Coronavirus News: June 30, 2020 – Republican Senator Tells Trump to Wear a Mask, More States on Quarantine Lists
An historic building in Savannah
The number of new virus cases in the United States has increased dramatically in the past two weeks. An increase was recorded in 36 states, while only two – Connecticut and Rhode Island, reported a decrease last week.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Wednesday in the course of testifying to Congress that daily U.S. cases could hit 100,000. “We recommend masks for everyone on the outside, anyone who comes into contact in a crowded area,” he said in his testimony.
Senator Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Senate’s health committee, called on President Trump to set a better example and wear a mask, noting that the president has a lot of admirers and many would follow his lead.
Officials in Savannah, Georgia, announced that masks and face coverings will be required while in public. The order is effective Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. and remains in effect until further notice.
Alarmed by the dramatic increase in cases in the South and West, New York and New Jersey are rethinking their plans to reopen their respective economies.
New York State added California and seven other states to its quarantine list. The list now includes California, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada and Tennessee. Travelers arriving in New York from states on the list must self-quarantine for 14 days regardless of state of residency. The number of states on the list is 16. The state’s governor will announce Wednesday if he will allow restaurants to begin to offer indoor dining, following New Jersey’s decision to put indoor dining on hold.
The state of Massachusetts implemented its own quarantine. All travelers entering the state except those from seven nearby states will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days. The list of states includes Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Alabama officials said the state is extending its “safer at home” order until July 31. The current order, which went into effect on May 22, was set to expire on Friday.
In other news, 54,000 deaths in the United States were linked to nursing homes, representing over 40% of the total deaths in the country from Covid-19.
Meanwhile, 14 people in in Westchester County, New York, tested positive for Covid-19 after attending a high school graduation in another state, local health officials said.
Finally, a top official from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning: “We are not eve beginning to be over this.”
(Photo: Accura Media Group)
