May 21, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Trump says CDC will issue guidance soon on reopening churches

President Trump tours the Ford Rawsonville Plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan on May 21. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

President Trump said on Thursday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would issue guidance "today or tomorrow" to guide churches on reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Why it matters: Early versions of detailed CDC guidelines for reopening the country included guidance for religious institutions to hold in-person services, which the White House requested to be taken out, according to AP.

Where it stands: CDC spokesperson Benjamin Haynes told Axios that the agency's guidelines for churches would be issued "hopefully soon."

Driving the news: The CDC recently released a 60-page road map for states, restaurants, schools, child care programs, mass transit systems and other businesses to navigate resuming operations amid the coronavirus pandemic.

  • The new guidance did not include information for faith-based communities.

What they're saying: “Like restaurants, department stores, and schools, President Trump and all Americans want to see their churches safely open again," White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement.

  • The administration will "continue to partner with states to ensure congregations are properly protected as restrictions are responsibly eased," Deere said.

Go deeper: White House coronavirus task force asked CDC to revise reopening guidelines

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Axios
Updated 55 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 7 a.m. ET: 19,655,445 — Total deaths: 727,353 — Total recoveries — 11,950,845 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 7 a.m. ET: 4,998,802 — Total deaths: 162,425 — Total recoveries: 1,643,118 — Total tests: 61,080,587 — Map.
  3. Politics: Trump signs 4 executive actions on coronavirus aid — Democrats, and some Republicans, criticize the move.
  4. Public health: Fauci says chances are "not great" that COVID-19 vaccine will be 98% effective — 1 in 3 Americans would decline COVID-19 vaccine.
  5. Science: Indoor air is the next coronavirus frontline.
  6. Schools: How back-to-school is playing out in the South as coronavirus rages on — Princeton, Johns Hopkins, Howard to hold fall classes online.
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Orion Rummler
Aug 7, 2020 - Health

Massachusetts pauses reopening after uptick in coronavirus cases

Gov. Charlie Baker at Boston MedFlight Headquarters on Aug. 4. Photo: David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced Friday that the state's second phase of reopening is "postponed indefinitely" in response to a modest increase in coronavirus cases.

The big picture: The state is reporting more COVID-19 deaths than most others across the U.S. outside of domestic epicenters like California, or previous hotspots including New Jersey and New York, per a New York Times database.

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Orion Rummler
Aug 7, 2020 - Health

Cuomo says all New York schools can reopen for in-person learning

Gov. Cuomo on July 23 in New York City. Photo: Jeenah Moon/Getty Images

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that all school districts across the state can choose to reopen for in-person learning because it has so far maintained low enough coronavirus transmission rates.

Why it matters: It’s another sign that the state, once the global epicenter of the pandemic, has — at least for now — successfully curbed the spread of the virus even as infections have surged elsewhere around the country.

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