Today’s coronavirus update: Trump plans reopening, searching for ‘normal’ life
President Trump on Thursday unveiled a plan to state governors on how to relax coronavirus-related restrictions in an effort to stem the economic devastation from the pandemic.
The guidelines say states that show a downward trend of COVID-19 cases could be able to re-open their restaurants, bars, theaters, workplaces, sporting centers and gyms as soon as May 1.
The crisis has now put more than 22 million Americans out of work in a month, according to US Department of Labor data released Thursday.
Will life ever go back to normal? That’s apparently the question on everyone’s mind.
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Here’s what else we learned today:
New York crisis:
- No May 1 opening here — Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today he was extending the statewide shutdown of non-essential functions to May 15.
- Mayor Bill de Blasio fizzled New Yorkers’ hopes for a summer dunk in the ocean, saying there’s “no plan” to open beaches due to the outbreak.
- That was as he announced that the Big Apple’s strung-out budget desperately needs $7.4 billion in federal aid to rebound.
Where’s my check?
- Millions of Americans — especially those who use income tax preparers such as H&R Block and TurboTax — are still waiting for their promised stimulus checks.
- Hey, those aren’t essentials! For some, the one-time payments have been used for strange impulse buys — like dildos, guns and stripper poles.
Virus hits home:
- A Long Island mom got to meet her newborn son Wednesday for the first time — more than 10 days after he was born — after giving birth while on a ventilator fighting the coronavirus.
- Meet our hero of the day: Whole Foods delivery man Eduardo Rojas braves the virus every day to keep quarantined New Yorkers fed.
- Read about one woman’s quest to find her father’s final resting place, as Big Apple morgues and funeral homes rapidly run out of space.
Safe and unsafe:
- This tiny town could be the safest place from the virus in America.
- Meanwhile, Sweden isn’t looking so safe at the moment, as the country grapples with a high death toll following its controversial decision not to lock down.
