Amid growing protests to lift those stay at home orders. But the nations Top Health Officials striking a cautious this, too, were their hometown. These nurses are giving everything its just awesome. They love these people theyve only been there for tone. Three days. But you wouldnt know it. To all of you that are out there that would like to join they have seen darkness. Together and just have that dinner party for 20, dont do it today the facility we went to had to get a big semi truck yet. Freezer for the bodies we are live at the white house. Investigating the origin, new questions surrounding how and where the global outbreak began. Its horrible. Its really bad. Im sorry, its so sad to hear theres still lots to learn. This its like and then to see it, families cant even come in here you should know that the united and be with their dying loved States Government is working diligently to figure this out. Did it start in a wuhan market as chinese officials claim, or a nearby Government Laboratory . And what is the u. S. Doing to ones. Try to find out the answer . Well ask the secretary of defense in a rare live they have seen light. These nurses are nothing less than remarhe most important thit interview. Those stories, plus let the games begin. New hope some professional order to thrive. Sports may return soon. Some possible good news for anxious fans from coasttocoast. Today, thursday, april 16th,. They have felt grace. The most important thing that i have found that gives me grace is knowing i can be there for these people when theyre unable to have anyone else be there for them and also to be an assistant to the nurses who are drained h announcer from nbc news, this is today, with savannah guthrie, and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller mentally exhausted. Looking plaza. Hey, everybody, welcome to today on this thursday morning. Nice and though they may be running on so happy youre with us. And sometimes theyve needed to laugh. Its been a weird day. To cover the tears. I did. And it keeps your skin looking savannah, good morning to you nice. And though they may be working from home. Running on empty stomachs were going to get to bed yeah, good morning to you, hoda. Were going to eat we literally ate half of a weve got a lot to get to this sandwich like seven days ago. I dont even remember when. Their hearts are full. Morning and a little later in the show. The theory the virus started in a chinese lab. Were going to get into that with him, and including how the i felt called to new York Military has stepped up. I felt god laid this on my heart to come and help on the front lines as an emergency room provider. Everything i can do, and also 5. 2 million filed for thinking that if it went to my hometown i would want people to unemployment. Come out and help. These angels of mercy need figures like those add to the nourishment. All it took was one phone call to chef andre, he was on the growing call to reopen the country. Protests have erupted in a number of states against orders to stay home. Today, the white house plans to unveil new federal guidelines to begin the process of reopening the country. After a Conference Call between scene within hours preparing over a thousand meals the president and all 50 governors. For these courageous women and men. Meantime, there are 639,000 cases of we have mac and cheese. Healthy and good stuff. The coronavirus nationwide and for many, their first hot the death toll has increased to meal or meal of any kind in days. Nearly 33,000. We have complete coverage for i havent had a hot meal in 15 days. It was amazing. The last time i had a good home cooked meal was at least over two weeks ago. 14 days ago at home. Its going to make me cry thinking about how much you guys you. We start with the unemployment embrace us and everything that the whole towns doing for us. Its overwhelming and, i dont know, what can we say . What can you say my heart is full. It didnt stop there. Crisis and jo ling kent. Reporter we havent seen job world central kitchen has loss like this since the great depression. Committed to feeding these nurses every day Going Forward while theyre in new york. Is falling off the cliff. Make it really a surprise, were going to feed you every e another major blow to the economy. 5. 2 unemployment claims made last week. Over 200,000, more than a quick, nourishing bite and expected, bringing the total in then these brave warriors had to head back to the the last month to roughly 22 day that you guys are here. Million people seeking benefits, nearly wiping out all job gains since the great recession. Oh, my goodness. The Federal Reserve saying the yeah. Alas they only had time for a u. S. Economy is shrinking quick nourishing bite, and then these brave warriors had to head back to the battlefield. As this sign hanging in their sharply and abruptly, major hits hotel lobby says, save one life, youre a hero. Save 100, and youre a nurse. Wow. To hospitality, leisure, retail. With thousands of Stores Closed across the country, retail sales oh, we want to give a huge thanks to jose andres and the plummeted 9 last month. That forced names like best buy to furlough 51,000 hourly world central kitchen. Workers, cut executive pay, by the way, they have also decided to support these nurses every single day including the ceo. Theyve committed to feeding Health Care Workers at every new york City Hospital starting this jcpenney missing a loan payment, week we want to thank red eye grill restaurant for the use of their considering bankruptcy. Space, by the way, to feed these wonderful nurses doing so much disney furloughing 43,000 workers this weekend. Its not just for the food, i think for the nurses, you can all this while Small Businesses see it, someone cares about me scramble for loans from the paycheck protection program. In trouble as congress has yet to agree on more funding. Grappling with the worst its so touching. Love this Unemployment Crisis in history, city too that was great, savannah all right, guys, well i guess thats going to wrap it up the pain is piling on. For us right now weve got the 3rd and the 4th hours straight ahead but first, a look at your local news oil jobs are drying up, Airlines Cancel flights. She lost her job at halliburton after 20 years. Now shes getting unemployment. We cut back. We have to. We can work with the Mortgage Company and push some payments back. Reporter in michigan, over a million filed for unemployment. 