Minnesota AG Keith Ellison says racism is a bigger problem than police behavior; 21 states see uptick in cases amid efforts to reopen
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY
> Is this the dreaded second wave? 21 states see uptick in new cases amid efforts to reopen; Memorial Day outings, protests expected to lead to continued spikes
> Fauci warns that ‘nightmare’ pandemic isn’t close to over
> GOP expected to move its convention to Jacksonville following dispute with NC gov
> A downside to slowing infection rates? Declining number of new cases may make it harder to develop a vaccine
> Senate Republicans prepare to punt next round of COVID-19 relief
> The pandemic has disrupted just about every aspect of global trade, even drug trafficking
> Starbucks loses as much as $3.2 billion in revenue in latest quarter due to virus
> Coup threats further rattle Brazil as virus continue its rampage through the country
> Minnesota AG Keith Ellison says racism is a bigger problem than police behavior, urges Democrats not to let calls to dismantle police be used as a political weapon against them
THE INTERVIEW
Keith Ellison, Attorney General of Minnesota
Minnesota AG Keith Ellison says racism is a deeper problem than police behavior, claims police are not trained well enough, urges Democratic Party not to let calls to dismantle police force become a political weapon against them.
Watch the full video here.
THE HILL’S CORONAVIRUS REPORT
Welcome to The Hill’s Coronavirus Report. It’s Wednesday, June 10.
Editor’s Note.
Most of those I have personally seen at vigils honoring the slain George Floyd, or #BlackLivesMatters marches and protests in Washington, D.C., or on the eastern shore of Maryland have been respectful of distancing and have worn masks. They are highly aware that COVID-19 is lurking and preying on people who are near one another. At the same time, I have seen tie-ups of eight and nine boats jammed with people in rivers around the Chesapeake Bay, and noticed bars crammed with hundreds of people and their children in Maryland. And they weren’t wearing masks. Even some high school graduation parties in backyards have been filled with scores of no-mask celebrators. These two sides of the equation are not equivalent. One group is marching and protesting because of civil rights, but for the most part are taking risks while also taking precautions. Others are not.
Some are criticizing the political left now for what has been called zealotry about social distancing and stay-at-home orders before Floyd’s murder. Now that there are protests about race and police brutality, critics are crying hypocrisy as protesters fill the streets around the world. There will be an increase in infections because of the Floyd protests, but so too will there be from parties on the beach or at people’s private homes or in hotels desperate for business. But we are all connected, all of us, as an infection from Wuhan, China, at the start of this shows us. So neither side can just point at the other and complain. As Anthony Fauci has warned, the nightmare pandemic “isn’t over yet.”
Until there is a vaccine, these struggles will continue — and precautions are going to have to be part of our routine. One thing that does seem clear though is that if young and old people — all generations — are willing to don masks and march to protest, enduring the heat and transportation difficulties and the crowds, then I’m confident that people will do what they must. That’s wearing protection, standing apart and taking the time to vote.
– Steve Clemons
Your Coronavirus Report team includes Steve Clemons, editor-at-large of The Hill, and researcher Andrew Wargofchik. Follow us on Twitter at @SCClemons and @a_wargofchik.
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ICYMI: Catch up on last month’s programs
On May 21, The Hill hosted “A National Virtual Summit on Advancing America’s Economy,” a forum to discuss a responsible reopening of the U.S. economy anchored by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Watch the full program video here.
On May 20, The Hill hosted “The Vir[Tech]tual World of Tomorrow.” Watch the full program video here.
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CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS AT A GLANCE
There are 7,283,709 reported cases of COVID-19 throughout the world and 412,745 have lost their lives from the virus as of the time of this newsletter.
The U.S. is reporting 1,998,491 cases and 112,311 deaths. Brazil’s cases are steadily on the rise and the country is now reporting 739,503 cases. Russia 493,023. U.K. 291,584. India 276,583. Spain 242,280. Italy 235,763. Peru 199,696. France 191,523. Germany 186,522. Iran 177,938. Turkey 172,114. Chile 142,759.
