Coronavirus pandemic in the US

Vermont is now allowing small gatherings of up to 10 people, even though the state's stay-at-home order is still in place, Gov. Phil Scott said Friday.

The easing of some restrictions also includes some outdoor activities, the governor added.

Scott said the state "has flattened the curve."

Vermont residents are “no longer being asked to limit outings to within 10 miles of their homes. In addition, business facilities and organizations that support or are for outdoor recreation and fitness activities that require low or no direct contact can return to operation,” Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Julie Moore told reporters during the governor’s briefing in Montpelier.

A senior official with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told CNN on Friday, ”Trump’s concern is with the economy and that is very clear.”

First, some background: CDC and White House officials have told CNN the White House rejected a 17-page draft of CDC recommendations about reopening the country. During CNN’s coronavirus town hall on Thursday night, Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus response, denied reports that guidelines from the CDC had been deliberately held back.

“We're still in editing,” Birx said Thursday night. “I just got my edits back from the CDC late yesterday. I'm working on it as soon as I get off of this discussion."

“We are in constant work with the CDC and really value their partnership and, as you know, they put up guidelines," she added.

Here's how the CDC official reacted: Responding Friday to Birx’s comments, a senior official with the CDC tells CNN the focus for the agency right now is to “give everything state and local agencies need to protect people,” adding that the CDC has “already been sharing the basic public health principles [from the draft] to protect people and keep them safe.”

“Our job is to support state and locals,” the senior official told CNN.

“Our framework guidance for mitigation is, you match the public health response based on the level of disease. That’s been our original framework. That’s what our draft made clear,” the official added.

Currently, there is talk at the CDC of taking the decision trees in the document and “putting that guidance on our web site,” the CDC official said. Decision trees are “roadmaps,” the official said, for state and local agencies to know what public health approach to implement based on the level of spread.

 ”The real sticking point has been that states aren’t paying attention to the phasing, regardless of the numbers of cases. Look at Georgia, they did not meet any of the criteria. We understand states want to open up, but you still,” the CDC official said.

As many as 75,000 Americans could die because of drug or alcohol misuse and suicide as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to an analysis conducted by the national public health group Well Being Trust.

The growing unemployment crisis, economic downturns and stress caused by isolation and lack of a definitive end date for the pandemic could significantly increase so-called “deaths of despair” unless local, state and federal authorities take action, the group says in a new report released Friday.

The Well Being trust released maps showing state and county level projections of these types of deaths, based on data from past years, due to Covid-19’s impact on unemployment, isolation and uncertainty.

The group is calling for a robust approach from local, state and federal officials and agencies to help those who lose their jobs because of the pandemic to find work.

What happened in 2008: Deaths from both suicide and drug overdoses rose along with unemployment during the 2008 recession. Unemployment went from 4.6% in 2007 to a peak of 10% in October 2009 and declined steadily, reaching 3.5% in early 2010, according to the group.

And 2020 could be much worse. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Tuesday he expects the US unemployment rate was above 16% in April, “My guess right now is it’s going to be north of 16%, maybe as high as 20%,” he said.

"We're looking at probably the worst unemployment rate since the Great Depression," Hassett told CNN's Poppy Harlow Tuesday.

Get help: If you or someone you know might be at risk of suicide, call 1-800-273-8255 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Here are other ways to help.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reacted to Friday's record-breaking 14.7% unemployment rate across the US, saying it shows the "urgent" need for Congress to pass more congressional funding to alleviate the crisis.

The state of Minnesota is not allowing indoor or outdoor graduation ceremonies, according to new guidance put out today.

The guidelines were developed by a group of school leaders and the Minnesota Department of Health to give students and educators a way to honor their graduates, according to a press release issued by the state.

The guidance issued said the safest way to observe graduation or commencement is for people to stay home.

So what can graduates do? The state suggests that ceremonies be conducted remotely or virtually or hold parking lot celebrations where people stay in their cars with their windows up during the event. 

Contactless delivery or pick up is suggested for diplomas, caps and gowns.

It's 11 a.m. ET in the US. Here's the latest updated on the coronavirus pandemic:

Public transportation agencies are requesting emergency federal aid to help address the pandemic for the rest of 2020 and through 2021.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman and CEO is leading a coalition of 15 public transportation agencies who say they need an additional $32 billion, the MTA said in a news release.

The group, which serves communities who generate 35% of the nation’s GDP, wrote a letter to Senate and House of Representatives asking for the funding.

“We come together to request your urgent assistance in providing additional aid to public transportation agencies in the next COVID-19 relief bill,” the letter addressed to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy reads.

The letter continues:

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio will limit the number of people that can go into some parks to help with social distancing, the mayor said at a news briefing Friday.

The mayor said they are experimenting with this idea and he hopes it will save lives. He said if it works, the city will expand and use it in other parks.

Hudson River Park Piers 45 and 46, both in Manhattan, will be under new experimental restrictions beginning this weekend after those parks got too crowded last weekend, the mayor said.

When people go into the park they will have limited time, de Blasio said.

Domino Park, in Brooklyn, will be monitored, according to the mayor.  

Mayor Bill de Blasio said authorities engaged 269 homeless New York City residents as subway were shut down to be cleaned last night.

At least 163 of them accepted help from the city, de Blasio said at a news briefing today, with 148 of them going to shelters and 15 to hospitals.

Over the last three nights, at least 520 homeless people have been helped, according to the mayor.

"These results are literally historic," de Blasio said.