
Transportation options – including airports, taxis and public transit – will remain in operation but will be available only for “essential travel.” The order is vague on enforcement but does include a call for the police to ensure compliance to keep the public inside.
“We know in San Francisco we can’t do it alone,” Breed said. “We have to do it together.”
The unprecedented move comes amid a spike in cases across California, despite efforts by state, local and federal officials to encourage social distancing and slow the spread of the outbreak. As of Monday afternoon, 511 cases were reported in California, with 277 in the Bay Area – a number considered much smaller than actual amount of people infected with the virus.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday called for more isolation efforts across the state, especially for those 65 and older or who have chronic diseases, whom he ordered to stay home. He also called for all bars, wineries and brewpubs to close.
Cody Ginsberg, a bartender who works in the neighborhood, said he appreciated the order even if it means he won’t be able to go to work for the next three weeks or more.
“It’s sad,” he said, “but I would rather find out we did too much than we did too little in the end.”
His bar has been full in recent weeks, despite pleas from public officials for people to avoid crowded areas. Many of the patrons, he added, are seniors.
“At work I deal with a lot of older patrons and I wouldn’t want to see any of them get sick because of me,” he said, adding that the bar has been spraying everything with bleach water six times a day.
“My hands are starting to get dry and cracked with how often I am washing them.”
People are still encouraged to come in, and locals have gladly obliged.
“There have been some times that have been really busy,” he said. “From what I have been hearing around, from other local bars, no one is going downtown anymore and everyone is staying home so the neighborhood bars are being hit more.”
His bar will stay open until the order goes into effect at midnight, and they are expecting one “last hurrah” before closing.
Across the U.S., officials are racing to contain the spread of the virus, and tests continue to be in short supply. California had conducted 8,316 tests as of Sunday.
Breed concluded the news conference by acknowledging the significant economic hardship caused by the order and said the counties were working quickly to help vulnerable communities.
Emphasizing that grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies, and other establishments that provide important everyday goods for people will remain open, she again asked people not to panic.
“There is no need to rush out to do things at these particular locations because they will be available to you,” she said, and she later added that there will not be a ban on food delivery. She also heralded the leaders in the area, who she said were far ahead of the curve. “We know there is more to do,” she said, “and there will be more to come.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
The Democrat-led House last week passed the second round of legislation, which was aimed at helping workers and individuals struggling to make it through the crisis. Among the provisions agreed to between Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were increased unemployment insurance and paid sick leave.
Deal talks between the Trump administration and the House went late into the night Friday, and Mnuchin said Saturday the two have agreed to issue a “technical correction” to the bill on Monday. That means the Senate does not yet have a bill to vote on.
Paid sick leave has become an issue for at least some Republicans.
Democrats and the White House pushed for paid sick leave, because it allows workers who are sick or quarantined the ability to stay home without losing their paycheck. Some Republicans worry about its cost to businesses.
“Although mandating that all employers must pay for sick leave might sound good, we need to consider the unintended consequences of this legislation,” said Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin in a statement after the House bill passed.
“I fear that rather than offering a workable solution, the House bill will exacerbate the problem by forcing small businesses to pay wages they cannot afford and ‘helping’ them go further into debt,” Johnson said.
At a press conference Saturday, Mnuchin said the deal struck with the House offers certain exceptions for smaller companies that may not have the funds to cover workers forced to stay home.
“We were also very sensitive to small- and medium-sized businesses. Many of these businesses cover sick pay, but they’re going to have many more people that may be on quarantine, and we didn’t want them to cover the cost,” he said. “So 100% of the cost for these limited situations will be taken care of by the federal government.”
In a statement on Monday, McConnell said the Senate had yet to receive the final House version of the bill.
“First, we still need to receive the final version of the House’s coronavirus relief legislation,” he said. “I commend Sec. Mnuchin for his hard work on this. I know Senators on both sides are carefully reviewing the details and are eager to act swiftly to help American workers, families and small businesses navigate this challenging time.”
The next vote the Republican-led Senate has scheduled is over the renewal of national security surveillance law, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA. That is scheduled for Monday at 5:30 p.m.
“Until the FISA legislation is passed, any action on the House coronavirus legislation will take unanimous consent,” a spokesperson for McConnell told CNBC.
