Coronavirus: Hawaii lawmakers outline plans to make up budget shortfall

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

More than 4.1 million people worldwide – including at least 1.32 million in the United States – have been infected with the new coronavirus, and the number of deaths from the outbreak continues to rise. While efforts to contain the COVID-19 outbreak continue, states have begun to shift their focus toward reopening their economies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking cases in the U.S. here.

Live updates for Monday, May 11, continue below:

Hawaii lawmakers outline plans to make up budget shortfall

Update 11:45 p.m. EDT May 11: Hawaii lawmakers said Monday they plan to plug a projected $1 billion hole in the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year by using money from the rainy day fund, reducing vacancies in state bureaucracies and issuing bonds.

The shortfall developed as the spread of the coronavirus pandemic led to a shutdown of tourism and other sectors of the economy in Hawaii. Economists anticipate sharp drops in hotel tax and general excise tax revenue.

The House Finance Committee and Senate Ways and Means Committee received written testimony on the plans. Lawmakers didn’t accept oral testimony from the public because they closed the Capitol to the public to maintain social distancing.

Representatives and senators didn’t propose furloughing or cutting the pay of state employees. Gov. David Ige last month said he was discussing potential cuts with unions and lawmakers but no decision had been made. Unions said Ige had proposed 20% cuts.

Seattle, King Co. urges people to wear masks in most areas

Update 11:20 p.m. EDT May 11: People who ride buses in the Seattle area will be required to wear masks to slow the spread of the coronavirus and authorities are also strongly urging people to cover their faces in many other situations.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and King County Executive Dow Constantine made an announcement Monday afternoon, saying people are urged to wear masks in grocery stores, businesses and outdoors when they can't keep six feet apart from others.

Masks are required for people who use King County Metro’s transit system, though riders won’t be prevented from boarding if they aren’t wearing one.

“Wearing a mask may be an inconvenience, but it is a sign of our mutual concern for each other,” Constantine said.

Some restaurants in Arizona reopen with virus restrictions

Update 10:20 p.m. EDT May 11: Some restaurants in Arizona reopened for dine-in service Monday as Gov. Doug Ducey relaxed more measures aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

From large chains to mom and pop eateries, restaurants were allowed to host patrons for the first time in nearly two months at limited capacity and with other restrictions that include more space between tables and no parties with more than 10 people.

Pelosi urges Congress to ‘go big’ on next virus aid package

Update 9:10 p.m. EDT May 11: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is poised to unveil the next coronavirus aid package, encouraging Congress to "go big" on aid to help cash-strapped states and struggling Americans. Voting is possible as soon as Friday.

But the bill is heading straight into a Senate roadblock. Senate Republicans said Monday they are not planning to vote on any new relief until June. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says there is no “urgency” to act.

“Let’s get on with it,” Pelosi said Monday night on MSNBC.

“To those who would suggest a pause, I would say the hunger doesn’t take a pause, the rent doesn’t take a pause,” she said. “We have a big need. It’s monumental.”

The new package, the fifth since March, is expected to carry another eye-popping price tag. President Donald Trump has signed into law nearly $3 trillion in aid approved by Congress.

Senior aide to Illinois governor tests positive for COVID-19

Update 8:30 p.m. EDT May 11: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker broadcast his daily coronavirus briefing from his Chicago mansion for the first time Monday, joining all of his top administration staff in working from home after an aide tested positive for COVID-19.

Pritzker has twice tested negative, with the last test administered Sunday. Pritzker said all of his senior administration members will follow Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines and work from home to curb potential transmission. He said the length of time would depend on how much contact each person had with the infected employee and how recent it was.

“We’re going to follow the doctor’s orders,” he said seated in front of a stately bookcase in his home office. “I feel fine and I have tested negative and so I don’t think, at least at the moment, that there’s any real danger.”

The staff member, who tested positive last week, showed no symptoms and attended meetings with and worked on the same floor as Pritzker at a Chicago building housing state offices. Roughly 20 members of Pritzker’s senior administration have worked there during the coronavirus pandemic. Pritzker said he won’t release the person’s name to protect their privacy.

