Good evening,
Please find today's Daily COVID-19 Update for July 17 below and attached. Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.
Thank you,
Jeff Cohen
INFORMS Members in the News
Member: Ed Kaplan
Member: Ruomeng Cui
Member: Julie Swann
U.S. Federal Policy Update
- Reports have emerged regarding the next stimulus package's inclusion of liability protections – a legislative measure led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX). The proposal – which is expected to be publicly released next week – would offer broad protections for companies, unless there is negligence. According to reports, the proposal would cover entities from 2019 through 2024.
- White House Economic Adviser Larry Kudlow spoke to the White House's priorities in the next stimulus package this morning, stating that they're working to "put a cap on federal and state unemployment, and [also] a reemployment benefit." He also emphasized that "the President is very keen on the payroll tax holiday" – adding that this "could be a deferral or a tax rate cut, but it'll incentivize going to work."
- Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin testified before the House Small Business Committee this morning, in a hearing entitled "Oversight of the Small Business Administration and Department of Treasury Pandemic Programs." During the hearing, Secretary Mnuchin stated that he hopes they "consider forgiving all small PPP loans," but urged that they "would need fraud protection."
- Senate Democrats sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence and White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator Deborah Birx, requesting that they reverse the recent changes that now require hospitals to report their data to a system run by the Health and Human Services, instead of the previous system run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci stated that he is "cautiously optimistic that [they] can meet the projection that was made months ago," which is that "there will be a vaccine by the end of this calendar year or the beginning of 2021."
Global Response
- United Nations Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock criticized wealthier nations stating that their "response to the pandemic so far has been grossly inadequate and dangerously short-sighted," especially as "the pandemic and associated global recession are about to wreak havoc in fragile and low-income countries."
- World Health Organization Health Emergencies Programme Executive Director Dr. Mike Ryan suggested that a combination of community health programs is needed to address the pandemic, stating that "partnerships with each other and in partnership with authorities will create a sustainable way of controlling and suppressing the transmission of the virus."
- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson further relaxed the UK's coronavirus restrictions, announcing that employers have the ability to choose whether or not their employees are permitted to work from home – effective August 1st. However, United Kingdom Chief Medical Officer Chris Witty urged the House of Lords that social distancing in the UK will likely be necessary "for a long period of time," adding that "it remains an important part of [their] strategy."
- India's Minister of Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri announced that they will resume international flights into the country from the U.S., France, and Germany – mainly for the purpose of repatriating Indian citizens.
State Update
- Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced that the state is likely going to add eleven more counties to its mask mandate – which already applies to thirteen counties in the state.
- California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the majority of schools in California will not reopen for in-person education in the fall, with 33 of the state's 58 counties required to close. These counties make up more than 80% of California's population.
- Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker stated in his afternoon briefing that he supports local communities implementing additional restrictions to supplement statewide guidance.
- Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds urged that "schools must prioritize in-person learning," and that "the legislature has made it clear that most schools cannot provide more than half of their instruction remotely unless [she] authorizes remote learning in a proclamation."
- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is still on track to enter phase four of their reopening process this upcoming Monday, but the city will not resume indoor dining services at restaurants. However, "low-risk outdoor entertainment" venues – such as zoos and botanical gardens – will be able to resume at 33% capacity.
- Miami Beach announced that the city would be placing a curfew beginning this Saturday, with businesses unable to service in-person customers past 8 PM.
- Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that the city's preliminary plan for reopening schools is to approach it with a hybrid learning model, with 50% of student to go to school in-person on any given day.
Economic Update
- U.S. stocks had a volatile session today, with the three indices closing with mixed results. The Nasdaq Composite rose by 0.28% and the S&P 500 by 0.29%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 0.23%.
Latest Impact Data
- In the United States: Over 3,764,304 cases and 141,936 deaths in 50 states, 4 territories, and Washington, D.C.
- Worldwide: Over 14,172,616 and 598,368 deaths in at least 204 countries and territories.
In the News
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Jeffrey M. Cohen, MBA
Director, Public Affairs & Marketing
INFORMS
jeff.cohen@informs.org------------------------------