Good morning,
Please find
yesterday's Daily COVID-19 Update for September 16th below and attached. My apologies for the delay in its distribution. Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.
Thank you,
Jeff Cohen
INFORMS Members In The News
Member: Sheldon Jacobson
U.S. Federal Policy Update
- President Trump tweeted earlier this afternoon encouraging Republicans to "go for the much higher numbers" in negotiations for another coronavirus relief package. In response, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) issued a joint statement that they are "looking forward to hearing from the President's negotiators that they will meet [Democrats] halfway with a bill that is equal to the massive health and economic crises gripping [the] nation."
- The Departments of Health & Human Services and Defense published new documents detailing the Trump administration's updated vaccine distribution plan: a COVID-19 Vaccination Program Interim Playbook and a Strategy for Distributing a COVID-19 Vaccine. The documents state that "limited COVID-19 vaccine doses may be available by early November 2020," and the agencies are working to ensure "that no American will be charged for either the COVID-19 vaccine or its distribution."
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Robert Redfield stated during the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing this morning that it will take "six to nine months to get the American public vaccinated," and stated that it will probably be up until "the second and third quarter of 2021 for it to be generally available to the American public."
- The Federal Reserve issued a new plan to keep their interest rates near zero at least through 2021, with some rates projecting that they will stay near zero through 2023. They wrote in their statement that the rates will be maintained "until labor market conditions have reached levels consistent with the committee's assessments of maximum employment and inflation has risen to 2% and is on track to moderately exceed 2% for some time."
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci stated this afternoon that he still believes a coronavirus vaccine will be proven to be viable and safe by November or December this year.
- The Commerce Department announced that retail sales in the U.S. rose by 0.6% in the month of August.
- The CDC released new indicators intended to be used by schools to help them make decisions about in-person learning as COVID-19 evolves in local communities.
- The Supreme Court published an updated news release, stating that they will hear all their oral arguments for their October session by telephone conference – similar to the format used for the May arguments.
State Update
- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that the state had returned to its COVID-19 infection rate falling below 1%.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) announced that he would extend the state's eviction moratorium for at least another 30 days.
- Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez (R) announced that he would sign an order to allow "certain indoor spaces to reopen at 50% capacity, but they must follow the guidelines in place, including obviously wearing masks, distancing of six feet, and install special HVAC systems to bring more fresh air into those spaces." The order will go into effect on Friday.
Global Response
- World Health Organization Chief Science Officer Dr. Soumya Swaminathan cautioned that they're "looking at least before enough people start getting the vaccine to build immunity," so it will be important "to maintain the same kind of measures that are currently being put in place with physical distancing, the masking and respiratory hygiene."
- World Food Programme Assistant Executive Director Valerie Guarnieri warned that "a doubling of acute food insecurity [will occur] as a result of COVID," and "COVID will compound the impact on pre-existing crises."
- United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the spike in their coronavirus testing record is because "the British people are responding with a huge, huge surge in demand" – adding that "it's very important that everybody follows the guidance about when they should be getting a test."
- The Russian Direct Investment Fund announced that they have signed a deal to supply 100 million doses of its Sputnik-V coronavirus vaccine to an Indian pharmaceutical company – Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited.
- Madrid regional government President Isabel Díaz Ayuso announced that they will implement new coronavirus restrictions on Friday this week, in response to the spike in cases in the city.
Economic Update
- U.S. stocks were in flux today, with the three indices closing with mixed results. The Nasdaq Composite fell by 1.25% and the S&P 500 by 0.46%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 0.13%.
Latest Impact Data
- In the United States: Over 6,822,907 cases and 201,200 deaths in 50 states, 4 territories, and Washington, D.C.
- Worldwide: Over 29,994,218 and 944,062 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------------------------------