Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam speaking at Alexandria City Hall on March 26, 2019. Shutterstock
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam issued an executive order postponing the state's local elections until May 19, he announced today.
The two-week postponement is the maximum that Northam is constitutionally allowed after the state Senate declined to delay the elections further.
“Elections are vital to democracy and so is the right to vote, but Virginians should not have to choose between their ballot and their health,” Northam said at news conference Friday.
The governor’s statewide stay-at-home order is currently set to expire on June 10, which means the election might happen while the state is still under lockdown. Northam strongly encouraged voters to use absentee ballots and drew a comparison to Wisconsin when expressing his frustration with the situation.
“The last thing that we want in Virginia is a scene like what we saw when Wisconsin held an election a few weeks ago. People waiting in line for hours, trying to social distance, just in order to vote,” Northam said.
The elections will decide local positions like mayors, town council members and school board members.
3:46 p.m. ET, April 24, 2020
Veterans Affairs says they continue to use hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19 in patients
From CNN's Zachary Cohen and Arman Azad
Bottles of hydroxychloroquine pills to be distributed in hospitals in San Salvador, El Salvador on April 21. Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images
The Department of Veterans Affairs said it is continuing to use hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus cases after the Food and Drug Administration made clear Friday that the drug has not been shown to be “safe and effective for treating or preventing Covid-19,” and carries “known risks” of potentially deadly heart complications.
The VA said it would the drug in a manner “consistent with current FDA guidance.”
"While clinical trials are ongoing to determine the safety and effectiveness of these drugs for COVID-19," the FDA said on Friday, "there are known side effects of these medications that should be considered."
The FDA said those risks "may be mitigated when health care professionals closely screen and supervise these patients such as in a hospital setting or a clinical trial," which is mentioned in an emergency-use authorization for the drugs issued last month.
Asked whether the VA believes veterans should use hydroxychloroquine going forward, VA spokesperson Christina Noel said the department is using “it to treat COVID-19 in cases where Veteran patients and their providers determine it is medically necessary, and in a manner consistent with current FDA guidance.” Noel pointed to a part of the FDA guidance that allows the drug to be used for treatment temporarily during the pandemic in hospitalized patients.
CNN previously reported coronavirus patients taking hydroxychloroquine were no less likely to need mechanical ventilation and had higher deaths rates compared to those who did not take the drug, according to a study of hundreds of patients at US Veterans Health Administration medical centers.
The study, which reviewed veterans' medical charts, was posted Tuesday on medrxiv.org, a pre-print server, meaning it was not peer-reviewed or published in a medical journal. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the University of Virginia.
"In this study, we found no evidence that use of hydroxychloroquine, either with or without azithromycin, reduced the risk of mechanical ventilation in patients hospitalized with Covid-19," the authors wrote.
There are currently no products approved by the FDA to prevent or treat Covid-19, although research is underway on many drugs.
3:35 p.m. ET, April 24, 2020
Rhode Island reports a "big increase" in 911 calls for domestic abuse
From CNN's Hollie Silverman
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 13: Governor of Rhode Island Gina Raimondo speaks onstage during Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit - Day 2 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on October 13, 2015 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Fortune/Time Inc) Paul Morigi/Fortune/Getty Images
There has been a "big increase" in 911 calls for domestic abuse in the past few weeks, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo said during a news conference on Friday.
"Not everybody is safe at home and unfortunately that seems to be doubly true now," Raimondo said.
She encouraged people who are not safe to reach out for help and said that those who are safe need to pay attention to their communities.
The state is reviewing data and resources to help combat this uptick in domestic violence, Raimondo said.
3:32 p.m. ET, April 24, 2020
Trump tweets: "I will never let our Post Office fail"
From CNN's Jason Hoffman
Postal trucks are parked at a United States Postal Service post office in Washington, DC, on April 16. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
President Trump tweeted that he “will never let our Post Office fail” after attacking the US Postal Service earlier Friday.
Trump criticized the USPS in his tweet saying, “It has been mismanaged for years, especially since the advent of the internet and modern-day technology” but goes on to praise those who work for the postal service.
“The people that work there are great, and we’re going to keep them happy, healthy, and well!” Trump tweeted.
During today’s bill signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump called the Postal Service “a joke” and claimed it needed to raise rates on companies like Amazon by four or five times.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told reporters earlier "we authorized in the last CARE[S] Act over $10 billion in a loan."
"My team is already actively working on that with the postal service, if they need the money. And we’re dealing with them," he said. Mnuchin went on to say that “certain criteria for postal reform” would be included as part of that loan.
Trump then added that if the USPS doesn’t raise the price on packages, he won’t sign any legislation to provide it more funding.
