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June 24, 2020 - Brief Issue 67

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

25 States See Increased Coronavirus Cases; No U.S. State Has Successfully Transitioned From Stay-At-Home to Tracking Coronavirus Cases Effectively, Says Former Acting CDC Director; Fauci Calls Increase in Cases Across States a “Disturbing Surge” (Health & Science)

Activists in South Carolina Halt Street Protests Over Virus Fears; Multiple U.S. States Report Little or No Evidence of Major Protest Related Spread (Health & Science)

One-Third of Medicare Recipients Diagnosed With COVID-19 Hospitalized and 28 Percent Died (Health & Science)

Vaccines: Sanofi Accelerates Timeline for Clinical Trials; Two Doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Candidate Produced Stronger Antibody Response Than One Dose in Animal Study (Health & Science)

Scientists Used CRISPR to Find Host Genes that Affect SARS-CoV-2 Infection (Health & Science)

EU May Prohibit American Travelers as Borders Reopen to Other Countries (Around the World)

Germany Steers EU Towards Green COVID-19 Recovery; Fears of Second Wave Grow As Cases Increase in Berlin (Around the World)

Virus Continues to Gain Steam Across Latin America (Around the World)

A Black Market for Plasma Develops in Pakistan (Around the World)

In India, Rath Yatra Festival Takes Place But No Devotees Allowed (Around the World)

Israeli Company Makes Masks From Fabric That It Claims Neutralizes 99% of Coronavirus (Around the World)

In Wake of Trump’s Tulsa Remarks, Fauci Says Coronavirus Testing Has Not Been Slowed (U.S. Government & Politics)

University of Michigan to Withdraw from Hosting Presidential Debate, Citing Virus Fears (U.S. Government & Politics)

Some Republicans’ Coronavirus Commentary Diverges from That of Trump (U.S. Government & Politics)

White House Considering Major Review of CDC Response to Shift Blame for Failures (U.S. Government & Politics)

Apple CEO, Tim Cook, “Deeply Disappointed” With Trump's Order Stopping New Work Visas (U.S. Economy)

Major League Baseball Prepares for Shorter Season (U.S. Society)

Health & Science

As of Wednesday morning, there have been 2,347,102 coronavirus cases in the United States, and 121,225 people have died (Johns Hopkins). Around 647,548 people have recovered, and the United States has conducted more than 28 million tests. Worldwide, there have been 9,266,021 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 477,643 deaths. At least 4.6 million people have recovered from the virus.

25 States See Increased Coronavirus Cases; No U.S. State Has Successfully Transitioned From Stay-At-Home to Tracking Coronavirus Cases Effectively, Says Former Acting CDC Director; Fauci Calls Increase in Cases Across States a “Disturbing Surge”

According to former acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Richard Besser, not one U.S. state has successfully transitioned from “stay-at-home orders ‘to a public health model of testing, tracking, isolating and quarantining,’” reports CNN. At least 25 states have reported higher coronavirus cases (Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming) on Tuesday compared to their counts from last week, and CNBC reports that “As of Monday, the U.S. seven-day average of new infections increased more than 30% compared with a week ago.” On Tuesday, Besser said to CNN, “We have to figure out how to make that transition in a successful way, or every state that reopens -- even those that have done a really good job at tamping this down -- are going to see pretty dramatic rises” adding, “And we're going to end up back to where we were.” As we’ve noted in previous briefs, the increase in cases is likely due to states opening up their economies too early. Another factor is “many people refusing or abandoning safety measures such as wearing masks and social distancing,” reports CNN. Since it can take nearly two weeks for noticeable coronavirus symptoms to present themselves, this is a dangerous combination. According to University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy director Michael Osterholm, “Two weeks ago, we had 17 states with increasing cases… So, we are seeing what in a sense is the reaction in the virus to opening up and having much more contact with each other.”

