captioning sponsored by newshour pductions, llc >> woodruff: good evening, i'm judy woodruff. on the newshour tonit, at the close of another week under pandemic conditions, the white policy, and a fearful u.s. watches as the death toll ticks up we speak with leading health official dr. anthony fauci on the latest medical guidance. >> more and more accumulation of data indicat people who are without symptoms at all can transmit the virus, but importantly, they can do it merely by speaking. >> woodruff: and it's friday. mark shields and david brooks analyze the reaction from washington and around the

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

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>> woodruff: the united states heads into this weekend with coronavirus deaths still accelerating. the pandemic has claimed some 7,000 lives nationwide, and there is new guidance tonight on using face masks.bu president trump says he has no plans to wear one. more than 40% of the deaths are in new york, and the governor says the state will start seizing vital medical equipment. meanwhile, new n confirm that the american job market is collapsing. raamna nawaz begins our co. >> nawaz: for many americans, iday is payday. but not so today. as stores remain closed, restaurants, dark, and parking lots, empty. all markers of aeconomy reeling through a global pandemic. the department reported today that employers shed more than 700 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 ead. there's no question about it. the effects of the pandemic and the mitigation that's required toll.d it are taking a huge >> nawaz: covid-19 continues to take a toll on u.s. alth systems. the week saw an expansion ofer stay at home oin the u.s., putting a majority of americans across 38 states under some sort of directive. massachusetts saw it's biggest one day high in new cases and death. 10,400 caseds more than 490 died. governor charlie baker. >> cases are liky to increa rapidly in the coming weeks and the strain on our healthcare system will be unprecedented. >> nawaz: athe country's icenter 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 makeshift clinics at the

convention center and even parts of central park. new rk governor andrew 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 and that we are new york is in crisis. help new york and then pick up, decant, and then go to the next place as country.s across the >> nawaz: cuomo today signed an aggressive new order authorizing seizure of unused ventilators and p.p.e. from private hospitals and companies. >> if they want to sue me for borrowing thr excess ventilators to save lives, let them sue me. >> nawaz: but even resources intended to alleviate the system strain, are getting stuck in bureaucratic knots. the u.s. navy ship "comfort" and

its 1,000 hospital beds, was meant to help new york treat non-covid 19 patients. so far, they've bunked barely 20. the same is true aboard the" mercy" ship in los angeles, where fewer than ten patients have been treated. the defense department today announced a screing process change, to allow more patients to come their way. from the supreme 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 lne angeles and york, recommending all people wear cloth face masks, even if they show no covid-19 symptoms. those measures have long been used by countries in asia and europe the virus' spread.top spain today, ath toll surpassed italy's, topping 11,000. as hospitals overflow, these ice rinks remain as makeshift morgues. and safeguards to contain the virus also remain in place, as

s nursing home in santa coloma, where this is the only way for maria espinar to check oner mother... >> ( translated ): firstly, i don't know if i am infected, i don't know if i am infected,o now they said that they are going to test all 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 saudi arabia, where fothe first time in modern history, officials say the annual muslim pilgrimage to mecca, the hajj, could be postponed. some two million muslims have been asked to hold off on travel plans, by the saudi government. >> ( translated ): the kingdom of saudi arabia is prepared service the hajj performers in the kingdom of saudi arabia is all muslims and nationals. that's why we have requested from all muslims around the world to hold onto signing any agreements until we have a clear vision. >> nawaz: the latest in major global events to come a standstill, while the virus continues its march around the world.fo 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 wearing masks outside and new findings about how the virus spreads. i spoke this afternoon with one officials on the public health response, doctor anthony fauci he national institutes of health. he is a key member of the president's coronavisk force. and we spoke before the president announcethe recommendation from the c.d.c. that people use a cloth or dr. fahank you very much for joining us. you are now saying that you don't understand why alls americe not staying at home. have you told the president that you think itood idea to order americans to stay home? >> well, there's always tha difficulty of orderin centrally versus having the states be the

major implementers of policy. i have said that i feel we should bemplementing this social distancing or physical separation, which,n 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, tre is thehreat of outbreak virtually everywhere and anywhere within our cntry. so when we extended the guidelines from the 15-day idelines to now 30 days toward the end of april, i think this is an opportunity for everyone, every state, every regio every locale to participate in this very serious physical separation as delineated very clearly in the guidelines. i have articulated thisultiple times as have several of my other colleagues. i'm not alone on this. and we daily brief the

