Coronavirus

The Orlando Sentinel reports: At Disney World, visitors are required to have their temperatures checked and they must wear masks at the four theme parks, hotels and Disney Springs. Many have praised Disney for putting strict rules in place and devoting employees to enforce them during the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 31,000 Floridians. But Orange County Sheriff’s …

Mediaite reports: Fox News meteorologist Janice Dean reacted with understandable fury to a new report that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s team willfully mislead the public over Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes last year. “He needs to go to jail,” Dean exclaimed, adding, “no ifs, ands, or buts!” Dean has been among the earliest and most vocal critics of Governor …

Reuters reports: After two straight days of record COVID-19 deaths in Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday told Brazilians to stop “whining” and move on, in his latest remarks attacking distancing measures and downplaying the gravity of the pandemic. Brazil has the world’s second-highest death toll over the past year, after the United States. While the U.S. outbreak is ebbing, …

The Hartford Courant reports: Gov. Ned Lamont on Thursday announced that he will roll back pandemic-related restrictions in Connecticut starting March 19, including allowing restaurants to operate at full capacity, loosening rules on sports and entertainment venues and lifting the state’s travel ban. The state will maintain some key measures, including a mask mandate, social distancing rules, a curfew for …

The Birmingham News reports: Alabama’s mask order will end April 9, Gov. Kay Ivey announced today. Ivey said the roughly one month mask extension allows businesses ample time to implement their own policies and make adjustments ahead of the deadline. Several major retailers – including Kroger, Target and Walgreens – indicated they will leave orders requiring facial coverings in place …

Forbes reports: One day after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) eliminated most of his state’s coronavirus restrictions, the governor claimed immigrants released into his state by federal authorities are helping to spread the virus. Abbott tweeted Wednesday that President Joe Biden’s administration is allowing “hundreds” of undocumented immigrants who tested positive for the coronavirus to enter his state, a claim …

The Daily Beast reports: This won’t come as a shock — but Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott’s announcement that he’s ditching his state’s mask mandate did not come with the blessing of his team of medical advisers. In fact, according to the Texas Tribune, most of them didn’t know anything about it. Three of the four experts told the newspaper that …

The Washington Post reports: A coronavirus resurgence across Europe has ended a six-week decline in new cases on the continent, the World Health Organization said Thursday, reflecting a broader global trend that has seen infections on the rise again. New covid-19 cases in the European region rose by 9 percent over the past week, the WHO’s regional director for Europe, …

The Washington Post reports: Last week, former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) was inspired to donate a quarter-million dollars to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s war chest. The hefty donation came about a month after Rauner’s ultrawealthy and exclusive community on the northern tip of Key Largo received enough coronavirus vaccine doses for 1,200 residents over the age of 65, according …

Click2Houston reports: Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo released a sturdy message for those who do not comply with private businesses’ policies on wearing masks after Gov. Greg Abbott rescinded the statewide mask order. In the video, Acevedo wanted to remind residents that private entities and private businesses have a legal right to require customers to wear a mask. He said …

New York City’s Fox News affiliate reports: With the limited resumption of sporting events at venues in New York, Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center will be used as testing grounds for a new digital pass that could confirm the owner’s COVID status. It will confirm an individual’s vaccination or recent negative coronavirus test. First tested at the Brooklyn …

Axios reports: States that are relaxing coronavirus restrictions are making “a big mistake,” President Biden told reporters on Wednesday, adding: “The last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking.” Driving the news: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said Wednesday he will end all coronavirus restrictions via executive order, although some businesses are continuing to ask patrons to wear face masks. Mississippi …

CBS News reports: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed confidence late on Tuesday that President Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill will pass in the Senate this week, saying the Senate will take up the legislation as early as Wednesday. The Senate is using the budget reconciliation process to pass the bill, which limits time for debate and allows legislation …

From the editorial board of the Washington Post: While everyone is eager for a break from restrictions, Mr. Abbott’s decision is premature and reckless. The governor’s decision may cheer those feeling rebellious, fatigued and impatient with the year-long pandemic restrictions. But the result of opening too soon will be viral spread, and more suffering. Only 12.9 percent of the Texas …

Jackson’s ABC News affiliate reports: Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves is massively scaling back COVID-19 protocols in Mississippi. He is replacing all current executive orders with “recommendations.” This effectively ends all mask mandates within the state. It also means businesses will be able to operate under full capacity with no restrictions. “Today, I signed what I expect will be one of …

CBS News reports: President Biden on Tuesday announced the U.S. will have enough vaccine supply to cover all adults by the end of May, significantly sooner his previous timeline of the end of July. That’s made possible because of the third vaccine by Johnson & Johnson, which is now available for emergency use and being shipped across the country. J&J’s …

First, a flashback to last year: In April, less than a month after Covid-19 was officially declared a pandemic, Dolly Parton donated $1 million to coronavirus research at Vanderbilt University. More than seven months later, it’s been revealed that the legendary performer’s donation helped fund Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine. Parton’s name appears in the preliminary report on the vaccine among sponsors …

Houston’s ABC News affiliate reports: “It is now time to open Texas 100%,” said Gov. Greg Abbott this afternoon, signaling the ease of COVID-19 restrictions. Effective next Wednesday, all businesses of any type are allowed to open 100 percent and the mask mandate will be lifted, the governor stated as part of his executive order to rescind previous orders. While …

USA Today reports: Royal Caribbean’s newest ship “Odyssey of the Seas” is set to debut in May with departures from Israel with all passengers and crew over the age of 16 vaccinated. “In conjunction with Israel’s health and tourism authorities, Royal Caribbean will be the first to offer fully vaccinated sailings, where both crew and guests above the age of …

The Hill reports: The detention center officer, Isaac Legaretta, sued a county manager and his supervisor on Sunday, Bloomberg Law reported. The officer’s attorney, Ana Garner, said he was told he would be fired for refusing inoculation. The complaint claims the county manager and supervisor violated his rights by making the vaccine a condition of employment for first responders unless …