Some U.S. states are already easing widespread business closures put in place to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, despite concerns that the number of cases in the country continue to rise. Over 55,000 people have died in the U.S. from the highly contagious respiratory illness, and nearly one million have been infected. VOA’s Brian Padden reports that state governors are trying to balance the public health threat with the severe economic cost of the shutdown that has led to over 26 million Americans losing their jobs in the last month.