Nevada governor cancels press briefing after possible coronavirus exposure
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak canceled Tuesday's press briefing after learning of a possible exposure to COVID-19, Sisolak wrote in a series of tweets.
The Democratic governor said he visited a workplace last week where an employee, who was not in the building at the time of his visit, has since tested positive for COVID-19. Sisolak's office learned of the test result on Tuesday.
Sisolak said that he will take a coronavirus test on Wednesday and share the results publicly. He said he currently does not have any symptoms.
Biden calls Trump 'an absolute fool' for mocking him wearing a mask
Joe Biden called President Donald Trump "an absolute fool" for criticizing the former vice president for wearing a face mask during a Memorial Day remembrance.
"He's a fool, an absolute fool to talk that way. Every leading doc in the world is saying you should wear a mask when you're in a crowd," Biden said in a CNN appearance on Tuesday, adding that Trump is trying to act "macho."
Biden also changed his profile picture on Twitter to one of him wearing the same mask he donned during the services.
Trump, who did not wear a mask during Memorial Day services, retweeted Fox News commentator Brit Hume's Monday night tweet criticizing Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, for wearing one. Monday’s appearance was Biden’s first public one since mid-March. He appeared wearing a black mask covering most of his face and a pair of aviator sunglasses with his wife, Jill Biden, who also wore a mask.
Trump denied mocking Biden at a Tuesday news conference.
"Biden can wear a mask," Trump added, saying it was "unusual" since Biden does not wear one indoors. However, the administration's guidelines recommend wearing a mask outdoors.
Coronavirus 'injures' placenta in infected pregnant women, study finds
New research out of Northwestern University could be a first step to answering the many questions that persist about how contracting the coronavirus during pregnancy affect mother and baby.
The small study followed 16 women who tested positive for COVID-19 and gave birth between late March and early May at Northwestern's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Looking at the placenta, it found that these mothers "were significantly more likely" to develop abnormal or injured blood vessels, according to the research published in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology.
While all of the full-term babies in the study tested negative for the coronavirus and were doing well when they left the hospital, study author and obstetrician Dr. Emily Miller said in a statement, “Not to paint a scary picture, but these findings worry me. I don’t want to draw sweeping conclusions from a small study, but this preliminary glimpse into how COVID-19 might cause changes in the placenta carries some pretty significant implications for the health of a pregnancy."
Republicans plan to sue to block remote voting in the House
Republicans plan to file a lawsuit Tuesday to block the House of Representatives from using newly passed procedures for voting remotely amid the pandemic, two House GOP aides confirm to NBC News.
The New York Times, citing three officials familiar with the case, reported that the lawsuit will be brought by Republican leaders and name House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., among others, as defendants. According to The Times, the lawsuit will argue that the measure allowing members to cast floor votes by proxy, a historic change approved earlier this month over GOP objections, is unconstitutional.
In a statement, Pelosi called the impending filing a "sad stunt" by Republicans. The House is expected to first use proxy voting Wednesday.
California gives OK for hair salons, barber shops to reopen in parts of the state
California gave the green light on Tuesday for hair salons and barber shops to reopen in parts of the state that are seeing fewer coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths, Gov. Gavin Newsom said during his daily press briefing.
Los Angeles, California's largest and most populous county, is not on the list of approved regions.
Employees and customers visiting eligible hair salons and barbershops must wear face masks at all times. Workers should be screened daily for symptoms and given a temperature check each day if possible, according to state guidelines. Nail services, facials, eyebrow styling and other services that require close contact are not permitted.
The new guidelines mark an upcoming launch into Phase 3 of Newsom's four-phase reopening plan for the state. The complete timeline for that part of the plan hasn't been made clear.
COVID-19 cases among health care workers top 62,000, CDC reports
More than 62,000 doctors, nurses and other health care providers on the front lines of the U.S.'s COVID-19 crisis have been infected, and at least 291 have died, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday.
The last time the CDC reported on infections among health care personnel was about six weeks ago, on April 17. At that time, just 9,282 cases of COVID-19 had been documented in the profession.
The true numbers of affected health care workers may be much higher than the 62,344 tallied in the new report. The CDC based its analysis on 1.3 million people; however, less than a quarter divulged whether they worked in the health care industry.
High school graduate takes commencement photo shoot with toilet paper
A high school graduate celebrated her commencement with a photo shoot that included toilet paper and a face mask.
Waleska Rivera, 18, of West York, Pa., graduated from West York High School on May 19 and returned home following the ceremony where her mother took the photos.
NBC News spoke to Rivera, who said she chose to take her photos with toilet paper as a humorous way to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
"My class graduation is one of many life’s events impacted by COVID19 (pandemic). It has impacted all things big and small. I know that one day we’ll look back in history and remember these days. For those generations that will come after us, an illustration of things impacted can serve as a reminder of gratitude, resilience and coping. Laughter and humor are essential to coping with life and the challenges it brings us," she said.
Michigan Gov. Whitmer calls husband's boat launch request a 'failed attempt at humor' amid backlash
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday attempted to quell growing criticism after her husband dropped her name while trying to get his boat in the water for the Memorial Day Weekend.
“My husband made a failed attempt at humor last week when checking in with the small business that helps with our boat and dock up north,” Whitmer said. “Knowing it wouldn't make a difference, he jokingly asked if being married to me might move them up in the queue.”
She added, “He thought it might get a laugh. It didn’t. And to be honest, I wasn’t laughing either when it was relayed to me because I knew how it would be perceived. He regrets it. I wish it wouldn’t have happened, and that’s really all we have to say about it.”
The controversy started after Tad Dowker, the owner of a Northern Michigan dock company, reportedly posted to Facebook that Whitmer’s husband, Marc Mallory, tried to use his status as first husband to get his boat launched ahead of Memorial Day weekend — even as Whitmer was cautioning state residents to resist flocking to popular vacation areas.