And by contributions to this pbs station from viewers likeou. Ank you. Anchor this is bbc world news amica. Reporting from new york, i am laura trevelyan. Thousands of americans died in the groinbrirus ok, but as the cases dropped, governors on th coasts starto plan to reopen their economies. The french president says he will begin lifting the country locked on in midmay, but only if. People do act responsib Bernie Sanders endorses joe biden r president , as democrats uny against donald ump. The bbcs katty kay joins us th analysis. And messages of hope for the graduating class of h 202 a High School Senior used his tech skills to bring High School Seniors together. Put on a maskhe and g save lives, but i can do this during this dark time in our country. Laura for you watching on pbs and around the globe, welcome to bbc world news america. It is another grim day of figures, more cases of people here have died, but the rate of new infections doesnt seem toe stabilizing, and governors on both the east and west coast are now planning for the reopening of their states. Thedent says him and not them. Here is our bbc reporter. New phase in its battle againsta the coronavirus. After the deadliest week yet, finally some good news. Deaths and new infections are down, intensive care admissions. Governor andrew cuomo of new york says wenle res have to remain vigilant, he believes the worst is over. Gornor cuomo for the health care workers, for the rest of my life, i wl say nothing but thank you to them, and i was not sure that we could keep the tide from overwhelming our hospital d capacity, ey did. Feel good about that, and i believe the worst is over if we continue to be smart. [sirens] reporter a number of states, like connecticut and oklahoma, will not reach their peak until late april or early may, but there are signs of stabilization across the country. We are nearing the peak, and i hope sometime this wk, w will be able to say you know youre at the peak when the next day is actually less before. Reporter projections used by the white house say that even with full social distancing in place through may, deaths will continue to rise until june the United States, more than 61,000 people projected to die from the virus by august. Owattention isocused on when and how to reopen. Govern have announced they will open together on a safe plan to ease restrictions in the region. On the west coast, california, washington, and oregon announced a similar pact. Across world, the message on how not to spread the virus has been the same, though with different, creative twists. The universal question now is how soon is too soon to go back to normal . Reporter bbc news. Laura now for more on the efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak, i am joined by an emergeooy physician and former Health Commissioner for the city of baltimore. Othanks much for being with us, and congratulations on the abbirth of your daughter, some good news to all of this gloom, but we have heard that it is stabilizing come but theet worst is to come for some states in america . Dr. that is right. It does appear that for new york state, we are at o near the pe. I do not know that we should be celebrating this, because even if we are athe peak, we still have a long way down, and we could also be plateauing. That still means a lot of death, a lot of potentially preventable deaths, every single day, and the us. I not just one community. In fact, we are many communities, so there are many communitieshat have yet to reach their peak, many mmunities who have yet t figure out there are outbreaks so we have a long way to go. And there are signs of hope of things being put into place, like these social distancing restrictio area they are working, but now is not the time to let up on these restriction cura so governors on both the east and westst are starting to plan for the reopening of their economy. Should thebe cautious though . Dr. Wen they should be cautious, all the planning is important. What they are doing in terms of thinking of metrics and capabilities is really important. There are some people who wt to talk about dates, and that is fine, except wticannot be st with the dates. We should be starting with what are the metricsarhat are necein order for reopening what are the capabilities we must have developed . For example, we must have widespread testing and our have to develop that Health Care Infrastructure so that people who test positive can be isolated, and we can also trace their contacts. In order for anyo occu we have to have these measures in place, and then we can talk about by what dates can these be met, so i think it is fine to bhe doing planning and a good thing we areng not look ahead. Are planning to laura but how many hundreds of millionsf coronavirus tests wwoulde need here in the United States to really get back to work and to school . Dr. Wen tt is a reallyqu good tion. We know we need a lot more thane ave now. We need to be able to test every person who has symptoms, whereas right now in most places, you only get tested if youre hospitalized and have severe symptoms, although it is not just tha these