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July 22, 2021 - Brief Issue 232

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

The Coronavirus Daily Brief will be on hiatus for the month of August. 

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Top Headlines

U.S. Life Expectancy Fell by 1.5 Years in 2020 (Health & Science)

European Medicines Authority Starts Rolling Review of New Covid-19 Vaccine (Health & Science)

Time to Put Masks Back On, Say Some Experts (Health & Science)

South African Company to Produce BioNTech/ Pfizer Vaccine (Around the World)

France Backtracks on Green Pass Following Public Outcry (Around the World)

While Canada Will Reopen Borders, U.S. to Keep Restrictions in Place (Around the World)

Cell Phone Data Suggests Income a Greater Correlate for Reopening than Political Party (U.S. Government & Politics)

Only 6.5% of Rental Aid Has Been Distributed (U.S. Government & Politics)

WSJ: Economists Say Delta Variant Not Threatening Economy (U.S. Economy)

Starter Home Supply Near Record Low, Extends Beyond Major Cities (U.S. Economy)

How the Pandemic Has Stalled Parents’ and Particularly Mothers’ Careers (U.S. Society)

Health & Science

There have been 34,229,841 coronavirus cases in the United States, and 609,870 people have died (Johns Hopkins). The United States has administered 339,102,867 vaccine doses, with 56.3% of all Americans having received their first vaccine dose and 48.8% fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 18 or older 68.4% have received at least one dose, and 59.6% are fully vaccinated (U.S. CDC). Worldwide, there have been 192,124,002 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 4,129,666 deaths.

U.S. Life Expectancy Fell by 1.5 Years in 2020

Life expectancy in the United States fell by 1.5 years in 2020, the biggest decline since at least World War II. The main cause was the coronavirus pandemic but it was joined by a rise in drug overdoses, homicides, and some chronic diseases (WaPo). Provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Wednesday showed American life expectancy dropped to 77.3 years in 2020. It was the largest single-year decline recorded since 1943 (WSJ). Black and Latino people have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, as they have been three times as likely to become infected as their white neighbors. And Black and Latino people have been almost twice as likely to die from the virus as white people. Life expectancy is not meant to precisely predict actual life spans, but is instead a measure of a population’s health and can reveal other societal distress or advancement. The drop in 2020 wiped away years of public health progress (NYT). The pandemic appears to have worsened the opioid crisis, which also contributed to the decline in life expectancy. More than 40 states recorded increases in opioid-related deaths since the start of the pandemic (AMA). 

European Medicines Authority Starts Rolling Review of New Covid-19 Vaccine

The European Medicines Agency is now conducting a rolling review of Vidprevtyn, a Covid-19 vaccine developed by Sonofi Pasteur, according to a statement by the EMA. Preliminary results from laboratory studies (i.e. non-clinical data) and early clinical studies in adults suggest that the vaccine triggers the production of antibodies that target SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. The EMA will evaluate data as they become available as the clinical trial progresses and will assess the vaccine for effectiveness, safety, and quality. The Vidprevtyn vaccine is a protein-based vaccine that contains a lab-grown version of the spike protein found on the surface of SARS-CoV-2. It also contains an “adjuvant,” which is a substance that strengthens the immune response to the vaccine.

Time to Put Masks Back On, Say Some Experts

As vaccination rates continue at a slower pace and the more contagious Delta variant spreading around the country, experts say it might be time to return to mask requirements. "We are at a very different point in the pandemic than we were a month ago," Dr. Leana Wen told CNN on Tuesday. "And, therefore, we should follow the example of LA County and say that if there are places where vaccinated and unvaccinated people are mixing, then indoor mask mandates should still apply." Some local governments are taking matters into their own hands; Los Angeles County reinstated a mask mandate last weekend regardless of vaccination status. Vaccinated and unvaccinated people should wear masks "in places where cases are rising yet vaccinations rates remain low," former Surgeon General Jerome Adams wrote in an op-ed published Wednesday by the Washington Post.

Bonus Read: “You Got a Coronavirus Vaccine. But You Still Became Infected. How Did That Happen?,” (WaPo).

Around the World

South African Company to Produce BioNTech/ Pfizer Vaccine

On Wednesday BioNTech/Pfizer announced a deal with South African biopharmaceutical company Biovac that would allow Biovac to complete the final stage of the production process for the BioNTech/Pfizer shot and distribute it in Africa (Politico). The drug substance will come from European facilities, but the letter of intent signed by the companies states that Biovac will “fill and finish” the vaccine beginning in 2022. The partners hope that the company will be able to fill and finish over 100 million doses that would be distributed within the African Union (WSJ). “We aim to enable people on all continents to manufacture and distribute our vaccine while ensuring the quality of the manufacturing process and the doses,” said Uğur Şahin, CEO of BioNTech. “Our mRNA technology can be used to develop vaccine candidates addressing other diseases as well. This is why we will continue to evaluate sustainable approaches that will support the development and production of mRNA vaccines on the African continent.”

France Backtracks on Green Pass Following Public Outcry

Last week, the French government introduced some of Europe’s toughest measures against Covid-19 by making proof of vaccination or immunity mandatory to enter cafes, restaurants, and other public spaces (Politico). The Covid green pass, a digital or paper certificate that contains proof of vaccination or immunity and is scheduled to come into effect next month, was introduced in museums, galleries and cinemas for events over 50 people today. But the scheme is already under fire by the French public. More than 100,000 people protested the measures over the weekend and it appears their protests were heard by the government. On Monday, the government lowered fines for noncompliance and pushed back deadlines for enforcing the scheme while also revising the rules for shopping centers. 

