SALT LAKE CITY Scientists around the world are working on a vaccine to fight COVID-19, hoping to get us out of this pandemic.
Doctors believe it will save lives. But when its finally created, will you take the vaccine?
There is a growing concern that not enough people will get the shot. To give you a little context, the Department of Health and Human Services reports less than 45% of adults get the recommended flu vaccine each year. That number would need to be much higher to stop the worldwide pandemic.
Since the beginning of this pandemic, it has been a numbers game: The number infected, the number of deaths, the number hospitalized, the number of masks, the numbers on Wall Street and the number of lost jobs.
And how about the number of months waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine, potentially protecting millions around the world.
Yeah, thats the loaded million-dollar question, said Dr. Todd Vento, a physician with Intermountain Healthcare specializing in infectious diseases.
Similar comments from Dr. Andrew Pavia, chief of pediatrics and also an infectious diseases specialist with University of Utah Health.
The best minds in the world in science are working on it, he said.
It can take more than a decade to develop a vaccine. Even fast-tracked, it could be 12-to-18 months before we see a working vaccine for the novel coronavirus.
Two doctors. Both specializing in infectious diseases.
Both made it clear, this future vaccine will not save lives people taking the vaccine will.
Thats why we have children receive so many vaccines from the time theyre born, even into teenage years, Vento said. Because they work.
Our only acceptable tool in the long run is to develop effective vaccines, Pavia added.
The World Health Organization backs up those statements, testifying vaccines have been one of the biggest success stories of modern medicine. The WHO estimates at least 10 million deaths were prevented between 2010 and 2015, because of vaccinations around the world.
Pavia said the novel coronavirus is no different. Vaccination is key.
Theres a real danger that anti-vaxxers pose by creating a false narrative of danger around vaccine, he said.
A vaccine for it? No. No, I wouldnt, said Kristen Chevrier. I would not use a coronavirus vaccine.
Chevrier is co-founder of a group based out of Utah County called Your Health Freedom, and if you label her an anti-vaxxer, she said theres a misconception.
Most people who are anti-vaxxers are ex-vaxxers, she said. When you call someone an anti-vaxxer, you have no idea what their history is.
Chevrier said the reason her group was created is to educate people in making informed health decisions. Some of those informed health decisions focus on vaccines.
There has never been a safe or effective vaccine for a coronavirus, she said. The last one they tried didnt work out very well.
Chevrier was referring to the outbreaks of SARS and MERS. In both cases, the research on vaccines ended after the epidemics fizzled out.
And shes not wrong. Research showed animal trials for a SARS vaccine were plagued by a phenomenon known as vaccine-induced enhancement.
Simply put, the mice showed even worse symptoms after being injected.
Chevrier feared fast-tracking a new vaccine could be unsafe, and she certainly doesnt believe people should be pressured into getting the shot.
We feel like everybody deserves to make that choice because you will live with the consequences, Chevrier said. Nobody else is going to live with the consequences.
Most in the medical field will say that statement is simply not true.
Decades of scientific studies and research have proven and continue to prove, vaccinations protect the vaccinated and unvaccinated alike.
Its called herd immunity.
When most of the population is immune to an infectious disease, it provides indirect protection to those who are not immune to the disease.
The decision to not to get vaccinated for highly communicable disease affects not only the person making the choice but others around them, said Pavia. As a community, we depend on a high level of vaccine coverage to protect everyone. There are people who cannot get a vaccine or do not respond, and when there are a large number of unvaccinated people in the community, an infectious disease can spread and impact them.
Pavia said we see this every time theres a measles outbreak. Those who bear the worst impact are infants and people with cancer.
In order to wipe out COVID-19 in the United States, he said 80% of the population needs immunity.
Pavia believed the safest way to get there with the least number of casualties is vaccination.
You have to also admit that a very safe vaccine will still have very rare side effects that we have to be honest about and admit, said Pavia. But with all vaccines, the question is whats worse? A disease that kills one out of a hundred people, or a side effect that happens in one out of 10 million? The answer is pretty obvious.
Lets talk for a minute about herd immunity, said Scott Bradley. Herd immunity is a naturally occurring event.
Bradley represents the group Defending Utah.
Their website defines them as an organization working to expose those conspiring to take away your freedom and educate citizens on the principles of liberty.
Bradley believes herd immunity should not be forced through vaccinations. He said the world can achieve that goal naturally, letting the at-risk population self-quarantine if they so choose and letting the immune systems of the healthy protect the rest.
Herd immunity with this virus and everything else that comes along will happen naturally through just the events we bump into every day of our lives, he said.
God gave us an immune system, said Bradley. It needs practice and it does what it does best when its out and about existing in the mortal world weve been given.
Bradleys opinion is one medical experts believe would overwhelm hospitals.
An opinion history shows would claim an unnecessary number of lives and an opinion the families of nearly 175,000 now dead from COVID-19 may disagree with.
The more we have people unwilling to trust vaccines, unwilling to get them, the longer it will take to really control the disease, said Pavia.
And as the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths continue to rise, the race for a vaccine moves forward.
When will it safely be completed?
Well, thats the big question.
But maybe the bigger question, is how many people will get vaccinated? An Emerson College Poll conducted last month shows a majority of Americans (66%) said that if there was a vaccine for coronavirus, they would take it. Another 11% said they would refrain from taking a vaccine, while 23% were still unsure.
In my opinion, it would not make sense to not use it, Vento said.
A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed nearly 200,000 people worldwide.
More than 2.8 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some governments are hiding the scope of their nations' outbreaks.
Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the United States has become the worst-affected country, with more than 905,000 diagnosed cases and at least 51,949 deaths.
