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May 17, 2021 - Brief Issue 198

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

CDC Lifts Mask Recommendation for Fully Vaccinated Americans (Health & Science)

WHO Director-General Calls On Rich Countries to Prioritize Global Vaccine Equity Over Vaccinating Kids (Health & Science)

U.S. States Differ On Whether Parents Need to Sign Off On Teens’ Vaccinations (Health & Science)

Threatened By Coronavirus Variants, India’s Neighbors Try to Ramp Up SARS-CoV-2 Genetic Sequencing (Health & Science)

Pandemic Refugees Come from Far and Wide to Cross U.S.-Mexico Border (Around the World)

Assault on Gaza Could Contribute to Spread of Covid-19 in Region (Around the World)

U.K. Takes Next Step in Reopening, But New Variant Worries Experts (Around the World)

Taiwan Racing to Contain Covid-19 Outbreak (Around the World)

Advocates Looking at  9/11-Like Health Registries for Covid Long Haulers (U.S. Government & Politics)

Retailers Retraining Workers as Online Sales Become More Important (U.S. Economy)

Watching New Federal Guidance on Masks, Companies Consider Speeding Up the Return to the Office, Weigh Other Adjustments (U.S. Society)

Health & Science

There have been 32,941,112 coronavirus cases in the United States, and 585,970 people have died (Johns Hopkins). The United States has administered 272,925,411 vaccine doses, with 47.3% of Americans having received their first vaccine dose and 37% fully vaccinated (U.S. CDC). Worldwide, there have been 163,120,093 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 3,380,516 deaths.

CDC Lifts Mask Recommendation for Fully Vaccinated Americans

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday that Americans fully vaccinated against Covid-19 can safely participate in indoor and outdoor activities without a mask, backtracking on guidance from April 27 saying fully vaccinated people should still mask up in some situations (STAT, NPR). CDC director Rochelle Walensky cited falling case numbers, growing evidence that vaccines protect against coronavirus variants, and the recent authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for teenagers. According to Walensky, the CDC relaxed its guidelines based on evolving scientific evidence, not because of political pressure or as an incentive to get vaccinated, which some health experts actually encouraged (Politico). Real-world data from Israel and the U.S. show the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to reduce viral load – thus lowering the risk of transmission – and breakthrough infections appear relatively rare (CNN). 

Masks will still be required on public transportation and during air travel; plus, the CDC recommended that schools keep using masks (Reuters). Local governments can still require masks, as can individual businesses. Health care settings will set their own masking rules. Following the CDC’s announcement, President Biden said the government is asking Americans – particularly those who are unvaccinated – to keep wearing a mask as needed, but the White House will not be officially enforcing this rule: “It’s not an enforcement thing, we are not going to arrest people,” Biden said. 

In response to the news, almost all U.S. states have updated their public health guidance (WSJ). Some states, like North Carolina, will basically remove mask mandates as well as social distancing and capacity limits. Others are lifting indoor mask mandates just for fully vaccinated people, while states like New York are approaching the shift more cautiously and reviewing the evidence. Most states are expected to drop mask mandates by the end of the month, though local-level requirements might stay in place (STAT). As businesses grapple with the CDC’s updated guidance, Walmart became the first major company to lift the mask requirement for vaccinated customers and employees, with Costco and Trader Joe’s following suit (WSJ). The apparent suddenness of the CDC’s announcement caught some U.S. individuals and businesses off guard, leaving them confused as to how to approach masking going forward (WaPo, NYT). 

Health experts warn that mask mandates might return in the fall and winter, so Americans should remain on guard. Some fear that “honor system” mask requirements will encourage unvaccinated people to drop the mask. “A global statement for all of society is going to be overinterpreted by the wrong groups and then there will be more cases because people are not going to be protecting themselves as well,” said Ann Petru of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland, California. “So I don’t think it’s time to throw masks away in any kind of social scene where you’re indoors with others.” National Nurses United, the country’s largest union of nurses, criticized the CDC’s updated guidance on Saturday, saying the move would put frontline health workers and people of color at disproportionate risk (NYT). Bonus Read: “What the New CDC Mask Guidelines Mean for Your Mental Health,” (CNN). 

