The Hill’s Coronavirus Report: Georges Benjamin says cutting WHO funds could be crime against humanity; COVID-19 cases surpass 2 million
VIEW BREAKING NEWS ON CORONAVIRUS
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY
> Global COVID-19 cases surpass 2 million
> Trump suspends WHO funding pending review
> Cuomo says New York moving to ‘new normal’
> Dems move toward deal with Mnuchin, White House
> Treasury orders Trump’s name on stimulus checks, delaying process
> China wasted six key days, allowing virus to exponentially spread
D.C. extends public health emergency, school closures until May 15. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced that in extending her order, other coronavirus restrictions in the city, including nonessential business closures, a stay-at-home order and a ban on gatherings of 10 or more people are also extended. (Washington Post)
N.Y. moves to a ‘new normal.’ as Gov. Cuomo outlines gradual reopening of businesses. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said Wednesday that his state is moving to a “new normal” as he outlined a gradual reopening of businesses, saying the crisis won’t be over until a vaccine is made available. “Where we’re going, it’s not a reopening in that we’re going to reopen what was. We’re going to a different place,” Cuomo told reporters. (CNBC)
THE INTERVIEW
APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin: Halting WHO funds could be crime against humanity as many would die
Clemons: President Trump has gone after the World Health Organization and is, pending review, cutting off funding. Your reaction?
Benjamin: “We strongly support the World Health Organization. The World Health Organization is doing the best it can with the resources that they have. You know, nobody does these kinds of emergencies perfectly. But I got to tell you, we also screwed things up very early on, and so we should not do that to the World Health Organization. By the way, the World Health Organization is there to help many, many nations that can’t help themselves without their help. If we pull funding from the WHO now, we think it will be a crime against humanity because so many people in those communities will die without our help and without our funding.”
Watch the full interview here.
THE HILL’S CORONAVIRUS REPORT
Welcome to The Hill’s Coronavirus Report. It’s Wednesday, April 15.
Welcome to The Hill’s Coronavirus Report. It’s Wednesday, April 15.
Editor’s Note.
Officially, the global count on those diagnosed as positive for the coronavirus has surpassed 2 million. We have to always add that qualifier of “officially” because everyone knows the number is much larger. America, with 5 percent of the world’s population, hosts about 30 percent of the world’s official cases. A testing framework for those who are ill remains elusive. Stories still stream in of people being turned away from treatment centers unless they are showing highly developed and obvious symptoms of COVID-19 when the fact is that COVID-19 spreads mostly silently from asymptomatic carriers of the disease. The president started his administration with a number of economic advisory panels that were mostly disbanded after the racial collisions in Charlottesville, Va., and the discomfort many CEOs felt in the administration’s embrace “of both sides.” Those panels are back now — including leaders from industry and labor and some conservative thought leaders — who will be tasked with helping to advise on a comeback. The thought occurs to me whether we will have a different sort of embrace of both sides — those who know the science and put human life and public health first and those who want to restart the economy as the primary objective and tolerate a certain degree of death. We will soon see.
– Steve Clemons
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 Special Report. To stay up-to-date on all things coronavirus, visit TheHill.com and SUBSCRIBE to our Overnight Healthcare newsletter for the latest developments from the daily White House coronavirus task force briefings.
On April 29, our new 3D journalism platform The Hill Virtually Live will host an online event – Protecting Seniors: Healthcare in a Health Crisis. We’ll be looking at how Medicare is stepping up to support seniors, what it will take to protect underserved communities and the role of telemedicine. Watch this space as we announce registration details and program speakers. Follow @TheHillEvents for updates.
CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS AT A GLANCE
Global coronavirus cases have now surpassed 2 million. At the time of this newsletter, 129,045 lives have been lost to the virus. Nearly 8,000 people have died from COVID-19 in New York City alone and more than 26,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus.
Second to New York, New Jersey has 68,824 cases. Massachusetts 28,163. California 25,779. Pennsylvania 25,591. Florida 21,628. Most experts agree that a lack of testing in the U.S. means these numbers should be higher, possibly double or even triple the officially recorded numbers of “confirmed cases.” Although New York may be heading toward a slowdown in cases, the death rate is expected to peak in other metropolitan areas in the weeks to come.
