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Reopening the U.S. economy is complicated by some troubling scientific questions about the new coronavirus that go beyond the logistics of whether enough tests are available. In an ideal world, we’d get vaccinated and then get back to normal. But, despite unprecedented efforts, no vaccine will be ready any time soon. “We’re all going to be wearing masks for a while,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, infectious diseases chief at Massachusetts General Hospital, predicted during a podcast with the Journal of the American Medical Association. (Neergaard, 4/22)

Even with many former virus hotspots seeing a reduction in new deaths and hospitalizations, a flurry of cancellations of major events made it clear Wednesday that efforts to return to normal life could still be a long and dispiriting process. In just the past day, the U.S. scrapped the national spelling bee in June, Spain called off the Running of the Bulls in July, and Germany canceled Oktoberfest five months away. (Long and Brumback, 4/22)

Retailers are considering “sneeze guards” and ways to quarantine fitting room items. Restaurant owners are imagining a future with masked servers and temperature checks. Industries built on the personal touch are looking to eliminate physical contact. Businesses may be appealing to Congress for more aid, but they know key details about the economy’s reawakening won’t be hammered out in Washington. The states, counties and even cities are widely expected to decide when each business can open its doors and under what conditions. (Murphy, 4/22)

The District, Maryland and Virginia have been locked down since late March in an effort to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus. With the local economy in a tailspin and everyone eager to see life get back to some version of normal, area officials are watching for signs that the covid-19 “curve” is flattening, which they say would allow them to safely ease some restrictions. Because there hasn’t been widespread testing to determine how much the virus has spread, the tally of known coronavirus cases, up to 26,969 as of Tuesday, isn’t the most telling measurement, local officials say. (Olivo, 4/21)

Members of the Trump administration say there is sufficient coronavirus testing for states to move to the first phase of the White House's reopening plan. But many state and local officials and health care providers say testing is still far short of where it needs to be to consider lifting some social distancing restrictions. (Doubek, 4/21)

An overwhelming majority of Americans say that stay-at-home orders issued throughout the U.S. in response to the coronavirus outbreak should remain in place until health experts say it is safe to reopen, according to a new poll. The Reuters-Ipsos survey released Tuesday found that 72 percent of Americans support quarantine measures remaining in effect until "doctors and public health officials say it is safe." That includes 55 percent of Republicans, 88 percent of Democrats and 70 percent of independents. (Wise, 4/21)