WHO Director-General Calls On Rich Countries to Prioritize Global Vaccine Equity Over Vaccinating Kids

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, encouraged wealthier countries with ample Covid-19 vaccine supply to donate doses to under-resourced countries before vaccinating teens and kids (WaPo, Straits Times). During a news conference Friday, Tedros touted Covax, the WHO’s equitable vaccine distribution initiative. "We're on track for the second year of this pandemic to be far more deadly than the first," he said. "I understand why some countries want to vaccinate their children and adolescents, but right now I urge them to reconsider and to instead donate vaccines to Covax.” In what Tedros described as “gross distortion in access to vaccines,” around 44% of all coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered in high-income countries – which represent 16% of the global population – compared to just 0.3% administered in the world’s 29 poorest countries. 

U.S. States Differ On Whether Parents Need to Sign Off On Teens’ Vaccinations

Following federal health officials’ approval of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for teens aged 12 to 15 last week, a move that made shots available to another 5% of the U.S. population, states are diverging on whether to require parental consent for the vaccine (CNN). In a Kaiser Family Foundation poll from April, U.S. parents expressed mixed feelings about the vaccine – 18% said they would get their teen vaccinated only if required by a school and 23% said they definitely would not. While most states do require parents to sign off on the Covid-19 shot for their teenagers, North Carolina allows teens to consent for themselves, and Oregon, Tennessee, and Alabama grant full discretion to teens over 14 or 15 years old. In Iowa, the decision is up to individual vaccine providers. Across the country, some private chains are making their own judgement calls; CVS Health announced that it will require parental consent for those 12 to 15 years old. 

Threatened By Coronavirus Variants, India’s Neighbors Try to Ramp Up SARS-CoV-2 Genetic Sequencing

As India’s variant-driven Covid-19 surge continues, neighboring countries – many of which are experiencing spiking case counts of their own – are rushing to sequence viral samples so they can figure out which variants are responsible (Nature, NYT). “We all have the question of why is it happening?” Why is this wave now? And why is it so bad?” said Senjuti Saha, a molecular geneticist at the Child Health Research Foundation in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Identifying cases of India’s B.1.617 variant, which might be able to outsmart the immune system even after natural infection or vaccination, is particularly critical. So far, sequencing results have varied by location; in Bangladesh, the South African B.1.351 variant appears to be widespread, while in Cambodia and Sri Lanka, the U.K’s B.1.1.7 is dominant. These variants evade vaccines to different degrees and may develop more mutations as the spread of Covid-19 progresses. Sequencing reagents are in short supply, especially for countries that aren’t producing them domestically. While existing polymerase chain reaction kits can test for better-known variants, kits able to identify B.1.617 were only just developed – plus, new mutations are popping up rapidly. “We are at a critical point where we need to keep sequencing to identify anything as soon as possible,” said Sri Lankan immunologist Neelika Malavige. 

Fauci Says Covid-19 Brought Health Disparities Into the Spotlight

Chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate toll on minority U.S. populations like African Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanic people, exposing the “undeniable effects of racism” (Politico). Speaking during a virtual graduation ceremony for Emory University, from which he received a president’s medal, Fauci explained that many people in minority populations are more likely to work high-risk jobs and suffer from comorbidities, like diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. “Almost all [of these comorbidities] relate to the social determinants of health dating back to disadvantageous conditions that some people of color find themselves in from birth regarding the availability of an adequate diet, access to health care and the undeniable effects of racism in our society,” Fauci said. He stressed the importance of combating health disparities even after the Covid-19 pandemic fades. 

Brazil Sees Unexpectedly High Covid-19 Death Toll Among Young Children

As the P.1 variant spreads throughout Brazil, babies and children are dying of Covid-19 at an unusually high rate (NYT). Out of the 434,000-plus recorded Covid-19 deaths in Brazil, 832 occurred among children 5 years old and younger, according to the country’s health ministry. Yet Dr. Fátima Marinho, an epidemiologist at the University of São Paulo, estimates this number to be higher than 2,200, with over 1,600 deaths among babies under a year old. The number of children in the U.S. known to have died of the virus is only 139. In addition to limited access to health care, experts say, the P.1. variant may be to blame. “We can already affirm that the P.1 variant is much more severe in pregnant women,” said Dr. Ribas Freitas. “And, oftentimes, if the pregnant woman has the virus, the baby might not survive or they might both die.”

