Georgia's Risky Reopening Begins; Most Americans OK With Sheltering-In-Place; What Reopening Schools Looks Like

Plus, is Puerto Rico the island of racial harmony? by Korva Coleman and Jill Hudson First Up [Southern Star Tattoo in Atlanta seen Thursday. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is easing restrictions to reopen the state's economy starting Friday.]( Tami Chappell/AFP via Getty Images Here's what we're following today. Georgia is set to open up lots of businesses statewide Friday — despite not meeting the benchmarks to move into Phase One of the White House's reopening guidelines. The state’s confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths are [still steadily rising]( and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (which happens to be based in Atlanta) describes community spread of the coronavirus as "widespread" in the state. Congress has passed a fourth economic relief package to prop up the U.S. economy as it deals with the coronavirus pandemic. The $484 billion legislative package replenishes money in a small business program that was swiftly depleted this month, and sets aside money for hospitals to cope with the disease. President Trump is [expected to sign it today](. A majority of Americans — 8 in 10 — say strict shelter-in-place guidelines are worth it to keep people safe from COVID-19 and control the spread of the virus, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll. The same percentage, around 80% of Americans, also says [they can follow the restrictions for at least one more month](. The findings come as groups of protesters descend on state capitals insisting they’re speaking for many people and demanding that businesses be allowed to reopen. The Navajo Nation has the third-highest COVID-19 infection rate in the U.S., after New York and New Jersey. The pandemic is exposing a longtime lack of federal funding for Indian Country health care. Tribal leaders are [using contact tracing to track where the virus has spread](. Conditions make the work difficult, and Navajo Nation leaders are now suing the federal government for their fair share of federal COVID relief money. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Listen [Hospitals are receiving federal aid through the CARES Act. But will it be enough?]( David Sacks / Getty Images The cost of treating coronavirus patients, combined with the loss of revenue from canceling elective procedures, has left many hospitals in desperate financial straits. Some estimates suggest hospitals are losing $50 billion a month. ([Listening time, 4:10]( or [read the story]( Challenges with the CDC's coronavirus tests, struggles with logistics, clashes between federal and state officials and even hospitals' fears of being stigmatized as a source of infection — all cost valuable time in controlling the spread of the coronavirus across the U.S., sources tell NPR. ([Listening time, 4:24]( or [read the story]( --------------------------------------------------------------- The Picture Show [Parents with their children stand in queue waiting to get inside Stengaard School north of Copenhagen, Denmark.]( Olafur Steinar Gestsson/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images From shorter days to smaller classes, school will likely look radically different in the fall. A federal government plan for reopening, according to The Washington Post, says that getting kids back in classrooms or other group care is [the first priority for getting back to normal](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go [The title of Fiona Apple's Fetch the Bolt Cutters started as a line from a TV crime drama, but became the album's central message: "Fetch your tool of liberation. Set yourself free," Apple says.]( Guanina Cotto for NPR - Many Puerto Ricans grow up being taught that they're a mixture of three races: black, white and indigenous. The Code Switch podcast looks at why the majority of Puerto Ricans choose “white” as their only race on the U.S. Census, and the group of people trying to change it. ([Listening time, 32:36]( or [read the story]( - John Fogerty plays three Creedence Clearwater Revival classics [with some help from his family]( for his Tiny Desk home concert. - New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art is projecting [a $150 million budget shortfall]( due to its closure during the coronavirus pandemic. — Suzette Lohmeyer contributed to this report. --------------------------------------------------------------- Follow [The New Normal]( on Instagram! [Sign up for The New Normal]( NPR's daily coronavirus email. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [dailynewsletter@npr.org](mailto:dailynewsletter@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Daily News emails. 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