US unemployment figures have again shattered records, with 6.6 million Americans filing for benefits as the coronavirus pandemic brings society to a grinding halt and threatens economic collapse.
Nancy Pelosi has asked the president to extend period people can sign up for the Affordable Care Act after his administration declined to re-open enrolment this week.
Donald Trump attempted to pivot away from the deadly outbreak in his latest press briefing on Wednesday — a day on which the country’s death toll hit 5,000 from 216,000 cases — threatening Iran, questioning China’s figures and attacking Fox News reporter John Roberts for asking him about a “false story”.
The latest horror stories from the US include the tragic death of a six-week-old infant in Connecticut, New York’s death toll doubling in 72 hours and the state of Michigan surpassing California’s case numbers, reporting 2,000 fresh instances in just one day.
On Thursday, the president claimed that hospitals and states that are clamouring for critically needed supplies have "insatiable appetites" and are "never satisfied."
He said "we're not a backup, we're not an ordering clerk" and complained about states' emergency requests for hospital beds and equipment, while states and hospital systems have been left to compete against one another for equipment.
During another disjointed press briefing on Thursday, the president said: "Who ever heard of a governor calling up the federal government and saying, 'sir, we need a hospital?'"
The White House also suggested that new federal guidelines will urge Americans to wear masks and face coverings.
Moments after chastising Congress for demanding oversight for the distribution of a multi-trillion dollar relief package and business bailout — saying "now is not the time for politics" — the president sent a catty letter to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, writing: "No wonder AOC and others are thinking about running against you in the primary. If they did, they would likely win."
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Trump attacks Iran and attempts to pivot to pet subjects in Covid-19 briefing
Donald Trump attempted to pivot away from the deadly coronavirus outbreak on Wednesday – a day on which the country’s death toll hit 5,000 from 216,000 cases - threatening Iran, questioning China’s figures and attacking Fox News reporter John Roberts for asking him about a “false story”.
Having tweeted the below to Tehran earlier in the day, the president told the press at the latest daily briefing by his coronavirus task force at the White House that was "just giving them a warning".
On China, Trump said he had not received an intelligence report on its data but added: "The numbers seem to be a little bit on the light side - and I am being nice when I say that - relative to what we witnessed and what was reported."
As for Roberts, the president rebuked him for asking about his past decision to disband a government pandemic response team, which looked unwise at the time and disastrous now, with Trump asking the journalist whether he worked for CNN (a remark intended as an insult):
The president, vice president Mike Pence, defence secretary Mark Esper and attorney general William Barr also discussed drug smuggling, migrant caravans and border control in a press conference nominally dedicated to addressing the spreading pandemic and what to do about it.
Another reporter asked Trump about a possible rise in domestic violence as a consequence of isolation measures (as seen in Seattle) and the president misheard him, thinking he said "Mexican violence", a gaffe that spoke volumes about where his head is at.
Incredibly, he was even distracted enough to boast (wrongly) about his number Facebook followers.
Samuel Lovett has this on the latest disturbing spike.
Donald Trump attempted to pivot away from the deadly coronavirus outbreak on Wednesday – a day on which the country’s death toll hit 5,000 from 216,000 cases - threatening Iran, questioning China’s figures and attacking Fox News reporter John Roberts for asking him about a “false story”.
Having tweeted the below to Tehran earlier in the day, the president told the press at the latest daily briefing by his coronavirus task force at the White House that was "just giving them a warning".
On China, Trump said he had not received an intelligence report on its data but added: "The numbers seem to be a little bit on the light side - and I am being nice when I say that - relative to what we witnessed and what was reported."
As for Roberts, the president rebuked him for asking about his past decision to disband a government pandemic response team, which looked unwise at the time and disastrous now, with Trump asking the journalist whether he worked for CNN (a remark intended as an insult):
The president, vice president Mike Pence, defence secretary Mark Esper and attorney general William Barr also discussed drug smuggling, migrant caravans and border control in a press conference nominally dedicated to addressing the spreading pandemic and what to do about it.
