Cette semaine se tient la semaine mondiale du glaucome. A cette occasion, l’Union Nationale des Aveugles et Déficients visuels (UNADEV) sensibilise les Français au dépistage à travers une campagne nationale, qui se tient du 9 au 15 mars 2020.

A l’occasion de la semaine mondiale du

glaucome, l’UNADEV lance une campagne nationale pour rappeler aux Français que le

dépistage reste “un enjeu primordial”. “Ne laissez pas le glaucome vous voulez la vue” est une campagne d’information et de sensibilisation sur les réseaux sociaux. En partenariat avec le Société Française du Glaucome et l’Association France Glaucome, l’UNADEV organise une opération spéciale à Lille pour sensibiliser le grand public face à cette maladie, souvent méconnue. Au programme pendant 3 jours : conférences, dépistages gratuits dans le bus du Glaucome et présentation d’une nouvelle BD a visée pédagogique “le Crépuscule des yeux”. 

Qu’est-ce que le glaucome ?“Le

glaucome est une maladie de l’œil associée à la destruction progressive du nerf optique, le plus souvent causée par une pression trop importante à l’intérieur de l’œil,” explique l’

Inserm. Cette pathologie, souvent méconnue, est pourtant la deuxième cause de cécité dans les pays développé. Peu connue en France, cette pathologie touche pourtant plus d’un million de personnes  dans le pays mais près de la moitié l’ignorent. Elle ne présente pas de symptômes jusqu’à un stade avancé. La maladie se déclare le plus souvent après l’âge de 40 ans et touche environ 10% des plus de 70 ans. “Seuls un suivi régulier chez l’ophtalmologiste, une

prise en charge précoce et la mise en place d’un

traitement adapté permettent d’éviter d’importantes pertes du champ visuel menant, à terme, à la

cécité,” rappelle l’UNADEV. A ce jour, des traitements existent pour stopper la progression de la maladie mais aucun ne peut restaurer la vision lorsque cette dernière est déjà évoluée. Un dépistage précoce est donc primordial.Click Here: Atlanta United FC Jersey

Un patient de 70 ans, amputé d’une main, a subi une réimplantation microchirurgicale avec succès à l’Hôpital Privé Saint-Martin de Pessac. Une opération rare et délicate.

Sommaire

1. Un cas de figure “exceptionnel”
2. Les médecins “confiants quant à l’efficacité” de l’opération

Une “belle réussite”, se réjouissent le docteur Benjamin Sommier et son équipe. Le 7 janvier dernier, un homme âgé de 70 ans a pu bénéficier d’une réimplantation complète de la main à l’Hôpital Privé Saint-Martin de Pessac, après une amputation accidentelle.Un cas de figure “exceptionnel”L’équipe de l’Institut Aquitain de la Main a pris en charge ce patient qui venait de perdre sa main gauche “suite à un accident domestique avec une scie circulaire”. Face à ce type d’accident, “il n’y a aucune minute à perdre”, affirment les médecins. L’homme a ainsi subi en urgence une réimplantation microchirurgicale, une intervention consistant à réimplanter les doigts ou la main amputés du patient. Cette opération est d’autant plus “longue et délicate” qu’elle consiste également à suturer les nerfs et les artères lésés, de façon à rétablir la circulation sanguine dans le membre. Toutefois, “ce type de traumatisme avec possibilité de réimplantation reste exceptionnel”. Moins d’une personne par an peut en bénéficier. En effet, elle dépend de plusieurs critères. “Parmi les critères importants à considérer, il y a ceux liés à la blessure, explique Eric Potvin, coordinateur scientifique à l’Institut québécois d’excellence en santé : le mécanisme (coupure nette, coupure imprécise, écrasement…), le niveau (bout des doigts, doigt, pouce, main, poignet, avant-bras, bras), le délai d’ischémie et les conditions de conservation de la partie amputée. Il y a également les critères liés au patient : l’âge, la condition clinique ainsi que le degré de motivation à subir une intervention complexe suivie d’une longue période de réadaptation.”Les médecins “confiants quant à l’efficacité” de l’opérationDans le cas de ce patient, “la réimplantation microchirurgicale a été un succès”, assure l’équipe, qui se dit “confiante quant à l’efficacité de la chirurgie réalisée”. “A ce jour le suivi post-opératoire montre une bonne efficacité de la chirurgie et la main est bien vascularisée”, précise le Dr Sommier. “Ce qui laisse présager une bonne récupération sachant que les 72 premières heures sont cruciales dans ce genre de chirurgie.”L’Hôpital Privé Saint-Martin de Pessac est arrivé premier au palmarès annuel des hôpitaux réalisé par Le Point sur la région Nouvelle Aquitaine pour les urgences de la main. Chaque année, 12 000 passages aux urgences mains sont pris en charge par l’établissement.