South Carolina gyms, salons, barbershops, pools can reopen next week

Update 6:45 p.m. EDT May 11: Gov. Henry McMaster is continuing to lift restrictions initially put in place to stem the coronavirus outbreak and promising to soon discuss reopening other businesses.

On Monday, McMaster announced that close contact service providers, fitness and exercise centers, commercial gyms, and public or commercial pools will be able to open in a limited capacity on Monday, May 18.

Commercial gyms will include group exercise facilities such as yoga studios, barre classes, and others.

"With our increased capacity for testing the people of our state, it is time to responsibly and gradually get these small businesses back up and running," said McMaster. "We have an opportunity to set an example for the rest of the world by reinvigorating our economy while staying safe, but we can only do that if South Carolinians continue to follow the advice and recommendations of our public health experts."

North Dakota State Fair called off due to coronavirus

Update 5620 p.m. EDT May 11: The North Dakota State Fair is the latest casualty of the coronavirus outbreak, as the number of cases and deaths in the state continue to rise.

Fair officials announced Monday they’re calling off the event because of uncertainty over the pandemic. The July gathering is the largest annual event in the state, typically attracting around 300,000 people each year to the fairgrounds in Minot.

The decision was “in the best interest for all involved” due to concerns over health and safety, fair officials said. Tickets had been on sale since March. People who purchased tickets with a credit card will get a refund to their account.

Gov. Doug Burgum said at his daily press conference that large events such as the state fair “are very hard to do” in “any way, shape or form and maintain physical distancing.”

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says he has restarted California factory

Update 5:20 p.m. EDT May 11: Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed on Twitter Monday that the company has restarted its California factory in violation of local government orders. Musk asked in the afternoon tweet that he be arrested if authorities take anyone into custody. The plant in Fremont, California south of San Francisco had been closed since March 23 under orders to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The parking lot was nearly full at Tesla’s California electric car factory Monday, a likely indication the company was resuming production in defiance of an order from county health authorities.

The lot at the massive plant in Fremont, which employs 10,000 workers, appeared to have a similar number of vehicles as it does when the factory is fully operating. A normal complement of workers would violate orders from the Alameda County Health Department, which has deemed Tesla’s Fremont factory a nonessential business that can’t open under restrictions intended to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

US deaths reach 80K

Update 4:45 p.m. EDT May 11: The number of novel coronavirus cases in the United States climbed past 1.34 million Monday evening across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

According to a Johns Hopkins University tally, there are at least 1,340,643 confirmed U.S. cases of the virus, which have resulted in at least 80,087 deaths.

White House to distribute $11 billion to states and territories

Update 4:30 p.m. EDT May 11: Senior administration officials said the federal government will begin distributing $11 billion from the latest relief bill to boost state testing efforts.

The funds will be allocated based on states’ population size and how heavily they have been impacted by the outbreak.

For weeks the White House has resisted calls to set specific testing goals or metrics. And President Trump has reiterated that governors are responsible for testing.

Administration officials said the federal government is providing states with enough supplies to meet their testing goals.

At a minimum, the White House wants all states testing at least 2% of their populations, though the administration has declined to elaborate on how that number was reached.

The U.S. is still struggling to increase testing to the levels that most public health experts say are essential to safely reopen offices, schools, churches, restaurants and other parts of the economy.

Last week, Harvard researchers projected that the nation must conduct 900,000 daily tests by May 15 to be able to track new cases and contain new flare ups. That’s more than three times the country’s current daily testing rate of about 275,000.

Bank of America leaders predict recovery timeline

Update 4:00 p.m. EDT May 11: Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan told CNN's Poppy Harlow that in the last four weeks, Americans spent about what they spent in fall 2017.

Moynihan said the Bank of America economics research team predicted this quarter would be down about 30%, noting the U.S. economy is in the middle of a downturn. The team predicts the fourth quarter of 2020 will show growth, but it will take until the end of 2021 until the economy recovers to how it was last year.

