Now the narrative is shaped by emotionally well-spoken and well-meaning students, rumors, and falsehoods. Can you remind me again why the genuine concerns so many teachers expressed about Mr. Smiel's admitted issues with honesty and integrity during and after his contrite and tearful Zoom confession are not part of this story?
Foundations of Analog and Digital Electronic Circuits anant agarwal Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology jeffrey h. lang Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Sep 3, 2020 9:16 am ET|Updated Sep 3, 2020 7:21 pm ET
NEW JERSEY – New Jersey has achieved a significant milestone as the state's metrics in the coronavirus crisis continue to drop: The Garden State has moved into "stage three" of its reopening plan.
Stage three is not the last stage of the reopening process, and there are still components of New Jersey's economy that remain closed – or their reopening was strictly limited, and can still be expanded (see list of what's open, what's not, and the reopening chart below).
But Gov. Phil Murphy said the state "largely ticked through the box things in stage two and at this point, we're well into stage three, whether in substance form or otherwise."
The last stage in the state's reopening plan is called "New Normal," and New Jersey would enter it if there was widespread distribution of a vaccine or treatment.
Murphy did warn that he could easily revert back to stage two – or reverse some reopening decisions – if New Jersey's numbers tick back up, or if there is a second wave of the virus.
"Would we consider reversing this if it looked like it was blowing up in our face? Sadly, I'd have to say yes," Murphy said.
New Jersey's daily case numbers have remained largely flat, hovering in the 300 level for more than a month. Murphy announced 329 new coronavirus cases and 11 more deaths on Wednesday. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know
Murphy said it would take a sustained increase in metrics, perhaps over a seven-day period, to cause New Jersey to reverse its reopening decisions.
Those metrics would be: percentage of positive tests, which are among the lowest in the nation; new daily hospitalizations, which were once in the hundreds and now hover around 30; and the transmission rate, which is now way below the dangerous level of 1.0.
All three on Wednesday were at perhaps their lowest levels since the crisis began in March:
Murphy, on other hand, said he'd consider reopening more, such as expanding indoor dining to 50 percent, "if the metrics stay with us."
"That would be our hope, but we can't predict that. We have to see how this impacts all the stuff we look at it," he said.
"You hope someday we're going to get back to normal, folks, and we will. I just can't tell you exactly when."
Here is what New Jersey has done to enter stage three:
Indoor gatherings expanded: Murphy on Monday raised the indoor gathering limits to 150 people, or 25 percent capacity, for religious services, weddings, funerals and memorial services and political activities. Read more: Gov. Murphy: NJ Movie Theaters To Resume Amid Coronavirus Crisis
Indoor dining reopening: Murphy announced that indoor dining can finally resume. The governor announced that restaurants across the state will be able to open for indoor dining beginning at 6 a.m. this Friday at 25 percent capacity and with social distancing between tables. He also outlined many of the rules. Read more: Gov. Murphy: NJ Indoor Dining To Resume Amid Coronavirus Crisis
Here is what New Jersey would need to do to finish stage three, and move to the "new normal:"
Reopen bars and clubs
Allow fans back at concert and sporting events.
Expand indoor dining and related activities to 50 percent or higher.
Murphy said reopening bars is a "bone in my throat" and the "explosions" that have happened in cases in other parts of the country took place because bars were kept open, or they were reopened too early.
"Bars were a huge culprit and I'm a big bar guy so, with a heavy heart, I say that," he said.
Murphy, however, said he wouldn't take this week's reopening steps if weren't for the fact that New Jersey continues to show progress.
"We wouldn't be taking this step if we did not have a supremely high level of confidence that we'd be open for business," Murphy said.
Here is what has opened already:
Fishing charters and watercraft rentals reopened at 6 a.m on May 17th
Nonessential retail stores for online and phone ordering and curbside pickup, as well as nonessential construction, were allowed to resume at 6 a.m. on May 18th
In-person automobile and motorcycle sales were allowed to return on May 20th
Beaches were allowed to reopen on May 22nd
Batting cages and golf ranges, with foursomes – not just pairings – were allowed to tee-off on May 22nd
Shooting and archery ranges, horseback riding and private tennis clubs and community gardens were allowed to resume on May 22nd
Elective and invasive surgeries were allowed to resume on May 26th
The limit on outdoor gatherings was raised from 25 to 100 on June 9th, paving the way for outdoor entertainment, recreational activities, religious services and protests to resume
The limit on indoor gatherings was raised to 25 percent capacity, or 50 people total, on June 9th, paving the way for indoor church services to resume
Libraries were allowed to do curbside pickup beginning on June 12th
Open houses to view real estate, with attendees wearing face coverings, resumed on June 14th
Car washes were allowed to resume on June 14th
Yard and garage sales were allowed to resume on June 14th
Fireworks displays at public and private beaches, boardwalks, lakes and lakeshores were allowed to resume on June 14th
Outdoor dining reopened on June 15th
Limited in-person retail reopened on June 15th
Child care centers reopened on June 15th
MVC driver services resumed (pick-up only) on June 15th
Municipal and private-club swimming pools reopened on June 22nd
Non-contact organized sports activities restarted on June 22nd
Beauty salons reopened on June 22nd
Barber shops reopened on June 22nd
Cosmetology shops reopened on June 22nd
Day and medical spas (not steam rooms, saunas or shared bathing facilities) reopened on June 22nd
Electrology facilities reopened on June 22nd
Hair braiding shops reopened on June 22nd
Massage parlors reopened on June 22nd
Nail salons reopened on June 22nd
Tanning salons reopened on June 22nd
Tattoo parlors reopened on June 22nd
The limit on outdoor gatherings rose to 250 on June 22nd
Indoor gatherings were limited to 25 percent capacity of the rooms in which they will take place, with a maximum of 100 persons, as of June 22nd
Golf and tennis resumed competitions on June 22nd
Baseball, softball, soccer and outdoor basketball resumed on June 22nd, but they are limited to non-contact drills and practices.
Non-contact football drills resumed on June 22nd
Inspections and road tests resumed on June 29th
Indoor malls reopened on June 29th
In-person clinical labs and hands-on programming at colleges were allowed to resume on July 1
Career and training schools reopened on July 1st
Gymnastic centers reopened on July 2nd
Dance studios reopened on July 2nd
Playgrounds reopened on July 2nd
Amusement parks reopened on July 2nd
Water parks reopened on July 2nd.
Casinos reopened on July 2nd.
Racetracks reopened for in-person bets on July 2nd
Museums reopened at 25 percent of capacity on July 2nd
Aquariums reopened at 25 percent of capacity on July 2nd
Bowling alleys reopened at 25 percent of capacity on July 2nd
Shooting ranges reopened at 25 percent of capacity on July 2nd
Arcades reopened at 25 percent of capacity on July 2nd
Libraries reopened on July 2nd
Gym and fitness centers opened only for individualized training, and by appointment, involving one person and/or your family on July 2nd
The limit on outdoor gatherings rose to 500 on July 3rd
Indoor pools reopened on July 3rd
Youth summer camps and programs reopened on July 6th
In-person graduations were allowed to begin on July 6th
Baseball, softball, soccer and outdoor basketball competitions were allowed to resume on July 6th
NJ Transit returned to full weekday service on July 6th
MVC driver in-person driver services, including driver's license renewals, resumed on July 7th
Some indoor dining spaces that can open to the outside were allowed on July 8th
NJ Transit's 50-percent capacity limit was lifted on July 15th.
Full football practices and competitions resumed on July 20th.
Yoga and martial arts studios were allowed to resume on July 22nd.
NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy and state health officials released a long set of rules on Friday for reopening indoor dining amid the coronavirus crisis. Murphy issued the rules as he announced, during a Friday news conference, 478 additional coronavirus cases and seven more deaths (you can watch it here, below).
Murphy issued 58 rules for reopening indoor dining as restaurants, indoor performance venues and movie theaters were set to restart on Friday (see list of indoor dining rules below).
The reopenings take place as New Jersey has moved "well into" stage three of its reopening plan, Murphy said. The governor did say he could reverse the decision if coronavirus cases tick back upward. Read more: Gov. Murphy: NJ 'Well Into' Stage 3 Of Coronavirus ReopeningSubscribe
Murphy said indoor dining, indoor performance venues and movie theaters must be limited to 25 percent capacity, up to a maximum of 150 people. But there are a number of steps that regulate customer and employee behavior.
"Given the progress we continue to see statewide, and with the proper precautions and limitations in place, I am proud that we can take this step today to allow our restaurants to once again welcome patrons back for indoor dining services," said Murphy. "Our job now is to ensure that this resumption only leads to future expansions of indoor capacity limits, and that we do not have to take a step backward."
Some lawmakers have expressed frustration with governor's timing, saying the decision it too little, too late. Many restaurants are struggling to survive, and some lawmakers say they needed the summer business to stay afloat.
But Marilou Halvorsen, president of the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association, said she appreciates the governor and his team "communicating with the association and members of the industry as the reopening took place."
"The industry is ready for a safe reopening and getting New Jerseyans back to work," she said. "We look forward to the next phase."
