Good evening,
Please find today's Daily COVID-19 Update for November 16th below and attached. Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.
Thank you,
Jeff Cohen
INFORMS Members In The News
INFORMS Member: Anna Nagurney
INFORMS Member: Anna Nagurney
INFORMS Member: Tinglong Dai
INFORMS Member: Anna Nagurney
Federal Policy Update
- President-elect Joe Biden urged Congress to pass another coronavirus relief package during his remarks today, stating that they "should come together and pass a COVID relief package like the HEROES Act that the House passed six months ago."
- Assistant Health Secretary Brett Giroir announced that the federal government would distribute 50 million point-of-care COVID-19 tests in an effort to keep schools open.
- Pharmaceutical company Moderna stated that its coronavirus vaccine candidate was 95% effective in their late-stage trials. Health & Human Services Secretary Alex Azar lauded Moderna's candidate, stating that it was "more flexible" than the one currently under production by Pfizer, which requires special refrigeration.
- The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention announced that members of their Immunization Advisory Committee would meet next Monday, November 23rd to determine best practices for distribution of a coronavirus vaccine – including the priority with which the vaccine should be received.
- Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL) and Tim Walberg (D-MI) have tested positive for coronavirus.
Global Response
- The European Union announced that it would secure up to 405 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine from pharmaceutical company CureVac.
- Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven announced that public gatherings of more than eight people will be banned – effective next week.
- French Health Minister Olivier Veran offered assurance that they are "seeing coronavirus decline in France," and they're also seeing a decrease "in a number of neighboring countries that took lockdown measures." He closed his remarks by stating that while they "haven't beaten the virus yet," they "are gradually regaining control over this pandemic."
- The British government announced that they have reached an initial agreement with Moderna to secure 5 million doses of their coronavirus vaccine.
State Response
- California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) announced that they would be placing 28 of its counties – accounting for approximately 94% of the population – in the purple category of its tiered transmission system. This category requires most indoor businesses to close, and mandates social distancing protocols.
- New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) announced that the state would reduce the number of people permitted at indoor gatherings, from 25 to 10. The number of people allowed for outdoor gatherings will be reduced from 500 to 150.
- Philadelphia Health Commissioner Tom Farley announced that the city would close high schools, colleges and museums, and indoor operations at restaurants.
Economic Update
- U.S. stocks were on the rise today, with all three indices closing with gains. The Nasdaq Composite rose by .80%, the S&P 500 by 1.16%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average by 1.60%.
Latest Impact Data
- In the United States: Over 11,521,523 cases and 252,560 deaths in 50 states, 4 territories, and Washington, D.C.
- Worldwide: Over 55,305,652 cases and 1,331,384 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------------------------------