Another reporter asked Trump about a possible rise in domestic violence as a consequence of isolation measures (as seen in Seattle) and the president misheard him, thinking he said "Mexican violence", a gaffe that spoke volumes about where his head is at.
Incredibly, he was even distracted enough to boast (wrongly) about his number Facebook followers.
Samuel Lovett has this on the latest disturbing spike.
Six-week-old baby dies of coronavirus as New York, Michigan cases worsen
The latest horror stories from the US include the tragic death of a six-week-old infant in Connecticut, New York’s death toll doubling in 72 hours and the state of Michigan surpassing California’s case numbers, reporting 2,000 fresh instances in just one day.
New York is rushing to bring in an army of medical volunteers as the statewide death toll rose to more than 1,900, while the global number of infections edged closer to a million.
As hot spots flared around the US in places like New Orleans and southern California, the nation's biggest city was the hardest hit of all, with bodies loaded on to refrigerated mortuary trucks outside overwhelmed hospitals.
"How does it end? And people want answers," said New York governor Andrew Cuomo. "I want answers. The answer is nobody knows for sure."
Michigan though became the third worst-hit state just behind New Jersey as its total number of infected citizens came to at 9,334 cases, an increase of 1,719 over Tuesday's figures. Detroit, Michigan's largest city, had the most confirmed positive cases of the coronavirus with 2,472 individuals infected. Wayne and Oakland followed behind with 1,998 and 1,910, respectively. Michigan's total number of deaths climbed by 78 to 337.
Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a "stay home, stay safe" order last week for all residents that will last until at least 13 April to combat the virus' spread. At the time, the state had reported just over 1,300 cases and 15 deaths.
Here's Danielle Zoellner's report on the unthinkably sad news from Connecticut.
The latest horror stories from the US include the tragic death of a six-week-old infant in Connecticut, New York’s death toll doubling in 72 hours and the state of Michigan surpassing California’s case numbers, reporting 2,000 fresh instances in just one day.
New York is rushing to bring in an army of medical volunteers as the statewide death toll rose to more than 1,900, while the global number of infections edged closer to a million.
As hot spots flared around the US in places like New Orleans and southern California, the nation's biggest city was the hardest hit of all, with bodies loaded on to refrigerated mortuary trucks outside overwhelmed hospitals.
"How does it end? And people want answers," said New York governor Andrew Cuomo. "I want answers. The answer is nobody knows for sure."
Michigan though became the third worst-hit state just behind New Jersey as its total number of infected citizens came to at 9,334 cases, an increase of 1,719 over Tuesday's figures. Detroit, Michigan's largest city, had the most confirmed positive cases of the coronavirus with 2,472 individuals infected. Wayne and Oakland followed behind with 1,998 and 1,910, respectively. Michigan's total number of deaths climbed by 78 to 337.
Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a "stay home, stay safe" order last week for all residents that will last until at least 13 April to combat the virus' spread. At the time, the state had reported just over 1,300 cases and 15 deaths.
Here's Danielle Zoellner's report on the unthinkably sad news from Connecticut.
Trump sends in military amid fears of 'losing ground' to drug cartels during pandemic
Back to the White House.
Here's John T Bennett on the president's plan to escalate the war on drugs to stop Central American cartels exploiting the current state of chaos to gain ground, a good cause no doubt but surely not top of anyone's list of priorities right now.
Trump said he would be doubling US military resources in the Caribbean, including destroyers, surveillance planes and personnel, in an anti-drug crackdown to deal with what he called a "growing threat" from "corrupt actors" in the region, citing Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.
Back to the White House.
Here's John T Bennett on the president's plan to escalate the war on drugs to stop Central American cartels exploiting the current state of chaos to gain ground, a good cause no doubt but surely not top of anyone's list of priorities right now.