Here are the rules:
Managing the establishment
Limit the number of patrons in indoor areas to 25 percent of the food or beverage establishment's indoor capacity, excluding the food or beverage establishment' employees. Ensure that the new maximum occupancy limits are posted.
Post signage at the entrance that states that no one with a fever or symptoms of COVID-19 should enter the establishment.
Ensure that tables where individuals or groups are seated are 6 feet apart in all directions from any other table or seat.
Individual seats in any shared area that is not reserved for individual groups, such as an indoor bar area, also must be 6 feet apart in all directions from any other table or seat.
Limit seating to a maximum of eight customers per table (unless they are from a family from the same household).
Bar seating may be utilized if customers are seated and comply with physical distancing guideline of at least 6 feet between customers. Standing in a bar area is not permitted.
A maximum of four customers that have a common relationship may sit together at the bar, while adhering to the physical distancing guidelines between other customers.
Install physical barriers and partitions at cash registers, bars, host stands and other area where maintaining physical distance of 6 ft is difficult.
Rope-off or otherwise mark tables, chairs and bar stools that are not to be used. Provide physical guides, such as tape on floors and signage on walls to remind customers/visitors to remain at least 6 feet apart in line and/or in common areas.
Eliminate self-service food such as buffets and salad bars. Limit self-service drink stations to those that can be routinely and effectively cleaned and disinfected.
Eliminate all amenities and congregate areas such as children's recreational/play areas, dance floors, and game rooms that encourage close person to person interaction.
Consider using digital menus, single-use disposable menus (such as paper) discarded after each customer, or a written posting such as a chalkboard or whiteboard to relay menu information. Businesses shall use such alternatives where traditional menus cannot be appropriately sanitized between uses.
Consider using single-use condiments and table items.
Require all reusable linen napkins and/or table cloths to be laundered after each customer or party's use.
Cleaning
Provide hand sanitizers with at least 60 percent alcohol for employees and customers close to work stations and customer tables.
Use touchless payment options as much as possible, if available.
Implement a restroom use policy to limit the number of customers inside the restroom.
Ensure that live performers remain at least 10 feet from patrons and staff.
Consider conducting health checks for all live performers and encourage the use of masks when feasible.
Disinfect all tables, chairs and any other shared items (menus, condiments, pens) after each use.
Clean commonly touched surfaces in restrooms (suck as toilet seats, doorknobs, stall handles, sinks, paper towel dispensers, soap dispensers) frequently and in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
Conduct frequent disinfecting of heavy transit areas and high-touch surfaces (such as doorknobs, staircases like credit card machines, keypads, and counter areas to which employees and customers have access).
Implement procedures to increase cleaning and disinfection in the kitchen areas. Avoid all food contact surfaces when using disinfectants. Food contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized before use with a sanitizer approved for food contact surfaces. Non-food contact surfaces must be frequently cleaned.
Maintain cleaning logs that include date, time, and scope of cleaning.
In the event of a presumptive or actual positive COVID-19 case of a worker, patron, or vendor, the restaurant must be immediately shut down for 24 hours and then must be cleaned and disinfected in accordance with current CDC guidance before re-opening.
Ventilation
Keep doors and windows open where possible and utilize fans to improve ventilation.
Inspect and evaluate the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit to ensure that the system is operating within its design specifications.
Conduct routine maintenance as recommended by the manufacturer or HVAC professional.
Increase the volume of outdoor air to the HVAC unit's maximum capacity while the facility is occupied.
Reduce the volume of recirculated air being returned to the indoor spaces.
Increase the volume of air being delivered to the indoor spaces to the maximum capacity.
Select maximum filtration levels for the HVAC unit.
Run the HVAC unit continuously while the facility is occupied.
Run the HVAC unit for at least two hours before and two hours after the facility is occupied.
Consider installing portable air cleaners equipped with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to increase the amount of clean air within the facility.
Review and follow the latest CDC guidance for ventilation requirements.
Employees
Require employees to wash and/or sanitize their hands when entering the food or beverage establishment.
Prior to each shift, conduct daily health checks (such as temperature screening and/or symptom checking) of employees safely and respectfully, and in accordance with any applicable privacy laws and regulations.
Require employees with symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, or shortness of breath) be sent home.
Require employees to wear a face covering/mask, except where it would inhibit the individual's health, or where doing so would create an unsafe condition in which to operate equipment or execute a task (i.e. cooks that work near open flames). Employers must provide all employees with such face coverings.
Require all customer-facing employees (such as servers, bus staff) to minimize time spent within 6 feet of customers.
Require infection control practices, such as regular hand-washing, coughing and sneezing etiquette, and proper tissue usage and disposal.
Provide employees break time for repeated hand-washing throughout the workday.
Place tables in break rooms 6 feet apart and encourage outdoor breaks.
Prohibit the use of small spaces (such as freezers, storage rooms) by more than one person at a time.
Provide sanitization materials, such as hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes to staff.
Customers
Consider conducting health surveillance assessment for customers (such as temperature screening and/or COVID-19 symptom checking). Refuse entry if customer is found with any COVID-19 symptoms.
Inform customers of COVID-19 safety measures such as social distancing, wearing face coverings when they are away from their table and unable to social distance and hygiene practices must be adhered to while in the food or beverage establishment.
Customers must wear face coverings at all times, except where doing so would inhibit the individual's health, or where the individual is under two years of age.
When seated at their table or their individual seat, indoor patrons shall wear face coverings until their food or drinks arrive, and after individuals have finished consuming their food or drinks, they must put their face coverings back on.
Decline entry to a customer who is not wearing a face covering, unless the customer has a medical reason for not doing so or is a child under two years of age.
Consider requiring reservations for greater control of customer traffic/volume.
Recommend customers to provide a phone number if making a reservation to facilitate contact tracing.
Require customers wait in their cars, outside the establishment or away from the food or beverage establishment while waiting for a table if wait area cannot accommodate social distancing.
Alert customers via calls/texts to limit touching and discourage the use of shared objects such as pagers/buzzers.
Food or beverage establishments with table service must require that customers be seated in order to place orders.
Food or beverage establishments with table service must require that wait staff bring food or beverages to seated customers.
Customers may consume food or beverages only while seated.
Reporters practice social distancing in the US Senate studio during a news conference.
Tom Williams/Getty Images
For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO website.
The coronavirus pandemic has upended life across the globe. Health care systems are scrambling to control the virus, and governments are instituting strict social distancing measures to flatten the curve. The situation is constantly evolving as COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, rapidly spreads.
CNET has been tracking the outbreak since it was first traced to a novel coronavirus in early January. Below are the latest developments in the coronavirus outbreak each day.
CNET Coronavirus Update
Keep track of the coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus updates
April 15
Confirmed coronavirus cases pass 2 million worldwide
More than 2 million coronavirus cases have been confirmed globally, along with more than 120,000 deaths. It comes less than two weeks after cases hit 1 million.
At more than 610,000, the US is the country with the most confirmed cases and deaths -- over 26,000. More than 3.1 million people in the nation have been tested for the virus, and nearly 39,000 have recovered from the disease.
April 14
Trump suspends US funding to World Health Organization
US President Donald Trump announced he would put a hold on funds from the US to the World Health Organization, pending a review of the organization's actions in the early days of the pandemic. The US provided about 14.6% of the organization's funding in the 2018-2019 fiscal period, according to a WHO statement. According to the Washington Post, the US has promised WHO $893 million during the current two-year fiscal period.
Trump criticized the organization for allegedly not obtaining accurate information about the scope of the problem in China and for recommending that countries not close their borders as a mitigation measure. Trump called the failure to close borders early in the spread of the disease one of the "great tragedies" of the disease's early days.
"The WHO failed in this basic duty and must be held accountable," Trump said.
Trump began hinting he might pull the funding the previous week. In response, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus asked Trump not to "politicize this virus," adding, "If you don't want many more body bags, then you refrain from politicizing it."
WHO didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's announcement.
California has successfully 'bent the curve,' unveils steps to reopen
California's strict lockdown orders for the last month have been successful in bending the curve, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced in a press conference. The data models have changed as a result of residents staying at home, he said, adding the news is sober due to a record number of deaths overnight.
Newsom said the state is eyeing reopening. It's regarding six frames of focus "as we make determination of architecting a next phase in this pandemic":
Expand testing, and address the tracking, isolation and quarantine of people, using both tech and a workforce
Maintain protection of the most vulnerable people
Address the ongoing needs of hospitals so they can withstand "potential surges"
Continue working with academia, research partners, companies and universities to ensure they are advancing therapeutics as work towards a vaccine and herd immunity continues over the next year
Make plans for how businesses and outdoor areas can ensure physical distancing when they reopen
Reinstate "more vigorous controls" so enable the state to toggle between stricter to looser guidelines as things change and new data comes in
April 13
80M Americans will get stimulus checks this week, says Mnuchin
During a coronavirus task force briefing Monday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he expects over 80 million Americans will get stimulus money deposited into their bank accounts on Wednesday. The one-time $1,200 stimulus payments are part of a $2 trillion relief package intended to help people and spur the economy as businesses shutter amid the coronavirus pandemic. Mnuchin said the government aims to distribute most the of the funds electronically to keep people from having to physically visit a bank.