“The question is, will the amount of stimulus and stuff provide a bridge across this river that is a very serious economy decline? And if it does, then I think we’ll see, we’ll come out of this. How fast will be up to sort of what the final demand for products and services is,” Moynihan said.

Moynihan is a member of President Donald Trump’s advisory committee on reopening the economy.

Louisiana officials report 215 new coronavirus cases

Update 3:40 p.m. EDT May 11: Officials in Louisiana reported 215 new coronavirus infections Monday, raising the state's total number of infections to 31,815.

Officials said that statewide, at least 2,242 people have died of COVID-19.

Rhode Island restaurants to reopen to outdoor diners next week

Update 3:35 p.m. EDT May 11: Gov. Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island on Monday announced that the state will allow restaurants to reopen for outdoor dining with restrictions in place to enforce social distancing measures, according to multiple reports.

Raimondo said outdoor dining will be permitted beginning May 18, WPRI-TV reported.

According to the Rhode Island Department of Health, 11,450 people have tested positive for coronavirus infections since late February. Officials said 430 people have died of COVID-19.

At a news conference on Monday, Raimondo stressed that people need to continue to practice social distancing measures to keep the novel coronavirus from spreading.

"Reopening the economy doesn't mean the virus is going to go away. The virus is here to stay probably for about a year until we have a vaccine or reliable therapy. However, we've learned how to deal with it," she said, according to the Providence Journal. "Be cautious. Go slow. Be kind. Be patient."

3,877 more cases of COVID-19 reported in the UK

Update 3:15 p.m. EDT May 11: Officials in the United Kingdom reported 3,877 new coronavirus infections Monday morning, raising the country's number of COVID-19 cases to 223,060.

Officials said that as of 9 a.m. local time, 32,065 people had died of COVID-19.

Numbers released by the Department of Health and Social Care showed the country remained the third-hardest hit globally and second-hardest hit in Europe by the coronavirus. The U.S. has the most number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world with over 1.3 million infections, according to numbers compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Officials in Spain reported between 224,000 and 227,000 cases Monday. Authorities in Russia said more than 221,000 cases have been reported.

White House recommends testing in nursing homes

Update 3:10 p.m. EDT May 11: The White House is recommending that all nursing home residents and staff be tested for the new coronavirus in the next two weeks.

Vice President Mike Pence, who leads the White House coronavirus task force, told governors on a video conference call Monday that it’s the federal government’s strong recommendation that such testing be done.

Dr. Deborah Birx, the task force coordinator, told governors to focus over the next two weeks on testing all 1 million nursing home residents. She says the White House will help states that need it.

Nursing homes and the elderly have been shown to be especially susceptible to the virus.

The Associated Press obtained a recording of the meeting.

1,453 new cases of COVID-19 reported in New Jersey

Update 3:05 p.m. EDT May 11: Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey said Monday that 1,453 new coronavirus infections have been reported, raising the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 139,945.

Officials also reported 59 new fatal COVID-19 cases. Statewide, 9,310 people have died of coronavirus. In light of the numbers, Murphy urged people to be patient and safe about reopening businesses.

"If we start on the road back too quickly, we know we will lose many more lives than we need to -- and we've already lost 9,310 precious souls," the governor said in a Twitter post.

Massachusetts announces four-phase plan to reopen

Update 3 p.m. EDT May 11: During his daily briefing Monday, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced a four-phase approach to reopening the state. The stay-at-home advisory for Massachusetts is set to expire May 18.

The reopening phases would start with a small number of industries to reopen with restrictions and then slowly allow additional businesses to reopen with fewer and fewer restrictions until the final phase, WFXT reported.

The state released its plan for reopening Massachusetts on its website, which includes the four-phased approach as well as the state's mandatory safety standards for workplaces.

Massachusetts ranks third as the state with the most number of confirmed coronavirus cases. New York is No. 1, and New Jersey is No. 2.

“We have to be flexible and honest about the fact that the timing and the details of these phases could change depending upon the track the virus takes as we go forward,” Baker said.

Illinois governor working from home after senior staff member tests positive for COVID-19

Update 2:55 p.m. EDT May 11: Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois said Monday that he and the rest of his team is working from home after one of his senior staff members tested positive for COVID-19.

