All Virginians must wear masks in public
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said Tuesday that everyone in the state “will need to wear a face covering” when present in any indoor space that is open to the public, starting Friday. “I’m taking this step because science increasingly shows us the virus spreads less easily when everyone is wearing face coverings,” Northam said.
Northam said there will be exceptions for those who are eating or drinking, exercising, have a health condition that prevents them from wearing one and for children younger than 10. Northam said that to prevent criminal citations, the order will be enforced through the Virginia Department of Health, rather than through law enforcement.
Northam’s announcement came after he was criticized for appearing in a crowded area in Virginia Beach over the weekend while not wearing a mask and not observing social distancing. He said he had left his mask in the car and was “unprepared” to encounter a crowd, but that he took “full responsibility.”
Cuomo: NY deaths ‘lowest level we have seen’
As New York continues to ramp up its reopening plan, two vital coronavirus metrics have dropped to the lowest levels since the outbreak began, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday. New coronavirus hospitalizations dropped to “the lowest level since this started, just about 200," and the state reported 73 deaths Monday.
Cuomo said he is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump on Wednesday in Washington to ask for funding to bolster the state’s infrastructure projects. To resurrect New York’s economy and to capitalize on lower ridership from commuters, Cuomo said he wants to fast-track construction projects, like those at LaGuardia Airport and Penn Station.
Ozarks party-goers told to self-quarantine
Anyone who failed to practice social distancing and other guidelines at a mega pool party in Missouri should self-quarantine for 14 days "if they have any compassion for others," Kansas City Health Department director Rex Archer said. The party Saturday in Lake of the Ozarks, about 130 miles southeast of the city, drew national attention after a video went viral showing hundreds of swimsuit-clad partygoers in extremely close quarters.
St. Louis County Executive Sam Page asked his Public Health Department to issue a travel advisory as workers return to their jobs after ignoring social distance practices. Page said the "reckless behavior endangers countless people and risks setting us back substantially from the progress we have made in slowing the spread of COVID-19."
'We're in the middle of the first wave globally'
The risks of reigniting coronavirus outbreaks are complicating efforts to fend off further misery for the many millions who have lost jobs, with a top health expert warning that the world remains in the midst of a “first wave” of the pandemic.
“Right now, we’re not in the second wave. We’re right in the middle of the first wave globally,” said Dr. Mike Ryan, a World Health Organization executive director.
Ryan, speaking at a virtual news conference, pointed to South America, South Asia and other areas where the number of infections is still on the rise. For nations that appear to have peaked or plateaued, Ryan warned that a second wave is possible a few months later. He urged Europe and North America to continue with a "comprehensive strategy to ensure that we continue on a downward trajectory and we don’t have an immediate second peak.”