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July 21, 2020 - Brief Issue 81

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

Vaccine Candidates: Promising Immune Responses as The Lancet Publishes Eagerly Anticipated Results for Oxford/AstraZeneca’s Phase I/II Trial and CanSino’s Phase II Trial; Pfizer and BioNTech Release Second Phase I Trial Results (Health & Science)

New Study From South Korea Finds That Contact Tracing Is Critical to Slowing the Spread of the Coronavirus; Children Can Spread the Virus as Much as Adults (Health & Science)

New Preprint Manuscript Finds That COVID-19 Symptoms Fall Into Six Groups (Health & Science)

EU Adopts Unprecedented $857 Billion Stimulus Package (Around the World)

Europe Has Kept Coronavirus Cases Low as Countries Reopen, Experts Credit Behavioral Differences  (Around the World)

U.K. Orders 90 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses  (Around the World)

WHO Visits China to Investigate Virus Origin, China Touts Coronavirus Response  (Around the World)

UN Partners with Nairobi Hospital to Build Virus Facility for UN Africa Workers as WHO Raises Alarm About Case Increases  (Around the World)

Trump Says He Will Resume Coronavirus Briefings as Cases Surge (U.S. Government & Politics)

Republicans Working to Negotiate with Trump on Coronavirus Relief Bill (U.S. Government & Politics)

Teachers Unions Sue Florida Governor Over Reopening Emergency Order (U.S. Government & Politics)

Arizona Residents Prepare for Continued Economic Hardship (U.S. Economy)

U.S. Surgeon General Calls for Masks in Public; President Trump Tweets That Wearing a Mask is Patriotic; Grocery Store Winn-Dixie Stands Against Masking Requirement (U.S. Society)

Health & Science

There have been 3,830,926 coronavirus cases in the United States, and 140,909 people have died (Johns Hopkins). Around 1,160,087 people have recovered, and the United States has conducted 46,469,524 tests. Worldwide, there have been 14,723,194 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 610,292 deaths. At least 8,310,648 people have recovered from the virus.

Vaccine Candidates: Promising Immune Responses as The Lancet Publishes Eagerly Anticipated Results for Oxford/AstraZeneca’s Phase I/II Trial and CanSino’s Phase II Trial; Pfizer and BioNTech Release Second Phase I Trial Results 

Monday saw the publication of trial data on three leading vaccine candidates from Oxford University and AstraZeneca; CanSino Biologics; and Pfizer and BioNTech (CNN, NPR, NYT, Politico, Reuters, USAToday, WSJ). Data from all three studies showed that the vaccine candidates generated promising immune responses in both antibodies and T-cells. Side effects were noticeable but limited to common reactions like fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, and pain at the injection site, with no serious adverse events. As we’ve covered in previous briefs, levels of antibodies (neutralizing antibodies in particular) and T-cell responses are thought to indicate some level of protection to COVID-19, but we cannot know if vaccine candidates actually protect against COVID-19 until the Phase III trials in tens of thousands of participants, which are the final stage before the decision about approval. Interpreting the significance of the new studies, Peter Jay Hotez, a vaccine researcher at the Baylor College of Medicine, emphasized, “What this means is that each of these vaccines is worth taking all the way through to a Phase III study,” adding, “That is it. All it means is ‘worth pursuing.’” (NYT). Bonus Read: “The state of the global race for a coronavirus vaccine,” (Axios).

Oxford and AstraZeneca’s Phase I/II trial followed more than 1,000 participants over 56 days in five sites in the United Kingdom (Lancet). The trial tested only one dosage level; most participants who received the vaccine candidate got one dose, but a small group of 10 participants received a second vaccine dose on day 28 as a booster. More than 90 percent of the participants who received the vaccine candidate developed neutralizing antibodies, all of them developed T-cell responses, and participants who received the booster shot developed a higher response than those with only one shot (In the Pipeline, Lancet). AstraZeneca said that it plans to give participants two doses in future trials, and that data on the Phase III trials could come as early as September (Bloomberg, STAT). However, industry watchers note that the second booster shot, given 28 days after the first shot, could push trial timelines back (BioCentury). Oxford and AstraZeneca’s candidate uses a chimpanzee adenovirus to deliver SARS-CoV-2 genetic material, which is intended to prompt the body to make copies of the spike protein, thus stimulating an immune response. Bonus Read: “Double-Shot Covid Vaccine Tests Raise New Pandemic Challenge,” (Bloomberg).

