captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc judy woodruff.ood evening, i'm on the newshour tonight, at the close of another week under pandemic contions, the white house moves toward a new mask policy, and a fearful u.s. watches as the death toll ticks up. we speakith leading health official dr. anthony fauci on the latest medical guidance. >> more and more accumulation of data indicate that people who are without symptoms at all can transmit the virus, but merely by speaking.ado it >> woodruff: and it's friday. mark shields and david brooks analyze the reaction from washinnd around the

country, as covid-19 extends it reach to all aspectserican life. all that and more on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs wsur has been provided by: ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engineconnects us.

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>> wdruff: the united states heads into this weekend with coronavirus deaths still accelerati. the pandemic has claimed some 7,000 lives natiwide, and there is new guidance tonight on using face masks. but, president trump says he has no plans to wear one. more than 40of the deaths are in new york, and the governor says the state will start seizing vital medical equipment. meanwhile, new numbers confirm the american job market collapsing. amna nawazs our coverage. >> nawaz: for many americans, friday is payday. but not so today. as stores remain closed, restaurants, dark, and parking lots, empty. all markers of an economy reeling through a global pandemic. the labor department reported today that employers shed more than 700,000 jobs last month. top white house economic advisor larry kudlow warned of what's yet to come.

>> i'm not going to give numerical estimates here but it's going to get worse in the weeks ahead. there's no question about it. the effe the pandemic and the mitigation that's required to end it are taking huge toll. >> nawaz: covid-19 continues to take aoll on u.s. health systems. the week saw aayexpansion of t home orders in the u.s., putting a majority of americans across 38 states under stie sort of dir. massachusetts saw it's biggest one day high in new cases and death. 10,400 cases and morth 490 died. governor charlie baker. >>ases are likely to increase rapidly in the coming weeks and the strain on our healthcare systembe unprecedented. >> nawaz: at the country epicenter in new york, cases reached over 102,000 today, and deaths reached over 2900, after the biggest single-day increase so far. hospitals past capacity are transferring patients to convention center and even parts

of central park. new york governoew cuomo railed against the procurement process, which pits state against state, and called for more coordination at the federal level. >> it is unbelievable to me that in new york state in the united states of america we can't make these materials d that we are new york is in crisis. help new york and then pick up, s cant, and then go to the next place as this roross the country. >> nawaz: cuomo today signed an sive new order authorizi seizure of unused ventilators and p.p.e. from private hospitals and ies. >> if they want to sue me for borrowing their excessventilatot them sue me. >> nawaz: but even resources ed to alleviate the syst strain, are getting stuck in bureaucratic knots. the u.s. nndy ship "comfort"

its 1,000 hospital beds, was meant to help neyork treat non-covid 19 patients. so far, they've bunked barely 20. the same is true aboard the" mercy" ship in los angeles, e fewer than ten patients have been ted. the defense department today unced a screening process change, to allow more patients to come their way. from treme court today, a change in plans, saying it's postponing oral arguments scheduled for the end of april. and from the white house, a change in guidance on masks. white house health officials joined cities like los angeles and new york, recommending all people wear cloth face masks, even if they shoovid-19 symptoms. used by countries in asia and europe as they worked to stop the virus' spread. in today, the death toll surpassed italy's, toppi 11,000 as hospitals overflow, rinks remain as makeshift morgues. and safeguards to contain the virus also remain in place, as

at this nursing in santa coloma, where this is the only way for maria espinar to check on her mothe i ( translated ): firstly, i don't know if i ected, i don't know if i am infected, so now they said that they are going to tesall the residents that are well and if they are negative, they will let you take them home, but of course the problem is that if i don't know if i'm infected, how will i take her home? >> nawaz: more uncertainty in first time in modern history, officials say the annual muslim pilgrimage to mecca, the hajj, could be postponed. some two million musms have been asked to hold off on travel plans, by the saudi government. >> ( translated ): the kingdom of saudi arabia is prepared to service the hajj performerin the kingdom of saudi arabia is prepared to secure the safety of all muslims and nationals. from all m around thequested world to hold onto signing any agreements until we have a clear vision. >> nawaz: the late in major global events to come to a standstill, while the virus world.ues its march around the for the pbs newshour, i'm amna