president. >> woodruff: but when lives are re stake, whyt command measures requiring people to do this appropriate now? >> you know, i think ifou look at that the prere conces when eou hear me and others, the vice president, resident speak, it is the equivalent of that. i understand what you're talking about, making lian et statement, but that generally is not the wayhings operate between the federal government and states. i think outhere to everyone listening in all the states thae they should doing this, even though they feel that, in certain respecthere are relatively few cases in their city, town, state. that will change. there is no region in t country, in my mind, that's going to be exempt from an outbreak if you do not do the appropriate mition issues,

namely the physical separations at are clearly spelled out in the guidelines. >> woodruff: but let me ask you for those people who are are going to the grocery store or to the pharmacy or taking a walk, that those guidelines are still appropriate? >> absolutely. absolutely. the guidelines that -- you know, often at the press conferenceth vice president puts up that card where he talks about the guidelines and, you know, 30 days to do this nowith the extension, they're all spelled out pretnd clearly there,i think -- i know there's disparity throughout the country because you look at of the videos and some of the information you get, and there there are still pwho are not abiding by that. and i would just use my presencr here on rogram 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

masks when they go out. tell us about the thinking on that because, just a few days ago, we were told that the thinking was it was not necessary. >> it's a ngreat questi, judy, and the thinking is really now influenced by information that's coming in, and the information that more and more accumulation of data indicate that people who are without symptoms at all can transmit the virus, but, importany, they can do it merely by speaking. so there's recent study force from your voice ofeven the speaking, there is a degree of aerosolization -- namely the virus can come out not very far a few feet and down. so even though the perfect solution to s that everyone at all times could stay six fe separated from anoth person, but as youorrectly mentioned, this is not always

feasle. there are times when you have to do necessary functions. you have to get food, you have to get drugs from the pharmacy and you might inadvertently be in a situation where you're ose enough where that kind of transmission can take place and, importantly, i think what people don't tully apte is that putting a mask on yourself is more to prevent you from infecting someone else, and if erybody does that, we're each seotecting each other bec the data is it's more efficient to preventmitting to others than it is to prevent transmission to yourself. but you can completely cover that ballpark if essentially, universally, when people go out and are in a situation where they might come into closer contact that they wear that mask.e' so discussed this in detail yesterda and in today's task force meeting it will alsod be discusn detail, so there

may be recommendations coming out. there likely will be. whatever the announcement today people are to wear them, what's the guidance on under what circumstances and what kind of mask. >> okay. i'm glad you gave me the opportunity to address that, judy, because the one thing that's paramount here that we want to make sure that people don't all of a sudden go out, buy and hoard masks that are most appropriately used and necessary for the front line healthcare workers who do need it for the clear and present danger that they feind themlves in when they are taking care of people who are actual lysick with coronavirus disease. so we want to make sure that this issue of having a broader community approach towards putting on a facial covering doesn't, in fact, get in the way of the primary purpose of masks. in that regard, that's why what

we're talking about are things that may not necessarily need to be a classical mask but could be some sort of facial covering. you know, we're pretty good in making things in a way that spontaneously becomes effective just because of your own creativity. >> woodruff: and t question about masks that i was asking about staying at home, if ese are things that save lives, keep people healthy, why not require them to do this? >> you know, judy, i understand where you'rebu coming from it becomes difficult. did?y whatay requir by penalty? by putting people in jail? that becomes something that rely 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 be difficult tt do i here. so what we are relying on is for people to really undertand the importance of this. >> woodruff: and going back to what you said was new

information about this organism, about how long it lingers in the le people are asking does it linger on the haf a grocery bag, on a piece of paper? time?is known about that at this well, studies actually have been done to determine the viability -- viable virus when you meure it on different surfaces, like enamel, stainless steel, platic or cloth, it varies. it generally is measured a few hours to in some situations a day or two. the titer of it may be so low that even though the virus i still alive it's not capable of trance missing. -- tinnsmi there are things you can do if you think you have surfaces that you touch, that you get an