While Canada Will Reopen Borders, U.S. to Keep Restrictions in Place

As we covered in yesterday’s brief, Canada has announced that it will reopen its borders to fully vaccinated, nonessential American travelers beginning Aug. 9. But on Wednesday, the U.S. announced that it would not be following suit and instead would renew the restrictions currently in place for another month, meaning that non-essential travelers from Canada will not be granted entry to the U.S. (Politico). The U.S. will also be renewing restrictions on cross-border travel with Mexico. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas notes that there have been "positive developments in recent weeks," citing the millions of vaccines doses administered in the United States and the CDC’s  moving Canada and Mexico from Covid-19 Level 4 (Very High) to Level 3 (High) "in recognition of conditions that, while still requiring significant safeguards, are improving" (CNN). 

Bonus Read: “Opening Its Economy as Delta Variant Surges, the U.K. Becomes a Covid-19 Test Case,” (WSJ).

U.S. Government & Politics

Cell Phone Data Suggests Income a Greater Correlate for Reopening than Political Party

Politico reports that while polling and other measures show that one’s political party allegiance is associated with one’s support for reopening the economy, cell phone data suggests income may be a bigger factor (Politico). Politico writes that “Republicans are 14 times more likely than Democrats to say the Covid-19 pandemic is over. Mobility data from Google backs this up, showing that many residents in red states are returning to stores, parks, supermarkets and more at levels not seen since the start of the pandemic.” However, it points out that “shows Republicans and Democrats are more alike than you’d expect once a crucial factor is considered: how much money they make. It turns out that the wealthier you are, the more likely you are to stay home.”

Only 6.5% of Rental Aid Has Been Distributed

On Wednesday, the Treasury Department released data showing the states and localities had distributed $3 billion in rental relief in 2021 so far, constituting only 6.5% of the total amount allocated by Congress to help relieve pandemic-related strain (Politico). $1.5 billion of the total was disbursed in June. As we have covered in prior briefs, problems with disbursal mechanisms and processes have occurred in multiple cities including Washington D.C.. Politico writes, “While officials have picked up the pace of disbursal — serving 290,000 households in June, up from 160,00 the previous month — they remain woefully behind demand, with a little over 633,000 households served by a program meant to help millions.”

Bonus Read: “Cash Shortage Threatens White House Global Vaccine Effort,” (Politico).

U.S. Economy

WSJ: Economists Say Delta Variant Not Threatening Economy

In yesterday’s brief, we covered a July 20th Washington Post article on how the Delta variant is sparking concern within the White House and among investors over the U.S. economy. On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that in its interviews with economists, they said they do not expect the variant to dent the U.S. recovery (WSJ). The Journal writes, “Many economists are maintaining forecasts for solid economic growth due to expectations of steady hiring and continued spending, driven by accumulated savings and Americans’ desire to travel and socialize more than a year into the pandemic. They see limited disruptions to the economy as local health officials try to avoid restrictions and boost vaccinations in response to the recent case surge. Economists are more concerned about firming inflation than the Delta variant as they assess the economic outlook.”  Orin Klachkin, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, told the Journal, “The variant is a significant downside risk for the economy, but that risk is more than offset by what are still very strong fundamentals.”

Starter Home Supply Near Record Low, Extends Beyond Major Cities

The Wall Street Journal reports that amid the booming housing market, first-time buyers are confronting a shortage of entry-level homes - defined as homes up to 1,400 square feet, according to data released by Freddie Mac (WSJ). The data places the available homes at nearly a five decade low, with the Journal writing, “In the late 1970s, an average of 418,000 new units of entry-level housing were built each year, according to data from Freddie Mac. By the 2010s, that number had fallen to 55,000 new units a year. For 2020, an estimated 65,000 new entry-level homes were completed.” In addition, the shortage is not restricted to major cities. Sam Khater, chief economist and head of Freddie Mac’s Economic and Housing Research division, told the Journal, “What was really striking to me was the consistency in the decline in the share of entry-level homes, irrespective of geography.”

Bonus Read: “Johnson & Johnson Posts Higher Profit as Healthcare Demand Returns,” (WSJ).

U.S. Society

How the Pandemic Has Stalled Parents’ and Particularly Mothers’ Careers

The New York Times reports on the ways in which the pandemic has stalled the careers of parents, and in particular the careers of mothers (NYT). The Times writes, “Millions of parents, mostly mothers, have stopped working for pay because of the pandemic child care crisis. But for many more who have held on to their jobs, child care demands have also affected their careers, often in less visible ways. They have worked fewer hours, declined assignments or decided not to take a promotion or pursue a new job.” Maria Rapier, a mother who left a job running a department and where she was involved in board meetings told the Times, “I think a lot of women who weren’t forced out count themselves lucky — but they were forced to be quiet,” adding, “Even if they did get to keep their job, they couldn’t participate fully because half the time they were looking over their laptop at their kids and the laundry piling up.” Morning Consult and the Times ran a survey of 468 working mothers that found a third said they worked fewer hours due to the pandemic’s impact on child care, and another fifth said they had shifted to part-time. The survey also found that “Twenty-eight percent declined new responsibilities at work. Twenty-three percent did not apply for new jobs, and 16 percent did not pursue a promotion.”

Bonus Read: “These Are the Workers Who Kept New York Alive in Its Darkest Months,” (NYT).

Analysis & Arguments

Monica Potts writes on how the Delta variant is impacting Arkansas (Atlantic).

Lucie Cluver writes on what can be done to help the more than a million children who have lost a caregiver to Covid (NYT).

Dave Zirin and Jules Boykoff explore the human costs of holding the Olympics during a pandemic (Nation).

Katherine S. Xue discusses what coexistence with Covid might look like, if the disease continues on its apparent track to becoming endemic (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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