nawaz. >> woodruff: as the spread of covid-19 has increased, there have been significant new questions about stay-at-home orders, whether the public should be weing masks outside and new findings about how the virus spreads. i spoke this afternoon with one of the government's top officialhe public health response, doctor anthony fauci of the national institutes of health.he s a key member of the president's coronavirus task force. and ke before the president anunced the recommendarom the c.d.c. that people use a cloth or fabric mask outside. dr. fauci, thank you very much for joining us. you are now sayinthat you don't understand why all americans are not staying at home. have you told the president that you think it's a good idea to orr americans to stay home? >> well, there's always that difficulty of ordering centrally versus having the states be the

major implementers of policy. should implementing thise social distancing or physical separation, which, in many respects, means staying at home to the extent possible, and i do think we should do it broadly throughout the country because, although there are hot spots that we see that are very obvious, there is the threat of outbreak virtually everywhere and anywhehin our country. so when we extended the guidelines from the 15-day guidelines to now 30 days toward the end of april, i think this is an opportunity for everyone, every state, every region, every locale toticipate in this very serious physical separation ineated very clearly in the guidelines. i have articulated this multiple times as have seral of my other colleagues. i'm not alone on this. and we daily brief the

president. >> woodruff: but when lives are at stake, why aren't command measures requiring people to do this appropriate now? >> you know, i think if you look at that the press conferences wn you hear me and others, the vice president, the presidentk, spt is the equivalent of that. i understand what you're talking about, making an explicit statement, but tt generally is not the way things operate between the federal government and states. i think out there to everyone listening in all the states that ey should be doing this, even though they feel that, in ain respects, there are relatively few cases in their city, town, state. that will change. there is no region in the country, in my's mind, th going to be exempt from an riate mitigation issues,o the

namely the physical separatiars that are c spelled out in the guidelines. >> woodruff: but t me ask you for those people who are mostly staying at home but they are going to the grocery store or to the pharmacy or taking alk that those guidelines are still appropriate? ab>> absolutely. lutely. the guidelines that -- you know, often at the press conference, the vice president puts up that card where he talks about the guidelines and, you know, 30 days to do this now with the extension, they're all spelled out pretty clearthere, and i think -- i know there's disparity throughout te country becau look at some of the videos and some of the information you get, and there is disparities. there are still people who are not abiding by that. and i would just use my presence here on your program to plead with them to please take seriously those guidelines. >> woodruff: masks. we are told that the trump administration is on the verge of urging americans to wear t

masks why go out. tell us about the thinking on that because, just few days ago, we were told that the thinking was it was not necessary. gr it's a t question, judy, and the thinking is really now influenced by information that's coming in, and the information is that more and more accumulation of data indicate symptoms at all can transmit the virus, but, imp can do it merely by speakingso. here's been a recent sdy that came out that said even the force from your voice of aerosolization -- namely theof virus can come out not very far a few feet and down. so even though the perfect tion to this is that everyone at all times could stay six feet separate another person, but as you correctly mentioned, this is not always

feasible. there are times wn you have to do necsary functios. you have to get food, you have to get drugs from the pharmacy, d you mightrt inadently be in a situatiowhere you're close enough where that kind of transmission can take place and, importantly, i think what peopll don't appreciate is that putting a mask on yourselfs more to prevent you from infecting someone else, and if everybody does that, we're each protecting ether because the data is it's more efficient to prevent transmitting to others than it is to prevent transmission to yoursef. but you canompletely cover that park if essentially, universally, when people go out and are in a situation where they might come into closer contact that they wear that mask. so we've discussed this in detail yesterday and in tod's task force meeting it will also be discussed in detail, so there

y be recommendations coming out. there likely will be. >> woodruff: so, in short, whatever the announcement today is about wearing mas, if people are to wear them, what's the guidance on under what circumstances and what kind of mask. >> okay. i'm glad you gav me the opportunity to address that, judy, because the one thing that's paramount here that weur want to make that people don't all of a sudden go out, buy and hoard masks that are most appropriately use and necessary for the front line healthcare workers who do need it for the clear and present danger that they find themselves in when they are taking care of people who are actually sick with coronavirus disease. so we want to make sure that this issue of having a broader community approach towards putting on a facial coveri ing doesn'fact, get in the way of the primary purpose of masks. in that regard, that's why what

