AMERICA NEEDS A FORMULA FOR REOPENING by Ben Shapiro

Yikes, I prepared this posting as I wanted to record this op-ed piece from Ben Shapiro.... before President Trump announced that America would basically remain closed through all of April... We are in trouble!



from Jewish World Review

Insight

America Needs a Formula for Reopening

By Ben Shapiro 

Published March 25, 2020

This week, President Donald Trump began openly considering at what point the American government ought to take steps to reopen the American economy. 

He explained: "Our country wasn't built to be shut down. America will again and soon be open for business," suggesting that the timeline will be weeks instead of months. "If it were up to the doctors," Trump said, "they'd say, 'Let's shut down the entire world.' This could create a much bigger problem than the problem that you started with." Later, Trump optimistically proclaimed that he "would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter."

Trump's projections drew fire — as do all of his statements. These statements, however, caused inordinate faux heartburn among commentators, who shouted that Trump was weighing dollars against lives and deciding in favor of dollars. 

The hashtag #NotDyingForWallStreet began trending on Twitter, followed by the hashtag #DieForTheDow. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo tweeted: "My mother is not expendable. Your mother is not expendable. We will not put a dollar figure on human life. ... No one should be talking about social darwinism for the sake of the stock market." Presumptive 2020 Democratic nominee Joe Biden said, "I don't agree with the notion that somehow it's OK ... to let people die."

That, of course, was not Trump's suggestion. Trump was merely pointing out — quite correctly — that since the federal government has now taken the unprecedented and justifiable action of completely shutting down the American economy, to the tune of millions of lost jobs and the greatest quarterly economic decline in recorded history, we must also have a plan to end this situation. 

The economy cannot remain shuttered indefinitely; the federal government cannot engage in endless cash expenditures on the basis of treasuries nobody is buying.

Nor is the economy merely Wall Street. The vast majority of those who will lose their jobs are not day traders but workers. Small companies are more likely to go under than large ones. The economy isn't an abstraction. It's the real lives of hundreds of millions of American citizens, and costs to those Americans must be weighed in the balance.

That's not controversial. That's a simple fact. Public policy is the craft of weighing risks and rewards, and policymakers do it every day. It's just that this time, the stakes are the highest they have ever been.

So, when do we reopen, and how?

The biggest problem is that we lack the data to answer the question. How many lives will be lost if we take heavy social measures after how many weeks? Moderate social measures? What will be the concomitant economic gain or loss? How many additional ICU beds and ventilators will we need to make available in order to clear the flattened curve such that we do not experience excess deaths due to lack of equipment, a la Italy?

Our goal should be to move from the Chinese model — total lockdown — to the South Korean model — heavy testing, contact investigations and social distancing. In order to accomplish that, we need to flatten the curve and stop the spread, allowing us to reset. How long will that take?

We're not going to have answers until some time passes — until we test more, until the outcomes of cases are made certain. 

But we can certainly construct the formulas that should allow us to calculate possible outcomes as new data comes in, and that should allow us to collectively commit to actions directed at certain outcomes. We require a formula from the government. That's the transparency the markets need, that the American people need. 

And that, at least, should be attainable over the next two weeks.

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MEANINGLESS METRIC - Bloomberg News

from the Opinion page of Bloomberg News Service

Technology & Ideas

Confirmed Coronavirus Cases Is an ‘Almost Meaningless’ Metric

We need more complete, coordinated data to know when it's safe to reopen the U.S. economy.

By Faye Flam

March 28, 2020, 7:35 AM CDT.

Testing is only one way of gathering data.Photographer: Aaron Chown - PA Images/Getty Images

(Bloomberg Opinion) -- It doesn’t matter that the United States surpassed China this week in reported Covid-19 cases because those numbers (83,507 and 81,782 respectively as of March 26) don’t tell us how many people actually became infected in either country. Nor do they tell us how fast the disease is spreading, since only a tiny portion of the population in the United States has been tested.

“The numbers are almost meaningless,” says Steve Goodman, a professor of epidemiology at Stanford University. There’s a huge reservoir of people who have mild cases, and would not likely seek testing, he says. The rate of increase in positive results reflect a mixed-up combination of increased testing rates and spread of the virus.

We will need more complete data, smarter data and more coordinated data to communicate something meaningful about the extent of Covid-19 in the United States, how many people are likely to die, which hospitals are likely to be swamped and whether drastic changes in the way Americans live will start to slow down the spread of the virus.

