California's first case of coronavirus community spread started in a nail salon, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in his daily pandemic briefing.
Thursday, May 7, 2020
US surpasses 75,000 coronavirus deaths
According to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases in the United States, at least 75,054 people have died from coronavirus.
Federal judge in Massachusetts issues order allowing gun shops to reopen
A federal judge in Massachusetts issued an order Thursday allowing licensed gun shops in the state to reopen.
Michigan extends stay-at-home order to May 28
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced on Thursday that she signed an executive order to extend Michigan’s Covid-19 stay-at-home order through May 28.
Here's how California plans to begin reopening
California will begin reopening Friday, and guidelines are being introduced to support the lifting of restrictions.
"It does not mean a return to normal," Health Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly warned as he laid out the state’s plans Thursday.
Retail stores will be allowed to do more curbside pickup and possibly deliveries, likely with hand sanitizer at the door. Ghaly is encouraging outlets to change from direct payment at a cash register and move to a "click and swipe methodology."
Plant workers at warehouses and manufacturers should be further apart, and Ghaly suggests perhaps break rooms will be closed down to prevent people from congregating.
"Delivery drivers will have different personal protective equipment than they did before COVID-19 became a reality,” Ghaly said.
Employers must train employees on how to limit the spread of Covid-19 and how to screen for symptoms on a daily basis. Each location will be required to have a site-specific protection plan including cleaning and disinfecting protocols, Ghaly explained.
Industry-wide guidance will be issued shortly, but some businesses will be able to move further into stage two, which may include the reopening of offices and dining inside a restaurant.
Modifications to the stay-at-home order allow residents to move from phase one into phase two.
Stage one involves the strict stay-at-home order, with only essential businesses remaining open.
Phase two includes "lower risk" workplaces like retail, manufacturing, and offices. Phase three will include personal care businesses like salons and gyms, and the final phase is for the "highest risk" businesses like sporting events and concerts.
"It does not mean a return to normal," Health Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly warned as he laid out the state’s plans Thursday.
Retail stores will be allowed to do more curbside pickup and possibly deliveries, likely with hand sanitizer at the door. Ghaly is encouraging outlets to change from direct payment at a cash register and move to a "click and swipe methodology."
Plant workers at warehouses and manufacturers should be further apart, and Ghaly suggests perhaps break rooms will be closed down to prevent people from congregating.
"Delivery drivers will have different personal protective equipment than they did before COVID-19 became a reality,” Ghaly said.
Employers must train employees on how to limit the spread of Covid-19 and how to screen for symptoms on a daily basis. Each location will be required to have a site-specific protection plan including cleaning and disinfecting protocols, Ghaly explained.
Industry-wide guidance will be issued shortly, but some businesses will be able to move further into stage two, which may include the reopening of offices and dining inside a restaurant.
Modifications to the stay-at-home order allow residents to move from phase one into phase two.
Stage one involves the strict stay-at-home order, with only essential businesses remaining open.
Phase two includes "lower risk" workplaces like retail, manufacturing, and offices. Phase three will include personal care businesses like salons and gyms, and the final phase is for the "highest risk" businesses like sporting events and concerts.
Public health experts urge caution in use of coronavirus antibody tests
Public health experts urge caution in use of coronavirus antibody tests
Antibody tests which tell people if they have been infected with coronavirus are not very reliable and should only be used with caution, the Association of Public Health Laboratories and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists said Thursday.
The association issued new guidelines to help state public health labs and others decide how and when to use the tests, often called serologic tests.
The tests, which look for antibodies in the blood, can show someone was infected. But it’s still not clear if having antibodies to Covid-19 means a person is immune to further infection, the strength of the immunity or for how long, the groups said in a joint statement.
“Until more evidence about protective immunity is available, serologic test results should not be used to make staffing decisions (return to work), decisions regarding the need for personal protective equipment or need to discontinue social distancing measures,” the statement said.
The guidelines include information on the different types of serologic tests, current testing availability, how to choose the right test for population studies, how to interpret the test results and continuing research needs for evaluating the tests.
The tests can be used for determining how widespread the coronavirus may be in a community or population, whether a person can serve as a convalescent plasma donor and to detect whether a person has had an immune response.