that may not necessarily need to be a classical mask but could bo sort of facial covering. you know, we're pretty good in mang things in a way that sly becomes effective just because of your own creativity. >> wdruff: and the same question about masks that i was asking about staying atome, if these are things that save lives, keep people healthy, why not require them to do this? >> you know, judy, i understand where you're coming from, but it becomes difficult. when you say require, by what did? penalty? by putting people in jail? that becomes somethi that really can be counterproductive in the society we live in in america. perhaps you might be able to do that in china, but i think it would difficult to do it here. so what we are relying on is for peopleo really undstand the importance of this. >> woodruff: and going back to what you said wasew

information about this organism, about how long it lingers in the air, people are asking does it linger on the handle of a grocery bag, on a pie of paper? what is known about that at this time >> yeah, well, studies actually have been done tom deterine the viability -- viable virus when you measure it on different surfaces, like enamel, stainless steel, plastic or cloth, it varies. it generally is measured a few hours to in some situations a day . t the titer of it may be so low that even though the rus i still alive it's not capable of trance missing. -- transmissing. there are things you cado if you think you have surfaces that you touc t,t you get an

alcohol swab or one of the things that disinfect that you rub it off, clean it. the most common onere doorknobs and that's the thing people should be most awaref because people who can get virus on your hands, one of the tings you do every day is turn the door knob. but i wouldn't fixate that theo virus is going hang around weeks or months and you can't touch anything inanimate. that's really not the case. it generally is measured in a couple of hrs tobe a day or two. when i say a day or two, i mean probably at a very low titer. the ry months important thing that i think overshadows all of eqat is to wash your hands as ntly as possible. hands 50 times a di wash my so rather than being concerned if a door knob i touch is contaminated, i'll just wash my hands as much as i possibly can, and, when i don't have access to a sink and water and soap, i'll

carry around one of those purelle or alcohol things and clean it with that. those are just some of the practical things that you can do. >> woodruff: dr. fauci, there ar wmore reporre hearing now from the heads of hospitals that they're worried about not having enough protective equipment from doctors and about medications., on the other hand, the white house was saying last nit that every place where something is neededthey're going to get it. what's the reality here? >> certainly, everything that can possibly be done to make sure that no one anywhere in thn ed states will go without the necessary p.p.e. personal prective equipment and certainly not ventilators, thag something that is right up there, it is very, vermuch o the awareness of the task force. fema is a major component and agency to see that we don't ever run into that situation where

our brave healthcare workers are put more in harm 's way a lack of equipment, and that's whatle peoncentrate on all the never get into a situation where they'll fall short of that. >> woodruff: and on theti qu of social distancing and taking all the precautions we shod, i just want to be clear -- you're saying it's still too early to know when people can begin to relax on this? >> you're absolutely correct. tthank you for asking t question. as i've said all the time, youn t into place a program where you would project that,ai after a cernumber of weeks, you start to see the bending and thturning of the curve, but the virus determinhe timetable. not you or me in a pre-determined timetable. we adjust the timetable as to what we see happening, and that's why i say what you need to look at first will be the

first inkling is the number of new cases each day, the relative proportion, if that stabilizes, there's a cascading of events because, as the number of new cases begin to stabilize instead of eponentially going up, izen the hospitions, then the intensive care, and then the deaths will stabilize. and what happens is there's always the lag.o you're goingart seeing stabilization of new cases at ee same time that you're ng an increase in deaths. that may seem paradoxical but it isn't because, after a while, the deaths catch up with it d the early indications that something is going right will then ultimately be manifested in less deaths. so that's why what we look at, we look at it in new york, in new orleans, inhicago, in detroit, as we start to see that ilization, then we'll get a

more comfortable feel so that we ght be able to turn the corner. but, right now, as i mentioned, we're in a ver difficult period. it will get worse before it gets better, and i don't want the american public to get alarmed at that. obviously, it's concerning. it's not something to just put aside, but things will get better. they will turn arnd and we will get out of this. >> i know you've said you don't like to look back, t i just have a couple of questions about where this originated. whenid you first ha a sene that this was different, that what had happened was not just another virus, that this one was going to be something more seris, much more serious? >> well, somewhere in the early january, when it became clear that what the chinese had claimed originally, that this was just a virus that jumped from an animal to human and wasn't being transmitted fromn hu human, it became clear

