Testing debate heats up: What you need to know about the coronavirus fight today

Welcome to The Hill’s daily roundup of coronavirus news.

President Trump’s support for protests calling for an end to state stay-at-home orders contradicts his administration’s own health experts and Vice President Pence. Trump has used state governors as a new political target, even though public opinion is largely tilted in favor of the stay-at-home orders.

Meanwhile, testing is still an issue. The White House says the country is already producing enough tests to enter “phase one” of the administration’s reopening plan. But governors have been contradicting administration officials who say states have the ability to conduct plenty of diagnostic tests. 

Experts say the country needs to be testing people on a much larger scale than is happening now, and that doesn’t even include the antibody tests. Administration officials on Sunday touted 4 million tests that have been performed, but that was the number the administration promised would be conducted by mid-March.  

Here’s what you need to know today: 

From the White House

• President Trump is sending conflicting signals on social distancing restrictions, backing federal guidelines that leave decisions to governors but also sending support to people protesting those decisions — in blue states. Morgan Chalfant and Brett Samuels have the full story

• An example of that disconnect: Anthony Fauci, the top government official on infectious diseases, warned Monday that protests in opposition to governors’ stay-at-home orders meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus will “backfire” and further delay the reopening of the economy. Brett Samuels has more here

• Pressure is building on the White House to increase testing capacity, as leading estimates say the country needs at least three times more tests to be able to safely reopen. Peter Sullivan with the latest.

• Meet the American in charge of a key pillar of coronavirus response at the World Health Organization, which has been under attack from President Trump. Reid Wilson with an exclusive interview.

• While the White House wants states to re-open quickly, the same can’t be said of the country’s northern and southern borders. The United States, Canada and Mexico will extend restrictions barring nonessential travel across their respective shared borders for another 30 days. Read Brett to get more details 

In Congress

• The Senate will try to pass a forthcoming agreement on coronavirus aid as soon as Tuesday if negotiators are able to reach a deal. Jordain Carney has more here

•  The House, for its part, hopes to vote as soon as Wednesday on the package. Jordain also has the latest on those plans. 

• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said she opposes the current interim coronavirus response legislation being negotiated, raising pressure from the left. Cristina Marcos reports. 

• House conservatives are calling for the country to immediately reopen, bucking the guidance of scientists and health experts who warn doing it too soon could lead to a spike in cases. Juliegrace Brufke has more

• Senate Democrats are urging President Trump to reverse his decision to halt funding to the World Health Organization. Jordain Carney has more

Around the nation

• Joe Biden has a new ad attacking President Trump for feuding with governors over the coronavirus response. The ad, called “Buck Stops Here,” contrasts Trump with President Harry Truman’s famous phrase. Jonathan Easley reports.    

• Calls to poison control centers about exposures to cleaners and disinfectants increased 20 percent in the first three months of this year compared to the same period in 2019, according to a new CDC report 

• A majority of polled Americans believe the U.S. should have been shut down earlier to stop the spread of the coronavirus, according to a new Harvard CAPS-Harris poll released exclusively to The Hill. Julia Manchester has the exclusive

• The same poll shows eighty percent of respondents said the guidelines pushed by the White House task force are working. 

In the states

• Governors are heading for a clash with their own citizens and local officials as they weigh how and when to reopen the country’s economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. Get more from John Kruzel 

• An example: Protesters gathered in Harrisburg, Pa., on Monday to demonstrate against a statewide stay-at-home order put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Rebecca Klar has the story here 

• Some Georgia businesses, including gyms, hair and nail salons and bowling alleys, will be allowed to open Friday as the state moves toward reopening its economy. Read Jessie Hellmann for more

• Vermont has begun allowing some “low contact” businesses to reopen with a two-person staff limit. Justine Coleman has the story

• New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) called on the federal government to pay bonuses to front line workers — health professionals, first responders, transit workers, grocery store employees and other essential workers who don’t have the “luxury of staying home.” Jessie has more details

• Texas will start reopening its state parks on Monday for day-use only in a move toward reopening the state. Justine Coleman has more