As we noted in a brief earlier this week, Arizona has faced particular trouble with increasing cases. Arizona’s hospitalization count is at 2,000 right now, which is a record for the state. According to Arizona Public Health Association executive director Will Humble, “People are being admitted to hospital beds and being admitted to ICU (intensive care unit) beds faster than they're being discharged,” and about 84 percent of intensive care unit beds are full across the state. California’s coronavirus cases have increased so much that 35 percent of new cases can be accounted for in just the last 14 days. On Monday, the state total had over 5,000 new cases. Texas continues to surpass its daily coronavirus case count (CNN). On Tuesday, Texas reported over 5,000 new infections. Governor Greg Abbott has strongly suggested that residents across the state stay at home (NYT). 

On Tuesday, Louisiana saw a new high in its coronavirus cases count since early April, at 1,356, reports the New York Times. In his testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Tuesday, White House Coronavirus Task Force Member Anthony Fauci said the increase of new coronavirus cases “reflect an increase in community spread” adding, “That’s something I’m really quite concerned about” (CNBC). Fauci called the increase in cases across many states a “disturbing surge.” 

Some states are seeing positive change. Thirteen states across the country have had a reduction in new cases (Alabama, Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Vermont) and 12 are at a consistent rate of cases (Alaska, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Virginia). New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said of the recent uptick in cases across the country, “We're seeing in other states what happens when you just reopen with no regard for metrics or data -- it's bad for public health and for the economy, and states that reopened in a rush are now seeing a boomerang” (CNN).

Activists in South Carolina Halt Street Protests Over Virus Fears; Multiple U.S. States Report Little or No Evidence of Major Protest Related Spread

Cities across the United States have held numerous protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, which had worried several health experts since the U.S. is in the midst of a pandemic. According to the Washington Post, South Carolina’s racial justice activists are postponing protests or moving them online due to increased new coronavirus cases in the state. Thirteen protesters tested positive for coronavirus after participating in previous demonstrations between May 30 and June 17. Those infected included protest organizers and photographers. The Post notes: “Epidemiologists urged caution about writing off the possibility of protest-related outbreaks merely because the virus’s 14-day incubation period had passed,” due to the fact that it can take up to two weeks before symptoms are noticeable, and many protesters may be asymptomatic. 

However, multiple states report that they have not seen substantial increases in coronavirus cases linked to protests, reports ABC News. Minnesota, where the protests began, has not seen a significant increase in new coronavirus cases, according to the state’s Department of Health. The current positivity rate for tests is between 3.6 and 3.7 percent, a health official told ABC. In the last week, a healthcare system in Minnesota called HealthPartners tested 8,500 protestors and found a positivity rate of 0.99 percent. The state’s Department of Health said that of 4,487 tests at four different testing sites for protesters found a positivity rate of just 1.4 percent. According to a health official in Minnesota interviewed by ABC, “the fact that many or most protesters were wearing masks, the events were outside, people were often able to maintain a 6-foot distance, and any exposures were of relatively shorter duration, not several hours to the same people in the same place” is what has helped the contraction rate remain low (ABC).

Chicago has also not seen substantial increases in coronavirus cases as a result of protests, reports the Chicago Tribune. The number of daily cases dropped over the past few weeks from 400 to 200 new cases. Emergency room visits for “COVID-like symptoms” account for around 10 percent of visits in May, but reduced to 2.5 percent by June 16, reports the Tribune, and emergency room visits for “flu-like symptoms” accounted for almost 13 percent in May, but just under 5 percent by June 16. 

In Massachusetts, 440 people have tested positive for the coronavirus after over 50 pop-up testing facilities were opened in Massachusetts for those who attended protests and other large gatherings. According to Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, 17,617 tests were conducted in two days and only 2.5 percent were positive. Baker called that rate “reasonably consistent” with the statewide rate. On Monday, Massachusetts confirmed that the rolling seven-day average for the positive test rate was at 1.9 percent, which is down 93 percent since April, reports Boston.com. Baker said of the testing results, “We’re obviously pleased to see that the percentage of positive tests was quite low considering the frequency and the size of those demonstrations.” Last week, Boston announced that 14 of 1,288 people tested positive for the coronavirus at a testing site in the neighborhood Roxbury that was utilized for protestor testing.

