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Shortly after the first coronavirus outbreak ravaged a nursing home in Kirkland, Wash., the Trump administration moved to fulfill a longstanding industry goal — waiving the requirement that nurse’s aides receive 75 hours of training and allowing people who study only eight hours online to become caregivers during the pandemic. The industry had been fighting for years to reduce training requirements, saying they make it harder to recruit staff. The day after the administration announced the change, the industry rolled out a free online training program for certifying the new role — called a "temporary nurse aide" — that has since been adopted by at least 19 states. (Severns, 7/15)

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said that the world will “absolutely” make China pay a price for the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic, saying the cost will likely be reflected in changing relations with the world’s second largest economy. “I think the world will absolutely make them pay a price,” Pompeo said in an interview with The Hill’s Editor-in-Chief Bob Cusack. (Kelly, 7/15)

The Republican National Committee is planning to hold a scaled-back national convention in Jacksonville, Florida, next month amid a surge of coronavirus cases in the state. The new plans will mean smaller crowds, fewer speeches and the use of indoor and outdoor venues in an attempt to salvage an in-person convention in the state of Florida, which has become one of the country's leading coronavirus hotspots. (Nobles and Diamond, 7/16)