Des chercheurs américains auraient trouvé unealternative aux cellules souches embryonnaires. Des cellulessouches mésenchymateuses provenant de la moelle osseusetémoigneraient d’une plasticité comparable.C’est selon la communauté scientifique uneétape fondamentale dans l’utilisation de ces cellulesde l’espoir.
Mais rappelons brièvement ce qu’est une cellulesouche. Après la fécondation et au stadeembryonnaire, les cellules ne sont pas différenciées.Elles sont dites totipotentes, car elles sont alors capables de sedévelopper en n’importe quel type de cellule ou de tissuhumain : os, nerfs, muscles, cellules d’îlotspancréatiques, etc. Mais au cours de la division cellulaire,apparaît une distinction des cellules, chacune remplissantalors un rôle particulier. Ainsi, les cellules de cheveux nese reproduiront plus qu’en cellules de cheveux, celles de musclesuniquement en cellules musculaires… Bien que chaque cellulecontienne toute l’information génétique del’œuf originel, seule une petite partie de cetteinformation reste active.
Bien qu’on ait trouvé certaines cellules souches chezl’adulte, jusqu’à maintenant les cellulesembryonnaires restaient les plus performantes pour ladifférenciation et la multiplication. Mais elles sontl’objet de vives controverses éthiques. Ainsi, ladécouverte des chercheurs américains estintéressante à plus d’un titre. Les cellulesmises à jour par l’équipe américaine etbaptisée MAPCs ont la faculté de sedifférencier in vitro en l’un des trois types decellules souches connues chez l’embryon : l’endoderme,l’ectoderme et le mésoderme. De plus, injectéesin vivo chez des rats, elles se sont différenciées encellules sanguines aussi bien qu’en cellules del’épithélium du foie, de l’estomac et dupoumon, en répondant à des signaux spécifiquesdes organes.
Selon les auteurs, ces cellules pourraient avoir des applicationsdans le traitement de maladies génétiques oudégénératives. Une telle découverte nedoit cependant pas conduire à l’abandon de larecherche sur les cellules embryonnaires. On peut néanmoinssupposer qu’une comparaison de l’efficacitéentre ces dernières et les MAPCs sur chaque maladie pourraêtre conduite… dès que les prémicesd’une véritable médecinerégénératrice verront le jour.
Le 21 juin 2002, l’Académie des sciences etl’Académie nationale de médecine ontréaffirmé leur volonté d’autoriser larecherche sur les cellules souches embryonnaires, tout ensoulignant leur interdiction du clonage reproductif.
Source : Nature 20 juin 2002, publié enligne
Communiqué de l’Académie nationale demédecine
Communiqué de l’Académie des sciencesClick Here: Geelong Cats Guernsey

A top federal regulator and a House Democrat said Wednesday that the U.S. government needs to help expand internet access to more households as the coronavirus pandemic exposes significant gaps in coverage.

Speaking at a virtual event hosted by The Hill, FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly (R) said that while many classrooms, doctor’s offices and workplaces have moved online, about 20 million Americans don’t have broadband.

“COVID-19 didn’t bring this issue upon us, but it’s made it more prominent,” O’Rielly said at The Vir{tech}tual World Ahead event, sponsored by Nokia.

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O’Rielly told The Hill’s Editor-at-Large Steve Clemons, who was moderating the event, that lack of equipment and affordability are the main obstacles for households who aren’t able to log on.

Rep. Suzan DelBeneSuzan Kay DelBeneHillicon Valley: Trump threatens Michigan, Nevada over mail-in voting | Officials call for broadband expansion during pandemic | Democrats call for investigation into Uber-Grubhub deal The Hill’s Coronavirus Report: Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga says supporting small business single most important thing we should do now; Teva’s Brendan O’Grady says U.S. should stockpile strategic reserve in drugs like Strategic Oil Reserve FCC commissioner, House Democrat call for expanding broadband access during pandemic MORE (D-Wash.), co-chair of the Women’s High Tech Caucus, also emphasized the need for connectivity, even for jobs that can’t be done online.

“The situation we’re in across the country has really highlighted how critical it is that we provide technology access, and particularly broadband,” she said.

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The first coronavirus relief package passed by Congress included $125 million for the Rural Utilities Service, but advocates and lawmakers say much more support is needed to close large gaps in connectivity.

Democratic lawmakers in both chambers have introduced legislation that would allocate resources for a fund at the FCC to disburse funds to schools and libraries to buy Wi-Fi hotspots, routers and internet-connected devices.

DelBene said Wednesday that those sorts of efforts should continue after the pandemic subsides.

She also stressed that passing consumer data privacy legislation is important to fighting the pandemic to ensure consumers feel safe.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have introduced data privacy legislation focused on the coronavirus pandemic, but none has received bipartisan support.

“We absolutely need to be able to make sure technologies… are upholding their promise to consumers and one area I think is critically important is consumer data privacy,” DelBene said.

Wednesday’s event also featured Michael Hinojosa, superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District; Francella Ochillo, executive director of the advocacy group Next Century Cities; and Jason Oxman, president and CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council.

Hinojosa, who has taken aggressive steps to ensure Dallas-area students have internet access while taking classes online, described connectivity as a social justice issue.

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That point was emphasized by Ochillo, who called for “every stakeholder at the table” to get involved with expanding access to the internet.

Oxman said the pandemic has highlighted the crucial role internet connectivity plays in everyday life.

“Broadband is the critical infrastructure of the day,” he said.

HAPPY THURSDAY! Welcome to Overnight Energy, The Hill’s roundup of the latest energy and environment news. Please send tips and comments to Rebecca Beitsch at rbeitsch@thehill.com. Follow her on Twitter: @rebeccabeitsch. Reach Rachel Frazin at rfrazin@thehill.com or follow her on Twitter: @RachelFrazin.

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ROCK YOU LIKE HURRICANE: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Thursday predicted that this year’s Atlantic hurricane season will be a busy one. 

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There’s a 60 percent chance of an above-normal season, a 30 percent chance of a near-normal season and only a 10 percent chance of a below-normal season, according to the NOAA. 

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The administration also predicted there could be between 13 to 19 named storms, including six to 10 hurricanes, three to six of which will be major storms.

Major hurricanes are those that fall into categories 3, 4 or 5. 