25 of the work force out of a job. The worst in the country, driven in part by layoffs in manufacturing and the auto industry. We shifted staff from other departments. We contracted with Third Party Call centers, hired new staff ourselves. Were throwing everything we can at processing claims. Reporter in nevada, tourism ground to a halt leaving caesars cocktail server Debra Jeffries without a paycheck. It is even worse emotionally. Reporter every industry has fewer job openings, google cutting back on hiring this year, leaving workers on the hunt, fighting an uphill battle. I have been here over 40 years, i never have seen anything like this. Reporter there are some bright spots in hiring when it comes to getting a job. Grocery stores, big box stores, pharmacies are staffing up. But economists are telling us looking at the current unemployment situation right now, the Unemployment Rate could be as high as 14 nationwide. It takes your breath away. Pressure is growing to get the country back to business. New details on that are expected from the white house today. Peter alexander has that part of good morning to you. The story. Peter, good morning. Hoda, good morning to you. The president is scheduled to 8 56. Im marcus washington. Americas unemployment picture speak to all 50 governors this o is a little more bleak today with the release of the first teleconference and hell announce new guidelines to help time jobless claims. Another 5 millionplus americans the states begin the process of reopening, signaling that some filed for unemployment last may be able to do it before may week. It amounts to 22 million nearly unemployed workers over the last 1st. It comes even as business four weeks. Leaders warn the president to and it negates all jobs added give people the confidence to go since the year president obama back to work, the country needs took office in 2008. Dramatically more testing. 2. 7 million californians are President Trump warning the among those suddenly looking for signs of progress in the fight work. Against coronavirus. The state Employment Office is operating its call center on the battle continues but the data suggests that nationwide we have passed the peak on new extended hours from 8 00 a. M. To 8 00 p. M. And the state is getting ready to roll out a new process at the end of april allowing people to apply for unemployment and cases. Reporter thats fueling the federal assistance at the same president s push to restart the economy with the white house expected to announce new time. Guidelines for governors today. Signaling plans to encourage cutting down the wait times for states with relatively few covid cases to ease stay at home benefits. Happening now, kris sanchez is following that story and will restrictions, and reopen have more during our midday news businesses. Well be opening states, some cast. States much sooner than others look for those postings on our and we think some of the states can actually open up before the twitter feed. Restaurants everywhere are doing everything they can to survive. So whats the recipe for deadline of may 1st. Success . Reporter dr. Deborah birx weos look. Highlighting nine states that you can go to our home page to have fewer than 1,000 cases and see how businesses are trying to fewer than 30 new cases per day. Adapt. And santa cruz beaches are while also expressing new once again open, but it comes with a heavy warning. Concern about the widening go to our website for more. Outbreak in rhode island, and urging americans to keep practicing social distancing. I will just remind the American People again, this is a highly contagious virus. To all of you that are out there that would like to join together and just have that dinner party for 20, dont do it yet. Reporter it comes amid reports that the u. S. Government is investigating the possibility that coronavirus originated in a chinese laboratory, rather than a market in wuhan. The Chinese Government needs to come clean. It needs to be accountable. Reporter secretary of state mike pompeo responding on fox news late wednesday. What we do know is we know this virus originated in wuhan, china. We know theres the institute of virology, a handful of miles away from where the market was. Theres lots to learn. You should know the united States Government is working diligently to figure this out. Reporter nbc has not confirmed reports about the investigation. Among multiple possibilities. Theres no conclusive evidence supporting the lab theory. At this point it is inconclusive. The weight of evidence seems to indicate natural, but we dont know for certain. Reporter President Trump saying this when asked about the reports on wednesday. I dont want to say that, john, but i will tell you more and more were hearing the story. I dont want to discuss it, its inappropriate. Reporter the labs theory among several. A few days after claiming he had total authority to overrule governors decisions on whether they reopen or how that happens, hes now threatening to force congress to adjourn so he can get stalled nominees into senior government posioed before and m legal experts have serious doubts whether the president has that constitutional authority. Hoda . Savannah . Peter, thank you. Some states look at when and how theyll reopen, in new york, new restrictions. Gabe gutierrez has more on that. Reporter savannah, good morning. New york citys mayor about two weeks ago urged residents to wear face coverings here. Now the governors new mandate takes effect tomorrow, all comes over the debate over when and how to reopen the economy