Domestic Updates
- President Trump first announced that the coronavirus task force will be replaced with a new “advisory body”, during what the administration is referring to as phase 2 of the nationwide response. President Trump is now saying that the task force won’t be replaced, but that its focus will shift from response to reopening.
- In a leaked call between state legislators and members of Congress, Gov. Abbott of Texas can be heard saying that his goal was never to reduce infections to zero and that he knew reopening his state would lead to a surge in infections. This is a reversal of policy as he had previously said he wanted to see two weeks of stabilized case #s before reopening any businesses.
- As some places around the country consider opening schools before summer, experts are warning that it could lead to a massive uptick in the r0 (in a reversal of previous thought that children barely transmit the virus onto adults, if at all). Two studies, one out of China and one out of Germany, explain that while other nations around the world have reopened schools, they started at a much lower r0 than the US and they warn that ours is too high to safely reopen schools. 46 states have recommended or ordered that schools remain closed for the remainder of the academic year.
- Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms expressed disappointment in Atlanta’s citywide Cinco De Mayo celebrations and has asked people to stay home, going against the reopening order approved by Gov. Kemp.
- A top infectious disease epidemiologist has predicted that COVID will infect around 60-70% of the US population before it slows down, and he estimates that currently, 5-15% have been infected so far.
- A new study has been released that further confirms the fact that Black Americans are dying from the virus at disproportionate rates. The study shows that while Black Americans represent 13.4% of the US population, counties with higher black populations account for more than half of all cases and almost 60% of deaths.
- Even as Missouri recorded its largest increase in cases on Monday, Gov. Parson decided to move forward with his plan that will allow for businesses to reopen and will lift restrictions on social gatherings.
- Gov. Cuomo announced that another 232 people in New York have died of the virus. The 24-hour death toll has been relatively flat for the last 3 days. 96% of these fatalities were patients with underlying medical conditions.
- Gov. Cuomo said that most of the deaths that have occurred in NYC in the last 3 days are people at home- meaning that they are not traveling, not predominantly essential workers and not from nursing homes. These deaths were predominantly minorities and the elderly.
Global Updates
- Merkel has said that the first phase of the pandemic in Germany has passed, and that Germany is ready for their next phase of reopening which will allow people from two households to meet, and for all shops to open. Visitation at nursing homes will restart, but each resident can only be visited by 1 person. Physical distancing guidelines are still in place and people must wear face masks on public transport.
- A new genetic study on the virus, led by researches at the University College London, has found genetic evidence that confirms the virus was spreading in Europe, the US and elsewhere in January and February 2020. The same study has identified mutations and changes in the virus, which could help in creating a more accurate vaccine.
- As India reopens, cases are on the rise, especially in New Delhi and Mumbai. 1/3 of India’s infections are from those two cities. It has been around 104 degrees Fahrenheit as infection numbers are rising, a sign that heat is not the great virus destroyer, as some hoped it would be.
- A new report was released by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In a survey across 28 cities in 20 African countries, the Africa CDC reports that on average, participants say that they will run out of money in 12 days and food in 10 days with the lowest-income respondents saying that they would run out of both in less than a week.
- Russia reported 10,000 new cases for the 4th straight day, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to around 166,000. Putin says he supports Moscow Mayor Sobyanin’s decision that some businesses could reopen on May 12.
- The European Union’s economy is set to shrink 7.4 percent this year, the economies of Italy, Spain and Greece could shrink more than 9%.
- Israel will undergo the broadest antibody testing survey in the world. They plan on testing 100,000 residents to understand how far the virus has spread and how vulnerable the country may be to a second wave. Germany will do a similar survey, however they plan on testing around 5,000 people every 14 days.
- Israeli researchers, in a possible major breakthrough, have created an antibody that destroys the virus. It is monoclonal, (does not have harmful proteins that would otherwise make the antibody difficult to use), the antibody is able to neutralize the coronavirus and it was tested against the most aggressive strain of Covid, with success.
- A picture has been released from a prison in El Salvador showing prisoners, half naked, being forced to sit on top of one another- in a punishment against recent gang activity. The picture has raised serious concerns over President Bukele’s response to the virus in prison populations.
- Beginning on Friday, Lebanon will allow prayers, and Sunday masses to restart in mosques and churches, but only at 30% capacity.
- Singapore confirmed 788 new cases today, with the vast majority still being in migrant dormitories. While the rest of Singapore will continue with reopening, migrant workers isolated in their dormitories will have restrictions on movement in place until June 1.
- In Belgium starting on May 10, one household can welcome up to 4 people into their home for repeat visits, but the 4 people must remain the same. More and more countries are experimenting with “bubbles” or “pods” in an effort to decrease isolation without increasing infection rate.
- France’s ministers are warning that if by May 11 the country does not see a sufficient drop in the number of infections, confinement measures could be put back in place.
- Iran warns that while the # of new infections had been falling steadily, the # of new infections has now doubled over the past 4 days.
- Sweden is nearing 3000 deaths from Covid, their virus death rate of 291 per million people is far higher than Norway’s, Denmark’s and Finland’s. Even the US has a lower death rate per million people at 219.
- Kenya’s health minister announced that a suburb of Nairobi, as well as a part of Mombasa, will be cordoned off due to rising case #’s in those areas. Kenya has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew and blocked movement in and out of Nairobi, 3 other coastal town, Mandela and two refugee camps housing around 400,000 people.
This list has been curated by @jamieplancher