April 12
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is released from hospital
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses his country on Easter Sunday.
Pippa Fowles / handout from UK government / Getty Images
One week ago, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was hospitalized with a high fever due to the coronavirus and was later transferred to the intensive care unit. But on Easter Sunday, he was discharged from St. Thomas' Hospital in London.
Johnson tweeted a videotaped message from London at 3 p.m. local time/7 a.m. PT. In the message, he repeatedly thanked the doctors, nurses and all the support staff of the National Health Service. Johnson said the NHS "saved my life, no question" and specifically named nurses who stayed by his side the entire time he was hospitalized. He also thanked the citizens of the UK for supporting the NHS by staying home and social distancing.
He "will not be immediately returning to work" based on "the advice from his medical team," the prime minister's office said in a statement.
It is hard to find the words to express my debt to the NHS for saving my life.
The efforts of millions of people across this country to stay home are worth it. Together we will overcome this challenge, as we have overcome so many challenges in the past. #StayHomeSaveLivespic.twitter.com/HK7Ch8BMB5
— Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) April 12, 2020
April 11
US has most confirmed COVID deaths worldwide
The United States passed Italy as the country with the world's most confirmed fatalities from the coronavirus. US deaths reached 18,860 early Saturday, according to the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 tracking tool. Italy's total had hit 18,849.
April 10
Global deaths pass 100,000, and US cases top 500,000
Two horrific milestones were crossed Friday. As of 10:02 a.m. PT, the novel coronavirus had killed 100,376 people across the globe, according to tracking numbers from John Hopkins University.
By Friday evening, the number of confirmed cases in the US had surpassed half a million.
At 9 p.m. PT, the US cases stood at 501,301, and the number of deaths in the US had reached 18,769. At that point, Italy still accounted for the highest number of deaths in any single country, with 18,849 deaths.
Meanwhile, cases worldwide had reached almost 1.7 million by Friday night, and the death toll neared 103,000.
April 9
More than 2 million people tested in the US
During a coronavirus task force briefing at the White House, President Donald Trump said more than 2 million Americans have been tested for COVID-19. "It's a milestone for our country," he said. Vice President Mike Pence added that more than 100,000 tests are being conducted each day.
Trump also gave an update on the progress of medical treatments being developed to combat the virus. He said 19 therapies are currently being tested and 26 more are in "active planning for clinical trials."
UK prime minister out of ICU
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been moved out of the intensive care unit at St. Thomas' Hospital in London. "The prime minister has been moved this evening from intensive care back to the ward, where he will receive close monitoring during the early phase of his recovery," a government spokesman said in an emailed statement. "He is in extremely good spirits."
The latest figures for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims in the US grew at an unprecedented rate for the third week in a row. A total of 6,601,000 Americans applied for unemployment insurance in the week ending April 4, according to the US Department of Labor. The department also reported that the previous week's claims were revised upward from from 6,648,000 to 6,867,000.
Altogether in the past three weeks, nearly 17 million Americans have applied for unemployment insurance. Before the coronavirus pandemic crippled the US economy, about 210,000 Americans were filing new claims each week for unemployment insurance.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, reiterated to CBS This Morning that social distancing may be flattening the curve of infections. One new model based on the current high levels of social distancing now projects 60,000 deaths in the US, compared with last week's estimates of 100,000 to 240,000 deaths.
April 8
Pompeo: 50,000 Americans repatriated back to the US
During a White House coronavirus task force briefing on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the State Department has brought home 50,000 US citizens from abroad since Jan. 29. He said they were stranded in countries, including Nepal, Honduras and Peru, because of the coronavirus outbreak. The Americans were evacuated from 90 countries in total, Pompeo said. And there are still more people the State Department is trying to bring back. "We still have several thousand people," Pompeo said. "We're working on it, we chip on that number every day."
Thousands of ventilators and masks being shipped to US states
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that thousands of ventilators from the national stockpile will be sent to states in need. To date, the federal government has shipped out more than 8,000 ventilators, he said, and an additional 10,000 are reportedly "ready to go." The president said another 2,200 ventilators will become available on Monday.
The federal government has also ordered 500 million masks to ship to US states, Trump said. He explained that there were two orders, one of 200 million and another of 300 million, and the shipments are scheduled to begin in May and go through June.
More than 400,000 coronavirus cases in the US
Vice President Mike Pence gave a summary on Wednesday of how many people have been infected and killed by the coronavirus in the US. Of the 1.9 million tests that have been administered, Pence said, more than 400,000 people have tested positive for the virus and more than 14,000 people have died. "It's been a tough week for many of us," he said, adding that New York, New Jersey and Louisiana have seen the worst of it.
April 7
Trump: 'This will be a painful week'
President Trump on Tuesday encouraged Americans to do their part to help slow the spread of COVID-19 but warned that "this will be a painful week" for the country.
During a briefing at the White House, the president and other officials talked about efforts to provide medical equipment to health care workers. Trump said 110,000 ventilators are headed to states and cities with the most need in the coming months.
Trump also said he'll be asking Congress for an additional $250 billion to fund the Paycheck Protection Program, which lets small businesses get loans. The program is part of the broader $2 trillion economic relief package and was originally set to have $350 billion.
During the briefing, the president also criticized the World Health Organization's response to the pandemic and said he would consider ending funding to the group.
The Chinese city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus first emerged, was reopened on Wednesday after being sealed off since January, reported The New York Times. The lockdown ended as only three new cases were reported in the city in the past three weeks, according to the Times. People are now reportedly allowed to leave the city after showing authorities, using a government-sanctioned phone app, that they aren't a contagion risk.
Tough restrictions on individuals and businesses are still in place in Wuhan, according to the Times, and schools remain closed. Officials also reportedly continue to urge everyone to stay home as much as possible.
Pompeo: 45,000 Americans evacuated from other countries
During a press briefing Tuesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the State Department has helped more than 45,000 citizens return to the US amid the coronavirus outbreak. Americans have been evacuated from 75 countries on more than 460 flights, Pompeo said, adding that some of the efforts "could be pulled from a Hollywood script."
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reportedly stable
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson remained in stable condition overnight, according to the BBC, which cited a Downing Street spokesperson. Johnson is said to be in good spirits after going into intensive care on Monday. He's getting "standard" oxygen treatment and hasn't been diagnosed with pneumonia.
April 6
Boris Johnson in ICU
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been moved into intensive care Monday evening, Number 10 Downing Street spokesperson confirmed via email. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will be deputizing on his behalf where necessary after being asked by the prime minister.
"Since Sunday evening, the Prime Minister has been under the care of doctors at St Thomas' Hospital in London," the spokesperson said. "Over the course of this afternoon, the condition of the Prime Minister has worsened and, on the advice of his medical team, he has been moved to the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital."
President Donald Trump offered his best wishes to the prime minister during his daily press conference.
"Americans are all praying for his recovery," Trump said. "He's been a really good friend. He's been really something very special, very strong -- resolute, he doesn't quit, doesn't give up."
US deaths reach 10,000
Coronavirus deaths in the US have surpassed 10,000, according to tracking numbers from John Hopkins. As of 11:30 a.m. PT Monday, COVID-19 fatalities in the US sat at 10,335 with 347,000 cases nationwide. By comparison, deaths in Italy number 16,523, deaths in Spain are at 13,169, deaths in France number 8,093, deaths in the UK are at 5,383, deaths in Iran are at 3,739 and fatalities in China are at 3,335.
Israel on lockdown
A country-wide lockdown will begin in Israel on Tuesday until April 10. Also, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu imposed a 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew on April 8 to ensure that people stay home for the Seder as Passover begins at sundown.
Social distancing may be working
Dr. Anthony Fauci, a top expert on infectious disease and member of the coronavirus task force, offered a bit of hope in the battle against the coronavirus at the White House press conference Monday. He said the extraordinary social distancing measures that Americans have undertaken seems to be having an effect, as hotspots like New York City may soon reach their peak of infections and deaths. He cited Governor Andrew Cuomo, who noted on Monday, that the number of hospitalizations and admissions to intensive care units over the past three days has started to level off.
"Everybody who knows me knows I'm conservative about making projections," he said. "But those are the kind of good signs that you look for."
Still, Fauci cautioned about "claiming victory prematurely." But he said these reductions could mean that more good news is on the way. "That's the first thing you see when you start to see the turnaround."
He added that "despite all the suffering and the death that has occurred, what we have been doing has been working."
As for when American life may get back to normal, Fauci said that is unlikely until there is a vaccine that is widely available. He added that getting back to regular societal functions will have to happen gradually.
Also, during the press conference President Trump said that the US has completed 1.7 million tests for the coronavirus in the US. That number is up significantly from the figure given on Friday, which was 1.4 million tests completed.
April 5
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is hospitalized
Ten days after testing positive for COVID-19, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was brought to a hospital for tests, his office said. His doctor advised him to go after he displayed "persistent symptoms." His housing secretary told the BBC that Johnson is "still very much in charge of the government" despite spending the night in hospital.