Cases of the new coronavirus, COVID-19, have soared past 169,000, including more than 6,500 deaths, across 148 countries, while more than 77,000 people have recovered, according to a map of the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University.
The outbreak continues in the U.S., where President Donald Trump declared a state of national emergency and the total cases have risen to more than 3,770. Several states have enforced stricter precautionary measures to combat the spread, including the closure of schools, restaurants and bars in various parts of the country.
Similar measures have been expanded in Spain, France and Italy, where cases continue to spike, with Italy recording the highest surge in deaths within 24 hours, reporting nearly 398 new fatalities in the last day, BBC reports.
There are nearly 81,000 infections in China, including at least 3,000 deaths. More than 55,000 in the country have also recovered from the virus. For the first time, the combined total number of infections outside China has surpassed those within, reaching more than 87,000, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University on Monday.
Nearly 11,000 new cases have been reported across the globe, including first cases within at least seven African countries, as well as in Europe and the Americas region, in the past couple of days, according to the latest report by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The graphic below, provided by Statista, illustrates the recovery curve compared to the infection curve of the virus.
U.S. death toll climbs to 69, more schools and venues shut
At least 69 fatalities have been reported in the U.S., including 42 in Washington state, six in New York, six in California, five in Florida, two in New Jersey, two in Louisiana, while Oregon, Kansas, Virginia, South Dakota, Georgia and Colorado have each reported one death, according to the latest from Johns Hopkins University. New cases have been reported across the country, including Washington state, New York, Connecticut, Ohio, Colorado, and Hawaii.
The virus has spread to at least 46 states as well as Washington, D.C., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has issued new guidelines in a bid to help curb the spread of the virus.
The new advice recommends “for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States,” the health body announced in a statement on Sunday.
“Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing. When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual,” the CDC said.
While the CDC statement noted its recommendation was not meant for schools, other educational institutes and businesses, several cities and states have shut down schools and commercial venues, such as restaurants and bars, amid the outbreak.
Washington state, which currently has the highest number of cases in the U.S., has ordered the temporary closure of all restaurants, bars, entertainment and recreational facilities, according to a statement from Governor Jay Inslee released on Sunday. The state’s total number of infections is at around 770, KIRO7 reports.
As least 29 states across the country have announced school closures, according to CNN. Schools in New York City as well as in the New York state counties of Nassau and Suffolk will be closed for two weeks from today Governor Andrew Cuomo announced in a statement on Sunday. The state has now reported around 729 cases, as of Sunday, with around 329 in New York City and around 196 in Westchester County, according to the latest statement from the governor’s office.
The New York City mayor’s office also announced on its website: “Starting Tuesday, March 17, restaurants, bars and cafes may only serve food take-out and delivery. Nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses and concert venues must all close.”
The mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, also ordered the closure of all bars, while restaurants are limited to delivery services only. The restrictions will be in place through March 31, the mayor announced at a news conference on Sunday, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Las Vegas also announced closures for several resorts, including the city’s MGM resorts as well as Wynn Las Vegas and Encore, KTNV Las Vegas reports. Caesars Entertainment also announced closure for all ticketed shows through March 31, the company confirmed in a statement.
The graphic below, provided Statista, illustrates the spread of COVID-19 virus across the U.S.
Europes see largest death tolls in a day
Italy, which is currently the worst-hit country outside China with more than 24,700 cases, saw at least 398 deaths in one day. Spain reported 97 and France saw 29 deaths. Each country marked their highest death tolls within 24 hours, BBC reports.
Italy remains in lockdown, with Lombardy being the worst-affected region. The area has seen at least 1,218 deaths and 252 of them were reported in the last 24 hours, Reuters reports.
Residents of Spain have also been on lockdown since Saturday, with the government having deployed the military to disinfect its formerly packed streets, which are now empty of tourists, Reuters reports. The country has the second highest number of cases in Europe, after Italy, with more than 7,800 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Some of the high profile cases recently have included the wife of Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez, two cabinet ministers and five members of the country’s Valencia soccer team, Reuters reports.
