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Press Release

Four Days After Trump Let Social Distancing Guidelines Expire, States See Spike In New Cases & Deaths

By May 4, 2020No Comments

**A Crisis Of Trump’s Own Making**

Quad-City Times: New Coronavirus Cases In Iowa Hit Another Record.

CNBC: Texas Posts Third Straight Day Of 1,000 New Cases As State Reopens.

Fox News: Tennessee Pushes Forward With Reopening Businesses Despite The Rise Of COVID-19 Cases.  

Associated Press: “Rural Southwest Georgia Has Seen A Surge Of Coronavirus Cases…”

On Thursday night, Donald Trump allowed social distancing guidelines to expire, despite no state meeting his own administration’s guidelines for reopening. Now, just four days after Trump allowed guidelines to expire, the same states whose Republican leaders have chosen to risk public health in order to placate Trump are seeing thousands of new cases and hundreds of deaths.

The evidence is mounting: Donald Trump is responsible for the effort to reopen states prematurely, and he will be responsible for the thousands of deaths that will undoubtedly result from this short-sighted, erratic decision.

States See Thousands Of New Cases And Hundreds Of Deaths After Trump Allowed Social Distancing Guidelines To Expire Last Friday

Alabama 

Alabama Local News: 7,345 Coronavirus Cases In Alabama, Up 277 Overnight; Mobile Adds 68 New Cases.

  • “The number of coronavirus cases in Alabama jumped up 277 overnight, with 63 percent of the increase coming from seven counties that saw double-digit growth. According to the Alabama Department of Public Health’s May 2 9:30 a.m. numbers, Alabama has 7,345 cases of COVID-19 with 289 deaths.” [Alabama Local News, 5/2/20]

Florida

Orlando Sentinel: Florida Coronavirus Update For Monday: Third Straight Week Of 300 Reported Deaths As ‘Phase 1’ Of Reopening Begins.

  • “As most of Florida is set to enjoy the first step of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ reopening plan, the state endured its third straight week of at least 300 reported deaths. Looking at week-over-week data, Florida saw 305 reported deaths from Sunday to Sunday. Monday’s update from the Florida Department of Health added another 20 reported deaths so the toll stands at 1,399.” [Orlando Sentinel, 5/4/20]

International Business Times: Why Is Florida Reopening? Over 800 New Cases, 20 Deaths As State Begins Reopening.

  • “Florida took the first steps in reopening Monday despite state health officials reporting another wave of confirmed cases and deaths from the coronavirus pandemic. Officials reported another 819 confirmed cases and 20 deaths were reported, bringing the statewide total to 36,987 confirmed cases and 1,399 deaths from coronavirus.” [International Business Times, 5/4/20]

Georgia 

WJCL: Coronavirus Cases In Georgia Near 29,000 Days After Shelter In Place Order Expires.

  • “Georgia now reports there are 28,943 positive cases of COVID-19 in the state. Georgia is also now reporting 1,183 coronavirus deaths and 5,410 hospitalizations. The new numbers were released Monday around 6:30 a.m.” [WJCL, 5/4/20] 

Associated Press: “Rural Southwest Georgia Has Seen A Surge Of Coronavirus Cases… There’s Little Indication Coronavirus Spread In Georgia Is Leveling Off.”

  • “Rural Southwest Georgia has seen a surge of coronavirus cases, with Doughtery County designated as one of the country’s worst hotspots. As cases continue to flood hospitals, the group said, there’s little indication coronavirus spread in Georgia is leveling off.” [Associated Press, 5/1/20]

Georgia Family Practitioner Dr. G. Ashley Register Said Of Easing Restrictions: “We’re Concerned And A Bit Frightened That The Number Of COVID Cases Will Go Up.”

  • “Register said in Grady County, he admitted two patients just yesterday and nervously awaits the impact of lifting the statewide shelter-in-place order, set to expire Thursday. ‘We’re concerned and a bit frightened that the number of COVID cases will go up,’ he said. ‘… It’s a cascade effect that will happen if we’re not continuing to pressure people to take it seriously.’” [Associated Press, 5/1/20]

Iowa

Quad-City Times: New Coronavirus Cases In Iowa Hit Another Record.

  • “Friday’s record count of daily confirmed cases was issued on the day Reynolds gave the green light to restaurants, malls, fitness clubs and other businesses in 77 of Iowa’s 99 counties to resume operations on a limited basis. Clinton, Cedar, Jackson and Jones counties were among the 77, but closures continue in Scott, Muscatine and Louisa counties. Friday also was the first day that Calhoun, Decatur, Floyd, Sac and Wayne counties — all among the 77 counties allowed to begin a phased-in reopening process — registered their first positive cases, leaving only eight counties yet untouched by the coronavirus outbreak.” [Quad-City Times, 5/1/20]

Iowa’s News Now: Nearly A Quarter Of New Cases Found In Counties Where Restrictions Lifted.