Some context: The US Food and Drug Administration at first allowed manufacturers to begin selling antibody tests in mid-March without any federal review and without knowing whether the tests even worked.
The FDA has since changed that policy and now requires validation of the tests.
Antibody tests which tell people if they have been infected with coronavirus are not very reliable and should only be used with caution, the Association of Public Health Laboratories and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists said Thursday.
The association issued new guidelines to help state public health labs and others decide how and when to use the tests, often called serologic tests.
The tests, which look for antibodies in the blood, can show someone was infected. But it’s still not clear if having antibodies to Covid-19 means a person is immune to further infection, the strength of the immunity or for how long, the groups said in a joint statement.
“Until more evidence about protective immunity is available, serologic test results should not be used to make staffing decisions (return to work), decisions regarding the need for personal protective equipment or need to discontinue social distancing measures,” the statement said.
The guidelines include information on the different types of serologic tests, current testing availability, how to choose the right test for population studies, how to interpret the test results and continuing research needs for evaluating the tests.
The tests can be used for determining how widespread the coronavirus may be in a community or population, whether a person can serve as a convalescent plasma donor and to detect whether a person has had an immune response.
Some context: The US Food and Drug Administration at first allowed manufacturers to begin selling antibody tests in mid-March without any federal review and without knowing whether the tests even worked.
The FDA has since changed that policy and now requires validation of the tests.
Trump says he'll be tested daily for coronavirus after valet tests positive
Speaking in the Oval Office after news of the valet's condition broke, Trump said the episode underscored the fallibility of using testing exclusively to determine safety.
"What happens in between when you got tested and just a couple of days later?" he asked, saying there were "a number of days missed" between when the valet was last tested and when he discovered he had coronavirus.
Trump said he'd had "very little personal contact" with the man, a US military member, who tested positive. He described the situation as "a little bit strange."
Trump repeated that Americans were "warriors" in their efforts to overcome the pandemic.
"We’re all warriors together," he said. "I am, you are, we all are."
Toxic gas leak at Indian chemical plant kills at least 11 and hospitalizes hundreds
Bodies lay crumpled on the ground beside toppled motorcycles and cars as suffocating toxic gas rose from a chemical plant in southern India in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Roads near the site of the fatal leak in the state of Andhra Pradesh were filled with hundreds of people fleeing the noxious gas, according to footage from the scene, many carrying the injured and unconscious over their shoulders.
Rescuers from India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) wearing hazmat suits and gas masks were also seen running with limp bodies in their arms.
At least 11 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds more have been hospitalized after the incident at an LG Polymers plant, which lies near a village of at least 3,000 people on the outskirts of the city of Visakhapatnam.
Most of the dead were driving or standing on terraces outside their homes when they lost consciousness and fell where they stood, while others slipped into unconsciousness while they were sleeping, said Mekapati Goutham Reddy, minister for Industries, Commerce, and Information Technology in Andhra Pradesh. Three of those who died were children, he added.
Almost 1,000 people were directly exposed to the gas and about 20-25 people are in critical but stable condition, said Kamal Kishore from the National Disaster Management Authority.
A man runs from the toxic gas leak carrying an unconscious child as 5,000 people were evacuated from the area.
A member of India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is fitted with protective gear before he enters the area affected by the leak.
The gas has been identified as Styrene, a flammable liquid that is used to make a variety of industrial products, including polystyrene, fiberglass, rubber, and latex.
"When we arrived on the spot a lot of people were lying on the ground unconscious and we evacuated around 1,000 people and rushed them to the hospital," said Tej Bharath, a senior Vishakhapatnam district official.
Gopalapatnam Police helped hundreds of people to escape the apocalyptic scenes in ambulances, police vehicles, and state-provided buses, while others left on their own, said local police Inspector V Ramanayya.
At least 285 people are now in hospital, said K Kanna Babu, managing director of the state's disaster response force. Individuals were taken to hospitals across the city to be treated for exposure of the gas.
It is not immediately clear what led to the leak.
However, the plant, which is owned by the South Korean company LG Chem, was preparing to reopen after coronavirus lockdown restrictions were eased, with the gas leak occurring during the process of re-starting operations, according to Bharath, the Visakhapatnam district official.
Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh minister, said workers at the plant had been conducting regular maintenance and gauging whether it was ready to return to full production.
It was during this process that they found the leak coming from a storage tank, where the chemical had turned into a gas.
Roads near the site of the fatal leak in the state of Andhra Pradesh were filled with hundreds of people fleeing the noxious gas, according to footage from the scene, many carrying the injured and unconscious over their shoulders.
Rescuers from India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) wearing hazmat suits and gas masks were also seen running with limp bodies in their arms.
At least 11 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds more have been hospitalized after the incident at an LG Polymers plant, which lies near a village of at least 3,000 people on the outskirts of the city of Visakhapatnam.
Most of the dead were driving or standing on terraces outside their homes when they lost consciousness and fell where they stood, while others slipped into unconsciousness while they were sleeping, said Mekapati Goutham Reddy, minister for Industries, Commerce, and Information Technology in Andhra Pradesh. Three of those who died were children, he added.
Almost 1,000 people were directly exposed to the gas and about 20-25 people are in critical but stable condition, said Kamal Kishore from the National Disaster Management Authority.
A man runs from the toxic gas leak carrying an unconscious child as 5,000 people were evacuated from the area.
A member of India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is fitted with protective gear before he enters the area affected by the leak.
The gas has been identified as Styrene, a flammable liquid that is used to make a variety of industrial products, including polystyrene, fiberglass, rubber, and latex.
"When we arrived on the spot a lot of people were lying on the ground unconscious and we evacuated around 1,000 people and rushed them to the hospital," said Tej Bharath, a senior Vishakhapatnam district official.
Gopalapatnam Police helped hundreds of people to escape the apocalyptic scenes in ambulances, police vehicles, and state-provided buses, while others left on their own, said local police Inspector V Ramanayya.
At least 285 people are now in hospital, said K Kanna Babu, managing director of the state's disaster response force. Individuals were taken to hospitals across the city to be treated for exposure of the gas.
How it happened
It is not immediately clear what led to the leak.
However, the plant, which is owned by the South Korean company LG Chem, was preparing to reopen after coronavirus lockdown restrictions were eased, with the gas leak occurring during the process of re-starting operations, according to Bharath, the Visakhapatnam district official.
Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh minister, said workers at the plant had been conducting regular maintenance and gauging whether it was ready to return to full production.
It was during this process that they found the leak coming from a storage tank, where the chemical had turned into a gas.
Trump asks Supreme Court to block release of Mueller grand jury information
The Trump administration on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to temporarily block the release of documents from former special counsel Robert Mueller's grand jury to the House of Representatives.
The administration is asking the justices to freeze a lower court opinion that cleared the way for the release of the grand jury secrets to the House.
The court ruled in March that the House Judiciary Committee has a "compelling need" to view the secretive details prosecutors had collected from witnesses and about President Donald Trump.
"The government respectfully requests that this Court grant a stay of the court of appeals' mandate," solicitor general Noel Francisco wrote.
Francisco also asked the justices to block a lower court's May 11 deadline for the release of the documents to give the parties more time to file court papers.
The Justice Department notified the court that while the House is expected to oppose the administration's request to block the release of the documents,
It does support moving the current May 11 deadline by seven days out of respect for the court's schedule.
The administration had said last month that it planned to make the request to the high court.
Should the nine justices decide they want to hear the case, it could be months before it's resolved.
In April, when he unveiled new government guidelines on wearing face coverings, Trump acknowledged he was unlikely to follow them himself, saying he couldn't envision greeting "presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens" with his mouth and nose covered up.
"I don't see it for myself," he said.
Neither, apparently, did his aides, who often take the President's lead on their own behavior and messaging. Only a "few" staffers inside the West Wing regularly wear masks to work, officials say, and it's rare to spot officials in the building with their faces covered.
The White House official acknowledged there are not many staffers wearing masks around the office, but noted aides to the President are simply following the guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that masks are recommended but not mandatory.
"If White House staff were told to wear a mask, everybody would wear a mask," the official said, noting that health experts have said wearing a mask is useful for preventing people who are already infected from spreading the virus to others.
