Key developments for Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Welcome to the newly updated Key Developments, now published twice a week and featuring non-COVID news. Right now, it's still mostly focused on the pandemic, but we're gradually expanding the scope as things evolve. There are over 10.5 million confirmed global cases, with more than a million new infections reported each week for several weeks in a row. The death toll has surpassed 513,000 worldwide. In the U.S., there are over 2.7 million cases and more than 130,000 deaths. The U.S., Brazil, and Russia continue to see the fastest growth in cases, while India is not far behind. The U.S. has secured most of the global supply of remdesivir, limiting its availability for other countries. This raises concerns that other nations might retaliate by withholding critical treatments or vaccines in the future. Global trials of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are set to resume. Researchers are eager to determine if these drugs could be used as a preventive measure, though it’s clear they offer little benefit to those already infected. A national mask mandate could significantly reduce healthcare costs, slow the spread of the virus, and prevent thousands of deaths. Widespread mask use can help avoid the economic hit that lockdowns bring—potentially saving 5% of GDP. A recent wedding in India led to a major outbreak: the groom died, and 95 guests tested positive. While large gatherings are clearly dangerous, even small ones pose risks, especially in enclosed spaces. In Seattle, contact tracers found that 80% of people are not isolating on the day they develop symptoms, which undermines efforts to control the spread. If you’re planning a trip to the EU, you may want to reconsider. The European Union has banned American travelers due to the U.S.’s inability to contain the virus. BREAKING: The European Union (EU) has banned American visitors because the US has failed to contain the spread of COVID-19 — Daniel Uhlfelder (@DWUhlfelderLaw) June 30, 2020 And if you're heading to New York, you may need to quarantine. Travelers from 16 states must self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival. If you're traveling to New York from the following states you must self-quarantine for 14 days. The states are: AL, AR, AZ, CA, FL, GA, IA, ID, LA, MS, NC, NV, SC, TN, TX, UT. — Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) June 30, 2020 Florida’s emergency management director is making one thing clear: masks are essential. MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS MASKS — Jared Moskowitz (@JaredEMoskowitz) June 30, 2020 Dr. Anthony Fauci warned that the U.S. could hit 100,000 new cases per day by July 14 if current trends continue. Fauci says US could be heading for 100K cases per day. Before you dismiss that as scaremongering, here's the math: If the recent rate of increase persists, the US will hit 100K per day on July 14. — Ian Shepherdson (@IanShepherdson) June 30, 2020 A study published in *Nature* found that many asymptomatic individuals had high viral loads, suggesting they were just as contagious as symptomatic patients. With an R value of 2.5, experts estimate that at least 60% of the population would need to be immune to achieve herd immunity. Once you know Râ‚€ (“R naughtâ€), the average rate of infection of a disease, you can plug it into a simple formula for calculating the herd immunity threshold: 1 – 1/ Râ‚€. When a virus reaches that threshold, its spread slows and eventually ends. https://t.co/jz2DeDoIm7 — Quanta Magazine (@QuantaMagazine) June 30, 2020 The CDC is now openly admitting that the U.S. is losing the battle against the virus. Without a coordinated testing, tracing, and isolation strategy, the situation is likely to worsen. China is conducting mass testing of the CanSino vaccine on its military, skipping phase three trials and keeping phase two results private. This raises serious safety concerns, and if successful, China could be among the first to roll out a vaccine. Scientists are still debating whether mild cases lead to strong T-cell immunity. A recent preprint suggests that even mild infections may provide some level of protection. California is seeing a sharp spike in cases, with a record 7,879 new infections reported in a single day. NEW: California reports 7,879 new cases of coronavirus so far today, the biggest one-day increase since the pandemic began, and 44 new deaths — BNO News (@BNOFeed) June 30, 2020 Los Angeles County officials have issued a warning about hospital capacity being overwhelmed as case numbers rise rapidly. Breaking: L.A. County health officials issued a dire warning Monday that conditions amid the coronavirus pandemic are deteriorating rapidly and the highly contagious virus is spreading swiftly in the community. https://t.co/bJgFA6Cb34 — Los Angeles Times (@latimes) June 29, 2020 States like Texas, Florida, Arizona, and California are rethinking their reopenings. Bars are closing again, indoor dining is being restricted, and mask mandates are being enforced in some areas. Toy Stamp,Children Self-Ink Stamp,Rolling Kid Stamp,Children Toy Stamp Huhua Stationary Co., Ltd , https://www.huhuastamp.com