Up to 80 percent of U.K. to be infected, The Queen to remain in London
The virus could last up a year and see around 7.9 million people hospitalized, according to a Public Health England (PHE) briefing for officials of the country’s National Health Service (NHS) obtained by The Guardian.
“As many as 80 percent of the population are expected to be infected with COVID-19 in the next 12 months, and up to 15 percent (7.9 million people) may require hospitalisation,” the document states.
The document also reportedly states that at least 10 percent of the U.K. population will experience a cough during the peak of the spread and that only the “seriously ill who are already in hospital and people in care homes and prisons where the coronavirus has been detected will get tested,” The Guardian reports.
The PHE report also expressed concerns over the strain on the NHS, which is estimated to see at least 500,000 of its five million workers who work “in essential services and critical infrastructure” off sick during a month-long peak of the virus.
The U.K. has reported more than 1,390 cases, including 35 deaths, according to the latest numbers from Johns Hopkins University.
The government’s plans to potentially quarantine those aged over 70 has raised questions over the plans for Queen Elizabeth II amid the outbreak.
Her past weekend trip to Windsor Castle was reported to be part of her usual weekend residence, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson told The Metro, despite previous reports that she had left for Windsor due to fears over the virus. She is reportedly due back at Buckingham Palace this week, the spokesperson confirmed.
It is also unknown how Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall, who are aged 71 and 72 respectively, will be affected following any government imposed quarantine measures for the elderly.
France prepares for lockdown, LVMH offers free sanitizers
France is reportedly getting ready for a partial lockdown which could be in effect from Tuesday, Reuters reports, as the country sees more than 5,400 cases.
All restaurants, bars and cinemas were closed on Saturday by French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, while citizens were advised to limit all non-essential travel, Reuters reports.
Health officials were reported to be concerned as locals appear to ignore current warnings, with several people seen gathering in parks and other public spaces from Paris to Marseille.
As medical supplies are reportedly starting to see shortages in the country, French luxury group, LVMH, whose brands include Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Guerlain and Givenchy, will produce sanitizer gel at its perfume and cosmetic factories, The Guardian reports. The gel will be delivered free of charge to various health bodies in the country, including 39 public hospitals in Paris, the French capital.
South Korea cases decline, 70 percent expect Olympics to be canceled
The outbreak continues across the Asia continent, with South Korea having highest number of cases, more than 8,100. The rate of infection in the city of Daegu and the Gyeongsangbukdo province, where most cases were concentrated, has begun to see a decline. But “smaller case clusters continue to emerge from community and religious facilities,” the Korea Centers for Disease Control (KCDC) said in its latest report on Monday.
South Korean Foreign Minister, Kang Kyung-wha, believes extensive testing has been the key to the country’s relatively low death rate from the virus, she told the BBC.
Japan has reported more than 1,500 cases, with around 30 new cases and 15 clusters of infections across the country as of Sunday, Kyodo News reports.
Around 700 infected individuals are said to be passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was quarantined at sea in Japan last month after a guest from Hong Kong was diagnosed.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games are expected to take place as scheduled this July and August, but nearly 70 percent of people in the country were reported to not be expecting both to resume as planned, Kyodo News reports.
Malaysia sees spike in infections
The country has seen 190 new cases reported on Monday, the nation’s highest jump since the outbreak in January. Malaysia is currently the worst-hit country in Southeast Asia.
At least 95 of the new cases have been connected to a cluster of infections at the Seri Petaling mosque, where an event was held from Feb 27 to March 1, The Strait Times reports.
The country has reportedly entered “the late containment phase” and the country’s health minister, Dr. Adham Baba, has called for the “need to take drastic actions,” the Malaysiakini reports.
“We have the onset phase, the (early) containment phase, the late containment phase and finally the mitigation phase,” Baba said.
“Due to the 428 cases, we have entered the late containment stage and we need to take drastic action,” he said.
Hong Kong extends quarantine rules
From March 19, those traveling to Hong Kong who have been to Ireland, the U.K., the U.S. and Egypt in the past 14 days will be put under mandatory quarantine, as part of Hong Kong’s continued efforts to curb the spread of the virus, the Hong Kong government advised in a statement.
