Fauci says it is "conceivable" the US could have a coronavirus vaccine in December
From CNN's Gisela Crespo
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Friday that it is "conceivable" the US could have a coronavirus vaccine by December.
In an interview with NPR, Fauci said once again said that he was encouraged by the findings from the phase one trial of a vaccine that is being developed by biotech company Moderna.
Asked about a possible timeline for when the country could see a vaccine, Fauci said, "I think it is conceivable if we don't run into things that are, as they say, unanticipated setbacks, that we could have a vaccine that we could be beginning to deploy at the end of this calendar year — December 2020 or into January 2021."
Fauci said he made the one-year to 18-month projection for a possible vaccine back in January, adding, "I think that schedule is still intact."
1:20 p.m. ET, May 22, 2020
Rhode Island reports 23 new coronavirus-related deaths
From CNN’s Ganesh Setty
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo announced 170 new positive Covid-19 cases today, bringing the state’s total to 13,736.
There were 23 new deaths reported, bringing the state's total to 579, the governor said during a news conference Friday.
There are currently 242 residents hospitalized, with 56 in the intensive care unit and 40 on ventilators.
In terms of testing, 3,777 Rhode Island residents were tested yesterday, bringing the total tested to 127,139.
1:20 p.m. ET, May 22, 2020
WHO reiterates that hydroxychloroquine should be reserved for randomized trials under clinical supervision
From CNN’s Amanda Watts
The World Health Organization on Friday reiterated its stance on the drug hydroxychloroquine as it pertains to Covid-19: “Reserve it for randomized trials where it is approved for emergency use in clinical settings under close clinical supervision because of its potential side effects.”
“At the present time, there is no evidence from randomized controlled trials for the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine or in the treatment or prophylaxis against Covid-19," Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of WHO’s health emergencies program, said during a media briefing in Geneva.
Ryan said the drug is currently part of several trials, including WHO’s Solidarity Trial, “in order to prospectively see what value the drug has.”
But Ryan warned that several agencies around the world “have issued warnings indicating that the use of the drug should be reserved, even when it is used outside clinical trials for use in clinical settings under close clinical supervision because of the likely side effects, particularly patients with severe Covid-19 where people have noticed the emergence of cardiac complications including cardiac arrhythmias.”
Earlier on Friday, a large observational study published in the medical journal The Lancet, said that seriously ill Covid-19 patients who were treated with hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine were more likely to die or develop dangerous heart arrhythmias.
1:06 p.m. ET, May 22, 2020
Hydroxychloroquine study author says drug could cause "grave harm" for Covid-19 patients
From CNN's Adrienne Vogt
Pills of Hydroxychloroquine sit on a tray at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 20. George Frey/AFP/Getty IMages
According to a new study, seriously ill Covid-19 patients treated with the drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine — often touted by President Trump — were more likely to die or develop dangerous heart arrhythmias. One of the authors of that study said it would be his “strong recommendation” for hospitals to stop using hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus treatment.
“Our data has very convincingly shown that across the world, in the real-world population, that this drug combination, whichever way you slice or dice it, does not show any evidence of benefit, and in fact, is immutably showing a signal of grave harm,” Dr. Mandeep R. Mehra said to CNN’s John King.
Mehra, who is the medical director of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Heart and Vascular Center, explained that the study looked specifically at hospitalized Covid-19 patients.
“What our data is showing is that in that chaotic circumstance of a hospitalized patient of Covid-19, that there's no question that there is a very clear signal of harm with these drug regimens,” he said.
He said he would not recommend President Trump take the drug.
While he would endorse clinical trials to be conducted, Mehra said “the use of this drug regimen in an off-label capacity should be really shunned and avoided.”
1:02 p.m. ET, May 22, 2020
Nevada unemployment rate jumps to more than 28%
From CNN's Hollie Silverman
People wait in line for help with unemployment benefits on March 17 at the One-Stop Career Center in Las Vegas. John Locher/AP
The unemployment rate in Nevada has risen to 28.2%, Gov. Steve Sisolak said in a series of tweets Friday.
The state lost 244,800 jobs over the last month, according to data released by the Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation.
"Nevada is facing record high unemployment and the sheer numbers are difficult to comprehend," Sisolak tweeted.
The total number of initial weekly claims has fallen for the first time since the pandemic began, the data shows. But the claims have continued to grow to 369,041, the governor tweeted.
