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June 16, 2021 - Brief Issue 214

The Coronavirus Daily Brief is a daily news and analysis roundup edited by New America’s International Security Program and Arizona State University.

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Top Headlines

U.S. Covid Deaths Pass 600,000 (Health & Science)

New Study: Sporadic Covid Cases in U.S. as Early as December 2019, Weeks Prior to Reported First Cases (Health & Science)

U.S. Study Finds Many Covid-19 Patients Experiencing New Medical Issues (Health & Science)

Mexico Receives 1.35 Million Vaccine Doses, Pushes for U.S. Border Reopening (Around the World)

Brits Angry Over Extension of Lockdown, Protestors Hound BBC Editor (Around the World)

South Africa Fights Surge in Cases with Renewed Restrictions (Around the World)

Pakistan Blocks Cell Phone Service for Unvaccinated (Around the World)

California Reopens, Ends Most Coronavirus Restrictions (U.S. Government & Politics)

Retail Sales in May Drop 1.3 Percent (U.S. Economy)

New York City Faces Taxi Shortage, High Ride Share Rates as it Emerges From the Pandemic (U.S. Society)

Health & Science

There have been 33,486,093 coronavirus cases in the United States, and 600,285 people have died (Johns Hopkins). The United States has administered 374,865,165 vaccine doses, with 52.6% of Americans having received their first vaccine dose and 43.9% fully vaccinated (U.S. CDC). Worldwide, there have been 176,646,799 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 3,822,793 deaths.

U.S. Covid Deaths Pass 600,000

On Tuesday, the number of people who have died in the U.S. from Covid passed 600,000 (WSJ). The U.S. crossed the grim milestone even as the number of daily deaths have reached their lowest level since March 2020 and as the vaccination rollout has helped reduce case numbers. The Wall Street Journal reports, “Fatalities in the U.S. peaked in mid-January, when the seven-day average of reported deaths was around 3,300 a day, up from a rate of 1,100 just two months earlier, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The seven-day average, which helps smooth out states’ irregular reporting schedules for Covid-19 data, has been below 1,000 deaths since early April, and below an average of 500 deaths since the beginning of June. On Monday, it stood at 343.”

New Study: Sporadic Covid Cases in U.S. as Early as December 2019, Weeks Prior to Reported First Cases

People in at least five states had Covid prior between December 2019 and early 2020, in some cases weeks prior to the first reported cases in their states, according to a new government study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases on Tuesday (WSJ, WaPo, NYT). The Wall Street Journal writes, “Scientists analyzing blood samples taken for a National Institutes of Health research program identified seven people in states from Mississippi to Wisconsin to Pennsylvania who were infected with the new virus days or weeks before the first cases were confirmed in their areas. At least a couple had mild symptoms.” While the study points to an earlier date for the first U.S. cases, it also may suggest that such cases were sporadic. The Journal writes, “The number of Covid-19 cases found in the frozen, stored blood samples is small, suggesting the early cases in the U.S. were sporadic. All told, the researchers found evidence of infection in just nine out of 24,079 participants whose blood samples were taken between Jan. 2, 2020, and March 18, 2020, for the NIH research program.”

U.S. Study Finds Many Covid-19 Patients Experiencing New Medical Issues

After having Covid-19, hundreds of thousands of Americans have sought medical care for issues that they did not have prior to contracting the virus, according to the largest study to date of long-term symptoms in Covid-19 patients (NYT). The study tracked health insurance records of nearly two million people in the U.S. who contracted Covid-19 last year. It found that one month or more after their infection, almost a quarter of them sought medical treatment for new conditions. The New York Times says that “their most common new health problems were pain, including in nerves and muscles; breathing difficulties; high cholesterol; malaise and fatigue; and high blood pressure. Other issues included intestinal symptoms; migraines; skin problems; heart abnormalities; sleep disorders; and mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.”

The study found that post-covid health problems were common even among people who did not experience any symptoms from the virus. “One thing that was surprising to us was the large percentage of asymptomatic patients that are in that category of long Covid,” said Robin Gelburd, president of FAIR Health, a nonprofit organization that conducted the study based on what it says is the nation’s largest database of private health insurance claims.