A typical Atlantic hurricane season, which falls between June 1 and Nov. 30, has about 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes. 

“As Americans focus their attention on a safe and healthy reopening of our country, it remains critically important that we also remember to make the necessary preparations for the upcoming hurricane season,” said Commerce Secretary Wilbur RossWilbur Louis RossOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Government predicts busy hurricane season | Report: BLM says oil and gas operators should set their own royalty rates for public lands drilling | Michigan flooding risks damage to hazardous waste sites: report Judge sanctions DOJ for failing to disclose documents in citizenship question case Government predicts busy Atlantic hurricane season MORE in a statement. 

The projection follows a study published this week that found that storms such as hurricanes and typhoons are becoming more intense as the Earth warms. 

The story is here. 

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STEP ON THE GAS: State offices for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) were instructed to allow oil and gas operators to set their own rates for royalties they pay to the government as part of their leases for public lands drilling, High Country News reported on Thursday. 

High Country News reported that state BLM directors were emailed a document in which the national office said they should let oil and gas firms make those determinations. The document reportedly suggests a rate of 0.5 percent as opposed to the 12.5 percent fees typically paid by companies for oil and gas extracted from public lands. 

The BLM did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill about this document. 

The report comes as some in the industry have been requesting that the Trump administration lower the fees for public lands. 

Asked last month whether they would be implementing widespread royalty cuts, an Interior spokesperson told The Hill that companies that want such measures should apply for it through “established processes.”

“Entities who believe such relief may be appropriate to promote continued energy production and development can submit an application for relief to the appropriate bureau program,” the spokesperson said.

Based on the data that’s available so far, it looks as if every request sent to the government for royalty relief — 75, all of them in Utah — was granted.

Critics have argued that this demonstrated a lack of rigor in the vetting process and will harm taxpayers since the royalty money goes to the government. 

A BLM spokesperson previously defended the rate cuts, telling The Hill that they were only being done “when it is in the best interest of conservation to do so or when it would encourage the greatest ultimate recovery of our natural resources.”

Read more about the rates here.

FLOOD RISKS: Floodwaters that tore through two Michigan dams Tuesday now pose a larger environmental risk as they encroach on hazardous waste sites owned by chemical giant Dow, according to The New York Times.

Water from the Tittabawassee River near Midland, Mich., has already reached retaining ponds full of brine at the company’s complex where it still produces plastic and other chemicals.

“The material from the brine pond does not create any risk to residents or the environment,” the company wrote in a notice to residents. 

But further downriver lie the results of decades of Dow pollution being dumped into the Tittabawassee, and a surge of water could stir up contaminated sediment, further spreading the pollution. Designated a federal Superfund site, the project to clean the river was set to be completed next year.

The dioxins emitted while producing a number of Dow products are linked with cancer, immune system damage and developmental problems. 

Dow told the Times the company had implemented its flood management plan and that staff remained on site to manage any issues as a result of the flooding.

“Dow has also been and remains in close communication with EPA and state agencies and is working with them on a plan for immediate action following this flood event,” the company told The Hill by email. 

“This plan includes an inspection of each remediation project along the Tittabawassee River as flood waters recede. We will continue to follow sampling protocols to ensure the proper operation of our environmental facilities.”

Read more about the issue here. 

In other Superfund news… Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works are asking the EPA to turn over more robust data on Superfund sites contaminated with the chemicals known as PFAS. 

“While it is helpful to know where these substances have been found, EPA did not include information as to which specific PFAS chemicals were found at each site, or the amount of those chemicals present,” lawmakers wrote in a letter. “This information is critical to the continued response to PFAS contamination, as well as to efforts to ensure the public health and safety of the 53 million Americans that live within three miles of a Superfund site.”

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EMINENTLY QUOTABLE:  Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Neil ChatterjeeIndranil (Neil) ChatterjeeOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Government predicts busy hurricane season | Report: BLM says oil and gas operators should set their own royalty rates for public lands drilling | Michigan flooding risks damage to hazardous waste sites: report Michigan dam that failed had its license revoked over safety issues in 2018: report Overnight Energy: Biden campaign says he would revoke Keystone XL permit | EPA emails reveal talks between Trump officials, chemical group before 2017 settlement | Tensions emerge on Natural Resources panel over virtual meetings MORE caught headlines this week after creating a Facebook group titled “Hypothetical: Draft Neil Chatterjee for Virginia Governor 2021” over the weekend. 

Asked about it Thursday, he said, “I was joking around with my friends on my personal social media…Maybe I should have spent more time building pillow forts. There’s only so many pillow forts you can build. I was goofing around.”

OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY:

First piece of disputed Keystone XL pipeline finished, The Associated Press reports

Maine loon killed bald eagle by stabbing its heart, officials say, according to WGME

US critics of stay-at-home orders tied to fossil fuel funding, The Guardian reports

Rains spark fears that Va. dam will fail, The Associated Press reports

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ON TAP IN…JUNE: The Senate will vote on a bill that offers permanent funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund when it returns from recess in June, Sen. Cory GardnerCory Scott GardnerMcConnell gives two vulnerable senators a boost with vote on outdoor recreation bill OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Government predicts busy hurricane season | Report: BLM says oil and gas operators should set their own royalty rates for public lands drilling | Michigan flooding risks damage to hazardous waste sites: report The Hill’s Coronavirus Report: Mnuchin sees ‘strong likelihood’ of another relief package; Warner says some businesses ‘may not come back’ at The Hill’s Advancing America’s Economy summit MORE (R-Colo.) tweeted Thursday.