Over the last week, investors and researchers eagerly awaited the study’s publication in the Lancet and stock prices rose in anticipation, but fell slightly Monday despite the positive results as analysts felt that the “the data didn’t appear to match the bar” set by vaccine candidates from Pfizer and BioNTech and from Moderna (Bloomberg, Bloomberg). As we noted in earlier briefs, AstraZeneca received $1.2 billion from the U.S. government and in return have reserved 300 million doses for the United States. Oxford and AstraZeneca are the furthest ahead in the clinical trial process, with an ongoing 10,000 participant Phase II/III trial in the U.K., a 5,000 participant Phase III trial in Brazil, and a 30,000 participant trial scheduled to start in the U.S. later this summer (STAT, WaPo). 

In the same issue of the Lancet, CanSino published the results of their randomized, controlled, double-blind Phase II trial in more than 500 participants over age 18 over the course of 28 days at a single site in Wuhan, China (Bloomberg, Lancet, Reuters). The trial tested two doses, and both doses produced similar levels of neutralizing antibodies and T-cell responses, although patients over age 55 showed lower antibody levels. However, the authors note that the vaccine candidate’s “biggest obstacle” is that it uses a delivery mechanism that appears to lower the immune response in some people, as we noted in previous briefs (Lancet, NYT, STAT). The vaccine candidate uses a live but weakened version of a human cold virus, called Ad5, as the vaccine delivery system; however, many people have gotten that particular cold virus before and developed immunity to it. Confirming findings from the Phase I study, the Phase II study found that participants who already had some immunity to Ad5 developed levels of antibodies two to three times lower than those who did not have immunity to Ad5 (In the Pipeline). This issue could lower the effectiveness of the potential vaccine in a population with Ad5 immunity: in China, about 50 percent of the population has some immunity to Ad5, in India about 80 percent, and in the U.S. about 30 percent. The authors propose that an additional booster dose, between three to six months after the initial dose, might enhance the immune response, and plan to monitor Ad5 antibodies in participants until six months after the initial dose, to determine the best time to give the booster shot.

As we covered in earlier briefs, CanSino is in talks with Russia, Brazil, Chile, and Saudi Arabia about launching a Phase III clinical trial of 40,000 participants for its vaccine candidate (Reuters). China’s Central Military Commission approved the military use of their experimental vaccine, although the vaccine has not completed the usual Phase III trials necessary before approval for widespread use. Bonus Read: “In Coronavirus Vaccine Race, China Strays From the Official Paths,” (NYT).

In a second Phase I study of 60 participants ages 18-55 in Germany, Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech’s vaccine candidate raised participants’ antibody levels higher than levels in convalescent patients and produced a robust T-cell response in two types of T cells, called CD4+ and CD8+ (medRxiv). Moreover, the vaccine candidate produced neutralizing antibodies that performed well against 17 variations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, including the variant with the D614G mutation, which has received attention in the press as possibly being more infectious (In the Pipeline). The study tested several different doses and found that a regimen of two doses, even at doses as low as 1 microgram, was more effective than a single dose of 60 micrograms. As we covered in earlier briefs, on July 1, Pfizer and BioNTech posted the results from their first Phase I study in the U.S., showing that their vaccine candidate stimulated immune responses in healthy volunteers (medRxiv). Patients who received two doses produced levels of neutralizing antibodies that were roughly two times higher, on average, than levels in recovered patients (STAT, In the Pipeline). Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla is hopeful that U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval could come as early as October, as we noted in Monday’s brief (Time, WSJ). Pfizer and BioNTech are testing four versions of their vaccine candidate, which uses mRNA technology (both studies reported here tested the same version, called BNT162b1), and plan to select one candidate for a 30,000-person trial to begin at the end of July with over 100 sites in the U.S. and internationally (WaPo, In the Pipeline).