12:56 p.m. ET, May 22, 2020
Minnesota State Fair canceled for first time in over 70 years
From CNN's Konstantin Toropin,
Thousands packed the fairgrounds as the 12-day Minnesota State Fair gets underway on Aug. 22, 2019, in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. Jim Mone/AP
The Minnesota State Fair announced today they are canceling this year's event for reasons that stem from the Covid-19 pandemic, a statement on the fair's website says.
"This isn’t a difficult decision. It’s the only decision," Minnesota State Fair General Manager Jerry Hammer said in the statement. "It’s the right thing to do."
The fair, which now attracts more than 2 million guests annually, was last canceled in 1946 due to a polio epidemic and only six times total since its founding in 1859, its website says.
"By taking the tough road today, we guarantee that the fair’s future remains hopeful and bright," Hammer said. "We want to see you all for many years to come, when we can celebrate in true State Fair style."
Organizers of the event say they considered a variety of less serious options including postponement, extra safety measures, and extending the timeline of the fair to space out crowds.
However, the organizers felt that many of the possible restrictions would not be feasible.
"We keep coming back to the idea that the Great Minnesota Get-Together should be a celebration where we all can gather together to enjoy each other," the website reads.
"To undertake these types of restrictions runs counter to who we are," it adds.
Ultimately, however, the board of the Minnesota State Agricultural Society made the decision to cancel the fair, the fair's website explains.
"The best thing we can all do right now is to help the world recover and heal," Hammer said.
"In the meantime, your team of State Fair pros is working hard to come back bigger, better, stronger and smarter in ‘21," he added.
12:43 p.m. ET, May 22, 2020
New Jersey estimates $10 billion revenue loss, state treasurer says
From CNN’s Taylor Romine
New Jersey State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher-Muoio speaks during a press conference in Trenton, New Jersey, on May 21. Pool/News 12 NJ
New Jersey is estimated to have a revenue loss of $10 billion, the state's treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio said during a news conference Friday.
“While there are many moving parts, what is clear is that a decline of this magnitude would be worse than the Great Recession," she said, and called on the federal government to provide the state with more funding.
Gov. Phil Murphy plans to spend several hours today speaking with federal politicians to encourage more state funding and asked Washington to "step up" and help, he said.
The numbers: The state is expecting a 33% decline in sales tax revenue, according to Maher Muoio. In comparison, the worst level of sale tax revenue during the Great Recession was 18.4%, she noted.
According to Maher Muoio, the state has placed $1 billion in reserve, has approximately $500 million for spending on hold, and plans to de-appropriate $1.32 billion.
A budget plan will be released at a news conference later today with further details.
12:36 p.m. ET, May 22, 2020
California's unemployment rate climbs to 15.5% due to the pandemic
From CNN's Stella Chan
A woman walks past closed shopfronts in what would be a normally busy fashion district in Los Angeles on May 4. Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images
California's unemployment rate rose to a record 15.5% in April, which is a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the state’s Employment Development Department (EDD).
This marks a new high for the state, surpassing the state’s 2010 recession mark of 12.3%.
The unemployment rate in March in California was 5%.
In April, employers lost 2,344,700 non-farm jobs, which represented a 10% spike, according to the EDD. California reported the largest job declines in the country, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“The unprecedented job losses are like nothing before seen in California history in a current data series that dates back to 1976, and are a direct result of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the EDD said.
The number of unemployed in California rose to almost 2.9 million in two months, breaking a record 2.2 million that took more than two years to reach during the recession.
The EDD reported that every one of the state’s 11 industry sectors lost jobs in April with leisure and hospitality posting the largest downturn.
12:29 p.m. ET, May 22, 2020
Baltimore mayor urges Trump to cancel Memorial Day visit
From CNN's Adrienne Vogt
President Trump and first lady Melania Trump are planning to visit Baltimore’s Fort McHenry on Memorial Day, but Mayor Bernard “Jack” Young hopes the President reconsiders, saying it sends a “bad message.”
“I’m asking the President to rethink his trip. It sends a bad, bad message to the citizens of Baltimore because I’m asking them to stay home and only come out for essential reasons, and we have a President that's coming to a city that he just berated over a year ago. And I just want him to set the example for the rest of the country and not do this trip, because it's not essential,” Young told CNN’s John King.
The White House has responded to Young’s plea, saying: “The brave men and women who have preserved our freedoms for generations did not stay home and the President will not, either, as he honors their sacrifice by visiting such a historic landmark in our nation’s history.”
Young said he is certain that the President could find another, safer way to honor the country’s fallen soldiers.
“This has nothing to do with him personally. My city is seeing an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases, and we don't want to spread it,” Young said.
Young also said the White House did not give the city a heads up and now leaders are scrambling to prepare.
