California Issues Tough Restrictions and Iowa Mandates Masks as States Try to Tame Virus – The New York Times

Heres what you need to know:Gov. Gavin Newsom of California last month. He announced increased statewide restrictions on Monday.Credit...Pool photo by Marcio Jose Sanchez

Californias governor announced Monday that the state is pulling the emergency brake on its reopening and reinstating broad restrictions, while Iowas governor reversed course and announced a mask mandate.

The announcements came as the United States reported its 11 millionth confirmed case on Sunday, with one million new cases over the past week alone. The country is averaging 150,000 new cases a day and will probably reach 250,000 total deaths sometime this week.

Daily case reports are rising in 48 states, and with little action from the Trump administration, governors and mayors across the country are taking new steps to try to halt the spread. On Monday, a sweeping stay-at-home advisory went into effect in Chicago and Philadelphia announced strict new rules starting Friday, banning indoor gatherings and closing indoor dining at restaurants.

In Iowa, where new daily cases and hospitalizations have roughly doubled in two weeks, the Republican governor, Kim Reynolds, announced in a news conference on Monday evening that Iowans will be required to wear masks when indoors and unable to social distance starting Tuesday, along with other new restrictions.

Until recently, Governor Reynolds had flouted the guidance of infectious disease experts, who say that universal masking and social distancing are essential to limiting the viruss spread. In late September, as the virus was already surging in Iowa, she relaxed the states quarantine guidance. She recently issued a limited mask mandate, but the White House Coronavirus Task Force privately issued her a report, obtained by an ABC News affiliate, that called for stronger actions because of the states unyielding COVID spread.

The governor also ordered restaurants and bars to close at 10 p.m., and indoor gatherings, including weddings and funerals, to be limited to 15 people, while outdoor events will be capped at 30 people. If Iowans dont buy into this, we lose, Ms. Reynolds said. The measures are set through Dec. 10, though the governor said she would revisit them in a week.

In California, which had been credited with getting the virus under control for a time, Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said the states daily case numbers had doubled in the last 10 days, the fastest increase the state had seen since the beginning of the pandemic. The state reached one million known cases on Nov. 12, and the next day issued travel advisories.

The increases, he said, cross age and racial or ethnic groups and appear throughout the state.

Most of Californias larger counties were moved back into the most restrictive reopening tier by the governor, meaning that indoor dining and some other businesses would have to shut down again. He said the state was also studying curfew options.

Mr. Newsom added that emergency health care facilities the state set up near the beginning of the pandemic were being prepared. One facility will open in the next week or so in Imperial County, a border county that was hit hard over the summer, he said.

State leaders including Mr. Newsom have told residents not to gather with people from outside their households, and to resist visiting relatives over the holidays.

Much of the recent rise in cases, state officials say, appears to have grown from at-home parties or family gatherings.

But in what is likely to be remembered as one of the governors more damaging moments in the pandemic, The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Mr. Newsom attended an outdoor dinner for one of his political advisers at the French Laundry, a Napa Valley restaurant, with guests from several households.

The gathering did not technically violate the states rules, because there is no formal limit on the number of households at each outdoor restaurant table, but as critics noted, the governors attendance undermined the spirit of restrictions.

Mr. Newsom apologized on Monday, saying that he should have turned around and left when he realized there were more guests at the party than he expected.

Other states have taken tough actions. New Mexico is under a two-week lockdown and North Dakota, after holding out for weeks, has imposed a mask mandate.

New Jersey has announced limits on gatherings, effective Tuesday. The New Jersey Supreme Court issued an order on Monday suspending criminal and civil jury trials, along with in-person grand jury sessions, which can be switched to a virtual format.

In Washington State, new restrictions include a limit of 30 people for weddings and, as of Monday, a ban on indoor receptions. One county, Grant, reported Monday at least 17 cases related to a wedding that was attended by over 300 people.

