Is COVID-19 airborne? WHO issues new guidance
Good morning, NBC News readers.
More COVID-19 guidance from WHO, President Donald Trump hits the campaign trail again and Goya faces a backlash after CEO says U.S. "blessed" to have Trump as a leader.
Here's what we're watching this Friday morning.
WHO expands coronavirus guidance after pressure over airborne spread
The World Health Organization has expanded its coronavirus guidance to include the possibility in certain circumstances of airborne transmission, in which the virus could be spread through tiny droplets that linger in the air among people in crowded, indoor settings for prolonged periods of time.
Though the expanded guidance is notable, experts maintain that airborne transmission is likely just a small part of how the coronavirus spreads and that close contact with an infected person is still the most common source of transmission.
Dr. Carlos del Rio, executive associate dean of the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, said that aerosol transmission is likely to be a risk in certain conditions but that the WHO's updates don't represent a drastic departure from what was already known.
Regardless, people should wear masks in public, del Rio said.
"Everyone should wear a mask," he said. "We have to get it across to people that this is not an option."
Here are some other developments:
With COVID-19 infections on the rise in 39 states, testing sites and labs are being overwhelmed, leaving people with excruciating waits of a week or more for results.
COVID-19 is a public health official's "worst nightmare," Dr. Anthony Fauci said Thursday.
Track U.S. hot spots where COVID-19 infection rates are rising.
The U.S. death toll from coronavirus has surpassed 133,000 according to NBC News tally.
'Not fair': Trump rages over Supreme Court decisions involving his financial records
President Donald Trump attacked a pair of Supreme Court rulings Thursday pertaining to his personal financial records, calling the decisions "not fair."
In a series of rambling tweets, Trump attacked Democrats and former President Barack Obama, arguing that he is being unfairly targeted while others don't face scrutiny.
The decisions weren't a clear-cut loss for Trump, who is unlikely to be forced to disclose his tax returns before voters weigh his re-election bid in November, but the court also refused to side with his argument that the presidency protects him from investigation.
Nevertheless, despite many recent Supreme Court losses, this rejection felt personal, NBC News' Jonathan Allen writes in an analysis.
'We can't have a repeat of Tulsa': Trump camp eyes course correction for rallies
President Donald Trump's return to the campaign trail in Oklahoma last month was viewed as such a debacle that his re-election effort is working to avoid future underwhelming crowds while also considering new safety measures for all large events this summer, including the GOP convention, according to multiple people familiar with the decision-making.
"We can't have a repeat of Tulsa," a campaign official said, bluntly conceding that a rally on Saturday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, must be approached differently as the coronavirus pandemic sets daily case records and creates havoc for political planners.
Instead of opting for an indoor venue, as it did in Tulsa, the Trump campaign selected an open-air airport tarmac hangar to minimize its footprint Saturday and to appease health experts who stress that outdoor events are safer, although mass gatherings are still considered risky.
'GOYAWAY': Calls for boycott after Goya Foods CEO says U.S. 'blessed' to have Trump as a leader
Goya, which claims to be the nation's largest Hispanic-owned food brand, is facing a backlash after its chief executive heaped praise on Trump at the White House on Thursday.
"We're all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump, who is a builder," Goya CEO Robert Unanue said at a White House meeting.
The remark immediately set off a wave of criticism of Goya. On Twitter, #BoycottGoya and #GoyaFoods were trending in the United States, and some Latinos were also using the hashtag #goyaway.
Many Latinos feel Trump has dehumanized and attacked south-of-the-border immigrants for political gain starting with the 2015 launch of his presidential campaign, when he suggested that Mexican newcomers were criminals and rapists.
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Plus
Could be a wet weekend: Tropical Storm Faysets sights on mid-Atlantic coast, New England.
Ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen was sent back to prison on Thursday.
Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. attorney fired by Trump, refused to resign twice before being pushed out.
California became the first state to sue the Trump administration over new student visa policy.
THINK about it
"The Far Side" cartoon is back. Here's why it's still funny when so much else isn't, Sam Thielman writes in an opinion piece.
Live BETTER
New to running? Don't make these painful mistakes.
Shopping
Here's why Apple AirPods are the best wireless earbuds, according to health and fitness expert Stephanie Mansour.
One amazing thing
Doctors at the Vatican's pediatric hospital say they have successfully separated conjoined twins, Ervina and Prefina Bangalo, whose skulls were fused back-to-back.
A team worked for nearly two years to plan the surgery. Video shows the toddlers responding cheerfully and recovering well.
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Thanks, Petra