Trump said he would be doubling US military resources in the Caribbean, including destroyers, surveillance planes and personnel, in an anti-drug crackdown to deal with what he called a "growing threat" from "corrupt actors" in the region, citing Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.
President considering grounding domestic flights to ‘hot spots’
Trump also said yesterday that he is weighing grounding domestic flights between coronavirus hot spots as he ramps up efforts to try to contain the pandemic's spread in the US.
"We're thinking about doing that," he told reporters on Wednesday.
His comments came a day after he warned the nation to brace for a "hell of a bad two weeks," with 100,000 to 240,000 coronavirus deaths projected, even if current social distancing guidelines are maintained.
Limited flights continue to run between cities like New York and Detroit, though passenger counts have plummeted across the nation.
The Transportation Security Administration screened just 146,348 passengers on Tuesday, down from 2,026,256 the same day last year.
Nonetheless, the president said he was looking at new restrictions, even as he voiced concern about the impact on already-struggling airlines, saying that, once you do that, "you really are clamping down" on "an industry that is desperately needed".
However, Trump offered mixed messages during the briefing.
He seemed to suggest that he was looking to temporarily ground all domestic flights, saying, "We're looking at the whole thing because we're getting into a position now where we want to do that, we have to do that... and we may have some recommendations."
But pressed later on whether that was his intention, he said he was thinking of something less restrictive.
"I am looking where flights are going into hot spots," he said.
"Closing up every single flight on every single airline, that's a very, very, very rough decision. But we are thinking about hot spots where you go from spot to spot, both hot. And we'll let you know fairly soon."
"We're thinking about doing that," he told reporters on Wednesday.
His comments came a day after he warned the nation to brace for a "hell of a bad two weeks," with 100,000 to 240,000 coronavirus deaths projected, even if current social distancing guidelines are maintained.
Limited flights continue to run between cities like New York and Detroit, though passenger counts have plummeted across the nation.
The Transportation Security Administration screened just 146,348 passengers on Tuesday, down from 2,026,256 the same day last year.
Nonetheless, the president said he was looking at new restrictions, even as he voiced concern about the impact on already-struggling airlines, saying that, once you do that, "you really are clamping down" on "an industry that is desperately needed".
However, Trump offered mixed messages during the briefing.
He seemed to suggest that he was looking to temporarily ground all domestic flights, saying, "We're looking at the whole thing because we're getting into a position now where we want to do that, we have to do that... and we may have some recommendations."
But pressed later on whether that was his intention, he said he was thinking of something less restrictive.
"I am looking where flights are going into hot spots," he said.
"Closing up every single flight on every single airline, that's a very, very, very rough decision. But we are thinking about hot spots where you go from spot to spot, both hot. And we'll let you know fairly soon."
Trump says Iran is planning 'sneak attack' on US interests in Iraq
Richard Hall offers this explanation for the president's suddent eruption against Tehran yesterday.
Richard Hall offers this explanation for the president's suddent eruption against Tehran yesterday.
Dr Anthony Fauci ‘given security detail after receiving threats from far-right extremists’
The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - one of America's most trusted authorities on Covid-19 and a figure of comfort to many - has reportedly been given a beefed up security detail after he received a number of menacing messages from right-wing extremists apparently antagonised by his habit of publicly correcting the president.
The idiocy of some people really knows no bounds.
Colin Drury has this.
The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - one of America's most trusted authorities on Covid-19 and a figure of comfort to many - has reportedly been given a beefed up security detail after he received a number of menacing messages from right-wing extremists apparently antagonised by his habit of publicly correcting the president.
The idiocy of some people really knows no bounds.
Colin Drury has this.
Trump says cruise ships can evacuate British and Canadian passengers as Florida governor finally acts
The president also said during yesterday's briefing arrangements had been made with the Canadian and British governments to evacuate many of the passengers on two cruise ships set to soon dock in Florida.