Tune into ABC at 1 p.m. ET and ABC News Live at 4 p.m. ET every weekday for special coverage of the novel coronavirus with the full ABC News team, including the latest news, context and analysis.
Today's biggest developments:
Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern. Please refresh this page for updates.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warned officials in law enforcement and school systems of the security risks posed by cybercriminals and cyber-actors who might want to exploit what has become the new normal of online learning under COVID-19, according to the notice reviewed by ABC News.
We assess cybercriminals likely view schools greater reliance on eLearning tools due to the pandemic as an opportunity to conduct a range of criminal activity against educational institutions, faculty and students who use these tools, the April 24 document says.
The risks outlined include theft of login information, identify theft, the ability of cybercriminals to obtain discarded computers that still had cached data on their drives, extortion by using confidential student or employee data to blackmail either the educational institution or an individual, or denial-of-service attacks in exchange for ransom payments.
Lauryn Morley, a lower school substitute teacher for the Washington Waldorf School in Bethesda, Maryland, works from her home due to the coronavirus outbreak, on April 1, 2020 in Arlington, Via.
The notice warned that the theft of login information could be used for either profit or by foreign governments, like Iran, to gain access to data they could not otherwise view. The theft of one's identity could also be used for profit or by foreign governments like Russia, whose intelligence services have previously bought online ID info for spying and intel-gathering operations, according to the notice.
Cyber experts at the DHS said that these threats are not hypothetical, every type of attack has been seen.
They are warning employees who work on security and defense of IT systems to take proper precautions.
In response to some governments suggesting that detection of COVID-19 antibodies could serve as the basis of an "immunity passport" that would allow people to travel or return to work assuming they are protected from contracting again or spreading the coronavirus, the World Health Organization issued a warning that said such a program is not backed up by scientific evidence.
"There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection," the WHO said in a statement Friday.
No study, as of April 24, has evaluated whether the presence of antibodies guarantees immunity to subsequent infection of COVID-19 in humans, the organization said.
The WHO said people who have tested positive might be prone to ignore public health advice and "increase the risks of continued transmission" to other people.
The warning comes as some states in the U.S. look to ease social distancing restrictions and to let some nonessential businesses reopen.
States like Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, while all taking a different approach, are now reopening businesses to jumpstart their economies. Georgia, despite criticism from President Donald Trump, will allow many businesses to reopen this week, including tattoo parlors, movie theaters, bowling alleys and more.
At least 138 inmates at the Sterling Correctional Facility in Colorado have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Department of Corrections, and that number will likely rise soon.
Given the insidious nature of this virus, we had suspected that despite seeing a relatively low number of inmates with symptoms, the number of positives was potentially much higher, Department of Corrections Executive Director Dean Williams said in a statement Friday. That is exactly why we conducted this large scale testing, so that we can continue to isolate, monitor and treat any inmates who were positive and try to mitigate the spread to others inside the facility.
At least 473 symptomatic and asymptomatic inmates were tested for the novel coronavirus last week. Of those, only 255 results have been returned; 138 were positive, 104 were negative, 12 were inconclusive and one was unsatisfactory. The state is still waiting for the results of 218 inmate tests.
Inside the prison, inmates are largely kept in their cells to help slow the spread of the virus, the state said. Outside of showering or using the restroom, they remain in their cells. All meals and medications are delivered to inmates during the quarantine.
The facility previously had eight inmates that tested positive.
Prisons across the U.S. are struggling to contain the spread of COVID-19 inside their walls. At the Rikers Island jail in New York City, 367 inmates have tested positive for the virus while 235 detainees in custody at Cook County Jail in Illinois are currently positive for COVID-19.
Medical staff takes a sample to test people for coronavirus antibodies in Prague, Czech Republic, April 23, 2020. Czech Republic started voluntary testing for coronavirus antibodies in a few cities across the country and plans to test 27.000 people in age between 18 and 89.
ABC News' Timmy Truong and Josh Margolin contributed to this report.
Pratap Singh Bora is a migrant laborer from Nepal who had to leave his construction job in India and is now living in a relief camp. But theres an upside to this turn of events.
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Each week we answer some of your pressing questions about the coronavirus and how to stay safe. Email us your questions at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions."
Does the size of a viral dose make a difference? That is, if you're exposed to lots of viral particles, will you get sicker?
While there is a lot we don't know about SARS-CoV-2, experts believe they can answer this question with confidence: Yes the amount of virus a person is exposed to makes a difference in whether they get sick and how sick they get.
"Dose is important in everything we are doing in life," says Peter Palese, a leading virologist who is professor and chair of microbiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. "The same is also true for coronaviruses. It makes a lot of sense because if you have a lot of virus [in your environment], such as when you are working in an intensive care unit, then you get many more virus particles in your system and the disease is usually much worse."
"Most viruses, there's some form of graded response depending on how big your initial exposure is," explains Dr. Joshua Rabinowitz, a professor of chemistry and genomics at Princeton. "Every virus, if you get one particle of virus, you're likely to never know it you're also likely to really never get sick and never develop an immune response. And for most acute viruses, there is a gray area where you get some version of sick but not horribly sick and develop an immune response that is protective against the virus in the future."
There have been cases of young, healthy health-care workers getting severely sick with COVID-19. That's what scientists would expect with a virus in which dose plays an important role.
"If you have someone working in an intensive care unit and the poor physician or the poor nurse gets a hefty dose, then the severity of the disease really is much worse than if one just gets a single particle," says Palese.
But there are still some unknowns in the matter of dose. Rabinowitz says researchers don't yet know exactly how the symptoms of the current coronavirus correlate with the size of the initial dose. Nor is it known how much of a viral dose causes a person to get sick from COVID-19, though "we have very good reason to believe that it requires many virus particles," he says.