pretty quickly that th was not the case, that this was a virus that was being transmitted from human-to-human, but not only that, the nightmare is not only is it transmitted from human-to-human, it doesn't very efficiently, and when the numbers started coming in as to what the morbidity and mortalit was, it was during in that period in early to mid january that it became clear to me that this was not just another sars, it wasn't another mers, middle east respiratory syndrome, this was different. >> woodruff: i think you're aware of reporting that the chinese were not transparent about all this in the very beginning. the question now that's arising, though, is people are asking if they had been more transparent in the very beginning, would it have prevented the spread ofth virus, period, or would it have simply given more countries like the united states me time

to prepare? well, judy, i don't think anhing would have prevented the spread of this virus. once itmerged into society with its capability of efficient read and morbidity and mortality, that was it, but what could have been different -- and this is something tht people are going to reflect on, you know, when this is all over as they try and analyze what actually happened is at, if we had known that this was highly trance admissibleonarl when it was just in china, i think other countries would have maybe been more quick on the trigger to try and inhibit travel from china to their country because, remember, it started in china and then china, by the fact that there are so many chinese people and avel is part of our daily existence in this planet, that

there would maybe have been more attention paid to the possibility that just pure travel from china in general nlt district could start an outbak throughout the world. so that delay in transparency i think likely had an impact on what i just said, the awareness that this could ofed the rest the world. >> woodruff: all that points right back to chinese officials, doesn't it?wa >> looks tha. >> woodruff: and i want to be careful about how i ask you this, but there are reports that there have been threats made against you, that security h around y been increased, and the question i have is is this job more than you thought it would be? is it now something moe an you bargained for? >> you know, judy, as i said often, this is the life that i've chosen, and i accept it.

it is what it i the ching that i continuing -- the thing that i don't like is the effect that it has on my family. >> woodruff: we know that you are working around the clock in and the country is very grateful. dr. anthony fauci, thank you havery much. >> you, judy. very good to be with you. >> woodruff: in the day's other news, the combination of huge b losses in march and surging coronavirus deaths, sent wallet stumbling again. the dow jones industrial averagi lost 360s to close at 21,052. the nasdaq fell 114 points, and, the s&p 500 gave up 38. in the presidential campaign, wisconsin's governor moved totu stop nexday's primary, citing covid-19 dangers. democrat tony evers called state sswmakers to convene tomorrow in

special n. he wants to switch to an all- ma primary, and let everyo vote by absentee, through may 26th. republican legislative leaders rejected that ideaarlier. authorities in maryland spent this day searching the chesapeake bay for a granddaughter and great-grandson of the late robert f. kennedy. they were looking for maeve kennedy townsend mckean and her eight-year-old son. the pair were in a canoe thursday afternoon, when strong winds came up. an overturned canoe, matching the missing one, was found last night. a leading african-american artist, david driskell, has died after contracting the coronavirus. he was also an author and an authority in his field, and his own work was often inspired by maine.ndscape at his home in david driskell was 88 years old. and, singer/songwriter bill withers, a member of the rock

and roll hall of fame, has died from heart complications in los angeles. he had a string of soulful hits in the 1970's, including "lean on me," "ain't no sunshine" and "lovely day." here he is, performing "lean on me" in 1974: ♪ we all need somebody lean on ♪ lean on me, when you're not strong ♪ and i'll your friend n♪ i'll help you carry o ♪ for it won't be long ♪ 'til i'm gonna need somebody to lean on ♪ >> woodruff: the song has become something of an anthem for health care workers and others, during the coronavirus pandemics bill withers1 years old. still to come on the newshour:

speaking with senator chuck schumer on the recovery across the country. retired doctors head bk to the front linein the fight against covid-19. plus, mark shields and david brooks on another week in a changed america. >> woodruff: as millions of americans find themselves unemployed and worrying about how to pay their bills, lisadi desj looks at state and local governments are doing at getting out the trillions in aid passed by congress last week. >> desjardins: the ten between states and the federal

a the states are racing to set up the unemployment paymts as lawfsz grow by as much as a million a day.i i'm ed by senate minority leader chuck schumer, democrat of new york, one to have the states hardest hit by the pandemic. thank you so much for joining us, leader schumer. my first question for you i about that unemployment increase. you know, it's complicated system and now the federals own government must sign off and make sure that flows. what can you tell people who are losing jobs right now about when you think they willhaeet increased benefit? >> well, we have and inned, senator widen and myself, that the checks reach people in two weeks. we provided a billion dollars to unemployment offices.nt their we want to make sure that whenop call in that they can get the $600 amentation of their pay, of their salary -- of theit