Still, the White House is behind the private sector in enforcing mask usage. When the President flew to Arizona on Tuesday -- his first foray from the East Coast in months -- neither he nor his aides wore masks on Air Force One, even though some commercial airlines have starting requiring passengers to wear them on flights. As he was departing the White House South Lawn, a large group of staffers gathered to see him off, all without masks.
Not all of the White House's various departments have operated the same. Many career staffers at the National Security Council have been wearing masks to work in their warren of offices in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, situated next to the West Wing.
Matt Pottinger, the deputy national security adviser, began wearing a mask to work even before new federal guidelines were issued last month.
Elsewhere in the building, however, mask usage remains low. A number of political appointees, including those working in the Office of Management and Budget, were called back to the office on Monday for the first time in weeks and have not been wearing masks. A source said compliance with mask guidelines among some staff in the building is "low to nonexistent."
As top budget officials huddle over next steps for another potential stimulus -- a process that could put aides in meetings with agency and congressional leaders -- social distancing measures haven't been strictly enforced in the office, a source said.
In the White House residence, fewer staffers are coming to work every day and the first lady is socially distancing from those who are, official said. But the President has shown uneven interest in social distancing. In some meetings, chairs are spaced further apart to maintain six feet of distance. But in other settings, like his meetings with governors or health care professionals in the Oval Office, Trump is well within the range.
Asked Thursday whether the valet who tested positive would spark a change in mask usage among White House aides, counselor Kellyanne Conway said it should be reporters who change their approach.
"I think if anybody should start wearing masks and showing more respect, it should be the media," she said.
The administration is asking the justices to freeze a lower court opinion that cleared the way for the release of the grand jury secrets to the House.
The court ruled in March that the House Judiciary Committee has a "compelling need" to view the secretive details prosecutors had collected from witnesses and about President Donald Trump.
"The government respectfully requests that this Court grant a stay of the court of appeals' mandate," solicitor general Noel Francisco wrote.
Francisco also asked the justices to block a lower court's May 11 deadline for the release of the documents to give the parties more time to file court papers.
The Justice Department notified the court that while the House is expected to oppose the administration's request to block the release of the documents,
It does support moving the current May 11 deadline by seven days out of respect for the court's schedule.
The administration had said last month that it planned to make the request to the high court.
Should the nine justices decide they want to hear the case, it could be months before it's resolved.
In April, when he unveiled new government guidelines on wearing face coverings, Trump acknowledged he was unlikely to follow them himself, saying he couldn't envision greeting "presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens" with his mouth and nose covered up.
"I don't see it for myself," he said.
Neither, apparently, did his aides, who often take the President's lead on their own behavior and messaging. Only a "few" staffers inside the West Wing regularly wear masks to work, officials say, and it's rare to spot officials in the building with their faces covered.
The White House official acknowledged there are not many staffers wearing masks around the office, but noted aides to the President are simply following the guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that masks are recommended but not mandatory.
"If White House staff were told to wear a mask, everybody would wear a mask," the official said, noting that health experts have said wearing a mask is useful for preventing people who are already infected from spreading the virus to others.
Still, the White House is behind the private sector in enforcing mask usage. When the President flew to Arizona on Tuesday -- his first foray from the East Coast in months -- neither he nor his aides wore masks on Air Force One, even though some commercial airlines have starting requiring passengers to wear them on flights. As he was departing the White House South Lawn, a large group of staffers gathered to see him off, all without masks.
Not all of the White House's various departments have operated the same. Many career staffers at the National Security Council have been wearing masks to work in their warren of offices in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, situated next to the West Wing.
Matt Pottinger, the deputy national security adviser, began wearing a mask to work even before new federal guidelines were issued last month.
Elsewhere in the building, however, mask usage remains low. A number of political appointees, including those working in the Office of Management and Budget, were called back to the office on Monday for the first time in weeks and have not been wearing masks. A source said compliance with mask guidelines among some staff in the building is "low to nonexistent."
As top budget officials huddle over next steps for another potential stimulus -- a process that could put aides in meetings with agency and congressional leaders -- social distancing measures haven't been strictly enforced in the office, a source said.