Trump added that officials in states overwhelmed by coronavirus infections are reluctant to have the passengers immediately return to their communities.
"It's a tough situation you know," he said. "You can understand you have people that are sick on the ships and states don't want to take [them]. They have enough problems right now. They don't want to take them. But we have to from a humane standpoint. We don't have a choice. I don't want to do that but we have to. People are dying."
Florida governor Ron DeSantis finally declared a state-wide "stay at home" order yesterday after attracting huge criticism for delaying and keeping the beaches open like the mayor from Jaws, with his California counterpart Gavin Newsom - who has been far more proactive and impressive throughout this disaster - urging all other states to now follow suit.
The president also said during yesterday's briefing arrangements had been made with the Canadian and British governments to evacuate many of the passengers on two cruise ships set to soon dock in Florida.
Trump added that officials in states overwhelmed by coronavirus infections are reluctant to have the passengers immediately return to their communities.
"It's a tough situation you know," he said. "You can understand you have people that are sick on the ships and states don't want to take [them]. They have enough problems right now. They don't want to take them. But we have to from a humane standpoint. We don't have a choice. I don't want to do that but we have to. People are dying."
Florida governor Ron DeSantis finally declared a state-wide "stay at home" order yesterday after attracting huge criticism for delaying and keeping the beaches open like the mayor from Jaws, with his California counterpart Gavin Newsom - who has been far more proactive and impressive throughout this disaster - urging all other states to now follow suit.
Louise Hall has the latest on the thorny problem of sickness outbreaks aboard cruise ships.
Trump lambasted by Nancy Pelosi for blaming slow coronavirus response on impeachment
The House speaker gave the president's latest excuse for his cackhanded handling of the crisis short shrift yesterday after it was picked up and endorsed by Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell.
“We have a life-and-death situation in our country, and they should not try to hide behind an excuse for why they do not take action,” the California Democrat said. “That’s an admission that perhaps the president and the majority leader cannot handle the job,” she said.
House Democratic leaders have meanwhile targeted 20 April as the earliest they are likely to call members back to Washington to continue legislating the government’s response to the health crisis.
Here's Griffin Connolly's report.
The House speaker gave the president's latest excuse for his cackhanded handling of the crisis short shrift yesterday after it was picked up and endorsed by Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell.
“We have a life-and-death situation in our country, and they should not try to hide behind an excuse for why they do not take action,” the California Democrat said. “That’s an admission that perhaps the president and the majority leader cannot handle the job,” she said.
House Democratic leaders have meanwhile targeted 20 April as the earliest they are likely to call members back to Washington to continue legislating the government’s response to the health crisis.
Here's Griffin Connolly's report.
President in talks with Jair Bolsonaro as crisis deepens in Brazil
Trump and his Brazilian counterpart discussed co-operation between the two countries in the fight against coronavirus on Wednesday, as the country's health minister warned that infection rates and lack of medical supplies were a big concern.
The two presidents discussed medical and logistical co-operation on a phone call but steered clear of confinement and quarantine policies, according to Brazil's foreign minister Ernesto Araujo. Both leaders have stirred controversy for their positions on the latter.
The White House said they discussed the importance of working together through the G20, co-operating on vaccine development and restoring global economic growth.
Criticism has grown over Bolsonaro's handling of the crisis. The right-wing populist has attacked state governors for lockdowns that are causing job losses, played down the threat of what he calls "a little flu" and contradicted his own health minister's position on self-isolation and social distancing.
Brazil's health minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said the latest coronavirus figures were very worrying and expressed concern about the lack of protective equipment, medical equipment and ventilators.
The Health Ministry said on Wednesday that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Brazil rose by 1,119 to 6,836 and the death toll by 39 to 240.
A 20-year-old indigenous woman in a village deep in the Amazon rainforest was the first case reported among Brazil's more than 300 tribes. Mandetta said monitoring indigenous people is a challenge and their lifestyle could facilitate the spread of the virus.