With a population of 1.5 billion people, China’s some 80,000 cases look like a rounding error, says Nigam Shah, an assistant professor of biomedical statistics at Stanford. And India’s claim of some 754 cases probably reflects a severe lack of tests — not that the disease there is still so rare. The positive tests say little about how many people are dying or will die, since most cases are mild.

What should we be watching instead? One possibility is hospitalizations. That idea was put forward by statisticians Jacob Steinhardt, an assistant professor from UC Berkeley, and Steve Yadlowsky, a graduate student at Stanford who specializes in analyzing health care data. They argue that rate of increase in hospitalizations could reflect the growth of the disease without being distorted by changes in the testing rate.

Measuring death rates can eventually track the speed with which Covid-19 is spreading — as deaths represent a fraction of cases. But there’s a lag of some three weeks between infection and death. Hospitalizations give an intermediate point, as Steinhardt and Yadlowsky explain: They estimate that it takes between 11 and 14 days for someone to get sick enough to show up at the hospital. Rates of increase in Covid-19 patients admitted to the ICU can provide additional useful data.

These numbers might not accurately reflect the growth of the disease, however, if the hospitals or their ICUs become overwhelmed, start turning people away or raise the threshold for how sick you have to be to be admitted.

But collecting this kind of data can help prevent that from happening, said Stanford’s Shah.

If we all behave responsibly, he says, then we can turn what would have been a hospital capacity problem into a logistics problem. Once you have a handle on the rate of new Covid-19 patients admitted to hospitals and ICUs, you can start to forecast how many more will arrive in coming days.

Stanford’s Goodman said that he’s confident scientists will eventually collect the data we need to understand this pandemic and how it’s playing out in the United States. “Right now we are floundering in a sea of ignorance about who is infected and the fate of people who are infected,” he says.

Though death rate figures of around 1% have been tossed around, Goodman says he’s skeptical that anyone knows the death rate of this disease since we don’t know the true rates of infection.

And we can’t identify the most vulnerable groups. “There’s this delusion being disseminated that it’s all about age,” he says. He thinks that since 95% of deaths to date in New York City were of people who had pre-existing conditions, this is the bigger risk factor. But since age is a risk factor for many of those conditions, the two are correlated.

He could figure it out if he could get data on pre-existing conditions broken down by age, but says the New York health department won’t release that data. It matters a lot, he says, since we’re shaping policies around who is most vulnerable. We should find out who they are. They should know who they are.

Some other useful data could easily be collected at testing sites. As doctors Farzad Mostashari and Ezekiel Emanuel pointed out last week in STATnews, health departments should tally not just positives but total tests, and record demographic and symptom information on all the test takers. Much of that isn’t collected or coordinated.

Random sampling would help too, agree both Shah and Goodman, to estimate the number of mild or asymptomatic cases and get at the true total. And then there’s the promise of widespread antibody testing, which could reveal how many people in a given sample had been infected in the past.

With attention to the right kinds of data, scientists can soon assess whether lockdowns and social distancing efforts are slowing the rate of spread in the United States. Any dent we’ve made in new infections should start to show up in data on hospital admissions in a week or two.

Trump promised Americans we could ease up on restrictions by Easter, while most scientists would like to wait until they can base such changes on evidence. Goodman says at this point, figuring out what to do next is like building an airplane in the air. In a later phase of the pandemic, we might be able to focus more on mass testing and quarantining people known to be sick or exposed. We probably can’t responsibly stop lockdowns by Easter, but we may know enough by then to start to think about the timing and nature of an exit strategy.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Faye Flam is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. She has written for the Economist, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Psychology Today, Science and other publications. She has a degree in geophysics from the California Institute of Technology.

Faye Flam is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. She has written for the Economist, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Psychology Today, Science and other publications. She has a degree in geophysics from the California Institute of Technology..
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WORST-CASE CORONAVIRUS SCIENCE - WSJ

  from the WSJ opinion page

Worst-Case Coronavirus Science

Neil Ferguson clarified his Covid-19 projections. Good for him.

By

The Editorial Board

March 27, 2020 7:17 pm ET

London Ambulance Service vehicles are seen outside the ExCeL London exhibition centre in London, March 27.

PHOTO: GLYN KIRK/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAG

Give Neil Ferguson a break. Nearly two weeks ago Mr. Ferguson, an epidemiologist with Imperial College London, issued a report on Covid-19. Much of the public attention focused on his worst-case projection that there might as many as 2.2 million American and 510,000 British deaths. Fewer paid attention to the caveat that this was “unlikely,” and based on the assumption that nothing was done to control it. 

The report was one reason that led Prime Minister Boris Johnson to change policy and lock Britain down. Under the Imperial College model, the projection was that the steps Mr. Johnson had been taking would cut the number of projected deaths in half but still leave about a quarter million British dead.

Now Mr. Ferguson has clarified his estimates. He told Parliament this week that he now reckons the number of deaths in the U.K. “would be unlikely to exceed 20,000”—and that many would be older people who would have died from other maladies this year. With the measures now in place, he believes Britain’s health service won’t be overwhelmed.

Critics are bashing him for the revisions, but not so fast. Mr. Ferguson didn’t change his model so much as adjust for new circumstances. In particular he believes that Covid-19 is more transmissible than he previously had thought—but because strong measures had been implemented, deaths would be far lower than his worst-case scenario.

There’s a warning here about science and journalism. Surely if we hope to neutralize a pandemic we don’t fully understand, we need to encourage a culture in which scientists feel able to adapt and clarify with new evidence. Scientists would also help themselves if, in explaining their findings, they would be more candid about the assumptions and variables.

This goes double for the press. It’s no secret that the press’s reputation has taken a credibility hit in this crisis. Nor is it any secret why: Instead of a presentation of what we know and don’t, too often the focus has been political scapegoating or sensationalizing. 

This week on “CBS This Morning,” U.S. Surgeon-General Jerome Adams complained about a press that runs with projections “based on worst-case scenarios.” He was talking about ventilators, but his point applies across the board. Deborah Birx, coordinator for the White House coronavirus task force, said the same regarding apocalyptic forecasts not backed by data about hospitals having to issue Do Not Resuscitate orders. 

In the battle to save lives and address the scourge of Covid-19, good information is paramount. Credit to Neil Ferguson for clarifying his projections when the situation changed..

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CHICAGO EMERGENCY ALERT @ 3:23PM Thursday

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LOCKDOWNS, CLOSURES, SHELTER AT HOME • STATE BY STATE

I dragged this listing off the internet as things have happened so fast, not only will I not be able to remember them weeks, months or years from now.... Even as all this is happening, it is impossible to keep track...

Lockdowns, closures: How is each US state handling coronavirus?

Some states are taking sweeping action, while others are taking a limited approach. Here's a breakdown state by state.

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The United States has seen a rapid increase of coronavirus cases over the past week, going from roughly 1,000 to well over 46,000 as of March 23, according to Johns Hopkins University. That is largely due to the ramp-up of testing across the country. 

The US government, especially the administration of President Donald Trump, was criticised for a slow response, but has ramped up action in recent days, easing restrictions on testing vaccines and passing benefit packages for workers, employers and international corporations.

The White House has also recommended limiting gatherings to 10 people, among other guidelines that were issued with frank urgency but that are not mandatory.  

But the states of the US have significant powers to handle the crisis, with many adopting similar approaches, including school and public business closures, while others tackle the issue by giving power to local officials.

How has each state reacted? 

Alabama

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency on March 13 and said that all public schools would be closed from March 18 to April 6. 

Alabama saw its first confirmed case on Friday, with 29 cases confirmed by Tuesday.

Alaska

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy announcedon March 16 that state-run libraries, museums and archives will be closed through the end of March, and he ordered boarding school programmes to send students home.

Schools have been closed to students until March 30. .

Arizona

Governor Doug Ducey alongside Superintendent Kathy Hoffman announced the closure of Arizona schools on March 13. Schools will be closed from March 16 through March 27. The closure does not affect childcare centres. Ducey also announced the cancelation of events with 50 or more people.

However, Arizona hasn't adopted an aggressive approach to the spread of coronavirus, with the governor garnering criticism for not closing bars, restaurants and businesses. 

A coalition of labour and community organisations, including some of the state's largest unions, called on Ducey to "act more boldly and swiftly to protect working families across the state".

Several counties across the state have taken their own measures - including closing businesses where people gather.  

Arkansas

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson said at a news conference on March 16 that restaurants can remain open "on their own choosing and based upon market demand" as a press conference.

Hutchinson ordered schools to close on March 17 through March 27, thanks to a preplanned spring holiday.  

Many businesses in Arkansas have closed of their own choice.

California

President Trump announced on March 23 the deployment of the National Guard, a branch of the US military that operates domestically, typically in times of national disasters, to aid California, Washington State and New York. 

