Coronavirus updates: House passes aid package after Trump declares national emergency - CBS News

Every aspect of modern life is being hit as sweeping measures are rolled out in an effort to stem the coronavirus pandemic. President Trump declared a national emergency Friday "to unleash the full power of the federal government."

"No resource will be spared, nothing whatsoever," the president said as stocks rose sharply, regaining some of their recent losses.

Hours later, the House overwhelmingly approved legislation to give direct relief to Americans impacted by the spreading virus. Central to the aid package are free testing and sick pay guarantee for Americans affected.

People who are sick with the virus and have to be treated or quarantined would qualify for the sick pay benefit, which requires employers to offer 14 days of sick leave at "not less" than two-thirds of an employee's normal pay. Others who would qualify for paid sick leave are those who need to be home to care for a child whose school or childcare center has closed, and those who need to leave their jobs to take care of a family member infected with the virus. 

The legislation offers three months of paid family and medical leave. And small and mid-sized employers would be reimbursed through tax credits.  

Voting in the Senate is not yet set, but senators were scheduled to return Monday. Senate Leader Mitch McConnell said he expects most senators will want to "act swiftly." 

President Trump announced a range of actions including a new public-private partnership to expand coronavirus testing capabilities with drive-through locations. He also denied any responsibility for delays in making testing available. His administration has been criticized for being too slow to respond. 

A doctor and a nurse converse before testing patients for coronavirus at the University of Washington Medical center on March 13, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. Getty Images

Amid the outbreak – and the mounting response — Disney World is closing. Broadway shut its doors. Schools are closing and large gatherings are being banned. The Boston Marathon and the Masters Tournament are now postponed. The NBA, NHL and Major League Soccer have suspended their seasons.  

While about half of the more than 145,000 people who have had confirmed cases of COVID-19 have recovered, the toll in human lives is staggering. More than 5,400 people have died, including dozens of people in the United States — and it's expected to get much worse before it gets better. 

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for detailed information on coronavirus treatment and prevention.

-Contributing: The Associated Press 

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2020-03-14 13:56:48Z
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Live updates: Third Mar-a-Lago guest tests positive for coronavirus; Pentagon halts domestic travel - The Washington Post

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — All people arriving in New Zealand will have to isolate themselves for 14 days upon arrival, except for those landing from nearby Pacific islands, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Saturday.

Describing the “unprecedented” step, Ardern told reporters that every person entering the country from midnight Sunday would be subjected to new rules. “We must go hard and we must go early,” she said. “I make no apologies. This is an unprecedented time.”

People arriving from everywhere except the Pacific islands will have to isolate themselves at home for two weeks, regardless of where they are coming from and whether they are citizens or not.

In addition, Ardern said her government would impose strict new exit rules for people traveling to the Pacific islands. New Zealand has large Samoan and Tongan communities in particular, and Ardern said that New Zealand had a responsibility to look after the people there. Samoa suffered a devastating measles epidemic last year.

“These [new exit measures for the Pacific] include: No travel for people who have traveled outside of New Zealand in the past 14 days,” Ardern said. “No travel for close or casual contacts of a confirmed case. No travel for anyone who is symptomatic, and health assessments, including temperature checks.”

In addition, New Zealand has banned cruise ships from entering the country until at least June 30, but Ardern said cargo ships would still be allowed.

She advised all New Zealanders not to travel overseas unless absolutely necessary.

New Zealand has seen only six cases of the coronavirus, the latest diagnosed in an Auckland man in his 60s who recently returned from the United States.

The previous five people are all isolated at home and recovering. There have been no reports of community transmission, but New Zealand was acting preemptively to avoid that, the prime minister said.

Her government had previously canceled a national memorial due to be held in Christchurch on Sunday, the anniversary of the attacks on two mosques in the city, which claimed 51 lives. Ardern said the decision was a “pragmatic” one made to ensure the coronavirus is not spread at large gatherings.

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2020-03-14 13:29:14Z
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Italians are singing songs from their windows to boost morale during coronavirus lockdown - CNBC

A girl sings from the window during the flash mob, March 13, 2020. Some people have organized a flash mob asking to stand on the balcony and sing or play something, to make people feel united in the quarantine.