The popular bipartisan legislation would permanently direct $900 million in oil and gas revenue toward a program President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate panel approves Trump nominee under investigation Melania Trump thanks students in video message during CNN town hall Fauci says media will be ‘seeing more’ of him, coronavirus task force after press hiatus MORE has repeatedly proposed gutting.

Before the pandemic, the bill looked ready for speedy passage, with a rollout of the legislation boasting at least a dozen senators.

Gardner has argued the bill “will provide billions for new jobs” tied to recreation. 

FROM THE HILL’S OPINION PAGES:

Trump wants stronger oversight on China, except when it comes to climate change, writes Andrew Light, a former senior adviser to the U.S. Special Envoy on Climate Change during the Obama administration

More than 600 physicians signed a letter organized in part by a conservative group that warns President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate panel approves Trump nominee under investigation Melania Trump thanks students in video message during CNN town hall Fauci says media will be ‘seeing more’ of him, coronavirus task force after press hiatus MORE against a lengthy economic shutdown because of the coronavirus.

The doctors call such closures a “mass casualty” event. 

The letter was spearheaded by Simone Gold, a California emergency medical specialist. Jenny Beth Martin, the cofounder of Tea Party Patriots, helped organize the letter and get it to the White House. 

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It was released as the Trump campaign has been actively soliciting the support of pro-Trump physicians, according to The Associated Press.

Gold wrote the shutdown has adversely impacted Americans due to missed cancer screenings, canceled dental appointments and spikes in mental health problems. 

“We are alarmed at what appears to be the lack of consideration for the future health of our patients. The downstream health effects of deteriorating a level are being massively under-estimated and under-reported. This is an order of magnitude error,” the letter says. 

“The millions of casualties of a continued shutdown will be hiding in plain sight, but they will be called alcoholism, homelessness, suicide, heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure,” it says. “In youths it will be called financial instability, unemployment, despair, drug addiction, unplanned pregnancies, poverty, and abuse.” 

Neither Gold nor Beth Martin have been in touch with the Trump campaign about the effort, they said in separate interviews.

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The letter nonetheless marks a push by conservatives to amplify doctors whose opinions are aligned with those of the president and his supporters who have pushed for a swift reopening of the country even as the COVID-19 death toll approaches 100,000 people. 

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Gold said in an interview with The Hill she doesn’t want to be seen as political, and is merely concerned about the negative medical impacts of the shutdown. Gold described it as a “grassroots” effort and rejected characterizations of it as a “political movement.” 

“We are in agreement with opening the economy because it is in the patients and public’s best interest,” Gold said. 

Gold said she doesn’t think hospitals will be overwhelmed by new COVID-19 cases if states reopen too quickly. She did not offer any solutions in the letter to how states should reopen, saying only that she thinks too many people have been harmed by the shutdown.

Some of the doctors who signed onto the letter are aligned with a small right-wing medical organization called the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) that has promoted discredited medical theories, and opposes Medicare. 

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The group opposes mandatory vaccines, has questioned that HIV is the cause of AIDS, and has asserted that former President Obama used “a covert form of hypnosis” to attract support for his 2008 campaign. At one time, its membership included Sen. Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulDoctors push Trump to quickly reopen country in letter organized by conservatives Trying to protect everyone, we exposed the most vulnerable to the virus GOP senators not tested for coronavirus before lunch with Trump MORE (R-Ky.) and former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom PriceThomas (Tom) Edmunds PriceDoctors push Trump to quickly reopen country in letter organized by conservatives DNC chair says app used in Iowa won’t be used in other primary states Hillicon Valley: Iowa chaos highlights misinformation threat | Officials blame app for delayed results | Company offers ‘regret’ | Nevada officials drop plans to use app | Ohio ramps up election security MORE.

Gold said she does not belong to the group, but many of their members share her views about a fast reopening. AAPS said it was not formally associated with Gold’s effort. 

Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, said he doesn’t think anyone would argue in favor of an indefinite shutdown, but there’s a difference between reopening safely based on science, and reopening quickly without science. 

For example, he said if someone is promoting the wide use of hydroxychloroquine, “I would question the veracity of a lot of other things” they said, because it is not “steeped in science.” 

Gold has recently appeared on conservative talk radio and podcasts to advocate for the use of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug that Trump has touted for months, and said he is taking because he believes it can prevent COVID-19. 

His own administration has warned it can have deadly side effects, and said it should only be used in a hospital as part of a clinical trial. Gold said she has prescribed the drug to at least two COVID-19 patients in the emergency room, and their conditions improved.

A recent boost to unemployment benefits is shaping up to be a major flashpoint in negotiations over the next coronavirus relief package.

For weeks, out-of-work Americans have been eligible to receive an extra $600 a week on top of regular jobless benefits from their state. The extra amount was part of the $2.2 trillion pandemic response bill signed into law by President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump slams Fox after hydroxychloroquine warning: ‘Looking for a new outlet’ Trump threatens permanent freeze on WHO funding without ‘major’ reforms within 30 days Schumer: Trump’s statements on hydroxychloroquine ‘is reckless, reckless, reckless’ MORE in late March.

Now, Democrats are eager to extend that benefits bump beyond the end of July, when the program is slated to expire. And they’re drawing battle lines ahead of talks between the White House and Congress on another rescue package.