unemployenefits immediately, and we have made it much simpler for people to ply. it's a one-sheet because we want to get the money out quickly. and it applies to part time people, gig workers, freelancers, indidual people. we are urging very strongly the administraon to make sure th t the state offices are snuff. i have been talking to my staw e rk, and they expect to be ready and willing to go quit soon. we need the other states to do that as well because, a, people need these paychecks. they need it for rent, grocery, and everything else, and, b, we need to pump some money into the economy quickly or it will just crash. >> reporter: coming back to new york in a second, but you're one of the four top leaders in congress. why wasn't this nation and why wasn't new york better prepared for this? >> well, the nation wasn't better prepared because, frankly, i think preidst trump was behind the curve.

he first said it was a hoax, hei thendon't take it seriously. the testing w way whined the curve. i called for a national emergency on january 26, but not much happened. and even on things like the supplies that the front line workers need, the p.p.e.s, the masks, today i asked the present once again to use the defense production act and put in a pern who knows logistics and command and control to take corol of the manufacture and distribution of the need materials. we had a conference call with our 47 democratic senators. i across the country, hospitalar worker scrambling to find these things on their own. the d.p.a., the defense production act, allows the federal government to come in, commandeer factories and supplies and put the supplies into places where they're most needed.

i spoke to five hospital leaders today.e theysperate. they're spending a quarter of their time hunting and pecking they need.find the materials so we need this administration to implement what congress has put in much better, whether unemployment insurance, small business loans or distributing the greatly needed p.p.e.s, masks, ventilators that are now distributed across -- mall-d ttributed acro country. >> reporter: senator, what should happen next? expanding on what's already bee? pass is the state of new york getting enough? your gernor has been critical -- >> no, we are not getting e enough. we hne pretty well. new york state will get over $110 billion to our unemployed, to our smndl businesses hospitals, but this crisis is looking bigger and bigger and bigger and i think that in the next covid bil, we'e not going to only have to expand some of the progra we put in place,

but we're going to have to look at bolder things. since i have been hoe, i ha been hearing from people who know how the economy works, that we d't move quickly and boldly, the recession could become a depression and last much longer thanny of u would want. so the bold, quick action that we did take in the senate, to nothing and the most extensive government program of help for people who need help since the great sociy has to be replicated and expanded soon, i'd say before the d of april. >> reporter: senator schumer, i know you have been speaking to the president repeatedly, but, at the same time, he sent a letter to you last night criticizing you. he wrote, specifically, if you had spent less time on ana impeachment , new york would not be so unprepared. how do you come together? ando you advise him on things whether he should put out a national stay-at-home order? >> look, i've talked to the president five or six tes.

i ignore those kinds of things that he just did. they're beside the point. we all have to roll up our sleeves, come together and do what is needed, and that's where the fos has got to be. and the president has to lead. he has to lead, and leading means getting ahold o problem and implementing the good law that democrats and republicans passed in congress, and i hope he will do that on defense production act, i hope he will do that on unemployment insurance, make sure it's out in two weeks. s i'd like t that we give extrpay to the front line workers who are needed to come to the front lines because they're risking their liv and everything like that, i think we'll put that in covid 4, but the president could do it for workers right now. there are a lot of things he could do following you will up on our relationship and on his own to deal with the magnitude >> reporter: senator chuck schumer from new york speaking

fromourpartment, we appreciate it. >> thank you, nice to see you, lisa. >> woouff: as the coronavirus pandemic rapidly spreads, state officials are sounding the alarm that not enough doctors and nurses are available to meet the growing needs of infecte patients. that's meant an all-hands on deck approach in some parts of the country. rules and regulations are now being lifted or changed to allow both medical students to graduate earlyetired doctors to return to the profession. lisa desjardins ish us again >> desjardins: this week, desperate pleas for medical reinforcements went out from many of the nation's governors.n >> tians, administrators, doctors, nurses. we are calling on you to itep up and stand meet this moment. tu we need to have folks who are willing to come to service. >> if you don't reve a health risis in your community, please come help us in new york now. >> desjardins: new york governor andrew cuomo said one million

additional health care professionals would soon be needed there, a state that has s.come the epicenter of the pandemic in the >> i'm volunteering because this is the way that i can continue to give back to new york city.ew i'm a lifelongorker. >> desjardins: doctor jane bedell spent years treating sick patients during the aids crisis, and for several decades s a primary care physician and public health official in the bronx. she retired inebruary, and was set for a trip to wyoming with her son this week. >> i had planned kind of a very unstructured, kind of lackadaisical approach to retirement, honestly. d jardins: but two weeks ago the 63 year-old recently scrapped those plans, and instead signed up for the w york city medical reserve corps. >> i feel compelled, even in forward in this moment and tobit give back in whatever small wayh i can and to join with my city in this response.