He told reporters that Brazil was having difficulty importing urgent medical equipment because the United States sent 23 planes to China to be filled up and Brazil's share was slashed as a result.
Mandetta said on Monday that 200m personal protective equipment items would arrive from China this month.
Meanwhile, Bolsonaro repeated his insistence that jobs and the economy cannot be forgotten in the coronavirus fight and warned that imports of food were already falling.
The government pledged billions more to help the poor but was criticized for fraying ties with congress that could delay aid reaching those most in need.
Economy minister Paulo Guedes said the government will spend about BRL98bn (£15bn) to help 54m informal workers affected by nationwide lockdowns, part of an overall BRL800bn (£b122n) reais government aid package.
Trump and his Brazilian counterpart discussed co-operation between the two countries in the fight against coronavirus on Wednesday, as the country's health minister warned that infection rates and lack of medical supplies were a big concern.
The two presidents discussed medical and logistical co-operation on a phone call but steered clear of confinement and quarantine policies, according to Brazil's foreign minister Ernesto Araujo. Both leaders have stirred controversy for their positions on the latter.
The White House said they discussed the importance of working together through the G20, co-operating on vaccine development and restoring global economic growth.
Criticism has grown over Bolsonaro's handling of the crisis. The right-wing populist has attacked state governors for lockdowns that are causing job losses, played down the threat of what he calls "a little flu" and contradicted his own health minister's position on self-isolation and social distancing.
Brazil's health minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said the latest coronavirus figures were very worrying and expressed concern about the lack of protective equipment, medical equipment and ventilators.
The Health Ministry said on Wednesday that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Brazil rose by 1,119 to 6,836 and the death toll by 39 to 240.
A 20-year-old indigenous woman in a village deep in the Amazon rainforest was the first case reported among Brazil's more than 300 tribes. Mandetta said monitoring indigenous people is a challenge and their lifestyle could facilitate the spread of the virus.
He told reporters that Brazil was having difficulty importing urgent medical equipment because the United States sent 23 planes to China to be filled up and Brazil's share was slashed as a result.
Mandetta said on Monday that 200m personal protective equipment items would arrive from China this month.
Meanwhile, Bolsonaro repeated his insistence that jobs and the economy cannot be forgotten in the coronavirus fight and warned that imports of food were already falling.
The government pledged billions more to help the poor but was criticized for fraying ties with congress that could delay aid reaching those most in need.
Economy minister Paulo Guedes said the government will spend about BRL98bn (£15bn) to help 54m informal workers affected by nationwide lockdowns, part of an overall BRL800bn (£b122n) reais government aid package.
Coronavirus task force freezes shipments of medical equipment for US allies
With even Trump admitting the national stockpile of medical equipment is low, the White House coronavirus task force headed by Mike Pence has reportedly frozen shipments of personal protective gear for medical workers destined for US allies.
John T Bennett has more on this.
With even Trump admitting the national stockpile of medical equipment is low, the White House coronavirus task force headed by Mike Pence has reportedly frozen shipments of personal protective gear for medical workers destined for US allies.
John T Bennett has more on this.
Democrats and Republicans consider postponing national conventions
Key members of both US political parties are considering postponing their national conventions to accommodate social distancing guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Democratic convention this year is scheduled for 13-16 July in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Republican convention is scheduled for 24-27 August in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Neither now seems likely to happen, says Graig Graziosi.
Key members of both US political parties are considering postponing their national conventions to accommodate social distancing guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Democratic convention this year is scheduled for 13-16 July in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Republican convention is scheduled for 24-27 August in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Neither now seems likely to happen, says Graig Graziosi.