  • “Sunday, the Iowa Department of Public Health announced 528 positive cases of COVID-19 identified in Iowa, bringing the state total since the pandemic began to 9,169. Leaders say 77% of the news cases were found in 22 counties where restrictions remain in place.” [Iowa’s News Now, 5/3/20]

 South Carolina

WCNC: 141 New Cases Of COVID-19 In SC Sunday Ahead Of Gov. McMaster’s Plans To Lift Home Or Work Order.

  • “The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control announced 141 new cases of COVID-19 as well as 8 additional deaths. It brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 6,626 and those who have died to 275.” [WCNC, 5/3/20]

Tennessee

Fox News: Tennessee Pushes Forward With Reopening Businesses Despite The Rise Of COVID-19 Cases.

  • “As states begin to ease stay-at-home orders, some are receiving criticism for opening too early. Tennessee will allow businesses 89 counties to reopen their doors despite 369 new cases of COVID-19 recorded on April 30, but the state’s leadership believes it’s in the best interest of the people to reopen. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., says she thinks her state is ‘doing very well with the reopening,’ despite those who say businesses should remain closed.” [Fox News, 5/2/20]

Texas

CNBC: Texas Posts Third Straight Day Of 1,000 New Cases As State Reopens.

  • “The Texas Department of Health reported 1,293 new positive cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, which is its second highest single-day infection rate. This also marks the first time Texas has recorded more than 1,000 cases three days in a row. Texas now has a total of 30,552 positive cases and 847 fatalities. The spike in infection rate comes after Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order on April 28 allowing certain businesses to reopen on May 1.” [CNBC, 5/2/20]

Dallas Morning News: Dallas County Reports A New Daily High Of 234 Coronavirus Cases; Tarrant County Reports 4 Deaths.

  • “Dallas County reported 234 new coronavirus cases Sunday, marking a new single-day high. The county also reported the coronavirus-related death of a Dallas woman in her 70s who had been hospitalized. The new record for cases reported in a single day comes two days after the previous high of 187. So far, there have been 4,133 cases in the county since testing started. ‘Today’s numbers are the highest we have seen so far,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a written statement. ‘I’m hopeful that the medical models will prove correct and we are nearing the peak. Much of that will be determined by the choices each one of us makes.’” [Dallas Morning News, 5/3/20]

After Texas Reopened, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins Warned That “Increased Activity” Would Make Reducing Cases By Mid-May “Harder To Achieve.”

  • “He said in a written statement Saturday that a decline was expected in mid-May, but that was before Gov. Greg Abbott let statewide stay-at-home orders expire and started lifting restrictions on which businesses could open. Stores, restaurants and malls were allowed to reopen Friday. About 2,800 people shopped at NorthPark Center that day, which is drastically below the 70,000 who visited the mall on an average Friday before the pandemic. Jenkins said Saturday that ‘increased activity’ would make reducing cases by mid-May ‘harder to achieve.’” [Dallas Morning News, 5/3/20]

NBC News: Some Texas Cities Nervous As Governor Reopens State: ‘Everybody Is Scared.’

  • “Dallas County in Texas reported its highest number yet of coronavirus cases on Friday — the same day the state’s governor reopened stores, restaurants, and movie theaters at a limited capacity. Three hours south, in the home county of Austin, the state capital, the number of reported cases has continued to grow each day since testing for the coronavirus began in March. Even some rural towns like Paris, Texas, which seemed to largely escape the pandemic for weeks, are seeing a sudden uptick in the spread of the deadly virus. ‘Everybody is scared,’ Austin Mayor Steve Adler, a Democrat, told MSNBC on Thursday.” [NBC News, 5/2/20]

National 

CNBC: The US Just Reported Its Deadliest Day For Coronavirus Patients As States Reopen, According To WHO.

  • “The United States just had its deadliest day on record due to the coronavirus as states across the country begin to ease restrictions meant to curb the spread of the virus, according to data published by the World Health Organization. The U.S. saw 2,909 people die of Covid-19 in 24 hours, according to the data, which was collected as of 4 a.m. ET on Friday. That’s the highest daily Covid-19 death toll in the U.S. yet, based on a CNBC analysis of the WHO’s daily Covid-19 situation reports.” [CNBC, 5/2/20]

Wall Street Journal: Lockdowns Ease, But Coronavirus Cases Still Rise In Some Places.

