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Good morning, Portland! Gather round, cats, and I will try my best to emulate a bird movie.
Put on one of these movies for cats and ... look at these dopes. pic.twitter.com/vDIqUJaLnn
— Robert Ham (@roberthamwriter) April 5, 2020
Okay, here are the headlines.
• Gun sales across the country are surging during the coronavirus pandemic, and that includes Oregon. That could have disturbing implications for suicide attempts and domestic violence—both of which are already on the rise here.
• Because of existing disparities in our economic and health care systems, Black Americans are disproportionately affected by COVID-19 in some states. To make matters worse, some people of color report a reluctance to wear a face mask because they worry white people will perceive them as criminals.
• An in-person primary is still happening in Wisconsin today, thanks to a Republican state legislature and a conservative-majority Supreme Court.
Lines forming just 30 minutes after polls open in Milwaukee, people trying to space. Almost everyone has a mask pic.twitter.com/KVCJ7Ik0Xe
— Steadman™ (@AsteadWesley) April 7, 2020
• Here's a dilemma for you: If the US gets the current wave of COVID-19 infections under control before scientists develop a vaccine, returning to life as normal could only result in another pandemic. But Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is hopeful that an immunity test for the virus will be available by May. Fauci says that test will be "so important" for health officials, and for re-opening American life as we (used to) know it.
• Stephanie Grisham is leaving her post as White House press secretary after nearly a year on the job. She did not give a single press briefing in that time, so I guess she can list "efficiency" as a LinkedIn skill.
• As of Monday, Oregon's confirmed COVID-19 count stood at 1,132 cases and 29 deaths. United States coronavirus deaths have now surpassed 10,000.
• Is your small business in trouble? Help is out there, whether it's government assistance or loyal customers buying gift cards. Check out the Mercury's round up here.
• Joining other grocery chains, Fred Meyer will now halve its stores' customer capacity limits, in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. As the Mercury's reported last week, some Fred Meyer employees found it difficult to observe the six-foot social distancing rule when stores were operating normally.
• Curious about what it's like to be a gig driver right now? Listen to this OPB story to see for yourself.
• Because the news is a bummer sometimes!
Ready to end your day on a hilarious high note? Join the Mercury Cheer Up Club for our daily roundup of the funniest stuff on the internet! (Plus baby goats!)https://t.co/moU3Ri0hk3
— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) April 6, 2020