Coronavirus pandemic in the US

Delta Air Lines said it is temporarily halting service at 10 airports in an effort to reduce health risks for its employees. The airports are in metropolitan areas with other airports nearby, the airline said in a statement Friday.

While Delta said the move is to protect its frontline employees at those airports, like all airlines, it has seen a major reduction in passengers during the pandemic. 

Routes will be shuttered to airports such as Chicago Midway. The airline will instead funnel passengers through the O’Hare International Airport.

“Delta will continue providing essential service to impacted communities via neighboring airports,” the statement said.

Delta is the world’s second largest airline. The airline on Monday began mandating that passengers wear face coverings on flights.

The airline said it still may suspend service to other airports as well, citing a request that the Department of Transportation is still reviewing to suspend operations at nine more airports.

California is reporting a more than 20% unemployment rate, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday.

Newsom said unemployment numbers are lagging and warned, “Let me reassure you, those numbers underestimate the rate in this country.”

Paying for unemployment: The governor said he will present a balanced budget next week, as is constitutionally required. Newsom is projecting tens of billions of revenue shortfall, when that revised budget is released on May 14.

Once again, Newsom cried out for the help of the federal government.

“We cannot do justice to the 40 million Americans – Republicans and Democrats – in this state that need us now more than ever without the support of the federal government, period," he said.

On Monday, Newsom said the state will need to borrow funds from the federal government to pay unemployment claims.

Phase one of North Carolina's reopening efforts will start at 5 p.m. today, Gov. Roy Cooper said.

Secretary of North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service Dr. Mandy Cohen also announced today that testing is now available for anyone exposed to Covid-19. 

"We also want anyone who has been exposed to Covid-19 to get a test whether or not you're having symptoms. So you don't have to have symptoms in order to get a test," Cohen said.

North Carolina has a total of 13,868 Covid-19 cases and 527 deaths.

The six staffers who deplaned from Air Force 2 at Joint Base Andrews earlier this morning tested for negative for coronavirus, a senior administration official told the pool traveling with Vice President Pence.

This comes after Katie Miller, Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary, tested positive for coronavirus. 

President Trump said that Miller has not come into contact with him but noted that she has been in contact with Pence.

Pence was traveling to Des Moines, Iowa, to participate in a discussion with faith leaders on responsible religious and spiritual gatherings, followed by a roundtable on securing the food supply this morning.

See the latest on the White House's response:

President Trump said on Friday that the White House is “in no rush” to pass additional stimulus funds in response to coronavirus. 

The President added that his administration had moved quickly to distribute the money already allocated by Congress, which he said they did. Although he noted that some money is stalled due to “state machinery, you know they have old computers.”

Trump also claimed that Democrats wanted to send funds that way and they should take responsibility for stalled funds.

Some background: CNN’s Manu Raju reported earlier that Republican leadership in the House and Senate don’t want to move forward with phase four yet, with divisions internally over a number of issues like aid to states and cities.

There will likely be GOP resistance to the rescue package House Democrats are in the process of drafting. They could vote on it as soon as next week.

All registered voters in California will receive a mail-in ballot for the November election, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced during his daily pandemic briefing.

The state is not moving to mail-only, however, and in-person voting will remain an option.

“This election is slated to be the most consequential election of our lifetime,” Secretary of State Alex Padilla said. “We remain committed to providing as many safe, in-person opportunities to as possible on and before Election Day.”

The postage on ballots will be pre-paid, Padilla added.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the reopening of barber shops, hair salons and nail salons in all counties currently in Phase I of the state’s reopening plan starting Monday.

DeSantis made the announcement on Twitter using a video message recorded by J Henry, the owner of J Henry’s Barber Shop in downtown Orlando. 

According to a graphic within the video, the reopening includes enhanced safety protocols such as wearing gloves and a mask.

See the tweet:

Asked if he considered wearing a mask during a ceremony with World War II veterans, President Trump said Friday afternoon, “No, because I was very far away from them.” 

What this is about: Earlier today, Trump participated in a wreath laying ceremony at the WWII Memorial to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

Trump greeted the veterans — all in their 90s — from a distance and did not exchange handshakes or hugs.

Earlier, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany was asked whether Trump gave any consideration to wearing a mask while meeting with the veterans, since a presidential valet recently tested positive for the virus.

“Well this President is regularly tested. This President will make the decision as to whether to wear a mask or not. I can tell you that those veterans are protected. They made the choice to come here because they’ve chosen to put their nation first. They wanted to be with their commander in chief on this momentous day,” McEnany said. 

“It was their choice to come here and I can tell you that the President always puts the safety of our veterans first,” she added.

See Trump honor VE Day with veterans:

More than two dozen California counties have reached out to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office to talk about lifting even more restrictions in order to reopen further.

Newsom plans to make more reopening announcements on a consistent basis, he said, and that will begin with subsequent guidelines coming on Tuesday.

Those guidelines will be issued by sector, with a frame of flexibility, and will provide clarification hand washing, sanitation, addressing need for pickups and how to make that safer for employees and customers.

Acknowledging deep anxiety people are feeling and a desire to reopen, Newsom said, “We will move through phase two together as a state.” 

Today, 70% of the state’s economy can reopen with modifications, Newsom indicated. It’s not 100% and won’t deliver the same revenue that companies are used to, and says “businesses may not thrive, but will survive” with the state’s support, the governor said.