The Hill’s Coronavirus Report: DC’s Bowser says protesters and nation were ‘assaulted’ in front of Lafayette Square last month; Brazil’s Bolsonaro, noted virus skeptic, tests positive for COVID-19

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY

> Brazil’s president, a noted virus skeptic, tests positive for COVID-19

> White House formally withdraws US from World Health Organization 

> Fauci on a COVID-19 vaccine: ‘We will at least have an answer’ in the winter whether it works

> Novavax, Regeneron to join Operation Warp Seed; awarded $1.6B and $450M, respectively, for coronavirus vaccine development

> McConnell opens door to more direct payments to low-income Americans 

> What do Kanye, Kushner and Planned Parenthood have in common? PPP loans

> Americans trust governors more than Trump on virus response according to new poll

> ICE says international students must take classes in person to remain in country

> Battling second wave, Australia puts city of Melbourne under lockdown

> Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser says both protesters and ‘our nation’ were ‘assaulted’ in front of Lafayette Square last month under the direction of Attorney General Barr

THE INTERVIEW

Muriel Bowser, mayor, Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) says both protesters and “our nation” were “assaulted” in front of Lafayette Square last month under the direction of Attorney General William Barr; D.C. was inappropriately denied $750 million in the CARES Act.

 

 

 

 

Watch the full interview here.

THE HILL’S CORONAVIRUS REPORT

Welcome to The Hill’s Coronavirus Report. It’s Tuesday, July 7.

Your Coronavirus Report team includes Steve Clemons, editor-at-large of The Hill, and researcher Andrew Wargofchik. Follow us on Twitter at @SCClemons and @a_wargofchik. 

 

Click here to subscribe to The Hill’s Coronavirus Report

Click here to subscribe to our Overnight Healthcare Newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things coronavirus

THE HILL ‘VIRTUALLY’ LIVE

July 9, 2020 | Health Reimagined: The Future of Healthcare

 

On Thursday, July 9, The Hill Virtually Live hosts Health Reimagined: The Future of Healthcare.  We will be bringing thoughtful leaders from across the public and private sector together to talk about lessons from the pandemic, medical breakthroughs, treatments and cures, and eliminating racial disparities. Anthony Fauci, Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.), Patrice Harris and more join Editor-at-Large Steve Clemons. Register Now! 

CLICK HERE to register and view our lineup of speakers. Tweet us @TheHillEvents using #TheHillHealth

CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS AT A GLANCE

There are 11,679,808 reported cases of COVID-19 and 539,764 deaths have been attributed worldwide to the virus as of the time of this newsletter. 

 

The U.S. is reporting 2,953,423 cases and 130,546 deaths. Brazil is reporting 1,623,284 cases. India 719,664. Russia 693,215. Peru 305,703. Chile 301,019. U.K. 287,872. Mexico 261,750. Spain 252,130. Iran 245,688. Italy 241,956. Pakistan 234,509. Saudi Arabia 217,108. 

 

Elsewhere throughout the world: 

> President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, 65, disclosed Tuesday that he has the virus. He attended a luncheon Saturday hosted by the American ambassador in Brazil to celebrate the Fourth of July.

> Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne, has been placed under a six-week lockdown amid an explosion of new infections despite earlier successes in containing the virus.

> The virus death toll in India surpassed 20,000 on Tuesday. 

> Palestinians are fighting to contain new COVID-19 infection numbers, with the West Bank city of Hebron the worst affected location.

New York is reporting 398,237 cases. California 273,662. Florida 213,773. Texas 205,642. New Jersey 173,611. Illinois 147,865. Massachusetts 110,137. Arizona 101,455. Georgia 97,064. Pennsylvania 95,807. North Carolina 76,290. Michigan 73,267. Maryland 70,396, Virginia 66,738. Louisiana 66,327. Ohio 57,956. Tennessee 52,039. Indiana 48,819. 

 

Here at home: 

> For the 28th day in a row, the country’s rolling seven-day average of new cases shattered all previous records, though the number of deaths has remained relatively stable for now.

> Hospitals across the Sun Belt are inundated with coronavirus patients, with Arizona reaching 89 percent capacity for intensive care unit beds on Monday, as Alabama, California, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas also reported unprecedented numbers of hospitalizations.

> In New York, the governor said the state will require travelers from Delaware, Kansas and Oklahoma to quarantine for 14 days, bringing the list of such states to 19.

> In Florida, Miami-Dade County will allow gyms to remain open, Mayor Carlos Gimenez (R) announced Tuesday, reversing his order from the day before closing fitness centers. 

> In Maryland, several businesses in Montgomery County have been cited or closed for not following coronavirus reopening guidelines.