>> desjardins: another potential source of help: immigrant doctors. some states, like new york and new jersey, are granting immigrant doctors who fall short of some requiremts temporary licenses. the migration policy institute estimates some 165,000 health workers have skills who are reign born that aren't fully utilized because of rules re oiring them to re-license retrain. and in states with some of the highest number of cases, medical schools are now ruing to graduate students early, and assigning them to hospitals most in need.t >> i jrtually graduated from medical school. >> desjardins: on tuesy, lauren colwell became a doctor while sitting in front of a comper, for the university o massachusetts medical school'snl entirelye graduation she missed the chance to walk across the stage in a cap and gown, but her training will be put to immediate use in one of the university's health care facilities. >> i think i'm full of emotions. i don't know if i should be excited, happy.

>> this definitely isn't how i imagined it, but i'm really excited.r. >> desjardins:aylor shortsleeve is one of colwell's classmates. he feels both enthusiasm and uncertainty right now. >> my mom's an m.p. and she does primary care. and she's particularly worried about me because, you know, the mother son relationship, she doesn't want me to come down with the coronavirus. i had asthma as a kid. l so i'mtle worried myself. but other than that, you know, v kind of quelyone's fears by saying we're going to be protected. and this is my calling. this is what i want to do. >> desrdins: newly-graduated doctors likely won't see the most critically ill patients, but so other young doctors are already in the thick of it and are being >>t to the test. obody ever thinks that they're going to go to residency and gehit by a pandemic. >> desjardins: reina gonzalez ca to new york from puerto rico two years ago to start her residency in internal medici b

at mount sinh israel hospital. >> i've been receiving a lot of ese patients. it's really tough as they come, really short of breath. they really say, like, i can't breathe, i can't control this fever. being with that first patient when i'm like, i reallwant to help you. but at the same time, i don't know what you have. i don't know how this can affect me, my life, my loved ones. it's the uncertainty like not knowing we're doctors for researchers were scientists. we're used to knowing, having the answers and not knowing it's something we're not used to, at least i'm not used to it. >> desjardins: for older doctors, like doctor bedell, me of the personal risks are even higher, especially sincece she's a cancer survivor with hypertension.mi >> my put a lot of work into my recovery, for which i al neighbors and my f.

and this might just piss them off if i got sick. >> desjardins: that's why some have questioned whether it'st prudr retired doctors to come back. dr. bedell says e'll likely not be assigned to high-risk jobs, but instead offer supportk topressure off of other doctors.an >> i don'tto clog up an emergency room spot or hospital bed or, you know, oh, my goodness, no, do not have anyone on a ventilator that you could have prevented from using that unbelievable valuable resource. >> these will be our first days and weeks as doctors. >> desjains: but for graduating students like columbia's maggie bogardus, the crisis offers a unique opportunity. and she says she's grateful to serve in this moment. >> what i'm going to take with me is how much it brout people specifically in the health world together, i have been seeing and hearing really incredible things and unprecedented things in terms of what people are willing to do and w they're willing to help.

that's why we're here and that's why we're doing what we're doing. i think it's a really poignant reminder of that as we're >> desjardins: for the pbsne hour, i'm lisa desjardins. dr >> wf: and with that, we turn to the analysis of shields and brooks. that's syndicated columark shields and "new york times" columnist david brooks. hello to both of you. we are keeping our distance from one another as we know we absolutely have to do. when we were togetherast time, the three of us, it was two weeks ago, and, at that point, there were 15,000 coronavirus cases in this country, 200 deaths had been reported, two weeks later, it's 270,000 deaths and -- or 270,000 cases, 7,000 deaths.