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“The virus and its impact on the economy will extend beyond July 31,” Sen. Jack ReedJohn (Jack) Francis ReedJob losses approach Depression territory as election looms Overnight Defense: Navy secretary nominee: Service in ‘rough waters’ after ‘failure of leadership’| Senate fails to override Trump’s Iran war powers veto| Top Armed Services Republican expects to address Pentagon border wall funds in defense policy bill Navy secretary nominee: Service in ‘rough waters’ after ‘failure of leadership’ MORE (D-R.I.), who has introduced legislation to extend the benefits, told The Hill on Monday. “You’ll still have people that are in a very difficult situation, and their jobs are not available, they really can’t find alternate employment and they have to support their families.”

“In addition, it will provide the kind of support for our economy that is necessary,” he added. “This money typically is going to the family and then being spent on groceries, on essentials immediately, and that’s keeping the economy moving.”

On the other side of the aisle, many Republicans are concerned the enhanced benefits are serving as a disincentive for people to return to work at a time when the economy is struggling to stabilize.

“Calls from Democrats to extend unemployment ‘bonuses’ will kill small businesses and make long-term unemployment much worse,” Sen. Ben SasseBenjamin (Ben) Eric SasseSasse rips ‘thugs in China’ in high school graduation speech Commerce Department cracks down on Huawei’s access to chips Sasse wins Republican Senate primary MORE (R-Neb.) said in a statement. “Everyone wants to help workers who lost their jobs, but we shouldn’t make it impossible for small businesses to hire again by pitting them against a crummy government system that makes not working pay more than working.”

Unemployment benefits are administered at the state level, and states vary in both how much money they provide and who is eligible. Regular employment benefits typically are not 100 percent wage replacement.

In 2019, states’ average weekly amounts ranged from $213 in Mississippi to $536 in Hawaii, according to the Labor Department.

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The coronavirus pandemic has led to a dramatic increase in joblessness, as many businesses have been forced to close or scale back operations at least temporarily or have laid off workers due to scant revenue.

More than 36 million new unemployment claims have been filed since mid-March. In the week ending May 2, there were 22.8 million continuing claims filed, the Labor Department said.

Lawmakers chose to boost weekly benefits by $600 in the March legislation signed by Trump known as the CARES Act in an effort to replace 100 percent of wages for the average worker when the benefits are added to regular unemployment benefits. They decided to increase benefits by a flat amount across the board in order to minimize the administrative burdens on states, letting states distribute the enhanced benefits as quickly as possible.

As a result, some people are receiving more in unemployment benefits than they were in wages. A paper from researchers at the University of Chicago found that 68 percent of jobless workers eligible for unemployment insurance will get benefits that exceed lost earnings.

Republicans and Democrats differ in how to help unemployed workers weather the coronavirus storm.

Democrats argue that expanded benefits are crucial and should be extended. A $3 trillion coronavirus relief package House Democrats passed on Friday would extend the extra $600 per week through Jan. 31.

Many Democrats have also expressed interest in linking the expanded benefits to health and economic conditions. For example, a proposal from Reed, Sen. Michael BennetMichael Farrand BennetJob losses approach Depression territory as election looms An evidence-based response to rising child poverty — reform and expand the Child Tax Credit Bipartisan group of senators asks Treasury, SBA to loosen coronavirus loan restrictions MORE (D-Colo.) and Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) would extend the $600 boost until 30 days after the coronavirus crisis ends; recipients would then receive smaller additional amounts ranging from $200 per week to $450 per week depending on the unemployment rate in their state. Those amounts would continue until the jobless rate comes down to levels that are close to those from before the coronavirus.

“Passing emergency relief legislation that incorporates automatic triggers will strengthen unemployment benefits to sustain people whose lives have been upended through no fault of their own until they can safely go back to work,” Bennet said.

Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiTop Democrat to introduce bill to limit Trump’s ability to fire IG’s Pelosi says ‘morbidly obese’ Trump taking hydroxychloroquine ‘not a good idea’ Senate Republicans demand answers from Trump on IG firing MORE (D-Calif.) said during a press conference last week that there is broad support in her caucus for automatic extensions of benefits depending on economic conditions, but that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) uses a methodology that results in these types of proposals being scored as expensive.

“I do think it’s more efficient to have the stabilizers, the CBO notwithstanding,” she said.

Republicans, however, argue that the benefits are too generous and discourage people who were laid off from reentering the workforce.

Before the CARES Act passed, several Republicans unsuccessfully tried to amend the legislation so that benefits would be capped at 100 percent of a worker’s wages before they were laid off. Since implementation, GOP lawmakers have continued to express concerns about the $600 increase to unemployment insurance (UI), and have criticized the extension of the boost in House Democrats’ bill.

“Was it necessary to do something to pump up UI? Absolutely,” Sen. Rob PortmanRobert (Rob) Jones PortmanSenate Republicans demand answers from Trump on IG firing Bipartisan lawmakers call on Pompeo to defend Israel against ICC probes Senate GOP crafting wishlist for next coronavirus package MORE (R-Ohio) said on CNBC last week. “But the level that we took it to makes it very difficult for many small businesses in Ohio and around the country to bring their employees back.”

The White House has also raised concerns.

“The Trump Administration supports policies that get people back to work — our concerns with UI have not changed as it incentivizes people to stay home, raising the unemployment rate,” a senior administration official said. “We’ll continue to work with Congress to sort out details.”

Republicans are floating changes they’d like to see. Some still want to cap payments at 100 percent of a recipient’s pre-unemployment wages, though lawmakers didn’t take that step in the CARES Act because it would be difficult for states to administer.

Portman and Rep. Kevin BradyKevin Patrick BradyKey House Republican calls Democrats’ coronavirus bill a ‘recipe for a prolonged recession’ Battle brewing over how to get more relief money to Americans Second NJ man accused of stealing N95 masks intended for hospital MORE (Texas), the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, have suggested allowing people to keep getting some amount of benefit for a set amount of time when they return to work, in an effort to encourage reentry into the workforce.

Democratic lawmakers and outside groups backing the boost to unemployment benefits say they are open to allowing people to keep some or all of their extra weekly payment when they go back to work. They also countered GOP concerns about the fact that some people are getting more in unemployment benefits than they were getting in wages, with Beyer arguing it’s likely that millions of people will still be unemployed at the end of the year because their jobs haven’t come back yet, not because they could get more money by collecting unemployment benefits.

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“We’ve got to concentrate on all the people who really do need it, who are not going to be hired back,” he said.

Beyer added that those getting more in unemployment payments than they were in wages before they lost their jobs “have not had a lot of advantages in life to begin with.”

How unemployment payments are treated in any subsequent coronavirus relief law remains to be seen. While Democrats have expressed interest in quick action on another package, Republicans have been in less of a rush. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said Monday that another package may not be needed.

A spokesman for Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck GrassleyCharles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleySchumer on Trump IG firing: What is GOP going to do about it? Senate Republicans demand answers from Trump on IG firing Pelosi wants Trump to justify sacking of State IG MORE (R-Iowa) said “the government’s response needs to match conditions on the ground.”

“No one can say with certainty what the economy will look like months from now when funding runs out, especially with 50 different state responses,” the spokesman added.

Welcome to Thursday’s Overnight Health Care.

President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate panel approves Trump nominee under investigation Melania Trump thanks students in video message during CNN town hall Fauci says media will be ‘seeing more’ of him, coronavirus task force after press hiatus MORE said the country would not shut down if there was a second wave of coronavirus infections in the fall. 

The Senate is preparing to adjourn for a Memorial Day recess without addressing any coronavirus relief legislation, and the Chamber of Commerce thinks talks may drag on into July. 

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Today, we’ll kick off the newsletter with Trump in Michigan:

Trump says US won’t close over second COVID-19 wave

President Trump said Thursday during a visit to a Ford plant in Michigan that the United States would not shut down in the case of a second coronavirus wave.

“People say that’s a very distinct possibility. It’s standard. And we’re going to put out the fires. We’re not going to close the country. We’re going to put out the fires,” Trump told reporters when asked if he was concerned about a second wave of COVID-19. 

Trump expressed confidence in the country’s ability to contain future outbreaks.   

“Whether it’s an ember or a flame, we’re going to put it out. But we’re not closing our country,” the president continued.

Worth noting: The ultimate decisions on shutting down states have been made by governors throughout the pandemic with guidance from the White House. 

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Read more here.

Related: Doctors push Trump to quickly reopen country in letter organized by conservatives

Getting ready for some more money flowing? Mnuchin sees ‘strong likelihood’ of needing another COVID-19 relief bill 

Treasury Secretary Steven MnuchinSteven Terner MnuchinOn The Money: Mnuchin sees ‘strong likelihood’ of needing another COVID-19 relief bill | 2.4 million more Americans file new jobless claims | Top bank regulator abruptly announces resignation Overnight Health Care: Trump says US won’t close over second COVID-19 wave | Mnuchin sees ‘strong likelihood’ of needing another COVID-19 relief bill | Why the US has the most reported coronavirus cases in the world 10 things to know today about coronavirus MORE on Thursday said there is a “strong likelihood” that another coronavirus relief bill will be needed as more states start to reopen and the economy struggles to stabilize.

“We’re going to carefully review the next few weeks,” Mnuchin said in an interview with The Hill’s Bob CusackRobert (Bob) CusackOn The Money: Mnuchin sees ‘strong likelihood’ of needing another COVID-19 relief bill | 2.4 million more Americans file new jobless claims | Top bank regulator abruptly announces resignation Overnight Health Care: Trump says US won’t close over second COVID-19 wave | Mnuchin sees ‘strong likelihood’ of needing another COVID-19 relief bill | Why the US has the most reported coronavirus cases in the world The Hill’s Coronavirus Report: Mnuchin sees ‘strong likelihood’ of another relief package; Warner says some businesses ‘may not come back’ at The Hill’s Advancing America’s Economy summit MORE during a virtual event. “I think there is a strong likelihood we will need another bill, but we just have $3 trillion we’re pumping into the economy.”

“We’re going to step back for a few weeks and think very clearly how we need to spend more money and if we need to do that,” he added.

GOP divisions on moving forward: House Democrats last week passed a $3 trillion relief package, the HEROES Act, but Senate Republicans have said that bill is dead on arrival in their chamber.

Some GOP senators have indicated they want to move quickly on another measure, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMcConnell: Next coronavirus bill ‘not too far off’ McConnell gives two vulnerable senators a boost with vote on outdoor recreation bill On The Money: Mnuchin sees ‘strong likelihood’ of needing another COVID-19 relief bill | 2.4 million more Americans file new jobless claims | Top bank regulator abruptly announces resignation MORE (R-Ky.) has signaled a desire to move more slowly in order to first evaluate what is and isn’t working from previous relief bills that were signed into law.

Read more here. 

But Senate leadership has paused any action on coronavirus relief, and has instead been working on other business, including probes into matters to do with Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenCruz threatens to stop federal agencies from cooperating with Hollywood over China ‘censorship’ Has Justice Department partisanship finally hit a wall?  Fox News poll: Biden opens up 8-point lead over Trump MORE and others in the Obama administration. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has shown no interest in hurrying.

Chamber of Commerce expects next coronavirus relief bill by July 4

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, one of the country’s biggest business lobbying groups, said that it expects Congress will be able to wrap up work on its next coronavirus relief bill by Independence Day.

“We ought to be able to get a phase four bill done by the 4th of July,” Chamber Executive Vice President Neil Bradley said in a briefing with reporters.

The timing for negotiating and passing a new coronavirus relief bill — and whether it would even happen — has been hotly debated. 

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The GOP-controlled Senate has no interest in taking up the $3 trillion bill passed by the Democratic-controlled House, as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has called it a “liberal wish list.”

So what’s next? 

On Thursday, the Chamber laid out four top priorities for the next bill, which largely include issues set down by McConnell. Topping the list is some form of liability protection provision for businesses to ensure that workers cannot sue them over COVID-19-related liabilities.

McConnell has said the inclusion of such a provision was a “red line” for the next bill.

Read more here

Why the US has the most reported coronavirus cases in the world

President Trump said Tuesday the fact that the United States has the most coronavirus cases in the world is a “badge of honor” because it shows how much testing the country is doing.

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While there are many factors at play when comparing how countries have fared in the coronavirus pandemic, public health experts say Trump’s explanation left out a key factor: The U.S. has so many cases because it was initially slow to respond to the outbreak and ramp up testing and other containment tools.

Experts say the U.S. is not alone in being hit hard by the virus because of a slow response, and it’s not off-the-charts worse in comparison to other countries when comparing the case load on a per-person basis. Rather, the U.S. is similar to Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom — countries that have also been dealt a heavy blow from the virus.

“We’re probably grouped in with other worse countries,” said Ron Waldman, a professor at George Washington University’s school of public health. “Certainly Italy got killed, Spain got killed, Belgium, the U.K.”

Read more here. 

COVID-19 spreading through Southern, Midwestern states

The coronavirus pandemic continues its deadly march through rural counties and small towns across the country, led by flareups in Southern and Midwestern states that are becoming new epicenters of the outbreak.

Almost 80 percent of Americans now live in counties where the virus is spreading widely, according to an analysis by the Brookings Institution demographer William Frey. 

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In the last week, 176 counties have started to see substantial spread of the virus. The vast majority of those, 159, are smaller exurban or rural counties. The increased transmission in those areas shows the virus’s spread outward from its initial hubs in major cities like New York, Detroit, San Francisco, Seattle and New Orleans and into neighboring regions

Not out of the woods: But the virus is also starting to attack some cities that avoided an initial wave. Highly populated areas like Tampa and St. Petersburg, Fla., are now reporting dozens of new cases. Collin County, Texas, in the Dallas metroplex, and Wake County, N.C., are also showing signs of broader spread.

Read more here

Related: Alabama loosens more coronavirus restrictions as cases climb

DC could begin phased reopening May 29

Washington, D.C., could lift its stay-at-home order and begin a phased reopening of certain businesses as soon as May 29, Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) said Thursday.

Bowser said the city will be in a position to begin reopening certain businesses, with restrictions, if the spread of coronavirus continues to wane. She will make a final decision next Tuesday.

A report from a task force formed to advise Bowser on D.C.’s reopening recommended a four-phase approach, with the final phase being the “new normal.” The plan calls for no mass gatherings of more than 250 people until a vaccine or cure is available.

What can open: In the first phase, barbers and hair salons would be open by appointment only. Hotels would also open with safeguards in place. Restaurants would be open for outdoor seating, but with physical distancing requirements in place and no parties greater than six. The task force recommended bars and nightclubs remain closed through the first two phases.

Read more here

Surgeon general: US now better prepared for reopening but not ‘without risk

Surgeon General Jerome Adams said Thursday that the U.S. is now better prepared to reopen and has more tools to fight the virus than it did a few weeks ago, though he acknowledged reopening is not “without risk.”

“While we’re not saying it is without risk to reopen, we certainly feel like we have more tools available at the local and at the state levels and at the federal level — when you look at the national stockpile — to be able to respond quickly if we see a resurgence, and to not have as high of a peak as we had previously,” Adams told The Hill’s Steve Clemons during a virtual event.

Adams said the country is better prepared to reopen compared to a few weeks ago because hospitals have more protective equipment and ventilators; the public is practicing better safeguards like staying six feet apart, washing hands and wearing masks; and the shutdowns have helped slow the rate of infection to avoid overwhelming the health care system.

Read more here

What we’re reading 

‘How could the CDC make that mistake?’ (The Atlantic)

These labs rushed to test for coronavirus. Few took them up on it. (The New York Times)

After a COVID-19 diagnosis, an antibody test offered me a little comfort (STAT)

Analysis: get ready for the vaccine — they’re never simple (Kaiser Health News)

State by state

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson unveils aggressive plan to ramp up COVID-19 testing to 7,500 per day (ABC 9)

Florida knew a COVID-19 pandemic was likely. State leaders didn’t warn the public (Miami Herald)

Texas businesses returning during coronavirus are unlikely to spur fast economic recovery (Texas Tribune)

Coronavirus in Ohio: Daily cases jump markedly as bowling alleys, banquet halls get OK to reopen (Columbus Dispatch)

The Hill op-eds
Hydroxychloroquine-gate and Trump’s war on medical science 

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GEORGIA — Local officials are railing against the part of Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s stay-at-home order that reopened all state beaches during the new coronavirus pandemic.

The executive order signed Thursday by Kemp supersedes all local orders related to the public health crisis.

Tybee Island, a popular vacation spot in Georgia, is a major driver of the state’s tourism economy. But in an effort to stem the spread of COVID, Tybee Island’s city council decided to shut down its beaches March 20.

On Saturday, Mayor Shirley Sessions criticized Kemp, saying the city will “pursue legal avenues to overturn his reckless mandate.”

“Tybee City Council and I are devastated by the sudden directives and do not support his decisions,” Sessions said. “The health of our residents, staff and visitors are being put at risk.”

While the beaches have to stay open under Kemp’s order, she said, Tybee will not have beach access, and parking lots will remain closed until further notice.

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Kemp tweeted a photo of Tybee Island’s beaches, saying that officials hadn’t reported any issues while on patrol.

“Beachgoers are mostly locals and complying with social distancing orders,” Kemp said. “We will continue to monitor conditions.”

Photos from Tybee Island – ⁦@GaDNRLE⁩ and ⁦@ga_dps⁩ report no issues as they patrol the beach and surrounding areas. Beachgoers are mostly locals and complying with social distancing orders. We will continue to monitor conditions. pic.twitter.com/aS9OCGUTUC
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) April 4, 2020

As of Sunday, Georgia had 6,647 confirmed cases of COVID-19, an increase of 487 from a day earlier.

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FOXBOROUGH, MA — Tom Brady will his continue his Hall of Fame career in Tampa Bay, according to multiple reports Tuesday night. The news came hours after Brady’s somewhat expected but still staggering exit from New England, a franchise he led to six Super Bowl championships.

It’s unknown when the deal will become official, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter was clear: “Tom Brady will play in Tampa.” The deal, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, is worth roughly $30 million per year.

The Buccaneers were one of the last teams anyone expected to sign Brady when this saga started. Tampa Bay lacks pedigree and history — despite a Super Bowl title in 2002 — but Brady will bring instant credibility to a talented team that missed the playoffs for a 13th straight season last year.

The next Super Bowl will be in Tampa Bay.

The Buccaneers play in New England in 2021.

The signing ended a 20-year reign in New England that saw the Patriots achieve an unprecedented run of success atop the National Football League, becoming the premier team sports winner of the 21st century.

“I want to say thank you for the past 20 years of my life and the daily commitment to winning and creating a winning culture built on great values,” Brady said. “You have allowed me to maximize my potential and that is all a player can ever hope for.”

Team owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick heaped heartfelt praise on Brady in statements released by the team:

“How do I possibly sum up the depth of my gratitude to Tom Brady for what he’s given us these past 20 years, or the sadness I feel knowing it’s ending?” Kraft said. “I love Tom like a son and I always will.”

Belichick added: “Sometimes in life, it takes time to pass before truly appreciating something or someone but that has not been the case with Tom. He is a special person and the greatest quarterback of all-time.”

Brady, who turns 43 in August, was set to become a free agent Wednesday for the first time in his career.

The parting of ways could be considered something of a mutual decision. All the reporting pointed to the Patriots never making an offer that would have realistically appealed to Brady, indicating the team was ready to move on.

It became increasingly clear Brady’s time in New England was coming to a close since the beginning of last season. The first sign was the preseason restructuring of his contract that would not allow the Patriots to place the franchise tag on him. In retrospect, a more obvious sign was when he put his $30+ million Brookline mansion on the market.

Then, of course, there was the misery. Brady was noticeably dour throughout the season, surrounded by a wilting cast at receiver and offensive line. His final two games with the Patriots included the team’s epic meltdown against Miami in Week 17 and a stunning first-round playoff exit at home against Tennessee.

Second-year player Jarrett Stidham is now the lone quarterback on the Patriots roster. The Patriots can begin signing new players Wednesday at 4 p.m.

Brady holds about as many records as one would expect a player who goes by the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) would hold. He’s a three-time MVP, the winningest quarterback in league history and second all-time in passing touchdowns, yards and completions.

But what Brady’s known best for is his clutch performances, particularly in the playoffs. He won three Super Bowls by the time he was 27 — and three more after he turned 37. He’s a four-time Super Bowl MVP.

Brady was drafted by the Patriots with the 199th pick of the 2000 NFL Draft, a perceived slight that would serve as his motivation for years. The University of Michigan product threw three passes his rookie year and wasn’t expected to play much his sophomore season. Brady was sitting behind big-armed veteran Drew Bledsoe, who that offseason signed a then-record 10-year contract worth $103 million.

Everything changed just two weeks into the 2001 season. Bledsoe suffered a big hit from New York Jets linebacker Mo Lewis — a crushing blow that sheared a blood vessel in Bledsoe’s chest and changed the course of NFL history.

Brady wasn’t able to lead the Patriots to a victory in relief that day, but he helped New England win 14 of their next 17 games to end the season — including the so-called Snow Bowl against Oakland. He then led the Patriots to the biggest Super Bowl upset to that point by beating the St. Louis Rams to deliver the franchise’s first championship.

The Patriots won nine games the next season but missed the playoffs — the last time a healthy Brady would miss postseason play (He tore his ACL the first game of the 2008 season.).

Brady quarterbacked a reloaded Patriots team to Super Bowl championships in 2003 against Carolina and 2004 against Philadelphia.

The middle of the decade saw the birth of SpyGate, the videotape cheating scandal which would be the first of many sticky situations Brady and the team found themselves in. It also saw the Patriots morph from a defense-first team to one built around their quarterback. Brady responded by setting records in an historic 2007 season, torching the league en route to 50 touchdown passes.

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