need to be made available, but it is not just abthe number. It is also about the type of testing. To be available a the point of care. It needs to come back immediately. Op shouldnt have to wait for days. That beats the purpose. And it has to be widely availabl u should not have to go to the hospital to get the test. You should be able to get the test and to be used for their purpose, which is to figu out who is safe to go back to work and school and so forth. Laura leana wen, thanks so much for being with us. One of the stas hit hard by the outbreak is louisiana, many of those dying ricanamericans. One senator is also a doctor and joins us now. Seoutor, thankor joining us. We are so sorry you have had to doith tornadoes in your state as well as the coronavirus outbreak. Is the outbreak still spreading . Setor the virus is still spreading, but as the previous speaker said, the peek has reached. There is good news. Yes, there are still people getting infected, but what y do not what is the capacity at the hospital so overstretched that you could not take care of the also going to happen car accident, myocardial infarction, gunshot wound, etc. , so at least we still have capacity. The curve has flattened. It is going up elsewhere in the state, but overall, it looks better now than it did a few weeks ago. Laura are you doing more testing i madef communities color, given so many have died . Senator with theistribution of our state with the disease so far is that it started off in southeast louisiana, so new orleans parish, about 60 , and africanamericans is that most of the deaths have been in orleans parish, which is, as i described, but on the other hand, africanamericans are particularly prone, white likely and most likely because they have highe o inciden diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, etc. There is more testing but focused on their communities in whh the outbreaks occur, and those in my state, such as new orleans, shreve work, baton rouge, which have a lot of africanamericans who live there. Laur as a physician, are you concernehi about r to reopen the country . Senator there is a balance tween your Financial Health and your physical health, so you certainly do notant to rush, but you do not want to overly delay. As someones busines goes bankrupt, i can tell you that has impact on their Emotional Health and maybe physical health and maybe their marriage and their childr. So you want that balance, and strivinghat we a fo laura the white house has said there is currently no plan to fire dr. Fauci. How important is dr. Fauci to the effort to contain the president to keep him . Urge senator yes, i would. I think dr. Fauci has become incredibly important. He is the headf the division of the National Institutes of health, which does all of this research, so, if you will, he is plugged in not only to his Research Effort butthhat across world. For a variety of reasons, i hthinke is extremely important. I would definitely advise the white house to keep dr. Fauci. Laura you have talked about the idea of an immunity passport. That is how weet would all back to work. How does that work . Senator this is accumulating evidence, not decided, but accumulate evidence that if someone is exposed, quite likely they are imme, at least f some time. In the United States, we have immunity ristrations now. Measles, hepatitis. It is reported. You to school 25 years later, vaccinated at birth, stilles, immune, you can enter our school. Simirly, if someone were immune for coronavirus, then ideally, theyw could sat after they are hired. Their employer could look at it and say, you are immune. You can have a seat at the front desk. You will not be infected and ecll not i other people. You are not immune. We need to have you six feet away from a coworker. Lets put you back at a desk. Helps the indivual, the business, and society. Laura senator cassidy, thank you so much for joining us. Senator thank you. Laura in france, president macron said the country will begin to come out of lockdown. Gradually return to cafes, restaurants, and cinemas will remain shut. The president says it will beib po because there will be enough tests available for anyone showing coronavirus symptoms. Our paris correspondent, lucy williams, reports. Lucy for months, the unthinkable has become the barely thought about. The extension of the french quaranti restrictions tonight caused little surprise. In a televised address, president macron said there would be no end to the lot down here for anoth four weeks. President ro m from 11 may, we will open schools. It is a priority for me. The Current Situation is widening inequality. Too many children, especially in our poor districts and rural areas cannot be helped by tir parents who are the same way. Lucy also, several bars, cluding this one in central paris. It has been very hard. First, they had to close for the yellow vestsrotests and now the coronavirus. He agrees with the suggestion put forward by theh frenc French Business association that people will need to work more than usual after the lockdown is lifted to reild the economy. I agree. Even if it is a bit brutal. It