PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Newscasts bring word of “hot zones” and “lockdowns.” Conversations are littered with talk of “quarantines” and “isolation.” Leaders urge “social distancing” and “sheltering in place” and “flattening the curve.” In an instant, our vocabulary has changed — just like everything else. It seems like just days since people were looking up “caucus” […]

NEW YORK (VINnews) – New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is ordering all workers in non-essential businesses to stay home and banning gatherings statewide. “Only essential businesses can have workers commuting to the job or on the job,” Cuomo said of an executive order he will sign Friday. Nonessential gatherings of individuals of any size or […]

NE WYORK (AP) — New York state joined California on Friday in ordering nearly all residents to stay home, as governors watched with growing alarm as southern Europe buckled under the strain of the coronavirus outbreak. “We’re going to close the valve, because the rate of increase in the number of cases portends a total […]

MARYLAND (AP) — The Scripps National Spelling Bee won’t be held as scheduled this year because of the coronavirus, raising the possibility that years of preparation by some of the country’s top spellers could go for naught. Scripps announced its decision Friday morning, citing recommendations against large gatherings by the Centers for Disease Control and […]

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Rav Asher Weiss explains in an audio message that people should not try and make private minyanim as they could cause more infection. There will be small minyanim in shuls as long as the health ministry allows them and everyone else should daven at home and add more time and concentration to […]

NEW YORK (AP) — A technician who worked at NBC News’ New York headquarters has died after testing positive for coronavirus, the network said on Friday. Larry Edgeworth worked in NBC’s fifth-floor equipment room, but for many of his 25 years was an audio technician that traveled on stories around the world, NBC News Chairman […]

BEIJING (AP) — China has exonerated a doctor who was officially reprimanded for warning about the coronavirus outbreak and later died of the disease, a startling admission of error by the ruling Communist Party that generally bodes no challenges to its authority. The party’s top disciplinary body said the police force in Wuhan had revoked […]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Celebrities, politicians and professional athletes faced a backlash this week as many revealed that they had been tested for the coronavirus, even when they didn’t have a fever or other tell-tale symptoms. That’s fueling a perception that the wealthy and famous have been able to jump to the head of the line […]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell proposed direct payments of $1,200 per person and $2,400 for couples as part of an initial Republican response Thursday to the coronavirus outbreak. The GOP leader unveiled his plan as Congress raced to craft a $1 trillion rescue package to shore up households, healthcare and the U.S. […]

JERUSALEM (JTA) — In late February, I flew to Long Island to help my 77-year-old mom following her knee replacement surgery. I arrived in the United States with the remnants of a mild winter cold, a slight cough and runny nose — nothing I was concerned about. I spent most of my time at my […]