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We all agreed that we want to get the economy back on track. We need our workers to be back on the job by getting the virus under control. Were going into a very dark winter. Things are going to get much tougher before they get easier. That requires sparing no effort to fight Covid so that we can open our businesses safely, resume our lives and put this pandemic behind us. Its going to be difficult, but it can be done. When we build back better well do so with higher wages, including a $15 minimum wage nationwide, better benefits, stronger collective bargaining rights that you can raise a family. Thats how we build back the middle class better than ever. Thats how we make sure workers are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. More people may die if we dont coordinate. Look, as my chief of staff Ron Klain would say who handled Ebola the vaccine is important. Its of little use until youre vaccinated. So how do we get the vaccine? How do we get over 300 million Americans vaccinated? Whats the game plan? Its a huge, huge, huge undertaking to get it done, prioritize those greatest in need, working our way through it and also cooperate with the World Health Organization and the rest of the world in dealing with this.

President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. said on Monday that more people may die from the coronavirus as a result of President Trumps refusal to begin a transfer of power and allow coordinated planning for the mass distribution of a vaccine early next year.

Trying to increase the pressure on Mr. Trump, who continues to falsely proclaim himself the election winner, Mr. Biden criticized the president as an obstacle to the daunting logistical challenges of delivering vaccines around the country and injecting hundreds of millions of Americans, work that wont begin in earnest until after Mr. Biden is sworn in.

The vaccine is important. But its of no use until youre vaccinated, Mr. Biden said, taking questions from reporters after remarks on the virus and the economy. Its a huge, huge, huge undertaking.

If we have to wait until January 20th to start that planning, it puts us behind, he added. More people may die, if we dont coordinate.

Mr. Bidens grim warning about the potentially deadly consequences of a delayed transition was a striking rebuke to the sitting president at a time when most of the country is suffering through a surge in infections from the worst pandemic in 100 years. The message to Mr. Trump was clear: You have failed, and now its my turn.

Delivering remarks about the economy and the virus after a virtual meeting with business and labor leaders, Mr. Biden offered a grim assessment of the coming months as the epidemic continues its rapid spread, and criticized Mr. Trump for mismanaging the epidemic, which he promised to shut down.

We are going into a very dark winter. Things are going to get much tougher before they get easier, Mr. Biden said. He urged Americans to celebrate Thanksgiving next week in groups of 10 or fewer, wearing masks and after quarantining. He said his own family plans were uncertain.

Mr. Biden called on Congress to pass an economic stimulus package immediately to help workers struggling to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

For millions of Americans whove lost hours and wages or have lost jobs, we all agreed on our call that we can deliver immediate relief and it need be done quickly, Mr. Biden said.

He added that Congress should come together and pass a Covid relief package along the lines of the $3 trillion bill that House Democrats passed earlier this year.

Mr. Biden said that combating the virus remained the most urgent matter, however, and said that he would set an example for Americans who may be wary of getting vaccinated by accepting it himself. If promising vaccines now in the pipeline continue to prove safe and effective, he said, I would take the vaccine.

Look, the only reason people question the vaccine now is because of Donald Trump, Mr. Biden said. Thats the reason why people are questioning the vaccine, because of all the things he says and doesnt say, is it truthful or not truthful, the exaggerations?

Mr. Biden also said he favors a national mask mandate, and he criticized Mr. Trump and his allies for attacking state and local officials, like Michigans governor, for imposing new restrictions to try to contain the skyrocketing case numbers.

What is the matter with these guys? Mr. Biden said. Its totally irresponsible.

There is nothing macho about not wearing a mask, he added.

The vitriolic reaction came swiftly after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan announced on Sunday evening that she was ordering the shutdown of some businesses and halting in-person learning at high schools and colleges in her state for three weeks to combat a rapid increase in coronavirus cases.

Some came from her usual opponents in the Republican-controlled State Legislature. Leaders of both the Senate and House repeated their complaints that Governor Whitmer, a Democrat, was making decisions on coronavirus restrictions without consulting them.