New Study From South Korea Finds That Contact Tracing Is Critical to Slowing the Spread of the Coronavirus; Children Can Spread the Virus as Much as Adults

A new study from South Korea published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention journal Emerging Infectious Diseases furthers evidence that contact tracing helps to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The study consisted of tracking 59,073 contacts of 5,706 COVID-19 patients between 8.2 to 12.5 days after coronavirus symptoms were detected between January 20 and March 27, 2020. The researchers “detected COVID-19 in 11.8% of household contacts; rates were higher for contacts of children than adults.” Further, the study notes, “These risks largely reflected transmission in the middle of mitigation and therefore might characterize transmission dynamics during school closure. Higher household than nonhousehold detection might partly reflect transmission during social distancing, when family members largely stayed home except to perform essential tasks, possibly creating spread within the household.” The study discusses that various rates of contraction in families depends on the local culture of multiple family members living together, so transmission rates will vary in different countries. According to analysis of the research by the New York Times: “Children younger than 10 transmit to others much less often than adults do, but the risk is not zero. And those between the ages of 10 and 19 can spread the virus at least as well as adults do.” Therefore, “clusters of infection [will] take root” once schools reopen. In an earlier brief, we profiled a piece by Science Magazine that outlined how schools across the world have reopened, and what they found. According to University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy Director Michael Osterholm, “I fear that there has been this sense that kids just won’t get infected or don’t get infected in the same way as adults and that, therefore, they’re almost like a bubbled population…There will be transmission. What we have to do is accept that now and include that in our plans” (NYT). Bonus Read: “Kids Get Coronavirus, But Do They Spread It? We'll Find Out When Schools Reopen," (NPR).

New Preprint Manuscript Finds That COVID-19 Symptoms Fall Into Six Groups; Study From Italy Finds COVID-19 Patients With Oral Cavity Skin Reactions

According to a new preprint manuscript from King’s College London, Massachusetts General Hospital, Zoe Global Limited in the United Kingdom, and Lund University Diabetes Centre in Sweden posted on medRxiv there are “six distinct types of [COVID-19], each distinguished by a cluster of symptoms,” reports Reuters. The researchers used data from the COVID Symptom Study Smartphone app. The sample collected was from 1,653 patients, with 383 who went to the hospital at least once and 107 had “respiratory support” either through oxygen therapy or a ventilator; then the study was replicated with 1,047 participants, including 207 who went to the hospital at least once and 59 who received respiratory support (medRxiv). The replication group consisted of 87.8 percent of participants from the United Kingdom, 7.5 percent from the United States, and 4.7 percent from Sweden. According to analysis of the manuscript, the following clusters were identified in the first testing group: Cluster 1 included primarily respiratory tract problems; Cluster 2 included respiratory tract problems in addition to reduced appetite and a fever; Cluster 3 included gastrointestinal problems but with fewer additional symptoms; Cluster 4 had extreme lethargy with additional problems of chest pain and cough; Cluster 5 included confusion, in addition to extreme lethargy and a loss of appetite; and Cluster 6 had “marked respiratory distress” which included a loss of breath and chest pain, in addition to confusions, lethargy, and gastrointestinal problems (Guardian). The second group studied had the same clustered results, but added additional symptoms such as headaches and loss of smell and taste. The loss of smell and taste were predominately in the more mild cases, reports the Guardian, and Clusters 1 and 2 were identified to be more mild coronavirus cases. With at least five days’ worth of data, the researchers were able to predict “79% of the time whether a patient would later need respiratory support,” as long as they had age, sex and pre-existing medical condition data. According to co-leader of the study Claire Steves, “If you can predict who these people are at Day Five, you have time to give them support and early interventions such as monitoring blood oxygen and sugar levels, and ensuring they are properly hydrated” (Reuters).

