Good evening,
Please find today's Daily COVID-19 Update for May 27th below and attached. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.
Thank you,
Jeff Cohen
INFORMS Members in the News
Member: Julie Swann
Member: Sheldon Jacobson
Members: Tinglong Dai and Chris Tang
U.S. Federal Policy Update
- The White House published an official readout of the meeting between the Coronavirus Task Force and all U.S. Governors, in which they discussed "best practices and continued the dialogue on the important federal-state partnership on COVID-19 response, recovery, and reopening efforts."
- House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) announced that he has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Republicans against the initiative spearheaded by House Democrats to allow for proxy voting amid the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement, Leader McCarthy stated that he filed the lawsuit in federal court because "by changing the rules in a way that violates the Constitution itself, Democrats are creating a precedent for further injustice."
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci announced that right now is too premature to cancel August political conventions, stating that "if there is a really significant diminution in the number of new cases and hospitalizations," then people "may be able to go to whatever phase [they're] in and have some sort of a capability of gathering."
- White House Strategic Communications Director Alyssa Farah stated that President Trump is planning to sign an executive order on social media tomorrow, although specific details of the order haven't yet been disclosed. Earlier this morning, President Trump tweeted that "Republicans feel that social media platforms totally silence conservative voices," and they "will strongly regulate, or close them down, before [they] can ever allow this to happen."
Global Response
- The European Union proposed a 750 billion euro coronavirus rescue plan, which includes billions of dollars – equivalent to $605 billion USD – to be allocated via grants for struggling European countries.
- The French, Italian, and Belgian governments announced that they've stopped using hydroxychloroquine to for COVID-19 treatment in their hospitals – following guidance from the World Health Organization.
- The Spanish government announced that starting today, the country would be entering a period of national mourning for the next ten days.
State Update
- California Governor Gavin Newsom cautioned state citizens that they're "not into a second wave," as they "still haven't gotten through the first wave."
- Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced that the state's safer-at-home order would expire this upcoming Monday, June 1st.
- Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced that the state's restaurants would be reopened for outdoor dining services beginning this Friday at 5 PM EST.
- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo stated that he met with President Trump this afternoon to discuss reopening and infrastructure in the state. Governor Cuomo said that the meeting "was about how do [they] supercharge the reopening, especially in New York, which has been hardest hit."
- Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced that it's up to individual businesses as to whether or not customers are allowed in their respective establishments without masks.
- Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced that the state would be allowing worship services again – as long as they follow tight restrictions.
- Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser stated that they sent a letter to the Trump administration requesting that President Trump cancel his scheduled July 4th parade. They wrote that "given the current COVID-19 crisis, [they] believe such an event would needlessly risk the health and safety of thousands of Americans."
Economic Update (as of close of the markets)
- U.S. stocks were on the rise again today, with all three indices reporting gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 2.2%, the S&P 500 by 1.5%, and the Nasdaq Composite by 0.8%.
Latest Impact Data
- In the United States: Over 1,742,981 cases and 101,894 deaths in 50 states, 4 territories, and Washington, D.C.
- Worldwide: Over 5,763,979 million cases and 356,003 deaths in at least 204 countries and territories.
In the News
------------------------------
Jeffrey M. Cohen, MBA
Director, Public Affairs & Marketing
INFORMS
jeff.cohen@informs.org------------------------------