INFORMS Open Forum

5-13 Daily COVID-19 update

  • 1.  5-13 Daily COVID-19 update

    Posted 05-13-2020 20:46
      |   view attached
    Good evening,

    Please find today's Daily COVID-19 Update for May 13th below and attached. Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.

    ** On a related note, we are collecting information about INFORMS members' work with state policymakers and leaders as the states have been working to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic. A few members have shared such information with me, but if you or a colleague are engaged in such work I would certainly appreciate hearing from you. You can reach me directly at jeff.cohen@informs.org.

    Thank you,

    Jeff Cohen


    INFORMS Members in the News

    Member: Andrew Ching and Matthew Osbourne

    Member: David Simchi-Levi

    Member: Laura Albert

      

    U.S. Federal Policy Update 

    • House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) formally introduced rule changes (H.Res 965) that would allow for proxy voting and virtual committee proceedings amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The resolution is the result of a consensus between Republicans and Democrats, through the work of a bipartisan task force.
    • Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell stated in a videoconference this morning that "additional fiscal support could be costly, but worth it if it helps avoid long-term economic damage and leaves us with a stronger recovery."
    • The Labor Department announced that food prices for groceries have risen by 2.6% in the month of April – its largest increase since February 1974.
    • The White House issued a fact sheet on the actions President Trump has taken "to provide support to underserved communities impacted by the coronavirus pandemic."
    • This morning, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) attempted to pass a resolution by unanimous consent through the Senate mandating the release of highly-anticipated CDC guidance on reopening the economy. However, the effort was blocked by Senator Mike Braun (R-IN), who argued that this was just a Democratic effort to "shutter the economy" and add "bureaucratic hurdles."
    • House Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney (R-WY) tweeted in support of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, stating that the United States "needs his expertise and his judgement to defeat this virus," and "he is not partisan."
    • The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a new report, entitled "Social Distancing During Pandemics."
    • Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon will begin to partially reopen next week. 

     

    Global Response

    • The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released a report predicting that global trade will decline by 27% in 2020's second quarter. 
    • Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte unveiled a new economic relief package aimed towards countering the economic impact caused by the pandemic – valued at over 55 billion euros.
    • German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said that the country intends to reopen all of its borders next month, stating that they're "able to do this because the infection rates have decreased due to restrictions and the public's discipline."
    • The Saudi Arabian government announced that they would resume a total lockdown for the five-day holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
    • South Africa's Trade and Industry Ministry issued official guidelines for what can be sold in retail stores.
    • Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that they're planning to be very careful about when to reopen the U.S.-Canada border. Prime Minister Trudeau also suggested that the Canadian government may begin using contact tracing apps or questionnaires to keep track of the people crossing the border.

     

    State Update 

    • Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) – the Chair and Vice Chair (respectively) of the National Governors' Association – issued a statement again urging that Congress appropriate $500 billion to state governments. They wrote that there is "widespread bipartisan agreement on the need for this assistance," and this funding is necessary "for state budgetary shortfalls resulting from the pandemic, enhanced FMAP funding to provide healthcare to our most vulnerable, and 100 percent federal cost share for FEMA response and recovery efforts."
    • Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced that all 99 counties in the state will be lifting their coronavirus restrictions starting this Friday.
    • Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced that the state's stay-at-home order is scheduled to be lifted this Friday at 5 PM EST.
    • Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced that nonessential retail will be allowed to reopen also this Friday, at 50% capacity. 
    • District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that Washington, DC's stay-at-home order is now going to be extended through June 8th. 
    • California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that ten of the state's counties are now moving towards phase two of the reopening process, where they will be allowed to operate curbside retail services and other services – but, close-contact services such as gyms and hair salons will not be permitted to reopen.
    • Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wrote letters to several counties in Texas, warning them not to enforce stricter restrictions as the state begins to reopen. In his letter, Attorney General Paxton writes that "unfortunately, a few Texas counties and cities seem to have confused recommendations with requirements and have grossly exceeded state law to impose their own will on private citizens and businesses."

     

    Economic Update (as of close of the markets)

    • U.S. stocks fell today, with all three indices closing the day with a range of losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined by 2.2%, the S&P 500 by less than 1.7%, and the Nasdaq Composite also by 1.6%.


    Latest Impact Data
     

    • In the United States: Over 1,427,587 cases and 85,029 deaths in 50 states, 4 territories, and Washington, D.C.
    • Worldwide: Over 4,417,903 million cases and 297,382 deaths in at least 204 countries and territories.

     

    In the News 




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

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