Governor Gavin Newsom previously called on Trump to take greater steps in assisting his state. Newsom will have control over the National Guard troops in California. 

Newsom on March 19 ordered all 40 million Californians to stay home, venturing outside only for essential jobs, errands and some exercise. 

Newsom ordered the closure of restaurants on March 17, following previous orders to close bars, breweries, wineries and similar establishments.

Restaurants will still be able to deliver carry-out orders.

Food trucks, a staple of California's food industry, are currently allowed to remain open.

Newsom declared a state of emergency on March 4, saying "protect consumers against price gouging, allow for health care workers to come from out of state to assist at health care facilities, and give health care facilities the flexibility to plan and adapt to accommodate incoming patients." 

On March 17, Newsom announced that schools, which were ordered closed last week, would likely not reopen for the school year. 

In the San Francisco area, a shelter-in-place order began on March 17. Under the measure, considered the most severe taken by local governments since the outbreak, residents of six counties have been told to stay inside and away from others as much as possible for three weeks. Businesses that do not provide "essential" services have also been ordered to close.

Colorado

Colorado Governor Jared Polis followed other states in prohibiting on-site dining at eateries and bars in Colorado, while still allowing takeout service, effective the morning of March 1. Up to five customers will be allowed inside at any one time to pick up orders, but they must maintain 1.8m distance.

The order will last for at least 30 days.

On March 18, Polis ordered all in-person schooling to end until at least April 17. He also banned crowds of more than 10 people.

Connecticut

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, in a joint statement with the governors of New York and New Jersey, announced that bars, restaurants and cinemas will close on March 16.

 "If you have any options at all, stay home," Lamont said. "If you're over 60, 70, stay home."

On March 15, Lamont ordered all public schools to close until at least March 31. 

On March 18, after the state recorded its first death from the virus, the order was extended to include places of public amusement, including malls, bowling alleys and amusement parks.

Delaware

Delaware Governor John Carney on March 16 ordered all restaurants and bars to reduce service to carryout and delivery.

"Delawareans should continue to support these businesses, and their workers, by ordering takeout or delivery," Carney said.

The state has also ordered schools to close for two weeks, beginning, March 16. 

These measures came as an amendment to Carney's original state of emergency, which was declared on March 12.

Florida

The Florida Department of Education ordered all public schools closed as of March 16 until March 30, which was later extended to April 15. Governor Ron DeSantis has urged public universities to finish their courses online.

DeSantis ordered all bars and nightclubs across Florida to close as of 5pm local on March 17 for the next 30 days, while restricting restaurant occupancy to 50 percent and ordering that patrons should be separated by a distance of at least 1.8 metres. The governor said that bars that serve food can remain open.

DeSantis has resisted calls to close beaches in the state, but has urged caution for vacationers celebrating spring break. 

Georgia

Governor Brian Kemp announced all schools will close from March 18 through the end of the month, with some localities stopping classroom instruction on March 16.

The state has yet to close businesses, but some cities, notably Atlanta, have closedrestaurants, bars and other businesses where people gather as of March 19.  

Kemp declared a public health emergency on March 14, with the state setting upmobile housing units for people who need to be quarantined but can't stay in their homes. 

Hawaii

Governor David Ige closed all bars and clubs in the state on March 17, while telling restaurants to only order takeout food. Public attractions, state libraries and parks have also been closed. 

Ige also asked for tourists to postpone their visits to the island state, and for Hawaiians to avoid hoarding foodstuffs and supplies, a common issue across the US.  

Hawaii public schools extended spring holidays on March 13, with students expected to return in early April. 

Hawaii imposed a mandatory 14-day quarantine of all people travelling to the state, including returning residents.

Idaho

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Governor Brad Little signed a "proactive emergency declaration" on March 13, when no cases were confirmed. As of March 17, there were seven confirmed cases.

On March 18, Little announced the state was adopting federal guidelines, which urge people not to gather in groups of more than 10. He has also advised residents not to eat at restaurants. 

Those guidelines are not mandatory, but Little said that was subject to change. 

"Given the circumstances we have now, we need to do all we can to escalate awareness and preparedness," Little said during a March 15 press conference. "Prepare for the worst-case scenario, but we should also de-escalate alarmism - and that is critical."

Illinois

On March 20, Governor JB Pritzker issued a statewide "stay-at-home" order, effective March 21 to April 7, making Illinois the third state to enact the measure.