Last night, on the advice of my doctor, I went into hospital for some routine tests as I’m still experiencing coronavirus symptoms. I’m in good spirits and keeping in touch with my team, as we work together to fight this virus and keep everyone safe.
— Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) April 6, 2020
April 4
In US, social distancing 'making a difference'
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a White House briefing that mitigation efforts like social distancing are helping in the country. "As sobering and as difficult as this is, what we are doing is making a difference," Fauci said.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has started testing for antibodies to see if healthy people previously had the coronavirus, The New York Times reported. The tests could help the agency better understand the virus and its spread, indicating how prevalent the virus has been and whether a significant number of people have had it without actually getting sick, the Times said. Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have topped 305,000 in the states as of Saturday afternoon Pacific Time, with more than 8,000 deaths, according to the virus-tracking dashboard put together by researchers at Johns Hopkins University.
Shifts in Europe
Spain moved past Italy as the European country with the largest number of coronavirus infections: 124,870 Spanish cases versus 124,630 Italian infections as of Saturday afternoon Pacific Time, according to the Hopkins tracking tool. Spain said it would extend its countrywide lockdown until April 25. Meanwhile, some officials in Italy are considering the idea of measuring virus antibodies in people's blood when it eventually comes time to decide who gets to leave lockdown and return to work, The New York Times reported. Such antibodies are a possible sign of immunity.
On Saturday, authorities in Italy, the first country in Europe to announce a nationwide lockdown, on March 9, said the number of coronavirus patients in hospital intensive care units had fallen for the first time, a positive sign. France also had a bit of good news, saying that the rate of coronavirus admissions to ICUs has been slowing. Still, the country's director general of health urged people to "stay at home to save lives," saying that "now is not the time to relax the effort." Across the channel, the UK reported that 708 coronavirus deaths had occurred there overnight, a record for the country.
April 3
CDC recommends masks worn outside at all times
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that people in the states wear a mask whenever they're outside their homes, President Trump announced Friday afternoon. The CDC says people should use a basic cloth or fabric mask that can be washed and reused, and should leave medical or surgical grade masks for health workers. But Trump emphasized that it's a voluntary recommendation, and he doesn't want to wear one.
"With the masks it's going to be really a voluntary thing … I'm choosing not to do it," Trump said. "It may be good, probably good ... maybe I'll change my mind."
Trump added during Friday's briefing that he's leaving stay at home orders up to each state's governor, with Vice President Mike Pence saying the task force is continuing to target outbreaks in Detroit, Chicago, Boston and New Orleans, as well as in New York, New Jersey and Maryland. Coronavirus treatment will be free for everyone in the US, Pence said, and 1.4 million tests have now been performed across the country. Trump has also invoked the Defense Production Act to prohibit the export of medical equipment to other countries.
The federal stimulus payment will be directly deposited into millions of bank accounts by April 15, the Treasury Department said. However, the Associated Press says people without direct deposit information might not get paid until mid August or later.
April 2
Americans aren't doing enough to flatten the curve
Social distancing effectively prevents new coronavirus cases, but some Americans aren't taking the president's guidelines seriously, the White House warned Thursday. That could lead to more outbreaks and make it harder to get the virus in check, an expert said, making it imperative for people to stay away from others to avoid getting sick.
Dr. Deborah Birx, a doctor advising the administration during the COVID-19 pandemic, noted that the curve depicting infections over time in parts of the US has been steep, which indicates the coronavirus isn't under control. That's because not everyone is following recommendations to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people, stay at least six feet apart and wash their hands. People falling sick now were infected after the US issued those guidelines, Birx said.
"We're all trying to protect each other, and we have to adapt to this new reality we're in right now," she added. "Trying really, really hard for this next 28 days ... will make a tremendous difference."
The US will likely recommend everyone wear masks
Currently, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says members of the general public don't need to wear face masks unless they're sick or caring for someone who is ill. But many outbreaks and infections are being caused by people who are infected but show no symptoms.
Vice President Mike Pence said new mask-wearing guidelines could be issued in the next several days. It's likely the new recommendation will say that all people should wear cloth masks outside their homes, whether they're sick or not. At the same time, people wearing masks should exercise the same caution and social distancing steps as if they weren't wearing masks.
The president on Friday will announce plans to pay for uninsured coronavirus patient care
The White House has declined to re-open Obamacare health coverage enrollment to help people afford medical bills without going bankrupt. Instead, Pence on Thursday said President Trump will soon announce plans to directly reimburse hospitals for expenses related to uninsured coronavirus patients. The money likely will come from a $100 billion fund set up to help hospitals during the pandemic, Pence said. He said Trump will make a decision about the plan on Friday.
Global coronavirus cases surpass 1 million
Coronavirus cases globally have reached the 1 million milestone, with more than 50,000 deaths worldwide. The US has the highest case count, at over 236,000, while Italy has the highest number of fatalities, at almost 14,000.
Trump invokes Defense Production Act
In addition to using the legislation last week to compel GM to make ventilators, Trump has announced invoking the Act to ensure manufacturers including General Electric, Hill-Rom, Medtronic, ResMed, Royal Philips, and Vyaire Medical can "secure the supplies they need to build ventilators needed to defeat the virus." More than 100,000 ventilators are being built right now or soon to be started, Trump said during the White House coronavirus task force briefing. 3M is also working on face masks as part of the Defense Production Act, and GM will begin production of ventilators "very soon," Trump added.
The new figures for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims in the US grew at a jaw-dropping rate in just one week. A total of 6,648,000 Americans applied for unemployment insurance in the week ending March 28, according to the US Department of Labor.
That figure blows away last week's record-breaking 3.3 million initial claims. And they both look nothing like the figures from earlier in March before the brunt of the pandemic hit the US economy. For the week ending March 14, the number of new claims was 282,000.
As the unemployment figures were released on Thursday morning, the number of US coronavirus cases had topped 216,000. And the number of deaths in the US had surpassed 5,100.
April 1
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Coronavirus lockdown: Why social distancing saves lives
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More states announce lockdown as US cases hit 200,000
As of 2:00 p.m. PT, there were more than 200,000 cases in the US.
March 31
White House warns of heavy possible death toll in US
As many as 100,000 to 240,000 Americans could die from the coronavirus pandemic even with measures like social distancing, a model presented by the White House showed. But the model, from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is based on data from Italy, New York and New Jersey, which have suffered serious outbreaks, and doesn't necessarily reflect what will happen elsewhere. "Models are only as good as the assumptions you put into them. As we get more data, you put it in, and that might change," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
The dire projections would come to pass if there were major outbreaks in big cities like Houston, Dallas, Chicago and Los Angeles, said Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator. "I don't believe that's going to happen," she said, basing her view on early favorable developments in cities like Seattle and Los Angeles. Even in Italy, "they're beginning to turn the corner in terms of new cases."
Even with social distancing showing some positive results, though, President Trump warned it's "going to be a very bad two or three weeks." The US federal government has nearly 10,000 ventilators, a key piece of medical equipment for treating the respiratory problems caused by COVID-19, but it's withholding most of them now. The government has sent 400 to Michigan, 300 to New Jersey, 150 to Louisiana and 50 to Connecticut, Vice President Mike Pence said. Another 450 each are being sent now to New York and Illinois.
US deaths outnumber China's
The US, Italy, Spain and France all have more deaths than China, according to tracking numbers from John Hopkins University and Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center. As of 2:00 p.m. PT on March 31, Italy is sitting at 12,428 deaths; Spain at 8,269 deaths; the US at 3,606 deaths; France at 3,532 deaths; and China at 3,309 deaths.
Apple reportedly planning to pay hourly contractors
Apple has committed to paying its hourly contract workers, according to the Wall Street Journal. This reportedly includes janitors, bus drivers and other campus workers whose jobs have been suspended due to the spread of COVID-19.
CNN anchor Chris Cuomo tests positive
Chris Cuomo, CNN anchor and brother of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that he's been diagnosed with COVID-19 and is quarantined and working from his home basement. "I will do my shows from here," he wrote in a statement. "We will all beat this by being smart and tough and united." Andrew Cuomo has been a highly visible figure in the crisis and Chris Cuomo has covered the pandemic extensively on his daily news show, Cuomo Prime Time.
PC sales have doubled compared to this time last year, according to data from analyst firm NPD Group. Computer monitor sales are up twofold, mice and keyboard sales have grown by 10% and notebook sales are also up 10%. "Even as we are all stuck in our homes, sheltering in place or under quarantine, work demands continue," Stephen Baker, VP and industry advisor of NPD's Technology and Mobile, said. "The shift to working from home has also breathed new life into categories that were in decline, such as web cameras."
March 30
States extend lockdown orders
With the federal social distancing guidelines extended through the end of April, several states and counties have announced longer lockdowns for residents.
In an effort to prevent clogging plumbing during the coronavirus, the US Environmental Protection Agency is urging people to only flush toilet paper. "Preventable toilet and sewer backups can pose a threat to human health and present an extra challenge to our water utilities," EPA said. "Flushing anything other than toilet paper, including disinfecting wipes, can damage internal plumbing, local sewer systems and septic systems."