4:05 p.m. ET, April 24, 2020
Top Navy official recommends reinstating ousted captain to command the USS Theodore Roosevelt
From CNN's Barbara Starr and Ryan Browne
Capt. Brett Crozier, commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), addresses the crew on January 17.
Admiral Michael Gilday, the chief of Naval Operations, has recommended to Defense Secretary Mark Esper today that Capt. Brett Crozier be restored to command of the carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, according to an administration official tells CNN.
A defense official also said that Esper was not prepared to immediately accept the Navy’s recommendation after being briefed on the investigation on Friday, telling top Navy officials he wanted more time to review their recommendations.
More on this: Crozier was relieved of his command after sending a letter warning that action was needed to save the lives of his crew from an outbreak of coronavirus aboard the aircraft carrier.
In the memo, Crozier pleaded with Navy leaders that "decisive action is required" to remove a majority of the ship's personnel and isolate them for two weeks. The letter was published in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Watch sailors cheer on Capt. Crozier in send-off:
3:26 p.m. ET, April 24, 2020
Ohio will do 22,000 coronavirus tests a day by the end of May, governor says
Ohio will scale up testing to 22,000 tests per day by the end of May, Gov. Mike DeWine announced in a news conference on this afternoon.
DeWine said the state struck a partnership with a dental supply company to manufacture swabs, and with a medical manufacturing company to supply reagents for the tests — which both have been major obstacles for Ohio's testing expansion.
Currently, Ohio's daily testing capacity is 3,728. DeWine said that by Wednesday, the state should get to 7,200 tests per day, and by May 27, that number should reach 22,000 tests per day.
DeWine said testing will be prioritized for nursing homes, essential workers and hotspots.
"We'll also be able to focus on other congregate care living settings, homeless shelters, treatment centers, developmental disability homes. Next, will be able better able to make sure food and grocery workers and employees and essential manufacturing in Ohio are healthy and not spreading disease," he said.
DeWine did not provide any additional details about the state's reopening plan, which is expected to be announced on Monday.
3:13 p.m. ET, April 24, 2020
Elective dental procedures can begin in Arkansas on May 18, governor says
From CNN’s Kay Jones
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson delivers a speech on the second day of the Republican National Convention on July 19, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. Alex Wong/Getty Images
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced on Friday that elective dental procedures will be allowed to proceed on May 18.
The state's Department of Health will be working with industry associations on proper guidelines so consumers have confidence that protective measures are in place before May 18, the governor said.
Hutchinson also announced that the total number of coronavirus cases in the state rose to 2,741 in total, which includes 198 new cases at the Arkansas Department of Corrections Cummins unit.
The state has also pushed for additional testing and had over 2,800 tests come in over the past day.
2:56 p.m. ET, April 24, 2020
UFC schedules spectator-free fight nights in Florida starting May 9
From CNN's David Close
Weili Zhang punches Joanna Jedrzejczyk in her split decision win during a strawweight title bout at T-Mobile Arena on March 7, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Harry How/Getty Images
The UFC has scheduled three fight nights that will be closed to the public starting May in Jacksonville, Florida.
The mixed martial arts organization said all thee of the events will take place in the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena "with only essential personnel in attendance."
In a statement released by the UFC, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said, “As we move step-by-step on the path toward economic recovery, we are proud to host these UFC events at the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena.”
The televised UFC 249 will take place on May 9 with additional fight nights on May 13 and 16, the UFC said. Each event will be "closed to the public."
3:23 p.m. ET, April 24, 2020
CDC reminds people to follow disinfectant instructions while using
From CNN Health’s Arman Azad
An attendee holds a container of Lysol disinfecting wipes as San Francisco Mayor London Breed speaks during a press conference on March 16 in San Francisco, California. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday issued a reminder about disinfectants: Use them properly.
“Household cleaners and disinfectants can cause health problems when not used properly. Follow the instructions on the product label to ensure safe and effective use," the CDC said in a tweet.
Some context: The CDC message was sent a day after President Trump suggested that injecting disinfectant might be a possible treatment for coronavirus.
“I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute,” Trump said.
“And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning,” the President added. “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.”
The CDC tweet included a link for anyone interested in learning “more about cleaning and disinfecting your home.”
Among other instructions. the CDC website says people should try “not to breathe in product fumes. If using products indoors, open windows and doors to allow fresh air to enter.”
CNN has reached out to the CDC for clarification on what prompted the tweet.
Earlier today, The maker of Lysol issued a statement clarifying that under no circumstances should its products be administered into the human body.
See Dr. Birx's reaction to Trump's disinfectant suggestion:
