Covid-19 headlines for Friday, May 1, 2020:
• Reopening begins: Construction projects can restart in Pennsylvania today, provided appropriate safety protocols are followed. (Source: LNP) Golf courses can reopen, too. (Source: LNP) Later today, Gov. Tom Wolf is expected to announce which portions of Pennsylvania can begin to reopen May 8. (Source: CBS21)
• Lancaster County unemployment rate reaches 20.8%: The rate is the worst since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Nearly 49,000 county residents have filed new claims during the Covid-19 pandemic. (Source: LNP)
• Recovered Covid-19 patient donates plasma: Matt Woolley is the first donor to Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health's experimental treatment program. (Source: ABC 27)
• Republicans subpoena Wolf administration over waivers: The waivers lets businesses petition to stay open during the statewide shutdown; critics say the decisions are arbitrary and the process lacks transparency. (Source: Philadelphia Inquirer) State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said he is launching an audit of the program. (Source: WGAL)
• National/world roundup: Workers at big box stores are planning walkouts today over coronavirus safety. (Source: NBC News) Maryland is hiding Covid-19 tests from the federal government. (Source: ABC News) University of Minnesota researchers predict Covid-19 will continue spreading for 18 months to two years. (Source: CNN) The Little League World Series, held in Williamsport, Pa., has been canceled for the first time. (Source: AP)
