All states will be partially reopened by Memorial Day weekend while US death toll passes 90,000

By Memorial Day weekend, every US state will have begun lifting measures enacted weeks ago to curb the spread of coronavirus. Many governors have already pushed into a second phase of reopening their economies, with some states now allowing restaurants, retailers and personal service shops to reopen their doors.

By now, all states but Connecticut have in some way moved toward returning to a semblance of normalcy. On Monday, Massachusetts entered the first phase of their reopening plan, giving the green light to manufacturing facilities, construction sites and places of worship as long as they abide by certain restrictions.

And Connecticut will follow suit on Wednesday, when outdoor dining spaces, offices, retail stores and malls, museums and zoos will all be allowed to reopen with restrictions.

So far, more than 1,508,800 Americans have been infected and at least 90,367 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Pictures from some parts of the country are now reminiscent of pre-pandemic times, with Americans venturing out to parks to soak in the spring sunshine, visiting beaches on both coasts of the country and gathering — often unmasked — in open bars and restaurants.

But just how those loosened restrictions will impact coronavirus cases won’t be evident for a while.

When the first states began rolling out reopening plans last month, experts warned it may take weeks to begin seeing the effects of more people out and about. And public health officials warned those effects may translate to thousands more deaths across the country and a second spike of cases.

Sweeping reopenings across US

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has continued to move forward with reopening, announcing on Monday that child care centers, bars, bowling alleys, rodeos and bingo centers will all be allowed to reopen this week.

By the end of the week, restaurants can increase to 50% capacity — compared to 25% when measures were first lifted. Bars, wine tasting rooms and craft breweries can open at 25% capacity, according to the governor.

The state reported its highest single-day jump of new cases over the weekend, according to numbers released by Texas Department of State Health Services. But on Monday, officials announced the state’s lowest daily death toll since late March — a total of 11 new fatalities.

Restaurants, malls, libraries and gyms were also able to open at 50% capacity in Florida Monday. Barbershops were allowed to reopen as long as they abide by certain safety protocols.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also announced Monday certain outdoor activities in places such as golf driving and shooting ranges, tennis clubs, and community gardens would be allowed to resume with certain restrictions.

The state has recorded the second highest number of coronavirus cases with more than 148,200 infections, according to Johns Hopkins.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced over the weekend New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Connecticut would all be opening their beaches Friday, ahead of Memorial Day celebrations.

Cuomo announced Monday the state was preparing to begin reopening a sixth region which has checked all of the guidelines set up by officials, including gathering enough contact tracers. New York City, Long Island, Capital District and Mid-Hudson regions have yet to reopen.

And in Hawaii, where officials have sought to crack down on visitors who are breaking mandated quarantines for travelers, the governor announced the next wave of business will not come until next month.

“Beginning in June, we will begin to gradually reopen first medium-risk, then high-risk businesses and operations,” Gov. David Ige said Monday.

The next group of restrictions expected to be lifted are those on gyms, theaters, personal services and dine-in restaurants. Retail stores and malls in the state have already reopened but no timeline has yet been set for bars and clubs.

The 14-day traveler quarantine will also be extended through the end of June, the governor said.

Communities devastated by the virus

New data shows the Navajo Nation — with a rate of 2,304.41 cases of coronavirus per 100,000 people — has surpassed New York and New Jersey for the highest per-capita infection rate.

There are a total number of 4,071 cases of the virus in the Navajo Nation, which spans parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, and at least 142 deaths.

The president of the Navajo Nation, Jonathan Nez, attributed the virus’ spread among his people to close living conditions and the area being a “food desert.” He added the Nation was also testing at a higher rate than states.

“Most of our food and supplies come from the 13 shopping centers, convenience stores and gas stations throughout the Navajo,” Nez said

Data has also shown the virus has hit black and Latino Americans hard.

On Monday, the New York City Department of Health released detailed information on cases, deaths and hospitalizations in each zip code within the five boroughs which points to a disproportionate impact on communities of color.

The analysis shows communities of color have been hit harder than others, “with black and Latino New Yorkers dying around twice the rate of their white counterparts when adjusted for age,” according to the department’s news release.

The city reported Black/African American populations had the most cases and hospitalizations rates per 100,000 people. The Hispanic/Latino population had the highest confirmed coronavirus death counts, followed by the Black/African-American population.