But when Dr. Scott Atlas, President Trumps coronavirus adviser, wrote on Twitter on Sunday night: The only way this stops is if people rise up. You get what you accept, Ms. Whitmer said the statement left her breathless.

Its just incredibly reckless, considering everything that has happened, Ms. Whitmer told reporters Monday morning, alluding to an alleged right-wing terrorist plot against her. Fourteen people have been charged with planning to kidnap the governor and storm the State Capitol in Lansing over coronavirus shutdown orders.

Three hours after sending his rise up tweet, Dr. Atlas walked it back, insisting that he never was talking at all about violence, but rather about peaceful protest.

Stanford University, which hosts the Hoover Institution, a conservative-leaning think tank where Dr. Atlas is on leave from a fellowship, distanced itself from his comments, saying in a statement that his views are inconsistent with the universitys approach in response to the pandemic, which includes the use of masks, social distancing, testing and surveillance, it said.

The coronavirus has been exploding out of control across the United States in recent weeks, especially in the Great Lakes and Great Plains states. Michigan has recently averaged more than 6,600 new cases a day, five times as many as in early October, and hospitalizations and deaths have been climbing steeply as well.

Experts like Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nations top infectious disease specialist, have warned that another 200,000 Americans could die of Covid-19 by spring if Americans do not more fully embrace public health measures, even if an effective vaccine is widely available soon. But such measures spurred anger and resentment in many places.

Ms. Whitmers first executive orders shutting down the state in April were met with large and raucous protests, which included armed protesters invading the State Capitol. Several men who were photographed in the State Senate gallery, dressed in camouflage and carrying military-style weapons, have since been charged in the kidnapping plot.

The governors action on Sunday prompted Representative Matt Maddock, a Republican state lawmaker from the Detroit suburbs, to take his frequent criticism of Ms. Whitmer a step further, saying he would try to remove her from office.

Today, myself and a growing list of Michigan Legislators have decided that @GovWhitmer has crossed the line and will be calling for #ImpeachWhitmer hearings, he wrote on Twitter on Sunday. The list of violations is long and the call is overdue.

The restrictions the governor announced Sunday include closing indoor dining at restaurants and bars, shuttering casinos and movie theaters and restricting indoor gatherings.

As hard as the first months were, the next few months are going to be even worse, Ms. Whitmer said in her announcement. Were in the worst moment of the pandemic to date. Were at the precipice and we need to take some action.

The drugmaker Moderna announced on Monday that its coronavirus vaccine was 94.5 percent effective, based on an early look at the results from its large, continuing study.

Researchers said the results were better than they had dared to imagine. But the vaccine will not be widely available for months, probably not until spring.

Moderna is the second company to report preliminary data on an apparently successful vaccine that offers hope of reining in a surging pandemic that has infected more than 53 million people worldwide and killed more than 1.2 million. Pfizer, in collaboration with BioNTech, was the first, reporting more than 90 percent effectiveness one week ago.

Pfizer and Moderna were the first to announce early data on large studies, but 10 other companies are also conducting big Phase 3 trials in a global race to produce a vaccine, including efforts in Britain, China, Russia, India and Australia. More than 50 other candidates are in earlier stages of testing.

Researchers test vaccines by inoculating some study participants and giving others placebos, and then watching the two groups to see how many people get sick. In Modernas study, 95 people contracted Covid: five who were vaccinated, and 90 who received placebo shots of salt water. Statistically, the difference between the two groups was highly significant. And of the 95 cases, 11 were severe all in the placebo group.

Moderna, based in Cambridge, Mass., developed its vaccine in collaboration with researchers from the Vaccine Research Center, part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the infectious disease institute, said in an interview, I had been saying I would be satisfied with a 75 percent effective vaccine. Aspirationally, you would like to see 90, 95 percent, but I wasnt expecting it. I thought wed be good, but 94.5 percent is very impressive.

LONDON For Prime Minister Boris Johnson, this was supposed to be a critical week to reset his government after a tumultuous round of infighting that led to the abrupt ouster of his most influential adviser, Dominic Cummings.