alcohol swab or one of the things that disinfect tha you rub it off, clean it. the most common one are doorknobs and that's the thing people should be most are of because people who can get virus on your hands, one of the thin you do every day is turn the door knob. but i wouldn't fixae that the virus is going to hang around weeks or mthand you can't touch anything inanimate. that's really not the case. it generally is measured in a couple ofours to maybe a day ortwo. when i say a day or two, i mean probably at a very low titer. the very months important thing that i tnk overshadows all of ihat is to wash your hands as frequently as poe. i tell you, judy, i 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 pudlle or alcohol things clean it with that. those are just some of the practical thingshat you can do. >> woodruff: dr. fauci, there are more rorts we're hring now from the heads of hospitals that they're worried about not havi enoughrotective equipment from doctors and nurses worried about eqpment, abou medications. on the other hand, the white house was saying last nighthat every place where something i needed, they'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 thl united statesgo without the necessary p.p.e.s or peronal protective equipment and certainly not vtilators, thag something that is right up there, it is very, very much on the awareness of the task fore. fema is a major component and agency to see thae don't ever run into that situaon where

our brave healthcare workers are put more in harm'say by aack people concentratell the what time and, hopefully, we willge neveinto a situation where they'll fall short of that. >> woodruff: and on the question of social distancing and taking all the precautions we should, i just want to be clea-- you're saying it's still too early to know when people can begin to relax on this? >> you're absolutely correct. thank you for king that question. cs i've said all the time, you can put into p a program where you would project that, afr a certain number of weeks, you start to see the bending and the turning of the curve, b the virus determines the timetable. not you or me in a pre-determined timetable. adjust the titable 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 proporti, if that stabilizes, there's a cascading of events beuse, as the number of ne cases begin to stabilize instead of exponentially gong up, then hee hospitalizations, then intensive care, and then the deaths will stabilize. and what happens is there's always the lag. yore going to start seeing stabilization of new cases at the same time that you're seeing an increase in deaths. that may seem paradoxical but it isn't because, after a while, the deaths catch up with it and the early indications that something is going right will then ultimaly be manifested in less deaths. so that's why what we look a we look at it in new york, in new orleans, in chico, in detroit, as we start to see that stabilization, then we'll get a morel omfortable feso that we

might be able to turn the corner. but, right now, as i mentioned, we're in a very difficult period. it will get worse before it gets better, and i don't want the american pubc to get too alarmed at that. obviously, it's concerning. it's not something to ju put aside, but things will get better. they will turn around and we will get out of this. >> i know you'v said y don't like to look back, but i just have a couple of questions about where this originated. when did you first have a sense that this was different, that what had happened was not justot r virus, that this one was going to be something more serious, much more serious? >> well, somewhere in the early january, when it became clear that what the chinese had was just a virus that jumpeds from an animal to human and human to huma became clearrom

pretty quickly that this was not the case, that this was a virus that was beinag nsmitted from human-to-human, but not only that, the nightmare is not onl is it transmitted from human-to-human, it doesn't veryl effici and when the numbers started coming in as to what the morbidity and mort was, it was during in that period in early to mid januaryat t became clear to me that this was not just anothersars, wasn't another mers, middle east respiratory syndro, this was different. >> woodruff: i think fu're aware reporting that the chinese were not transparent about all thisthe very beginning. the question n that's arising, though, is people are asking if arenthad been more tran in the very beginning, would it have prevented the spread of this virus, period, or would it have simply given more countries like the united states more time

to prepare? >> well, judy, i don't think anything would have prevented the spread of this virus. once it emerged into society with its capability o efficient spread and morbidity and mortality, that was it, but whao d have been different -- and this is something that peoplein are to reflect on, you know, when this is all over as they trynd analyze what actually happened is that, if we had known that this was highly trance admissible early on when it was just in china, i thin other countries would have maybe en 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 the are so many chinese people and travel is part of our dailyc exisin this planet, that