With everything going on throughout the country, the massive pool parties at the Lake of the Ozarks and elsewhere over Memorial Day seems like ages ago. But the long-feared uptick in new cases and hospitalizations throughout the country following the holiday and reopenings seems to be upon us. Add the likely spread of the virus through the protests, and here we are: the dreaded ‘second wave.’
Some observations of new case and hospitalization spikes throughout the country:
> In Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, California, Oregon, Arkansas, Mississippi, Utah and Arizona, there are an increasing number of patients under supervised care since the holiday weekend because of coronavirus infections.
> 21 states are seeing an increase in new cases amid efforts to reopen.
> At least 15 cases have been linked to the nationwide protests, including five National Guard members and one police officer in Nebraska.
> All of these numbers are expected to increase as social distancing guidelines have taken a backseat to both the protests and cabin-fever-ridden Americans eager to get out of their homes and get back to work.
The U.S. is reporting results from 21,048,183 COVID-19 test results and 524,855 have reported full recoveries from the coronavirus.
WASHINGTON WATCH
GOP expects to move its convention to Jacksonville after dispute with North Carolina governor. Seeking a city willing to allow a large-scale event amid the coronavirus pandemic, Republicans have tentatively settled on Jacksonville, Fla., as the new destination for the premier festivities of the Republican National Convention in August, according to three Republican officials briefed on the plans. (Washington Post)
Republicans prepare to punt on next COVID-19 relief bill. Republican senators are leaning into their go-slow approach on the next coronavirus bill. Bolstered by last week’s unexpectedly positive jobs report, Senate Republicans are signaling they will not pass another bill before late July. They have also flatly rejected the $3 trillion price tag of the bill passed last month by House Democrats. (The Hill)
Fauci underscores concerns about protests spreading coronavirus. Anthony Fauci early Wednesday expressed concern that recent mass protests against police brutality and racism would spread the novel coronavirus because of a lack of social distancing. Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert and a member of the White House coronavirus task force, told ABC’s “Good Morning America” he isn’t surprised that members of the Washington, D.C., National Guard who mobilized in response to the protests had tested positive, but he called the development “disturbing.” (The Hill)
LAWMAKERS TWEET
Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.)
@RepKathleenRice Thrilled @HHSgov & @CMSGov will provide up to $10 billion in financial relief to Medicaid-funded disability providers during this crisis. Thank you @RepDebDingell
@RepTomEmmer @RepJohnKatko & our colleagues who joined us in advocating for these funds.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas)
@JohnCornyn A silver lining: The coronavirus has gutted the price of coca. It could reshape the cocaine trade.
Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio)
@RepTimRyan … In other news, at least ⅓ of Americans have fallen behind on rent payments and 16% of the country is jobless. Who sees a problem?
ACROSS THE NATION
U.S. coronavirus deaths could rise to nearly 150,000 by early August. More than 145,000 coronavirus-related deaths could be recorded in the United States by early August as the country continues to reopen amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to researchers from the University of Washington. The widely cited Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation COVID-19 projection extends through Aug. 4, estimating on Monday a total of 145,728 COVID-19 deaths, raising the forecast by more than 5,000 fatalities in just a few days. (The Hill)
Americans divided on return to regular routines: poll. Americans are divided on returning to their regular routines about three months after the country shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a CNN poll released Wednesday. (The Hill)
COVID-19 surge in Texas sparks reopening fears. Rising coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in Texas are underscoring fears about the danger of reopening. The state has been relatively aggressive about reopening, lifting its stay-at-home order on May 1 and gradually increasing capacity at shops, bars and restaurants since then. Now, though, the state is seeing a surge of cases of the coronavirus. (The Hill)
WORLD VIEW
Coup threats rattle Brazil as virus deaths continue to surge. The threats are swirling around the president: Deaths from the virus in Brazil each day are now the highest in the world. Investors are fleeing the country. The president, his sons and his allies are under investigation. His election could even be overturned. The crisis has grown so intense that some of the most powerful military figures in Brazil are warning of instability — sending shudders that they could take over and dismantle Latin America’s largest democracy. (New York Times)
Indonesia reports consecutive days of highest one-day increase in cases. Indonesia reported 1,241 new infections, its highest one-day increase for the second day in a row, bringing total confirmed cases in the country to 34,316, Reuters reported. (CNBC)
SCIENCE
Coronavirus vaccine developers are chasing outbreaks before they disappear. The top teams rushing to develop coronavirus vaccines are alerting governments, health officials and shareholders that they may have a big problem: The outbreaks in their countries may be getting too small to quickly determine whether vaccines work. A leader of the Oxford University group, one of the furthest ahead with human trials, admits the reality is paradoxical, even “bizarre,” but said the declining numbers of new infections this summer could be one of the big hurdles vaccine developers face in the global race to beat down the virus. (Washington Post)
Researchers around the world are developing more than 125 vaccines. Here’s where they stand. Researchers around the world are developing more than 125 vaccines against the coronavirus. Vaccines typically require years of research and testing before reaching the clinic, but scientists are hoping to produce a safe and effective vaccine by next year. Read more about the status of ongoing vaccine trials here.
