Good evening,
Please find today's Daily COVID-19 Update for April 16th. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.
Thank you,
Jeff Cohen
INFORMS Members In The News
Member: Julie Ivy, North Carolina State University
Member: Tinglong Dai, Johns Hopkins University
Member: Julie Swann, North Carolina State University
Member: Julie Swann, North Carolina State University
Member: Julie Swann, North Carolina State University
U.S. Federal Policy Update
- The Trump administration issued a new guidance today – "Guidelines for Opening Up America Again." The guidelines divide up the reopening policies based on three phases based upon fulfilling criteria on symptoms, cases, and hospital care.
- The White House published the full list of bipartisan congressional members from the House of Representatives and the Senate that are going to serve on the "Opening Up America Again Congressional Group." This group will focus on a wide range of issue areas, including: "the need for additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, the international and domestic supply chains, ways to energize the economy, surprise medical billing, clarifying the difference between essential and non-essential workers, mental health, and relief for small businesses."
- Yesterday night, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza officially announced that the $350 billion Paycheck Protection Program created for small businesses has officially run out of funding for these SBA loans to small businesses. The two officials issued a joint statement that "the SBA will not be able to issue new loan approvals once the programs experience a lapse in appropriations,"
- On a phone call today with the Democratic caucus, House Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern suggested that he is "prepared to recommend remote voting by proxy." However, nothing official has been issued yet.
- The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a fact sheet today stating that the U.S. "is committed to ensuring that humanitarian assistance continues to reach at-risk populations through legitimate and transparent channels as countries across the globe fight" against the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The U.S. Election Assistance Commission announced today in a Federal Register notice that they are planning to convene a "hearing to discuss the administration of federal elections during the COVID-19 pandemic." The hearing will be open to the public, and will take place on Wednesday, April 22nd.
- President Trump participated in a videoconference call with leaders of G7 countries. The White House said in a statement after the call that the leaders "agreed to remain committed to taking every necessary measure to ensure a strong and coordinated global response to this health crisis and the associated humanitarian and economic calamity and to launch a strong and sustainable recovery."
Global Response
- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that there still remains "a significant amount of time" before the U.S. and Canada will reopen their shared border for nonessential travel.
- Japan has now elevated its state of emergency announcement to cover the entire country, as opposed to the select number of the country's prefectures it currently covers.
- British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced that the United Kingdom's lockdown protocols would be extended for three more weeks at the very least.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen extended a "heartfelt apology" to Italy on behalf of the European Union – stating that "too many [member countries] were not there at a time when Italy needed a helping hand at the very beginning" of the coronavirus outbreak within its borders.
State Update
- Seven governors from midwestern states issued a news release this afternoon for a coordinated regional response to reopening the region's economy eventually. In the joint statement, they identified the four key factors they are going to consider: 1) the rate of infections, 2) an increased availability of testing, 3) the capacity of their hospitals, and 4) workplace social distancing protocols. The response will be coordinated between Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.
- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the state's shutdown would be extended through May 15th.
- California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order offering two weeks of supplemental paid leave for essential food workers.
- New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu said that schools will continue via remote learning for the remainder of the school year.
- Ohio Governor Mike DeWine stated that he hopes to reopen the state's economy by May 1st.
- Top Republicans from Missouri's state legislature announced that they plan to reconvene their legislative session by April 27th. This is just three days after Missouri's stay-at-home order is scheduled to expire.
Economic Update (as of close of the markets)
- The Labor Department stated that approximately 5.2 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week – meaning that more than 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment since mid-March.
- All three major indices posted minor gains in the stock market today, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising by 0.1%, the S&P 500 by 0.6%, and the Nasdaq Composite by 1.7%.
Latest Impact Data
- In the United States: Over 668,163 cases and 34,191 deaths in 50 states, 4 territories, and Washington, D.C.
- Worldwide: Over 2,134,465 cases and 142,148 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------------------------------