US crosses testing milestone
The US has tested 1 million samples for the coronavirus and has ramped up its testing capacity to 100,000 samples a day, US President Trump said at the White House's daily briefing. The administration also said that the US has developed 20 different emergency testing options and that tomorrow Abbott Laboratories will begin shipping a rapid test that can return a positive result in as quickly as five minutes.
March 29
Federal guidelines extended to April 30
President Trump has extended federal guidelines advising social distancing to the end of next month. The guidelines ask Americans who are older or have underlying health conditions to stay home, as well as anyone who is sick. The guidelines were released on March 16 and were originally expected to last 15 days.
Last week, Trump had said he would like to see people attending services on Easter, which falls on April 12. At a press conference announcing the extension of the guidelines, Trump said his comments about packing churches for the holiday were "an aspiration." Based on current models, he added, ending the guidelines now could lead to a situation where death numbers go down and then spike up again. "We don't want that to happen," Trump said.
Later Saturday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention instead issued a domestic travel advisory, urging residents of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut not to travel for 14 days. This unusual move led Trump to tweet that a "quarantine will not be necessary."
Separately, Cuomo said the death toll in the state had reached 728, with the total number of cases climbing above 52,000. New York City itself has over 29,000 cases, with more than 500 deaths as of Saturday morning, officials said. Cuomo also tweeted that New York would move its presidential primary to June 23. It was originally set for April 28.
Tragic new milestones
Two days ago, the US reached 1,000 deaths due to coronavirus. On Saturday, that figure crossed 2,000. And a baby in Chicago became the first infant in the US to die from coronavirus, according to CNN.
In Italy, the number of deaths passed 10,000.
Ireland says stay at home
In Europe, Ireland joined the list of countries issuing lockdown orders. "You can buy food and attend medical appointments and even get out for some exercise but you are being asked to do as little as you possibly can," reads a notice on a government website.
March 27
5-minute virus test gets OK from FDA
Under an emergency-use authorization, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a coronavirus test that can offer results within minutes. "You can get a positive result in five minutes and a negative result in 13 minutes. You can walk into a clinic and literally get results while you are there," an executive at Abbott Laboratories, which developed the test, told Reuters. Abbott said it plans to begin distributing the test next week and will increase manufacturing to 50,000 tests per day, the news agency reported. A week ago, the FDA approved a coronavirus test with a detection time of about 45 minutes.
US hits 100,000 cases
After surpassing China on Thursday, the US now has more than 100,000 COVID-19 cases. According to tracking numbers from Johns Hopkins University, the US is sitting at around 101,657 cases as of 3:30 p.m. PT. Italy has overtaken China in the last 24 hours, at 86,498 cases compared with China's 81,897.
Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to force General Motors to make ventilators, he said during a coronavirus task force briefing. It came after Trump tweeted earlier Friday that GM must "start making ventilators now." After signing agreements with other private companies, Trump said there'll be 100,000 more ventilators in the next 100 days -- and said any excess units will be given globally to countries that need them most.
Boeing is also pitching in, and will make thousands of plastic face shields each week and supply three planes to carry supplies, Trump said.
US House passes $2 trillion stimulus package
The House of Representatives approved a $2 trillion relief bill meant to respond to economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. The bill expands unemployment insurance, provides direct payments to many Americans and includes hundreds of billions of dollars in loans for businesses and for local and state governments.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus, his office announced. The 55-year-old has been displaying mild symptoms since Thursday, but will remain in charge of the government's handling of the crisis, his office stated.
"I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government's response via video-conference as we fight this virus," Johnson said in a tweet, which included his video tribute to the UK's National Health Service.
Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus.
I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government’s response via video-conference as we fight this virus.
The US now has the most coronavirus cases globally at around 82,400, surpassing China's 81,700. Trump called it "a tribute to our testing." The president said he spoke with the governors of all 50 states and US territories on his idea to classify counties as either low, medium and high risk in an effort to update guidance on social distancing. "Our country has to go back to work," he said during a White House coronavirus task force briefing.
Trump also spoke to G20 world leaders, including Germany, Australia, Russia, China, Japan, India and Saudi Arabia, as well as organizations like the UN, European Commission, WHO, World Bank and the IMO, to discuss how each are dealing with the pandemic.
Initial jobless claims surpass anything in US history
"In the week ending March 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 3,283,000, an increase of 3,001,000 from the previous week's revised level," the Labor Department said. "This marks the highest level of seasonally adjusted initial claims in the history of the seasonally adjusted series. The previous high was 695,000 in October of 1982."
US Department of Labor
US crosses 1,000 deaths
The number of COVID-19 deaths in the US has reached 1,046, the Johns Hopkins University tracking site reported Thursday morning, and the number of cases has surpassed 69,000.
Worldwide, the number of deaths has hit 21,100 and the number of cases has topped 463,000.
March 25
US Senate passes $2 trillion stimulus package
The Senate passed a sweeping $2 trillion aid package 96-0 on Wednesday night. Four senators were absent because they have either tested positive for coronavirus or are self-isolating. The House may pass the legislation this week on a voice vote, allowing representatives to remain away from the Capitol as fears of infection rise. According to CBS News, the package includes:
Direct payments of $1,200 to most adults making up to $75,000, or $2,400 for couples making up to $150,000. Each dependent child increases the amount by $500. The amount decreases for individuals with incomes above $75,000, and payments cut off for those above $99,000.
Expanded unemployment benefits that boost the maximum benefit by $600 per week and provide laid-off workers their full pay for four months. Eligibility is extended to independent contractors and the self-employed.
$130 billion for hospitals.
Hundreds of billions of dollars in loans for businesses and for local and state governments.
Apple donates millions more masks worldwide
Apple CEO Tim Cook provided an update on the tech giant's efforts to help the world through COVID-19, saying Apple has now "sourced, procured and is donating 10 million masks to the medical community in the United States." This is in addition to "millions more" donated to the hardest hit European regions. "Our ops teams are helping to find and purchase masks from our supply chain in coordination with governments around the world," Cook tweeted.
1 million Californians have filed for unemployment in the last 12 days, Gov. Gavin Newsom said. He added California has now distributed 24.5 million N95 masks, and has ordered 100 million new masks. Newsom also secured commitments from Wells Fargo, Citi, JPMorgan and US Bank to waive mortgage payments for the next 90 days for people impacted by the coronavirus. Bank of America only agreed to a 30-day period.
Prince Charles tests positive, self-isolates in Scotland
Prince Charles, the 71-year-old heir to the British throne, has tested positive for coronavirus, according to a spokesperson for the royal family. He's been "displaying mild symptoms" of COVID-19 but is otherwise in good health and working from home, his office said in a statement.
His wife, Camilla, has tested negative, and the couple is self-isolating at home in Scotland.
Prince Charles tested positive for coronavirus and is displaying "mild" COVID-19 symptoms.
Andrew Matthews-WPA Pool/Getty Images
"It is not possible to ascertain from whom the Prince caught the virus owing to the high number of engagements he carried out in his public role during recent weeks," his office said.
Charles last saw his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on March 12, the BBC reported, but the 93-year-old British monarch "remains in good health."
March 24
Senate, White House agree on $2 trillion stimulus package
US senators and the White House reached a deal to deliver a nearly $2 trillion stimulus package, according to The New York Times. The stimulus bill is the largest in US history and is expected to provide financial aid to individuals as well as struggling businesses. A Senate vote is expected Wednesday.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are done. We have a deal," said Eric Ueland, White House legislative affairs director, at approximately 10 p.m. PT Tuesday.
The legislation, according to The Washington Post, will send many American adults $1,200 and children around $500. It will also boost small businesses with a $367 billion loan program, and hospitals are set to receive $150 billion in funding.
India in total lockdown
The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, ordered the entire country -- 1.3 billion people in total -- to stay home for 21 days starting March 25. The extreme measures were announced late Tuesday, with Modi stating that "the only option is social distancing, to remain away from each other. There is no way out to escape from coronavirus besides this."
Worldwide cases are approaching 420,000, but India has so far reported just over 500 cases, with 10 deaths.
Apple donates 9 million masks
Vice President Mike Pence said 9 million masks have now been donated by Apple. The remarks came during a White House briefing Tuesday afternoon, where Trump added that coming soon to hospitals around the nation are medical supplies including 8 million respirators, 14 million masks, 2.4 million face shields, 1.9 million surgical gowns, 13.5 million gloves and more than 4,000 ventilators.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said randomized tests are being done on a number of drugs, which are "queueing up to go to clinical trial."
Trump hopes to have US open by Easter
During a town hall hosted by Fox News on Tuesday, President Trump said he would love to have the US "opened up and raring to go by Easter," which is on April 12. The president added that people will still have to practice social distancing, but reiterated that the cure cannot be worse than the problem.
"I gave it two weeks and we'll assess at that time," said Trump, referencing his 15-day timeline to slow the spread. "But we have to open this country up."