Mairo Cinquetti/NurPhoto via Getty Image

Videos have been shared on social media of Italian citizens singing and dancing during a nationwide lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The videos, from various cities and towns, show people singing from balconies and windows in an attempt to boost morale, with all non-essential shops and services still closed in the country.

Italy is one of the worst affected countries in the world by COVID-19, with 17,660 confirmed cases and 1,266 deaths, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University. That's the largest outbreak outside of China.

One widely shared video shows neighbors singing a patriotic folk song in Siena, a city in central Italy's Tuscany region.

A video from Naples shows people singing a song reportedly called "Abbracciame," which translates as "hug me."

Another from Naples, the regional capital of Campania, shows a woman smiling and dancing at her balcony.

In Sicily, neighbours are seen accompanied by a man playing the accordion. Twitter user John Nichols said in his tweet: "Sicily has figured out this whole self-isolation thing."

On Wednesday evening, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said that supermarkets and pharmacies would be the only retailers to remain open in Italy. The country is under a national lockdown restricting citizens' movement and activities until April 3.

Schools, museums, universities and cinemas have been closed while other public events, including Serie A soccer matches, have been canceled. Conte said Wednesday it was time to "go one step further," announcing the closure of most commercial and retail activities with bars, restaurants and beauty salons among those ordered to shut.

The shutdown is weighing heavily on Italy's economy and Italian blue-chip stocks plunged by over 23% this week.

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2020-03-14 12:53:06Z
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Live updates: Third Mar-a-Lago guest tests positive for coronavirus; Pentagon halts domestic travel - The Washington Post

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — All people arriving in New Zealand will have to isolate themselves for 14 days upon arrival, except for those landing from nearby Pacific islands, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Saturday.

Describing the “unprecedented” step, Ardern told reporters that every person entering the country from midnight Sunday would be subjected to new rules. “We must go hard and we must go early,” she said. “I make no apologies. This is an unprecedented time.”

People arriving from everywhere except the Pacific islands will have to isolate themselves at home for two weeks, regardless of where they are coming from and whether they are citizens or not.

In addition, Ardern said her government would impose strict new exit rules for people traveling to the Pacific islands. New Zealand has large Samoan and Tongan communities in particular, and Ardern said that New Zealand had a responsibility to look after the people there. Samoa suffered a devastating measles epidemic last year.

“These [new exit measures for the Pacific] include: No travel for people who have traveled outside of New Zealand in the past 14 days,” Ardern said. “No travel for close or casual contacts of a confirmed case. No travel for anyone who is symptomatic, and health assessments, including temperature checks.”

In addition, New Zealand has banned cruise ships from entering the country until at least June 30, but Ardern said cargo ships would still be allowed.

She advised all New Zealanders not to travel overseas unless absolutely necessary.

New Zealand has seen only six cases of the coronavirus, the latest diagnosed in an Auckland man in his 60s who recently returned from the United States.

The previous five people are all isolated at home and recovering. There have been no reports of community transmission, but New Zealand was acting preemptively to avoid that, the prime minister said.

Her government had previously canceled a national memorial due to be held in Christchurch on Sunday, the anniversary of the attacks on two mosques in the city, which claimed 51 lives. Ardern said the decision was a “pragmatic” one made to ensure the coronavirus is not spread at large gatherings.

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2020-03-14 12:47:05Z
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Live updates: Third Mar-a-Lago guest tests positive for coronavirus; Pentagon halts domestic travel - The Washington Post

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — All people arriving in New Zealand will have to isolate themselves for 14 days upon arrival, except for those landing from nearby Pacific islands, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Saturday.

Describing the “unprecedented” step, Ardern told reporters that every person entering the country from midnight Sunday would be subjected to new rules. “We must go hard and we must go early,” she said. “I make no apologies. This is an unprecedented time.”

People arriving from everywhere except the Pacific islands will have to isolate themselves at home for two weeks, regardless of where they are coming from and whether they are citizens or not.

In addition, Ardern said her government would impose strict new exit rules for people traveling to the Pacific islands. New Zealand has large Samoan and Tongan communities in particular, and Ardern said that New Zealand had a responsibility to look after the people there. Samoa suffered a devastating measles epidemic last year.

