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At least nine states — including Florida, Colorado, Missouri and Arkansas — took some steps toward reopening, though they did so gingerly. Florida, for example, opened more of its beaches, along with restaurants and retail stores in much of the state, but at a reduced capacity, with patrons spaced six feet apart. Arkansas reopened gyms but required those coming to first be screened for symptoms of the virus. Health officials have warned that the coronavirus crisis is far from over and that a rushed resumption of business and social activity could spark a new wave of infections and death. The United States on Monday added more than 21,000 cases and more than 840 deaths to its daily toll. In total, more than 1.1 million Americans have now been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, and more than 68,000 have died of it. (Zapotosky, Iati and Wagner, 5/4)

When seven northeastern states announced they would reopen their virus-shuttered economies in lockstep when the time was right, it was seen as a very-public flexing of local government muscle when Washington was trying to push responsibility onto individual states. But it turns out that the politics of reopening still very much recognize state lines. (Gronewold, 5/5)

Counties across the country want the same control, even as scientists project cases and daily deaths to rise in the coming weeks. From California to Washington to North Carolina to Michigan, local officials are asking their state governments for the authority to loosen restrictions. Many counties seeking more local flexibility are smaller or rural and so far have been relatively unscathed by the virus. Leaders say their paralyzed economies are causing greater harm than the pandemic itself. (Brown, 5/5)

The reopening of the economy and loosening of coronavirus-prompted restrictions remain uneven and varied throughout the U.S. as governors watch case numbers and weigh caution against desires to ramp up business. Texas, Oklahoma, and Montana are among states newly allowing restaurants to reopen. Malls, movie theaters and other venues are reopening in several states. Some states have outlined phased reopenings: North Carolina’s governor said he hopes to start such a process after this week if virus trends allow. (5/5)

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Monday presented a soft blueprint for how New York State’s economy might begin to restart, a set of criteria that will determine which regions allow what sectors to reopen and when. In remarks at an event in Monroe County, where the coronavirus has killed more than 100 people, Mr. Cuomo reiterated that the entire state would remain locked down until May 15, when his stay-at-home order is scheduled to expire. New York City and its suburbs, which are still besieged by the virus, may be the last places to start returning to some semblance of normal, he suggested. (McKinley, 5/4)

Cuomo said he understood the feelings of protesters pushing for a faster reopening but also warned that moving too quickly could rekindle the virus, noting that the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic was deadlier in its second wave. “You can do it for a short period of time, but you can’t do it forever,” Cuomo said, referring to lockdown orders which have been in place since the middle of March. “But reopening is more difficult than the closedown.” (Layne and Caspani, 5/4)

A violent encounter between a New York City police officer and a bystander that police said began as an attempt to enforce social distancing rules has prompted concerns about unequal policing. The city's public advocate, Jumaane Williams, posted pictures on Twitter on Sunday — one of swarms of white people sitting in parks and three images from what appeared to depict encounters between police and people of color. (Griffith, 5/4)

California on Monday announced the state’s first tentative steps to reopen from a lockdown designed to contain the spread of the coronavirus, giving a green light for retail stores to open this week, though with restrictions. (Whitcomb, 5/4)

The businesses will include places such as book, clothing, toy, and sporting goods stores as well as music shops and florists, the governor said. This phase of California's reopening will not include malls, offices or sit-down service in restaurants. Those businesses that can reopen Friday will have to abide to restrictions, such as physical distancing and delivering orders at the curbside. Detailed guidelines about the Phase 2 reopening will be released on Thursday, according to Newsom. (Hagemann, 5/4)

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday announced plans to further ease California's stay-at-home restrictions by allowing most lower-risk retail businesses to reopen in some capacity starting Friday. The changes, which will be formally announced Thursday, will move the state into the beginning of its second reopening phase, Newsom said. Under the order, a broad swath of retail shops can open for curbside pickup service by the end of the week, including clothing stores, bookstores and flower shops. However, offices, eat-in restaurants, shopping malls and other types of high-contact businesses will remain closed for now. (Wiley, 5/4)

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam extended the state's business shutdown through May 14 on Monday but said he expects to begin rolling back restrictions after that, marking the Washington region's first shift toward the next phase of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Northam (D) said conditions are in place to allow the state to consider reopening dine-in restaurants and some other establishments under social distancing requirements. (Schneider, Vozzella and Nirappil, 5/4)

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp rejected charges Monday that Republican governors who have begun reopening their states care more about saving businesses than saving lives. “That’s ridiculous,” Kemp told reporters during a web conference Monday morning. “All the decisions that we have made have been for our citizens’ safety and public health.” (McCaskill, 5/4)

A substantial majority of people around the world want their governments to prioritise saving lives over moves to restart economies being hammered by measures aimed at halting the spread of the new coronavirus, a global survey found. (John, 5/5)

Nicole Ives had a plan for this summer—six weeks of various day camps for her daughter, Amelia, paid for in January with dates tracked in a Google spreadsheet. Many summer camps and recreational programs are still deciding how—and whether—to reopen safely. While some have said they won’t open, others are making changes to accommodate stricter health protocols. The vast majority of camps say they are in limbo as they figure out head counts, refunds and budgets—and if they can offer a genuine summer-camp experience. Parents are considering alternatives, just in case. They also are rethinking finances, summer schedules and if they are ready for their children to swim and share bunks with others. (Chaker, 5/4)

In Alaska, some restaurants are easing their way back into the business of serving food to dine-in customers. Alaska has the lowest number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the 50 states, and on April 21, Gov. Mike Dunleavy unveiled the first phase of reopening the state's economy. It allowed some businesses, including restaurants, to reopen under new safety guidelines, beginning April 24. (Kelly, 5/4)

New York City has opened seven miles of streets to pedestrians and cyclists, in an effort to create more space for people to maintain a safe distance from one another while outside. Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city council say 40 miles of streets across the boroughs will open during May, with an eventual goal of 100 miles in the coming weeks. (Wamsley, 5/4)

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Monday that different cities will need to take different steps to emerge from the pandemic-induced shutdown and that city and county officials are still trying to determine the safest course. “Our timing on opening may vary from other parts of the state,” he said. “I will reopen our city with careful consideration, guided by public health professionals.” (Queally, Shalby and Luna, 5/4)

The start of a new week marked more reopenings across the United States, whose death toll from COVID-19 is now over 68,000. In Washington, D.C., the Senate returned to the Capitol, while the House remained at recess due to the pandemic. Meanwhile, in hard-hit European countries like Italy and Spain, more workers were back on the job as virus cases and deaths fell to new lows. (Sy, 5/4)