Understanding the role of dose is important, he says, because during an epidemic where much is out of one's control, individuals can act to reduce the risk of high-dose exposure through social distancing and protective measures like masks. While six feet of distance is recommended, even four feet is better than two feet, Rabinowitz says. "They're probably radically different in terms of both your chance of getting sick and your chance of getting horribly sick if you do get sick."
And masks, even if they're far from 100% effective? "They're likely to be super important," says Rabinowitz, "because they're dose-reducing agents."
How many people are walking around with coronavirus but no symptoms? How much are they driving transmission?
"Somewhere between 25 and 50%" of people with coronavirus are out there with no symptoms, estimated Dr. Anthony Fauci, the immunologist helping to steer the U.S. pandemic policy, at a White House press briefing April 5, though he acknowledged there's not much scientific data to back up the claim.
"Even among good friends, we differ about that," he said. "Right now, we're just guessing."
The issue is that, with limited testing available, people who have the virus but show no symptoms are hard to find. Researchers have confirmed their existence through contact tracing and mass testing in places like nursing homes and the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
People who show no symptoms can fall into two categories they can be presymptomatic, which means that they're in the incubation phase and will develop symptoms over the next few days, or asymptomatic, which means they never develop symptoms.
Based on available data, the World Health Organization thinks that presymptomatic cases are more common than asymptomatic cases, and that some people who are presymptomatic can spread the virus one to three days before showing symptoms. It's less clear whether people who are totally asymptomatic are contributing significantly to spread.
The extent to which symptom-less cases are driving transmission is an open question and it seems to depend on behavior. In China before lockdown, a modeling paper in Science suggests that undiscovered cases (including people with mild or no symptoms) may have been responsible for 79% of transmission because many of them attended gatherings or traveled while contagious. Other papers from Singapore and China, from late January on, suggest that presymptomatic cases accounted for 6% to 13% of transmission in times of greater COVID-19 awareness.
I have a toothache. Should I go to the dentist right now?
If you're experiencing pain or swelling in your mouth, you should see a dentist, says Mary-Jane Hanlon, associate dean for clinical affairs at Tufts School of Dental Medicine and president-elect of the Massachusetts Dental Society.
"Especially if the pain or the swelling is increasing," she says. "If you go to bed and you're woken up in the middle of the night because of pain, that's another indication that, yes, you should see a dentist."
As with everything else, coronavirus has complicated dental visits. The American Dental Association has recommended that dentists restrict their practices to all but urgent and emergency care through April 30.
Some dentists are not seeing even emergency patients right now because the dentists themselves have underlying medical conditions that put them at risk to COVID-19, Hanlon says.
So if you are in pain, you should call your dentist but may be referred to a different dentist handling emergency care.
But if it's not an emergency, don't go to the dentist right now, says Hanlon. The American Dental Association has a list of dental issues that can wait, and those that can't.
"Believe it or not, there are patients getting upset with us because we can't they can't have their teeth cleaned, but we just can't take the chance," she says. "There's no reason why a patient can't wait a couple months to have their teeth cleaned."
If you do make an appointment for emergency dental care, expect your dentist to ask you whether you have symptoms of COVID-19. When you arrive at the office, you'll likely be handed a mask, hand sanitizer and gloves.
And don't expect to hang out reading a magazine before your appointment.
"You should not go into the office until it is your time to go in," says Hanlon. "What we're trying to do is make sure we stagger appointments and have adequate time to clean up between patients."
Some dental practices may resume regular appointments in the coming weeks, as some state and local governments allow re-opening certain businesses considered "essential." Last week, the ADA released updated guidance that in states considering reopening, "dentists should exercise professional judgment and carefully consider the availability of appropriate PPE [personal protective equipement] to minimize risk of virus transmission."
As people look for an outlet to exercise and escape the confines of self-isolation at home, running has seen a boom during the coronavirus pandemic.
"Right now, when the sun comes out, every path, park and neighborhood is crowded with runners," Brooklyn Track Club Women's Performance Team running coach Kate Gustafson told CNN. "I live in Brooklyn Heights and I've never seen so many people out running through Brooklyn Bridge Park at all hours of the day."
While Gustafson notes that New York City has long been a "running city," there has been a noticeable uptick in people running outside.
"Now I see that there are more people out running and cycling than doing anything else outdoors," Jessica Zapotechne, a performance running coach for adidas in NYC, tells CNN.
"It feels very hopeful when there is a lot of fear and anxiety going on, to see people getting out and moving their bodies."
However, even running is not immune to the changes that this pandemic has brought on. Running groups are no longer meeting, purposeful training is put on hold and races all over the world have been canceled.
"It's full of mixed emotions," Gustafson said of running in NYC right now. "The city is quiet and you can move more freely from one neighborhood to the next, but it feels empty and lacks the energy you come to expect from living in New York City."
With states, including New York and California mandating shelter-in-place orders, running is one of the few physical activities you can safely practice while getting some fresh air outside. All you need is a pair of shoes and you can easily get your sweat on.
So, where do you start? By getting outside and taking that first step.
Getting started
"Start today, start small and don't worry too much about the numbers/metrics right now," Zapotechne said.
"Try a combination of running and walking to start. Consider that one mile is a huge success, especially done regularly. Consistent effort is the best way to start as you will build results in a healthy manner, versus heroic efforts by trying to run too far, too fast, too soon."
If you haven't laced up your running shoes in a while, don't expect to be running the length of a marathon anytime soon. It takes time to build up the strength and stamina to go long distances, so don't be down on yourself if you're having difficulty running a mile or more.
"Be patient with yourself," said Gustafson. "Maybe you think you should be able to run 3 miles straight without any breaks but you're struggling to run continuously for 5 minutes -- that's OK. Now is not the time to set unrealistic goals. Start with manageable, bite-sized workouts like 10 x 1 minutes of easy running, 1 minute of brisk walking. And work your way up from there. Choose a route that inspires you."
