President Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday banning some legal immigration for 60 days due to the novel coronavirus, beginning Thursday at 11:59 p.m. EST.
What's happening: The order will prevent foreigners from obtaining green cards to enter the country if they are outside the U.S. and do not already have valid visas or other travel documents — although there are exceptions.
President Trump said at a press conference Wednesday that he "strongly" disagrees with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's plans to reopen some non-essential businesses, like gyms and barber shops, as soon as this week.
Why it matters: It's a rare rebuke of a Republican governor and Trump ally that comes as the president has sought to reopen parts of the country, even encouraging protests against stay-at-home orders across several states.
CDC Director Robert Redfield clarified comments he made in an interview with the Washington Post about the second wave of the coronavirus, stating at a press conference Wednesday that the winter outbreak won't necessarily be "worse," but rather "more difficult" because it will coincide with the seasonal flu.
Why it matters: President Trump called the headline in the Post — "CDC director warns second wave of coronavirus is likely to be even more devastating" — "ridiculous" and "fake news." Redfield said he found the headline "inappropriate" but that he was accurately quoted in the story, and that he hopes it will help convince Americans to get a flu shot.
California is the latest state that plans to allow hospitals, doctors' practices, outpatient surgery centers and other facilities to resume some procedures and patient visits that have been postponed as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
The big picture: The Trump administration and state leaders are urging that certain conditions be met before medical providers reopen their doors. For example, industry groups said procedures should resume only if the rate of new COVID-19 cases has dropped for at least 14 days and if the organization has enough protective equipment for workers.
An expansion of home confinement designed to alleviate the impact of the coronavirus on federal prisons has been restricted to prisoners who have already served at least half their sentences, Politico and ABC News report.
Why it matters: The new rule, reported by friends and family members of inmates to Politico and detailed in a memo obtained by ABC News, could prevent high-risk prisoners at federal facilities from being sent home to combat the spread of COVID-19.
A woman living in the only Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon’s Bekaa region has tested positive for the coronavirus, AP reports, citing the United Nations.
Why it matters: She's the first person in a refugee camp in Lebanon, which hosts tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees, to contract the virus.
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman told CNN on Wednesday that she believes it's time to reopen the city despite the ongoing threat of the coronavirus, calling Nevada's statewide lockdown "total insanity."
Why it matters: As CNN's Anderson Cooper repeatedly pointed out, hotels and casinos are hot spots for the spread of the virus, which visitors to Las Vegas could bring back to their home states. Goodman dismissed the fears as "alarmist" and said businesses should reopen and allow the free market to dictate whether they are "destroyed" by the virus.
Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger recently launched Rt.live, which tracks the rate of the coronavirus infection spread in each state. Dan digs in with Systrom on what Rt.live can tell us, plus his thoughts on how Silicon Valley has responded to the crisis.
The CDC has confirmed that two pet cats living in separate New York state homes have tested positive for the coronavirus, the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratory said Wednesday.
Why it matters: These are the first pets in the U.S. to test positive for COVID-19, the agency said. The cats experienced a mild respiratory illness from the virus and are expected to recover.
In response to some state-specific efforts to begin reopening movie theaters as soon as next week, the National Association of Theater Owners said Wednesday that it is unlikely many theaters will be ready to resume so soon.
Why it matters: When it comes to the movie theater industry, the business dynamics aren't ready for a full reopen, and consumer sentiment is likely to keep audiences away from theaters for the foreseeable future. Similar dynamics are expected to play out in other industries.
Most of America has been ordered to shelter at home to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, but that can be tricky for people who live with roommates.
Why it matters: Roommates may have a harder time mingling their separate lives under one roof and seeing eye to eye on how to stay safe than people who live with families or significant others.
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has volunteered to develop a contact tracing program to help the tri-state area, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a press briefing on Wednesday.
Why it matters: Cuomo has previously said contact tracing — tracking down people who have interacted with coronavirus patients — is a key component to the "phased reopening of the economy" when the outbreak is under control in New York.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a press conference Wednesday that President Trump agreed during a meeting at the White House to work "very hard" to include funding for state governments in the next coronavirus relief package.
Yes, but: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday that he prefers states be allowed to declare bankruptcy rather than receive federal bailouts.