there would maybe have been more attention paid to the possibility that jt pure travel from china in general but certainly from wuhn and the district could start an outbreak roughout the world. so that delay in transparency i thinlikely had an impact on at i just said, the awareness that this could seed the res the world. >> woodruff: all that points right back to chinese officials, doesn't it? looks that way. >> woodruff: and i want to be careful about how i ask you this, but there ar reports that there have been threats made against you, that security around you has been increased, and the question i have iis this job more than you thought it would be? is it now something more than 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 is. the ching that i coninuing -- 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 clok in and the country is very grateful. dr. anthony fauci, thank you very much. >> thank you, judy. very good to be with you. >> woodruff: in the day's other news, the combination of hugema job losses ih and surging coronavirus deaths, sent wall street tumbling again. the dow jones industrial average lost 360 points to close at 21,052. the nasdaq fell 114 points, and, the s&500 gave up 38. in the presidential campaign, wisconsin's vernor moved to stop next tuesday's primary, citing covid-19 dangs. democrat tony evers called state lawmakers to convene tomorw in

special session. he wants to switch to an all- mail primary, and let everyone vote by absentee, through may 26th. republican legislative leaders rejected that idea earlier. authorities in maryland spent this day searching the chesapeake bay for a dsanddaughter and great-gr of the late robert f. kennedy. they were looking for maevenn keedy 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 anit authin his field, and his own work was often inspired by the landscape at his home ine. ma david driskell was 88 years old/ and, sinngwriter bill withers, a member of the rock and roll hall of fame, has died

ifrom heart complicationsn los angeles. he had a string of souits 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 to lean on ♪ lean on me, when you're not strong ♪ and i'll be your friend ♪ i'll help you carry on ♪ 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 pandemic. bi withers was 81 years ol still to come on the newshour:

speaking with senator chuck schumer on the recovery across the country. retired doctors head back to the front lines in the fight ainst covid-19. plus, mark shields and david brooks on another week ia changed america. >> woodruff: as millions of americans find themselves unemployed and worrying about how to pay their bills, lisa desjardins looks at and getting out the trillions in aid passed by congress last week. >> desjardins: the tensions between states and the federal

a the states are racing to set up the unemployment payments as lawfsz grow by as much as a million a day. i'm joined 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 is about that unemploymecr se. you know, it's complicated because each state runs its owna syst now the federal 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 will see that increased benefit? >> well, we have and inned, senator den and myself, that the checks reach people in two weeks. we provided a billion dollars to help the states augment theirnt unemployffices. te want to make sure that when people call in they can get the $600 augmentation of their pay, of their salary -- of their

tsunemployment bene immediately, and we have made it much simpler for people to apply. it's a oe-sheet because we want get the money out quickly. and it applies to part time people, gig workers, freelancers, individual peoplegi so we are ung very strongly the administration to make sure that the state offces are up to snuff. y have been talking to my state new york, and thpect to be ready and willing to go quite soon. we need the other states to doll that as because, a, peole need theseaychecks. they need it for renty,, groc and everything else, and, b, we need to pump some mey 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? better prepared because, frankly, i think president trump he first said it was a hoax, he

then said don't take it serisly. the teing was 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 president once again to use the defense production act and put in a person who knows logistics and command and control to take control of the manufacture and distribution of the need materials. we had a conference call with our 47 democratic senators. i across the country, hospital workers are sambling to find these things on their own. the d.p.a., the defense production act, allows the federal government to come in, commandeer facries and supplies and put the supplies into places where theye most needed. i spoke to five hospital leaders

today. they're spending a quarter of their time hunting and pecking to try to find the materials they ne. 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-distributed across the country. >> reporter: senator, what should happen next? expanding on what's already been passed? state of new york getting enough? your governor has been critical -- >> no, we are not geing enough. we have done pretty well. new york state will get over $110 billion to our unemployed, to our small businesses and hospitals, but this crisis is looking bigger and bigger and bigger and i think that in the next covid bill, we're not going to only have to expand some of the programs we put in place,

but we're going to have to look at bolder things. since i have been home, i have been hearing from people who know how the economy works, that if we don't move quickly and boldly, the recession could become a depression and last much longer than any of us woud want. so the bold, quick action that we did tak in the senate, 96 to nothing and the most extensive government program of help for people who need help since the great society has to be replicated and expanded soon i'd say before the end 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 lt night criticizing you. he wrote,pecifically, if you had spent less time on an imachment hoax, new york would not be so unprepared. how do you come together? and do you advise him on things whether he should put out a national stay-at-home order? >> look, i've talked to theen presfive or six times.

