The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Gilead touts ‘positive data’ for possible COVID-19 treatment | Fauci says second wave is ‘inevitable’ | U.S. economy shrinks by 4.8 percent | Early studies show promise in immunity | GOP optimistic about in-person convention, Dems weary | Prince William, Kate Middleton’s wedding anniversary

NEWS THIS MORNING Some good news from Gilead — and not the Handmaid’s Tale kind: © Getty Images   Gilead Sciences said this morning that it is “aware of positive data” about whether remdesivir can be used as a treatment for COVID-19. https://bit.ly/2W7YrTP   The positive data: The data is from a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ (NIAID) study on the drug.    From the company: "We understand that the trial has met its primary endpoint, and that NIAID will provide detailed information at an upcoming briefing.” https://cnn.it/3cWfJtQ   So… how bad is the damage?: Via The Hill’s Sylvan Lane, the U.S. economy shrank by 4.8 percent in the first quarter of 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic that forced thousands of businesses to close and millions of Americans to lose lobs. https://bit.ly/2SiuVtr   For context: This is the first quarter of negative gross domestic product in the U.S. since 2014.    The full data from the Commerce Department: https://bit.ly/2yPMw5d   HAPPENING AT 2:30 P.M. EDT: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell holds a press conference. Livestream: https://cs.pn/2KLQKgG   It’s Wednesday — I can’t believe it’s almost May...  I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com  — and follow along on Twitter @CateMartel and Facebook.   Did someone forward this to you? Want your own copy? Sign up here to receive The Hill's 12:30 Report in your inbox daily: http://bit.ly/2kjMNnn   WHERE THINGS STAND Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 1,014,568   Deaths in the U.S.: 58,529   Breakdown of the numbers: https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y   WHEN EACH STATE WILL RE-OPEN: https://abcn.ws/3bQyQp1   Uncle Tony says a second wave is inevitable: Via CNN’s Christina Maxouris, Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, said that a second wave of the coronavirus is “inevitable.” https://cnn.it/2WbUcq6   In Fauci’s words: "If by that time we have put into place all of the countermeasures that you need to address this, we should do reasonably well. If we don't do that successfully, we could be in for a bad fall and a bad winter."   It’s early, but a promising sign about immunity: Via The Hill’s Reid Wilson, “Scientists examining the coronavirus and the impacts of COVID-19 on the human body are scrambling to understand whether people are at risk of infection even if they have already contracted and recovered from the virus.”  https://bit.ly/2W2nsj2   What about “immunity passports?”: “The question [of immunity] was thrown into stark relief over the weekend, when the World Health Organization (WHO) warned governments against issuing ‘immunity passports’  to those who have recovered from the illness so that they could then return to work. The WHO said not enough is known yet about how the virus leaves the human body.”    Keep in mind — even if exposure does give immunity: “Different viruses convey different levels of immunity. Those who contract a common virus like chicken pox can remain immune for life. Vaccines against the measles can give humans immunity for decades. And someone who recovers from a common cold — potentially caused by a different, more ordinary strain of coronavirus — might have some protection against that same virus for a year or so.”   ^ I.e.: “Where the coronavirus lands on that broad spectrum is not yet known.”   IN THE WHITE HOUSE *Cue the Arby’s voice* ... ‘We [will] have the meats’: --> https://bit.ly/2W6D3hG   President Trump signed an executive order yesterday to use the Defense Production Act (DPA) to designate meat processing plants as essential infrastructure and to order the plants to stay open. https://bit.ly/2Shh5HR   Why: Meat suppliers are warning of shortages as a number of processing plant employees have been sick with COVID-19. https://cnn.it/2zI4Nll   REACTION FROM THE MEAT AND POULTRY INDUSTRY — GOOD CALL: Via The Hill’s Alex Gangitano, Meat and poultry groups applauded President Trump for signing the executive order to keep meat processing plants open. https://bit.ly/2YfFWPW   HOW REPUBLICANS ARE UNDER PRESSURE TO GET TOUGHER WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP: https://bit.ly/35gvOb3   ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL The GOP convention could look veryyy different than the Democratic convention: Via The Hill’s Amie Parnes and Jonathan Easley, “Democrats are talking about scaling back their presidential convention or taking it completely online, while Republicans say it’s full steam ahead with their plans for an in-person convention in late August.” https://bit.ly/2KL2Gzq   Keep in mind: Democrats already pushed their planned convention from July to August.    From the RNC Chair: Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel told reporters last week that her party is moving “full steam ahead” with an in-person convention.   Meanwhile: Former Vice President Joe Biden predicted earlier this month that Democrats may have to shift to a “virtual convention.”   How this could play out: https://bit.ly/2KL2Gzq   NOTABLE TWEETS: Tidbit — remember open air concepts?: © Twitter   For all the fans of ‘The Good Place’ — This is too real…: © Twitter   ON TAP: The House and Senate are out. President Trump and Vice President Pence are in Washington, D.C.   10 a.m. EDT: President Trump and Vice President Pence spoke with food and agriculture industry leaders.   11 a.m. EDT: President Trump met with Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D).    12:30 p.m. EDT: President Trump has lunch with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.   1 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence speaks with governors and meat industry leaders.   3 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence leads a White House Coronavirus Task Force meeting in the Situation Room.   4 p.m. EDT: President Trump holds a roundtable with industry leaders to discuss re-opening the country.   WHAT TO WATCH: 10 a.m. EDT: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a news conference. Livestream: https://cs.pn/2Wd8ebn   2 p.m. EDT: Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) holds a news conference. Livestream: https://cs.pn/2Si6KuW   2:30 p.m. EDT: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell holds a press conference. Livestream: https://cs.pn/2KLQKgG   NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...: Today is National Shrimp Scampi Day.   To hide from the news lately — nine years ago today!: Today is the ninth wedding anniversary of Prince William and Kate Middleton!    Here are photos of the day: https://eonli.ne/3cW93vK   Video from the royal wedding: https://bit.ly/3d1jwG6   And because you made it this far, here’s a cat’s game of 'Mario Cart': https://bit.ly/3f0jIHD   To view past editions of The Hill's 12:30 Report, CLICK HERE. To receive The Hill's 12:30 Report in your inbox, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE. Sign Up for 12:30 Report FORWARD 12:30 Report Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe Email to a friend  |  Sign Up for Other Newsletters The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2020 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

  View in your browser Link