Tyson Fresh Meats, the beef and pork subsidiary of Tyson Foods, is suspending operations at its largest pork plant in Waterloo, Iowa, the company announced on Wednesday.
Why it matters: The closure "further contributes to the disruption of the nation’s pork supply," per the company. It comes as the meat industry has slowed production, leading to price increases, as plant workers across the country have fallen ill with the coronavirus.
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn said Wednesday that stay at-home coronavirus tests will help states increase their testing capabilities.
Why it matters: Increasing daily tests is a key requirement that states must reach before they can safely relax coronavirus lockdowns.
U.S. farmers are fighting for their livelihoods as the coronavirus pandemic slashes commodity values, cuts off supply chains and closes markets around the globe to their products.
Why it matters: Farmers are at the center of industries being hardest hit by the virus and states' stay-at-home orders.
The global coronavirus crisis is entering a trial-and-error phase as countries begin to tiptoe out of lockdown.
Why it matters: The decisions of what to open and when could determine whether economies stay afloat, and whether fresh lockdowns will be needed if cases spike again. U.S. states now considering their own exit strategies will be watching closely.
There's a striking partisan divide on coronavirus-related topics, reflecting the growing divide between reality as President Trump presents it and the reality presented by experts and health care workers.
Between the lines: Some of these issues aren't open to interpretation. We either have enough coronavirus tests to track outbreaks, or we don't. Health care workers have enough masks, or they don't.
Southwest Georgia has one of the nation's largest number of coronavirus cases after accounting for its small population, and yet Gov. Brian Kemp announced this week that the state is beginning to lift its social distancing measures.
Why it matters: Anywhere in America — including rural or suburban communities — can become the next coronavirus hotspot, if the pandemic is mishandled.
Watch for Joe Biden and his surrogates to stand up a disciplined criticism of President Trump's coronavirus response around "the four Cs," per a campaign memo obtained by Axios: "Coverup." "Chaos." "Corporate favoritism." And "caving" to lobbyists.
Why it matters: The memo signals the presumptive Democratic nominee's intention to make Trump's handling of the pandemic a central attack and provides the first detailed look at how his campaign intends to do it.
Howard Schultz — the Starbucks chairman emeritus, who has been quiet since dropping out of the presidential race in September — announces on Medium this morning that he'll push for "transformation" loans for small business.
What Schultz is saying: He states that some of the country's independent restaurants are "dismayed" after qualifying for the Trump administration's Paycheck Protection Program since they have to use it specifically to pay employees or risk the grant becoming a loan.
The drastic measures at top digital media outlets serve as a stark reminder that few victims will be spared by the economic crisis prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The big picture: Vice Media has laid out a plan for potential layoffs of over 300 people in digital operations, according to The Wall Street Journal. It would be joining Group Nine Media, BuzzFeed, Vox Media, Bustle Digital Group, Cheddar, Maven Media, G/O Media, Protocol and others who have resorted to layoffs and furloughs.
Hospitals, doctors' practices and other health care providers are getting another $75 billion in taxpayer money to cover the fallout of the coronavirus outbreak, bringing the total pot of bailout funds to $175 billion.
The big picture: The first $30 billion has been dispersed to providers based on Medicare billings, which raised the ire of hospitals that treat higher amounts of poor patients and children. The federal government has said the next "targeted distributions" will go to providers in COVID-19 hotspots, rural hospitals and groups that predominantly treat Medicaid patients.
A group of registered nurses rallied outside the White House Tuesday to read out the names of colleagues killed by the novel coronavirus and demand the mass production of personal protective equipment.
Why it matters: Medical institutions and governments are scrambling to stretch limited inventories amid a PPE shortage. The National Nurses United, the largest nurses union in the U.S., of which the protesting nurses are members, said in a statement "tens of thousands of health care workers nationwide" were infected with COVID-19 because of a lack of PPE.
Harvard issued a statement denying the university had accepted stimulus money meant for small businesses after President Trump said Tuesday the school should return federal funding.
Driving the news: A reporter asked at Tuesday's White House briefing if other big businesses would be asked to return federal government dollars after Shake Shack announced Sunday the chain would hand back its entire $10 million Paycheck Protection Program loan. "Harvard’s going to pay back the money," Trump said.