Under the order, all non-essentials businesses will be closed and residents are told to stay home, but are still permitted to go to the grocery store, pharmacy, doctors office and perform other necessary tasks.  

"We don't know yet all the steps we're going to have to take to get this virus under control," Pritzker said at a news conference, adding that the state "would rise to this occasion".

On March 13, Governor JB Pritzker ordered all public and private schools, kindergarten through grade 12, to close until March 30. 

All bars and restaurants with dine-in service were ordered to close to the public at the end of business hours on March 16 until at least March 30, Governor Pritzker announced.

On March 16, in an executive order, Pritzker had also limited all crowd sizes to under 50, applying specifically to fitness centers, bowling alleys, private clubs and theatres, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Indiana

On March 16, Governor Eric Holcomb closed restaurants, bars and nightclubs through the month, following the state's first coronavirus-linked death.

The governor's office also said that as of March 15, 273 public school districts have closed or moved instruction online. There are 16 more public school districts working with the state education department to plan their next move.

Officials have also recommended that hospitals postpone elective surgeries. 

Holcomb announced on March 20 the state would move its primary from May 2 to June 2 in response to the virus. 

The governor issued a shelter in place order, effective at midnight on March 24. The order will last until April 6.

Iowa

Governor Kim Reynolds ordered bars, eateries and other facilities such as gyms to close for two weeks on March 17. Restaurants will be able to continue delivery and pick-up services, in line with other states.

Gatherings of 10 or more are also banned, and Reynolds recommended schools close for four weeks. 

Kansas

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly banned gatherings of 50 or more on March 16 for two months as local officials began ordering certain businesses to close.

The next day, Kansas became the first state in the US, according to NPR, to end K-12 classes for the remainder of the school year. 

Kansas has yet to ban dine-in services at restaurants and bars, but the governor says further measures are to be expected.

"I don't think that we are finished putting in place strategies to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus," Kelly said during a statehouse news conference.

Kentucky

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who declared a state of emergency on March 6, announced statewide closures of bars and restaurants on March 16, along with the state's first death as a result of the virus.

All schools are closed until at least April 6, with hospitals directed to postpone elective procedures.

The Kentucky Derby, an important horse racing event, has been postponed until September 5. It was originally scheduled for May 2.

Louisiana

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards ordered on March 16 all restaurants and bars to close while still allowing for delivery and takeout, and he limited gatherings to 50 or less people. The order also closed casinos and cinemas.

Edwards closed schools through April 13 on March 13, one of the longest initial closures in the US.

The state has also delayed its primary for the Democratic presidential nominee scheduled for April 4.

Edwards issued a statewide stay at home order on March 22, citing Louisiana's status as having one of the fasted growing infection rates in the world, according to a study from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette study. 

The order is in effect until April 12. 

Maine

Maine Governor Janet Mills announced a state of emergency on March 15. Three days later, Mills banned gatherings of more than 10 people in the state. 

Bars and restaurants were ordered to end dine-in services, and non-essential businesses were urged to close. 

Mills also recommended that schools stop classroom instruction, as many have already done.

Maryland

Maryland, along with Virginia and the District of Columbia, announced strict closures on public spaces such as bars, restaurants, nightclubs and cinemas on March 16, with restaurants offering only takeout food.

All public schools in the region were closed as of March 16.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has also ordered that the state's casinos and racetracks be closed for the foreseeable future. Gatherings of over 50 people have also been suspended.

Hogan issued a "shelter in place" order on March 23, urging residents not to go outside unless absolutely necessary. He also ordered all non-essential businesses to close by 5PM, local time.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency on March 10. He then limited gatherings to 25 people on March 15 and closed bars and restaurants on March 17, effective until April 6.

There is currently a three-week school closure in the state for all public schools, with residential and day schools for special-needs students unaffected.

Massachusetts has also authorised pharmacies to create and sell hand sanitiser over the counter, and the state has ordered hospitals to cancel non-essential elective procedures, among other measures.

Massachusetts is considered to have adopted one of the most aggressive responses to the epidemic.

Michigan

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has closed all nonessential public spaces, limiting groups to 50 or less, and ordered bars and restaurants to close except for takeout and delivery services as of March 16. 

Whitmer announced a stay-at-home order for Michigan on March 23, effective at 12:01AM on March 24 banning all public gatherings and keeping non-essential workers from going to their jobs. 

"The most effective way we can slow down the virus is to stay home," Whitmer said during the announcement. 

