(CNN) President Donald Trump hoped he would lead America toward a grand reopening this week.
Instead, the novel coronavirus arrived at his doorstep.
One of Trump's personal aides, Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary and Ivanka Trump's (remote) personal assistant have all tested positive for the virus in the past few days.
The virus' arrival at the White House is a stark reminder that the pandemic, which has killed more than 77,000 Americans, is far from over.
Despite the rising death toll, the President keeps pushing for a swift restart of the US economy, downplaying the need for more testing and focusing instead on shifting the blame to China.
"Will some people be affected badly? Yes," Trump said on Tuesday. "But we have to get our country open, and we have to get it open soon."
The rest of the world is watching, with fear. Global leaders have warned that the Trump administration risks alienating allies by politicizing the pandemic. Beijing is pushing back with increasingly fierce rhetoric, as the rift between the world's two largest economies deepens, Nectar Gan writes.
The US, meanwhile, continues to scale back its role on the world stage, refusing to take a seat at virtual international meetings to coordinate work on vaccines. Experts, diplomats and analysts tell CNN that Trump's actions are undermining efforts to battle the pandemic and leaving the international community without a global leader.
Q: Should I delay my child's vaccinations until after the pandemic?
A: The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said yesterday that childhood vaccinations have plunged since the Covid-19 pandemic began spreading through the United States. The American Academy of Pediatrics expressed alarm about the report and said: "Immunizing infants, children and adolescents is important, and should not be delayed."
The body recommends that children get 14 different vaccinations protecting against 19 pathogens. Timing is important for many of the vaccines to create the strongest immunity. Unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children will be at risk of other infectious diseases besides coronavirus as social distancing requirements are relaxed, the CDC warned.
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Triple drug therapy offers new hope
A combination of three antiviral drugs, plus an immune system booster, seems to help patients recover more quickly from coronavirus infections, doctors in Hong Kong announced yesterday.
They say the approach needs more testing but could offer another possible treatment.
The only authorized treatment for Covid-19 is the experimental antiviral drug remdesivir, which has also been shown to speed up recovery. But supply is limited. The drug's maker, Gilead Sciences, says there's only enough remdesivir for about 200,000 patients.
Americans split about reopening concerned about restrictions lifting too quickly
The US economy lost a record 20.5 million jobs in April, the worst monthly plunge since records began more than 80 years ago.
The pressure to reopen the economy is mounting. Protesters have been taking to the streets for days, demanding individual states allow businesses to reopen. But as nearly all of them started lifting restrictions this week, the issue remains polarizing. Two-thirds of Americans say they are concerned about their states rushing to reopen, while nearly a third state restrictions are not being lifted quickly enough, according to a Pew Research Center survey.
Even protocols to wear masks to stop the spread of the virus have become a flashpoint, allegedly leading to one killing in Michigan and accusations of government overreach.
Seoul races to contain new outbreak
All bars in Seoul, South Korea have been shuttered after a spike in coronavirus cases linked to nightclubs.
A 29-year-old man tested positive for the virus on Thursday after visiting several clubs in Itaewon, a popular nightlife district. Since then, 40 others believed to be connected to the case have tested positive.
Officials have implemented measures to control the spread of the virus. At nightclubs, for instance, people must provide their full name and phone number before entry. According to authorities, 1,946 names were listed on the registry books of the three clubs the 29-year-old visited. Only 647 of those people have been identified.
The first at-home Covid-19 saliva test gets a green light
The US Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency-use authorization for the first at-home Covid-19 test that uses saliva samples, the agency said yesterday.
People can collect their saliva at home and send samples to a lab for results. The test remains prescription only.
Testing for Covid-19 so far has usually involved nose or throat swab samples. Experts, meanwhile, continue to insist that widespread testing is crucial for a safe reopening.
Frosted Flakes for dinner, hiding in the laundry room: survival parenting for single moms.
Single parents are facing even more stress during a pandemic. They often rely heavily on their own informal network of support. And when in-person interaction has been shut down, they feel really alone.
Nearly a quarter of US children live with one parent and no other adults. Many single moms and dads are the only people who can ensure their children are fed, educated, comforted, disciplined and safe. It's a lot to handle. So here is some pandemic parenting advice from a single mom.