Pritzker did not identify the staff member. Authorities said the person, who was asymptomatic, tested positive for a coronavirus infection late last week and had been “in close contact with the Governor and other staff members." Officials said no other staff members tested positive for COVID-19 and that a subsequent test performed on Pritzker on Sunday morning also came back negative.

“This virus knows no boundaries, and we must stay the course to defeat it,” Pritzker said Monday in a post on Twitter.

“I want to assure you that the governor’s office is very much still fully operational & all aspects of the executive branch will function as they have been. No matter what challenges come our way, the people of Illinois have the resolve to get through this—together.”

Thousands more died than expected in New York City, CDC says

Update 2:35 p.m. EDT May 11: A review by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control of deaths in New York City during the first eight weeks of the coronavirus outbreak found at least 24,000 more people died in that city than should normally be expected, a key statistic which can demonstrate the severity of a public health emergency.

From March 11 -- the date of the first known coronavirus death in New York City -- through May 2, there were a total of 32,107 deaths, many more than the normal 8,000 to be expected for that same period of almost eight weeks.

During that time frame, nearly 19,000 people died - almost 14,000 with confirmed tests showing the coronavirus, and another 5,000 ‘probable’ cases.

Pennsylvania governor calls premature reopenings a ‘cowardly act’

Update 2:20 p.m. EDT May 11: At a news conference Monday, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said some counties and businesses "have decided to surrender to the virus," referencing leaders who have said they would not prosecute businesses in some local counties that choose to open on their own, WPXI reported.

Wolf said the state is showing signs of success. The curve has been flattened in many areas of the state and over half of the counties in Pennsylvania will move into the second phase of reopening by Friday. That phase requires indoor recreation, health and wellness facilities and personal care services, such as gyms, spas, hair salons, nail salons and other entities that provide massage therapy, as well as all entertainment businesses, such as casinos and theaters, to remain closed. Restaurants and bars will be limited to carry-out and delivery only.

Wolf said Pennsylvanians have sacrificed in ways people could never have imagined during this pandemic, WPXI reported. He said people need to understand the consequences their actions during this time and counties that choose to open prematurely will not receive specific funding. Wolf also said businesses that choose to open on their own could find themselves uninsured since they would technically be breaking the law.

“To those politicians who decide to cave in to this coronavirus, they need to understand the consequences of their cowardly act,” Wolf said. “These folks are choosing to desert in the face of the enemy, in the middle of a war that we Pennsylvanians are winning and that we must win."

He said businesses and organizations that open prematurely are “engaging in behavior that is both selfish and unsafe.”

Russia becomes No. 4 in COVID-19 cases

Update 1:35 p.m. EDT May 11: On May 5Britain surpassed Italy as the European nation with the highest number of coronavirus deaths.

On Monday, Russia registered a daily record of over 11,600 new infections in the last 24 hours, more than half of them in Moscow. That brought the nation's total to more than 221,000 cases — the world's fourth-highest after the United StatesSpain and Britain.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said last week that up to 2.5% of the capital’s 12.7 million residents, or about 300,000 people, could have been infected.

Putin said that in recent weeks Russia has increased the capacity of hospitals treating coronavirus patients from 29,000 to 130,000 and has a sufficient reserve of ventilators. He said the number of tests performed daily will increase from 170,000 to 300,000 by mid-May.

While about 2,000 deaths have been recorded as coronavirus-related in Russia, some observers say official statistics reflect just a fraction of the real numbers and pointed out that the actual death toll could be significantly higher. Unlike the United States, Italy and some other countries, the Russian totals don’t include some of the deaths of those who tested positive for the coronavirus. Those with chronic illnesses who died are counted separately, even if they had the virus.

Air travel sees significant increase over Mother’s Day Weekend; passengers show concern over packed flights

Update 1:00 p.m. EDT May 11: A dramatic decrease in travel has meant many nearly empty flights across the domestic U.S. in the last two months. As some states start reopening, more Americans are feeling more confident about getting out of the house and getting back to work. Some are even boarding flights and traveling across states.

