A number of US states are moving ahead with plans to relax lockdown restrictions in the coming days, despite the country having the highest number of cases in the world by far.
This week it was confirmed the US had passed a total of 1m coronavirus infections with more than 60,000 deaths and with a number of states recording record tolls.
But states have been left reeling from the huge economic impact of the stay-at-home orders designed to slow the spread of Covid-19, while armed groups have protested the whole concept of lockdown.
Last week another 3.84 million Americans filed jobless claims.
The worst-hit states by the virus have been New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Florida, Illinois, California, Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Of those only Florida is expected to relax measures in the coming days. California may strengthen them after beaches were seen packed at the weekend.
White House guidelines for social distancing expire today and states have been grappling with when and how to revive their economies while keeping residents safe.
Some states planned to ease restrictions without the "Opening Up America Again" safeguards that the White House itself had recommended, including declines in the infection rate and expanded virus testing.
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a White House task force member, warned states not to move too fast, a refrain of many public
health officials since states, led by Georgia, started easing restrictions.
"You can't just leap over things to a situation where you're really tempting (the virus) to rebound.
"That's the thing I get concerned about. I hope they don't do that," he told NBC's Today show.
The number of coronavirus cases is still climbing in many parts of the country, although peaks already have been reached in New York, the US epicentre of the outbreak, and other places.
Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio and Pennsylvania reported record daily death tolls on Wednesday.
The sense of urgency for states looking to reopen was highlighted today by Labor Department data showing that 3.8 million people filed claims for unemployment benefits in the week ended April 25.
That lifted the number of people who sought unemployment benefits to around 30 million since March 21.
That represents roughly 18.4% of the working age population.
Florida on Wednesday became the latest state, and one of the largest, to announce steps to ease restrictions that crippled business activity.
"There is a light at the end of the tunnel," Governor Ron DeSantis said as he unveiled his phase-one plan due to start on Monday to relax mandatory workplace closures and stay-at-home orders imposed four weeks ago.
Earlier in the week his Texas counterpart, Greg Abbott, another governor closely aligned with their fellow Republican, President Donald Trump, announced a similar reopening strategy due to take effect this Friday.
In California, however, Governor Gavin Newsom was expected to announce the closure of all beaches and parks in the state after crowds jammed beaches last weekend.
A Democrat, Newsom has said that curbside retail, manufacturing and other "lower-risk workplaces" should reopen in California within weeks as testing and contact-tracing improve.
In Michigan, Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer requested an extension to a state of emergency due to expire on Thursday.
Republican lawmakers in Michigan oppose the extension.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said his state would hire thousands of people to trace the contacts of people who test positive for the coronavirus.
He also announced a halt to New York City subway service from 1 to 5am to disinfect trains.
- Georgia has allowed some businesses to be reopened
- Oklahoma has allowed some businesses to be reopened - but the governor never issued mandatory orders to stay at home
- Alaska has allowed some businesses to be reopened
- South Carolina has allowed some businesses to be reopened
- Colorado will allow hair salons, barbershop and tattoo parlours to reopen on Friday
- Tennessee will allow restaurants to reopen on Monday
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Mississippi's mandatory lockdown order expires on Monday
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Montana's governor has allowed churches to reopen starting on Sunday
- Arkansas never issued mandatory orders to stay at home
- Iowa never issued mandatory orders to stay at home
- Nebraska never issued mandatory orders to stay at home
- North Dakota never issued mandatory orders to stay at home
- South Dakota never issued mandatory orders to stay at home
- Utah never issued mandatory orders to stay at home
- Wyoming never issued mandatory orders to stay at home
- Texas' governor said he will not renew the states stay-at-home order when it expires today
- Florida will on Monday relax mandatory workplace closures and stay-at-home
orders imposed four weeks ago
