INFORMS Open Forum

4-3-20 Daily COVID-19 Update

  • 1.  4-3-20 Daily COVID-19 Update

    Posted 04-03-2020 19:30
      |   view attached
    Good evening,

    Please find below and attached today's Daily COVID-19 Update for April 3rd. Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.

    Thank you, and have a nice and safe weekend.

    Jeff Cohen

    Daily Update on the Coronavirus Outbreak

    April 3, 2020

    INFORMS Members In The News 

    Member: Sheldon Jacobson

    Members: Andrew Ching and Matthew Osborne

    Members: Andrew Ching and Matthew Osborne

    Members: Andrew Ching and Matthew Osborne

    Members: Andrew Ching and Matthew Osborne

    Member: Anna Nagurney

    Member: Julie Swann

    Member: Pinar Keskinocak

    U.S. Federal Policy Update

    • Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi released a statement today detailing her vision for the next package of coronavirus response, stating that "the acceleration of the coronavirus demands that we double down on the down payment we made in CARES by passing a CARES 2 package." This next package will likely include: more relief for small businesses, enhanced unemployment benefits, more direct payments, resources for healthcare professionals, and more. She closed her statement by re-emphasizing the need for an infrastructure package.
    • Vice President Mike Pence announced in yesterday evening's press briefing that Senior Adviser Jared Kushner is taking on the role of coordinating the Trump administration's work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to distribute critical medical supplies to states. 
    • The Defense Department announced today that they would be opening up three DoD-supported medical facilities to treat coronavirus patients: the Javits Federal Medical Station (FMS) in New York, the Morial FMS in Louisiana, and the Kay Bailey Hutchinson FMS in Texas.
    • The Supreme Court announced today that they would be postponing the oral arguments scheduled for the month of April. 
    • The Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics released a report today that the U.S. economy lost approximately 701,000 jobs in the month of March. (See this research from Burning Class Technologies for information on the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on jobs). 
    • At this evening's White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing, President Trump stated that the CDC is recommending that Americans wear "non-medical, cloth" masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus. However, this will be a voluntary measure, as President Trump highlighted that "it's only a recommendation."
    • Also at this evening's briefing, President Trump announced that he would be invoking the Defense Production Act again – this time "to prevent the export of N95 respirators, surgical masks, glove and other personal protective equipment."

     

    Global Response

    • Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated today that "it would be a mistake" for the U.S to block 3M from exporting N95 respirator masks to Canada. This comes after 3M announced via press release that the Trump administration "requested that 3M cease exporting respirators that we currently manufacture in the United States to the Canadian and Latin American markets."
    • The World Health Organization's Technical Lead for COVID-19 Response Maria Van Kerkhove stated at a news conference today that data from China indicates that approximately 75% of originally asymptomatic patients will eventually proceed to develop symptoms.
    • Although UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's self-isolation was supposed to end today, he is reportedly staying in quarantine for a while longer due to his coronavirus symptoms persisting. He tested positive for the virus last week.
    • The Chinese Foreign Ministry has advised that foreign embassies avoid sending diplomats to Beijing, stating that "while diplomats enjoy immunity, they are not immune from the virus."
    • Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan implemented a partial quarantine on several cities in Turkey today, which will last for the next two weeks. 
    • Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that starting Tuesday next week, all nonessential businesses would be closed for the following month.
    • Austrian authorities announced today that they will be conducting random coronavirus tests for their citizens, in order to "gain a better overview of the infection of the entire population."
    • Peru and Panama implemented strict quarantine policies, which required men and women to have separate days for being able to leave the house for essential services. Panama's policy will be in place for the next 15 days, while Peru's will last through April 12th. 

     

    State Update

    • President Trump approved disaster declarations today for West Virginia, Indiana, and New Hampshire.
    • Yesterday evening, President Trump authorized National Guard assistance for Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Texas.
    • Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon announced today that he would be extending the state's stay-at-home order through April 30th. 
    • Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced an executive order today to consider his proposal that all voters in the state receive an absentee ballot to participate in their primary elections – which are slated for next Tuesday. This ballot would be due by May 19th.  
    • Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced today that all residents of the state should "wear a mask anytime [they] leave [their] houses."
    • Similarly, Colorado Governor Jared Polis also asked residents to wear masks whenever they leave their homes.

      

    Economic Update (as of the close of markets)

    • Largely due to the release of the aforementioned BLS report, stocks fell today with all three indices reporting losses. The S&P 500 declined by 2.1%, the Nasdaq Composite by 1.5%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average by 1.7%.

    Latest Numbers

    • In the United States: Over 272,760 cases and 6,991 deaths in 50 states, 4 territories, and Washington, D.C.
    • Worldwide: Over 1,092,821 cases and 58,713 deaths in at least 204 countries and territories.

     

    In the News (4/3/2020)



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