Instead, Mr. Johnson began a 14-day quarantine in his Downing Street residence on Monday after being exposed to a member of Parliament who tested positive for the coronavirus.

The prime minister insisted he was fit as a butchers dog and was merely heeding the rules of Britains test-and-trace program. But Mr. Johnsons enforced isolation will hobble his plan to regain momentum with public appearances and policy announcements after days of corrosive palace intrigue among his closest advisers.

The prime ministers second close call with the virus last April, he was hospitalized with a severe case of Covid-19 deepens the sense of a government that cannot seem to get out of its own way.

Mr. Johnsons exposure to the virus this time came during a meeting with Conservative lawmakers, one of whom, Lee Anderson, later developed symptoms and tested positive. A photo showed the two men standing barely three feet apart neither wearing a mask which raised questions about whether Downing Street practices proper social distancing, even after the outbreak that infected Mr. Johnson in March.

As a recovered patient, Mr. Johnson said his body was bursting with antibodies. He did not broach the risk of re-infection, which, while possible, is rare.

During his self-isolation Mr. Johnson plans to work from his apartment, which is above 11 Downing Street. He will also have access to his office at No. 10 next door without walking through parts of the building where others work.

Mr. Johnson will maintain a full schedule of events, conducted remotely, and hopes to use a video link to take part in Prime Ministers Questions, his weekly grilling by the leader of the opposition in the House of Commons.

Representative Don Young of Alaska, the longest-serving member of the House and its oldest member, said on Monday that he had been hospitalized over the weekend with the coronavirus but had since been discharged, as two other lawmakers also announced they had contracted the virus.

The trio of announcements underscored how, as the virus resurges across the country, it has also continued to affect members of Congress. Several more lawmakers were in quarantine on Monday after interacting with individuals who later tested positive.

There has been much speculation in the media on my current condition, and I want Alaskans to know that their Congressman is alive, feeling better, and on the road to recovery, Mr. Young, 87, said in a statement on Twitter.

Mr. Young, a Republican, had been publicly silent after announcing last week that he had tested positive for the virus, and complained in his statement about speculation in the media that did not respect my privacy. He said he had been admitted to Providence Hospital in Anchorage for treatment and monitoring, without elaborating on the treatment he received or the symptoms he had experienced.

Very frankly, I had not felt this sick in a very long time, he said.

Minutes later, Representative Cheri Bustos of Illinois, the leader of House Democrats campaign arm, announced that she too had tested positive for the virus and was experiencing mild symptoms but still felt well.

And shortly after that, Representative Tim Walberg, Republican of Michigan, announced that he had the virus.

The three are the latest of two dozen or so members of Congress to test positive for the virus since the spring.

Only one other lawmaker, Representative Ben McAdams, Democrat of Utah, 45, has publicly disclosed being hospitalized as a result of contracting the virus.

The N.C.A.A. will consolidate its usually sprawling mens college basketball tournament to a single city in 2021 instead of holding the games at 13 sites across the United States, in hopes of limiting travel during the pandemic.

The N.C.A.A. announced Monday that it was in preliminary talks with local and state government officials to have Indianapolis host the 68-team Division I mens tournament, the centerpiece of what hoops fans affectionately call March Madness.

The mens basketball committee that oversees the tournament determined that a singular location would be more conducive to the safety and well-being of the event.

The tournament is usually spread throughout the country in March and April. The 2020 mens and womens tournaments were among the first major sporting events in the United States to be canceled as the pandemic took hold in March.

The Final Four was already scheduled for April 3-5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, the city where the N.C.A.A. is headquartered.

The committee is not currently conversing with representatives from other cities, said the N.C.A.A. press officer, David Worlock, but he noted that could change. Officials are not planning to hold the entire tournament at a single, highly restricted site.

We cant operate in a bubble like, for example, the N.B.A. did this year with its postseason, though we will have similar protocols in place to protect the health and safety of those involved, he said.