A new study published in JAMA Dermatology from researchers affiliated with Hospital Universitario Ramon y Cajal in Madrid, Spain found that COVID-19 patients in Italy mysteriously developed skin concerns, such as hives, rashes, or something resembling chicken pox. Twenty-one patients were included in this research who had both COVID-19 and skin rashes. Between March 30 to April 8, these individuals were seen by a dermatologist who found various skin reactions in their mouths. Six of the 18 patients showed severe signs of skin reactions – lesions in their oral cavities, or enanthem. Four of those six patients were women, and all of the six were between the ages of 40-years-old to 69-years-old. Bonus Read: “Once a relic of medical history, radiation emerges as an intriguing — and divisive — treatment for Covid-19,” (STAT).

Trump Administration Acknowledges Coronavirus Case Surge Across U.S.; Kroger Unveils Employee Testing Plan

The Trump administration addressed the nationwide surge of coronavirus cases, with Admiral Brett Giroir, Assistant Secretary of Health and COVID-19 testing coordinator, saying on Monday, “There is no question we are having a surge right now” (CNN). As of Monday, 31 states had more new cases last week than the previous week, showing the surge in cases across the country (CNN). Los Angeles, California reported 2,216 people hospitalized on Sunday, marking the county’s highest hospitalization so far. The County Health Department also reported that over 50 percent of all coronavirus cases in Los Angeles are under the age of 41 (LA Public Health). Kentucky recorded its highest day of new cases on Sunday, at 979 (WHAS11), while Alaska recorded its highest daily rate thus far on Monday, at 141. Forty-one of those cases came from American Seafoods employees who work on a fishing boat called the American Triumph (Anchorage Daily News). Kansas recorded 1,369 new coronavirus cases on Monday, a new record for the state (KWCH12). Florida has a statewide total of over 360,000 cases, with 53 hospitals reporting that their ICU beds are at full capacity (ABC). Florida’s retirement communities are beginning to report an increase of cases, with one community, the Villages, seeing hospitalizations quadruple since the beginning of July (NYT). Minnesota also reported a record of 922 new cases on Monday, as well as its first coronavirus-related death of a child (Star Tribune).

Private companies continue to expand efforts against the spread of the virus, with Kroger grocery stores rolling out a plan to offer free tests to employees. Kroger partnered with Gravity Diagnostics, a lab-testing company, to facilitate the tests, and plans to reach a capacity of 60,000 tests per week by the end of the month. Kroger has over 500,000 employees across 2,700 stores. To obtain a test, employees will fill out an online questionnaire, will be mailed a self-administered test, and will receive results within two to three days of shipping the test to the lab (WSJ). 

Bonus Reads: “From swabs to antibodies: How to understand your coronavirus test results,” (WaPo); and “Controversial ‘human challenge’ trials for COVID-19 vaccines gain support,” (Science).

Around the World

Europe

EU Adopts Unprecedented $857 Billion Stimulus Package

After almost five days of intense negotiations, European Union leaders agreed to an unprecedented spending package to rescue their economies from the coronavirus pandemic. The stimulus agreement, worth 750 billion euro ($857 billion), was spearheaded by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron and includes a number of firsts for the bloc, like countries raising large sums of money by selling bonds collectively rather than individually, and much of that money will be paid out as grants that do not have to be repaid (NYT). These new measures reflect the seriousness of the situation facing the 27 countries (Reuters). “Europe has shown it is able to break new ground in a special situation. Exceptional situations require exceptional measures,” Ms. Merkel said in a news conference at dawn. “A very special construct of 27 countries of different backgrounds is actually able to act together, and it has proven it.”