Around the World

Mexico Receives 1.35 Million Vaccine Doses, Pushes for U.S. Border Reopening

On Tuesday Mexico received 1.35 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine donated by the U.S. (AP). The shipment will be used to vaccinate anyone over the age of 18 in four cities along the Mexico-U.S. border: Tijuana, Mexicali, Ciudad Juárez and Reynosa. Health officials said the goal is to match the vaccination rates in the Mexican cities to levels similar to the U.S. cities that they adjoin. Government officials believe the vaccines will be the key to reopening the border with the U.S., with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas saying that once the vaccines are administered, “there will be no public health arguments for keeping the border closed.” The U.S. and Mexico have restricted border crossings to essential travel only since early in the pandemic.

Brits Angry Over Extension of Lockdown, Protestors Hound BBC Editor 

Many Britons are angry over the government’s decision to extend the lockdown restrictions four weeks past the promised deadline of June 21 and some took to the streets on Monday to voice their displeasure. Protestors gathered ahead of the government’s announcement to protest the extension, marching through the streets of London. Then, on Tuesday, video footage shared widely on social media showed anti-lockdown protestors outside Downing Street as they chased and verbally abused BBC journalist Nick Watt. Protestors surrounded Watt, a political editor, and yelled “traitor” and “shame on you” as he tried to escape the crowd (WaPo). Some protestors questioned the BBC’s credibility and accused the news organization of “lying” about the legality of shut down measures. The footage drew condemnation from rights groups and high levels of the British government. “Disgraceful to see the hounding of Nick Watt doing his job,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted. The government acknowledged that people would be frustrated with the extension of lockdown restrictions, but explained it was necessary to allow more people to receive their second dose of Covid-19 vaccine. The protests and the encounter between Watt and the protestors highlight the tension between the public and Johnson’s government, as well as the distrust of the media felt by some people. 

South Africa Fights Surge in Cases with Renewed Restrictions

South Africa has returned to tighter restrictions on public gatherings and liquor sales to try to confront a rapid surge in Covid-19 cases, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Tuesday night. Ramaphosa said the increase in cases is threatening to overwhelm the healthcare system in certain parts of the country. Hospital admissions due to Covid-19 increased by 59% over the past two weeks (AP). “Our priority now is to make sure there are enough hospital beds, enough health workers, enough ventilators, and enough oxygen to give the best possible care to every person who needs it,” said Ramaphosa. “The massive surge in new infections means that we must once again tighten restrictions on the movement of persons and gatherings,” he said.

The nightly curfew has been extended by an hour from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. and religious gatherings indoors are now limited to 50 people. The number of people allowed to gather for social events has been limited to 50 people for indoor events and 100 people for outdoor events. The retail sale of alcohol will only be permitted between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

Pakistan Blocks Cell Phone Service for Unvaccinated

Pakistani authorities are concerned about the slow pace of coronavirus vaccinations and have decided to take drastic measures: they are blocking people’s cell phone service in two provinces. They are also suspending the salaries of some government employees who have not been vaccinated. Authorities say the measures are needed to address skepticism about Covid-19 vaccines and about vaccinations in general (NYT). Pakistan has a history of disinformation about vaccines that have long been proven safe and effective, particularly for polio, which some parents mistakenly believe is harmful or part of an American plot to sterilize children. As a result, Pakistan is one of the world’s two remaining refuges for the polio virus, along with neighboring Afghanistan. The Pakistani government’s goal is to vaccinate between 45 million and 65 million people by the end of this year, but they must overcome conspiracy theories and vaccine hesitancy along with supply and logistical issues first.

U.S. Government & Politics

California Reopens, Ends Most Coronavirus Restrictions

On Tuesday, California reopened its economy, lifting most coronavirus related restrictions including indoor capacity limits and distancing requirements while allowing vaccinated people to go without masks with a few exceptions, for example while using mass transit (WaPo, NYT, CNN). The move comes 15 months after several counties in California were the first to promulgate such restrictions in response to the pandemic. California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom stated, “We’re not announcing mission accomplished but a substantially, full-throttle, turn-the-page reopening” while touting the state’s high vaccination rate. CNN writes, “Public health measures will remain only for mega-events with 5,000 or more people indoors or 10,000 attendees outdoors, with vaccine verification required or at least recommended, according to the revised health order.”