Speaking further on the Easter plan during the White House briefing Tuesday afternoon, Trump conceded that some sections of the country may have to be opened one at a time.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics postponed
The Olympic Games, originally set for this summer in Tokyo, have been postponed due to the coronavirus. In a joint statement Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee and Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee said the decision was made to protect athletes and everyone else involved in the sporting event.
The Games will be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020, but no later than summer 2021, said the IOC. The Olympic flame will remain in Japan, and event leaders say they hope it will serve as a "light at the end of the tunnel" for the world.
March 23
Trump says US will be open for business 'soon'
During a White House briefing, President Trump said the US "wasn't built to be shut down," and he is hoping local data can be used to advise areas of when they can "cautiously" resume normal activities. "America will be open for business a lot sooner than three or four months," the president said. "We cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself."
Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus task force coordinator, said self-collected nasal swabbing is going to be made available later this week at clinics and drive-through sites. Birx added around 250,000 people have been tested in the last week.
Also during the press conference, Attorney General William Barr said people hoarding essential medical supplies like face masks and hand sanitizer will "hear a knock at the door." New laws prohibit both hoarding and price gouging.
The UK is on lockdown
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a lockdown for the UK starting Monday night, with gatherings of more than two people banned unless they're from the same household, and all non-essential stores and most public places closing. People are allowed to leave home only for essential shopping, medical needs, one form of exercise per day and travel to and from work only when absolutely necessary.
"From this evening, I must give the British people a very simple instruction: You must stay at home," Johnson said. Visiting friends and family from other households is banned. Police have been given the power to enforce the new rules, including through fines and dispersing gatherings.
Amazon will be delivering and picking up coronavirus test kits in Seattle, with the program part of the Seattle Coronavirus Assessment Network (SCAN) backed by the Gates Foundation. If a person tests positive after the test kit is analyzed, they will be contacted by a health care worker. "Responding to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 crisis must be a community effort and requires support from both the private and public sectors," Kristen Helton, director of Amazon Care, said. "We ... are eager to leverage Amazon Care's infrastructure and logistics capabilities to support this local effort."
US surgeon general warns things will get worse
Dr. Jerome Adams, the US surgeon general, warned Monday that the coronavirus outbreak in the US will get worse before it gets better. "We really need everyone to understand this is serious, to lean into what they can do to flatten the curve," Adams told CBS This Morning. He added that it will be awhile before "life gets back to normal" and stressed that Americans must take steps "right now" to help stop the spread.
Congressman with coronavirus hospitalized
Utah Rep. Ben McAdams, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week, was hospitalized on Friday after experiencing a "severe shortness of breath." McAdams said Sunday that he's feeling better and expects to be released once doctors determine it's appropriate. In his message, the Democratic congressman also urged people to follow advice from the CDC and Utah Department of Health to stop the spread of the virus.
Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a report by Deadline. Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison in March on sexual assault and rape charges and recently transferred to Wende Correctional Facility in New York. Deadline reports he has been placed in medical isolation, but public relations representatives of Weinstein have no knowledge of the positive diagnosis.
GameStop backflips on decision to stay open
Days after defending its decision to stay open during the coronavirus pandemic, claiming it was providing "essential retail," video game giant GameStop is closing stores to customers. It will allow curb-side pickups and continue to handle online orders.
"This is an unprecedented time and each day brings new information about the COVID-19 pandemic," George Sherman, GameStop's CEO, said in a press release announcing the change. "Our priority has been and continues to be on the well-being of our employees, customers and business partners."
Australian lockdown measures in place
The Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, has announced that stricter lockdown measures will now be enforced and that the country's pubs, restaurants, bars, clubs, gyms and other "nonessential" services will be shut from midday on Monday, March 23. Morrison also requested all Australians stay home unless travel is essential.
"Those holidays that you may have been planning to take interstate over the school holidays are canceled," Morrison noted in a press briefing on March 22.
Australia's states and territories have also begun closing borders and will enforce 14-day quarantines for any domestic travelers. South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory all announced any incoming travelers would be required to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival by air, land or sea.
Another sport gets postponed: Australian Rules Football
In light of the new lockdown measures in Australia, the Australian Football League -- the country's preeminent professional sporting competition -- has decided to postpone the season indefinitely. The AFL had planned to forge ahead with the first round of the season, playing in empty stadiums, but the new measures have made playing on untenable.
Gillon McLachlan, AFL CEO, said it would be an understatement to call the coronavirus pandemic "the most serious threat to our game in 100 years." At the earliest, the AFL will continue its season in June, but a decision on its fate will not be made until the end of April.
Rand Paul tests positive
Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican of Kentucky, has tested positive for coronavirus. In a tweet Sunday, Paul's account revealed the results and is in quarantine. According to the tweet, Paul is "asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events," with a followup tweet noting that his staff has been operating remotely and that he "expects to be back in the Senate after his quarantine period ends."
Paul is the first US senator to test positive for the virus.
Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19. He is feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events. He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has entered quarantine after being told that a doctor who gave her a pneumonia vaccine Friday has tested positive for coronavirus. According to the Associated Press, Merkel was put into quarantine shortly after a press conference on Sunday where she announced some "new measures to curb the spread of the virus." The country has added a ban on gatherings of more than two people in a bid to slow the pandemic.
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The US will halt funding to the World Health Organization after Donald Trump accused the global health body of “severely mismanaging” the coronavirus pandemic.
The president said hundreds of millions of dollars in US funding would be suspended while a review was conducted to assess the WHO’s “role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus”. He also criticised the organisation’s relationship with China.
“American taxpayers provide between $400m and $500m per year to the WHO; in contrast China contributes roughly $40m a year, even less,” Mr Trump said on Tuesday. “As the organisation’s leading sponsor, the United States has a duty to insist on full accountability.”
The US, where almost 26,000 people have died from Covid-19, is the largest single contributor to the WHO. It gives the body about $500m each year, with $116m mandated by the UN and about another $400m in voluntary payments.
“With the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have deep concerns whether America’s generosity has been put to the best use possible,” Mr Trump said.
The WHO has failed not only the American people, it has failed the world with its flagrant mishandling of the response to Covid-19
“The reality is that the WHO failed to adequately obtain, vet and share information in a timely and transparent fashion.”
Democrats criticised Mr Trump’s decision, accusing the president of trying to distract voters from his own handling of Covid-19, having initially said the virus would disappear “like a miracle”.
Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator and member of the foreign relations committee, said the decision was made to distract Americans from Mr Trump’s management of the outbreak. “Halting payments to the WHO because of China’s failure to alert the public about coronavirus is a blatant ploy by the president to cast blame elsewhere for his own inaction. Pulling out of the WHO makes America much less safe,” he said.
Nita Lowey, a Democratic congresswoman from New York, accused the president of playing “counterproductive political games”.
“If we don’t eradicate it everywhere, we are still at risk here, which is why the president should not be taking valuable tools away from international health experts who are fighting a battle he largely ignored and downplayed,” she said.
On Wednesday, Zhao Lijian, China's foreign ministry spokesperson, said Washington’s decision would “weaken the capabilities of the WHO, harm international co-operation against the epidemic, and affect various countries including the USA itself domestically”.
China’s state media also announced that President Xi Jinping would publish an essay titled “United co-operation is the most powerful weapon of the international community in winning the war against the epidemic” in Thursday’s edition of Qiushi, a Communist party journal.
But Australia has also expressed concerns about the WHO’s handling of the pandemic, calling for greater transparency from the health body on the causes of the outbreak.
Editor’s note
The Financial Times is making key coronavirus coverage free to read to help everyone stay informed. Find the latest here.
Scott Morrison, Australia’s prime minister, criticised the WHO’s apparent refusal to advise China to keep its wet markets closed, which are thought to have been the source of the outbreak in Wuhan.
“On the issue of the wet markets, I just find it baffling. I just don’t get it,” Mr Morrison said.
Mr Trump’s decision won favour with Republicans on Capitol Hill, who have repeatedly censured the WHO and questioned its links with China.
Jim Risch, the Republican senator from Idaho who chairs the Senate foreign relations committee, said last week that the health body had become a “political puppet of the Chinese government” and called for an independent investigation into the organisation.
“The WHO has failed not only the American people, it has failed the world with its flagrant mishandling of the response to Covid-19,” Mr Risch said.
In January, the WHO said there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission of Covid-19. But as China confirmed the first cases of human-to-human transmission, the WHO announced there was “some limited” direct transmission among humans.
Later that month, the WHO described the virus as a global emergency, yet recommended countries keep their borders open. That same day, Mr Trump banned most travel from China to the US.
Separately on Tuesday, Republican senators Rick Scott, Ron Johnson, Martha McSally, Kevin Cramer, Steve Daines, Todd Young and Joni Ernst sent a letter to the WHO requesting more information on its “role in helping the Chinese Communist party cover up information regarding the threat of the coronavirus”.
Ronald Waldman, a public health professor at George Washington University who previously worked at the WHO, said the body was of “vital importance” to most countries and “should not be held responsible for the course of the pandemic in the US”.
“The US citizenry may not immediately suffer from a decision to withdraw funding from the organisation, but many people around the world who depend on WHO programmes to develop and guide policies that protect their health and the health of their children will,” he added.
