CDC releases reopening guidelines for businesses, schools and transit – live

“These are not normal times” said California’s governor Gavin Newsom as he took off his face mask and stepped to the podium. “And this is not a normal budget presentation.”

In January, when Newsom projected a budget based on the moment’s economic forecast, California was looking at record-low unemployment rates, 120 consecutive months of job growth and a projected surplus of $5.6 billion.

Today, the state is staring down a budget deficit of $54.3 billion — a shortfall that will force cuts to programs across the state. To keep the impact away from schools and public safety services, California will need more help from the federal government, Newsom said.

“The enormity of the task at hand can’t just be borne by a state. The federal government has a moral, ethical and economic [duty] to support the states. What’s the point of government, if not to protect people and the wellbeing of citizens? This is the opportunity to make our purpose real”, said Newsom.

Without extra funding, and fast, the state is looking at cancelling billions in program expansions. One likely casualty of a paired-down budget: an expansion to the state’s health care program for undocumented immigrants over 65.

To help close some of the budget gap, the state will draw from $16 m in “rainy-day” funds over three years. It will also attempt to negotiate a 10% pay cut with government workers — cuts that will also impact Newsom and his staff.

But throughout the presentation, Newsom implored the federal government to take action, calling for support for the sprawling Heroes Act package, which includes $875 billion for cash for state and local governments

“The federal government, we need you. Our cuts can be mitigated with your support. I encourage my Republican friends in the Senate to help support the states, cities, counties, America, and Americans. The Heroes Act is the best approach. Everything is negotiable”, Newsom said.

Donald Trump traveled to a medical equipment distribution facility in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Thursday to tout a new plan to replenish and upgrade the nation’s vital stockpile of medical equipment.

Trump vowed to “create a stockpile that is not only the best resourced in the world but also evolved to meet all of the new threats that can happen things that you’re not even thinking about right now.” He also announced that on the flight to Pennsylvania, he signed a new Defense Production Act authority to invest in US based pharmaceutical producers.

But the event also had the unmistakable trappings of a campaign rally. He approached the podium as “God Bless the USA” blared.

“All that social distancing. Look at you people,” he said, noting that the facility’s employees were spaced six feet apart. Trump did not wear a mask during his tour of the facility.

“That’s pretty impressive,” he continued of their efforts to socially distance themselves. “But we like it the old way a little bit better don’t we? And we’ll be back, we’ll be back to that soon. I really believe it.”

But he also appeared to go off script to assail the media – “They’re a disaster” – and Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, who he mocked as “Sleepy Joe.”

Referring to an occasion in which Biden garbled the name of the H1N1 virus, Biden asked the crowd: “N1H1, who said that?”

“Sleepy Joe!” he replied, eliciting a ripple of nervous laughter.

Trump went on to argue that the Obama administration mishandled the response to the H1N1 virus, though the scale and scope of the outbreak was nothing compared to the death toll and social disruption that has been made worse, critics say, by Trump’s mismanagement.

New York opens rural parts as cases decline

New York’s North Country, a sprawling, rural swath that includes the Adirondack Mountains, has been added to the regions of the state poised to restart some economic activity in the days ahead as the state slowly relaxes pandemic-induced social restrictions, governor Andrew Cuomo said a little earlier.

The region, which draws hikers, boaters and campers up from New York City and beyond during warmer months, met all seven benchmarks the state requires before selected businesses can be approved for reopening, according to the administration, The Associated Press reported.

It joins New York’s Southern Tier, along the Pennsylvania border, the Mohawk Valley and the Finger Lakes regions in preparing to reopen in phases as early as tomorrow.

None of those parts of the state have been particularly hard hit by the virus, but all are within a few hours drive of still locked-down metropolitan areas where the virus has killed thousands of people.

New York’s 10 regions can start reopening once they demonstrate that Covid-19-related deaths and hospitalizations are consistently down; that there are enough hospital beds to meet any new surge in cases; and that there is sufficient local testing and contact-tracing efforts.

New York state recorded 166 new deaths from the virus Tuesday, bringing the total since March to more than 22,000.

New York City is launching an ad campaign to educate parents about a rare and serious inflammatory syndrome that is thought to be linked to Covid-19 and has been diagnosed in more than 80 children in the city, the mayor, Bill de Blasio, said.

Latest statistics:

There are now 1.4 million confirmed cases of coronavirus in the US and the death toll will surpass 85,000 today (with those deaths occurring in just two months).

Worldwide there are 4.4 million cases and an official toll so far of 300,000 deaths.

Donald Trump has arrived in Allentown, Pennsylvania, for a tour of Owens and Minor, a medical equipment distribution company where he plans to tout his administration’s efforts ramping up testing and boosting production of vital protective equipment.

The Pennsylvania jaunt marks the second time in as many weeks that Trump has visited a battleground state at a time when campaign travel has been almost entirely suspended.

On a tour of the facility, Trump did not wear a mask, though nearly everyone else in his entourage was spotted wearing a face covering.

Trump approached reporters as Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean played over the loudspeaker, part of what appeared to be a playlist similar to the ones featured at his signature campaign rallies.

“Most of this equipment is made in the USA,” he told them. “That’s the way we like it.”