As we’ve noted in a previous brief, some public health experts suggest the risk of spread may be limited because of the youth of many protesters and the protests’ outside nature which can help disperse the virus (NYT, WaPo). Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University commented, “The outdoor air dilutes the virus and reduces the infectious dose that might be out there, and if there are breezes blowing, that further dilutes the virus in the air.” However, others like Dr. Howard Markel, a medical historian, warn of the similarities to bond parades that helped spike cases during the 1918 flu, noting, “Yes, the protests are outside, but they are all really close to each other, and in those cases, being outside doesn’t protect you nearly as much.” Meanwhile, police crowd control methods, including the use of tear gas that can make people cough and the movement of protesters into tight, dense areas can pose their own risks of furthering the spread of coronavirus. Bonus Reads: “Phoenix protest leader who got COVID-19 says people should keep marching despite pandemic” (AZCentral) and “How to Evaluate Coronavirus Risks from Black Lives Matter Protests” (Scientific American).

One-Third of Medicare Recipients Diagnosed With COVID-19 Hospitalized and 28 Percent Died

According to data released by the U.S. federal government on Monday, one-third of individuals on Medicare who were diagnosed with COVID-19 were hospitalized. Medicare claims from January through the middle of May showed “more than 325,000 beneficiaries were diagnosed with coronavirus and nearly 110,000 of them were hospitalized.” Further, 28 percent of them died, according to a report by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Hospitalizations due to the coronavirus have cost the Medicare program $1.9 billion, which is close to $23,100 for each individual, accounting for 525 cases per 100,000 individuals enrolled in the program. U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator Seema Verma said of the findings, “The data also confirms long-understood and stubbornly persistent disparities in health outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities” (CNN). The data shows that “Black Americans were nearly four times more likely than white Americans to be hospitalized with COVID-19 among people with Medicare” (Hill). Further, Black Americans using Medicare were “hospitalized at a rate of 465 per 100,000 enrollees,” which is “nearly four times the rate for whites” at 123 per 100,000. And, the “rate for Hispanics was 258 per 100,000, or about twice the rate of whites. Asians were about one-and-a-half times more likely than whites to be hospitalized for COVID-19” (AP). The most common preexisting conditions of those individuals included in the data included high blood pressure, high cholesterol and kidney disease. Nine percent of those hospitalized stayed for three weeks or longer (CNN).

Vaccines: Sanofi Accelerates Timeline for Clinical Trials; Two Doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Candidate Produced Stronger Antibody Response Than One Dose in Animal Study

French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi has pushed up the start of a Phase I/II clinical trial for a vaccine candidate from December to September, and if all goes well, plans to start a Phase III trial in December or January, with the target of a fully licensed vaccine by June (Bloomberg, NYT). Sanofi, an experienced vaccine maker, has had a slower and more conservative timeline than some of the other major vaccine developers in the race for Covid-19 vaccines, but is “now predicting it will be able to catch up to competitors that got off to an earlier start in clinical trials than it did,” writes STAT. “We are the only vaccine in the race that’s off a proven platform that works in scale,” said Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson, speaking of the vaccine Sanofi is developing with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) (STAT). Their vaccine candidate combines a synthesized version of the coronavirus’s spike protein with one of GSK’s proprietary adjuvants, which boost the body’s immune response and lower the amount needed in a dose. Like other vaccine developers, Sanofi is already ramping up production and plans to have 100 million doses by the end of 2020, with 1 billion additional doses in 2021. As we mentioned in earlier briefs, Sanofi has received funding from the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and indicated that it will give some priority to the U.S. along with France to receive doses of their vaccine, if it proves successful. Sanofi is also developing a second vaccine, using mRNA technology, with biotech firm Translate Bio: they have several vaccine candidates now in preclinical testing, with the goal of selecting a lead candidate for a clinical trial in the fourth quarter. 

