A version of this story appeared in the May 20 edition of CNN's Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction newsletter. Sign up here to receive the need-to-know headlines every weekday.
Connecticut was among the last to lift stay-at-home orders, with stores and offices reopening at 50% capacity today. But, just across the state line, in Massachusetts, nonessential business and office spaces are still closed. That disparity shows the challenges governors face as they weigh up how best to restart their economies without a rulebook.
Detailed guidance released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention yesterday may go some way to helping states make that difficult calculation. The 60-page document, which outlines the categories to consider for schools, restaurants, transit and child care facilities to reopen, had previously been shelved by White House after concerns it was too specific.
A CNN review last week found that the guidelines in the original CDC draft were far more strict and detailed than the White House's own road map. Based on the original guidance, "no one who is reopening meets the criteria for reopening," a senior CDC official told CNN at the time.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has agreed to an independent inquiry into the global response to the virus, including a probe of its own actions. Member nations rejected President Donald Trump's demands for punitive action. Instead, the message was one of solidarity: Pointing fingers won't help the pandemic now, but investigating how the virus started could prevent it from happening again.
"This pandemic has highlighted our vulnerability and made it clear that we need one another," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said at the summit. "That's why more than ever we must be united."
YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED
Q: How can I lower my chances of catching Covid-19?
A: Staying safe isn't just about distance — it's about time too. Growing evidence suggests that the Covid-19 infection, like with other illnesses, is related to prolonged time exposed to the virus. The longer you stay in an environment that may contain the virus, the higher the risk of getting sick. Erin Bromage, a comparative immunologist and professor of biology at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, summed it up with a short and sweet equation: "Successful Infection = Exposure to Virus x Time." Bromage's formula was part of a recent blog post explaining ways to lower your risk of catching Covid-19 that went viral. The takeaway: a short shopping trip comes with a comparatively low risk of infection — but employees in those same stores for eight-hour shifts have a higher risk.
Send your questions here. Are you a health care worker fighting Covid-19? Message us on WhatsApp about the challenges you're facing: +1 347-322-0415.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT TODAY
US economic policy leaders split on reopening
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell offered differing views on America's economic outlook yesterday, at the first Senate hearing on how the $2.2 trillion coronavirus rescue package is being implemented.
Mnuchin warned of "permanent" economic damage to the US economy the longer states are shut down, but he also said he expects economic conditions to improve in the third and fourth quarters of this year, as states resume business as usual.
Powell challenged the idea that economic growth and protecting public health were at odds, saying that the number one priority was people feeling it was safe to go back to work. And he suggested again that additional spending by Washington would be required to "help cushion the blow" of the downturn, which is without modern precedent.
Trump calls having highest cases a "badge of honor"
President Trump called the high number of US Covid-19 cases a "badge of honor" because it means the US is testing more people: "It's a great tribute to the testing and all of the work that a lot of professionals have done."
But two states that were among the first to announce the reopening of businesses and public spaces amid the health crisis, have come under scrutiny for their reporting on Covid-19 cases. In Florida and Georgia, limited public access to coronavirus data is raising concerns about transparency.
Colleges weigh up when to return
As students wrap up the academic year remotely, colleges and universities are already working on plans to get them back on campus. A handful of schools have announced shorter terms, canceling fall break and ending in-person class time after Thanksgiving, in an attempt to avoid a "second wave" of infections. Others, including those in the California State University system, have plans to cancel nearly all in-person classes through the semester.
Yesterday, the University of Cambridge, in England, announced one of the most cautious roadmaps: all lectures will be moved online until summer of 2021.
Cyclone evacuations complicated by coronavirus
Cyclone evacuation efforts in India and Bangladesh are being complicated by the pandemic, as relief teams grapple with how to get millions of people to safety while also protecting them against the risk of Covid-19.
Cyclone Amphan was expected to make landfall late this afternoon local time, near the Indian city of Kolkata, which is home to 14 million people and close to the Bangladesh border. You can follow our latest reporting on the storm here.
Brazil sees deadly surge
Brazil recorded its highest number of coronavirus deaths and cases in one day yesterday, according to the country's health ministry.
Meanwhile, when asked yesterday if he was considering a travel ban on Latin America, and Brazil in particular, which now has the third highest number of diagnosed coronavirus cases in the world, President Trump said that he was "considering it."
ON OUR RADAR
- Large, painted circles — spaced six feet apart — on the grass of one of Brooklyn's public parks are keeping sunbathers in check.
- A Texas federal judge has ruled that all voters afraid of catching the novel coronavirus can request absentee mail-in ballots due to the pandemic.
- "Captain Tom," the 100-year-old veteran who raised $40 million for the UK's National Health Service by taking laps of his backyard, is to be knighted.
- The UK's Prince Charles wants furloughed workers to pick fruit and vegetables to plug shortages in the labor market caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
- Spain has made face masks mandatory in public spaces where people can't social distance.
- When Italian towns began offering houses for sale for little more than $1, they inspired legions of dreamers to take a big gamble. Now they're stuck.
- India has recorded 5,611 new coronavirus cases today — its biggest one-day jump since the pandemic started.
- Nearly 200 coronavirus cases in South Korea have now been linked to a nightclub cluster in the capital Seoul.
- Rolls-Royce is cutting at least 9,000 jobs as the coronavirus slams aviation.
TODAY'S TOP TIPS
Humans rely on social connections for our mental and physical health. According to a Brigham Young University study, a lack of interpersonal relationships can have as much of an impact on our bodies as high-risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure and obesity. In other words, social distancing can be deadly. Fortunately technology can offer an essential outlet, allowing those who have access to feel less alone.
- Add empathy to digital conversations with emojis
- Tune into livestreams for a shared virtual experience
- Seek out humor: Comedians have started a slew of new digital standups
- Make video chats an event (organize costume parties or pub quizzes)
- Pick up the phone
TODAY'S PODCAST
"I woke up in the morning ... my stomach started to hurt pretty bad. And it felt like my legs were weak and I was pretty tired." — Juliet Daly, a 12-year-old who recently recovered from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome
Health officials in Europe and the United States have reported cases of a rare but serious syndrome affecting children. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to doctors investigating the condition and to a young girl who has recovered from it. Listen Now.
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