Europe Has Kept Coronavirus Cases Low as Countries Reopen, Experts Credit Behavioral Differences

Many health experts expected Western European countries to experience a surge in coronavirus cases following the easing of lockdown restrictions this spring, but even as Europeans begin traveling, eating in restaurants, and mingling in bars, the surge hasn’t happened. This is a stark contrast to the United States, where rising case numbers have been forcing states to reimpose or at least reconsider reimplementing some form of restrictions. The difference? Experts say it’s social behavior. After policy makers and healthcare officials drilled the public with best practices like keeping social distance, enhancing hygiene measures, and wearing masks, most people in Europe complied. “People in Europe understood what they need to do. They take it seriously,” says Ilaria Capua, an Italian virologist at the University of Florida. “The crisis has been handled differently in different countries, but nobody in Europe is saying this is a nothing crisis” (WSJ). As the Journal reports: “Europe was the center of the virus in March and April, with the five biggest countries—Italy, Spain, the U.K., Germany and France—so far having reported over 1.164 million infections and 148,000 deaths, according to the latest available figures from the World Health Organization.” “This is because we stemmed the first wave of the epidemic by many of our citizens changing their behavior,” Professor Lothar Wieler, the head of the Robert Koch Institute, Germany’s center for disease control, said at a news conference this week. While many European countries took advantage of their national lockdowns to implement contact tracing measures and bring down case levels, many U.S. states have not managed to do the same. “We didn’t build testing and tracing programs, and in parts of the country we didn’t even bring cases down. We have done things half way,” says Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, adding, “The fundamental difference between Europe and America is that Europe has taken the virus seriously, and America largely has not.”

“Just in Time” Logistics and a French Company’s Contract Breach Cost NHS a Steady Supply of Masks

A joint investigation by the Guardian and the French news website Mediapart found that a mask manufacturer failed to fulfill the terms of a contract with the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS), costing medical workers a valuable supply of masks during the coronavirus pandemic (Guardian). The Guardian reports: "The NHS was deprived of large amounts of protective gear at the height of the coronavirus outbreak after a French company contracted to supply millions of masks allegedly prioritised more lucrative deals with deep-pocketed clients including a Chinese state-owned energy company." According to the contract, Valmy was supposed to respond rapidly to the order and begin deliveries within weeks, but documents uncovered by the Guardian and Mediapart suggest that the company prioritized other customers and delayed fulfilling the NHS order as prices for masks soared. The documents have raised questions about the U.K. government’s reliance on “just in time” logistics, arrangements that are common in the manufacturing and retail sectors enacted to reduce the cost of maintaining large stockpiles of equipment. Two senior NHS officials told the news sites that these types of arrangements made things difficult in the early stages of the outbreak.

U.K. Orders 90 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses 

The United Kingdom has entered into agreements with drugmakers including Pfizer Inc., BioNTech SE and Valneva SE to purchase 90 million doses of vaccines that are currently in development (Bloomberg). Pfizer and BioNTech plan to supply 30 million doses of their vaccine candidate this year and next, the companies have said. France’s Valneva agreed to supply the U.K. with 60 million doses of the vaccine that it’s currently developing, and another 40 million if the product proves safe and effective. The government has already signed a deal with AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford for a vaccine currently being tested and expected to enter clinical trials soon. The U.K. said that their order for the vaccine is the first binding agreement between Pfizer and BioNTech and any government, although the U.S. has been supporting the companies’ work through the Operation Warp Speed research program. 

Asia

WHO Visits China to Investigate Virus Origin, China Touts Coronavirus Response

The World Health Organization has sent two experts to China to begin an inquiry into the origin of the novel coronavirus. While it’s unclear how much access they are being granted as they have been asked to quarantine for 14 days, Chinese officials are using the visit to promote their response to the virus and as evidence of their transparency during the pandemic (NYT). China has faced intense global backlash for its initial response and for failing to contain the virus once it emerged in Wuhan in December. Beijing has hesitated and in the past, refused to allow independent investigators into the country to study the origin of the virus; officials have also tried to deflect blame by claiming that the virus originated somewhere else, though it has no evidence to support that claim. But now, as the WHO team begins its investigation, officials in Beijing are saying that their response to the outbreak is a model for the world and comparing it to the response in the U.S., which it says is “shirking its responsibilities.” Health experts worry that the political landscape and deteriorating tensions between China and the U.S. will affect the WHO’s ability to gain access to research and information as China will be hesitant to share any details that might make it look bad on the international stage. 