Bonus Read: “White House to host July 4 'independence from virus' bash,” (Politico).

U.S. Economy

Retail Sales in May Drop 1.3 Percent

In May, retail sales dropped 1.3 percent from their level in April 2021, according to data released by the Department of Commerce on Tuesday (WSJ). The drop likely reflects a return to pre-pandemic spending habits along with the impact of supply chain disruptions and rising prices. However, people are spending more on services. The Wall Street Journal reports, “Spending on one service—restaurants and bars—rose 1.8% last month, sending food-service sales beyond pre-pandemic levels.”

After Record Highs, Lumber Prices Fall Precipitously

As we have covered in prior briefs, lumber prices surged to record highs over the pandemic. However, the Wall Street Journal, which has reported on the ups and downs of the lumber industry during the pandemic, now reports that prices have fallen precipitously (WSJ). The Journal writes, “Futures for July delivery ended Monday at $996.20 per thousand board feet, down 42% from the record of $1,711.20 reached in early May. Futures have declined 14 of the past 15 trading days, the last two by the most allowed by exchange rules. Cash lumber prices are also crashing. Pricing service Random Lengths said Friday that its framing composite index, which tracks on-the-spot sales, dropped $122 to $1,324, its biggest ever weekly decline. The pullback came just six weeks after the index rose $124 during the first week of May, its most on record. Random Lengths described a chaotic rout in which sawmill managers struggled to provide customers with price quotes.” The fall in the price of lumber as ramifications for people outside the lumber industry. Some analysts fear the price fall may harm the surging housing market. Meanwhile, the high price of lumber became a major piece of evidence pointed to during debates over the threat of inflation.

Bonus Read: “People Are Returning to Restaurants, Stores and Hotels. But Not Yet the Office,” (WSJ).

U.S. Society

New York City Faces Taxi Shortage, High Ride Share Rates as it Emerges From the Pandemic

The pandemic brought New York City’s taxi industry to a near-halt, but the New York Times reports that even as the city begins to reopen, taxi shortages continue (NYT). The Times reports, “Fleet owners reduced operations or suspended them altogether. Many drivers found other jobs, including driving trucks or making Amazon deliveries.

Now, as the city starts to recover, buoyed by low virus rates and widespread vaccinations, yellow taxis are largely missing from many street corners and airport arrival areas.” According to the Times, there are 6,000 yellow cabs currently operating in the city, a number representing less than half of those licensed to do so via the medallion system. Some drivers do not want to return to work in the absence of reforms and further support for debt, often taken on during the pandemic. While the taxi industry had already been struggling with the competition from ride share apps, those services have also seen price surges as demand from reopening cities outpaces the supply of available drivers

Bonus Read: “Home Chefs Gather Favorite Covid-Era Recipes,” (WSJ).

Analysis & Arguments

Derek Thompson looks at who benefited and who lost out as a result of the rise in remote work (Atlantic).

In Foreign Affairs, Larry Brilliant, Lisa Danzig, Karen Oppenheimer, Agastya Mondal, Rick Bright, and W. Ian Lipkin present a strategy for fighting the coronavirus based on the presumption that it will not be eradicated (Foreign Affairs).

The Washington Post reports on Portland’s decision to resume removing homeless camps, the impact on the camps’ residents, and the state of homelessness amid the pandemic (WaPo).

Andrew Elrod examines the efforts to end the pandemic expansion of unemployment benefits early and argues they constitute class war (Dissent).

Jewish Currents publishes a recently discovered short memoir essay of the 1918 Flu in the Jewish community of Poughkeepsie, New York written by Rose Riegelhaupt in the 1970s (Jewish Currents).

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The Brief is edited by David Sterman and Emily Schneider with Senior Editor Peter Bergen.

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