“Starting from 0.00am on March 19, the DH’s [Hong Kong Department of Health’s] Port Health Division officers will issue quarantine orders under the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation (Cap. 599A) for compulsory home quarantine to people arriving in Hong Kong who have been to the Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States and Egypt in the past 14 days, regardless of whether they are Hong Kong residents.
“Meanwhile, the quarantine measures announced earlier for people arriving in Hong Kong who have been to Korea, Iran, Hokkaido in Japan and Schengen Area in Europe (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Principality of Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Republic of Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland) in the past 14 days remain unchanged,” the government stated.
Around 26 of Hong Kong’s 46 cases have been imported cases, while seven have been linked to patients who traveled outside the country, according to the government.
Calls for the government to ban all tourists from every country have also been made by lawmakers in Hong Kong, RTHK.HK reports.
The Philippines to enhance quarantines measures
The president of The Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, is expected to announce “enhanced community quarantine” across the country’s entire main island of Luzon, his spokesperson, Salvador Panelo, confirmed on Monday, Reuters reports.
A “total lockdown” of the Metropolitan Manila area was reported to be among the measures being considered, according to Panelo.
The enhanced lockdown measures would entail strict home quarantine and the suspension of transportation, Philstar Global reports.
The country’s senate majority leader, Juan Miguel Zubiri, is among the latest people to test positive, which has reached to 140 infected individuals, according Johns Hopkins University.
South Africa declares national disaster and issues travel ban
The president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, has declared a national state of disaster, as the country’s confirmed cases rise to 61, News24 reports.
“We have decided to declare a state of disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act. This will enable us to have an integrated and coordinated disaster management mechanism that will focus on preventing and reducing the outbreak of this virus. We will also be able to set up emergency rapid and effective response systems to mitigate the severity of its impact,” the president said.
The country is expected to see more cases in the coming days and several new restrictions will be introduced in a bid to combat the outbreak, including a travel ban from March 18 for foreign nationals from worst-hit countries including Italy, Iraq, South Korea, Spain, Germany, United States, United Kingdom and China, the president announced.
The visas of travelers from these countries will be canceled and revoked, while South Africans traveling from affected countries are also expected to face intensive health screening and possible quarantine, News24 reports.
Around 35 ports will also be shut down from Monday, while schools will be closed from Wednesday until after the Easter weekend, the president confirmed.
“Effective immediately, all non-essential travel for all spheres of government outside of the Republic is prohibited. We further discourage all non-essential domestic travel, particularly by air, rail, taxis and bus…
“As we have said before, the current circumstances require extraordinary measures to curb the spread of infections. Countries that have heeded the call to implement these radical measures, have fared much better than those that do not,” the president said.
The graphic below, provided by Statista, illustrates the spread of the COVID-19 virus across the world.
Trump was joined at the briefing by his key health advisers, including Fauci, Birx and Vice President Mike Pence, who is leading the administration’s response.
A growing number of governors earlier Monday followed the lead of fellow executives, announcing closures of bars, restaurants and other venues in states across the country. The new guidance similarly calls for any bars, restaurants, food courts, gyms and other venues to be closed in areas where there’s evidence of community transmission.
Trump held separate video teleconferences with G-7 leaders and governors on Monday morning to discuss the response to the coronavirus.
“Went very well,” he tweeted after speaking to governors.
During the call, however, Trump urged governors to try to get respirators, ventilators and other equipment themselves. Hospital systems have raised alarms over a lack of beds and medical supplies to handle the crush of anticipated patients, and already some hospitals are beginning to postpone certain procedures in an effort to free up space and medical personnel.
“We will be backing you, but try getting it yourselves,” the president told them, according to a source in the room. “Point of sales, much better, much more direct if you can get it yourself.”
The New York Times first reported the president’s remarks to governors.
Trump told reporters that governors would be able to get what they need sooner if they don’t rely on the federal government. Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, a Democrat, said while “the words did not quite come out right,” the president encouraged states to use whatever supply chains they have access to while the federal government attempts to maintain more respirators and ventilators.
Administration officials also stressed the important role millennials can play in combating the spread of the virus. Birx called that generation “the core group that will stop the virus.”
She said millennials are the most likely group to be the least symptomatic but also the group most likely to be out and about and in social gatherings. That means they could unknowingly spread the virus to older people or those with underlying issues, who are more vulnerable, if they ignore guidance and recommendations, but they’re also adept at communicating via text and across social media platforms.