‘Wartime’ in Xinjiang

Xinjiang has declared a “wartime” state in its capital city of Urumqi and authorities are implementing strict measures to fight a spike in coronavirus cases (CNN). The city reported 17 new local infections on Sunday, meaning that 47 cases have been identified in total since last Wednesday, after nearly five months of recording zero new cases. Authorities have also recorded 50 asymptomatic cases, which China counts separately from their confirmed case total under government guidelines. Now, health officials have banned all public gatherings, cancelled  nearly 90 percent of flights in the region, suspended public transport, and rolled out an extensive testing and tracing program. On Monday, there were more than 3,000 people under medical observation. Xinjiang is home to China’s persecuted Muslim-majority Uighar ethnic group.

North Korea Says it is Developing a Vaccine, Experts Aren’t Convinced 

North Korea’s State commission of Science and Technology says the country has joined the race for a coronavirus vaccine and that clinical trials are already underway and ready to enter Phase 3—human trials (CNN). However, many healthcare and international political experts find the claim difficult to believe; North Korea has one of the most dilapidated healthcare systems in the world and has been reliant on the World Health Organization for many vaccines. Pyongyang has also not publicly admitted that there are any coronavirus cases in the country, though many independent health authorities find this claim to also be almost certainly false. According to the WHO representative in North Korea, Dr. Edwin Salvador, testing capacity is very low (only 922 people in a country of 25 million had been tested as of early June), and 25,551 people had been quarantined and released. 

Africa

UN Partners with Nairobi Hospital to Build Virus Facility for UN Africa Workers as WHO Raises Alarm About Case Increases

The United Nations has partnered with Kenya’s largest private hospital to set up a coronavirus treatment facility in Nairobi that will treat the global organization’s workers and family members in Africa (Bloomberg). “Construction of the facility starts July 20, to open in six to eight weeks,” Nairobi Hospital Chief Executive Officer Allan Pamba said by phone Sunday. The facility will have an operating theater, laboratory, radiology and physiology services, and 150 beds, including 25 intensive-care and 50 high-dependency units, he said. News of the facility comes as cases rise in the region and healthcare facilities with limited capacity struggle to cope. While the spread of the virus in Africa seemed slow at first, case numbers rose to over 600,000 across the continent as many lockdowns were loosened due to economic hardships. On Monday, the World Health Organization’s chief Michael Ryan told a virtual news conference that he was “very concerned right now that we are beginning to see an acceleration of the disease in Africa” (Al Jazeera).

U.S. Government & Politics

Trump Says He Will Resume Coronavirus Briefings as Cases Surge

On Monday, President Donald Trump stated that he would resume giving regular coronavirus briefings as the number of cases surges across much of the United States (CNN). Trump commented, “We have had this big flare up in Florida, Texas, a couple of other places” adding, “I'll get involved and we'll start doing briefings.” The comment comes as Trump’s advisers have been debating a return to briefings, which ceased in large part due to the spectacle of Trump arguing with reporters and making false or belligerent claims. CNN writes, “Now, however, many of Trump's aides worry he appears absent as the crisis continues to rage. Trump no longer attends daily coronavirus task force meetings and hasn't held an event specifically focused on the virus in two weeks.”

Republicans Working to Negotiate with Trump on Coronavirus Relief Bill

After meeting with President Trump on Monday, top GOP leaders signaled their willingness to consider another round of stimulus checks and payroll tax cuts in the upcoming relief bill. The announcement comes as a shift for the GOP leaders, who had voiced concerns about the incentives created by a payroll tax cut. Other contentious points in the bill include the level of income qualifying individuals to receive a second stimulus check, as well as whether to extend the additional $600 in weekly unemployment benefits. Republicans are looking to keep the economic relief bill under $1 trillion, while Democrats have proposed a bill totaling $3 trillion (USATODAY, NYT). 