The state has taken gradual and increasingly strong action to mitigate the crisis since its first confirmed case of coronavirus on March 10. 

Whitmer, on March 12, ordered the closure of all K-12 public schools until April 6.

Minnesota

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz ordered schools to close on March 15 and restaurants and bars to close as of 5pm March 17, along with other public venues such as gyms, effective through March 27.

Delivery and pickup services are allowed to continue, in line with other states.

"We need to stop congregating", Walz said after calling for the closures.

Missouri

Governor Mike Parson declared a state of emergency in Missouri on March 13, and ordered the closure of all casinos on March 17.

As of March 18, there was no statewide order for the closure of restaurants and bars, but several counties had imposed the measure. 

Schools were also not closed statewide, although 445 of the state's 550 public schools had closed as of March 17, Parson told reporters. 

Parson has also urged gatherings of over 50 people to be suspended. 

Montana

Montana Governor Steve Bullock ordered a state of emergency on March 12. Three days later, he ordered schools to close through March 27. Visits to nursing homes have also been limited, and the governor strongly recommended gatherings be limited to 50 people or less.

Bullock has not issued statewide closures of bars and restaurants, but many counties have issued these orders.

Montana is a rural, sparsely-populated state. However, coronavirus cases have been documented in several counties.

Nebraska

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts limited gatherings to 10 people or less March 16, but said that businesses can remain open. Ricketts said restaurants and bars may face further limitations to takeout and delivery service in the coming days.

The 10-person limit applies to child care centres, weddings and funerals, Ricketts said.

"It is not a law enforcement action," Ricketts said in a statement on March 16. "It's going to take individual action from all of us to make this work."

There was no statewide school closure as of March 17. However, many local school systems have closed through March 31.

Nevada

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced a state of emergency on March 12. He later ordered that all K-12 schools close on March 16 through April 6, with an expansion of the closures possible.

Major casinos and hotels in Las Vegas announced the indefinite suspension of operations until further notice on March 17.

Governor Sisolak has said that all non-essential services in the state should close, and gatherings and crowded events should be avoided or postponed. 

"I am telling non-essential businesses you have two choices," he said in a news conference on March 17. "Find a way to service your customers through delivery, drive-through, curbside pickup or front-door pickup - or close your doors."

New Hampshire

Governor Chris Sununu declared a state of emergency in New Hampshire on March 13. Schools were ordered closed for three weeks starting on March 16, and transitioned to remote education.

The state has also banned gatherings of 50 or more people as of Monday, and has ended dining in eateries.

As in other states, delivery will still be an option from restaurants that provide it.

New Jersey

In a joint statement with the governors of New York and Connecticut, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that bars, restaurants and cinemas will close as of March 16. The states also limited recreational and social gatherings to 50 people. 

Murphy, who declared a state of emergency on March 9, also ordered all schools to close by March 18, ordering all in-person university courses to cease.

New Jersey's governor ordered on March 21 that all non-essential retail businesses close their stores and almost all state residents stay home to curb the spread of the coronavirus. He exempt healthcare and food industry workers. The order also banned all gatherings including weddings and parties.

New Mexico

New Mexico Health Secretary Kathy Kunkle announced on March 15 that she amended a previous public health emergency order to drastically limit public gatherings.

The new regulations, which went into effect the next day, limit bars and eateries to 50 percent of their seating capacity. Similar to cases in other states, all occupied tables must be at least six feet (1.8m) apart.

Gatherings of 100 people or more are prohibited. Casinos and horse tracks in the state will also be closed. 

Public schools were closed for three weeks starting March 16.

Officials had declared a public health emergency on March 11.

New York State

New Rochelle, to the north of New York City, has seen the most significant outbreak of coronavirus on the East Coast.

At least 380 cases of the state's roughly 1,374 infections were found in Westchester County, where New Rochelle is located, as of March 18. Many of the early cases were connected to a congregant at the Young Israel synagogue who attended services and events while being unknowingly infected.
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North Carolina

Governor Roy Cooper on March 17 said that all bars and restaurants will close in North Carolina, while keeping takeout and delivery operations open. 

The declaration prompted the state's lieutenant governor to say Cooper did not have the authority to impose such a restriction. A spokesman for Cooper's office responded, accusing the number-two state official of creating "a chaotic situation in the middle of a pandemic".

The state has also closed schools for two weeks starting March 16, six days after declaring a state of emergency. 

"Closing schools now will give us time for further understanding of COVID-19 and its effects on our state", Cooper said after signing the executive order to close schools. 