i ignore those kinds of things that he jus 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 focus has got to and the president has to lead. he has to lead, and leading means gettinahold of this 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 hopeil hedo that on unemployment insurance, make sure it's out in two weeks. d like to see that we give extra pay to the front line workers who are needed to come to the front lines because they're risking their lives 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 dou following ll up on our relationship and on his own to deal wit the magnitude and depth of this crisis.o >> rrter: senator chuck schumer from new york speaking

from your apartment, we appreciate it. >> thank you, nice to see you, lisa. >> woodruff: as the coronavirus pandemic rapidly spreads, state officials are sounding the alarm th not enough doctors and nurses are available to meet the growing needs of infected that's meant an all-hands on deck approach in some parts of the corutry. s and regulations are now being lifted or changed to allow both medical students to doctors to return to the profession. we heard from many of them. jardins is with us again to tell their stories. >> desjardins: this week, t sperate pleas for medical reinforcements wt from many of the nation's governors. >> technicians, administrators, doctors, nurses. we are calling on you to step up and step in and meet this moment. >> we need to have folks who are willing to come return to service. >> if you don't have a health care crisis 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 become the epicenter of the pandic in the u.s. >> i'm volunteering because this is the way that i can continue to give back to new york city. i'm a lifelong new yorker.ja >> dins: doctor jane bedell spent years treating sick patients during the aids crisis, and for sevel decades was a primary care physician and public health official in the bronx. she retired in february, andas 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. >> desjardins: but two weeks ago the 63 year-old recently scrapped those plans, and instead signed up for the new york city medical reserve corpsi eel compelled, even in retirement, to step a little bin forwarhis moment and to give back in whatever small wayt that i can ajoin with my city in this respons

>> desjardins: another potential source of help: immigrant doctorik some states,new york and new jersey, are granting immigrant doctors who fall short of some requirements temporary licenses. the migration policy institute estimates some 165,000 health workers have skills who are t foreign bot aren't fully utilized because of rules requiring them tre-license or retrain. and in states with some of the highest number of cases, medical schools are now rushing to g them to hospitals most in need. >> i just virtually graduated from medical school. >> desjardins: on tuesday, lauren colwell became a doctor while sitting in fnt of a computer, for the university of massachusetts medical school's entirely online graduation she missed the chance to walk across the stage in 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 shld be excited, happy.

>> this definitely isn't how i imagined it, but i'm really excited. >> desjardins: dr. taylor shortsleeve is one of colwell's he feels both enthusiasm and uncertainty mght now. mom's an m.p. and she does primary care.e' and particularly worried about me because, you know, the mother son relationship, shee doesn't want come down with the coronavirus. i had asthma as a kid. so i'm a little worried myself. but other than that, you know, i kind of quell everyone's fears eby saying we're going to protected. and this is my calling. this is what i want to do. >> desjardins: newlyraduated doctors likely won't see theca most criy ill patients, but some other young dtors are already in the thick of it and are being put to the test.hi >> nobody evers that they're going to go into residency and get hit by a pandemic. >> desjardins: reina gonzalez came to new york from puerto rico two yrs ago to start her residency in internal medicine

at mount sinai beth israelit ho. >> i've been receiving a lot of these 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 really want 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 we're used to knowing, havingth answers and not knowing it's something we're not used to, at least i'm not used to it. >> desjardin for older doctors, like doctor bedell,pe even higher, especially since she's a recent cancer survivor with hypertension. >> my family put a lwork into my recovery, for which i am rever thankful and my neighbs and my friends.

and this might just piss them off if i got sick. >> desjardins: tt's why some have questioned whether it's prudent for retired doctors to come back. dr. bedell says she'll likely not be assigned to high-risk ffbs, but instead offer suppor to take pressuref other doctors. a>> i don't want to clog 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 valble resource. >> these will be our first days and weeks as doctors. >> desjardins: 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 brought 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 how they're willing to help.