Teachers Unions Sue Florida Governor Over Reopening Emergency Order

On Monday, teachers unions sued Florida’s Republican governor Ron DeSantis over his issuing of an emergency order requiring schools to reopen (NYT). The New York Times notes the suit’s potential to affect policy across the nation, writing, “The suit, which appears to be the first of its kind across the country, sets up a confrontation between unions and politicians that could change the trajectory of school reopening over the coming weeks.” DeSantis had ordered schools in Florida, home to five of the United States’ 10 largest school districts, to reopen five days a week earlier in July. The American Federation of Teachers accuses the order of violating Florida laws regarding safety.

Florida Sheriff: Jacksonville GOP Convention “Not Achievable Right Now … From Security Perspective”

On Monday, Politico reported that Duval County Sheriff Mike Williams, responsible for Jacksonville, Florida, told them that it was not possible to provide sufficient security to the GOP convention in Jacksonville, where the convention moved after a dispute between President Trump and the Democratic governor of North Carolina over coronavirus restrictions that might hamper an in person convention (Politico). Williams commented, “As we're talking today, we are still not close to having some kind of plan that we can work with that makes me comfortable that we're going to keep that event and the community safe.” Williams added, “It’s not my event to plan, but I can just tell you that what has been proposed in my opinion is not achievable right now ... from a law enforcement standpoint, from a security standpoint.” The comments from Williams, a Republican, are the latest sign of controversy over the moved convention amid surging coronavirus cases in Florida and Trump’s expression of willingness to back off of his demands for a “full convention.”

U.S. Economy

Arizona Residents Prepare for Continued Economic Hardship 

Nearly a million Arizona residents will lose their additional unemployment benefits starting next week if Congress chooses not to extend the program. Arizona was one of the last states to shut down and one of the first to reopen, and is now experiencing the second-worst surge in cases in the country, according to the Washington Post (WaPo). In addition to over 143,000 coronavirus cases and more than 2,700 deaths, Arizona’s economy is floundering. According to the University of Arizona, taxable sales in the state fell by 16 percent in April compared to the same time last year. Many point to Governor Doug Ducey’s decision to lift the stay-at-home order in May as a catalyst for the recent surge. If Congress is unable to reach a deal in the upcoming stimulus bill, the 1 million Arizona residents relying on the additional unemployment payments will have to stretch a maximum unemployment benefit of $240 per week offered by the state of Arizona. Glenn Hamer, President of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, said, “We hoped for the best...Arizona’s numbers declined to a point where it seemed we had very good control...We’ve learned a lot of lessons.” However, to business owner Debbie Davis, the Governor showed “a disregard of what it takes to operate a business at any size, and a real disconnect to what was actually happening.” Debbie is one of over a million residents struggling to figure out how to pay rent and bills in the coming weeks (WaPo). 

Corporations Call for Congress to Release Billions of Dollars in Undistributed Tax Credits 

Large corporations including Duke Energy, Ford Motor, and Occidental Petroleum are urging Congress to let businesses cash out on outstanding tax credits they have been unable to access. The move would pump “tens of billions of dollars” into corporations if the proposal is included in the upcoming economic relief bill, according to the Wall Street Journal. The companies have thus far been unable to use the accumulated tax credits because of legal limits, leaving Duke Energy with $1.8 billion in unused cash. The proposal comes as Republicans and Democrats debate where to focus coronavirus relief spending, with President Trump and some Republicans calling for tax breaks while Democrats want additional stimulus checks and extended unemployment benefits (WSJ).

Bonus Read: “Retailers are canceling coronavirus hazard pay. That's a mistake.” (CNN).

U.S. Society

U.S. Surgeon General Calls for Masks in Public; President Trump Tweets That Wearing a Mask is Patriotic; Grocery Store Winn-Dixie Stands Against Masking Requirement

On Monday, Surgeon General Jerome Adams urged the public to wear masks and withdrew his comments in February dismissing masks as ineffective and potentially dangerous. “Please understand that we are not trying to take away your freedoms when we say, ‘Wear a face covering’” he said. President Trump has tended to be reticent to embrace masking, and has staked a stance against a federal mask mandate, saying that he wants Americans to have a “certain freedom” when choosing to wear a mask in public (CNN, Politico). However, on Monday, Trump tweeted seemingly calling wearing a mask patriotic, writing, “We are United in our effort to defeat the Invisible China Virus, and many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can’t socially distance. There is nobody more Patriotic than me, your favorite President!” with an image of himself wearing a mask.