intensifies. In the nations coronavirus epicenter, a tough new measure to stop the spread, Governor Andrew Cuomo is now ordering all and a good thursday morning, new yorkers to wear face everyone, welcome to the 3rd coverings in public when they cant maintain six feet of hour of today, craig melvin in social distancing. Studio 1a, al and sheinelle stopping the spread is working from home like most of you. Mr. Roker i heard you got a everything. How can you not wear a mask . Little snow there. When youre going to come close to a person. Got about four inches out our reporter in neighboring pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf says businesses in his state must turn away customers who window suns peeking out. Things are all good. Sheinelle, how about you its a lot warmer here. Arent covering their faces. In new jersey, one of the im thinking maybe when this whole thing passes maybe ill states largest Nursing Homes has been hit hard. Commute into 30 rock from south authorities found 17 bodies in a carolina craig, ill say hi to your mom, small morgue only intended to rush into work. Hold four. 68 deaths have now been reported they would love to have you. It will take me about ten hours. Well come back to yo at the facility. But from coasttocoast, even with new hot spots emerging, pressure is mounting to reopen parts of the economy. Its not going to be enough for us just to say open, people are going to have to have confidence they can go to this particular business. Reporter at the Michigan State capital protesters blasted a strict stay at home order which includes interstate travel restrictions. Putting all of these workers out of business is just its a disaster. Reporter Governor Gretchen Whitmer said she understood their frustration, but was disappointed that they congregated in violation of social distancing rules. We know that this rally endangered people. This kind of activity will put more people at risk. Reporter in one of the countrys newer hot spots, south dakota, more workers have tested positive at a pork Processing Plant in sioux falls. The state doesnt have a stay at home order. The governor said it wouldnt have stopped the virus because the plant is an essential business. Its incredibly important, not just to sioux falls, to south dakota, but to our nation. Reporter back in new york. Its so hard. Reporter michael merit just facetimes with a patients family during his final moments. He has this message for those who want the country to reopen. And im sorry for people that are suffering from unemployment, but im seeing so much pain and sadness and sickness every single day. I dont understand why they would even consider it. Not until were in the clear. Reporter important to note that while the curve is flattening here in new york there are still devastating scenes playing out at some hospitals across the area. Some encouraging news for new york, Governor Cuomo is now able to send 150 new ventilators to hot spots in michigan and maryland. Hoda . Gabe, thank you. Joining us is science contributor dr. Joseph fair, a neurologist. Vie roll gist. You heard the president talking this morning about reopening parts of the country before may the 1st. In your professional opinion is that a wise idea . No, frankly, where we are right now, you know, when we talk about flattening the curve were at the plateau part of the curve. The moment we relax social distancing guidelines, thats a so the peak can only go higher. Were right now flattening the curve, what we ultimately want to do before we consider any relaxation of social distancing measures would be to actually decrease the curve and see a steady decline in the curve. Something obviously important is testing to figure whos sick, whos not sick, whos already been sick, you need widespread testing. How close do you think this country is to doing that because thats really what you need to do before you can reopen the country. To be frank to where we need i think to get to where we need to be with testing i think its going to take us realistically anywhere from two to maybe six months. Thats including, you know, to get the nasal swab test out to literally everyone that needs to have it, as well as the antibody test. Were a country of 330 million. Absolutely. I think 3 million have been tested. What do you think the right number of people that needs to be tested, like whats that number so that we can feel safe going back to work, going back to restaurants . I cant give an exact number, wed want to test at least anyone thats going to go back into a situation at work where theyre going to be in very close proximity with other people. Thats going to be any major kind of office buildings, here at nbc, you know kind of smithfield pork, anywhere youre going to have close and intimate contact with others and not be able to avoid that social distancing. That brings up questions, what about schools . You cant avoid that in schools. So were going to have to come up with a plan for that. I think peoples personal comfort. Even if businesses open, you know, would someone want to sit at a table where six feet away someone else is sitting at a table and coughing so you really have to have confidence to have people go back. Yeah. You have to have confidence and i think what were going to see is a change in how we live our lives, post covid19. This is i think dr. Fauci said its not going to be a light switch. For a while youre going to go into restaurants and seat half of the number of individuals they would seat. Theyre going to need to maintain social distancing in restaurants for some time to come. Grocery stores youre going to see lanes a roadway, this lane goes this way and this lane goes that way and i think were going to start seeing some changes like that to our lives, we wouldnt have expected that precovid19. Do you think we have to wait for a vaccine before were no theyre sayite 2021 before we c closer than six feet away from somebody . Its hard to say at this point in time. One of two things is going to