(Reuters) – Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:
Human vs. economic cost
Ten U.S. governors on the east and west coasts banded together on Monday in two regional pacts to coordinate gradual economic reopenings as the coronavirus crisis finally appeared to be ebbing. They gave no timeline for ending the social lockdowns that have idled the majority of more than 100 million residents in their states.
India on Tuesday extended the world’s biggest lockdown until May 3, urging citizens to do their bit to prevent the virus from spreading. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held out hope that some restrictions could be eased next week in the least-affected areas to allow essential activities.
The British government’s scientific advisers are due to review the effectiveness of social distancing measures this week. But Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab signalled on Monday that was unlikely to result in any easing of restrictions.
The lifeline pipeline
While a safe, effective vaccine to combat the coronavirus disease is more than a year away, researchers are rushing to repurpose existing drugs and non-drug therapies and test promising experimental drugs that were already in clinical trials.
Even moderately effective therapies or combinations could dramatically reduce the crushing demand on hospitals and intensive care units, changing the nature of the risk the new pathogen represents to populations and healthcare systems. (To see a graphic version of this story, click https://reut.rs/3bhMUaE)
Hiking up meal delivery prices
GrubHub, DoorDash, Postmates and Uber Eats were sued in New York on Monday for allegedly exploiting their dominance in restaurant meal deliveries to impose fees that consumers ultimately bear through higher menu prices, including during the coronavirus outbreak.
In a proposed class action, three consumers said the defendants violated U.S. antitrust law by requiring that restaurants charge delivery customers and dine-in customers the same price. This sticks restaurants with the “devil’s choice” of charging everyone higher prices as a condition of using the defendants’ services, the consumers said.
The ‘essential business’ of wrestling entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has been deemed an “essential business” in Florida, the mayor of Orange County said on Monday, allowing the company to resume live tapings of its shows in the state during the coronavirus outbreak.
“We believe it is now more important than ever to provide people with a diversion from these hard times,” said WWE.
(Compiled by Karishma Singh)