will take an effort from all french peoe. I think if you were to ask everyone to work perhaps one hour more each day, maybe more than 40 hours aeek, then who will pick up the bill . Businesses . Bosses . Workers . Everyone must make an effort. Lucy the french finance minister has already said the untry is probably facing its worst recession since the second world war, and despite some signs of a crisis here might be easing, tonight, president macron said the lockdown would be extended again. In spain, meanwhile, europes first glimpse of rush hour after covid. Faceless commute, more than just a cliche now. The demand for protection suggesting a certain nervousness. Few of those Wearing Masks already refuse the offer of a spare. Construction and manufacturing firms a amongho tse spain, but most of the population still remains in quarantine. Italy is due to relax the rules for a small number of firms from tomorrow as its death toll past 20,000. After the challenge of enforcing national lockdowns, countries across europe e now beginning face the equally delicate task of how to end it. Lucy williamson, bbc news, paris. Laura france starts to move forward. In other news now from around the world, russia has reported its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases so far,ith 2500 infections. In moscow, signs the Health Care System is already under strain, with ambulances queuing outside be called in tohe weekend. Tackle the crisis. The u. S. Navy has announced that onef the sailors from the uss Theodore Roosevelt has tested and died from coronavirus. The captain was fired after a letter he wrote to officials went public. Th public outcry for the resignation of the navy secretary. As we mentioned earlier, severe storms and tornadoes in the southern u. S. Killed at least 19 people and caused widespread destruion asuildings were flattened and power lines brought down as they battled in several states. Millions live in areas of weather warnings, and they need to shelter while mainttaning social ding. Turning to u. S. Politics now, nator bernieanders has endorsed his former rival, joe biden, for the democraticre nomination fordent. More on the significance of this announcement. Here is the bbcs katty kay. Katty this is a sign of the times that this was not done at a political rally but in the basement. The two men coming together for critical unity. What is key about ts is the timing. I remember back in 2016, Bernie Sanders endorsing Hillary Clinton was pretty tepid. In fact, it took himys early six after she was the presumptive nominee to actually get there. This time around, it has taken Bernie Sanders only five days, and as he put it, the reason he is endorsing joe bid is that donald trump is, as he says, the mostre dangerousdent in american history, and he willo everything he can to try to get him out of the white house. That includes an appeal to his supporters saying now you all have to come in and try to join me to get donald trump toa b oneterm president. Joe biden returned the complements, saying he would listen critically to bernie issues. Supporters a his the two now are going to form Democratic Task forces to look at things like education and immigration, climate change, and, i this critical moment, of course, health care. Theree is snse among democrats that this may be a moment for some of those more progressive policies that Bernie Sanders has been advg for decades to actually make it into nstream of American Life laura katty kayeporting there. Well, you are watching bbc world news america. Stiller, tonights programming, a Silver Lining from mother nature, and a lockdown and some endangered species. Laura one of them this questions facing governments arnd the world is when and how to lift restrictions on personal movements and public gatherings. Here is an update from our corresponden in south korea and singapore. Reporter here in south korea, there has been no lockdown, no mandatorye restriction, desp more than 10,000 people becoming infected. Instead, the government urged common sense. Stay apart where possible, work from home, and avoid mass gatherin, and instead of controlling the movement of the population,gg it hasssively traced and tested the virus. Silent streets and empty offices. Here in singapore, partial lockwn has kicked in over the last few days because of a second wave of infections. We are not meant to leave our homes anymore unless it is for one of any of the 12 government maosates. Write rules, and you face imes. Or, worse, prison they last until the end of the month but could be extended. Laura there are not many upsides to staying at home all of the time, as many of us in the wor and aroun e falling out, and in the u. K. , animals are enjoyingehe pe and quiet. With fewer cars on the road, a humble a break. Orre is ourspondent, victoria hill. F us are stuck indoors, lockdown has not stop the flurry of open areas all quiet, and more people put out food in their yards and gardens. Ings. Nimals are showing upsomet nso could nature be making the most out of lockdown . It is a very strange time for all of us. How might adapt anims being adapting to it . Typically, with human activity, they have a lot more space a now for anima wildlife generally, so i think a lot of species will respond to edthat, particularlyhogs, we think. Remanyilled annually on the e ads, and if that is the case, then this could contributive factor in their decline, so Something Like lockdown of much less traffic could have a real impact. Victoria you take road traffic plummeted by almost three quarters during the first week of the stayathome order. U. K. Road traffic pmmeted. Conservationists point out that other usually shy birds and mammals could be easier to spot. What sort of animals do yo think people might see in urban environments . As if you did go at exercising, e quiet, which means you mayis come across things you have not seen before, so part of your daily exercise, that is great. I am happy to report seeing things out o my runs because it has been really quiet. Ucanimals as foxes, hedgehogs, things like deer you sensitive to disturbance. Quite foxy locksley. Ctoria many are sharing on social mia. The trustorndangered species and others are asking people spend some of their lockdown time studying native wildlife. So just a view out of a window could help us stay connected with the Natural World at a time when our own world has become so much smaller. Victoria gill, bbc news. Laura an i tell you that my dog does love quarantine. For High School Seniors across america, and i am the mother of one, this is a difficult time. Onceialifetime graduation, and coronavirus. Here is an idea. A student in indiana used his tech skills for the classf 2022 gettogethers. We arrived in this world after 9 11 happened, and now a global pandemic. It is our duty to at least try to look on the bright side and recognize that we all have the special bond f o eacher. Dear class of 2020. Dear class of 20. Dear class of 2020. I cannot put on a maskndo help save lives, but i can do this and lift some spirits country. He start time in our i never imagined this going this big. This is one these experiences i will tell my kids, and i will live through it and be fine, these seniors, they got their last moments of high school taken away from em. We can look towards the memories we will make in college. I made sure that i hit every bo i kind of had set up in my mind that the seniors would get underclassmen would get somethinout of it, parents, grandparents, that everyone in the s gctrum cou something out of it, and i hope i did that. Coronavirus not a good match for senior year. I want my fellow seniors to know they are all loved. Ac i wish and every senior the best of luck, wherever your future takes you. Laura aovely idea. Well, one of the highlights of the easter weekend was the footage of bo charlie Andrea Bocelli performing at the cathedral. And we are just going to that now. Ave maria laura in the italian tenors those iof hope to lockdown has been viewed by millions online. You do not have to b a global superstar to be heard. Laura she is a professional oregon. Inger in portland, soprano held big conch a concert for her neighbors. As a freelancer, she is having trouble findin work in this very difficult moment. Well, i look forward to my neighbors in brooklyn sounding that good and putting on a similar performance, and remember, of course, you can our website. The days news thank you so much for joining us here on bbc world news america. Take care, and have a good evening. Narrator funding for this presentation of this program is provided by. Language specialists teaching spanish, french and more. Raymond james. The freeman foundation. By judy and peter pursuing solutions for americas neglecteneeds. And by contributions to this pbs station om viewers like you. Thank you. Narrator yo re watching pb mr. Ro girl we are the curious. The n man 1 the advrous. N man 2 oh daniel tiger grrr woman 2 those venturing out for the first time. All blast off [rocket explosion] man 3 a those who have neverlost our s. Man 4 whoa in man 5 are you sg this . [q uacking] vo we are the hungry. Cookie monster cookie man 6 the strong. Muhammad ali i must be the greatest vo the joyful. Bob ross a happy little cloud. Be man 3 weve there is always more we can uncover. Girl more we can explore. Be woman 3 we eve. Man 6 . In the capacity for goodness. Vo and the potential for greatness. Man 7 the torch has been passed to a new generation of americans. Man 1 pbs. Man 3 pbs. Girl pbs. Captionining sponsored by newshour productions, llc uf woo good evening, im judy woodruff. On the newour tonight, deaths in the u. S. Top 23,000, as the country wrestles with when to reopen and thehite house faces then, poverty and the pandemic. As coronavirus shatters lives and livelihoods, familiesmliving off a all single income fearxt for their eal. Am its pretty terrifying for just about everyy that were working with. And theyre trying so hard to keep their kids in a good place and stable and not worry theirki while their entire life is falling apart. Woodruff plus, how we got here e missed opportunities and mistakes that the Trump Administration made asn ovid19 begas spread through the u. S. All that and more on tonights pbs newshour