This archive report was first published on 16 May 2020.
States Reopen Amid COVID-19 Concerns ¶
With over two-thirds of the country reopening, the US is at a critical juncture in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Friday, several states lifted or relaxed restrictions on business and public life, joining others that have pushed for a speedy reopening in recent weeks.
In Maryland, retail stores can reopen at 50 percent capacity, while churches and other houses of worship are encouraged to halve their capacity and offer outdoor services where possible.
In Oregon, retail stores can reopen statewide, with restaurants and bars allowed to provide dine-in service until 10 p.m.
However, concerns about a resurgence of COVID-19 cases remain, with Dr. Anthony S. Fauci warning that relaxing restrictions too soon could prompt another uncontrollable outbreak.
Despite the progress made in reducing new coronavirus cases, the number of new cases confirmed in the US has steadily declined in recent days, with only about 3 percent of the population having been tested.
More than 20,000 new cases are identified on most days, and almost every day this past week, more than 1,000 people in the US died from the virus.
The total death toll has surpassed 87,000, leaving the nation at a perilous moment, beginning to reopen businesses and ease social distancing measures despite the risk of a resurgence.
Investigations Uncover Extensive Effort to Defraud US Unemployment Systems ¶
As states scramble to pay out unemployment claims to tens of millions of Americans, a vast attack flooding unemployment agencies with fraudulent claims appears to have already siphoned millions of dollars in payments.
Investigators from the Secret Service have implicated a well-organized Nigerian fraud ring, with stolen information such as social security numbers allowing the network to file claims on behalf of people who in many cases had not lost their jobs.
The challenge of pre-empting fraudulent claims has increased as the pressure to get money into the hands of unemployed workers has grown, with unemployment offices accustomed to dealing with jobless claims in the thousands being inundated with over a million claims during recent months in more populous states.
The attacks, which the Secret Service warned could conceivably target every state, could result in “potential losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars,” according to a memo obtained by The New York Times.
FDA Approves Another Coronavirus Test for Home Use ¶
The Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency clearance for another coronavirus test that allows users to check themselves for the virus at home.
The newly approved kits, made by Everlywell and available by prescription only, would allow individuals to take a nasal sample and send it to a laboratory for diagnostic testing.
The agency expressed hope that the availability of another kit would increase access to testing nationally, as well as reduce the risks facing health care workers who mainly administer tests in person.
However, some public health experts have cautioned that at-home sampling kits still have limitations, including longer delays between the initial test and the diagnostic reporting.
Recreational Activities Return to New York State ¶
After two months of lockdown, recreational activities are slowly returning to New York State, with horse racing tracks and the Watkins Glen International auto racing track set to reopen in June.
However, fans will not be able to attend the events, which will be televised.
In Warwick, N.Y., the drive-in theater reopened for business, with carloads of people attending the event.
