Here's your daily roundup of all the local and national news about COVID-19. (Like our coverage? Please consider donating to the Mercury to keep it comin'!)
• As of today, the Oregon Health Authority reported a total of 2,989 positive/presumptive coronavirus cases (an increase of 73 since yesterday), and a death count of 121—which is up six from Wednesday.
• May 15 is the day Oregon begins Phase One of a slow, heavily-restricted reopening plan, aimed at outdoor recreation, personal services, restaurants, bars, breweries, wineries, distilleries, and retail locations. Oregon Health Authority has a complete list of Governor Brown's official guidelines for each sector. But make no mistake, THERE ARE POTENTIALLY DEADLY RISKS even if the plan is followed to a tee. You can watch Gov. Brown's press conference about the plan, along with questions from journalists, here.
Scenes from @OregonGovBrown press conference pic.twitter.com/lLTmAhZTmQ
— Jaime Valdez (@jaimevaldezpmg) May 7, 2020
• One of the more distressing (though completely understandable) aspects of the reopening plan is that the state is advising the cancelation of all large concerts, festivals, and sporting events through September at least.
• In somewhat better news, some retail in Oregon will be allowed to reopen as soon as May 15, IF (AND THAT'S A BIG IF) their counties are approved to be reopened by the governor's office.
• While COVID-19 has knocked out countless number of local events, but Pedalpalooza isn't getting off their bike for 2020, employing creativity to avoid cancellation. Our Alex Zielinski has more.
• While the volume of new jobless claims has declined week-to-week for the past month, the most recent numbers are still very disconcerting: Another 20,000 Oregonians filed for new unemployment benefits last week, bringing the overall total to 380,000.
• Reminder that the "Slow Streets, Safe Streets" initiative, which will provide more space for pedestrians on greenways, starts TODAY. Check out more from our Blair Stenvick.
NOW: @PBOTinfo is launching “Slow Streets, Safe Streets” initiative along Portland’s Greenway during the stay home order >>> https://t.co/j2qY0ewPnd pic.twitter.com/7zRoMtMCaZ
— Elise Haas (@EliseKOIN) May 7, 2020
IN NATIONAL NEWS:
• Citing concerns that their recommended guidelines for reopening were "overly prescriptive," the White House has not only rejected the CDC's suggestions, they've asked for revisions to make them "less regressive," a request that's led CDC officials to believe it's likely their recommendations won't be posted at all.
Reasons why CDC guidance was shelved:
— Richard Stengel (@stengel) May 7, 2020
1. Guidelines say states should not reopen while their Covid cases are increasing.
2. Trump admin wants states to reopen regardless.
3. White House does not want to be accountable, and guidelines would make them so. https://t.co/6VXqDaQSFc
CNN: According to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases in the United States, at least 75,054 people have died from coronavirus.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) May 7, 2020
• CNN recently reported one of of Trump's personal valets has tested positive for COVID-19. Both Vice Prez Mike Pence and our idiot president have already been re-tested for the virus, and according to White House spokesman Hogan Gidley, their tests returned negative, and the two "remain in great health."
• A headline to remember: "Latinos in many places are contracting the virus at significantly higher rates than the population as a whole."
Dozens of doctors are calling on Facebook, Instagram YouTube and Twitter to "detox the algorithms that decide what people see" and "correct the record on health misinformation" in the wake of a disinformation crisis that's leaving doctors vulnerable.https://t.co/38YtolytOC
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) May 7, 2020
• The money that was intended for small business loans is once again exhausted, and the SBA has now stopped taking nearly all applications.
• If you need some laughs, may we suggest the I, ANONYMOUS SHOW livestreaming into your home this Friday May 8. Mindblowing rants and confessions, paired with a panel of hilarious comics! *chef's kiss*
• Look, you're stuck inside, creative, going nuts, and need money, right? Then enter your short confinement-themed film in the Confinement (online) Film Festival, better known as CoFF!
• And finally, if your Zoom meetings are going better than this person's, you're doing okay.
When you want to show your pet on a zoom meeting. pic.twitter.com/3SnswfFVVP
— Danny Deraney (@DannyDeraney) May 6, 2020