Mother’s Day prompted a number of travelers, with the Transportation Security Administration reporting 776,702 airport travelers from Thursday to Sunday. The same period last month saw 405,128 travelers, according to the TSA.

Mother’s Day Weekend 2019 had a recorded 9.56 million travelers, according to TSA data.

As the airlines adjust to new policies and procedures in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, some have said they will not book middle seats, while others have said they will charge more for middle seats to remain empty on planes. Most airlines have said they will make masks mandatory for crew and passengers and will implement social distancing guidelines.

But some travelers, including Ethan Weiss, a San Francisco-based doctor returning to California from New York, have posted on social media about concerns about the lack of social distancing on flights.

Weiss posted a photo of himself on a nearly full United Airlines flight. He said he was disappointed in the safety risk, noting that he was traveling with about 24 other nurses and doctors who had been working in New York City hospitals for the past few weeks.

Mnuchin sides with Musk after threats to move Tesla’s California HQ to Texas or Nevada

Update 12:20 p.m. EDT May 11: U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he thinks "there's a considerable risk of not reopening" state economies and suggested "permanent economic damage to the American public" as a consequence of prolonged stay-at-home orders.

During a call Monday with CNBC, Mnuchin supported concerns raised by Tesla CEO Elon Musk in a lawsuit against California's Alameda County, where Tesla is headquartered, after the county blocked the auto manufacturer from reopening due to continuing coronavirus concerns.

In a series of posts on Twitter Saturday, Musk criticized the county’s interim health officer, Dr. Erica Pan, and said he would consider moving all manufacturing activity from Tesla’s Fremont base.

"Frankly, this is the final straw," Musk tweeted. "Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately. If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be [dependent] on how Tesla is treated in the future."

Musk insists Tesla qualifies as "critical infrastructure" and that the factory is within California Gov. Gavin Newsom's guidelines for essential work.

“I agree with Elon Musk. He’s one of the biggest employers and manufacturers in California,” Mnuchin said Monday, incorrectly citing Tesla as one of the state’s largest employers. “California should prioritize doing whatever they need to do to solve those health issues so that he can open quickly and safely.”

Musk has been condemning the stay-at-home order since the company’s April 29 first quarter earnings were released, calling the restrictions fascist and urging governments to stop taking people’s freedom.

Tesla’s California headquarters have been closed since March 23 after mandated shelter-in-place orders were enacted in San Francisco Bay Area’s six counties to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Those mandates were extended until the end of May.

Alameda County officials said they are working on plans for safe reopenings. In a blog post, Tesla outlined its own plan to reopen along with a 38-page "Return to Work Playbook."

Tesla currently has a factory in Sparks, Nevada. It does not have any factories in Texas.

Researchers ask WHO to adopt guidelines for humidity In public buildings

Update 10:35 a.m. EDT May 11: A group of scientists and researchers led by doctors from Harvard and Yale universities have launched a petition calling on the World Health Organization to provide guidelines on recommended levels of humidity in public buildings, WFXT reported.

In the petition, doctors said that keeping the “relative humidity” level in buildings within certain recommended guidelines would protect public health, according to the news station.

Dr. Stephanie Taylor, an infection control consultant for Harvard Medical School and CEO of Taylor Healthcare Consulting, told WFXT that adopting the standards suggested in the petition wouldn't eliminate viruses like common colds or coronaviruses, but it would make it easier to live with them.

Amtrak to begin requiring passengers wear face masks

Update 10:05 a.m. EDT May 11: Passengers riding Amtrak trains and buses will be required to wear face coverings beginning Monday.

Officials with the railroad service said passengers will not be required to wear coverings while eating in designated areas, while they’re in their private rooms, while they’re seated alone or while they’re traveling with a companion and in their seats.

In a statement released last week, Amtrak officials said people who fail to wear face coverings for their trips will be denied service.

Wall Street opens lower as questions remain over recovery

Update 9:40 a.m. EDT May 11: Stocks opened lower Monday on Wall Street as hard questions remain over how and when states will reopen following widespread shutdowns put in place to slow the coronavirus pandemic.

The S&P 500 index fell 0.8% in the first few minutes of trading Monday. Marriott fell after the hotel operator reported much lower profit as demand for hotel stays plunged.

Even as several countries in Europe made more tentative moves to ease restrictions, they faced a delicate balance of trying to restart their battered economies without causing a second wave of coronavirus infections.

U.S. crude oil prices rose and bond yields edged lower.

South Carolina expected to announce plans for ‘close contact’ businesses

Update 9:20 a.m. EDT May 11: Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina is expected to announce as soon as Monday plans to reopen businesses statewide, according to WSOC-TV.

The state's Accelerate SC Task Force has been working on possible recommendations for businesses in which customers come in close-contact with people, such as hair salons and gyms, according to The State newspaper in Columbia.

The recommendations could come down as soon as Monday, WSOC-TV reported.

Restaurants across South Carolina will be allowed to reopen for dine-in service beginning Monday, according to the news station. The businesses will have to follow strict social distancing guidelines, including keeping tables and chairs at least six feet apart and operating at no more than 50% capacity.

2 popular national parks near Atlanta reopening today

Update 8:04 a.m. EDT May 11: Two of Georgia's busiest national parks will reopen to visitors Monday.

According to Atlanta's WSB-TV, the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park will both begin to allow visitors to some trails and reopen some parking lots. Both will waive entry fees.

WSB-TV′s Tyisha Fernandes talked to park officials, who said they aren't sure what to expect on Monday, but they are expecting pretty good crowds. If it gets too crowded, they may shut the parks back down.

Some areas of the national parks have stayed open because people could still follow state guidelines of social distancing.

But Monday, more areas of the parks will open back up.

Ann Honious with the National Park Service said staffers are getting a lot of questions from residents who miss the outdoor recreation areas.

“We’re getting a lot of questions about when they can get back,” Honious said. “Many fishermen and anglers are calling, people that just want to come out and hike and get out of their house, and, generally, the people who depend on this park every day.”

It won’t be business as usual, though. People still have to maintain social distance from others in the parks, or else they may be forced to close again after people didn’t follow the rules several weeks ago.

“I know that when we closed, we did because we had too many folks,” Honious said. “We are expecting people to come out, but we do want to caution people to be careful. Safety is our paramount concern for visitors."

Read more here.

Restaurant dining rooms in Arkansas can begin reopening today

Update 7:21 a.m. EDT May 11: Restaurant dining rooms across Arkansas can begin reopening today.

According to WHBQ-TV, restrictions include the following:

• Physical distancing is required between customers and tables.

• Restaurant staff must wear gloves.

• No groups over 10 people are allowed.

• No self-service/buffet service is allowed.

• Bars and entertainment inside restaurants is prohibited.

Read more here.

Mississippi barbershops, hair salons and gyms can reopen under strict guidelines

Update 6:05 a.m. EDT May 11: The state of Mississippi will take another step in getting its economy going Monday, WHBQ-TV is reporting.

Gov. Tate Reeves extended his safer-at-home order Friday for two more weeks, but he is allowing hair salons, barbershops and gyms to reopen Monday. There are some restrictions, though.

• Before and after opening, salons and barbershops must be deep-cleaned.

• There has to be hand sanitizer when customers walk in, and, in keeping with distancing guidelines, chairs must be 6 feet apart and cleaned after use.

• There is a limit of one customer per stylist or barber at a time, and employees and customers must wear masks.

• When it comes to gyms, there has to be one employee who is responsible for cleaning workout equipment after use. Surfaces must be cleaned at least once every two hours.

• Social distancing must be maintained with equipment, and employees need to wear masks.

• Hand sanitizer needs to be available, as well.

• Gyms are limited to 30% capacity.

Read more here.

Florida hair salons, barbershops and nail salons can reopen today

Update 4:45 a.m. EDT May 11: After originally being excluded from Phase 1 of Florida's reopening plan, hair salons, barbershops and nails salons can reopen Monday.

According to ActionNewsJax, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced in a tweet Friday that this applies to all counties currently in Phase 1. The video said the personal service business can open under "enhanced safety protocols." ActionNewsJax reached out to the governor's office for clarification on what the safety guidelines are.

It's been more than a month since hair salons, barbershops and nail salons were ordered to close.

Christopher Darius, the owner of Big City Barbers in Arlington, said he's excited to serve his clients again.

“I can’t wait. I called my staff and let them know that it’s time,” Darius said.

He said his phone started ringing off the hook right after the governor’s announcement with clients already trying to set up appointments.

Darius said his barbershop already has strict sanitation protocols in place. In addition, he said his barbers will wear masks, and there will be plenty of hand sanitizer in the shop.

Indoor restaurant dining returns in South Carolina

Update 4:27 a.m. EDT May 11South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster is continuing to lift restrictions initially put in place to stem the coronavirus outbreak and promising to soon discuss reopening other businesses.

According to WSOC-TV, the governor said Friday that restaurants could open starting Monday for indoor dining as long as they kept patrons to 50% occupancy, placed tables 6 to 8 feet apart and followed stringent cleaning and sanitizing guidelines.

Those include keeping hand sanitizer at entrances and removing previously shared condiments from tables.

These guidelines are from the state and South Carolina's Restaurant and Lodging Association. Bobby Williams, the association's chairman, said his organization took lessons from other parts of the country.

“The ones that have 25%, they’re actually just losing money. So at 50%, we can be safe and maybe squeak out a small profit," Williams said. “Right now, I have 100% of an empty dining room, so if you allow me 50%, we’re cool with it.”

Read more here.

Salons, retail, golf courses and drive-ins set to reopen in New Hampshire

Update 3 a.m. EDT May 11: On Monday, retail stores, salons, golf courses and drive-in movie theaters will be allowed to re-open in New Hampshire as part of the governor's plan to phase-in business operations throughout the month of May.

Businesses will be allowed to reopen with heavy restrictions in place, outlined by Gov. Chris Sununu on May 1 when he announced an extension of the state's stay-at-home order.

Some of the most "hands-on" workers told WFXT on Sunday night that they felt they were ready to welcome customers back in.

"We're very excited," said Sara Duquette, artistic director of Cassandra Salon and Spa in Nashua. "When you take hairdressers, who are usually very busy and very chatty, and with a lot of people, and make them stay home, it's tough. So we're all very excited to get back to work."

Duquette said their salon created a reopening task force to help ease employees’ safety concerns and ensure the safety of clients.

“We put together a full comprehensive guide for our staff, and we had a training with them last week," said Duquette.

Cassandra Salon will open its doors at 9 a.m., giving haircuts by appointment only.

According to Duquette, the salon will have mandatory temperature checks at the door, and clients will wear disposable ponchos and be offered masks.

Workers also will wear masks and protective eye wear.

“We actually have these little signs that we’re going to put up every time something gets cleaned to show you that that area has been properly sanitized,” Duquette said.

Not all salons, however, believe Monday is the right time to re-open.

"We made the decision based on the very restrictive rules, and not all of our employees able to come back immediately," said Sean Gaffney, co-owner of The Hair Company in Nashua.

Sean and his wife, Missy Gaffney, both expressed that new time limits on appointments pose significant challenges.

"The services for hair are restricted to one-hour services, and it’s almost virtually impossible to do a root touch-up in one hour,” Missy said. “A client is going to have to come back three times in order to get their entire hair done.”

The couple said that while New Hampshire starts to phase-in reopenings, they're making the difficult decision to wait.

“For us, it just made sense for us to wait and see how the opening goes with other companies, and when we feel it makes the most sense, we’ll reopen,” Sean said.

Restaurants are scheduled to begin reopening with restrictions Monday, May 18.

New University of Washington projections predict more deaths as states reopen

Update 2:20 a.m. EDT May 11Washington state's phased reopening was in full swing Sunday at Seattle car washes.

But new projections from the University of Washington show the nation could pay a price if the state reopens too fast, KIRO-TV is reporting.