In a study on the vaccine being developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, pigs that received two doses produced more neutralizing antibodies than those with one dose, reported researchers from the Pirbright Institute and Oxford’s Jenner Institute in a preprint manuscript (bioRxiv). Pigs are “a valuable model for testing human vaccines,” because they are “physiologically similar to humans,” said Bryan Charleston, director of the Pirbright Institute (Science Focus). Lead author Simon Graham said the fact that the vaccine induced both antibody and T cell responses is “very encouraging” (Fox). The study suggests that two doses may produce a stronger immune response in humans; a Phase II/III trial of the vaccine candidate is ongoing in the U.K. and a Phase III trial is underway in Brazil, as we have covered in previous briefs. The New York Times vaccine tracker summarizes vaccines in development worldwide.

Scientists Used CRISPR to Find Host Genes that Affect SARS-CoV-2 Infection

At the Yale School of Medicine and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University, scientists used the gene-editing technology CRISPR to perform “the first genome-wide CRISPR screen with SARS-CoV-2” to identify host genes that help or hinder the new coronavirus in infecting host cells, they reported in a new preprint manuscript (bioRxiv). Two genes appeared to help the virus the most: one that encodes ACE2, the viral receptor, and one that encodes an enzyme called Cathepsin L. When the scientists treated cells with Calpain Inhibitor 3, a small molecule that inhibits Cathepsin L, they found that it also inhibited viral replication and cell death caused by the virus, in a dose-dependent way; this finding dovetails with other research on the role of Cathepsin L in COVID-19 (Pharmacology and Therapeutics). The team found several other pro-viral genes, including those that play a role in cell growth and death, and some unexpected ones that code for proteins not known to affect the coronavirus (Nature). After testing existing small molecules that inhibited these pathways, the team found two additional molecules that partially protected cells from virally-induced death and lowered the frequency of viral infection.

The findings have “important implications for our understanding of COVID-19” as a disease as well as therapeutics and vaccines, write the authors. The genes and pathways they identified may help explain the extreme variation in different individuals’ reactions to the virus, ranging from asymptomatic infection to severe respiratory failure and death. Their genetic screen also revealed new therapeutic targets and three molecules that inhibit coronavirus replication and virus-induced cell death. Because the screen was performed with cells derived from the African green monkey—commonly used in laboratory studies—further research is needed in human cells and animal studies to evaluate the genes and their role in coronavirus infection.

Vacationers at Myrtle Beach, S.C. Brought Coronavirus Back Across State Borders

According to local NBC News affiliate WYFF, vacationers in Myrtle Beach came home to West Virginia and Ohio after contracting coronavirus while at the South Carolina beach destination. Thirty cases in Preston County, West Virginia have been traced back to residents’ travel to Myrtle Beach, and another 11 across two other counties. According to the West Virginia Department of Health, “this is a critical time in this outbreak” and “community spread has been confirmed. It is vital for individuals who have been told to quarantine by the health department comply with that order.” The health department recently updated the state’s travel guidelines in response to the outbreak (WCHS). On Monday, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice said at a news conference, “If you’ve gone to Myrtle Beach, we want you tested” (WCHS). Another group from an Ohio high school went to Myrtle Beach on vacation, and out of 45 Ohio students who traveled there, 14 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Horry County, where Myrtle Beach is located, saw a single-day coronavirus case record on Tuesday, with 133 cases (WMBFNews). According to local ABC News affiliate in South Carolina WPDE “confirmed COVID-19 cases have risen most in people living in areas tied to the tourism industry.” 

On Tuesday, South Carolina reported 890 new coronavirus cases and 14 COVID-19 deaths (WMBFNews). In a previous brief, we noted another vacation spot that caused a coronavirus outbreak for Missourians. Hundreds of Missourians were asked to self-quarantine for 14 days after going to the Ozarks over the Memorial Day weekend. The St. Louis County Department of Health believed that many ignored social distancing guidelines and did not wear masks. At the time, Kansas’ Department of Health and Environment issued a similar order. St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said of the reports, “This reckless behavior endangers countless people and risks setting us back substantially from the progress we have made in slowing the spread of COVID-19” (Fox).

Bonus Read: “As Problems Grow With Abbott’s Fast COVID Test, FDA Standards Are Under Fire” (KHN).