why we're doing what we'rethat's doing. i think it's a really poignant reminder of that as we're starting off on our careers.rd >> dess: for the pbs newshour, i'm lisa desjardins. >> woodruff: and with that, we turn to the analysis of shields and ooks. that's syndicated columnist mark shields and "new york times" columnist vid 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 together the last 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 beentw reportedweeks 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 arm around this? >> you know, in two weeks, we could be seeing another higher shoonup in those es. you knw, i don't think we can handled.gs are competently being 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, positive negatives, false positives, false negatives. some of the uniforms and supplies are still not gettin to new york state. so it does not look like have mobilized the way you would think a country with first-class defense department or a first-class set of bureaucracies would mobilize. so it's worrisome. take aside from all the potics, it just doen't seem like competence. >> woodruff: mark, what does it look like to you? >> well, i don't disagree, but i leuld add that at there's a consensus now, if not unanimity, that this is a

serious, grave, naional calamity. the president's moving on it. i think it made a differee, and he's broght with him the folks at fox news, who bring with tm ea very large chunk. there's no longer anybody in the country who views this as some sort of democratic hoax to jeopardize the president's reelection. but there has not been that assumption of national leadership, at least as ata co and consistent manner, and that, i think, remains a problem. ms. blackstone in new york who had been laid off and had 300 calls to the labor department to qualify for unemployment insurance, that's unforgivable. this is a time when all hands have to be on deck. everybody -- this is not a question of bailing out industri, it's a question of

saving families and individuals. >> woodruff: david, and the approach from the white house has been this is something that, state by state, we need the states to make decisions, for example, about wheher people should be asked or urged to stay at home. today the nouncement abo wearing masks, the president said that's up to individuals, i don't plan to dot. is the president right to be leaving these decisions up to taindividuals and up totes? >> i do agree with whatony fauci said about that. i do think the idea of ordering people to do thigs inome dictatorial fashion will set ofw a reactions thl 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're going to d wise governors follow awe long and that's what's happenin across the country in social distancing. i'm a little hesitant saying you of things.by dictate all sorts

so far, the american people, i have to say, are taking itri sly. most are social distancing, most are rallying around each other to an astoppishing degree. i think morale is astonishingly high, given what's happening. so i think st ordering americans around is not always the right strateoo. >>uff: mark, what about the approach of saying this is somethin individuals and, frankly, state and local leaders need to make for themselves? >> the perfect example, the president is a national leader leading example, and the president is leading by his example which is not to subscribe to the edict or the suggestion or the recommendation. and i just think, you know,vi watched tony fauci -- i will say, this that he is a remarkable public servant, he speaks truth to power. did the same thing with president ronald reagan some 3 years ago at the h.i.v. threat and said that this is a serious

threatto the nation and so national health. consistently, presidents do not like to be corrected di conted, this president less than any, and he has done so in an effective way, whether it's putting the correction on it that there is no vaccin right around the corner, thatg we're go be back to normal, and ithink he deserves enormous credit tnd donald trump surprises me because he does tolerate correction or contradiction and the fact that tony fauci is still there is an indication, i think, to enhis indibility. >> woodruff: and, david, when it comes to the economy, when it comes to people's livelihoods, we have, what, now 10 million ntericans and rising who are seeking unemployenefits, businesses are going out of business by the 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 aa the bill thapassed by congress a couple of weeks ago, the stimulus bill, we'll regard it as one of the worst economic packages maybe in american history, certainly in a time of crisis. what they're doing in europe is they're preserving businesses, keeping ople employed, they're just paying businesses to say we're going to give you some money but you're goi to keep your payroll so that people don't have the threatf unemployment, they don'thave the insecurity of unemployment, ey don't have the possibility they'll ner get a job again won't get a job for a long time. they just sort of freeze the economy, and we didn't do that. we took a more individualistic approach, we'll just give you $1,200. we had a back stop measure, 350 billion for businesses. we should increase that t 600 billion, 700 billion so businesses can keep theirl. payr the democrats took this option because they didn't want to be seen as bailing out businesses. i'm not sure republicans had a t cohereught in their head.