> Starting July 15, the University System of Georgia will require students, faculty and visitors to wear face coverings when inside campus buildings.

 

The U.S. is reporting the results of 36,032,329 COVID-19 tests and 924,148 full recoveries from the virus.

WASHINGTON WATCH

Fauci on a COVID-19 vaccine: ‘We will at least have an answer’ in the winter whether it works. The United States will know by the end of the year or the beginning of 2021 whether a coronavirus vaccine is safe and effective, Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious diseases doctor, said Monday. Multiple vaccine candidates are being studied, and “if things go the way it looks like they’re going, one of these will enter phase three at the end of July,” he said, referring to the final phase of clinical trials needed to determine whether a drug works. (NBC News) 

 

Grassley won’t attend GOP convention amid coronavirus uptick. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said he will not attend the GOP’s national convention next month amid an uptick in coronavirus cases. “I’m not going to go. And I’m not going to go because of the virus situation,” Grassley told Iowa reporters during a conference call on Monday. (The Hill)

 

Republican National Convention attendees to be tested everyday for coronavirus. People attending the Republican National Convention in Jacksonville, Fla., where President Trump is set to accept the GOP nomination later this summer, will be tested daily for the coronavirus. Erin Isaac, the spokesperson for the host committee of the portion of the convention that will take place in Jacksonville, confirmed Monday that “everyone attending the convention within the perimeter will be tested and temperature checked each day,” CNN reported. (The Hill)

McConnell opens door to direct payments in next coronavirus bill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) appeared to open the door on Monday to including some direct payments to Americans in a future coronavirus relief bill. Asked if funding for individuals like the stimulus checks included in a March package would be in the next piece of legislation, which would be the fifth in response to COVID-19, McConnell said they “could well” be. (The Hill)

LAWMAKERS TWEET

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) 

@SenBobCasey As @billpeduto said, Pittsburgh’s economy depends on attracting brightest minds from around the world, as does Pennsylvania’s and our Nation’s. I will continue to work for immigration policies that keep our country safe, uphold our values and strengthen our economy.

 

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) 

@MarshaBlackburn As I’ve been saying for over a week, coronavirus spikes were driven by the protests organized by Democrats in order to score political points. Now they want to blame 

@realDonaldTrump. I don’t think so.

 

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) 

@repmarkpocan Over 2.8 million COVID-19 cases and 129,000 deaths from the virus in America.The Trump administration wants to normalize tens of thousands of new cases/day. It’s not normal. It’s a failure.

ACROSS THE NATION

Hospitalizations up 50 percent in California amid coronavirus increase. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) confirmed Monday that the number of people hospitalized in the state with COVID-19 has increased by approximately 50 percent over the past two weeks, as cases continue to increase. Newsom told reporters that the number of hospitalized people rose to 5,790 on Monday, compared to 3,868 on June 22. (The Hill) 

 

California Assembly indefinitely postpones session after coronavirus outbreak. California’s state legislature announced Monday that it will remain in recess after five people who work in the Assembly, including one lawmaker, tested positive for the coronavirus, KCRA 3 reported. “The Assembly will remain in recess until further notice,” Speaker Mark Rendon (D) said in a statement obtained by KCRA. (The Hill)

 

International students must take classes in person to stay in the country legally this fall, ICE announces. University officials scrambled Monday to adapt to new federal guidance that does not allow international students to stay in the country if they are taking classes online only. On Monday, the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Program announced, “The U.S. Department of State will not issue visas to students enrolled in schools and/or programs that are fully online for the fall semester nor will U.S. Customs and Border Protection permit these students to enter the United States.” (The Washington Post) 

Most Americans trust governors over Trump on reopening. Seven in 10 Americans say they trust their governors over President Trump to decide when businesses should reopen in their area, according to an NBC News-SurveyMonkey tracking poll on issues related to the coronavirus pandemic. The sentiment is far stronger among Democrats, with 93 percent saying they trust their governors over Trump. Among Republicans, a little more than half — 53 percent — say they trust the president’s judgment over that of their governors. (The Washington Post)

WORLD VIEW

 

 

 

Brazil’s president, a noted virus skeptic, tests positive for COVID-19. President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, 65, disclosed Tuesday that he has the virus, turbocharging the debate over his cavalier handling of the pandemic. Even as several of Bolsonaro’s aides have tested positive in recent months, the president has often eschewed precautions such as wearing a mask and practicing social distancing.  (The New York Times) 

Battling second wave, Australia puts city of Melbourne under lockdown. A new wave of coronavirus infections prompted officials to impose restrictions on some 5 million people in Australia’s second-largest city, illustrating the difficulty of conquering the pandemic even in a country that had enjoyed relative success in taming its toll. (The Washington Post)