Around the World

Europe

EU May Prohibit American Travelers as Borders Reopen to Other Countries

European Union officials are trying to agree on who can visit the bloc as of July 1 and are basing their determination on how other countries are dealing with coronavirus cases. Americans are so far excluded, according to The New York Times, which saw the draft lists, because of the way the United States has failed to control its outbreak (NYT). The United States has more than 2.3 million cases and more than 120,000 deaths, the most in the world. Other countries that the EU is prohibiting include Russia and Brazil, countries that have also struggled to contain the virus. According to The New York Times, officials are arguing over two potential lists of acceptable visitors. Both of those lists include China and developing countries like Uganda, Cuba and Vietnam. Not allowing American travelers to enter the EU would have a significant economic impact as millions of tourists visit Europe every summer and business travel is common. Countries on the two lists have been chosen based on a number of criteria, such as the average number of new infections. Once officials agree on the list, it will be presented to member countries as a recommendation but not as mandatory.

Germany Steers EU Towards Green COVID-19 Recovery; Fears of Second Wave Grow As Cases Increase in Berlin

Germany is planning to steer the European Union towards a climate-friendly economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic through its upcoming presidency of the EU, Germany’s environment minister said on Tuesday (Reuters). “We always have to keep the big picture in mind. Europe wants to become the first greenhouse gas-neutral continent by 2050. This is the most crucial thing that we can do for future generations,” Svenja Schulze said. Germany will take over the rotating EU presidency on July 1 and plans to prioritize an EU biodiversity strategy, a law to make long-term emissions targets legally binding, and increasing the bloc’s 2030 climate target to a 50 or 55 percent emissions reduction compared to 1990 levels. 

But the country is also still struggling to contain the coronavirus within its borders. COVID-19 cases in Berlin have rebounded as daily cases increased to levels not seen since April after weeks of falling. On Tuesday, the Berlin state government said it would start imposing fines for people violating the mask-wearing requirement. On Friday, the daily new case count rose to 130 after it had been in single digits in early May (WSJ). Berlin was never a coronavirus hot spot and infections are rising from a very low base, so it’s not clear yet whether the increase is part of a sustained trend or a temporary surge. While the outbreak in the German capital is relatively small, it is concerning because it is spread across the city, which could make it harder to contain. As we’ve covered before, there have been outbreaks at meat packing plants in Germany as well, and the state of North-Rhine Westphalia imposed new lockdown restrictions in the area around its meat processing factory after some 1,500 people tested positive (CNN).

UK Lifts Most Restrictions in Spite of Scientists’ Warnings

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Tuesday that he would lift many of the restrictions that have been placed on Britain for the past two months, including cutting the required social distance between people in half, to one meter or about three feet. Johnson said “our long national hibernation is beginning to come to an end” and said pubs, restaurants, hotels, and museums in England could reopen on July 4 (NYT). Scientists, including some who advise the government, have warned that reducing the social distance would raise the risk of spreading the virus as the U.K. is still reporting more than 1,000 new infections a day. The government’s scientific advisory group, known as SAGE, estimated that reducing the two-meter distance to one meter would increase the rate of transmission anywhere from two to ten times.

Men’s World Number One Tennis Player, Novak Djokovic, Tests Positive After Hosting Exhibition

Novak Djokovic, the world’s number one men’s tennis player, said that he tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday and apologized to everyone who contracted the virus after playing in an exhibition tournament he organized (Reuters). Djokovic organized the Adria Tour, a string of exhibitions through the Balkans and some 4,000 fans packed into a stadium in Croatia last Sunday for the second leg, eager to see a real live tennis match played in front of fans. “We organized the tournament at the moment when the virus has weakened, believing that the conditions for hosting the Tour had been met,” said Djokovic (WSJ). But within 48 hours, four players tested positive for the virus: former World No. 3 Gregor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, Borna Coric of Croatia, and Viktor Troicki of Serbia. Members of their respective entourages also tested positive. I am extremely sorry for each individual case of infection. I hope that it will not complicate anyone’s health situation and that everyone will be fine,” Djokovic said.

