JUDY WOODRUFF: The reopening of America is now in full swing, from auto plants to theme
parks. It is happening at different rates in different states, as the national death
toll reaches 93,000.
Stephanie Sy begins our coverage tonight.
STEPHANIE SY: A new phase in the fight to breathe life into an economy ravaged by COVID-19.
As of today, all 50 states have taken varying steps to reopen.
In Texas, where only minor restrictions remain in place, children are back at day care, and
youth programs have opened, ahead of the summer break.
WHITT MELTON, Co-Owner, Legendary Black Belt Academy: It's been really good to bring back
normalcy for the kiddos. You know, we're really excited to get everybody back, but we want
to -- we're really trying to make sure we do it the right way and the safe way.
STEPHANIE SY: By contrast, in New York, it is far from business as usual. Retail stores
are still closed to the public, only now beginning to offer curbside services. And public parks,
like this one in Brooklyn, are getting creative about how to distance New Yorkers eager to
bask in spring weather.
BRITTANY DEGIROLAMO, New York Resident: The park basically just put down some circles
to help people just see what six feet apart looks like, so it's easy for us to chill and
not be worried about that.
STEPHANIE SY: Starting tomorrow, the state will also allow religious services with up
to 10 people to resume. In Orlando, Florida, tourists roamed around stores and restaurants
inside Disney World, as the theme park began welcoming patrons.
Visiting a nursing home with Vice President Mike Pence today in Orlando, Republican Governor
Ron DeSantis defended his decision to open faster than others, and he denied that an
expert was fired for refusing to manipulate data to support his decision.
GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): We have succeeded. And I think that people just don't want to
recognize it because it challenges their narrative, it challenges their assumption, so they have
got to try to find a boogeyman.
Maybe it's that there are black helicopters circling the Department of Health. If you
believe that, I got a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you.
STEPHANIE SY: For weeks, states have taken steps toward lifting lockdowns, with mixed
messages coming from federal authorities.
After much delay, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has quietly released
a 60-page document with guidance on testing and reopening, but it generally steers clear
of language on mandatory rules. It includes cleaning and social distancing recommendations
for bars and restaurants, suggests staggered shifts and physical barriers to prevent contact
in the workplace, and calls for limited ridership on public transportation, with required face
coverings for transit workers.
Schools in areas that meet certain metrics for lower virus transmission are encouraged
to space desks at least six feet apart, conduct daily temperature screenings, and serve lunch
in the classroom, if they reopen. Notably left out of the CDC document, any mention
of how places of worship should resume activity safely.
Overseas, another glimpse of what moves toward normalcy might look like came from South Korea,
where high school students returned to class for the first time today.
But, as more countries move to loosen restrictions, in Geneva, the World Health Organization warned
the pandemic continues.
TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, WHO Director General: In the last 24 hours, there have been 106,000
cases reported to WHO, the most in a single day since the outbreak began.
STEPHANIE SY: The head of the WHO said, while the virus may be slowing down in developed
nations, poorer countries are now seeing more infections.
For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Stephanie Sy.