March 17 coronavirus news

A US state heavily dependent on tourism dollars is making the extraordinary request for visitors to stay away due to the coronavirus. 

Speaking at a news conference in Honolulu on Tuesday, Hawaii Gov. David Ige said, “I am strongly encouraging our guests to postpone their vacations for at least the next 30 days and reschedule it for a later date.”

Ige said additional steps are coming, as they will screen all passengers disembarking from cruise ships starting Friday. Physicians will check the temperature of each passenger and conduct interviews about their health. Ige said they intend to do the same screenings for airport arrivals as soon as possible.

The state is banning table service at restaurants, and the governor said all bars and clubs will be closed. Additionally, all gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited, including worship services.

The governor of Nevada is strongly advising as many residents as possible to stay home indefinitely to slow the spread of coronavirus.

In a news conference, Gov. Steve Sisolak said only businesses and organizations that serve food, gas and other essential items or social services can remain open as of noon Wednesday. Restaurants can only provide their services via delivery or carryout.

All casinos are ordered closed, as well as pubs and wineries that do not serve food. All gaming devices in any location must be shut down by midnight Tuesday night.

Sisolak strongly suggested postponing weddings scheduled for the next month – especially those involving guests traveling from out-of-state, and even advised Nevadans to limit attendance at funerals. The order does not apply to houses of worship, but the governor said, “I strongly urge our faith leaders to find ways to deliver to their congregations without bringing them together in person.”

“It’s incumbent upon the citizens of this state to take this seriously,” Sisolak said as he pounded the podium with his finger.

The United States and Canada are preparing to issue a joint statement that could suspend non-essential travel between the two countries in the next 24 to 48 hours, a Trump administration official tells CNN.

The agreement is not yet finalized and officials are still working to define "non-essential travel," but the official stressed that the new restrictions will ensure that business and trade between the two countries can continue.

Part of the discussions involve what types of vehicles and individuals would still be allowed to travel between the two borders and for what purpose, the official said. The restrictions will likely allow for significant flexibility.

Unlike travel restrictions on Europe and China, this would be a mutual agreement between the two countries.

When Trump was asked at the coronavirus task force briefing whether he was considering closing the US land borders on Tuesday, he said, "I don't want to say that, but we are discussing things with Canada and we're discussing things with Mexico, quite honestly, and again, the relationship is outstanding with both, outstanding. We just signed our deal, the USMCA, and the relationship is very strong." 

California public schools will likely remain closed for the remainder of the school year to prevent spread of novel coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a news conference Tuesday.

Nearly all school districts in the state, with a total student body of 6.1 million students, have been closed in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, speaking at a news conference Tuesday, said that all remaining testing for students K-12 has been canceled for the year.

Requirements for students who are readying for graduation will still be looked at, without the testing component.

Parents will have a choice to keep their children in the same grade for the 2020-2021 school year. There will be no K-12 grades calculated for the rest of this year, he said.

Sonoma County joined nine other Northern California counties on Tuesday, ordering residents to shelter in place to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus, raising the total number of residents under the orders in the region to nearly 8 million.

The order issued by Sonoma County restricts residents’ activity, travel, and business functions to only the most basic and essential needs. It goes into effect at midnight March 18 and will be in place for three weeks until April 7.

Other counties currently ordered to shelter in place include Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz.

The air traffic control tower at Chicago Midway International Airport has temporarily closed after several technicians at the facility tested positive for coronavirus, the Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday.

The federal agency said the closure is necessary “while we ensure a safe work environment for air traffic controllers and technicians.”

The airport is also shifting to "one-in-one-out" flight operations, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation.

"We have been notified by the FAA that out of an abundance of caution, access to the air traffic control tower at Midway International Airport will be limited, and flight operations will shift to "one-in-one-out," the department said in a statement.

"Subsequently, the FAA has implemented a ground delay program, which applies to any flight bound for Midway that has not yet departed its point of origin. Midway remains open, but operations will be limited until further notice. Travelers are encouraged to contact their airline for the most up-to-date flight information," the department said.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Tuesday his government has approved a 200 billion euro (almost $220 billion) aid package to help tackle the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The package amounts to about 20% of the country's GDP and is "the biggest mobilization of economic resources in Spain's history," Sanchez said during a news conference.

Of that total amount, 600 million euros ($660 million) will be put into basic social services, with a special focus for health assistance for the elderly and other vulnerable groups. The government is also facilitating the protection of the water, electricity and communication providers "to guarantee essential public services."

"We are also guaranteeing the right to housing for those with more difficulties. Nobody in a touch economic situation will lose their house," the prime minister said.

On the industry front, Sánchez promised that independent workers may receive subsidies if they see their workload reduced. He also appealed to business owners not to fire their employees.

NASA announced tonight that effective immediately all employees and contractors will telework until further notice after “a limited number of employees have tested positive” for coronavirus.

“Although a limited amount of employees have tested positive for COVID-19, it is imperative that we take this pre-emptive step to thwart further spreading of the virus among the workforce and our communities,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement.

Mission-essential personnel will continue to be granted access onsite.