Americas

Virus Continues to Gain Steam Across Latin America

It’s been months since the coronavirus outbreak first struck Latin America, but unlike parts of Asia, Europe, and the hardest-hit cities in the U.S., the virus has not been curbed. Instead, it seems to be gaining steam across the region as deaths have more than doubled across Latin America in a month, according to the Pan American Health Organization (NYT). Brazil has recorded the world’s highest number of new infections and daily deaths multiple times. Peru and Chile now have more cases per capita than the United States. Mexico recently became one of the few countries to hit 1,000 deaths or more in a single day. The region has struggled due to leaders who deny the danger of the virus, promote unproven and even dangerous remedies, and clash with state and local officials. Corruption has flourished and some governments have used the virus as an opportunity to curb civil rights. Economies that were already stretched thin are now devastated as millions are out of work. According to the U.N., the pandemic could cause a drop of 5.3 percent in the regional economy, the worst in a century. But nations like Uruguay and Costa Rica seem to be faring well so far, and Cuba’s “military-style health care intervention” has also meant the island has avoided disaster. Bonus Read: “Chile celebrated success against the coronavirus — and began to open up. Infections have soared,” (WaPo).

Asia 

A Black Market for Plasma Develops in Pakistan

As the pandemic is ravaging Pakistan, a worrisome black market is appearing for blood plasma as the country’s healthcare system is nearing collapse. Doctors are reporting transactions taking place between patients and intermediaries and that blood plasma was sold for as high as $3,500 (Guardian). The Guardian reports text messages occurring between people across Pakistan setting up transactions for plasma donations from recovered patients.Convalescent plasma is being trialed all over the world as a potential treatment for COVID-19 as it contains antibodies. 

In India, Rath Yatra Festival Takes Place But No Devotees Allowed

The most famous celebration of Rath Yatra in Puri, the western state of Odisha, usually includes festival celebrations that last for more than a week. This year, the Indian Supreme Court ruled that the Hindu celebration could not take place as the risk of coronavirus infection was too high with more than a million people expected to attend. But the court reversed its ruling on Monday and said the festival could take place in a “limited way” (CNN). For the first time, about 1,500 priests pulled the three chariots as lakhs of devotees were banned from the festival. All the priests had previously tested negative for COVID-19. The belief among devotees is that the one who pulls the chariot of the Lord gets salvation and is freed from the cycle of births and rebirths, which usually draws a large crowd to pull the chariots along the 2.5 km road from the main temple to the Gundicha temple (Hindustan Times). 

Coronavirus Could Finally End Dog Meat Festival in China

Animal rights activists have lobbied policymakers and staged protests to try to get the Chinese government to ban the eating of dogs and cats, without success, but the coronavirus, which originated from a food market in China, could finally be the breaking point. The national government suspended the sale of wildlife in February and the southern Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai became the first to ban the consumption of dogs and cats (NYT). Last month, the Ministry of Agriculture removed dogs from its list of approved domesticated livestock, referring to them instead as “companion animals.” The Yulin dog meat festival, which has long served as a major controversy, opened last Sunday to less fanfare as the virus kept people away. “We have been working on this issue for years, but the government kept passing the buck,” said Cynthia Zhang, a Guangzhou-based animal rights activist. “So we are using the epidemic as an opportunity to try to push through as much legislation as possible.”

Middle East

Israeli Company Makes Masks From Fabric That It Claims Neutralizes 99% of Coronavirus 

An Israeli company called Sonovia says it has developed a fabric that can neutralize 99 percent of the coronavirus even after it is washed multiple times (Reuters). In lab tests in Shanghai, the fabric, which is coated in zinc oxide nano-particles that destroy bacteria, fungi, and viruses -- including the coronavirus, was used to make masks and effectively neutralized the coronavirus. Liat Goldhammer, Sonovia’s chief technology officer, said that the fabric can also be used in textiles for hospitals, protective equipment and clothing. The company is conducting a pilot at Adler Plastic in Italy where the fabric is being used in vehicles and public transport and being sold as masks online. 

