Tom Howell Jr.

Coronavirus fight enters critical phase as warmer, wetter weather looms

The COVID-19 pandemic is entering a critical phase, with governors and scientists hopeful that warmer, wetter weather tamps down transmission while cautioning that it's too soon to ease social distancing and other social restrictions.

April 23, 2020

Asymptomatic coronavirus cases roil reopening plans

COVID-19 ranks as the Russian roulette of infectious disease: Some people get knocked out and others, such as Sen. Rand Paul, don't feel a thing despite testing positive for the coronavirus.

April 22, 2020

Robert Redfield, CDC director, clarifies ‘second wave’ coronavirus comments

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday tried to clarify comments he made about a "second wave" of coronavirus this fall, saying people should not think the pathogen itself will come back harder.

April 22, 2020

Andrew Cuomo, Donald Trump agree to double New York coronavirus testing

The two biggest egos in the pandemic fight, President Trump and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, said Tuesday they plan to double the Empire State's testing capacity for the coronavirus, striking a partnership that can be replicated across the country.

April 21, 2020

Andrew Cuomo, Donald Trump coronavirus talks ‘productive,’ governor says

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he had a "productive" conversation with President Trump on Tuesday as he pressed the administration to take a bigger role in coronavirus testing.

April 21, 2020

FDA authorizes first mail-in test for COVID-19

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized the first COVID-19 test that allows Americans to collect a sample at home and mail it in.

April 21, 2020

Larry Hogan: Things ‘went off the rails’ at WH presser after ‘great conversation’ with task force

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Tuesday said he was left a bit puzzled after President Trump lobbed criticisms at him a day earlier, saying he was heeding Mr. Trump's call for states to take on coronavirus testing by procuring 500,000 tests from South Korea.

April 21, 2020

Larry Hogan, Maryland governor, says South Korea sent 500K coronavirus tests

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan took to heart President Trump's call for states to step up in the coronavirus fight, announcing Monday he'd spent three weeks procuring a half-million tests from a South Korean company.

April 20, 2020

Rep. Frank Pallone to White House: Where’s the national testing strategy?

A senior House Democrat told the White House on Monday it risks "sharp increases in new infections and deaths" unless it develops a national plan to test for the coronavirus and antibodies in previously infected persons.

April 20, 2020

Trump plays Andrew Cuomo clip praising feds as ‘great partner’

As the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus surpassed 40,000, President Trump on Sunday played a video clip of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo praising the federal government as a "great partner" in treating the coronavirus and ensuring his hard-hit state had enough capacity to handle a surge in hospital needs.

April 19, 2020

Steven Mnuchin: Putting Trump name on stimulus checks was my idea

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Sunday it was his idea to put President Trump's names on the stimulus checks going out to many Americans as part of the coronavirus-relief package.

April 19, 2020

Andrew Cuomo: New York past coronavirus ‘apex’

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday said the rate of coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths continue to decline, signaling his state is "past the apex" of the brutal outbreak.

April 19, 2020

Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan governor: Feds need to help with coronavirus testing supplies

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Sunday said her state has the capacity to double or triple the number of coronavirus tests it performs but it needs federal help in acquiring supplies that support the task.

April 19, 2020

Steven Mnuchin: ‘Very close’ on coronavirus relief deal

President Trump and top Democrats on Sunday said they are "very close" to striking a deal that offers another tranche of coronavirus relief funding to small businesses while extending money to hospitals.

April 19, 2020

Mike Pence: Donald Trump ‘not happy’ with China, seeking ‘proper time’ to respond

President Trump said Sunday that he is "not happy" with China over the communist nation's early fumbles in disclosing the novel coronavirus, as the U.S. government and intelligence agencies investigate the origins of the virus and whether Beijing initially concealed information about the outbreak.

April 19, 2020

Trump: China must have most COVID-19 deaths

President Trump on Friday insisted that China must have the most coronavirus deaths in the world given its size and the fact the pathogen sprung from one of its major cities at the end of last year.

April 17, 2020

Trump announces $19B in COVID-19 aid for farmers

President Trump announced a $19 billion program on Friday to help farmers battered by the coronavirus pandemic.

April 17, 2020

Former CDC chief outlines a four-step path to boxing in coronavirus

Reopening the country will require a four-step system to test for the coronavirus, isolate infections, trace contacts of the sick and quarantine those contacts for 14 days to ensure they're not carriers, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.

April 17, 2020

Coronavirus hot spot flareups spread economic-shutdown debate

Some places are peaking before others, with the flare-up in South Dakota reviving the type of economic-shutdown debate that unfolded weeks ago in places like hard-hit New York, where Gov. Andrew Cuomo slowly "closed the valve" by shuttering businesses on a rolling basis through March.

April 16, 2020

Donald Trump: Sports to begin again without fans

President Trump said major sports leagues will phase in over the coming weeks or months, starting with games played behind closed doors as the U.S. figures out how to resume its pastimes safely in the age of the coronavirus.

April 16, 2020