What You Need To Know:
The weekend saw a dramatic spike in coronavirus infections all over the U.S. Dr. Anthony Fauci, a member of the administration’s coronavirus task force, issued a grim warning as the U.S. death toll from the pandemic exceeded 2,300 over the weekend. “Looking at what we’re seeing now, I would say between 100,000 and 200,000” deaths, Fauci told CNN’s “State of the Union.” “We’re going to have millions of cases.” In response to the growing number of cases in the U.S., Trump has extended social distancing guidelines to April 30.
Economy & Politics
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin says Americans can expect stimulus checks to be direct deposited in their accounts within three weeks. For those without direct deposit information, Mnuchin says there will be a web-based application to get their money. Venmo, Cash App and Zelle are also in early talks with the U.S. Treasury Department to be able to deliver stimulus payments to the 14% of Americans who don’t have bank accounts.
Instacart shoppers plan to strike over lack of protective equipment (hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and hazard pay) while working during the coronavirus pandemic.
States
Sixty-six residents at the Pleasant View Nursing Home in Mount Airy, Maryland have tested positive for the coronavirus. One man, who was a nursing home resident, died Saturday night.
St. Louis perinatal nurse, Judy Wilson-Griffin, died from coronavirus on March 20. The African American woman was one of first to die in area from the pandemic. According to a statement from SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital, Wilson-Griffin was known as a leader and exceptional educator who was instrumental in starting the St. Mary’s Maternal Transport Program more than a decade ago.
Two African American sisters in Chicago, Patricia Frieson, 61, and Wanda Bailey, 63, died of the coronavirus. Frieson was the first person in Illinois to succumb to the pandemic.
Those entering Florida by car are now being stopped and screened by law enforcement for coronavirus. This follows Governor Ron DeSantis’ order to stop community spread of the illness of people coming from Louisiana, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The governor, who says he doesn’t regret leaving beaches open during spring break, has not issued a statewide shelter-in-place order.
Doctors at Miami Jackson Memorial hospital, the largest in Florida, describes the ICU as “descending into chaos” while trying to navigate the challenges of coronavirus. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said his state does not have enough N95 masks to meet the demand of healthcare workers and first responders.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the bill that just passed by the federal government gives his state 1/9% of its budget to fight the pandemic, claiming other states got up 20% “that don’t even have coronavirus cases.”
Detective Cedric Dixon is the first officer with the New York Police Department to die from the coronavirus. Dixon, an African-American man, was on the force for 23 years and was assigned to the 32nd Precinct in Harlem.
An inmate at a federal prison in Oakdale, Louisiana, died after testing positive for coronavirus. Patrick Jones, 49, began complaining of a persistent cough on March 19 and died Saturday at a local hospital.
