Sunday shows - US approaching 100K coronavirus deaths as Americans venture out

Discussions on the Sunday morning political talk shows turned to masks and social distancing as Americans venture out for the Memorial Day weekend and the number of U.S. coronavirus-related deaths nears 100,000.

The coordinator of White House coronavirus task force, Deborah Birx, said those who can't socially distance while outside need to wear a mask.

White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett also said that high unemployment rates sparked by the coronavirus pandemic could remain in the double digits through the presidential election in November.

Read The Hill's complete coverage below.

Birx clarifies beach comments: 'If you can't social distance and you're outside, you must wear a mask' By JUSTINE COLEMAN   Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator, on Sunday clarified her comments about going to the beach Memorial Day weekend, saying those who can't socially distance outside need to wear a mask. Read the full story here

Ohio governor: Wearing a mask 'is not about politics' By REBECCA KLAR   “This is not about politics, this is not about whether you're liberal or conservative, left or right, Republican, Democrat. We wear the mask, and it's been very clear what the studies have shown, you wear the mask not to protect yourself so much as to protect others. And this is one time when we truly are all in this together,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Read the full story here

Former adviser on Trump not wearing mask: 'Do as I say not as I do isn't very useful' By JUSTINE COLEMAN   Former homeland security adviser Tom Bossert said Sunday that President TrumpDonald TrumpThe Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - White House, Dems play blame game over evictions The Memo: Left pins hopes on Nina Turner in Ohio after recent defeats Biden administration to keep Trump-era rule of turning away migrants during pandemic MORE’s decision to not wear a mask in public “isn’t very useful.” Read the full story here

'I'm very concerned when people go out and don't maintain social distancing,' Birx says By ZACK BUDRYK   White House coronavirus task force coordinator Deborah Birx said Sunday she is “very concerned” that some Americans who are venturing out for the Memorial Day holiday weekend are not maintaining social distancing. Read the full story here

Birx says 'it's difficult to tell' if country will close again By JUSTINE COLEMAN   Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator, said Sunday that it is difficult to tell if the country will close again because of the pandemic.   Read the full story here

Arkansas governor after single-day case spike: 'We take the virus very seriously' but 'you can't cloister yourself at home' By ZACK BUDRYK    “We have to manage the risk,” Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) said on “Fox News Sunday.” “We take the virus very seriously, it’s a risk, it causes death, but you can’t cloister yourself at home, that is just contrary to the American spirit.” Read the full story here

New Jersey governor warns of educator, health-care worker layoffs without federal aid By REBECCA KLAR   “We announced a budget on Friday for the next four months and we had it cut or defer over $5 billion of expenditures, and this includes potentially laying off educators, firefighters, police, EMS, health-care workers. This is not abstract, this is real,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” Read the full story here

White House economic adviser: Unemployment rate could be 'double digits' in November By REBECCA KLAR   Unemployment rates sparked by the coronavirus pandemic could remain in the double digits through the presidential election in November, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Sunday. Read the full story here

GOP senator: 'You can do' mail-in voting with laws in place to limit 'fraud' By REBECCA KLAR   Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said on Sunday that states can conduct mail-in voting for the November election amid the coronavirus pandemic, but said laws to mitigate fraud need to be in place. Read the full story here

Demmings hits Trump for campaigning off Biden 'you ain't black' comments By REBECCA KLAR   Rep. Val Demmings (D-Fla.), a who is considered a potential running mate for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe BidenJoe BidenThe Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - White House, Dems play blame game over evictions GOP skepticism looms over bipartisan spending deal Biden vaccine rule sets stage for onslaught of lawsuits MORE, on Sunday called out President Trump for campaigning off comments Biden made about black voters. Read the full story here

National security adviser compares Chinese coronavirus response to Chernobyl By ZACK BUDRYK    White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien on Sunday compared China’s response to the coronavirus outbreak to the Soviet response to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Read the full story here

White House nearing decision on cutting off travel from Brazil, O'Brien says By ZACK BUDRYK   The White House hopes to reach a decision soon on whether to cut off travel from Brazil, a worsening coronavirus hotspot, national security adviser Robert O’Brien said Sunday. Read the full story here