Wake-Up Call: CDC Eases Mask Guidelines

With more than half of the country now having gotten at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine and more than one-third fully vaccinated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased its guidelines yesterday on wearing masks outdoors. The CDC says that whether people are fully vaccinated or not, they don't have to wear masks outdoors when walking, biking or running alone or with members of their household. It's also okay to be maskless in small outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated people. Unvaccinated people, however, should wear masks at small outdoor gatherings that include other unvaccinated people, and should also keep wearing masks when eating at outdoor restaurants with friends from multiple households. When it comes to crowded outdoor events, everyone, including those fully vaccinated, should still wearing masks.

 ➤BIDEN TO DELIVER ADDRESS TO JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS TONIGHT: President Biden will deliver his first address to a joint session of Congress tonight, the nationally-televised, State of the Union-like address being delivered later in the year than usual. Unlike past speeches, attendance will be limited because of social distancing, and only some 200 of the 535 members of Congress got tickets to attend. Most of Biden's Cabinet members also won't attend because of the restrictions, with only Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to be there, and only Chief Justice John Roberts will represent the Supreme Court. Everyone will be required to wear a face mask. Although First Lady Jill Biden will attend, the tradition of having special guests with her isn't happening this year. The Republicans' rebuttal that airs after Biden's speech will be delivered by Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the Senate's only Black Republican.

➤FBI LAUNCHES CIVIL RIGHTS PROBE OF BLACK MAN KILLED BY NORTH CAROLINA DEPUTIES: The FBI launched a civil rights investigation yesterday into the killing by deputies in North Carolina last Wednesday of a 42-year-old Black man, Andrew Brown Jr. Brown was killed in Elizabeth City by deputies serving drug-related search and arrest warrants at his house. That news came as Brown's family released the results of an independent autopsy that shows he was shot five times, including in the back of the head, with the other wounds in his right arm. The State Bureau of Investigation is carrying out an investigation of the shooting, but North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has now called for a special prosecutor. A court hearing will be held today in response to calls for bodycam video of the shooting to be publicly released.

 

An American warship fired warning shots Monday night when vessels of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard came too close to a patrol in the Persian Gulf, the U.S. Navy says. https://t.co/r3V8FVkNmB

— The Associated Press (@AP) April 28, 2021

➤U.S. WARSHIP FIRED WARNING SHOTS IN IRANIAN INCIDENT: A U.S. warship fired warning shots Monday when Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessels came too close to a patrol in the Persian Gulf, the U.S. Navy said Wednesday. The Navy said the USS Firebolt fired the warning shots after three fast-attack vessels came within 68 yards of it and a U.S. Coast Guard patrol boat in international waters. After that, the vessels moved away. This is the second time this month that the Navy has accused the Revolutionary Guard of operating in a, quote, "unsafe and unprofessional manner," after these kinds of incidents had declined in recent years.

➤BIDEN RAISES MINIMUM WAGE TO $15 FOR FEDERAL CONTRACTORS: President Biden signed an executive order Tuesday raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour for federal contractors. The change from the current minimum of $10.95 will effect hundreds of thousands of workers.

➤REAL ID DEADLINE PUSHED BACK TO MAY 2023: The Department of Homeland Security yesterday pushed back the deadline for Americans to get a Real ID, which they'll need to board a flight, to May 2023 from October 2021. The change was made because it was clear that many people wouldn't make the deadline, partly because the pandemic has made it harder for states to issue new licenses. The Real ID Act passed by Congress in 2005 establishes minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and ID cards. They will be required to check in at airports and to enter federal facilities, with passports also able to be used. People are getting Real ID compliant licenses as they renew their licenses, but, according to DHS, only 43 percent of all driver's licenses and ID cards are currently compliant.