Cooper promised teachers will be paid for the time they would have been teaching. 

North Dakota

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum declared a state of emergency on March 13 and announced two days later that K-12 schools will shut down for a week.

Burgum said the state of emergency will allow the state to issue guidelines that follow those of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including urging residents not to gather in groups larger than 50. 

Officials had not yet ordered any statewide business closures.

Ohio

Governor Mike DeWine closed all bars and dine-in eateries in Ohio from 9pm onward on March 15, allowing for restaurants with carry-out and delivery options to continue operation.

The move made Ohio among the first states to impose these restrictions.

"This is a crucial time," DeWine said at the announcement. "Delay means people will die."

Should there be lines for takeout orders, customers will need to remain 1.8m apart, Gatherings of more than 50 people have been banned. 

Schools have also been closed for at least three weeks, with DeWine saying the order may be extended.

DeWine issued a shelter in place order on March 22, urging residents not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary. The order also closed all non-essential businesses. 

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, who faced criticism for tweeting a photo of himself and his family at a crowded restaurant on Saturday, declared a state of emergency on March 15.

The executive order encourages state government agencies to establish work-from-home policies, according to local media.

Stitt has recommended that Oklahomans use "common sense" to limit the spread of the virus. A spokesperson for the governor told CNN that Stitt "will continue to take his family out to dinner and to the grocery store without living in fear and encourages Oklahomans to do the same".

Oregon

Governor Kate Brown on March 16 ordered the closure of bars and restaurants to all service except takeout across the state, as well as limiting gatherings to 25 people and less. The order became effective the following day.

Oregon schools closed on March 15 to coincide with preplanned holidays, and were to remain closed until at least April 28.

Pennsylvania

Governor Tom Wolf ordered K-12 public schools to close for two weeks starting on March 16.  

He initially ordered all restaurants and bars in the counties of Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery, where most of the state's major population centres are found, to close their dine-in facilities for two weeks, but later extended the order statewide. The governor has also strongly urged non-essential businesses - such as recreation and entertainment facilities - to close. 

Statewide crowd limitation orders have not been given, but the city of Philadelphia, as of March 12, has banned crowds of more than 1,000.

Officials also "strongly encouraged" suspensions of gatherings of over 10 people. 

Rhode Island

On March 10, Governor Gina Raimondo declared a state of emergency in Rhode Island.

Six days later, Raimondo announced that dine-in service will end at all bars and restaurants as of March 17, until at least March 30. As with other states, takeout services would remain an option.

Raimondo closed schools until April 3, with many expected to offer remote learning.  She has recommended that gatherings of 25 or more be banned. 
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South Carolina

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency on March 13, followed by the March 14 cancelling of public schools through the month of March.

Restaurant dining rooms will also be closed, as of March 18, McMaster announced. Takeout and delivery will still be available, in line with measures taken by other states.

Other businesses and sporting organisations have closed their doors or suspended operations indefinitely.

South Dakota

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem ordered on March 13 that schools close for at least a week, extending the order for another week on March 17. She has also ordered non-essential personnel in state government to work from home.

Noem has said the restaurant and bar closures are not currently needed in the state, because instances of community spread have not yet been confirmed. 

South Dakota State University has extended its spring holiday through March 23, when all classes will be temporarily moved online. 

Tennessee

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, who declared a state of emergency on March 12, urged schools on March 16 to close by the end of the week and remain closed through the end of March. However, Lee said his office doesn't have the power to force schools to close, leaving the decision up to local officials.

Bars, restaurants and other public establishments have not yet been ordered to close, however, Lee strongly discouraged groups of more than 250 on March 13. 

Lee said during a news conference that statewide mandates were not necessarily the correct response, local media reported. The governor highlighted personal responsibility in reacting to the crisis.

Certain localities, such as the state capital Nashville, agreed to close bars and limit restaurant capacity in line with mandates in other states.

Texas

Texas's approach to coronavirus containment is a "patchwork" of local regulations, according to statewide media the Texas Tribune.

Governor Greb Abbott declared a state of disaster on March 13, but has largely allowed cities, counties and school districts to adopt proprietary approaches to the virus.

Governor Greg Abbott said over the weekend that local authorities will make the best decision for their communities, and has so far resisted statewide closures. 

He has, however, implemented restrictions on visitors to elderly care facilities, hospitals, prisons, and daycare centres. Officials have also waived standardised testing requirements for public schools.  

