Thursday,  May 14th, 2020

Poland extends its ban on foreigners entering the country until June 12 due to COVID-19. (Reuters)

Due to a spike in cases, the government announces a total lockdown in Santiago. (The New York Times)

New York City goes 58 consecutive days without a fatal pedestrian traffic collision, the most since tracking began in 1983. (ABC News)

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announces that the stay-at-home order will be lifted on May 15, except for Prince George’s and Montgomery counties. Groups of over ten will remain forbidden. (The Hill)

Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down governor’s stay-at-home order The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Wednesday evening struck down the stay-at-home order implemented by Gov. Tony Evers (D) to slow down the spread of the coronavirus. GOP lawmakers filed the suit, claiming that Evers’ administration overstepped its authority when it extended the order to May 26. In a 4-3 decision, the court ruled the order was “unenforceable” and “unlawful.” The court is controlled by conservatives, but one did side with the court’s two liberal justices to dissent. Now Evers, who has allowed the lifting of some restrictions, and the Republican-controlled state Legislature must work together to form a reopening plan. As of Wednesday, there are 10,902 confirmed coronavirus cases in the state, with 421 deaths. Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Ousted official to warn of risk of ‘unprecedented illness and fatalities’ Dr. Rick Bright, the federal official who was allegedly ousted while leading coronavirus vaccine development, reportedly plans to warn Congress that the United States is on the precipice of the “darkest winter in modern history.” Bright, who filed a whistleblower complaint regarding his removal, will testify before Congress on Thursday. “If we fail to develop a national coordinated response based in science, I fear the pandemic will get far worse and be prolonged, causing unprecedented illness and fatalities,” his statement reads. Bright warns of the dangers of states reopening too soon. The Office of Special Council has found “reasonable grounds” to believe Bright’s ouster was retaliatory. A spokesperson for HHS says the department “strongly disagrees” with his allegations. Source: CNN

Fed chair describes economic downturn ‘without modern precedent’ Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday said “the reversal of economic fortune” brought on by the coronavirus pandemic over the last two months in the United States “has caused a level of pain that is hard to capture in words.” In the same address, Powell said the Fed is releasing a survey Thursday which found that among people who were working in February, nearly 40 percent of those in households making less than $40,000 per year lost a job in March. All told, Powell said, “the scope and speed of this downturn are without modern precedent, significantly worse than any recession since World War II.” He also warned that the pandemic could leave lasting economic damage. Source: Federal Reserve

The End