Coronavirus Updates: More lockdowns are starting

Can I go to the store? What about restaurants? ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Sign up for this newsletter Read online What to know about the novel coronavirus outbreak, from To Your Health.       By Angela Fritz with Meryl Kornfield  Email The Post's coronavirus coverage linked in this newsletter is free to access from this email.   The latest Vice President Pence announced Saturday the Trump administration is expanding the travel ban from Europe to include the United Kingdom and Ireland. United States citizens and legal residents will still be allowed to return. Experts say travel bans do more harm than good. During the press briefing, President Trump confirmed he was given a coronavirus test but doesn't know when the results will come back. He said his temperature was "totally normal." Meanwhile, health experts say Trump is breaking all the rules when it comes to communicating about the crisis. "For those of us in this field, this is profoundly and deeply distressing," said Matthew Seeger, a risk communication expert who developed the CDC's guidebook for how U.S. leaders should talk to the public during crises. When Trump was asked Friday why he disbanded the White House pandemic office, he denied it, saying, "I didn't do it … I don't know anything about it," and told the reporter it was a "nasty" question. He also said "I don't take responsibility at all" for the disastrous delays in testing. During that event, the president shook hands, patted backs and touched the microphone 31 times. Spain's prime minister announced a 15-day nationwide lockdown, meaning residents will be permitted to leave their homes only for essential activities. Spain is emerging as a new coronavirus hot spot. France is closing all nonessential businesses until further notice to reduce the spread, French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said. Banks, gas stations, supermarkets and pharmacies will remain open.  In the U.S., confirmed cases have climbed to nearly 2,500, and 50 people have died. Experts believe the actual number of cases is much higher – but they only know what they can test and confirm. A new analysis found coronavirus could be worse for all adults — young and old — than we previously thought. The Kaiser Family Foundation study determined that about 4 in 10 adults (18+) in the United States have a higher risk of developing a serious illness if they get the infection, either due to their age (60+) or because of an underlying health condition.  The House passed an economic relief bill early this morning that would dedicate tens of billions of dollars for paid sick leave, unemployment insurance, free testing and other measures. Even after President Trump criticized House Democrats Friday, he endorsed the legislation on Twitter. Acting Brazilian ambassador Nestor Forster, who sat at President Trump's table last weekend during a dinner at Mar-a-Lago, has tested positive for the coronavirus. Forster is the third person who visited the president's South Florida resort last weekend to test positive for the novel virus. A potential fourth, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, is awaiting test results. As nonperishable goods fly off shelves at record pace, groceries are cutting back business hours, in part to give staff more time to disinfect. Some stores are putting a limit on the number of products people can purchase at one time. (Still, no guarantee your store will have toilet paper in stock.) Groceries are bracing for labor shortages in the coming months. Supermarkets and distribution facilities are facing a dilemma: How are they going to keep stores stocked and keep their workers safe as they interact with hundreds — sometimes thousands — of customers per day.   Your questions, answered Is going out to restaurants safe? What about shopping at Macy's or Target? A visit to the post office? The library? I think people need guidance on what must change in ordinary life. —Peter Eggenberger, Oakland, Calif. I went to the grocery this morning with Peter's question weighing heavily on my mind. We're all assuming some risk when we go out in public, especially now that the virus has been confirmed in 49 states. The amount of risk, of course, depends on where you're going and what your own circumstances are. We posed Peter's question to Dr. Timothy Brewer, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California in Los Angeles. "While there is likely to be some risk from casual contact — restaurant, stores — the risk is likely to be lower than that of close contacts," Brewer said. From what doctors have seen in China, people "who are in close contact with an infected person for prolonged periods of time" are at the highest risk. He recommended what other experts have been saying for weeks: adults over 60 should limit their time in public places, because the illness takes a more significant toll and is more deadly in older populations. Eating at a restaurant poses its own risks, but we've seen that some restaurants are taking precautions like doing more deep cleaning and even providing disposable utensils. Experts say food delivery is probably still a good option for people who want to indulge in restaurant fare. "It's a good way to do social distancing, which is especially important for the elderly," Amesh Adalja, a physician and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told The Post's Tim Carman.   Live updates Post reporters around the world are publishing live dispatches 24 hours a day.  Follow live updates about the cases and impact in the D.C. area this weekend. Track the spread of the outbreak in the U.S. and abroad with our updating map. Find answers to your frequently asked coronavirus questions. Want to know more? Submit your question and The Post may answer it in a future story, live chat or newsletter.   Today's top reads Find more stories and analysis about the outbreak on our coronavirus page, including: What's actually going on with this toilet-paper shortage A Florida blogger's early warning about the crisis Why Trump isn't getting the payroll-tax cut he wanted The growing list of lawmakers quarantining themselves   If you feel sick and are worried about the coronavirus, call your doctor. Don't rush to the ER. By Laurie McGinley ●  Read more »   The tale of a Nile cruise that spawned an international coronavirus outbreak By Sudarsan Raghavan and Meryl Kornfield ●  Read more »   How to cancel or rebook through third-party travel sites amid the coronavirus outbreak By Andrea Sachs ●  Read more »   Parenting during coronavirus: What to know about play dates, education and more By Amy Joyce and Mari-Jane Williams ●  Read more »   You're reading The Post's newsletter guide to the coronavirus outbreak. Not on the list?  Sign up     We think you'll like this newsletter Check out The 5-Minute Fix for a weekday afternoon cheat sheet on the impeachment inquiry — and other big political stories — that can be read in 5 minutes. Sign up »

Manage my email newsletters and alerts | Unsubscribe from Coronavirus Updates | Privacy Policy | Help You received this email because you signed up for Coronavirus Updates or because it is included in your subscription. ©2020 The Washington Post | 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071