10 things to know for today about coronavirus

There are now 1.25 million cases of the coronavirus in the United States, with more than 75,000 deaths. 

Democrats are preparing to unveil another relief package, and a GOP chairman says the country needs millions more tests. 

Here are 10 things to know today.

In Congress

• Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is calling for a national standard for reopening the country. “Everything should be based on science, and not the state or local — whatever it is,” she said. Mike Lillis reports.
• Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Pelosi are preparing to unveil a “Rooseveltian” relief package that will be “big, bold action,” Schumer said. Read more here.
• Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said the U.S. needs “millions” more tests to safely reopen the country, a contrast with President Trump downplaying the need for more testing. Peter Sullivan reports.
• Democrats on the House Oversight and Reform Committee wrote a letter to FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn urging him to lift restrictions barring gay and bisexual men who have recovered from the coronavirus from donating plasma for research. Rebecca Klar reports.

In the states 

• Massachusetts is allowing golf courses to reopen, despite the state’s stay at home order. Marty Johnson reports.
• Only nine states are ready to safely reopen, a Harvard study found, also saying that 900,000 tests per day in the country are needed. Read more here.
• Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is extending her state’s stay at home order to May 28, while also taking steps like allowing manufacturing to restart. John Bowden reports.

Other news

• A new study found that patients who recover from the coronavirus eventually produce antibodies to the virus, suggesting they may be capable of warding off reinfection. Jessie Hellmann reports.
• The biotechnology company Moderna said a Phase 3 trial of its potential coronavirus vaccine could start in early summer, and Phase 2 trial would start “shortly.” Read more here.
• The NFL laid out guidelines for reopening team facilities, and the tentative plan for the league is still to start the season as scheduled in the fall. Zack Budryk reports.