In the White House residence, fewer staffers are coming to work every day and the first lady is socially distancing from those who are, official said. But the President has shown uneven interest in social distancing. In some meetings, chairs are spaced further apart to maintain six feet of distance. But in other settings, like his meetings with governors or health care professionals in the Oval Office, Trump is well within the range.
Asked Thursday whether the valet who tested positive would spark a change in mask usage among White House aides, counselor Kellyanne Conway said it should be reporters who change their approach.
"I think if anybody should start wearing masks and showing more respect, it should be the media," she said.
One of Trump's personal valets has tested positive for coronavirus
A member of the US Navy who serves as one of President Donald Trump's personal valets has tested positive for coronavirus, CNN learned Thursday, raising concerns about the President's possible exposure to the virus.
The valets are members of an elite military unit dedicated to the White House and often work very close to the President and first family.
Trump was upset when he was informed Wednesday that the valet had tested positive, a source told CNN, and the President was subsequently tested again by the White House physician.
In a statement, the White House confirmed CNN's reporting that one of the President's staffers had tested positive.
"We were recently notified by the White House Medical Unit that a member of the United States Military, who works on the White House campus, has tested positive for Coronavirus," deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley said in a statement. "The President and the Vice President have since tested negative for the virus and they remain in great health."
Valets assist the President and first family with a variety of personal tasks.
They are responsible for the President's food and beverage not only in the West Wing but also travel with him when he's on the road or out of the country.
Past presidents have relied on them not only for these matters, but also as confidants.
The valets have an inside view to a president's personal life like few others.
A White House source said the valet, a man who has not been identified, exhibited "symptoms" Wednesday morning, and said the news that someone close to Trump had tested positive for coronavirus was "hitting the fan" in the West Wing.
Trump, who is a self-described germophobe, has chastised aides before who coughed or sneezed in his presence. He has claimed to rarely get sick himself.
Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and the senior staffers who regularly interact with them are still being tested weekly for coronavirus, two people familiar told CNN.
The White House is continuing to use the rapid Abbott Labs test, which provide results in about 15 minutes.
Several officials who have received the test said it's often administered in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, next door to the West Wing on the White House grounds.
A medical official swabs the staffer's nostrils and informs them that they'll be notified within the next several minutes if it's positive.
The valets are members of an elite military unit dedicated to the White House and often work very close to the President and first family.
Trump was upset when he was informed Wednesday that the valet had tested positive, a source told CNN, and the President was subsequently tested again by the White House physician.
In a statement, the White House confirmed CNN's reporting that one of the President's staffers had tested positive.
"We were recently notified by the White House Medical Unit that a member of the United States Military, who works on the White House campus, has tested positive for Coronavirus," deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley said in a statement. "The President and the Vice President have since tested negative for the virus and they remain in great health."
Valets assist the President and first family with a variety of personal tasks.
They are responsible for the President's food and beverage not only in the West Wing but also travel with him when he's on the road or out of the country.
Past presidents have relied on them not only for these matters, but also as confidants.
The valets have an inside view to a president's personal life like few others.
A White House source said the valet, a man who has not been identified, exhibited "symptoms" Wednesday morning, and said the news that someone close to Trump had tested positive for coronavirus was "hitting the fan" in the West Wing.
Trump, who is a self-described germophobe, has chastised aides before who coughed or sneezed in his presence. He has claimed to rarely get sick himself.
Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and the senior staffers who regularly interact with them are still being tested weekly for coronavirus, two people familiar told CNN.
The White House is continuing to use the rapid Abbott Labs test, which provide results in about 15 minutes.
Several officials who have received the test said it's often administered in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, next door to the West Wing on the White House grounds.
A medical official swabs the staffer's nostrils and informs them that they'll be notified within the next several minutes if it's positive.
White House becomes ground zero for culture war over face masks
The White House has emerged as ground zero in the cultural battle over whether to wear a face mask to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
President Donald Trump won't wear one in public, at least in front of cameras.
His aides in the West Wing remove them before walking inside.
Vice President Mike Pence violated a hospital's rules by visiting without one last week, only to say later he should have tied one on.