SCIENCE

Novavax awarded $1.6 billion for coronavirus vaccine development. The federal government has awarded $1.6 billion to Novavax to test and manufacture possible vaccines for the coronavirus, the biggest award to date under the Trump administration’s “Operation Warp Speed” program. The drugmaker aims to deliver 100 million doses of any potential vaccine by January, Reuters reported. The award will also cover a large-scale phase three trial that could begin by October. (The Hill)

 

US awards Regeneron $450 million to manufacture potential coronavirus treatment. The Trump administration on Tuesday announced it is awarding $450 million to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals to help ramp up manufacturing of a potential coronavirus treatment the company is developing. The funding is part of the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed, which is providing funding for the manufacturing of potential coronavirus vaccines and treatments, even before they are approved, in a bid to be prepared if they are shown to work. (The Hill) 

 

Moderna spars with US scientists over COVID-19 vaccine trials. As the United States accelerates the search for a coronavirus vaccine, tensions have erupted between government scientists and Moderna Inc., one of the leading developers, Reuters reported. The company — which has never produced an approved vaccine or run a large trial — has squabbled with government scientists over the process, delayed delivering trial protocols and resisted experts’ advice on how to run the study, according to three sources familiar with the vaccine project. (Reuters)

BUSINESS

Here are the major media companies that received coronavirus relief loans. Dozens of media companies received coronavirus relief loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) over the past several months, according to data released Monday by the Small Business Administration and Treasury Department. (The Hill) 

 

Delta, United and Southwest sign deal for Treasury loans. All four of the large U.S. airlines have agreed to terms for loans from the federal government under the March stimulus bill, the Treasury Department said Tuesday. Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines signed letters of intent under that law, known as the CARES Act, the Treasury Department said. Last week, the department announced that American Airlines had agreed to a five-year $4.75 billion loan. (The New York Times)

 

What unites Planned Parenthood, Kushner and Kanye? PPP loans. The Planned Parenthood money was just one of many revelations that caught the attention of lawmakers and activists across the political spectrum as they pored over the names of more than 600,000 loan recipients Monday. Ultimately, Congress and Trump placed few restrictions on eligibility for the loan program, which was designed to help struggling small businesses and nonprofits meet payroll during the coronavirus crisis. (NBC News)

ISSUES, CAUSES, PASSIONS

Trump’s failed COVID-19 response: Managing a pandemic isn’t a states’ rights issue. We are in the midst of a national public health crisis, a crisis of leadership and a failure to communicate. Public health professionals can tell you, now is the time for consistent, truthful communication about how we can beat the virus. (Dr. Lyndon Haviland for The Hill) 

 

How will American cities avoid economic catastrophe? While we work together to address the ongoing public health crisis, the looming financial crisis facing municipalities like mine in Union City, Ga., and others is starting to take shape. Cities, towns and villages from all over the United States are facing unavoidable and catastrophic cuts to essential services. (Union City, Ga., Mayor Vince Williams for The Hill)

Gyms are gross. Why COVID-19 proves it’s time to walk away — for good. Until or unless we get this virus under control — which it most certainly isn’t now — “safe” reopening is never going to be completely safe. This seems especially true for businesses that push people together in enclosed spaces where they may be breathing heavily. (NBC News)

GENEROUS SPIRITS

Woman gives birth to healthy triplets after surviving COVID-19. Maggie Sillero’s pregnancy was full of surprises — good and bad. The triplets, named Isabella, Nathaniel and Adriel, turned 1 month old on July 4. “Each of them have almost doubled their weight in this month, which is amazing. I’m so proud of them, they are fighters,” Sillero said. (Good Morning America)

ICYMI: STEVE’S INTERVIEWS, 15 MINUTES EACH

> Steve interviews Rep. MARK TAKANO (D-Calif.) 

> Steve interviews Sen. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-Minn.)

> Steve interviews Rep. RODNEY DAVIS (R-Ill.)

> Steve interviews The Hill’s REID WILSON 

Watch all Coronavirus Report interviews here.

YOUR WORLD, YOUR STORIES

SEND US YOUR OWN PICS – from your own walks or adventures – during this time of physical distancing but social connection. And SEND US YOUR STORIES of how teleworking is going, what you have learned from homeschooling, new ways to exercise, and special moments or standout heroism you want to share. What’s working for you? What’s comic in these dark days? 

 

Send to YourStories@TheHill.com. Our thoughts are with you, our readers, and we hope and trust that no matter the weight of burdens on you now — and it’s not a good story for everyone we know — that we all stand together, resilient and confident, on the other side of this. There will be another side.

Click here to subscribe to The Hill’s Coronavirus Report

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