“Public health people like myself don’t always come out with compelling and exciting messages that a 25- to 35-year-old may find interesting and something that they’ll take to heart,” Birx said. “But millennials can speak to one another about how important it is in this moment to protect all of the people.”
Surgeon General Jerome Adams told CNN on Monday morning that the U.S. was “at a critical inflection point,” noting that America now has the same number of cases that Italy had two weeks ago. Italy is now on lockdown as it deals with more than 27,000 cases of the coronavirus, trailing only China, where the outbreak began.
And public health experts have warned that without further dramatic steps, the U.S. could look like Italy by month’s end, with hospitals swamped by sick patients and hundreds of thousands of infected people freely circulating.
“We have a choice to make: Do we want to really lean into social distancing and mitigation strategies and flatten the curve or do we just want to keep going on with business as usual and end up being Italy?” Adams said.
As of Monday afternoon, more than 4,100 cases have been confirmed in the U.S., though experts expect that number to rise as more testing becomes available. More than 70 people have died.
Rachel Roubein and Dan Goldberg contributed to this report.
San Francisco Bay area officials unveiled Monday what might be the most aggressive and restrictive measures in the country yet to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Northern California officials announced a “shelter in place” order that will affect nearly 7 million residents of six counties in the Bay Area as the region tries to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.
The order asks all residents of six Bay Area counties, including San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa and Alameda, to remain home as much as possible. It takes effect at midnight and will last until April 7, the order says.
“We know these measures will significantly disrupt people’s day-to-day lives, but they are absolutely necessary,” San Francisco Mayor London Breed said. “This is going to be a defining moment for our city and we all have a responsibility to do our part to protect our neighbors and slow the spread of this virus by staying at home unless it is absolutely essential to go outside.”
Residents can leave their homes under “limited circumstances,” according to the order. At such times, people are expected to remain six feet apart, wash their hands, cover their coughs or sneezes and abide by a number of other requirements.
“You will still be able to walk your dog or go on a hike alone, or with someone you live with, or even with another person as long as you keep six feet between you,” San Francisco health officer Dr. Grant Colfax said at a news briefing.
While the order will shutter businesses across the region, officials emphasized that essential businesses like grocery stores and pharmacies will remain in operation and that the order will not strictly confine people to their homes. Officials added that restaurants will remain open for delivery and takeout.
Colfax added that anyone who leaves the county while the order is in place, except for essential travel, “would be out of compliance coming back.”
“We’re going to take a compassionate, common-sense approach,” Chief of San Francisco police William Scott said. “We’re asking the public to voluntarily comply. Now, this order by law is enforceable as a misdemeanor, or failure to comply with it, but that is an absolute last resort.”
San Francisco reported 40 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Monday morning, according to the county’s department of health. Neighboring Santa Clara and San Mateo counties have reported 114 and 41 confirmed cases, respectively. In total, the Bay Area’s collective confirmed cases is more than half of California’s total case count, the counties said in a statement.
Across California, there are more than 470 confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.
“While the goal is to limit groups congregating together in a way that could further spread the virus, it is not complete social shut down,” Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County’s Public Health Officer, said in a statement. “You can still complete your most essential outings or even engage in outdoor activity, so long as you avoid close contact.”
COVID-19 has infected more than 4,200 people across the country, according to Johns Hopkins’ data, and killed at least 74 people. Nearly half of all confirmed cases in the country are concentrated in three particularly hard-hit states: Washington, California and New York.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced similar measures later Monday calling the step “unprecedented.” Separately, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said Monday he signed an emergency declaration temporarily shutting down bars, restaurants and other places of recreation statewide. He also banned public gatherings of more than 50 people.
“Never since World War II have we faced a situation like this,” Inslee said. “For the next several weeks, normal is not in our game plan.”
In Europe, one viral video shared on WhatsApp claimed to show shoppers mobbing a store in the Netherlands. A version of the same clip put to music on TikTok, a popular China-based platform for short videos, was viewed more than 4 million times, according to a report last week by disinformation research group Bellingcat, which determined the video was actually from an incident in Germany several years ago.
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