If you're new to running or getting back into the swing of things, taking the time to adequately rest and recover is important. Gustafson recommends running only 2 to 3 days a week to start. She also recommends a basic at-home strength training program.
Zapotechne also recommends that you eat as healthy as possible and get plenty of sleep. She feels that running is helping to maintain a healthy immune response for her as she stays focused on her mindset, nutrition and recovery.
There is also a thriving virtual community online along with virtual training programs, apps, tips and helpful websites that you can easily tap into from the safety of your own home.
Practicing safe social distancing is still important
With spring bringing warmer weather across the US, expect to see even more runners outside. Paths and trails are becoming increasingly more crowded with the recent uptick in runners.
But don't let that deter you, as you can still practice safe social distancing as long as you're aware of your surroundings and you choose the right path.
Stick to routes that are open where it is easy to maintain a safe physical distance from others, and be mindful of other people's space, which may mean running in the street instead of a sidewalk.
"In terms of safety, here are a number of smart choices runners can make at any point, not just during a pandemic: tell someone where you're going and when you'll be back, wear proper footwear, wear running appropriate gear (chafing is not your friend), share the road with others 6 feet in all directions), plan your route in advance, and wash your hands when you get home," said Gustafson.
You may see groups of people running outside together -- don't be one of those people.
"For now, everyone can run freely while practicing social distancing," Gustafson said. "Every runner should be running solo at this point. Running is a lifestyle for so many people and a healthy method to cope with stress, my hope is that we can continue to run through the days and weeks ahead.
"A quick nod or wave of solidarity is about all we can offer each other right now on the roads."
Gustafson does not run with a mask on and does not believe it to be necessary while running, but everyone's situation may be different. If it's harder for you to maintain a safe distance to others while out running, a mask may be necessary for you.
CNN's Michelle Krupa contributed to this report.
That's the beginning of a goodbye note one woman found on her husband's phone after he died from coronavirus this week.
Jonathan Coelho, 32, passed away on April 22 after a 28-day battle in the hospital and 20 days on a ventilator, his wife, Katie Coelho told CNN.
Now she's processing the sudden grief, and wondering how their two young children will react.
"They don'tknow that they lost the greatest humanbeing and they'll only know their dad through pictures and videos," she said Friday night on Anderson Cooper's show.
Jonathan seemed to be getting better, she said, and doctors had discussed taking him off the ventilator last Thursday or Friday.
But early Wednesday morning Katie said she got a call from a nurse at the hospital in Danbury, Connecticut asking her to make her way over. By the time she got there, Jonathan had passed away from cardiac arrest caused by his coronavirus symptoms. She didn't get to say goodbye.
And even though the couple didn't get the proper farewell they deserved, Jonathan left something special for Katie to discover in his absence.
Gone but not forgotten
"They brought me into his room and he was laying there and he just looked scared," she said. "He didn't look peaceful and I just kept saying 'I'm sorry.'"
Katie collected a plastic bag filled with her husband's possessions and headed home.
"For some reason in my delirium, I wanted to get all of the pictures of my husband and my kids off of his phone," Katie said.
She turned the phone on and found a note from Jonathan along with his life insurance information.
"I am so lucky it makes me so proud to be your husband and the father to Braedyn and Penny," he wrote. "Katie you are the most beautiful caring nurturing person I've ever met. You are truly one of a kind...make sure you live life with happiness and that same passion that made me fall in love with you. Seeing you be the best mom to the kids is the greatest thing I've ever experienced."
Katie said she was really taken aback when she saw it.
"If I was sick and feeling crummy, I don't know if I would have had the strength to give my family a goodbye letter," she said. "And to make sure they knew how much I loved them and how happy I was with them."
Taking necessary precautions
The couple of seven years met in college. They became friends and dated other people for a while.
"He was always my go-to person," she told CNN's Cooper. "He had an amazing way of always making youfeel safe."
Finally, in 2011, Jonathan said, "Why haven'twe been dating each otherthis entire time?"
They married and have two children together, Braedyn, 2, and Penelope, 10 months. Braedyn was born with several medical complexities including cerebral palsy, according to Katie.
But the road to parenthood wasn't easy. The pair had two miscarriages and went through IVF.
When Braedyn was born doctors predicted he only had 6 weeks to a year to survive. Because of his health complexities, Katie looks after the kids full time while Jonathan worked at a courthouse close to home.
With Braedyn considered a high risk individual, Katie said the family went above and beyond to make sure they were social distancing and quarantining at home to reduce their exposure to germs.
Katie said two weeks prior to her state's stay-at-home orders, she remembered Jonathan calling her from work to tell her just how worried he was about the potential for what was to come.
Jonathan, a probation officer, considered an essential employee, was still going to work. Katie said she canceled all of Braedyn's therapy appointments and the family began self-quarantining at home.
On March 23, Jonathan got tested for coronavirus after finding out he had come in contact with someone who had tested positive during the week before.
'I can hear him so clearly in my mind'
Jonathan tested positive on March 25 and was admitted to the hospital a day later after he started experiencing headaches, coughing, stomach problems and issues with his sense of taste and smell.
By all accounts, Katie said her husband was a healthy man with no pre-existing conditions.
"When you have heard of people passing, you read the stories and you almost look for a justification like oh, they were 65 years old or they smoke or have pre-existing conditions, but my husband doesn't fall under any of these categories," she said.
Katie said the last time she had a coherent, logical conversation on the phone with Jonathan was on March 29. Later that evening, the couple exchanged a final set of texts.
According to the time stamp on Jonathan's note to Katie, he wrote the note to her during that phone call. The next day he was intubated.