On Thursday, the White House confirmed one of the President's staffers -- a US military member responsible for attending to his personal needs in the Oval Office -- had tested positive for coronavirus.
Like others inside the building, valets haven't been wearing masks at work as they go about their jobs serving the President and his family.
The development angered Trump and led to a renewed round of testing for him and Pence.
But it did not appear likely to change the unwritten code inside the White House against wearing masks, despite recommendations from Trump's own administration on wearing face coverings where social distancing is difficult.
"He's a unique individual," one White House official said. "He can't be seen walking around wearing a mask."
Like other recommendations issued by the White House on social distancing and reopening states, the guidance from the federal government on wearing masks is not compulsory.
And like those recommendations, Trump has shown passing interest in following them himself.
Administration aides have said the regular testing administered to Trump and those who come into close proximity to him negates the need to wear a mask at all times.
They have also cited temperature checks provided to anyone entering the White House complex.
But temperature checks wouldn't screen out asymptomatic individuals.
The rapid test used by the White House's medical officers has "about a 15% false negative rate," the National Institutes of Health director told lawmakers Thursday.
And only those who interact directly with Trump or Pence is tested, excluding others who work at a further distance from the two men.
Privately, Trump has questioned whether he should ever be seen wearing a mask in public, concerned it might contradict his public message that the virus is waning and the country is ready to reopen.
He has shown little interest in wearing one as an example to the country, even though many people are now required to wear masks to enter grocery stores, pharmacies and other businesses.
Instead, he has appeared keenly aware of what signal it might send if he appeared in public wearing a mask.
He said on Wednesday he put one on during a visit to Arizona, but only when he would not be photographed backstage.
When he was before cameras at the Honeywell plant, he was barefaced except for a pair of safety goggles.
A person familiar with the matter said Trump did not appear comfortable when he was wearing the mask in Arizona and took it off when he was told by the CEO of Honeywell it wasn't necessary.
White House aides had been anticipating the decision on whether Trump would wear a mask after Pence's visit last week to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, which was overshadowed by criticism of his decision not to wear one.
While Trump told reporters he would be fully willing to wear one if the setting required it, he did not appear enthusiastic behind the scenes at the prospect.
There are no explicit rules against wearing masks at the White House, and some officials have chosen to cover their faces. But as Trump insists the virus is being defeated and pushes for the economy to reopen, his aversion to masks is clear.
President Donald Trump won't wear one in public, at least in front of cameras.
His aides in the West Wing remove them before walking inside.
Vice President Mike Pence violated a hospital's rules by visiting without one last week, only to say later he should have tied one on.
On Thursday, the White House confirmed one of the President's staffers -- a US military member responsible for attending to his personal needs in the Oval Office -- had tested positive for coronavirus.
Like others inside the building, valets haven't been wearing masks at work as they go about their jobs serving the President and his family.
The development angered Trump and led to a renewed round of testing for him and Pence.
But it did not appear likely to change the unwritten code inside the White House against wearing masks, despite recommendations from Trump's own administration on wearing face coverings where social distancing is difficult.
"He's a unique individual," one White House official said. "He can't be seen walking around wearing a mask."
Like other recommendations issued by the White House on social distancing and reopening states, the guidance from the federal government on wearing masks is not compulsory.
And like those recommendations, Trump has shown passing interest in following them himself.
Administration aides have said the regular testing administered to Trump and those who come into close proximity to him negates the need to wear a mask at all times.
They have also cited temperature checks provided to anyone entering the White House complex.
But temperature checks wouldn't screen out asymptomatic individuals.
The rapid test used by the White House's medical officers has "about a 15% false negative rate," the National Institutes of Health director told lawmakers Thursday.
And only those who interact directly with Trump or Pence is tested, excluding others who work at a further distance from the two men.
Privately, Trump has questioned whether he should ever be seen wearing a mask in public, concerned it might contradict his public message that the virus is waning and the country is ready to reopen.
He has shown little interest in wearing one as an example to the country, even though many people are now required to wear masks to enter grocery stores, pharmacies and other businesses.
Instead, he has appeared keenly aware of what signal it might send if he appeared in public wearing a mask.