U.S. Government & Politics

In Wake of Trump’s Tulsa Remarks, Fauci Says Coronavirus Testing Has Not Been Slowed

On Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, widely viewed as an impartial and generally objective official in the U.S. coronavirus response, told the House of Representatives that health officials had not been told to slow down testing for coronavirus. Dr. Fauci’s statement comes after President Trump told a crowd in a rally held in Tulsa, Oklahoma., that he asked his aides to slow down testing because a higher coronavirus case count could make the nation look bad. Administration officials quickly contended that the comment was a joke and not a statement of policy. FDA Commissioner Steven Hahn, CDC Director Robert Redfield, and Assistant Secretary of Health at HHS Brett Giroir, all concurred with Dr. Fauci, saying they have also not been directed to slow down testing. Dr. Fauci discussed testing with the House panel, stating, “It’s the opposite. We’re going to be doing more testing, not less.” (WSJ, Politico). Bonus Read: “Trump's claim that he wants to slow coronavirus testing is the latest in a pattern of supposed jokes and sarcasm,” (CNN). 

University of Michigan to Withdraw from Hosting Presidential Debate, Citing Virus Fears

The University of Michigan plans to withdraw from hosting a presidential debate scheduled for October 15 due to concerns of large crowds being a catalyst for coronavirus spread. The presidential debate is now expected to be held at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida. The University of Michigan president, Mark Schlissel, discussed student safety in a statement regarding plans for the upcoming academic year, stating, "We will protect our students, faculty, and staff with a broad array of research-based public health measures and tools" (NYT, CBS). 

Some Republicans’ Coronavirus Commentary Diverges from That of Trump 

In recent weeks, President Trump has downplayed the coronavirus threat, including the need for more testing. However, Republican governors who had originally agreed with President Trump's sentiments are changing their tunes, as coronavirus cases rise in their states. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Texas Governor Greg Abbott are some of the state executives that have changed their rhetoric around testing. Governor Desantis altered course from his previous statements and, at an event on Saturday, said: "Even with the testing increasing or being flat, the number of people testing positive is accelerating faster than that." Desantis’ comments diverge from Trump's, as Trump has stated that testing is causing a more known prevalence of the virus (WaPo).

White House Considering Major Review of CDC Response to Shift Blame for Failures

The White House is considering initiating a major review of the Centers for Disease Control’s response to the pandemic in part as a way of shifting blame for failures in the response from President Trump, according to a Politico report on Tuesday (Politico). According to the report, the evaluation would look at what the administration views as an “early failure to deploy working test kits” and a detailed examination of the “state-by-state death toll to tally only the Americans who died from Covid-19 directly rather than other factors.” Politico writes: “Aides have also discussed narrowing the mission of the agency or trying to embed more political appointees in it, according to interviews with 10 current and former senior administration officials and Republicans close to the White House. One official said the overall goal would be to make the CDC nimble and more responsive.” As we have covered in previous briefs, there have been prior moments of tension between the CDC and the Trump administration over the response to the pandemic.

Trump Expresses Support for Another Round of Stimulus; Mnuchin Says More Stimulus Could Come in July

President Trump has voiced his support for sending another round of stimulus checks to Americans. However, some Republicans remain unconvinced that additional stimulus checks will be helpful. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says that the next round of stimulus is being considered and could be passed in July, stating, “It’s something we’re very seriously considering" (WaPo, Bloomberg).

U.S. Economy

Apple CEO, Tim Cook, 'Deeply Disappointed' With Trump's Order Stopping New Work Visas

Some of Silicon Valley's biggest firms publicly criticized President Trump's executive order halting new visa issuance through the end of 2020. As we covered in yesterday's brief, President Trump signed an executive order that stops issuance of new H1-B, H-4, L, most J, and H2-B visas. Twitter, Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Tesla have all publicly criticized the move saying it negatively affects their companies. Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed his criticism on Twitter, stating, "Like Apple, this nation of immigrants has always found strength in our diversity, and hope in the enduring promise of the American Dream. There is no new prosperity without both. Deeply disappointed by this proclamation" (Bloomberg).

