Just as restaurants, bars, hotels and other businesses around the country ended a two-month lock down and reopened their doors to customers, the virus is hitting the nation’s South and Western states hard and causing elected officials to roll back plans to jump start their economy. This means millions could once again lose their jobs and their livelihood.
On Thursday, the government is expected to issue another positive monthly jobs report, forecasting that employers added the million jobs in June, but that report may not reflect that effect of the coronavirus resurgence in recent weeks.
In addition, unemployment benefits put into place to help struggling citizens when the pandemic began are set to expire at the end of July.
As states slow their reopening plans and Democrats call on Republican leadership to extend unemployment benefits, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy indicated it is unlikely Republicans do so. He also suggested that the extra $600 per week payments are preventing some individuals from going back to work.
More On The Pandemic
During testimony to senators on Tuesday, infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, blamed the recent surge in Covid-19 cases on some states reopening too quickly and by people failing to follow guidelines to stop the spread of the virus. He added that he wouldn’t be surprised if the U.S. sees 100,000 cases per day if things continue as they are.
“We can’t just focus on the areas that are having the surge — it puts the entire country at risk,” Fauci said. “I’m very concerned because it could get very bad.”
As Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced an extended safer-at-home-order, Trump’s campaign has cancelled a rally set to take place next weekend. A source close to the campaign said there are no rallies planned as of yet, but a search for possible venues is underway.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has added eight additional states to the state’s traveler quarantine list. Individuals traveling to New York from various states fighting to contain the spread of the virus are being asked to self-quarantine for 14 days. New York joins the governors for New Jersey and Connecticut in asking individuals traveling from 16 states with rising case numbers to self-quarantine after arriving in the state.
Travelers from the following 16 states will be required to quarantine: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued a warning about fraudulent COVID-19 antibody tests. Scammers are looking to steal personal health insurance information from people who take the fake tests. The FBI urges the public to watch for “claims of FDA approval for antibody testing that cannot be verified, advertisements for antibody testing through social media platforms, email, telephone calls, online, or from unsolicited/unknown sources, and marketers offering ‘free’ COVID-19 antibody tests or providing incentives for undergoing testing.”
At least 107 people linked to a bar in East Lansing have tested positive for coronavirus, Michigan officials said. Health officials are asking anyone who went to Harper’s Restaurant & Brew Pub between June 12 and June 20 to self-quarantine for 14 days and watch for symptoms. Most of the infected individuals are asymptomatic and at least 40% are students or recent graduates from Michigan State University.
Three New Orleans Pelicans basketball players have tested positive for coronavirus. The players, who were tested on the first day of NBA testing, are self-isolating.
As Major League Baseball gets ready to restart its season next month, the league has released on-field rules and procedures for upcoming games. Players are prohibited from socializing or coming within six feet of each other during games. The league is also banning spitting of any kind, but chewing gum is permitted.
In an effort to bring in much-needed cash lost during the pandemic, Cinemark will move forward and reopen some of its theaters on July 24, with additional theaters reopening in the coming weeks. One of Cinemark’s rivals, AMC Theaters, will push back their reopening date by two weeks to July 30.