Certain localities have cancelled classes and closed restaurants, bars and other locales. Others, including smaller towns, have not..

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Utah

Governor Gary Herbert, on March 12, recommended a restriction on public gatherings of 100 people or less, while people saying people over 60 should limit gatherings to under 20 people. 

"Today we stopped making decisions based on the hope that things will get better," Herbert said in announcing the voluntary guideline.

That announcement was followed by a "soft closure" of public schools for two weeks that began on March 16. Teachers were given two days to determine how to move classes online.

The governor has yet to mandate that businesses close, but many restaurants have started to offer delivery and carryout services on their own.

Vermont

Governor Phil Scott issued on March 16 a state of emergency and announced statewide closures of bars and restaurants, in line with other states. Delivery and pick-up will continue.

Scott also banned gatherings of 50 or more people and limited venues to operate at 50 percent capacity. Schools were ordered to close by March 18.

"I want Vermonters to know we're continuously evaluating other mitigation steps and we'll continue to communicate those as they are put into place," said Governor Scott. "It's important to remember that in times of crisis, we all need to make sacrifices. But Vermonters, and all Americans, have risen to many challenges before, and this time will be no different."

Virginia

Governor Ralph Northam, on March 12, declared a state of emergency in Virginia. The next day, officials closed all schools through March 27. 

On March 17, Northam issued an order prohibiting more than 10 patrons in restaurants, fitness centres, and theatres at one time.

"I hope that everyone will have the common sense to stay home tonight and in the days ahead," said Northam. "This order will ensure that state and local officials have the tools they need to keep people safe".

Washington State

Washington State was the first to experience a significant outbreak of coronavirus, centred mostly on 11 homes for the elderly in early March. On February 29, Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency. 

On March 15, all bars, restaurants, recreational and entertainment facilities were ordered closed for two weeks. Officials also limited gatherings to under 50 people, Inslee announced on March 15.

Inslee had previously called for more restrictions on elderly and assisted living facilities, including limiting the number of visitors, keeping visitors in patient rooms and reviewing employees for virus symptoms.

These regulations will be in place until midnight on April 9. Schools closed March 15, and are expected to open again on April 27.

"This is an unprecedented public health situation," Inslee said. "One main defence is to reduce the interaction of people in our lives."

Trump announced on March 22 the National Guard would be deployed to assist in efforts to contain the virus in Washington State, along with California and New York State. 

West Virginia

Governor Jim Justice declared a state of emergency on March 16, although West Virginia was, at the time, the last US state without a confirmed case of coronavirus. The declaration will ease rules on staffing and purchasing, the governor's office explained. The state confirmed its first case of the coronavirus on Tuesday. 

Justice has closed schools through March 27. Bars, restaurants and casinos have also been closed. 

The lack of widespread testing in the US has created doubt about West Virginia's status.

US Senator Joe Manchin said in a media call that it's "no excuse when you know how vulnerable our state is. If it gets ahold of our state, we don't have healthcare in order to defend ourselves. It could be devastating".

Wisconsin

Governor Tony Evers announced on March 16 that bars and restaurants would close and gatherings of 10 or more people would be banned as of March 17, allowing for delivery and takeout.

Schools are closed, with a tentative reopening for April 6. 

"We are seeing community spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin. This means that there are people who have tested positive who have no exposures to a known case, nor did they travel to a location where there is known community spread," Evers said in a news conference announcing the closures. 

Wyoming

Governor Mark Gordon and top school officials recommended that schools be closed through at least April 3.

Wyoming is sparsely populated. As of March 18, Gordon had yet to order the same business closures as other states.

The state "must realise that closing businesses and suspending travel and public events poses a threat to employment and business viability. Our responses to these threats must be focused and measured, and that's what these teams will bring to a changing situation," Gordon said in a statement.

District of Columbia

The seat of the nation's capital announced strict closures on public spaces such as bars, restaurants, nightclubs and cinemas on March 15, offering only takeout food. 

The district also suspended public service activities such as street sweeping and is encouraging all government employees to work from home.

Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a public health emergency on March 11. All public schools in the region are closed as of March 16.

Bowser announced on March 24 the closure of all non-essential businesses, including barber shops, tanning salons and tattoo parlours. These businesses are not considered necessary for responding to the crisis. 

Other businesses currently open could be forced to close. 

"There will be others", the mayor said at the announcement.  

Editor's note: Check with state and local governments for the most up-to-date actions taken. 

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