Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Good news: “President Biden said Monday that the number of retail pharmacies offering coronavirus vaccines will double by April 19, by which time 90 percent of adults in the United States will be eligible for the shots.”
* Not good news: “The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Rochelle Walensky, warned Monday of ‘impending doom’ as the U.S. sees a steady rise in Covid-19 cases and gave an emotional plea for Americans to continue following mask-wearing and social-distancing guidelines.”
* Huge news: “The Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines are extremely effective in the real world, reducing infections by 90 percent in fully vaccinated people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday.”
* He’s right: “President Biden implored leaders of state and local governments to continue requiring face coverings in public in an effort to curb coronavirus infections that are back on the rise across the country.”
* On a related note: “Biden responded with a simple ‘yes’ when asked whether he thinks some states should pause their reopening efforts.”
* Day One: “Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin’s trial began Monday morning. Chauvin faces three charges, including second-degree murder, in the death of George Floyd.”
* Apparently, we’ll all need a new metaphor: “The giant container ship that blocked traffic in the Suez Canal for the last week resumed its journey on Monday after being successfully refloated.”
* Eviction moratorium: “The Biden administration has extended a moratorium on housing evictions through the end of June, continuing a stopgap measure for millions of Americans at risk of losing their homes amid the Covid-19 pandemic.”
* Myanmar: “The United States is ‘horrified’ by the bloodshed in Myanmar, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saturday, after the country’s bloodiest day of protests since last month’s military coup. The violent crackdown on demonstrators by Myanmar’s security forces showed that the junta will ‘sacrifice the lives of the people to serve the few,’ Blinken said in a tweet.”
* Wind power: “The White House announced on Monday an ambitious plan to expand wind farms along the East Coast and jump-start the country’s nascent offshore wind industry, saying it hoped to trigger a massive clean-energy effort in the fight against climate change.”
* DHS: “Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday dissolved the Homeland Security Advisory Council, according to a letter obtained by CNN, ousting a board of independent advisers that included Trump-era officials and setting up a plan to reconfigure the council.”
* SCOTUS: “The Supreme Court agreed Monday to referee a legal fight over who has the right to defend a restrictive Kentucky abortion law in court.” * Beijing cares about spheres of influence: “China agreed to invest $400 billion in Iran over 25 years in exchange for a steady supply of oil to fuel its growing economy under a sweeping economic and security agreement signed on Saturday.” * Hopefully, more Republicans will listen to appeals like these: “Louisiana Rep.-elect Julia Letlow on Sunday urged Republicans to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, citing her own tragic experience losing her husband to complications of Covid-19.” * A powerful display: “A township trustee in a Cincinnati suburb made a powerful statement during a board meeting this week after showing the scars he got while serving in the U.S. Army. At Tuesday’s meeting of the West Chester Township, Ohio, Board of Trustees, chairman Lee Wong, 69, revealed the scars he bears across his chest as he delivered an impromptu speech about violence against Asian Americans following the killing of six women of Asian descent in Georgia as well as a recent uptick in racially-motivated attacks against Asian Americans nationwide.” * I wish I shared their optimism: “Two senators — one Democrat and one Republican — said Sunday that lawmakers in both parties could support expanded background checks for gun sales amid increasing pressure to enact meaningful gun-control measures after two recent mass shootings left 18 dead.” * Best wishes for a speedy recovery: “Sen. Thom Tillis will undergo surgery next week for prostate cancer, he announced Monday. In a statement, the North Carolina Republican said that the cancer was found early and that he expects to make a full recovery. The surgery will take place in his home state.” See you tomorrow.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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