E3: Coronavirus US live: Trump uses Defense Production Act to make ventilators

The Guardian’s Susie Cagle reports on the latest from California:

In his daily coronavirus press conference, California governor Gavin Newsom announced that he signed an executive order today that would protect residents and small businesses from having their water shut off if they are unable to pay their bill.

That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague Maanvi Singh will take over the blog for the next few hours.

Here’s where the day stands so far:

Joe Biden said he would take senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway “at her word” that Trump is open to talking to him about how to respond to the pandemic.

“I understand if he doesn’t want to take my advice, but it won’t be, ‘I told you so,’” Biden said of how he would approach the conversation.

Joe Biden criticized Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell for pushing back against demands for a fourth coronavirus package.

“The majority leader of the Senate was wrong and slow the first time around, and he’s wrong and slow this time around.” Biden said.

Joe Biden called on Trump to expand his use of the Defense Production Act to speed up the production of medical equipment.

Trump issued a statement this afternoon saying he would use the DPA to “help domestic manufacturers ... secure the supplies they need to build ventilators needed to defeat the virus.”

The Guardian’s Vivian Ho reports on the latest from California:

In an effort to assist small businesses suffering from the economic blowback of the coronavirus crisis, Gavin Newsom, California’s governor, announced Thursday that the state was offering a 12-month reprieve on sales tax receipts for up to $50,000.

Joe Biden said he was working to set up a call with Trump about the US response to coronavirus.

Biden’s comments come a day after senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway suggested the Democratic frontrunner should be offering his help amid the pandemic.

The Navy is expected to relieve the commander of an aircraft carrier who raised concerns about coronavirus spreading on the ship, according to Reuters.

Officials said yesterday that most crew members aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt would be allowed to disembark and quarantine in Guam after a scathing letter from the ship’s commander was made public.

The number of coronavirus cases worldwide has surpassed 1 million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins.

The global death count passed 50,000 earlier today, with Italy and Spain accounting for nearly half of all deaths around the world.

Related: Coronavirus map of the US: latest cases state by state

Trump said he is using the Defense Production Act to ensure the production of more ventilators to fight coronavirus.

“My order to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Homeland Security will help domestic manufacturers like General Electric, Hill-Rom, Medtronic, ResMed, Royal Philips, and Vyaire Medical secure the supplies they need to build ventilators needed to defeat the virus,” Trump said in a statement.

The Trump Organization is reportedly looking to delay some of its loan payments as it struggles amid the pandemic.

The New York Times reports:

With some of its golf courses and hotels closed amid the economic lockdown, the Trump Organization has been exploring whether it can delay payments on some of its loans and other financial obligations, according to people familiar with the matter and documents reviewed by The New York Times.

Representatives of Mr. Trump’s company have recently spoken with Deutsche Bank, the president’s largest creditor, about the possibility of postponing payments on at least some of its loans from the bank.

The Congressional Budget Office expects unemployment to exceed 10 percent during the second quarter of the year.

“Gross domestic product is expected to decline by more than 7 percent during the second quarter,” the CBO said. “If that happened, the decline in the annualized growth rate reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis would be about four times larger and would exceed 28 percent.”

The Guardian’s Patrick Greenfield reports:

Two coronavirus-stricken cruise liners have been granted permission to dock in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after local officials reached an agreement with the vessels’ operators.

Commerce secretary Wilbur Ross is receiving criticism for claiming in late January that coronovirus could help the US job market.

“Every American’s heart has to go out to the victims of the coronavirus, so I don’t want to talk about a victory lap over a very unfortunate, very malignant disease,” Ross told Fox Business as China grappled with the virus.

Related: Coronavirus batters US economy as 6.65m file for unemployment last week

Some Americans may not see their checks from the stimulus package for nearly five months, according to a memo being circulated by House Democrats.

NBC News reports:

The memo, obtained by NBC News, says that Americans who have their direct deposit information on file will receive their payments in mid-April, ‘likely’ the week of April 13. The document estimates that about 60 million Americans will receive checks at that point.

About three weeks after those deposits go out, the IRS will start issuing paper checks, likely the week of May 4, according to the memo. The office that issues paper checks can process about 5 million checks per week, so it could take 20 weeks – nearly 5 months – to get them all out.

Related: How far will the $1,200 stimulus checks go for average Americans?

Joe Biden and Donald Trump criticized each other in dueling statements responding to the alarming unemployment report released earlier today.

“My heart goes out to the millions of Americans who filed for unemployment claims this week, and the millions more who worry what next week holds for them,” Biden said in a statement.