“These [new exit measures for the Pacific] include: No travel for people who have traveled outside of New Zealand in the past 14 days,” Ardern said. “No travel for close or casual contacts of a confirmed case. No travel for anyone who is symptomatic, and health assessments, including temperature checks.”

In addition, New Zealand has banned cruise ships from entering the country until at least June 30, but Ardern said cargo ships would still be allowed.

She advised all New Zealanders not to travel overseas unless absolutely necessary.

New Zealand has seen only six cases of the coronavirus, the latest diagnosed in an Auckland man in his 60s who recently returned from the United States.

The previous five people are all isolated at home and recovering. There have been no reports of community transmission, but New Zealand was acting preemptively to avoid that, the prime minister said.

Her government had previously canceled a national memorial due to be held in Christchurch on Sunday, the anniversary of the attacks on two mosques in the city, which claimed 51 lives. Ardern said the decision was a “pragmatic” one made to ensure the coronavirus is not spread at large gatherings.

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2020-03-14 12:29:09Z
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What Trump’s national emergency and new legislation for coronavirus will mean for N.J. - NJ.com

WASHINGTON — Two new pools of federal money will flow to New Jersey to help the state cope with the coronavirus.

President Donald Trump’s national emergency will free up $50 billion in federal funds for New Jersey and other states to tap to help cover their costs of responding to the virus. The president called it “a large amount of money for states and territories and localities in our shared fight against this disease.”

And bipartisan legislation that passed the House early Saturday could mean $810 million in new Medicaid funding for the state, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

The Senate, which went home for the weekend, planned to return to Washington Monday to take up the bill, approved in the House by a vote of 363 to 40. All 12 New Jersey House members voted yes.

“This national public health emergency requires a coordinated, whole-of-government response to help slow the virus’ spread and keep Americans safe," said Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-6th Dist., who helped write the legislation as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

This is in addition to the $13.8 million on its way to New Jersey, courtesy of the $8.3 billion spending bill that passed Congress earlier and was signed into law earlier by Trump. That was the first measure to become law in response to the coronavirus.

Earlier, the state received $1.75 million from the Department of Health and Human Services.

The latest developments came as the number of “presumptive positive” covid-19 cases in New Jersey grew to 50, with another 80 being evaluated for symptoms.

As part of Trump’s emergency declaration, New Jersey and other states will be asked to set up emergency operation centers. Health and Human Services will waive rules and regulations that current prevent hospitals from bringing in outside doctors and from adding beds in certain areas of the building.

“We’ll remove or eliminate every obstacle necessary to deliver our people the care that they need and that they’re entitled to," the president said Friday at the White House. “No resource will be spared. Nothing whatsoever.”

State officials plan to ask for a share of that money and have been in touch with both the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration about how to request federal funding, according to Alyana Alfaro, a spokeswoman for Gov. Phil Murphy.

In addition, the governor spoke with Vice President Mike Pence on Friday, Alfaro said.

Testing would be free, including for those without insurance, and there will be many more sites, including so-called drive-through tests in parking lots of businesses such as CVS, Target, Walgreens and Walmart.

One company expanding its ability to read the tests is Becton Dickinson and Co. of Franklin Lakes.

“We’re ramping up our manufacturing capacity to ensure that the right collection devices and testing equipment are ready to address this issue,” president and chief executive Tom Polen said at the press conference with Trump.

Who will pay for those tests? The legislation passed Saturday provide free coronavirus testing for everyone, with the federal government helping the states pick up the tab. The bill contains $1 billion to cover the costs.

“People — especially the most vulnerable and those closest to them — will know with certainty whether they’ve contracted the disease," said Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist.

New Jersey also can expect more money from Washington to help pay for increased unemployment insurance benefits, expanded aid under the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program, and money to assist food banks.

The legislation also would provide 14 days of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave.

Many workers can’t afford to stay home if they’re sick or have to take care of a family member who’s ill, and if they go to work, that could help spread the virus, said U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.

“To not have paid family leave means that this problem will compound, it will spread further and it will last longer,” said Booker, who joined two other former Democratic presidential candidates, U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Kamala Harris of California, at the Capitol on Thursday to insist that family leave be part of any final deal.

If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.com’s newsletters.

