INFORMS Open Forum

Good evening,

Please find today's Daily COVID-19 Update for September 17th below and attached. Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.

Thank you,

Jeff Cohen

INFORMS Members In The News

• Kansas could approve $50 million in COVID-19 testing. Here's how it might be spent (The Kansas City Star)

Member: Julie Swann

 

U.S. Federal Policy Update 

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) office published a readout of a press event held by congressional Democrats this afternoon. At the event, Speaker Pelosi stressed that it's difficult for Democrats "to see how [a relief package] could go any lower when the country only has greater needs.
• The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis announced that they will convene a hearing on October 2^nd, which will feature testimony from Health & Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. This hearing is Secretary Azar's first appearance before a congressional panel since February.
• White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows stated today that the administration supports $25 billion in additional stimulus funding or the airline industry. He stated that this is "a rather small amount of additional assistance that could potentially keep 30,000 to 50,000 workers on the payroll."
• The Labor Department published its weekly unemployment insurance claims report, which found that 860,000 Americans filed for first-time jobless benefits. This is 33,000 less than last week's number.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a new study, which found that adult obesity is increasing in the United States, and that there are higher rates of obesity in certain racial and ethnic minorities. 

State Update 

• New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) delayed the city's reopening of schools until September 29^th for elementary school, and until October 1^st for middle and high schools.

 

Global Response 

• World Health Organization Regional Director Hans Kluge warned that there is a "very serious situation" unfolding with the coronavirus pandemic in Europe, due to the continent's "alarming rates of transmission."
• British Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that they are implementing strict restrictions on bars and restaurants closing by 10 PM, which will be applicable to seven areas in northeast England.
• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the government is planning to enhance funding towards their testing and contact tracing efforts.
• The Indian government announced that they would prohibit people from moving across the city of Mumbai due to the recent spike in coronavirus cases.

Economic Update

• U.S. stocks were on the decline today, with all three indices closing with losses. The Nasdaq Composite fell by 1.27%, the S&P 500 by 0.84%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average by 0.47%. 

  

Latest Impact Data 

• In the United States: Over 6,869,347 cases and 202,123 deaths in 50 states, 4 territories, and Washington, D.C.
• Worldwide: Over 30,326,962 and 950,055 deaths in at least 204 countries and territories.

 

In the News                

• Trump moves closer to Pelosi in economic aid talks, and House speaker must decide next move (The Washington Post)
• States plan to independently vet COVID-19 vaccine data (Roll Call)
• Congress starts its weekend no closer to a coronavirus deal (Politico)
• Pelosi: 'Hard to see' Democrats supporting less than $2.2T in COVID-19 aid (The Hill)
• When will COVID-19 vaccines be generally available in the U.S.? (Reuters)
• U.S. Stocks Fall as Fed Outlook Rattles Investors (The Wall Street Journal)

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Jeffrey M. Cohen, MBA
Director, Public Affairs & Marketing
INFORMS
jeff.cohen@informs.org
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