Good evening,
Please find today's Daily COVID-19 Update for July 20 below and attached. Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.
Thank you,
Jeff Cohen
INFORMS Members in the News
Member: Julie Swann
Member: Sheldon Jacobson
Member: Sheldon Jacobson
U.S. Federal Policy Update
- Senate Majority Leader McConnell (R-KY) is likely to release his draft version of a fourth package for coronavirus relief tomorrow. President Trump met with Majority Leader McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on the measure today. Tomorrow, Senate Republicans will meet with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows for a conference lunch, followed by another meeting between the administration and Democratic congressional leadership.
- The White House published remarks from President Trump on the fourth phase coronavirus relief package, as well as a readout from Vice President Pence's briefing on best practices of the COVID-19 response.
- President Trump announced this morning that the administration would restart their regular White House Coronavirus Task Force briefings, likely starting tomorrow.
Global Response
- World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus released a cautionary statement that "although COVID-19 is a risk for all indigenous peoples globally, the WHO is deeply concerned about the impact of the virus on indigenous peoples in the Americas which remains the current epicenter of the pandemic."
- German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that European Union leaders have reached a possible agreement on a bloc-wide EU Coronavirus Recovery Fund. She stated that "after long negotiations, [they] have come up with a framework for a possible agreement" – "giving [them] hope that there may be an agreement today or at least that an agreement is possible."
- French President Emmanuel Macron announced that all citizens would be required to wear masks in public spaces – effective today.
- United Kingdom Health Secretary Matt Hancock emphasized in a news conference this afternoon that their ongoing efforts towards a coronavirus vaccine remains extremely focused on developing a vaccine that communities around the world can have access to.
- Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced that the government would implement heightened social distancing and sanitary measures – ranging from wearing masks in indoor spaces to instructing all nonessential employees to work from home.
- The Dominican Republic officially declared a state of emergency due to a "concerning increase" in COVID-19 cases.
- Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis announced that travelers from all countries besides Canada, Britain, and the European Union will not be allowed to enter the country.
State Update
- Maryland Governor Larry Hogan – who is the Chairman of the National Governors Association – issued a statement calling the Trump administration to address five key priorities determined by governors across the U.S. These include extension of the public health emergency, extension of National Guard authorization, a 30-day delay of any changes to requirements for hospitals reporting COVID-19 data, enhanced funding for education systems without placing a mandate that schools reopen, and passage of a coronavirus relief package that includes funding for state and local governments.
- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo traveled to Georgia today to help with their ongoing coronavirus response effort.
- Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announced that they have officially begun mandating that all of the state's residents wear facial coverings.
- California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that some of the state's close contact businesses will be permitted to reopen if they take their offerings outdoors, while also using facial coverings and proper sanitization measures. These services include salons and barbershops.
- Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that she would implement tightened restrictions on bars, gyms, and other personal service businesses. These restrictions range from capacity limitations to banning alcohol from being served indoors.
Economic Update
- U.S. stocks had an overall positive session today, with the three indices closing with increases. The Nasdaq Composite rose by 2.51%, the S&P 500 by 0.84%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average by 0.03%.
Latest Impact Data
- In the United States: Over 3,960,404 cases and 143,789 deaths in 50 states, 4 territories, and Washington, D.C.
- Worldwide: Over 14,839,123 and 612,459 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------------------------------