In an unprecedented move, three of the country’s largest medical organizations demanded on Thursday that President Trump declare the coronavirus outbreak a national emergency.
Continue reading “Medical Community Demands Trump Declare COVID-19 A National Emergency”
States are scrambling to prepare and respond to the coronavirus outbreak, petitioning Washington for changes to federal health insurance programs that could help them save lives.
Continue reading “States Clamor For Trump Emergency Declaration”
The NCAA announced Thursday afternoon that it is canceling the rest of its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. Continue reading “NCAA Cancels March Madness Tournaments Amid Coronavirus Fears”
White House tours have been cancelled amid the COVID-19 epidemic, and the Supreme Court will be closed to the public indefinitely beginning late Thursday afternoon.
Let me mention an important public debate unfolding across the country: school closings. I know this debate in New York City because I’m a resident and I have children in the public schools. We have a particular issue here because we have active spread in the city and a nearby suburb (New Rochelle) is one of the biggest hotspots around the country. Still, the basic question applies in most parts and perhaps every part of the country. I’ve gradually and very reluctantly come to the conclusion that the city government and Board of Education are making a mistake in how they’re approaching the issue.
Let me try to explain carefully why I think that’s the case. And let me be clear that I’m speaking as a resident and a parent and applying my journalistic skills but in no way an expert in public health or medicine.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced Thursday afternoon that the chamber has canceled its scheduled recess next week. Continue reading “Senate Cancels Its Planned Recess Next Week As Coronavirus Outbreak Worsens”
Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), armed with a whiteboard, held Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield’s feet to the fire on whether or not he would exercise his authority to make coronavirus testing free for all Americans, regardless of insurance coverage.
When a pandemic hits your country, you need all hands on deck. Whether that means producing the testing capacity needed to measure the virus’ spread or clear messaging from public health officials, a gap in the tool belt puts lives at risk and could make things worse down the road.
The Democratic National Committee announced on Thursday that the Democratic primary debate between 2020 presidential candidates Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Sunday will be held in Washington, D.C. instead of Phoenix, Arizona as a cautionary measure against COVID-19.
Continue reading “DNC Relocates Upcoming Dem Debate From Arizona To DC Amid Coronavirus Outbreak”
Update: The Senate has canceled its planned recess.
https://twitter.com/senatemajldr/status/1238152886980395009?s=21
The jetfumes that usually waft through the Capitol on Thursday afternoons — when Congress usually wraps up its work week in Washington — have been replaced this week with chaos: some rank-and-file Senate Republicans have made clear that they don’t want to leave without voting on a measure that would address the coronavirus.