Related: Coronavirus batters US economy as 6.65m file for unemployment last week

The Guardian’s Vivian Ho reports on the latest from California:

California crossed the threshold of 10,000 positive coronavirus cases on Thursday, with at least 59,000 tests still pending, according to local data.

The CDC director said Americans should prepare for coronavirus to make a return later in the year.

We may get a seasonal advantage over #COVID19 but we don’t know for sure. We need to be prepared for it to come back in the late fall/winter until we have countermeasures. More from my talk w/ @toddstarnes: https://t.co/fsiKsqzAcR.

The FDA is easing regulations on gay men giving blood as many blood banks report a dangerous drop in donations amid the pandemic.

NEW guidance from @US_FDA today on blood donor eligibility to help address the urgent need to #GiveBlood during #COVID19 without compromising the safety of the blood supply.

More: https://t.co/V8dOxjge1n pic.twitter.com/RSW2y96liP

The number of coronavirus deaths around the world has now passed 50,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins.

The number of coronavirus cases worlwide is also expected to soon reach 1 million, with more than 980,000 cases already reported.

Alexandra Villareal reports on the latest in New York City:

“The cavalry keeps coming”, says New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio as 250 ambulances and 500 EMTs and paramedics arrived from around the country thanks to reinforcements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema).

There are heroes among us!@NYCMayor visited Fort Totten in Bayside to thank New York City’s courageous EMTs and paramedics — and welcome some much needed reinforcements. From Kalamazoo to Florida, ambulances and EMS workers are arriving to support our teams and save lives. pic.twitter.com/8yAWUZpj9m

Here’s where the day stands so far:

New York governor Andrew Cuomo has just wrapped up his daily briefing on the state’s coronavirus response.

Here are some of the highlights:

Returning to Andrew Cuomo’s daily briefing, the New York governor said the state has 2,200 ventilators in its stockpile.

Cuomo said data indicates about 350 people come in to hospitals every night needing a ventilator, meaning the state is expected to run out in about six days.

The delay of the Democratic convention means the two parties’ conventions will now take place back to back.

The Democratic convention is now scheduled to take place the week of August 17 in Milwaukee, and the Republican convention is set for the week of August 24 in Charlotte.

The Democratic National Committee has confirmed the party’s nominating convention will be postponed until mid-August.

“Leadership means being able to adapt, and that’s exactly what our party is doing,” DNC chairman Tom Perez said in a statement.

The Democratic convention has been postponed until August because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to reports.

The New York Times reports:

The Democratic National Committee on Thursday postponed its national convention because of the coronavirus, moving it from mid-July to mid-August. The delay is the largest political concession so far to the public health crisis caused by the virus, which has led to the cancellation of hundreds of state and local conventions from both parties.

The convention will still be held in Milwaukee, as planned, the week of Aug. 17, officials said, a week before Republicans plan to gather in Charlotte, N.C., to re-nominate President Trump.

CNN host Chris Cuomo, who has been diagnosed with coronavirus, appeared at New York governor Andrew Cuomo’s briefing today via video conference.

“I’m doing pretty well all things considered,” the CNN host told his brother. “This is tough. I get it now.”

New York governor Andrew Cuomo said the state only has enough ventilators in its stockpile for six days.

Cuomo noted the state released 400 ventilators to New York City last night and would distribute ventilators based on need in the weeks to come.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo said the state would start conducting nightly hospital-by-hospital surveys to assess what medical equipment they need.

Cuomo added that it was the “cruelest irony” the country is now dependent on China for the production of crucial medical equipment.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo said the number of people discharged from the hospital is “way up,” marking some rare good news since cases started to surge.

But Cuomo warned the state still needs more hospital beds to prepare for the peak of the crisis. The state is constructing temporary hospitals at places like the Javits Center and Brooklyn Cruise Terminal to add beds for coronavirus patients.

New York has confirmed 92,381 cases of coronavirus, governor Andrew Cuomo said at his daily briefing.

The state has also seen 2,373 deaths linked to the virus, up from 1,941 yesterday.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi said she spoke to treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin last night about a potential phase four coronavirus bill.

Pelosi has said she wants to pass another bill in response to the pandemic, which would focus on clean water, rural broadband and infrustructure, among other things.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi said the new select committee on coronavirus would have subpoena power.

Members of the committee, which will be chaired by House majority whip Jim Clyburn, will specifically look at whether government funds distributed in response to the pandemic are being spent effectively.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi was asked during her weekly press conference whether she supported a review of the events leading up to the coronavirus crisis.

Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the House homeland security committee, has drafted a bill to form a commission in the style of the 9/11 commission to examine the government’s response to coronavirus.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi said the new select committee on coronavirus would ensure aid money goes to American families and prevent waste of funds.