Around the World

Pandemic Refugees Come from Far and Wide to Cross U.S.-Mexico Border 

People are entering the United States in even greater numbers from far-flung countries where the coronavirus has caused unimaginable levels of illness and death and battered economies. In April alone, 178,622 people were encountered by the Border Patrol, the highest number in 20 years, according to the New York Times. According to official data released this week, 30% of all families encountered along the U.S.-Mexico border in April hailed from countries other than Mexico and the Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, compared to just 7.5% in April 2019, during the last border surge. The pandemic has disproportionately affected developing economies, where it has erased millions of jobs and forced people to seek opportunities elsewhere. 

Middle East

Assault on Gaza Could Contribute to Spread of Covid-19 in Region

Israel’s shelling of Gaza has halted all Covid-19 vaccinations and testing in the Palestinian area and health experts are concerned about the risk of super-spreading as civilians cram into shelters for safety (NYT). The leaders of the U.N. Palestinian relief agency’s operations in Gaza and the head of the World Health Organization’s Gaza sub-office said in an interview with the New York Times via zoom that they feared Covid-19 infections would worsen as a result from the latest surge in hostilities. The number of people in Gaza sickened from Covid-19 had been “just leveling off, and then this hit,” said the U.N. agency official, Matthias Schmale. “It is a grim situation.” WHO official Sacha Bootsma said that before vaccinations were halted, 38,000 people in Gaza had received at least one dose of vaccine. But now, “People are not daring to visit health facilities. We are fearing this will have a major negative impact,” said Bootsma. 

Saudi Arabia Lifts Quarantine Requirements for Vaccinated People

On Sunday Saudi Arabia announced that foreign visitors arriving by air from most countries will no longer need to quarantine if they have been vaccinated. Visitors from 20 other countries - including the United States, India, Britain, Germany, France and the United Arab Emirates - remain banned from entering the kingdom (Reuters). The new policy takes effect on May 20; currently, all travellers coming into the kingdom need to quarantine for a period of 7-14 days and provide negative PCR tests. 

Europe

U.K. Takes Next Step in Reopening, But New Variant Worries Experts

The United Kingdom is ready to reopen its travel and hospitality sectors, yet even as many people are eager to get one step closer to pre-pandemic normal, worries remain about the spread of a new variant first found in India called B.1.617.2 (AP). “We are keeping the spread of the variant first identified in India under close observation and taking swift action where infection rates are rising,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. “I urge everyone to be cautious and take responsibility when enjoying new freedoms today in order to keep the virus at bay.” He urged Britons to “take this next step with a heavy dose of caution.” 

Cases of the variant have more than doubled in a week in the U.K. in spite of a nationwide downward trend in infections and deaths. Starting today, people in England will be able to eat at a restaurant indoors, drink inside a pub, visit a museum, visit one another’s homes, and hug people for the first time in months (NYT). “I’m a hugger,” said the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to reporters on Monday, adding that many Londoners were looking forward to relaxation of the ban. “I enjoy people’s company and I know people are ready for me to be hugging again. The first person I’m going to hug is my mum.” But not all experts are on board with the easing of lockdown measures; The British Medical Association recommended that people keep meeting outside for the time being because of the threat posed by the new variant. “We are urging the public, and young people in particular, to take a cautious approach to social and physical contact, to continue practising ‘hands, face, space’ and to meet outdoors wherever possible,” said Dr Richard Jarvis, the co-chair of the BMA’s public health committee (Guardian).

Asia

Taiwan Racing to Contain Covid-19 Outbreak

Taiwan reported 206 new local cases of Covid-19 on Sunday in what is the country’s largest outbreak since the start of the pandemic. The outbreak began three weeks ago among employees of a national airline and was also connected with a quarantine hotel. It has now been connected to about 85% of Taiwan’s total number of locally transmitted cases (Guardian). The country has had one of the world’s leading pandemic responses until this most recent outbreak and worried officials have put Taipei and other cities in partial lockdown. Residents are alarmed by the sharp increase in cases--up to triple digits from just 29 cases on Friday--and many people ventured to the stores for panic-shopping on Saturday afternoon.