A Facebook page dedicated to documenting Braedyn's medical journey turned into a place for Katie to document what was happening with her husband.
In the first few weeks while Jonathan was hospitalized, the nurses would call Katie and sometimes FaceTime her so she could talk to Jonathan.
"I've found myself replaying memories in my head to picture what Jonathan and my conversations would be for the day," she wrote. "It's my only comfort, because I know him so well, I can hear him so clearly in my mind."
She told Cooper, "I keep thinking in my head there will be a time when I've been without my husband longer than I was with him, and it hurts a lot."
A shattered heart
Katie said she wanted to share what happened to her husband in hopes of painting a raw picture of the reality of how going to work cost her husband his life.
"My husband should not have died Wednesday morning," she said. "But he did."
"The pain we are feeling is indescribable, Katie wrote on Facebook. "Our everything was stolen from us. My heart is not even broken it's shattered. My kids and I will live the rest of our lives without Jonathan. And I don't know how we're going to do it."
A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 195,000 people worldwide.
Over 2.7 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some governments are hiding the scope of their nations' outbreaks.
Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the United States has become the worst-affected country, with more than 890,000 diagnosed cases and at least 51,017 deaths.
Tune into ABC at 1 p.m. ET and ABC News Live at 4 p.m. ET every weekday for special coverage of the novel coronavirus with the full ABC News team, including the latest news, context and analysis.
Today's biggest developments:
Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern. Please refresh this page for updates.
The Massachusetts Department of Health has announced that a reporting error made by Quest Diagnostics is to blame for a dramatic increase in the number of coronavirus cases reported by the state.
"Today's data reflects a correction of a reporting error made by Quest, a national commercial laboratory, which affected case counts in multiple states including Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health received a backlog this week of almost 10,000 patient results (both positive and negative) from Quest dating back to April 13. These cases are included for the first time in todays data," state officials announced late Friday.
Over the last 24 hours, there were 2,877 new positive COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts, and 10,897 new tests completed.
However, the state is reporting a total of 4,946 "new" cases, and 20,137 "newly" completed tests, since their last report released yesterday. These numbers include a backlog of nearly 10,000 tests administered since April 13.
With the new tests, Massachusetts has now surpassed 50,000 positive cases statewide and now has totaled 2,556 deaths.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced he is postponing the state's general and special election two weeks, from May 5 to May 19.
The June primary was also moved from June 9 to June 23.
But Northam wasn't happy about the overall decision not to move the May elections to November, as he previously suggested, but which would take approval by the state legislature.
"Virginians should never have to choose between casting a ballot and risking their health," Northam said in a statement. "I am grateful to the House of Delegates for taking action to move our upcoming elections, but unfortunately the Senate failed to make the same commonsense decision. While we strongly encourage every Virginian who can vote by mail to do so, we will also take every necessary step to conduct these elections in a way that ensures in-person voting is done safely and responsibly."
Officials in Wisconsin have identified at least 19 cases of COVID-19 connected to in-person voting in that state's primary election on April 7.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam gestures while answering a question during his press briefing inside the Patrick Henry Building in Richmond, Va., Monday, April 20, 2020.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed an executive order allowing renters to use their security deposit to pay for rent.
Murphy made the announcement during his daily briefing. He said the deposit could be used to pay rent in its entirety or partially with other funds.
"Remember, now, this is money that had been paid up front to secure a lease. And during this emergency, renters should have the ability to tap this deposit to help them secure their place in their home," the governor said.
Murphy also gave an update on the cases in the state, saying the curve is flattening, but asked, "don't take your foot off the gas, please."
The total number of cases is now at least 102,196, after 3,047 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, according to Murphy. The death toll rose to 5,617 after 253 new deaths, he said.
An additional five veterans have died in the last 24 hours at the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts, putting the total number of fatalities at 73, according to the state's Office of Health and Human Services.
Of those who died, 62 tested positive for COVID-19, nine tested negative, one result is pending and one was unknown, according to the office.
The state-run health care facility for veterans is under both a federal investigation and an independent investigation ordered by Gov. Charlie Baker over its handling of containing the virus's spread in the facility.
The Soldiers' Home stands atop the hill in Holyoke, Mass., March 31, 2020.
There are now 85 veteran residents who have tested positive and 60 who have tested negative, according to state officials. Eight residents still have pending tests and 81 employees have tested positive.
The Office of Health and Human Services said in a statement that the home "continues its focus on supporting staff on appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment) usage and ensuring monitoring and compliance for PPE best practices."
Employees from the Baystate Medical System will be onsite to help ensure that best practices for PPE are being followed. Officials are continuing to respond to the outbreak at the facility while bringing in additional support for staff, according to the Office of Health and Human Services.
Maryland sent out an emergency alert after receiving more than 100 calls on consuming disinfectant as a possible treatment to COVID-19, according to the governor's office.
The calls came after President Donald Trump suggested using a disinfectant.
"I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? As you see, it gets in the lungs, it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that," Trump said Thursday at the White House briefing.
By Friday, he said that he was "sarcastically" asking a question.
Some Maryland residents, however, still dialed the Maryland Emergency Management Agency to ask about disinfectant use.
"This is a reminder that under no circumstances should any disinfectant product be administered into the body through injection, ingestion or any other route," the agency tweeted.
Doctors also say that no one should consume disinfectant.
Mike Ricci, the communications director for Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, said the state "decided to take the step of posting this alert after receiving more than 100 calls to our hotline."
There are now at least 30,174 confirmed cases and at least 1,012 deaths, Florida's Department of Health said Friday.
The counties of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach are the most impacted; however, Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida, has by far the most cases with at least 10,701. Broward County has at least 4,570 cases.