Michigan Battles High Unemployment and COVID-19 Death Rate 

The pandemic's effects have had a devastating effect on the state of Michigan with dire health and economic repercussions. Nearly a quarter of Michigan's counties are in the top 20 percent of the U.S. for increases in unemployment from a year prior. These counties are also in the top 20 percent for deaths per 1,000 people linked to the novel coronavirus. In May, Michigan had the nation's third-highest unemployment rate, at 21 percent, only behind Nevada and Hawaii. Michigan also has the eighth-highest death rate per 1,000 due to the coronavirus totaling over 6,000 deaths to date. Patrick Anderson, CEO of Anderson Economic Group, discussed Michigan's unemployment: "It's Depression-level unemployment. The economy is going to get better, but we are talking about a very deep hole" (WSJ).

Stocks Rise With Improving Economic Metrics; Nasdaq Composite Hits Record

On Tuesday, stocks rose as metrics showed the U.S. and global economies were improving, fueling optimism for a quick recovery. Data from IHS Markit data showed that business activity improved for the second month in a row and the U.S. Department of Commerce reported that new home sales increased in May. The S&P 500 rose 0.4 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial jumped 0.5 percent, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.7 percent hitting a new record. The Nasdaq rose for the sixteenth time in the past eighteen days, which is the first such occurrence since December 1999 (WSJ).

U.S. Society

Major League Baseball Prepares for Shorter Season

On Monday, Major League Baseball (MLB) said it would prepare for a shorter season in 2020. The announcement comes after team owners and the Major League Baseball Players Association argued over the economics of playing games in empty baseball parks. The MLB’s shortened season will only be 60 games played from late July until late September. The Major League Baseball Players Association discussed the changes to the season: "While we had hoped to reach a revised back to work agreement with the league, the players remain fully committed to proceeding under our current agreement and getting back on the field for the fans, for the game and for each other" (WSJ).

Kennedy Center Cancels Most Events in 2020; White House Correspondents’ Association Cancels Annual Dinner

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. has canceled most of its performances and events through the end of 2020, including its famous Kennedy Center Honors and Mark Twain Award. The theater expects to lose $45.7 million in revenue and ticket sales, with its total coronavirus-related losses totaling over $90 million. Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter discussed the decision: "It's enormously disappointing. For a number of weeks, we have been talking about what would it take to be able to bring people back, how seating in the theaters could be with social distancing and thinking about the performers onstage. But it became increasingly apparent, for the safety of our artists and audience and our staff, it was going to be impossible to do that in the near term" (WaPo).

After having already delayed its annual dinner, on Tuesday, the White House Correspondents’ Association announced that it would cancel the dinner due to coronavirus concerns (Politico). The association’s president, President Jonathan Karl, emailed members, “We’ve been working hard to reconfigure the dinner in ways to make it safe for guests and staff … But after consultation with medical experts, government authorities and our own members, we’ve concluded that it is just not possible to put on the kind of dinner that promotes the best in journalism and allows our guests to comfortably and safely enjoy themselves.” The event had previously been postponed in March and then rescheduled for August 29.

Students Across the World Return to School, Giving Insight into What American Students May Face

Schoolchildren across the globe have returned to schools, finding vast differences due to preventative measures intended to curb the coronavirus spread. In some schools, temperatures are checked, desks are spread out, and new classroom layouts are instituted. Many children were excited to return to class but found the experience different from what was expected. One school in Hong Kong, ESF Kennedy School, an international elementary school, has even banned sports. Rhys Jones, a student at the school, discussed the changes telling the Wall Street Journal, "I miss the games because we can't play half of them. You can't play football or tag."

Analysis & Arguments

Michelle Chen looks at how the Teamsters are demanding better protections as the economy reopens (Dissent).

J.C. Pan writes on the coming economic struggles as a range of coronavirus economic support services expire this Summer (New Republic).

Michelle Goldberg writes that “America is too broken to fight the coronavirus” (NYT).

María Méndez writes on becoming a citizen during the pandemic (Texas Monthly).

 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 Brenden McMullen and Senior Editor Peter Bergen.

Read previous briefs here: https://www.newamerica.org/international-security/blog/new-america-coronavirus-daily-brief/

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