i think this is a catastrophic error which we suld be fixng very quickly. >> woodruff: and, mark, how do economy, the approach to saving americans who are seeing in se cases everything they have disaearing? >> i think, judy -- and i disagree here -- i thinthe mediate project of health and i assistance has to be people, individuals, andhat they are the ones, the families to be fed,o be held together, and putting money into thr pockets through unemployment insurance, through the federal grant, i think, is urgent. but as they come back to this is a time when government has to respond and prvide particularly unemployment insurance, people taking three 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 better to have them not be unemployed. i mean, there are going to be some people who will be unemployed and the unemployment insunce is home, but if y could sit at home knowing you have a job and getting paid even inough you are sittat home and you were probably going to back to that job, that seems me the right way to to this. i understand sull chiewrlly and politically ile bailing out businesses seems to be a bad thing, but it's fixable. when chuck schumer said earlier in the program that he wants something else, i would hope this would be the something else we would do before the end of april. >> woodruff: and, mark, we'r told they're going to come back at some point in the coming weeks with a biggacer aidkage. >> no question. i think that is coming. i have to say that the president showed an absence of leadership at the signing of that rescue bill,hat bill to save the american families who are besieged by this trible

calamity, not to invite a single democrat to the signing is at w tin he's saying this is not a time for politics was not the kind of example that we need. but we're going to have another bill, a major bill, and it's a time of the greatest urgency. >> woodruff: just in 20 second soro, david, partisanip -- bipartisanship, do you see a hope for it in the incoming weeks a and months? >> i see hope we're going toar lesons, we're going to learn being competent matters, we're going to learn politics is not a reality game show, we're gointo learn somtime insiders like anthony fauci are the ones we trust the mos >> woodruff: well, we thank the both of you,ro davidks, mark shields, and please stay safe. thank you. >> thank you, judy.

>> woodruff: returning to theon quesf wearing masks, how effective they are and whether home-made masks can help stopf the spreade virus. ll want to look at what is motivating the srmy of citizens making masks in their communities. jeffrey brown focuses washington, d.c. suburb: bethesda, maryland, where locals have put sewing machines to work to make different ty masks for local medical professionals. it's part of our ongoing artsse and cultures, canvas. >> brown: fiber artist anyao caldwell is uscreating handmade products. she knits, crochets weaves and sews. has, as well as dolinens,ic she dish towels and pajamas, for a new purpose. >> a personal message to the people out there tt are obviously stressed, having to do this right now that we care for 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 herself and is also working with famili to make almost 200 more. they've received design advice from local healthcare workers. some nurses and doctors around the country are welcominth ndmade masks as hospital- supplied surgical masks areet de. jennifer sun, a pediatrician by d aining, follows a d.i.y. pattern recommenline that allows a filter to be inserted as an additional protective layer. >> there was a facebook group that formed that has now over 5,000 members. to send a message to people who get better protectuipmenteed to for our health care providers. er brown: the need to contribute amid so much uncinty is motivating people all over: a sailmaker in maine.

a fashion designer in south carolina. workers at a jeans company in mississiesi. back in be, rodolfo castro, his wife lisa and kids felt that same need. >> we hope that these masks can lend a little more protection or extend the life of the n-95 masks that nurses and doctors are wearing. >> brown: high school junior grace mcguire uses bright fabrics collected over the years on visits to her grandmother in hawaii. she aims to make 100 masks, some for community members. >> it's also therapeutic. odd it's a gd it's a good way to make me feel tive because i'm helping people in my community have safe masks. so they're not buying medical masks at the hospitals need. >> brown: lawyers gary and janet mcdavid, have built what he calls an "assembly line" in their basement.th along eighbors, they have completed hundreds of c.d.c.- compliant home-made surgical masks.

them to the hospitshed, we take we call and they send someone out to collect the masks. ->> brown: maria montever jackson says the handiwork has >> i believe in the power of small groups in times of crisis. i mean, the world needs bighe es right now. but we also need small heroes. y,suppose our greatest hope is that in a small hese masks help them to come home to thrnd frand family when this is all over and to be able to give them a great big hug. because 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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>> tonight, on kqed newsroom, bay area counties extend the de stay at home for another month. to slow a possible surge in covid-19 cases. are the extreme measures making a difference? also, the largest relief package in u.s. history is leaving some works behind. we will hear what is being done to help the most vulnerable survive. ca plus, a artist shares her crafty solution, to help first responders fighting the pandemic. while keeping her business afloat. good omevening and weto kqed newsroom. we continue our coverage of the haronavirus pandemic, whic now infected more than 1 million people, and claimed more than 50,000 lives, around the world. tonight we begin with local efforts to slow the transmission of the