Although access to Cocoa Beach, Fla., was open to Florida residents on foot or bicycles, parking lots were closed to vehicles, April 23, 2020.
Plans are in the works to close the field hospital at the Javits Center and send the USNS Comfort hospital ship home, as cases in the city decline, according to a Federal Emergency Management Agency official briefed on the matter.
The Javits facility is expected to close on May 30 and the ship will depart the New York Harbor on April 30, according to the official.
Both facilities were being used to provide relief to health care systems in the city that were being hammered with cases.
The USNS hospital ship Comfort is seen docked at Pier 90 on Manhattan's West Side during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City, New York, U.S., April 3, 2020.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo stressed that the public must learn its lesson from the current pandemic because "it will happen again."
"Bank on it," Cuomo said.
The governor said although there were travel restrictions implemented for China in the U.S., there were still flights coming from Europe between January and mid-March, where researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai believe the New York outbreak originated.
"We closed the front door with the China travel ban but left the back door open," Cuomo said.
"So the lesson? An outbreak anywhere is an outbreak everywhere," he added.
Cuomo also gave his daily update on hospitalizations and ICU admittances, which he said were both down.
"All of the evidence suggests that we are on the downside of the curve and headed down," Cuomo said.
The state's stay-at-home order is expected to end in three weeks. When a reporter asked when the governor would make a decision on whether or not to keep the schools closed, Cuomo said a decision would be announced in a week.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning the public not to use hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine to treat COVID-19 outside of a hospital setting or a clinical trial.
"Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have not been shown to be safe and effective for treating or preventing COVID-19," the FDA said in a statement on Friday. President Donald Trump had previously touted hydroxychloroquine as a possible treatment.
A bottle of hydroxychloroquine tablets in Texas City, Texas on April 7, 2020.
The agency noted there have been reports of serious heart rhythm problems in patients with COVID-19 who were treated with either of the two FDA- approved drugs, which are used to treat or prevent malaria. The FDA also said it has reviewed case reports concerning serious heart-related adverse events and death in patients who received the drugs that were reported in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System database, the published medical literature, and the American Association of Poison Control Centers National Poison Data System.
"We are continuing to investigate these safety risks in patients with COVID-19 and will communicate publicly when more information is available," the agency said.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the World Health Organization, announced that his agency was launching a new effort to accelerate the fight against the virus.
Tedros said in a briefing that the effort will bring together health groups and private sector partners to find a vaccine and ensure the public has access to it.
"This is a landmark collaboration to accelerate the development, production and equitable distribution of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics for COVID-19," the director general said.
The partnership for the ACT Accelerator includes the help of French President Emmanuel Macron, EU President Ursula von der Leyen and Bill and Melinda Gates.
"We are facing a common threat, which we can only defeat with a common approach," Tedros said.
The death toll in the United States has surpassed 50,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
There are now at least 50,031 deaths in the country, the data shows.
The grim milestone was reached Friday morning, five days after the number of fatalities hit 40,000.
The U.S. has the highest death toll in the world and the most number of cases.
Michael Neel, funeral director of of All Veterans Funeral and Cremation, wearing full PPE, looks at the U.S. flag on the casket of George Trefren, a 90 year old Korean War veteran who died of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in a nursing home, in Denver, April 23, 2020.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has extended the state's stay-at-home order through May 15.
The order was previously set to end on April 30.
The new order will require people to wear homemade, non-medical face coverings when entering enclosed public spaces, such as grocery stores, according to a statement from Whitmer's office. People will not face criminal penalties for going out without a mask, her office said.
Some restrictions will also be eased. Nurseries, landscaping and lawn-service companies can reopen, but social distancing must be maintained, according to Whitmer's office. Retailers that do not sell necessary supplies will also be allowed to reopen for curbside pick-up and for delivery.
Motorized boating and golf will be allowed, but using golf carts is still prohibited. Individuals will also be allowed to travel between their residences, but her office noted that "such travel during the epidemic is strongly discouraged."
"With new COVID-19 cases leveling off, however, we are lifting some of the restrictions put in place in the previous order," Whitmer said. "I want to be crystal clear: the overarching message today is still the same. We must all do our part by staying home and staying safe as much as possible.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Friday offered what he called "just plain good news" on the virus's spread in the city.
De Blasio said all indicators -- hospitalizations, ICU admittances and percent of the population that tested positive -- were all down.
Mannequins sit holding a "We Are All In This Together" sign as part of a display with a model of the NYC skyline and statue of liberty on a stoop on April 23, 2020 in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Daily hospitalizations of people with suspected COVID-19 went down from 227 to 176, which the mayor called a "serious decline." The number of people admitted to ICUs on a daily basis decreased from 796 to 786 and the citywide percentage of people who tested positive went from 32% to 30%.
De Blasio also spoke about the disproportionate ways the virus appears to affect communities of color. His Equity Action Plan includes active testing sites in those communities and advertisements that are broadcasted in 15 languages in 88 zip codes.
He said even after the pandemic ends, New Yorkers can never "look away" from these disparities.
People walk round Times Square as some screens are illuminated in blue as part of the "Light It Blue" initiative to honor healthcare workers, during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New York City, April 23, 2020.
Trials of a malaria drug that was touted by President Donald Trump for treating COVID-19 delivered inconclusive results in New York, according to the head of the research team.
There was not a "statistically significant difference" between patients who took hydroxychloroquine and those who did not, David Holtgrave, dean of the University at Albany School of Public Health, told ABC News.
During CNN's coronavirus town hall on Thursday night, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo backed that up, saying the drug "was not seen as a positive, not seen as a negative."
For the first time in a month, South Korea has reported no new deaths from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, according to the Center for Disease Control (KCDC).