Around the world, 502,389 people have reported full recoveries from COVID-19.
WASHINGTON WATCH
Trump to halt WHO funding amid review. President Trump on Tuesday said his administration will halt funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) pending a review of the global body for what he described as its mismanagement of the coronavirus outbreak. (The Hill)
Democrats try to force McConnell’s hand on coronavirus aid. Congressional Democratic leaders are trying to box out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) by negotiating a deal with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and President Trump to provide $251 billion in new funding for small businesses. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) calculate that Trump will be eager for a deal when funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a popular small-business lending program, is projected to expire Thursday. (The Hill)
Hoyer: House eyeing possible Friday vote on next coronavirus bill. House Democrats are hoping to vote Friday on the next round of coronavirus relief, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Wednesday, but disagreements over the process could push it to next week. (The Hill)
Lawmakers introduce resolution rebuking Trump’s claims of power over governors. Reps. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.), Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) and Justin Amash (I-Mich.) introduced a one-sentence resolution Tuesday pushing back on President Trump’s claims that he has total authority over when states can begin to ease the restrictions they put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Amash is considering a third-party bid for the presidency. (The Hill)
Trump’s signature to be on stimulus checks. Federal stimulus checks for millions of Americans will be reportedly delayed by several days because President Trump wanted his signature to be on them. Treasury Department officials say this will not cause any delays. (Washington Post)
CDC director on WHO: We continue to have a “productive public health relationship.” Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on Wednesday said the World Health Organization continues to have a “productive public health relationship” with the CDC after President Trump announced he was halting funds for the global organization pending a review. (The Hill)
LAWMAKERS TWEET
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)
@ChrisVanHollen Millions of Americans in desperate financial straits will have to wait longer to get their individual payment checks because Donald Trump wants to add his name to them. No other American President has done this. His COVID-19 strategy: Trump First.
Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.)
@RepFredUpton We all need to come together during this time. I’m reminded of a quote by Henry Ford: “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” We’re all looking for the lighthouse & the safe harbor from this pandemic.#InItTogether #MI0
Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.)
@RepJudyChu The US helped create the WHO to keep people healthy, especially during a global pandemic like this. Many countries depend on the WHO right now to fight coronavirus. But now, more people will needlessly die because Donald Trump needs somebody to blame for his own delayed actions.
ACROSS THE NATION
Nation’s capital expecting COVID-19 peak in May. D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said hospitalizations in the nation’s capital could peak in late May, a month earlier than previously projected, if area residents continue to stay at home and avoid large groups. (Washington Post)
Michigan governor fires back at Trump, says states won’t be “open via Twitter.” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), a possible vice presidential candidate, knocked President Trump on Tuesday after he claimed on Twitter the day before that he had the authority to “open up the states” once the coronavirus outbreak begins to wane. Whitmer said that “the government’s not going to be open via Twitter.” (The Hill)
Illinois governor said he’s “given up on any federal promises.” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) said he has “given up” on promises for coronavirus aid from the federal government amid an escalating feud between himself and President Trump. “I hope something will get delivered from the federal government, but I don’t expect it anymore,” Pritzker said on CNN. (The Hill)
Arizona Gov. Ducey says state is open to hosting empty-stadium MLB season. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) welcomed the prospect of Major League Baseball playing the entirety of the 2020 season in the state, stating that he had been in contact with league officials and is “open-minded to hosting whatever [the league] would like from the state.” (The Hill)
WORLD VIEW
