May 2 coronavirus news

New York has been testing residents for Covid-19 antibodies at grocery stores, Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office said Saturday.

The survey developed a baseline infection rate by testing 15,000 people at grocery stores and community centers across the state over the past two weeks, the governor’s office said, adding that the study shows 12.3% of the population have Covid-19.

Rudy Fuertes, the president of Fteley Food Corp, told CNN that antibody testing had occurred at two of his Fine Fare grocery stores in the Bronx, and at one Key Food location in Brooklyn.

He said about 200 people, including patrons and workers, were tested at the locations over several days.

“The communities we serve, they’re very vulnerable. They’re less fortunate. They want to go back to work. They’re running out of money," Fuertes said.

Testing involved a dedicated line and room for taking blood samples, according to Fuertes.

He was contacted by the state about the pilot program of testing in the grocery stores and said he was more than happy to accommodate.

About 62 employees collectively at the 3 locations were tested for antibodies, including Fuertes who said he tested positive

“I think it was a great initiative from the governor to bring hope to the community," Fuertes said of the antibody testing.

He also said he noticed an uptick in the number of individuals cashing in recyclables for money.

“That tells me people are running out of money. People are desperate. They’re cashing anything they can to buy food," Fuertes said.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a roundtable Saturday with Orange County salon and barbershop owners to discuss potentially reopening their businesses on Monday.  

"Phase 1" of DeSantis's reopening plan allows for restaurants and retail shops to reopen at 25% of their capacity. Gyms, barbershops and hair salons were not initially included in this phase, DeSantis has said. 

In a letter to the governor, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings asked DeSantis to consider including barbershops and salons in the first step of the reopening plan.  

DeSantis said he understood the hardships the business owners had endured. Going to get your hair cut "is a step towards a more healthy society," DeSantis said sitting inside an Orlando hair salon.  

Several of the salon owners explained to DeSantis the measures they have put in place for keeping customers and employees safe including limiting people inside and calling customers for appointments in lieu of a waiting area.   

DeSantis said he will speak to his team and make a decision in the coming days.  

Large crowds flocked to the National Mall in Washington, DC, on Saturday to view the flyover of the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds honoring essential workers, according to social media posts showing large crowds.

The crowds gathered despite a stay-at-home order in Washington, DC, and requests from the Blue Angels, DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management office, via their respective Twitter accounts, to refrain from viewing the flyover on the mall.

The crowds appeared to be in greater number on the mall between the US Capitol and Washington Monument.

CNN photojournalist Andrew Christman filmed the flyover on the mall near the Lincoln Memorial and reported a smaller crowd, with most people social distancing.

Christman also traveled to the “Capitol side” of the mall after the flyover was completed and reported that the crowds were fewer and more spread out.

CNN has reached out to DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office, the Air Force and White House for comments.

The following photos were taken by Justin McCarthy(@jaymac1893):

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order today that extends existing safety measures to protect consumers and employees at grocery stores and pharmacies.

The order requires grocery stores and pharmacies to continue following the established guidelines until May 29, according to a news release.

Some of these guidelines include:

“We must continue protecting the health and safety of both consumers and employees at our grocery stores and pharmacies, which we rely on more than ever during this unprecedented public health crisis,” Whitmer said.

Food sellers must also continue to follow safety guidelines, including maintaining social distancing and implementing a daily screening process for employees.

The US Navy Blue Angels and US Air Force Thunderbirds are honoring frontline health care workers and first responders battling coronavirus with flights on Saturday.

The planes will fly over Baltimore, Washington, DC, and Atlanta today, according to a news release.

Watch:

Turkey has lifted trade restrictions imposed on the export of some medical equipment due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

This equipment includes ventilators, intubation tubes and intensive care unit monitors.

The decision, which also removes the export limitations on disinfectants, hydrogen peroxide, ethanol and hand sanitizing cologne, was announced in the Official Gazette of government regulations on Saturday.

The decision does not lift the pre-approval requirement for personal protective equipment (PPE).

The trade restrictions, which introduced a requirement for pre-approval from the health ministry for export, were imposed in mid-March. 

Turkey has delivered PPE and medical equipment to more than 50 countries since the outbreak including donations to the Spain, Italy, United Kingdom and the US. 

Austin Beutner, the superintendent of the Los Angles Unified School District, said reopening schools will be complicated because of the number of people who are impacted.

For example, one of the schools in the district has 500 students, Beutner told CNN's Fredricka Whitfield. Those 500 students have siblings who are in schools with about 50,000 more students, who go home to about 200,000 family members, he said.

One school with 500 individuals [is] connected to a quarter million people," Beutner said. "We don't want the quarter million people bringing the virus into the school and the school to spread and be a petri dish to share with the rest of the community."

Some background: On Tuesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom floated the idea of restarting school in late July or early August, saying that "the prospects of an earlier school year are warranted considering the prospect of neglecting our next generation."

Local school officials would develop new protocols for physical education classes and recess at schools, as well as processes to deeply clean and sanitize schools, parks and playgrounds to keep infection rates down, Newsom said when discussing his plan on how to reopen the sate.

About half of the people tested at the Tyson pork processing plant in Logansport, Indiana, have Covid-19.

A spokesperson with the Joint Information Center said of the approximately 2,200 employees at the plant, about 1,900 individuals were tested.

Tyson announced yesterday that the plant will be reopening next week.

Some context: This news comes after President Trump signed an executive order aimed at keeping meat-processing facilities open amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Still, plants across the country are scrambling to balance worker safety with pressure from the federal government to remain operational.

The high speed train that runs from southern England to Europe by undersea tunnel will require passengers to wear face coverings as of Monday.

“Any type of mask is suitable as long as it effectively covers your nose and mouth,” Eurostar said in a statement. 

Passengers without masks will be refused travel, it adds. 

Eurostar has been running largely reduced service.