There were also only six new cases as of Friday, the KCDC reported. The total number of confirmed cases in South Korea is at least 10,708, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
People wearing masks to avoid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) walk on a track as they work out at a park in Seoul, South Korea, April 24, 2020.
Reckitt Benckiser, the company that makes Lysol, said none of its products should be injected or ingested as a potential treatment for the coronavirus. This statement follows a press briefing Thursday in which President Donald Trump appeared to promote UV light and disinfectants as a way to combat COVID-19.
"We must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body (through injection, ingestion or any other route)," the company said in a statement.
Cleaning staff disinfect the lectern in the Brady Press Briefing Room ahead of the Coronavirus Task Force press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 9, 2020.
RB, without specifically mentioning Trump or the press briefing, said it felt compelled to put out a statement because of "recent speculation and social media activity ... whether internal administration of disinfectants may be appropriate for investigation or use as a treatment for coronavirus."
Then I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in a minute, one minute," Trump said during Thursday's White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing. "And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs so it would be interesting to check that."
His comments came after a Department of Homeland Security official said research found that ultraviolet rays and disinfectants like bleach and isopropyl alcohol work well against the virus.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp defended his controversial plan to open some nonessential businesses on Friday, despite criticism from Trump.
Kemp said he's followed federal safety guidelines and that now is the time to start reopening the state's economy.
"Now, with favorable data and approval from state health officials, we are taking another measured step forward by opening shuttered businesses for limited operations," Kemp tweeted Thursday night. "I know these hardworking Georgians will prioritize the safety of their employees and customers. Together, we will weather this storm and emerge stronger than ever."
A sign that reads "Pray For Atlanta" is seen on the side of a restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 23, 2020. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has eased restrictions to reopen the state's economy during the coronavirus pandemic, by allowing some business to open on April 24, a decision criticized by local officials and even President Donald Trump.
Trump said Kemp went too far in opening some of the state's businesses.
I want him to do what he thinks is right," Trump said during a press briefing Wednesday. "But ... I think (opening) spas and beauty salons and tattoo parlors and barbershops in Phase One ... its just too soon.
In addition, Kemp released new requirements through executive order, detailing how various businesses can begin reopening again starting on Friday and Monday. Some requirements include that restaurants must post signs saying no one with symptoms of COVID-19 can enter.
Georgia has at least 21,883 diagnosed cases of COVID-19, with at least 881 deaths.
Wieneke and her husband have been foster parents for over a year and Jaden has been with them since last May, according to CNN affiliate KNWA.
"In my heart, I already knew I wanted him," Wieneke, who lives in Fort Smith, Arkansas, said.
They found out Jaden was going to be put up for adoption in February.
"We knew the day they terminated [the parental rights] that we would be adopting April 16," Wieneke said.
They knew that day would be a special one and started making plans. But the Coronavirus pandemic meant those plans had to change.
The pandemic altered daily life in the US -- and around the world -- including how court hearings are conducted.
Many are now done online, and Wieneke realized Jaden's adoption would be no different.
"We see all the pictures after the adoption day -- they're standing there with the judge, everyone is smiling," Wieneke said. "We didn't get that."
Instead, Jaden's adoption hearing took place via a Zoom video call. But Wieneke said the adoption was no less special.
"Sometimes it feels like not real, I mean we sit and look at him and we're like, 'He's ours.'" Wieneke told KNWA. "But it's like, we didn't get that experience."
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A muezzin, the person at a mosque who calls Muslims to daily prayers, reads the Quran at a mosque in Gaza City on the first Friday of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan on April 24.
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Pitrik van der Lubbe waves from a boom lift to his 88-year-old father Henk, whom he has not seen in more than four weeks, at his father's nursing home in Gouda, Netherlands, on April 24.
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Lebanese protesters shout slogans against Lebanese Central Bank governor Riad Salam as they block Hamra Street in Beirut, Lebanon, on Thursday, April 23. Anti-government protesters have been demonstrating in Beirut, despite the coronavirus outbreak, as they continue to endure one of its worst-ever economic crises.
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A boy plays hopscotch at his home during another day of confinement amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in A Coruna, Spain, on April 23.
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A dentist wears protective equipment while treating a patient in Den Bosch, Netherlands, on Wednesday, April 22.
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Biology teachers prepare to hold an exam at a secondary school in Berlin on April 22.
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A volunteer in Yangon, Myanmar, spreads calcium oxide on a road to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus on April 22.
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Migrants wave from balconies at a hotel in Kranidi, Greece, on Tuesday, April 21. The shelter, which hosts 470 asylum seekers, was placed in isolation after a pregnant resident tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
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A man disinfects a ceiling lamp at the obanija Mosque in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on Tuesday, April 21.
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A nurse holds a newborn baby, wearing a face shield as a protective measure, at a maternity facility in Jakarta, Indonesia, on April 21.
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Health workers at Madrid's La Paz Hospital hold a minute of silence to remember Joaquin Diaz, the hospital's chief of surgery who died because of the coronavirus.
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A woman applauds from the balcony of her Paris home to show support for health care workers on Monday, April 20.
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Mayor's office workers wear protective suits as they conduct a census in a Bogota, Colombia, neighborhood on April 19. They were trying to find out how many families needed to be provided with food.
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A woman sticks her tongue out of a torn mask at a Reopen Maryland rally outside the State House in Annapolis, Maryland, on Saturday, April 18. Residents in multiple states have been protesting stay-at-home orders.
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Newly married Tyler and Caryn Suiters embrace following their marriage ceremony in Arlington, Virginia, on April 18. The Rev. Andrew Merrow and his wife, Cameron, were the only other attendees at the ceremony, which was held at St. Mary's Episcopal Church.