Journalism professors write open letter to Murdochs calling for end to Fox News 'misinformation'
The appeal to Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan comes from 74 academics and begs the network and its big beast anchors to stop putting American lives at risk with its wretched coverage of the coronavirus crisis, laced as it has been with distressingly ignorant and speculative punditry, anti-science/pro-business opposition to social distancing measures, quack cure suggestions, conspiracy theories and bigotry.
The authors accuse Fox of violating "elementary canons of journalism" and argue - more politiely than I just did - that the channel has "contributed to the spread of a grave pandemic" through its appalling coverage.
The appeal to Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan comes from 74 academics and begs the network and its big beast anchors to stop putting American lives at risk with its wretched coverage of the coronavirus crisis, laced as it has been with distressingly ignorant and speculative punditry, anti-science/pro-business opposition to social distancing measures, quack cure suggestions, conspiracy theories and bigotry.
The authors accuse Fox of violating "elementary canons of journalism" and argue - more politiely than I just did - that the channel has "contributed to the spread of a grave pandemic" through its appalling coverage.
CNN anchor with coronavirus describes 'freaky' night's sleep haunted by hallucinations, dreams of his late father and shivering so bad he chipped a tooth
Here's last night's update from poor old Chris Cuomo, describing his symptoms in graphic but illuminating detail:
Colleague Don Lemon was so moved by his friend's plight he cried on air last night - an incredibly touching moment.
“Sorry, I said I wasn’t going to do this," he said. “He’s probably at home laughing at me."
New York governor Andrew Cuomo - Chris's sibling - commented yesterday: "There is no superhero who is immune to this disease. Anyone can get it. No one can be protected from it. I couldn't protect my own brother... And with all he knows and as smart as he is, he couldn't protect himself.
The governor also addressed his brother's diagnosis in a press conference on Tuesday, saying coronavirus is "the great equaliser".
"When he told me he had the coronavirus, it scared me. It frightened me. Why? Because we still don't know... And I deal with all sorts of stuff and I've seen all sorts of things... Why? Because we're talking about my brother. This is my best friend. I talk to him several times a day, basically spent my whole life with him. It is frightening on a fundamental level... because there is nothing I can do. And this situation is the same for everyone... So yes, I'm frightened for my brother; I'm worried for my brother."
Here's last night's update from poor old Chris Cuomo, describing his symptoms in graphic but illuminating detail:
Colleague Don Lemon was so moved by his friend's plight he cried on air last night - an incredibly touching moment.
“Sorry, I said I wasn’t going to do this," he said. “He’s probably at home laughing at me."
New York governor Andrew Cuomo - Chris's sibling - commented yesterday: "There is no superhero who is immune to this disease. Anyone can get it. No one can be protected from it. I couldn't protect my own brother... And with all he knows and as smart as he is, he couldn't protect himself.
The governor also addressed his brother's diagnosis in a press conference on Tuesday, saying coronavirus is "the great equaliser".
"When he told me he had the coronavirus, it scared me. It frightened me. Why? Because we still don't know... And I deal with all sorts of stuff and I've seen all sorts of things... Why? Because we're talking about my brother. This is my best friend. I talk to him several times a day, basically spent my whole life with him. It is frightening on a fundamental level... because there is nothing I can do. And this situation is the same for everyone... So yes, I'm frightened for my brother; I'm worried for my brother."
More US states try to ban abortion during outbreak following Texas's lead
It seems it's not just the drug cartels seeing an opportunity in the upending of life as we know it... Pro-life interest groups are at it as well.
It seems it's not just the drug cartels seeing an opportunity in the upending of life as we know it... Pro-life interest groups are at it as well.
Second World War veteran, 104, survives coronavirus in Oregon
Gino Spocchia has this on the extraordinary case of Bill Lapschies.
Gino Spocchia has this on the extraordinary case of Bill Lapschies.
US employment claims hit record 6.6 million as coronavirus devastates economy
The surging layoffs have led many economists to envision as many as 20 million lost jobs by the end of April. The unemployment rate could spike to as high as 15 per cent this month, above the previous record of 10.8 per cent set during a deep recession in 1982.