He said on Wednesday he put one on during a visit to Arizona, but only when he would not be photographed backstage.
When he was before cameras at the Honeywell plant, he was barefaced except for a pair of safety goggles.
A person familiar with the matter said Trump did not appear comfortable when he was wearing the mask in Arizona and took it off when he was told by the CEO of Honeywell it wasn't necessary.
White House aides had been anticipating the decision on whether Trump would wear a mask after Pence's visit last week to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, which was overshadowed by criticism of his decision not to wear one.
While Trump told reporters he would be fully willing to wear one if the setting required it, he did not appear enthusiastic behind the scenes at the prospect.
There are no explicit rules against wearing masks at the White House, and some officials have chosen to cover their faces. But as Trump insists the virus is being defeated and pushes for the economy to reopen, his aversion to masks is clear.
Black people in the UK four times more likely to die from Covid-19 than white people, new data shows
Black people in the UK are four times more likely to die from Covid-19 than white people and a number of other ethnic groups are also at an increased risk, according to new data released Thursday.
A report by the Office for National Statistics found black women (defined by the study as Black Caribbean, Black African and Black Other) are 4.3 times more likely to die with Covid-19 than white women, while black men are 4.2 more likely to die.
People of Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, and mixed ethnicities also had a "statistically significant raised risk of death," the report found.
The disparities are "partly a result of socio-economic disadvantage and other circumstances, but a remaining part of the difference has not yet been explained," the study said.
Even after taking into account age, demographic factors and measures of self-reported health problems, black people were still almost twice as likely to die from Covid-19 than white people.
While the report was unable to clearly outline every factor behind the trend, its conclusions make clear the the pandemic -- frequently referred to as a "great equalizer" -- is anything but.
"It is urgent the causes of this disproportionality are investigated," the UK's shadow justice secretary David Lammy tweeted on Thursday, calling the findings "appalling."
"Action must be taken to protect black men and women -- as well as people from all backgrounds -- from the virus," he added.
The data covers the period up to April 10. Its figures are supported by previous studies, which have also found black people in the UK are dying at a far higher rate than their white peers.
An analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank found last week that people from black African backgrounds were 3.7 times more likely to die in hospital from the disease than white people.
That study said excess deaths cannot be explained by differences in geography and demography alone -- nor is it accounted for by non-hospital deaths.
And the findings also chime with similar reports in the United States, where African Americans have died from Covid-19 at a disproportionately high rate.
In Chicago, 72% of people who died were black, officials said in April, despite African Americans only making up 30% of the city's population. In Louisiana, African Americans make up 32% of the population, but account for around 70% of deaths.
The UK has the highest coronavirus death toll in Europe, announcing on Wednesday that more than 30,000 people have died since the start of the outbreak.
A report by the Office for National Statistics found black women (defined by the study as Black Caribbean, Black African and Black Other) are 4.3 times more likely to die with Covid-19 than white women, while black men are 4.2 more likely to die.
People of Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, and mixed ethnicities also had a "statistically significant raised risk of death," the report found.
The disparities are "partly a result of socio-economic disadvantage and other circumstances, but a remaining part of the difference has not yet been explained," the study said.
Even after taking into account age, demographic factors and measures of self-reported health problems, black people were still almost twice as likely to die from Covid-19 than white people.
While the report was unable to clearly outline every factor behind the trend, its conclusions make clear the the pandemic -- frequently referred to as a "great equalizer" -- is anything but.
"It is urgent the causes of this disproportionality are investigated," the UK's shadow justice secretary David Lammy tweeted on Thursday, calling the findings "appalling."
"Action must be taken to protect black men and women -- as well as people from all backgrounds -- from the virus," he added.
The data covers the period up to April 10. Its figures are supported by previous studies, which have also found black people in the UK are dying at a far higher rate than their white peers.
An analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank found last week that people from black African backgrounds were 3.7 times more likely to die in hospital from the disease than white people.
That study said excess deaths cannot be explained by differences in geography and demography alone -- nor is it accounted for by non-hospital deaths.
And the findings also chime with similar reports in the United States, where African Americans have died from Covid-19 at a disproportionately high rate.