how are we doing as a country, david, in getting our arms around this? >> you know, in two weeks, we could be seeing another higher shoot up in those lines.w you kni don't think we can say things are competently being handled. what's happening to the country, the naval -- to the comfort, the naval medical ship in new york state is a travesty. test are failing by a third,ti positive negs, false positives, false negatives. some of the unif supplies are still not getting to new york state. so it does not look like we hav mobilized y you would think a country with a first-class defense department or ars ft-class set of bureaucracies would mobilize. so ir worisome. stke aside from all the politics, it juoesn't seem like competence. >> woodruff: mark, what does it look like to? you >> wl, i don't disagree, but i would add that at least there's a nsens now, not

unanimity, that this is a seris, grave, national calamity. the president's movg on it. i think it made a difference, and he's brought with him the with them a very large chunk. there's no longer anybody in the country who views this as some sort of democratic hoax to jeopardize the preident's reelection. but there has not been that assumption of national constant and consistent manner, and that, i think, remains a problem. just last night, judy, ms. blackstone in new york whod had been lf and had 300 calls to the labor department tl y for unemployment insurance, that's unforgivable. this is a time when all handsn have to be deck. everybody -- this is not a question of bailing out industries, it's a qon of

saving families and indviduals. >> woodruff: david, and the approach from the white house has been this is something at, state by state, we need the states to make decisions, for example, about whether people should be asked or urge d stay at home. today the announcement about wearing masken the pres said that's up to individuals, i don't plan to do it. is the president right to be leaving these decisions up toan individualup to states? >> i do agree with what tony fauci said about that. i do think the idea of ordering people to do things in somefa dictatoriaion will set off a reactions that will be a counterreactions. i think the right thing for the president to do would be to say here's what's right project a tone of here's what we' to do.ng wise governors follow awe long and that's what'sappening across the country in social distancing. i'm a little hesitant saying you can der by dictate all sorts

of things. have to say, are taking ite, i seriously. most are social distanng, most are rallying around each other to an astoppishing degree. i ink mora is astonishingly high, given what's happening. so i think just oering americans around is not always >> woodruff: mark, what about the approach of saying this is something individuals and, frankly, state and local leaders need to make for themselveshe >>erfect example, the president is a national leader leading by example, and the president is leadinis example which is not to subscribe to the edict or the suggestion or the recommendation. ,nd i just think, you know having watched tony fauci -- i will say, this that he is a remarkable public servant, he speaks truth to power. he did the same thing with president ronald reagan some 35 years ago athe h.i.v. threat threat to the nation and sotius

al health. consistently, presidents do not like to be corrected contradicted, this president less than any, and he has done so in an effective way,hether it's putting the correction on it that there is no vaccine right around t corner, that we're going to be back to normal, and i think he deserves enormous credit. and donald trump surprises meus behe does not tolerate correction or contradiction and the fact that tony fauci is still there is an indication, i think, to s dispensability. >> woodruff: and, david, when it comes to the economy, wheitco s to people's livelihoods, americans and rising who are seeking unemployment benefits, businesses are going out of business by th hundreds, by the thousands, what about the administration's approach to keeping the economy afloat? >> well, here there's a lot of blame to go along.

i would say that when we look ah bill that was passed by congress a couple of weeks ago, the stimulus bill, we'll regard it as one of the wort econom packages maybe in american history, certainly in a time of crisis. what they're doing in europe is they're preserving businesses, keeping people emp they're just paying businesses to say we're going to give you some money but you're going to keep your payroll so that people don't have the threat of unemployme, they don't have the insecurity of unemployment, they don't have the possibility they'll never get a jin or won't get a job for a long time. they just sort of freeze the we took a more individualistic. proach, we'll just give you $100. we had a back stop measure, 350 billion for businesses. we should increase that to 600 billion, 700 billion so businesses can keep their payroll. the democrats took this option because they didn't want to be seen as bailing out businesses. i'm not sure republicans had a coherent thought in their head.

i think this is a catastrophic error which we should be fixing very quickly. >> wooffand, mark, how do you size up the approach to the, econhe approach to saving americans who are seeing in some cases everything they have >> i think, judy -- and i disagree here -- i think the immediate project of health and i assistance has to be people, a individual that they are the ones, the families to be fed, to be held together, and putting money intoc their kets through unemployment insurance, through the federal grant, i think, is urgent. but as they come back to this ie a time government has to respond and provide particularly unemployment insurance, peoplehr taking or four days to get reg steroids sun acceptable and unforgivable.