Here's Chris Riotta's report.
American unemployment figures have once again shattered records, with 6.6 million Americans filing for benefits as the coronavirus pandemic brought society to a grinding halt in most states across the country and threatened economic collapse.
The number of people in the US filing for unemployment in a single week doubled the previous record of 3.3 million, which came just a week earlier.
"We've never seen anything like this," Aaron Sojourner, labour economist at the University of Minnesota, told The Washington Post. "The scale of the job losses in the past two weeks is on par with what we saw in two years during the Great Recession."
The surging layoffs have led many economists to envision as many as 20 million lost jobs by the end of April. The unemployment rate could spike to as high as 15 per cent this month, above the previous record of 10.8 per cent set during a deep recession in 1982.
Here's Chris Riotta's report.
Trump berates Chuck Schumer after criticism of medical goods distribution
Here's the latest from Nero:
That rant at Schumer comes in response to this tweet from the New York senator a little while ago.
The president's subsequent retweet appears not to have been very carefully chosen:
Here's the latest from Nero:
That rant at Schumer comes in response to this tweet from the New York senator a little while ago.
The president's subsequent retweet appears not to have been very carefully chosen:
Senator who contracted coronavirus leaves Florida beach house after local outcry
“I ask everyone to join me in doing your part to #FlattenTheCurve and #StayHome as we fight the spread of Covid-19.”
With Trump retweeting praise from cronies - Don Jr, Ronna McDaniel, Brad Parscale, Eric Bolling, you know the line up - let's turn our attention to one Bruce Thompson.
A state senator from Georgia, Thompson travelled to his Florida beach house to recuperate from a case of Covid-19 this week, only to head home again after the local sheriff called him “irresponsible” - and assigned a police detail to enforce a two-week quarantine on him.
A state senator from Georgia, Thompson travelled to his Florida beach house to recuperate from a case of Covid-19 this week, only to head home again after the local sheriff called him “irresponsible” - and assigned a police detail to enforce a two-week quarantine on him.
Thompson, who represents Georgia’s 14th state senate district, was hospitalised with symptoms of coronavirus in mid-March. He spent several days in intensive care and was at one point unable to breathe unassisted.
In a Facebook post on 22 March summarising the experience, he wrote: “Thank you to the amazing healthcare workers at Northside Cherokee who provided first class service - they and thousands of others across the country are on the frontlines in this battle.
“I ask everyone to join me in doing your part to #FlattenTheCurve and #StayHome as we fight the spread of Covid-19.”
It was after this that Thompson went to his vacation home in Florida’s Franklin County, despite restrictions on travel. Local residents, who are on orders to stay at home to help slow the virus’s spread, raised the alarm with the authorities when they saw out-of-town visitors arriving in a convoy of three cars.
Andrew Naughtie picks up the story.
Ben McAdams: 'You don't know how this is going to hit you'
The Utah congressman has given his first interview to NBC's Today show since being released from hospitalisation with Covid-19.
This is what he had to say about his experiences: "It was quite an ordeal. I'm doing so much better right now. I’m probably not quite 100%, but after we spoke it really took a turn for the worse. I found myself in the hospital for eight days and just had trouble breathing, couldn't keep my oxygen levels up and it hit me really, really hard and so it's good to be back on my feet right now. I'm virus free."
The Utah congressman has given his first interview to NBC's Today show since being released from hospitalisation with Covid-19.
This is what he had to say about his experiences: "It was quite an ordeal. I'm doing so much better right now. I’m probably not quite 100%, but after we spoke it really took a turn for the worse. I found myself in the hospital for eight days and just had trouble breathing, couldn't keep my oxygen levels up and it hit me really, really hard and so it's good to be back on my feet right now. I'm virus free."
Dr Fauci was also on the show and was as unflappable as ever, even on the subject of threats of made against his own safety:
