Good evening,
Please find today's Daily COVID-19 Update for October 20th below and attached. Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.
Thank you,
Jeff Cohen
INFORMS Members in the News
Member: Anna Nagurney
Federal Policy Update
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) published an update on the ongoing negotiations with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, signaling optimism that they will be able to find a bipartisan compromise. She stated that today's conversation "provided more clarity and common ground," and both sides "see that decisions could be reached and language could be exchanged, demonstrating that both sides are serious about finding a compromise." She added that their discussions will resume tomorrow afternoon.
- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) confirmed that if Speaker Pelosi and Secretary Mnuchin are able to reach a deal on a comprehensive relief bill, then they will "put on the floor of the Senate and let the Senate consider it."
- Pharmaceutical companies Moderna and Pfizer are meeting with a Food & Drug Administration advisory committee this Thursday to "discuss the requirements for efficacy, safety, and manufacturing" of their potential coronavirus vaccine candidates.
- The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that it is extending the deadline for single-family homeowners with FHFA-backed mortgages to request forbearance from their mortgage servicer to December 31, 2020.
- National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins stated that it is "very unlikely that the FDA issues an emergency use authorization before late November at the earliest" for a potential coronavirus vaccine.
State Response
- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that the state would be adding Arizona and Maryland to their COVID-19 travel advisory list, which mandates that travelers from those states must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival into New York. The list currently has 40 states and territories on it.
- Washington Governor Jay Inslee (D) announced new coronavirus restrictions for college campuses in the states, with a requirement for people to wear masks at all times and for social gatherings to be limited.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) announced that four regions in the state would have to comply by enhanced restrictions beginning this week, which mandate that restaurants and bars not provide indoor services.
- New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) urged residents to keep their holiday celebrations "smaller, inside [their] bubble, and maybe even outside if the weather allows."
- Tennessee Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey warned that coronavirus-related hospitalizations are up by over 50% since October 1st.
- Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (R) announced that he has tested negative for coronavirus, after having potentially been exposed last week.
Global Response
- The Czech Republic is reimplementing a strict mask mandate for all residents, given their recent rise in COVID cases.
- Hong Kong Food & Health Secretary Sophia Chan announced that they would relax social distancing measures, with local tour groups to resume with 30 people and weddings to be allowed with up to 50 attendees.
- Hungarian Justice Minister Judit Varga has tested positive for coronavirus.
Economic Update
- U.S. stocks were on the rise today, with the three indices closing with minor increases. The Nasdaq Composite rose by 0.33%, the S&P 500 by 0.47%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average by 0.40%.
Latest Impact Data
- In the United States: Over 8,516,599 cases and 226,053 deaths in 50 states, 4 territories, and Washington, D.C.
- Worldwide: Over 41,018,127 cases and 1,128,792 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------------------------------