Immune To COVID? New Study Suggests Why

As the United States hit another tragic milestone and President Donald Trump pushes to restart the nation's economy, the White House is dealing with at least two positive COVID-19 infections, and three members of the coronavirus task force have begun some form of self-isolation.

White House employees were told in a memo Monday that all staffers entering the West Wing are required to wear a face covering, CNN reported, citing an unnamed source. The memo also told staffers to follow social distancing guidelines and placed restrictions on guests.

Administration officials acknowledge the contradiction in telling states to reopen while the White House enhances protocols to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, CNN reported, citing an unnamed official.

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"It is scary to go to work," White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said Sunday on CBS’s "Face the Nation." "But, you know, it’s the time when people have to step up and serve their country."

(MORE: Habitat Destruction Will Lead To More Pandemics, Scientists Warn)

Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Dr. Stephen Hahn, director of the Food and Drug Administration, are entering either full or partial quarantine.

Vice President Mike Pence was expected to be at the White House on Monday, his spokesman Devin O’Malley said. Trump told reporters that Pence tested negative again on Monday.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country's top infectious disease expert, said he will wear a mask and be tested whenever he has to go to the White House.

"The president’s physician and White House operations continue to work closely to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the president, first family and the entire White House complex safe and healthy at all times," White House spokesman Judd Deere said.

CNN reported that administration officials spent the weekend scrambling as they tried to trace everyone who had been in contact with Pence’s press secretary Katie Miller and one of Trump's military valets, both of whom tested positive for coronavirus last week.

Meanwhile, 11 employees of the Secret Service have COVID-19, according to Yahoo News, citing Department of Homeland Security documents. In addition to the 11 active cases, 23 members of the Secret Service have recovered from COVID-19 and an additional 60 employees are self-quarantining, the report said.

Trump is expected to deliver remarks Monday on the role of testing in reopening the nation’s economy.

More than 80,000 Americans have died because of the new coronavirus, and 1.34 million have been infected, according to data compiled by John Hopkins University. Worldwide, the number of infections is more than 4.1 million, and more than 285,000 people have died.

Latest Developments

United States:

-Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said the state's stay-at-home order will be lifted on Friday, and some businesses will be allowed to reopen with limitations, as well as churches. The businesses that will be allowed to partially reopen include nail salons, gyms and casinos, according to the New York Times.

-Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered the testing of all nursing home residents and staff statewide to get a better understanding of just how widespread the disease is in these facilities.

-King County, Washington, executive Dow Constantine issued a directive Monday that stated all county residents should wear cloth face masks while indoors to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

-Against the rules of Alameda County, California, Tesla founder Elon Musk tweeted on Monday that production would resume at the plant. "I will be on the line with everyone else," Musk tweeted. "If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me." The Verge reported that the plant quietly reopened over the weekend in a limited capacity, and about 200 Model Y and Model 3 vehicles rolled off the assembly line.

-Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton said antibody testing has shown the state had at least five COVID-19 cases as early as January.

-Vermont Gov. Phil Scott announced the state will release guidelines this week for a gradual reopening of retail stores starting on May 18.

-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said three regions, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley, meet requirement to reopen Friday.

-Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced a four-phase reopening plan for businesses to reopen beginning on May 18.

-Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo said restaurants can reopen outdoor dining areas beginning May 18 if they follow several strict regulations.

-New York Gov. Cuomo said the state is currently investigating 93 cases of "COVID-related diseases" in young children. Three young New Yorkers have died from an illness that may be related to the coronavirus, including a teenager in Suffolk County, a 7-year-old in Westchester County and a 5-year-old in New York City, according to the governor’s office.

-A study published in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics found that 11 of 48 children (23%) with coronavirus who were admitted to pediatric intensive care units had failure of two or more organ systems. A total of 39 patients (81%) required some sort of respiratory support. Eighteen of the children required invasive ventilation. Of those, at the time of the report, two had died, three still required mechanical ventilation, seven remained hospitalized and six were discharged.

-Photos of crowded passenger planes surprised many people who thought all airlines were leaving middle seats open. That's not the case. University of California, San Francisco, cardiologist Dr. Ethan Weiss tweeted a photo of his packed flight from New York to San Francisco and he added, "This is the last time I’ll be flying again for a very long time." United Airlines told CBS News it can't guarantee that passengers will be seated next to an unoccupied seat. Only a handful of airlines, including Delta and Southwest, are stipulating that they won't sell middle seats.

-Amtrak is requiring all customers and employees in stations and on trains and thruway buses are to wear a facial covering beginning today, according to a news release from the company. Customers must supply their own facial covering.

-Nursing home deaths account for more than half of all COVID-19 fatalities in 14 states, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Only 33 states report nursing home-related deaths. In Connecticut, nearly half of the state's 1,200 deaths have been in nursing homes, and 194 of 216 nursing homes there have had at least one coronavirus case, according to the Guardian. In New Hampshire, 72% of deaths have been nursing home residents.

-Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander is self-isolating after a staffer tested positive for the coronavirus, Politico reported. Alexander is chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which is holding a hearing Tuesday on the government's response to the coronavirus. Alexander will lead the hearing remotely and witnesses will testify by videoconference, according to Alexander chief of staff David Cleary. The staffer who tested positive was not identified.

Worldwide:

-Quebec reopened elementary schools and day cares outside the Montreal area despite the province accounting for more than half of Canada’s coronavirus cases, the Associated Press reported. The province also allowed most retail stores outside Montreal to reopen Monday. Schools throughout Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, remain closed. Nonessential retail stores were allowed to open for curbside pickup.

-The government of the United Kingdom released a 50-page guidance document with detail on how England will begin lifting lockdown measures. Step One starts Wednesday, and workers who cannot work from home should travel to work if their workplace is open, according to BBC.com. Workplaces should follow new COVID-19 Secure guidelines. For the first time, people also are being advised to wear face coverings in enclosed spaces – including on public transportation or in shops.

-England's primary schools will have a phased opening, with the aim of this beginning on June 1. The government hopes all primary pupils will return to school for a month before the summer holidays if feasible.

-The U.K.'s reopening document also says professional sports could return behind closed doors no earlier than June 1, and the earliest hairdressers, barbers, pubs and other non-essential hospitality businesses will be able to reopen is July 4.

-Visitors' temperatures were taken at the gate as Shanghai Disneyland reopened for the first time since Jan. 25. Decals on sidewalks and at lines for attractions showed visitors where to stand to leave space between themselves. The company said rides will be limited to one group of visitors per car to keep strangers apart.

-Shopping malls were allowed to reopen in Denmark. Restaurants and cafes are scheduled to reopen on May 18. Gatherings of more than ten people are still banned.

-Spain reported the lowest number of coronavirus-related fatalities in weeks, as half of the country begins easing out of a strict lockdown. There were 123 deaths in the past 24 hours, the lowest since March 17, bringing the country’s total death toll to almost 27,000. Madrid and Barcelona remain in a stricter lockdown, but in other parts of the country, people are allowed to socialize with up to 10 people at the same time, shop in small establishments and enjoy a meal or a coffee in restaurants and bars with outdoor seating. Hotels are also allowed to open as long as they don’t mix guests in public areas.

-South Korea postponed reopening schools from Wednesday to May 21 as health authorities scramble to isolate virus carriers and trace their contacts after finding dozens of coronavirus infections linked to club goers.

For the latest coronavirus information in your county and a full list of important resources to help you make the smartest decisions regarding the disease, check out our dedicated COVID-19 page.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.