Pelosi compared the panel to the Truman Committee, which rooted out waste and corruption in defense spending during World War II. The commitee ultimately saved the government millions of dollars.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the formation of select committee on the coronavirus crisis during her weekly press conference.

Pelosi said House majority whip Jim Clyburn will chair the committee, which will be made up of members from both parties.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi is holding her weekly press conference over the phone, providing an update on the congressional response to coronavirus.

Pelosi opened the conference call by urging all the reporters listening to stay hydrated and keep washing their hands.

Michigan is closing K-12 schools for the remainder of the academic year, encouraging educators to continue virtually teaching their students.

“My No. 1 priority right now is protecting Michigan families from the spread of COVID-19,” governor Gretchen Whitmer said.

The Guardian’s Sam Levine reports:

The speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives said efforts to make it easier to vote by mail in the state amid the COVID-19 pandemic would harm Republicans.

Banks are warning the $350 billion small business loan program may not be ready by Friday as scheduled.

Politico reports:

The lenders complain that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin boxed them in with an unrealistic deadline and that the ground rules they’ve been given for the program, which is intended to deliver rapid aid to a huge number of ailing businesses, could delay the assistance for weeks or longer.

The banks, which will be responsible for processing loan applications and doling out money, are expecting millions of applications from businesses. Some fear a disaster that could dwarf the failed kickoff of the Obamacare enrollment web site in 2013.

Georgia’s governor said he only learned days ago that those with coronavirus who show no symptoms can still spread the virus, an astounding claim from a state leader considering health experts have been warning about asymptomatic transmissions for weeks.

A stunning admission of deadly ignorance from Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who says he only just learned that asymptomatic people can transmit #Covid19. “[I]ndividuals could have been infecting people before they ever felt bad, but we didn’t know that until the last 24 hours.” pic.twitter.com/T7NZWk2GDR

Here is a visual to help conceptualize the scale of US job losses, as covered in this morning’s unemployment claims report:

Remember that dramatic Page 1 of the @nytimes last Friday, with the enormous spike showing 3.3 million unemployment claims?

To save the Times graphics team the trouble, this is what the same page would look like with today's 6.6 million unemployment claims. pic.twitter.com/IQwZRUA13S

Related: Coronavirus continues to batter US economy with 6.65 million filing for unemployment last week

Trump is again putting the onus on states to have adequate medical supplies to deal with the pandemic, as many hospitals warn they are running dangerously low on personal protective equipment.

The president said some states “have insatiable appetites & are never satisfied.” “The complainers should ... have been stocked up and ready long before this crisis hit,” Trump wrote in a tweet.

....have been stocked up and ready long before this crisis hit. Other states are thrilled with the job we have done. Sending many Ventilators today, with thousands being built. 51 large cargo planes coming in with medical supplies. Prefer sending directly to hospitals.

LA mayor Eric Garcetti is urging all of the city’s four million residents to wear masks when they go outside, although that recommendation does not currently apply to the rest of the state.

The AP reports:

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday he’s focused instead on keeping people inside. He also announced the state may need 66,000 additional hospital beds, 16,000 more than previously forecast, to handle the crush of illnesses expected during the second part of May.

At an afternoon news conference, Mayor Eric Garcetti said he had been awaiting advice from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on mask-wearing but with the COVID-19 rate surging had decided to wait no longer.

As the number of unemployment claims surges, Trump has turned his attention to mocking Democratic senator Chuck Schumer and criticizing New York’s response to coronavirus.

...It wouldn’t matter if you got ten times what was needed, it would never be good enough. Unlike other states, New York unfortunately got off to a late start. You should have pushed harder. Stop complaining & find out where all of these supplies are going. Cuomo working hard!

This is not the time to debate but the states were not slow to respond – the federal government was absent. https://t.co/Q8v7kWJxmM

The latest unemployment numbers paint a devastating picture of a country facing mass job losses as a pandemic kills thousands of Americans.

According to the latest report from the labor department, 6.65 million Americans filed for unemployment last week, doubling the record-setting 3.3 million figure a week earlier.

As reports emerged of long lines at unemployment offices, jammed phone lines and broken websites across the US, the federal labor department said Thursday that a new record number of people sought benefits after losing their jobs in the week ending 27 March.

Some 3.3 million had filed for unemployment the previous week, bringing total claims to 9.95 million for the two weeks. More people have filed for unemployment in the last two weeks than filed in the last six months.

Related: Coronavirus continues to batter US economy with 6.65 million filing for unemployment last week

Good morning, live blog readers!

The coronavirus pandemic has completely upended the American healthcare system, economy and presidential election, and the tumult is just beginning.

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