Additional reporting by Jamie Smyth in Sydney and Yuan Yang in Beijing
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Trump suspends funding to World Health Organization US president accuses health body of ‘covering up’ coronavirus outbreak Donald Trump: ‘The reality is that the WHO failed to adequately obtain, vet and share information’
The US will halt funding to the World Health Organization after Donald Trump accused the global health body of “severely mismanaging” the coronavirus pandemic. The president said hundreds of millions of dollars in US funding would be suspended while a review was conducted to assess the WHO’s “role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus”.
He also criticised the organisation’s relationship with China. “American taxpayers provide between $400m and $500m per year to the WHO; in contrast China contributes roughly $40m a year, even less,” Mr Trump said on Tuesday. “As the organisation’s leading sponsor, the United States has a duty to insist on full accountability.” The US, where almost 26,000 people have died from Covid-19, is the largest single contributor to the WHO. It gives the body about $500m each year, with $116m mandated by the UN and about another $400m in voluntary payments. “With the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have deep concerns whether America’s generosity has been put to the best use possible,” Mr Trump said.
The WHO has failed not only the American people, it has failed the world with its flagrant mishandling of the response to Covid-19 Jim Risch, Republican senator “The reality is that the WHO failed to adequately obtain, vet and share information in a timely and transparent fashion.”
Democrats criticised Mr Trump’s decision, accusing the president of trying to distract voters from his own handling of Covid-19, having initially said the virus would disappear “like a miracle”. Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator and member of the foreign relations committee, said the decision was made to distract Americans from Mr Trump’s management of the outbreak. “Halting payments to the WHO because of China’s failure to alert the public about coronavirus is a blatant ploy by the president to cast blame elsewhere for his own inaction.
Pulling out of the WHO makes America much less safe,” he said. Nita Lowey, a Democratic congresswoman from New York, accused the president of playing “counterproductive political games”. “If we don’t eradicate it everywhere, we are still at risk here, which is why the president should not be taking valuable tools away from international health experts who are fighting a battle he largely ignored and downplayed,” she said.
On Wednesday, Zhao Lijian, China's foreign ministry spokesperson, said Washington’s decision would “weaken the capabilities of the WHO, harm international co-operation against the epidemic, and affect various countries including the USA itself domestically”.
China’s state media also announced that President Xi Jinping would publish an essay titled “United co-operation is the most powerful weapon of the international community in winning the war against the epidemic” in Thursday’s edition of Qiushi, a Communist party journal.
But Australia has also expressed concerns about the WHO’s handling of the pandemic, calling for greater transparency from the health body on the causes of the outbreak. Editor’s note The Financial Times is making key coronavirus coverage free to read to help everyone stay informed.
The WHO has failed not only the American people, it has failed the world with its flagrant mishandling of the response to Covid-19
Scott Morrison, Australia’s prime minister, criticised the WHO’s apparent refusal to advise China to keep its wet markets closed, which are thought to have been the source of the outbreak in Wuhan.
“On the issue of the wet markets, I just find it baffling. I just don’t get it,” Mr Morrison said. Mr Trump’s decision won favour with Republicans on Capitol Hill, who have repeatedly censured the WHO and questioned its links with China.
Jim Risch, the Republican senator from Idaho who chairs the Senate foreign relations committee, said last week that the health body had become a “political puppet of the Chinese government” and called for an independent investigation into the organisation. “The WHO has failed not only the American people, it has failed the world with its flagrant mishandling of the response to Covid-19,” Mr Risch said.
Recommended Izabella Kaminska The world needs a new, depoliticised WHO
In January, the WHO said there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission of Covid-19. But as China confirmed the first cases of human-to-human transmission, the WHO announced there was “some limited” direct transmission among humans.
Later that month, the WHO described the virus as a global emergency, yet recommended countries keep their borders open.
That same day, Mr Trump banned most travel from China to the US. Separately on Tuesday, Republican senators Rick Scott, Ron Johnson, Martha McSally, Kevin Cramer, Steve Daines, Todd Young and Joni Ernst sent a letter to the WHO requesting more information on its “role in helping the Chinese Communist party cover up information regarding the threat of the coronavirus”.
Ronald Waldman, a public health professor at George Washington University who previously worked at the WHO, said the body was of “vital importance” to most countries and “should not be held responsible for the course of the pandemic in the US”.
“The US citizenry may not immediately suffer from a decision to withdraw funding from the organisation, but many people around the world who depend on WHO programmes to develop and guide policies that protect their health and the health of their children will,” he added.
“YOU are very aware that if something goes wrong, it goes very wrong very quickly,” says Joanne Johnson, speaking from her tent near Thwaites glacier in one of the remotest parts of Antarctica. At the time, she and three colleagues were alone, more than 1600 kilometres from the nearest research station. Strong winds had pounded them and it had snowed heavily, making the terrain even more perilous. On the bright side, it was mercifully mild, at -5°C.
Until now, fewer than 50 people have been to this part of West Antarctica, less than have been to space. By the end of this month, 100 will have visited. The reason why is simple: Thwaites is a potential climate time bomb that we need to learn much more about.
This vast glacier is about the size of Great Britain. While it has been shrinking since the early 1990s, ice loss has almost doubled over the past 20 years. It is shedding a dizzying 35 billion tonnes a year. On its own, its collapse would raise seas by around 65 centimetres. That is worrying enough in the context of the 19-cm rise in the whole of the 20th century. But the bigger worry is that this glacier buttresses the entire West Antarctic ice sheet. If Thwaites goes, the fear is it will trigger a wider collapse of ice – enough to raise seas by a calamitous 3.3 metres within a few hundred years.
Sometimes all you (or someone else) needs to turn a bad day around is a genuine smile. Smiling heals, brings on happy endorphins and gives genuine positive vibes to the people around you. These smile quotes show the power of smiling, and why you should smile as often as possible in your daily life.
Quotes on the Power of Smiling
“A smile is so sexy, yet so warm. When someone genuinely smiles at you, it’s the greatest feeling in the world.” – Mandy Moore
“I don’t always like walking down the street and making sure that I smile and say hello to everybody who’s walking their dog in the opposite direction. But I do do it. And it’s a small, tiny thing to do. But to me, it means ‘I see you. You’re not invisible to me.'” – Patty Griffin
“Somebody said to me, ‘Whenever somebody says your name, a smile comes to their face.’ That’s a great accolade. I strive to keep it that way.” – Clarence Clemons
“Lighten up, just enjoy life, smile more, laugh more, and don’t get so worked up about things.” – Kenneth Branagh
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo Buscaglia
“I have witnessed the softening of the hardest of hearts by a simple smile.” – Goldie Hawn
“Smile, smile, smile at your mind as often as possible. Your smiling will considerably reduce your mind’s tearing tension.” – Sri Chinmoy
“If the world’s a veil of tears, Smile till rainbows span it.” – Lucy Larcom
“I eat every two hours. I sleep for eight hours. I have lots of water. I pray to keep calm. Most importantly, I have a smile on my face.” – Vidya Balan
“If you’re able to help some people and make them smile and make them realize that life is good, then that’s worth so much more than buying a pair of shoes.” – Maria Sharapova
“If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
“Obama’s stern demeanor punctuated by intermittent flashes of his wide, relaxing smile is his greatest weapon in defusing pent-up angst.” – Tina Brown
“A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles.” – William Hazlitt
“If you have only one smile in you give it to the people you love.” – Maya Angelou
“When I look out at the people and they look at me and they’re smiling, then I know that I’m loved. That is the time when I have no worries, no problems.” – Etta James
“Share your smile with the world. It’s a symbol of friendship and peace.” – Christie Brinkley
Funny Smile Quotes to Brighten Your Day
“My favorite thing to do as a kid was pretend I was in the opening credits of a sitcom. As the theme song would play, I’d look up at the imaginary camera and smile as my name would flash on the screen.” – Adam F. Goldberg
“Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles.” – George Eliot
“Smile, it’s better than a poke in the eye.” – Douglas Horton
“My cheeks explode when I smile. That’s why I have to look so nonplussed.” – Rufus Wainwright
Quotes on Smiling and Perseverance
“My worst day, I’m just going to try and smile.” – Iman Shumpert
“I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death.” – Leonardo da Vinci
“We all have our down days, but it’s not hard to smile and say, ‘Thank you.'” – Yvette Nicole Brown
“Give yourself ten years of failing with a smile on your face. If, after ten years, you still have the passion, you’re heading to success!” – Walshy Fire
“Whatever comes in my way, I take it with smile.” – Kubra Sait
Quotes on Kids and Smiling
“Youth smiles without any reason. It is one of its chiefest charms.” – Thomas Gray
“If you see a kid who’s not having the best day, you can make the day better just by giving him a smile. Or her.” – Jacob Tremblay
“It is a great day anytime I can bring a smile to a girl or boy, knowing that I am helping to inspire them to always dream big.” – Normani Kordei
Einstein may have been a physicist, but he sounded off on all sorts of topics in a way you’d only expect from a certified genius. Albert Einstein quotes are quirky, fun, and at times encouraging and always thoughtful. Here are some of his best quotes on all sorts of topics.