/ China blasts Trump’s move to pull WHO funding, pledges support. China criticized President Trump’s move to temporarily halt funding to the World Health Organization and pledged to support the global health body. Trump on Tuesday said he ordered the move against the WHO because it took China’s claims about the coronavirus “at face value.” (Bloomberg)
China didn’t warn public of likely pandemic for six key days. In the six days after top Chinese officials secretly determined they likely were facing a pandemic from the new coronavirus, life proceeded as usual as the Chinese government remained silent. That critical delay from Jan. 14 to Jan. 20 set the stage for a pandemic that has infected more than 2 million people and killed more than 129,000 people. (Associated Press)
Germany heads toward steep recession and surge in unemployment. The German government on Wednesday issued a bleak assessment of the effects of the coronavirus, saying that the economy was headed for a steep recession and a surge in joblessness. Economic output in Europe’s largest economy will plunge almost 10 percent from April through June, the German Economy Ministry said. (New York Times)
SCIENCE
Hydroxychloroquine alleviated symptoms, did not cure coronavirus in small study. Hydroxychloroquine, the popular anti-malaria drug that President Trump has called a “game changer” in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, relieved symptoms of the virus, but didn’t rid patients of the disease a small, recently released study shows. (The Hill)
BUSINESS
Consumers aren’t buying anything (but groceries). Retail sales plunged 8.7 percent in March, the biggest drop on record. A preliminary report from the Commerce Department showed the precipitous drop in sales as consumers reined in spending on goods ranging from cars and clothing to meals at restaurants and drinks at bars. (The Hill)
Big banks report their profit was nearly halved last month. Leading U.S. banks — Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Bank of America and PNC — reporting quarterly earnings on Wednesday said they’re stocking away money to prepare for a wave of loan defaults by consumers and businesses over the coming months. (Washington Post)
Renters are hanging in there, for now. The National Multifamily Housing Council’s national rent tracker is showing that since the coronavirus outbreak started, the vast majority of renters have been keeping up with their payments. The latest survey of 11.5 million apartment units found that 84 percent of households made a full or partial rent payment by April 12. The surprising part — that number is up 15 percentage points from April 5.
ISSUES, CAUSES, PASSION
Misinformation about coronavirus is more troubling than you think. As grave a threat as the virus poses, with increased attention comes opportunities for the spread of another unwanted threat: misinformation. Whether they are debunked conspiracy theories about the cause of the virus or promises of cures that may actually cause harm, increases in public interest always seem to be met with outlandish explanations. (Stephen R. Barnard for The Hill)
Trump is right to push hydroxychloroquine. Patients are dying today; they need at least the possibility of help now, not in a year or so. A constitutional argument can also be made in support of giving hydroxychloroquine to a COVID-19 sufferer. If we have a constitutional right to defend ourselves against an attacker, why can’t we have that same right when the attacker is the coronavirus? (Ronald L. Trowbridge for The Hill)
GENEROUS SPIRITS
Here Comes The Sun! The famous Beatles song is taking on a whole new life in one hospital just outside New York City, where it is being used to celebrate patients who have overcome COVID-19. Take a look at the heartwarming video of the hospital staff celebrating the discharge of a coronavirus patient. (Fox News)
Sesame Street’s Elmo reassures families during coronavirus special. In a “virtual playdate” on HBO on Tuesday night, Sesame Street’s Elmo (and his dad, Louie) were joined by celebrities such as Anne Hathaway to reassure families that more sunny days are ahead. (TODAY)
ICYMI, STEVE’S INTERVIEWS, 15 MINUTES EACH
> Steve interviews former AIDS czar MARK DYBUL
> Steve interviews former GSK Global Vaccines President LUC DEBRUYNE
> Steve interviews former Baltimore Health Commissioner LEANA WEN
> Steve interviews former Trump homeland security adviser TOM BOSSERT
> Steve interviews International Rescue Committee CEO DAVID MILIBAND
> Steve interviews Miami Mayor and coronavirus survivor FRANCIS X. SUAREZ
> Steve interviews Rep. DEBBIE DINGELL (D-Mich.)
Watch all Coronavirus Report interviews here.
YOUR WORLD, YOUR STORIES
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CLICK HERE to subscribe to The Hill’s Coronavirus Special Report. To stay up-to-date on all things coronavirus, visit TheHill.com and SUBSCRIBE to our Overnight Healthcare newsletter for the latest developments from the daily White House coronavirus task force briefings.
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