Grocery store chain Winn-Dixie took a stand against mask mandates on Sunday, saying they “do not want to cause undue friction” between customers and employees when enforcing a masking policy (WaPo, Today). Winn-Dixie has about 500 stores throughout the South and is headquartered in Florida, a state currently experiencing one of the most extreme coronavirus surges in the U.S. and around the world (WaPo). As noted in briefs from last week, private companies have recently taken the lead on masking mandates, with nine of the largest brick-and-mortar retailers now requiring masks in their stores. (WaPo). Additionally, the National Retail Federation has pushed for businesses to set mask policies at stores throughout the country (WaPo). Winn-Dixie employees are encouraged, but not required, to wear masks while working. United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, representing 1.3 million workers and many large grocers, called for the government to pass a national mask mandate in a full-page advertisement printed in the New York Times on July 12. Winn-Dixie employees are not currently unionized (WaPo).

Urban Spaces Restructured During Pandemic Do Not Serve Marginalized Residents Most Affected by Coronavirus 

The New York Times reported Monday that urban restructuring programs undertaken in response to the coronavirus, including new bike routes, outdoor dining spaces, and expanded sidewalks, have largely favored white, wealthy residents. Destiny Thomas, Oakland anthropologist and planner, said, “What this moment shows us is that those decisions have never had much to do with true civic engagement.” Thomas has criticized the changes made on behalf of wealthy white residents of the city, as well as the attention given to these projects while ignoring structural issues in poorer neighborhoods including flooding, bad infrastructure, and pollution. Many see the urban renewal projects launched during the pandemic as catering to a specific subset of residents, a criticism that follows a long history of redlining in American cities. Experts found that much of the community surveys undertaken for Oakland’s ‘Slow Streets’ program consulted a disproportionately white population, showing widespread support for the project without gathering representative data. Speaking to the quick action on the part of cities to adjust infrastructure, Thomas said, “That knee-jerk reaction exposes the power structure, the decision-making autonomy, and the centering of certain people’s comfort and freedoms over others” (NYT). 

Atlanta Historically Black Colleges and Universities Move to Online-Only Classes

On Monday, three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in Atlanta announced that they would move to online only classes in the Fall (Hill). The Presidents of Spelman College, Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University all said they made the move out of concern regarding the worsening virus situation in Atlanta. Morehouse’s President David Thomas stated, “As much as I wanted to see the men of Morehouse return to campus for classes on Aug. 19, the spike in COVID-19 cases in Georgia and across the nation warrants us to change course to protect the health and safety of Morehouse students, faculty and staff.” Georgia has more than 145,000 cases and 3,146 deaths according to its Department of Public Health, and the state marked a record single day increase on Saturday.

Bonus Read: “They depended on their parents for everything. Then the virus took both.” (WaPo).

Analysis & Arguments

Jeet Heer writes that Trump has destroyed Dr. Fauci’s ability to balance politics and science successfully (Nation).

Liliana Segura reports on those prisoners left in limbo as coronavirus halted prisoner transfers (Intercept).

David Harsanyi argues that calls for a federal mask mandate don’t make sense and politicize mask wearing (National Review).

Ruchir Sharma argues it’s not China or the United States that will gain in the post-pandemic world, but Germany (NYT).

David L. Carden argues the pandemic is an important time to crack down on tax havens (Foreign Policy).

Derek Thompson cautions against embracing the media’s dire coverage of a King's College study that suggested severe time limits on immunity to coronavirus (Atlantic).  

 Readers can send in tips, critiques, questions, and suggestions to coronavirusbrief@newamerica.org.

The Brief is edited by Melissa Salyk-Virk and David Sterman and co-edited by Emily Schneider and Narisara Murray, with Brianna Kablack and Senior Editor Peter Bergen.

Read previous briefs here and stream and subscribe to our weekly podcast here.

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