In Chicago, 72% of people who died were black, officials said in April, despite African Americans only making up 30% of the city's population. In Louisiana, African Americans make up 32% of the population, but account for around 70% of deaths.
The UK has the highest coronavirus death toll in Europe, announcing on Wednesday that more than 30,000 people have died since the start of the outbreak.
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
5 signs your coronavirus anxiety has turned serious, threatening your mental health, and what to do about it
Enforced lockdowns. Isolation from friends and loved ones. Loss of job, income, economic stability.
Trump officials try to enlist foreign allies in pressure campaign against China over coronavirus response
With the general election just six months away, and the global economy in shambles because of the coronavirus,
What Donald Trump's 'Donna Reed' nostalgia reveals about him
In an interview on Monday with the New York Post, President Donald Trump was asked about his contentious relationship with the media -- particularly CBS News' Paula Reid. Here's how he responded:
Trump emerges from White House bubble to visit Arizona mask-making company
President Donald Trump emerged from his White House bubble Tuesday after weeks of sheltering-in-place, breaking a lengthy self-isolation for a cross-country trip to Arizona that he hopes will signal to the rest of the country a return to normal is imminent.
Three Russian doctors fall from hospital windows, raising questions amid coronavirus pandemic
Three frontline health care workers have mysteriously fallen out of hospital windows in Russia over the past two weeks, heightening public attention to the working conditions for doctors and medical
Trump says he only will submit to GOP oversight for his administration
President Donald Trump said he was allowing Dr. Anthony Fauci to testify before the Republican-led Senate but not the Democrat-led House, calling it a "set up."
First Senate hearing with social distancing
Ratcliffe's confirmation hearing is the first Senate hearing being held since the Senate reconvened this week in a new, socially distant world at the US Capitol. The hearing remains closed to the public,
Ratcliffe steers clear of Trump intel controversies
But Ratcliffe declined to weigh in on several of Trump's controversies with the intelligence community, from his unwillingness to accept their finding that Russia was trying to help him in the
'All roads lead to China'
Ratcliffe said if he was confirmed, his primary focus for the intelligence community would be on the impact of coronavirus as well as questions about its origins in Wuhan, China.
Trump's pick for spy chief pressed on coronavirus origins in China
President Donald Trump's pick to be director of national intelligence, Rep. John Ratcliffe, was grilled Tuesday by senators over his views about the intelligence community's investigation into the origins
Sunday, May 3, 2020
While George W. Bush pleads for unity, Donald Trump plays coronavirus victim
On Saturday, former President George W. Bush released a short, heartfelt video offering words of support for a nation rocked by a staggering loss of lives and livelihoods during the coronavirus
Saturday, May 2, 2020
More than half of the country goes into first weekend with loosened coronavirus restrictions
For the first time in weeks, residents in some states across the country can dabble in semblances of some weekend routines after governors began easing restrictions put in place to combat the novel coronavirus.
Man who lost mom to Covid-19 thanks nurse who arranged for them to video chat one last time
One man got to see his mother one last time before she passed away from coronavirus, thanks to the efforts of this nurse.
Greta Thunberg is donating $100,000 to help children affected by coronavirus pandemic
Climate activist Greta Thunberg is donating prize money she won to help fight the coronavirus pandemic and protect children from its potentially detrimental consequences.
Sixth religious sister at Wisconsin facility dies of coronavirus, officials say
A sixth woman who lived at Our Lady of the Angels Convent in Greenfield, Wisconsin has tested positive for coronavirus after her death, officials say.
Kim Jong Un seen laughing, smiling, smoking and waving to crowds, North Korea state media reports
Kim Jong Un made an appearance at a May Day celebration, at which he was pictured smoking and laughing, North Korean state-run media has reported.
Trump can't resist the role of flamethrower, even in sobering times
At a time when large majorities of Americans support the stay-at-home orders that their governors have issued to keep them safe.
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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced on Thursday that she signed an executive order to extend Michigan’s Covid-19 stay-at-home order thr... -
California's first case of coronavirus community spread started in a nail salon, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in his daily pandemic briefing.
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Climate activist Greta Thunberg is donating prize money she won to help fight the coronavirus pandemic and protect children from its potenti...