>> woodruff: go ahead, david. no, i was just going to say, you know, it's tetthave them not be unemployed. i mean, there are going to be some people who will be bemployed and the unemployment insurance is hom if you could sit at home knowing you have a job and getting paid even though you are sitting at home and you were probably going to back to that job, that seems to me the right way to to this.e i unrstand sull chiewrlly and politically while bailing out businesses seemso be a bad thing, but it's fixable. when chuck schumer said earlier in the program thate wants something else, i would hope this would be the something else we would do befored he april. >> woodruff: and, mark, we're told they're going to come back at some point in the coming weeks with a bigger aid package. >> no qstion. i think that is coming. i have to sayhat the president showed an absence of leadership at the signing o that rescue bill,il thatl to save the american families who are besieged by leis terr

calamity, not to invite a single democrat to the signing is at a time when he's saying this is not a time for politics was not the kind of example that ed. but we're going to have another bill, a major bill, and it's a time of the greatest urgency. seconds or so, david,20 partisanship -- bipartisanship, do you see a hope for it in the incoming weeks a andonths? >> i see hope we're going to learn lessons, we're going to learn being comtpetent ers, we're going to learn politics is not a reality game show, we're ing to learsometime insiders like anthony fauci are the ones we trust the most. >> woodruff: well, we tnk the both of you, david brooks, mark shields, and plese stay safe. thank you. >> thank you, judy.

>> woodruff: returning to the effective they are and whether home-made masks can help stop the spread of the virus. we want to look at what is motivating the small army of citins making masks in their communities. jeffrey brown focuses on one washington, d.c. suburb: bethesda, maryla, where locals have put sewing machines to wori to makerent types of masks for local medical professionals. it's part of our ongoing arts and culture series, canvas. >> brown: fiber artist anya caldwell is used to creating handmade pducts. she knits, crochetweaves and sews. now, she's using any fabric she has, as well as donated linens, dish towels and pajamas, f a new purpos >> a personal message to the people out there that are obviously stressed, having to do this right now that we carfor them, we love them.

neighbors donated a fabric that 37 years ago where the curtains in their baby's nursery. so they had sentimental values. >> brown: caldwell has produced more than 200 fabric masks families to make a200orking with more. they've received design advice from local healthcare workers. some nurses and doctors around the country arwelcoming the handmade masks as hospital- depleted.surgical masks are jennifer sun, a pediatrician by training, follows a d.i.y. pattern recommended online that allows a filter to be inserted as an additional protective layer. t here was a facebook group that formed that has now over 5,000 members. to send a message to people who are in charge that they need toe geer protective equipment for our health care providers. >> brown: the need to contributd o much uncertainty is motivating people all over: a sailmar in maine.

fashion designer in south carolina. mississippi. jeans company in back in bethesda, rodolfo castro, his wife lisa and kids felt that same need. >> we hope that these masks n lend a little more protection or extend the life of the n-95 masks that nurses and doctors are weing. >> brown: high school junior grace mcguire uses bright fabrics collected over the years on visits to her grandmothern hawaii. she aims to make 100 masks, some for community members. >> it's also therapeutic. and it's a good it's a good waym e me feel productive because i'm helping people in my community have safe masks.re so theot buying these medical masks at the hospitals need. >> brown: lawyers gary and janet mcdavid, have built what he calls an "assembly line" in their basement. along with neighbors, they havee completed hu of c.d.c.- compliant home-made surgical masks.

>> when we're finished, we taket ththe hospital. we call and they send someone out to collect the masks.ma >> browna monteverde- jackson says the handiwork has multiple purpose >> i believe in the power of small groups in times of crisis. i mean, the world eds big heroes right now. but we also need small heroes. i suppose our greatest hope is that in a small way, these masks help them to come home to their friends and family when this is all over and to be ablto give them a great big hug. because we could all use a great big hug right now. >> brown: for the pbs newshour, i'm jeffrey brown. >> woodruff: and that's the newshour for tonight. i'm judy woodruff. have a great weekend. thank you, stay safe and

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. the former treasury secretary. >> i wantayo a special word about testing. it is so important. f as i said weeks and weeks, this is the way through. >> under quarantine and under fire. british prime minister boris johnson again promises to ramp up testing while president trump admits the united states is running out of vital supplies. plus, five years ago, his boss ll ges predict the world would face crippling pandemic.