Good evening,
Please find today's Daily COVID-19 Update for July 7 below and attached. Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.
Thank you,
Jeff Cohen
INFORMS Members in the News
Member: Sheldon Jacobson
Member: Julie Swann
Member: Sheldon Jacobson
Member: Tinglong Dai
U.S. Federal Policy Update
- The White House released an official fact sheet on the Trump administration's actions that are "supporting the safe reopening of America's schools."
- Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-NJ) announced that Congress received notification from the Trump administration that they had officially begun the process to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization.
- White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx announced that the Trump administration is still participating in ongoing global efforts to produce a coronavirus vaccine. She stated that they "have been collaborating with Europe, across multiple platforms of vaccines to make sure that vaccines are available."
- Assistant Health Secretary Brett Giroir announced during a hearing this morning that "the Trump administration is doubling down on support to areas hard-hit by COVID-19," by sending new testing capabilities to cities in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida – particularly in communities where cases are surging.
- The Department of Health and Human Services officially awarded $1.6 billion to the biotechnology company Novavax, in order to pay for clinical trials and up to 100 million vaccine doses to be distributed in the United States. The company stated that they hope to have the vaccine ready for distribution in late 2020/early 2021.
Global Response
- World Health Organization Infectious Diseases Specialist Benedetta Allegranzi announced that their team "acknowledges that there is emerging evidence in this field, as in all other fields, regarding the COVID-19 virus and the pandemic regarding airborne transmission."
- The United Nations Environment Programme released a new report entitled "Preventing the Next Pandemic: Zoonotic diseases and how to break the chain of transmission," which warns that new viruses can emerge if the necessary preventive steps aren't taken in the future. Upon release of the report, Programme Executive Director Inger Andersen stated that "to prevent future outbreaks, we must become much more deliberate about protecting our natural environment."
- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announced that he has tested positive for coronavirus.
- The European Union announced new forecasts, predicting that the economy will sink by 8.3%. Upon release of the updated expectation, European Economic Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni stated that "the pandemic has hit the European economy harder than previously expected."
- The Australian government announced that due to a new wave of coronavirus cases in the country, they would be placing the city of Melbourne under lockdown.
State Update
- At least 24 states in the U.S. have paused or reversed course on their plans to reopen from COVID-19 precautions, due to the recent uptick in cases.
- This afternoon, Texas health officials announced the highest single-day record for new coronavirus cases, with 10,028 new cases in a single day.
- Additionally, Arizona state officials announced record highs for coronavirus hospitalizations in a single day – with over 3,300 patients hospitalized across the state, with 117 deaths reported.
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that all staff members of long-term care facilities are required to get tested for coronavirus on a biweekly basis, effective this week.
- Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that the state's Health Department will issue an order – which will go into effect at 6 p.m. tomorrow night – requiring that masks be worn in public in seven of the state's counties.
- Vermont Governor Phil Scott announced that they have created a task force to oversee the state's higher education institutions reopening in the fall.
- Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran issued an order stating that all "school districts and charter school governing boards must provide the full array of services that are required by law so that families who wish to educate their children in a brick and mortar school full time have the opportunity to do so" in the fall.
- City officials from San Francisco announced that due to a rise in coronavirus cases, they would halt their planned reopening of outdoor bars, indoor dining services, hair salons, outdoor pools, and other close contact venues.
- Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced that she has tested positive for coronavirus.
Economic Update
- U.S. stocks fell today, with all three indices reporting losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid by 1.5%, the S&P 500 by 1.1%, and the Nasdaq Composite by 0.9%.
Latest Impact Data
- In the United States: Over 3,088,992 cases and 133,845 deaths in 50 states, 4 territories, and Washington, D.C.
- Worldwide: Over 11,926,488 and 545,365 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------------------------------