Wednesday, April 1, 2020—more than 1,000 Americans died from coronavirus. That number doubles the previous one-day high of 504 from the pandemic, set one day previous. Total U.S. deaths from COVID-19 by one count are now at 5,116.
News accounts include state governors and hospital officials across the nation continuing to plead for protective gear and ventilators, and, amazingly, still for test kits. Thirty states have issued stay-at-home orders. The stock market plunged 900 points.
Even here—in Santa Barbara County, the total cases rose 12 to 111 with the first death.
Earlier in the day the administration announced it has decided against reopening the Affordable Care Act’s healthcare.gov marketplaces to new customers, despite 6 million layoffs and growing fears that people will be uninsured during the outbreak.
Where was the April fool?
John McReynolds
Lompoc
This article appears in Apr 9-16, 2020.