Discussions concerning the Division I womens basketball tournament are continuing, said Lynn Holzman, the N.C.A.A.s vice president for womens basketball. That tournament generally uses more sites than the mens tournament, with 16 teams hosting first- and second-round games that feed into regional sites and eventually the Final Four, which is scheduled for April 2-4 in San Antonio, Texas.

The pandemic didnt arrive in the far northern Canadian territory of Nunavut until early this month. On Monday, the premier of the vast but sparsely populated Arctic region imposed a two-week shutdown of most businesses, schools and events after the number of confirmed cases reached 26.

The cases are in three communities, but officials said on Monday that they feared the virus might have already spread to other places in the territory.

Think of it as a circuit breaker, a chance to reset, Joe Savikataaq, the premier, said. No one is above the rules here. Lets make this clear, so theres no misunderstanding.

The limited medical resources in the territory mean that patients requiring sophisticated treatments must be flown south. One person infected in the current outbreak was evacuated to a hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba, about 900 miles away. That person has since been released and is recovering.

Contact tracing has yet to establish the source of the first known case in the territory on Nov. 6. Until then, Nunavut had been the only region in Canada left untouched by the pandemic. Canada, a country of 38 million people, has had a total of about 300,000 coronavirus cases and 11,000 deaths, according to a New York Times database.

The Navajo Nation on Monday reinstated a stay-at-home order for the next three weeks after health officials warned of uncontrolled spread of Covid-19 in dozens of communities across the vast reservation.

The move on the countrys largest tribal reservation points to one of the most aggressive efforts anywhere in the United States to fight the coronavirus.

After a devastating outbreak early in the pandemic, Navajo officials made inroads over the summer with vigorous mitigation efforts, only to face a resurgence in cases in recent weeks.

During the time the new order is in effect, residents must shelter in place, all roads in the Navajo Nation are closed to visitors and most government offices will be closed. Essential businesses such as gas stations and grocery stores are allowed to open, but only from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Myron Lizer, the vice president of the Navajo Nation, pleaded with citizens in a Facebook video to avoid driving to towns bordering the reservation, such as Farmington, N.M., and Winslow, Ariz., to reduce transmission risks.

There are those who have been traveling abroad, going to our border towns for shopping and what not, buying hay, food, feed one thing that we can do is limit that, maybe cut it in half, Mr. Lizer said.

The Navajo Department of Health listed at least 34 communities at heightened risk of the virus, including places like Sheepsprings, Chichiltah and Tuba City. Officials said the reservations death toll from the virus stands at 602 after four new deaths were reported on Sunday, while the number of known cases has reached more than 13,300.

Colleen Kelly, a senior digital editor at The Minneapolis Star Tribune, did not mention Covid or the coronavirus in the short video that she posted over the weekend. All she did was leaf slowly through the 16-page Minnesota section of the Sunday paper. Two-thirds of it was filled with obituaries.

To me, it was a stark visual example of the number of people who are dying, Ms. Kelly said in an interview.

These were paid death notices, most commonly submitted by relatives, so not all mention a cause of death, Ms. Kelly said, and when they did include a cause, some were not coronavirus-related. But the same section a year ago would have had six or seven pages of notices, she said, not 10 or more.

Ms. Kelly, who also runs the papers Covid-19 page online, knew that Minnesota had just experienced its deadliest week of the pandemic, with 248 deaths reported.

So many of the notices arrived at the last minute that the paper had to pull news articles out of the section to make room, she said. One of the withheld articles was about a number of Republican state legislators long at odds with their Democratic rivals over how to confront the virus who have recently tested positive.

Ms. Kellys video seemed to resonate online, with viewers posting emojis of broken hearts or tears. It reminded some of a similar video that was posted in Italy in March, bringing home how the disease was scything through the population, especially the elderly.

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California Issues Tough Restrictions and Iowa Mandates Masks as States Try to Tame Virus - The New York Times