U.S. Government & Politics

Advocates Looking at  9/11-Like Health Registries for Covid Long Haulers

Advocates and policymakers are increasingly looking at the 9/11 survivor health registry as a possible model for efforts regarding Covid long haulers (Politico). Politico reports, “State and federal lawmakers, with the support of unions, are looking to survivor registries created after 9/11 as a model for helping potentially millions of people with often-debilitating long-term symptoms of Covid-19. The efforts would center on creating data troves that so-called “long-haulers” could access to make informed decisions about their care, allow medical providers to study the coronavirus’ still-mysterious long-term effects on the body, and help them qualify for state or federal benefits.” New York is the first state to have drafted legislation, modeled on the 9/11 registry, for a voluntary health registry. Other states, however, are looking into the issue.

Remote Schooling a Major Issue in California

Whether schools will be allowed to continue remote learning is shaping up to be a major political issue in California, Politico reports (Politico). Politico writes, “California Gov. Gavin Newsom and influential state lawmakers are standing firm against allowing distance learning next school year, saying that children are best served by returning to classrooms for social and academic reasons. They are tired of California's status as the slowest state to reopen schools despite having the lowest infection rate in the nation as vocal parents call for full in-person learning.” On the other hand, school district officials are warning about the disproportionate hesitance among communities of color to return to in-person schooling. Edgar Zazueta, spokesperson for the Association of California School Administrators, stated, “We strongly believe we need to meet our families where they might be at this difficult time, and believe there needs to be a high-quality option for virtual learning for families that decide they are not ready for in-person learning or believe that virtual learning was the right choice for their child.” The issue’s power is further increased by the way teachers unions exercise relatively greater power than in other states due to the localized structure of California schools.

U.S. Economy

Retailers Retraining Workers as Online Sales Become More Important

As we have covered in prior briefs, the pandemic has increased the importance of online and digital sales. Now many retail companies are offering retraining to ensure they have a sufficient workforce to handle the issues that come with increased reliance on online sales (WSJ). The Wall Street Journal reports, “The pandemic exposed a shortage of digital skills in retailing. Tens of thousands of retail workers were laid off a year ago as Covid-19-related restrictions required chains to close stores temporarily. Many have been rehired, but the jobs they are returning to aren’t always the jobs they left.” Mike Fogarty, chief executive of Choice Market, a Denver-based convenience store chain, told the Journal, “It’s not like there is a large pool of talent out there working in this space,” adding, “We want to upskill our employees from within.” Verizon illustrates the trend having retrained 20,000 employees as it closed its retail stores while planning to train 100,000 in 2021. 

Bonus Read: “Inequality Would Widen if U.S. Policies Spur Sustained Inflation,” (WSJ).

U.S. Society

Watching New Federal Guidance on Masks, Companies Consider Speeding Up the Return to the Office, Weigh Other Adjustments

With the CDC announcing that vaccinated Americans do not need to mask indoors under most conditions, many companies are considering speeding up their plans to return to the office (WSJ). Already some companies have adjusted their masking policies following the Thursday guidance. The Wall Street Journal writes, “Some retailers made a switch on Friday. Walmart Inc. said it would no longer require vaccinated workers and shoppers to wear masks in stores and warehouses outside of municipalities that require it, and Costco Wholesale Corp. announced a similar policy. Meanwhile Dallas-area tech company Sabre Corp has suggested the change will allow it to accelerate its plans to return to the office. On the other hand, some companies like Salesforce have changed neither their masking or their office return policies. The changes also place an emphasis on the vaccination status of employees as companies consider their policies. On Monday, Delta Airlines announced that it would only hire people who are vaccinated unless there are health/disability related reasons for an exception.

Analysis & Arguments

The New York Times writes that America is failing its moral test on vaccines (NYT).

Matt Alt writes on how the pandemic has spurred broader opposition in Japan to its hosting of the Olympics (New Yorker).

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

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

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