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BUSINESS
The coronavirus has gutted the price of coca. It could reshape the cocaine trade. The coronavirus pandemic has accomplished what neither other international crises nor a U.S.-backed “war” ever could: a collapse in the price of coca leaf, a natural stimulant that is the building block of cocaine. The great coca crash of 2020 — prices for the leaf in some regions of South America have fallen as much as 73 percent — illustrates the extent to which the pandemic is disrupting every aspect of global trade, including the traffic in illegal drugs. (Washington Post)
Starbucks loses as much as $3.2 billion in revenue. Starbucks said it lost between $3 billion to $3.2 billion in revenue during the fiscal third quarter thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. As the virus spread across the world, the global coffee chain temporarily shuttered many of its cafes, although most in the U.S. and China have reopened. (CNBC)
AMC plans to have almost all its movie theaters open by July. AMC Entertainment hopes to have almost all of its movie theaters back open by July, after warning that there was “substantial doubt” that it could survive the coronavirus pandemic. (Washington Post)
ISSUES, CAUSES, PASSIONS
Why we need a moratorium on investment disputes during COVID-19. We call on the international investment community to rise to this unprecedented challenge by supporting all nations to fight the epidemic effectively. Specifically, we call for a moratorium on investor-state arbitration cases and clarity of legal principles to ensure that governments have the policy space to protect their citizenry and combat the epidemic. (James Bacchus and Jeffrey Sachs for The Hill)
With trails opening, is it safe — or ethical — to go hiking this summer? In ordinary times, a surge of hikers would be a boon for the picturesque gateway towns near these popular outdoor destinations. But during a pandemic, locals whose livelihoods are largely built on seasonal tourism are forced to reconsider the cost-benefit ratio of welcoming hordes of out-of-towners searching for that perfect waterfall picture or alpine vista. (National Geographic)
GENEROUS SPIRITS
WWII vet, 92, beats COVID-19 after losing 38 pounds, gets medals. Don Staples, a 92-year-old Navy veteran from Maine who served during World War II and the Korean War, was given several long overdue service medals after overcoming the coronavirus and losing 38 pounds in the process. (Fox News)
ICYMI: STEVE’S INTERVIEWS, 15 MINUTES EACH
> Steve interviews former Rep. JOHN DELANEY (D-Md.)
> Steve interviews Johns Hopkins Center for Healthy Security’s JENNIFER NUZZO
> Steve interviews Rep. VAL DEMINGS (D-Fla.)
> Steve interviews BIO President and CEO MICHELLE MCMURRY-HEATH
> Steve interviews Association of American Railroads President and CEO IAN JEFFERIES
> Steve interviews New American CEO ANNE-MARIE SLAUGHTER
> Steve interviews Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN
Watch all Coronavirus Report interviews here.
YOUR WORLD, YOUR STORIES
SEND US YOUR OWN PICS – from your own walks or adventures – during this time of physical distancing but social connection. And SEND US YOUR STORIES of how teleworking is going, what you have learned from homeschooling, new ways to exercise, and special moments or standout heroism you want to share. What’s working for you? What’s comic in these dark days?
Send to YourStories@TheHill.com. Our thoughts are with you, our readers, and we hope and trust that no matter the weight of burdens on you now — and it’s not a good story for everyone we know — that we all stand together, resilient and confident, on the other side of this. There will be another side.
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