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2020-03-14 10:48:39Z
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Coronavirus updates: House passes economic relief bill, Trump says 'mostly likely' to get tested - USA TODAY

Grace Hauck USA TODAY

Published 7:40 AM EDT Mar 14, 2020

One day after President Donald Trump declared the coronavirus pandemic to be a national emergency, millions of Americans were grappling with a new normal.

More than a hundred universities have transitioned to online-only classes, and several states and large urban school districts are shutting down all K-12 schools as part of a sweeping attempt to contain the spread of the virus.

The NBA, MLS and NHL have suspended their seasons. The AMC and Regal theater chains are cutting their seating capacity in half. Some Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada may become drive-thru only. And hundreds of employees have transitioned to working from home.

Here's the latest on coronavirus:

House approves Trump-backed deal on economic relief

The House overwhelmingly passed legislation to provide economic relief to Americans affected by coronavirus after President Donald Trump said Friday he would support the sweeping measure.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act was adopted 363-40 with every Democrat and most Republicans voting in favor of the measure. The vote was conducted shortly after midnight Friday following two days of around-the-clock negotiations between Democratic leaders and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

The legislation would ensure sick leave for affected workers and include money for testing for Americans, including the uninsured. Trump and lawmakers have been under pressure to ease fears over the spread of the deadly coronavirus, which has halted many parts of public life, forced the closure of schools and pummeled financial markets.

The bill now heads to the Senate for an expected vote Monday.

– John Fritze and Ledyard King

Get daily coronavirus updates in your inbox: Sign up for the Daily Briefing.

Trump says he's likely to be tested being exposed 

President Donald Trump said Friday he will “most likely” be tested for the novel coronavirus, as questions swirled about why he, his top aides and his family weren't doing more to protect themselves and others after repeated exposure to COVID-19.

Trump has now had multiple direct and indirect contacts with people who have tested positive for the pandemic virus.

He spent time last weekend at his private club in Florida with at least three people who have now tested positive. The Brazilian Embassy in Washington announced late Friday that the country's chargé d'affaires, Nestor Forster, tested positive after sitting at Trump's dinner table. So, too, have a top aide to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and an individual who attended a fundraiser Sunday with Trump, according to two Republican officials who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity in order to discuss private health matters.

In addition to his direct exposure, Trump has also had repeated contact with lawmakers who chose to isolate themselves after being exposed to people who later tested positive. That included Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who traveled aboard Air Force One with the president Monday and found out about the positive test mid-flight; South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was working from home after spending time at Mar-a-Lago and attending his own meeting with Peter Dutton, Australia's Minister for Home Affairs; and Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who also interacted with the Brazilian delegation.

People who are exposed to the virus don’t show symptoms immediately; there is an incubation period of anywhere from two to 14 days. 

More on coronavirus:

• Cleaning wipes are selling out. Here’s where you can still get them
• US hospitals will run out of beds if coronavirus cases spike
• Cancel-culture is hitting us hard. Can America handle all this social distancing?
• You asked, we're answering: Specific answers to readers' coronavirus questions

Trump pledges to speed up testing by bringing together leaders from Walmart, CVS, LabCorp

Executives from Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens, LabCorp, Quest Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics and other companies began working with the White House on Friday to help expedite testing for the quick spreading virus.

Trump said the collaboration will help more tests into affected communities including with drive-thru facilities in parking lots. By early next week, a half million additional tests will be available and 5 million tests within a month, Trump said.

Demand has outpaced testing as sick people across the country complain they’ve been denied screenings, even as the death toll from the pandemic mounts. Concern is deepening over a shortage of tests and supplies of the products and chemicals needed to run them. Read more here.

– Jessica Guynn

Map: Which states have coronavirus cases?

There have been more than 2,170 cases of coronavirus in the U.S., with at least 47 deaths, according to a dashboard run by Johns Hopkins University. The majority of the deaths have been in Washington state, while California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, New Jersey and South Dakota have all reported deaths. At least 12 people have recovered in the country. 

Here's a look at which U.S. states have reported cases of COVID-19:

More on the outbreak of COVID-19:

• US coronavirus map: Tracking the outbreak
• Rome is no longer Rome: What is it like to live through a quarantine
• Is Census Bureau 'equipped' for 2020? Lawmakers aren't so sure
• Is it safe to ride? Coronavirus fears are challenging public transit across US

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2020-03-14 10:34:46Z
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