  • “U.S. states and countries world-wide advanced measures to relax lockdowns that have lashed their economies during the global pandemic, even as the number of new coronavirus cases rose in many locations. More than 26,500 new cases were reported across the U.S. in the 24 hours to 8 p.m. Saturday, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University, bringing the total of confirmed infections to 1.13 million. More than 66,000 people have died.” [Wall Street Journal, 5/2/20]

The Hill: Coronavirus Cases—and Deaths—are Spiking In Some Of The Us States That Are Reopening.

  • “Public health experts warned about the possibility of spikes before states made the decision to reopen. But even as their predictions prove true in some states, others are still moving forward with plans to reopen. Proponents of relaxing social distancing restrictions also point out that spikes in positive cases are to be expected with expanded testing.” [The Hill, 5/1/20]

Trump Continues To Ignore Experts Who Warn Of The Dangers Of Reopening Too Quickly And Without Precaution.

Harvard Global Health Institute Dr. Ashish Jha: Trump’s Coronavirus Testing Blueprint Isn’t Enough. Let’s Fix This Before We Open America.

  • “The Guidelines for Opening Up America Again ask states to move through the plan’s phases for opening depending on their numbers of cases. Yet the only way to know the true number of cases in any state is by implementing ubiquitous, on-demand testing. When we can test broadly and get results quickly, we can identify those who are infected and are potential sources of transmission to others. Pairing testing with contact tracing and isolation, we can separate those who are infected, limiting the spread of the disease. We know how we got to shutting the country down, so to end social distancing and open the economy, we will need a lot more testing.” [NBC News, Dr. Ashish Jha, 5/4/20]

Vox: US Coronavirus Data Is At Odds With Trump’s Push To Get The Economy Back Up And Running.

  • “But the US is not even close to being through the first wave. Not a single state has met a key reopening criterion identified by the White House coronavirus task force: a steady 14-day decline in new cases. In fact, when hardest-hit New York state is taken out of the equation, the national trajectory of new daily coronavirus cases currently shows an upward trend.” [Vox, 5/3/20]

Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb: “As States Begin To Open Up Their Economies And Americans Return To Traveling, The Disease Will Continue To Expand.”

  • “Higher rates of spread may be limited to some areas; a majority of states have more than 250 new cases of Covid-19 every day. But as states begin to open up their economies and Americans return to traveling, the disease will continue to expand. We need to prepare to deal with such a grim future, which will require a persistent posture of prevention and treatment. That means doubling down on screening and isolating sick people to slow the spread as much as possible, which will save lives and prevent health-care systems from being overwhelmed. That means channeling resources into places where outbreaks are prone to happen: nursing homes and shop floors, and among disadvantaged communities that lack access to testing and can’t practice social distancing easily.” [Wall Street Journal, Scott Gottlieb, 5/3/20] 

Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb: “If The Virus Continues To Spread, The Economy Won’t Snap Back.”

  • “If the virus continues to spread, the economy won’t snap back. Many Americans will be scared to go out, and with good reason. Summer may provide some reprieve, but the virus could return aggressively in the fall. Activity can resume in parts of the country where risk is low, but there is still much disease and death in the days to come. Dealing with this new reality will require screening to identify new cases and isolate infections. That will depend on better testing technologies that aren’t yet available—but can be achieved.” [Wall Street Journal, Scott Gottlieb, 5/3/20]

Washington Post: Trump Says It’s Safe To Reopen States, While Birx Finds Protesters With No Masks Or Distancing ‘Devastatingly Worrisome.’

  • “President Trump expressed confidence at a Sunday town hall that the United States could reopen safely, as many Americans fear a return to normal coming too swiftly amid the coronavirus pandemic. He also offered support for protesters opposed to the lockdown measures that remain in place in many states. Earlier in the day, White House coronavirus task force coordinator Deborah Birx said protesters’ disregard of social distancing is ‘devastatingly worrisome.’ Meanwhile, governors are outlining plans to reopen along widely varying timelines as federal officials defend the White House’s decision to let states decide.” [Washington Post, 5/3/20]

Johns Hopkins Center For Health Security Director Dr. Tom Inglesby: “If We Stop Social Distancing Altogether Tomorrow, We Would Recreate The Conditions That Existed In The Country In February And March.”

  • ““But as we begin to ease social distancing in various places in the country, this virus is highly transmissible. Nothing has changed in the underlying dynamics of this virus. If we stop social distancing altogether tomorrow, we would recreate the conditions that existed in the country in February and March. So what we need to do is continue, to our best possible effort, all the individual efforts we’re making around social distancing: staying 6 feet apart, wearing masks when in public, avoiding large gatherings. The extent to which we’re able to do that over the next couple of months will dictate how we do as states and a country.” [Politico, 5/3/20]