The U.S. broke a record again Friday for daily Covid-19 infections, reporting at least 167,429 new cases, and states were clamping down. New York City may close schools as soon as Monday as statewide infections reached 5,000, the most since spring. Oregon will impose a two-week “freeze,” restricting retail, restaurants, gyms and gatherings. New Mexico ordered non-essential businesses shut. Wyoming may impose its first state mask mandate.
President Donald Trump dismissed the notion of a lockdown in his first public comments in eight days, contrasting with President-elect Joe Biden’s call for an “immediate federal response” to the surge.