➤BURNING MAN CANCELED FOR SECOND YEAR DUE TO PANDEMIC: Organizers of Burning Man announced yesterday that they're canceling the annual Nevada desert festival for the second year in a row due to the pandemic. It had been scheduled to be held from August 26th to September 3rd in the Black Rock Desert. The 35-year-old festival usually draws as many as 80,000 people.

➤BIDENS TO VISIT JIMMY AND ROSALYNN CARTER: President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will visit former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, when they're in Georgia this week, the White House said yesterday. It had previously been announced that Biden would attend a drive-in rally in Atlanta on Thursday to mark his 100th day in office, the day after his address to a joint session of Congress tonight. Carter, who's now 96, and his 93-year-old wife were unable to attend Biden's inauguration because of the pandemic, but both couples are now vaccinated. Biden was a U.S. senator from Delaware when Carter was president.

 

➤COSMETIC PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN ON THE RISE DURING THE PANDEMIC: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many changes, including the fact that more Americans are undergoing both invasive and non-invasive cosmetic procedures than ever before. The Aesthetic Plastic Surgery National Databank says the top non-surgical procedures Americans got in 2020 are injections of neurotoxins (like Botox) and fillers, 54 percent more people got neurotoxins in 2020 compared to 2019, while 75 percent more got fillers. Oriana Cohen, a clinical assistant professor at NYU Langone Health says, “Neuromodulators like Botox and fillers have always been popular, but are even more popular now. And the area of focus may be more the eyes, whereas before it was also the chin. Now, that’s covered by masks.” A dermatologist adds that people seem to be focusing more on their eyes than usual in terms of getting Botox. In addition, plastic surgeons say there seems to be more of an openness to the idea of undergoing treatments simultaneously. The majority of doctors think the changes have come due to more Americans being able to work from home, as they can work and recover at the same time. Social distancing is likely helping as well, as not being able to meet others in person has allowed many people to recuperate without having to worry about people they know noticing fresh scars or swelling.

⚾GUERRERO HITS THREE HOME RUNS IN TORONTO'S 9-5 WIN OVER WASHINGTON: Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit three home runs, including a grand slam, notching seven RBIs, in the Blue Jays' 9-5 win over the Washington Nationals last night (April 27th). The grand slam in the third inning ended Washington pitcher Max Scherzer's scoreless streak at 19 innings. Guerrero then had a solo shot in the fifth inning, also off Scherzer, and a two-run homer in the seventh against Kyle Finnegan.

 

All three Vladimir Guerrero Jr. home runs tonight! pic.twitter.com/9gVqfWhIAs

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 28, 2021

🏀DALLAS HAS 28-0 RUN DURING 133-103 WIN OVER GOLDEN STATE: The Dallas Mavericks had a 28-0 run in the first quarter of their 133-103 win over the Golden State Warriors last night (April 27th), tying the NBA's second-longest scoring run in the past two decades. The Warriors remained at 12 points for nine minutes and 38 seconds before scoring again as Dallas racked up 28 points during that stretch. The New York Knicks also had a 28-0 run against the Toronto Raptors in November 2017, and the Cleveland Cavaliers had a 29-0 run against the Milwaukee Bucks in December 2009.

🏀NETS FIRST IN EASTERN CONFERENCE TO CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT: The Brooklyn Nets became the first team in the NBA's Eastern Conference to clinch a playoff spot after beating the Toronto Raptors 116-103 last night (April 27th). The Western Conference's Utah Jazz have already clinched a playoff berth.

🥊MAYWEATHER-PAUL FIGHT TO BE HELD JUNE 6TH IN MIAMI: It was announced last night (April 27th) that Hall of Fame boxer Floyd Mayweather will have an exhibition fight with YouTube personality-turned-boxer Logan Paul on June 6th at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium. The bout will air on Showtime pay-per-view and Fanmio. The fight was originally scheduled for February, but was postponed. The 44-year-old Mayweather retired after defeating MMA star Conor McGregor in a 2017 boxing match. Paul, who's 26, lost to fellow YouTube star KSI in November 2019.