“We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us.” -Albert Einstein
“Although I am a typical loner in my daily life, my awareness of belonging to the invisible community of those who strive for truth, beauty, and justice has prevented me from feelings of isolation.” -Albert Einstein
“He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.” -Albert Einstein
“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” -Albert Einstein
“Without deep reflection one knows from daily life that one exists for other people.” -Albert Einstein
“The human spirit must prevail over technology.” -Albert Einstein
“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” -Albert Einstein
“Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.” -Albert Einstein
“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” -Albert Einstein
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” -Albert Einstein
“The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.” -Albert Einstein
“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” -Albert Einstein
“It would be possible to describe everything scientifically, but it would make no sense; it would be without meaning, as if you described a Beethoven symphony as a variation of wave pressure.” -Albert Einstein
“When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That’s relativity.” -Albert Einstein
“Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.” -Albert Einstein
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” -Albert Einstein
“All generalizations are false, including this one.” -Albert Einstein
“To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science.” -Albert Einstein
“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” -Albert Einstein
“Never memorize something that you can look up.” -Albert Einstein
“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” -Albert Einstein
“True religion is real living; living with all one’s soul, with all one’s goodness and righteousness.” -Albert Einstein
“Strange is our situation here on Earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that man is here for the sake of other men – above all for those upon whose smiles and well-being our own happiness depends.” -Albert Einstein
“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science.” -Albert Einstein
“There comes a time when the mind takes a higher plane of knowledge but can never prove how it got there.” -Albert Einstein
“Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.” -Albert Einstein
“The only real valuable thing is intuition.” -Albert Einstein
“Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.” -Albert Einstein
“Human beings must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it.” -Albert Einstein
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” -Albert Einstein
“Anyone who doesn’t take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either.” -Albert Einstein
“The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.” -Albert Einstein
“Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character.” -Albert Einstein
“Everything is determined, the beginning as well as the end, by forces over which we have no control. It is determined for the insect, as well as for the star. Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper.” -Albert Einstein
“Black holes are where God divided by zero.” -Albert Einstein
“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” -Albert Einstein
“Most people say that it is the intellect which makes a great scientist. They are wrong: it is character.” -Albert Einstein
“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” -Albert Einstein
“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” -Albert Einstein
“Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.” -Albert Einstein
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” -Albert Einstein
“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” -Albert Einstein
“A ship is always safe at the shore – but that is NOT what it is built for.” -Albert Einstein
“Technological progress is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal.” -Albert Einstein
“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.” -Albert Einstein
“I never made one of my discoveries through the process of rational thinking” -Albert Einstein
“Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” -Albert Einstein
“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” -Albert Einstein
“The only source of knowledge is experience.” -Albert Einstein
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” -Albert Einstein
“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.” -Albert Einstein
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.” -Albert Einstein
“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” -Albert Einstein
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” -Albert Einstein
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” -Albert Einstein
“Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.” -Albert Einstein
“Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.” -Albert Einstein
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” -Albert Einstein
“Excellence is doing a common thing in an uncommon way.” -Albert Einstein
“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” -Albert Einstein
“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” -Albert Einstein
“Intellectuals solve problems, geniuses prevent them.” -Albert Einstein
“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” -Albert Einstein
“Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.” -Albert Einstein
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” -Albert Einstein
“That deep emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God.” -Albert Einstein
“The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer somebody else up.” -Albert Einstein
“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” -Albert Einstein
“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” – Maya Angelou
“If you have only one smile in you give it to the people you love.” – Maya Angelou
“Whatever you want to do, if you want to be great at it, you have to love it and be able to make sacrifices for it.” – Maya Angelou
“We write for the same reason that we walk, talk, climb mountains or swim the oceans – because we can. We have some impulse within us that makes us want to explain ourselves to other human beings. That’s why we paint, that’s why we dare to love someone – because we have the impulse to explain who we are.” – Maya Angelou
“Love is like a virus. It can happen to anybody at any time.” – Maya Angelou
“In the flush of love’s light, we dare be brave. And suddenly we see that love costs all we are, and will ever be. Yet it is only love which sets us free.” – Maya Angelou
“My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return.” – Maya Angelou
“If we lose love and self respect for each other, this is how we finally die.” – Maya Angelou
“The loss of young first love is so painful that it borders on the ludicrous.” – Maya Angelou
“Loving someone liberates the lover as well as the beloved. And that kind of love comes with age.” – Maya Angelou
“You can’t forgive without loving. And I don’t mean sentimentality. I don’t mean mush. I mean having enough courage to stand up and say, ‘I forgive. I’m finished with it.'” – Maya Angelou
“I know for sure that loves saves me and that it is here to save us all.” – Maya Angelou
“I love wisdom. And you can never be great at anything unless you love it. Not be in love with it, but love the thing, admire the thing. And it seems that if you love the thing, and you don’t just want to possess it, it will find you.” – Maya Angelou
“The love of the family, the love of one person can heal. It heals the scars left by a larger society. A massive, powerful society.” – Maya Angelou
Guidelines for Teacher Recommendation Letters Teacher recommendations are an extremely valuable aspect in the NJGSS admissions process, and we thank you for your efforts. However, NJGSS admission is substantially more competitive than most colleges. Therefore, a copy of a college recommendation, or a recommendation based on college admission criteria, will likely not provide the information required for us to make an informed decision regarding the student.
Please consider the following guidelines when writing your recommendation letter:
(1) We are particularly interested in the academic ability, work ethic, maturity, and leadership of the student to take on advanced college level (beyond AP) work after their junior year of high school.
(2) When considering the attributes listed in (1), please compare the student not only to this current year’s class, but also with students you have taught in the past (5 years, if possible, or more).
(3) Specific examples illustrating the attributes listed in (1) are more valuable in the evaluation process than general statements.
(4) Students provide a list of extra-curricular activities as part of their application, and thus listing a student’s activities is redundant and not particularly helpful.
(5) In contrast, elaborating on a student’s participation in an activity, specifically those related to the sciences/math, or with regards to a student’s leadership abilities/roles, are highly beneficial.
Following these guidelines will provide us with a better perspective of each student nominee and will greatly help in our decision process.
These are the words you need when you can’t find them on your own. The perfect thing to write (or say) to your true love. Wether you are looking for the right words for a special occasion or event, or just to express how you feel ‘just because’, these love of my life quotes will help you show your true feelings (and celebrate your love together).
Quotes for the Love Of Your Life
“From the day you walked into my life, you’re all I think about. You’re the reason I breathe. You are the stars in my sky. I wouldn’t want this any other way. You’re the love of my life.” – Kemis Khan
“I love you every minute of my life; you`re my love and my life. Not all people are lucky to find the sense of their life. I am happy, cause I had found it when I met you – the love of my life.” – Rabindranath Tagore
“Your words are my food, your breath my wine. You are everything to me.” – Sarah Bernhardt
“The best love is the kind that awakens the soul; that makes us reach for more, that plants the fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. That’s what I hope to give you forever.” – The Notebook (read more quotes from The Notebook)
“I may search for another thousand years but still may not find someone as sweet and loving as you are.” – Smokey Mack
“I saw that you were perfect, and so I loved you. Then I saw that you were not perfect and I loved you even more.” – Angelita Lim
“Life has turned into a beautiful garden ever since you entered into my life. You have changed my life and made me feel so good. I feel so loved and cared for. You are the best thing that happened to me.” – Kamand Kojouri
“I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there’s a life after that, I’ll love you then.” – Cassandra Clare
“To be fully seen by somebody, then, and be loved anyhow–this is a human offering that can border on miraculous.” – Elizabeth Gilbert
“If you find me not within you, you will never find me. For I have been with you, from the beginning of me.” – Rumi
“You were made perfectly to be loved – and surely I have loved you, in the idea of you, my whole life long.” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning
“I choose you. And I’ll choose you over and over and over. Without pause, without a doubt, in a heartbeat. I’ll keep choosing you.” – Anonymous
“If I know what love is, it is because of you.” – Hermann Hesse
“What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” – Helen Keller
“I swear I couldn’t love you more than I do right now, and yet I know I will tomorrow.” – Leo Christopher
“I would rather spend one lifetime with you, than face all the ages of this world alone.” – J.R.R. Tolkien
“I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach.” – Elizabeth Browning
Quotes on What True Love Is (And Means)
“You don’t love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear.” – Oscar Wilde
“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” – Robert A. Heinlein
“If someone explains me the definition of love, I will give my life to the person. Love is a thing which is difficult to understand. Love is always evolving.” – Randeep Hooda
“Love to me is someone telling me, ‘I want to be with you for the rest of my life, and if you needed me to I’d jump out of a plane for you.’” – Jennifer Lopez
“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” – Aristotle
“Love is… never asking for more than you are prepared to give.” – Kim Casali
“When I love somebody, I cannot drop it out of my life. Love is not something like you open and you close, you know?” – Agnes Varda
“Love is a promise; love is a souvenir, once given never forgotten, never let it disappear.” – John Lennon
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