A member of the Office of the Vice President has tested positive for the coronavirus, Katie Miller, Pence's press secretary, said Friday evening.
What she's saying: "Neither President Trump nor Vice President Pence had close contact with the individual. Further contact tracing is being conducted in accordance with CDC guidelines," Miller said in a statement.
Non-essential businesses in Connecticut must close at 8 p.m. on Monday to combat the novel coronavirus through social distancing, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and state officials said on Friday.
What he's saying: "Don't open your retail store unless you're involved in some essential service, like food, grocery stores, or health care as in pharmacies, fuel as in gas stations. I want to see all the rest of those non-essential services closed. Closed for at least a few weeks or for the foreseeable future," Lamont said. Businesses could face civil fines if they remain open.
Several U.S. senators have come under fire for making large stock trades while President Trump and other federal officials publicly downplayed the novel coronavirus threat, but after the lawmakers received a private briefing on the potential seriousness of COVID-19.
The state of play: The trades have sparked insider trading accusations, but it's impossible to know for sure without an investigation by the Justice Department or the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Illinois residents in the state will be subject to a stay-at-home order from 5 p.m. on Saturday until the end of April 7, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced on Friday.
Why it matters: Fivedeaths from COVID-19 have been reported in the state, per the Illinois health department, with 585 confirmed cases as of Friday — 163 more than Thursday. Most recorded cases are currently in Chicago and surrounding counties.
Despite what you've heard from congressional Republicans over the last decade, there's no limit to how much the government can spend — and that'll become evident as the federal government prepares its "phase three" coronavirus stimulus package.
Why it matters: U.S. government spending is about to skyrocket, with checks going out to individuals, loans being handed to companies and other attempts to stanch the coming economic pain.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced Friday that the state's entire workforce must stay home amid the coronavirus outbreak — except for those who work in essential services like grocery stores, banks and pharmacies.
Why it matters: With an uptick in testing and community spread, New York now has over 7,000 confirmed coronavirus cases — far surpassing any other state. Cuomo said that the new provisions "are not helpful hints" and will be enforced with "a civil fine and mandatory closure for any business that is not in compliance."
Mike Bloomberg's 2020 campaign announced Friday that he would scrap his plan to create his own PAC — which would utilize his campaign infrastructure and staff to support the Democratic nominee — and will instead donate $18 million to the DNC.
Why it matters: It's a significant reneging of a key promise from the New York billionaire, who pledged to continue to pay his campaign staff at least through November to back whoever was selected to take on President Trump.
Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) asked the Senate Ethics Committee on Friday to review his recent stock sell-offs.
What he's saying: Burr claimed that the trades, which came before the market crashed amid coronavirus fears, occurred because he "closely followed CNBC's daily health and science reporting out of its Asia bureaus at the time."
Joe Biden called on CEOs on Friday to make a commitment against stock buybacks, as the country deals with the coronavirus pandemic.
Why it matters: The demand comes as an increasing number of industries have called for economic relief from the effects of the pandemic. Companies in many of those industries have come under fire for using extra funds from tax relief to repurchase their own shares in recent years.
The demographics, work patterns and media habits of President Trump's base are putting many of his supporters at elevated risk for the health and economic impacts of coronavirus.
Why it matters: National surveys, including the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index, found that Republicans and Midwesterners have been more likely to respond with less urgency than Americans who identify as Democrats or live in coastal centers.
Nearly 40 million people in California are now required to a stay at home to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to a Thursday evening order from Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Why it matters: This is the first statewide order of its kind in the U.S. since the coronavirus outbreak began.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf issued an executive order on Thursday mandating the closure of all non-life-sustaining businesses in the state to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, per a statement.
Where it stands: The order's enforcement will begin Saturday. Municipalities and states across the U.S. have been close down non-essential businesses to minimize person-to-person contact with COVID-19 on the rise.