More than 80,000 Americans have died from the COVID-19 virus, and UW's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation predicts 57,000 more could die by August.

More states are loosening restrictions meant to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

There were mixed reactions to the new projections as people ventured out to businesses that are reopening.

No one at the Brown Bear Car Wash wanted to see more people die from the virus. But there was no mistaking their glee that the state was beginning to return to life.

Getting a car wash was how some people chose to celebrate Mother’s Day, and they said they want more things to open up.

"Yeah, I think so, a little bit, yeah," said Joanna Brutel of Seattle. "I support the government, and I really appreciate what they're doing. But I think they can start to have more places open, a little bit."

However, researchers at the University of Washington say this increased mobility could translate into thousands of more deaths across the nation by midsummer.

“We’re just seeing more cases and deaths than expected in certain places,” Dr. Christopher Murray, IMHE director, told CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “So we may actually see quite a lot of states with increasing cases over the next two weeks.”

The institute predicts more than 50,000 more COVID-19 deaths by early August.

The chorus of opposition to staying home is growing louder across the country. More than a thousand people descended Saturday on Olympia demanding that the state reopen sooner.

Despite showing a graph with a trend line going up across the state, Gov. Jay Inslee is continuing his phased approach.

"I'm not too worried about it," said Llanteo Okamura of Seattle's Leschi neighborhood. "At some point, we're going to have to get back to business anyway. So now's as good as any time."

"I think people need to practice common sense," said Chris Longston of Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood. "I mean, I have my car. I drove here. I'm going to go through the car wash, and then I'm going to go home. So I don't feel I am really at risk."

The governor has said each phase in his four-phase plan will last three weeks. They will gather data to decide whether to extend each phase.

He will almost certainly use UW’s metrics and others to make his decisions.

US coronavirus cases top 1.32M, deaths reach 79.5K

Update 12:53 a.m. EDT May 11: The number of novel coronavirus cases in the United States climbed past 1.32 million early Monday across all 50 states, the District of ColumbiaPuerto RicoGuam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

According to a Johns Hopkins University tally, there are at least 1,329,791 confirmed U.S. cases of the virus, which have resulted in at least 79,528 deaths.

The hardest-hit states remain New York with 335,395 cases and 26,641 deaths, New Jersey with 138,754 cases and 9,256 deaths and Massachusetts with 77,793 cases and 4,979 deaths. Only 11 states and territories have confirmed fewer than 2,000 cases each.

Ten other states have now confirmed at least 30,000 novel coronavirus cases each, including:

• Illinois: 77,741 cases, resulting in 3,406 deaths

• California: 67,875 cases, resulting in 2,718 deaths

• Pennsylvania: 59,939 cases, resulting in 3,806 deaths

• Michigan: 47,182 cases, resulting in 4,555 deaths

• Florida: 40,596 cases, resulting in 1,721 deaths

• Texas: 39,258 cases, resulting in 1,094 deaths

• Georgia: 33,836 cases, resulting in 1,406 deaths

• Connecticut: 33,554 cases, resulting in 2,967 deaths

• Maryland: 32,587 cases, resulting in 1,644 deaths

• Louisiana: 31,600 cases, resulting in 2,286 deaths

Meanwhile, Indiana, Ohio and Virginia each has confirmed at least 24,000 cases, followed closely by Colorado with 19,703 and Washington state with 16,891; Tennessee and North Carolina each has confirmed at least 14,000 cases; Iowa, Rhode Island, Minnesota and Arizona each has confirmed at least 11,000 cases; Wisconsin and Missouri each has confirmed at least 10,000 cases; Alabama and Mississippi each has confirmed at least 9,000 cases; Nebraska and South Carolina each has confirmed at least 7,000 cases; Kansas, Kentucky, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Utah and Nevada each has confirmed at least 6,000 cases; New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arkansas each has confirmed at least 4,000 cases; South Dakota, Oregon and New Hampshire each has confirmed at least 3,000 cases; and Idaho and Puerto Rico each has confirmed at least 2,000 cases.

Click here to see CNN's state-by-state breakdown.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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