May 1, 2020 — A roundup of the latest news about COVID-19

It could take up to two years for the virus to run its course. States that rush to reopen are taking a significant risk. And two big livestream events begin tonight. Stay up-to-date on coronavirus in the U.S. and elsewhere:

• Around the world we’re approaching 3.3 million confirmed cases, with 234,000 deaths and more than 1 million recoveries. In the U.S. we’re nearing 1.1 million confirmed cases. More than 63,000 people have died, and 154,000 have recovered.

• A team of longstanding pandemic experts predict it could take 18 months to 2 years for the virus to run its course. The Trump administration says it hopes to have a vaccine available much sooner, as early as January. If and when the vaccine is ready, manufacturers will need to produce more than 300 million vials and syringes just for this country.

• The CDC announced a national initiative to speed research into how the coronavirus spreads, bringing together at least 75 public health, academic, and commercial institutions studying its genome.

• For the first time in history, New York City’s 24/7 subway will now close from 1AM-5AM nightly, in order to disinfect the trains.

• Russia’s total number of confirmed cases is now over 100,000. Medical facilities in the country have emerged as one of the main breeding grounds for COVID-19, and two dozen hospitals have had to shut down for long quarantines, with many doctors falling sick. The Russian Prime Minister announced he has the virus.

• British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the U.K. has “past the peak” of its outbreak. Its daily testing goal of 100,000 may have been met, which will help the country begin to lift restrictions. A poll shows that most Britons don’t feel comfortable returning to bars and restaurants or using public transportation.

• For your weekend plans: Tonight, you can watch COVID Is No Joke, a virtual comedy fundraiser for first responders featuring dozens of stars. If you’d prefer a more global event, Theto Call  Unite is a 24-hour livestream with “spiritual leaders and front-line leaders, elder statesmen and the elderly, singers and storytellers, dancers and painters, public servants and poets” from around the world. It starts tonight.