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Abed Khankan cuts a customer's hair outdoors in Malmo, Sweden, on Friday, April 17.
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Two women walk to rent a small paddle boat by the Vltava River in Prague, Czech Republic, on April 17.
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Cars sit at a newly opened drive-in cinema in Dortmund, Germany, on April 17. It's in front of a former blast furnace.
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Funeral workers in Manaus, Brazil, prepare the grave of a woman who is suspected to have died from the coronavirus.
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A member of the Don Bosco Foundation delivers food from the Fraternitas Project, which serves vulnerable families in Seville, Spain, on Thursday, April 16.
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Police officerstry on personal protective equipment in Amritsar, India, on April 16.
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Workers in Nairobi, Kenya, fumigate the streets and the stalls of the City Park Market on April 15.
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Novice Buddhist monks wear face shields at the Molilokayaram Educational Institute in Bangkok, Thailand, on April 15.
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A woman sits on a bench at an empty metro station in Prague, Czech Republic, on April 15.
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Health workers in Barcelona, Spain, acknowledge people who were showing their support from their balconies and windows.
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Workers from the garment sector in Dhaka, Bangladesh, block a road during a protest demanding payment of unpaid wages.
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A woman meets with her son in a "Quarantainer," a container devised to allow people to visit each other without risking the spread of coronavirus, at a care center in Utrecht, Netherlands, on April 14.
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Firefighters transfer a patient from an ambulance in Montpelier, France, on April 14.
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A cemetery worker pauses while digging graves at the San Vicente cemetery in Cordoba, Argentina, on April 14.
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Workers produce protective face masks at a new factory near Tehran, Iran, on April 14.
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Medical workers in Istanbul clap for 107-year-old Havahan Karadeniz as she is discharged from the hospital on April 13. She had just recovered from the coronavirus.
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A flower shop employee destroys unsold flowers in St. Petersburg, Russia, on April 13.
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A police officer requests that people return to return to their homes during a gathering that marked the Bisket Jatra festival in Bhaktapur, Nepal.
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A doctor in a protective chamber tests a patient for coronavirus at a walk-in kiosk in Chennai, India, on April 13.
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Musicians play their instruments for a retirement home in Karben, Germany, on April 13.
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A woman covers herself with plastic as heavy rain falls outside a New York hospital on April 13.
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People in Jerusalem attend the funeral of Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron, Israel's former chief rabbi who died from coronavirus complications.
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In Rio de Janeiro, the Christ the Redeemer statue was illuminated to make Christ look like a doctor on April 12.
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A couple stands in a park along the Yangtze River in Wuhan, China.
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Priest-in-charge Angie Smith uses her phone to broadcast an Easter service from a churchyard in Hartley Wintney, England, on April 12.
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Children wave to a person dressed as the Easter Bunny during a neighborhood parade in Haverford, Pennsylvania, on April 10.
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Health workers in Leganes, Spain, cry during a memorial for a co-worker who died because of the coronavirus.
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Volunteers spray disinfectant in a favela in Rio de Janeiro on April 10.
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A health care worker holds the hand of a coronavirus patient being moved at a hospital near Barcelona, Spain, on April 9.
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Service boats spray water in London to show support for health care workers on April 9.
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Employees of Hyundai Card, a credit card company, sit behind protective screens as they eat in an office cafeteria in Seoul, South Korea, on April 9.
Emergency personnel transport a patient into Elmhurst Hospital in New York City earlier this week. The number of new cases in the city has been decreasing, though New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said state officials recently received some eye-opening preliminary results to recent antibody testing. Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Emergency personnel transport a patient into Elmhurst Hospital in New York City earlier this week. The number of new cases in the city has been decreasing, though New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said state officials recently received some eye-opening preliminary results to recent antibody testing.
It was already clear that the coronavirus has the capacity to spread at an alarming rate that, of course, is why states across the country implemented sweeping measures to slow the rate at which it was filling hospitals. But new numbers released Thursday by New York, the state hardest hit by the virus so far, offered a startling glimpse of just how far the virus has spread there so far.
Based on the preliminary results of the first round of antibody testing conducted across New York, state officials estimate that 21.2% of New York City residents have contracted the coronavirus. Statewide, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said an estimated 2.7 million residents or 13.9% of the state's population have been infected.
That tally vastly outpaces the officially confirmed number of cases in the state, which stood at more than 269,000 as of Thursday afternoon ET.
"This basically quantifies what we've been seeing anecdotally and what we have known," Cuomo told a news conference Thursday, "but it puts numbers to it."
Part of the difficulty with judging the pandemic only by the confirmed number of cases rests with the means of confirmation. Supply shortages and limited access to testing centers have restricted the number of people who can get tested in the first place, often meaning that those with mild symptoms or no symptoms at all go undetected in the official numbers.
So, state officials undertook another way of collecting data about the virus's spread. They set up outside food markets and other essential stores in 19 counties, where they tested 3,000 people at random for the antibodies that indicate their bodies have fought off the virus, whether they ever knew they had it.
Then, those state officials extrapolated from the sample to estimate the number that reflects New York in general and, in particular, New York City, the epicenter of the pandemic so far in the U.S. The process is not perfect, Cuomo said, and he cautioned that the numbers should be treated as preliminary estimates, not concrete data.
Still, he said they will better inform state efforts to respond to the virus.
"It is vital for any state, I believe, to first get a baseline study of where you are on the infection rate," Cuomo explained. "All we know to date is the hospitalization rate. How many people coming at hospitals? That is all we have been tracking."
Now, with the initial antibody test results, they have completed in Cuomo's words "the largest, most comprehensive study of New York state." And state authorities plan to complete more on a rolling basis, with a particular emphasis on testing communities of color, which have been disproportionately affected by the virus.
