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May 24, 2022 - Brief Issue 326

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

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Top Headlines

U.S. Surpasses 1 Million Covid Deaths, White House Supports Continued Use of Masks as Cases Climb Again (Health & Science)

Pfizer-BioNTech Say Vaccine is 80% Effective for Youngest Children (Health & Science)

U.S. Study: Over 75% of Long Covid Patients Not Hospitalized for Initial Illness (Health & Science)

Interspecies Outbreak in Michigan Confounds Scientists (Health & Science)

WHO: Covid is Not Over (Around the World)

North Korea’s Outbreak Spreads (Around the World)

Israel Ends Tests for Travelers (Around the World)

CDC Pandemic Team to Surrender Some Responsibilities (U.S. Government & Politics)

Philadelphia Reinstates Mask Mandate for Schools (U.S. Government & Politics)

Judge Blocks Lifting of Title 42 Authority (U.S. Government & Politics)

DC Council Pushes on Timing of Covid Data Releases (U.S. Government & Politics)

National Economic Council Director: Economy in “Period of Transition” (U.S. Economy)

Americans Reported Strong Personal Finances in 2021 (U.S. Economy)

Average Age of Vehicles on the Road Hits a Record High (U.S. Society)

DC Schools Face Rising Cases, Aren’t Imposing Restrictions (U.S. Society)

Health & Science

There have been 83,390,652 coronavirus cases in the United States, and 1,002,377 people have died (Johns Hopkins). The United States has administered 584,449,398 vaccine doses, with 77.8% of all Americans having received at least one vaccine dose and 66.5% fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 18 or older 89.2% have received at least one dose, and 76.5% are fully vaccinated (U.S. CDC). 46.5% of fully vaccinated Americans have received a first booster shot. 20% of Americans aged 50 or older have received a second booster shot. Worldwide, there have been 526,188,060 cases of coronavirus, with 6,278,855 deaths.

U.S. Surpasses 1 Million Covid Deaths, White House Supports Continued Use of Masks as Cases Climb Again 

The United States has now recorded over 1 million deaths from Covid-19, the world’s highest known total (NYT). The somber milestone was reached on Thursday but had been anticipated for weeks (WaPo). “Hopefully, the enormity of that number would spur us on to do whatever we can to make sure that we don’t have as bad a time in the coming months and years that we’ve had over the past two years,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser to the president, told a Boston public radio station, WGBH, earlier this month. 

Initial forecasts in early 2020 put the number of Americans likely to die from the virus between 100,000 and 240,000, but the U.S. surpassed those counts in May and September 2020, respectively. The U.S. had a higher rate of infection–and still does–compared to many other wealthy countries and has seen five distinct waves of the virus. The pandemic has magnified disparities in American society, showing how “some groups are more vulnerable than others to infection, based on factors like sex, age, access to health care, income, and housing,” notes the New York Times. Bonus Read: “How The Times and others count the unfathomable number of a million U.S. virus deaths,” (NYT).

The White House Covid-19 response coordinator, Dr. Ashish Jha, said he supports the continued use of masks while indoors as cases are rising again. The seven-day average of cases has risen to over 100,000 for the first time since February (Fox). "I agree with Mayor Adams that when you're in indoor space, you should be wearing a mask," Jha said during an appearance on "This Week." "I feel that very strongly that in crowded indoor spaces, in places with high transmission, people should be doing that." 

Cases are creeping back up all over the United States. In Illinois, eight counties were moved to high risk level and 39 counties are at the medium level (NBC Chicago). In California, cases have reached a level not seen since the winter’s Omicron surge and have doubled in some areas, like Riverside and Santa Barbara counties (LAT). On average across the state the increase was 63%, bringing the case rate to 231 per 100,000 residents. Bonus Read: “How big is the latest U.S. coronavirus wave? No one really knows.” (WaPo).

Pfizer-BioNTech Say Vaccine is 80% Effective for Youngest Children

On Monday, Pfizer and BioNTech announced that they would submit data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that supported three doses of their Covid-19 vaccine for children from six months to five years old. There are about 19 million children in the U.S. who fall into that age group and are currently ineligible for any vaccine. According to results released by the companies, three pediatric doses generated an immune response in children that was comparable to two full doses in young adults (Politico). Three doses also appeared to reduce symptomatic disease by 80.3% (WaPo). No children in the trial had serious side effects, according to the press release (NYT). “These topline safety, immunogenicity and efficacy data are encouraging, and we look forward to soon completing our submissions to regulators globally with the hope of making this vaccine available to younger children as quickly as possible, subject to regulatory authorization,” Albert Bourla, Pfizer’s chief executive officer, said in a statement.

U.S. Study: Over 75% of Long Covid Patients Not Hospitalized for Initial Illness

A new analysis released last week showed that more than 75% of Americans diagnosed with long Covid were not sick enough to be hospitalized for their initial infection (NYT). Researchers analyzed data for the first few months following the implementation of a special diagnostic code for the condition that was created last year. The study, conducted by FAIR Health, a nonprofit organization, looked at a database of private health insurance claims in the U.S. and found that 78,252 patients were diagnosed with long Covid between Oct. 1, 2021 and Jan. 31, 2022. The study did not include people covered by government health programs like Medicaid or Medicare. The study also found that nearly one-third of patients did not have any pre-existing health conditions in their medical records, a surprising amount given that doctors have hypothesized that pre-existing conditions made a person more susceptible to long Covid. 

Long covid presents as a complex mix of symptoms that linger following a Covid infection. A recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office estimated that between 7.7 million and 23 million people could have developed long Covid.

Interspecies Outbreak in Michigan Confounds Scientists

Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that four Michigan residents had been infected with a unique coronavirus variant that was first identified in mink at a captive mink farm in late September of 2020. It is the first  and only known instance of possible animal-to-human transmission in the United States (NYT). But scientists aren’t sure how the variant made the jump from the mink to humans, especially the one person who had no connection to the farm. “It really feels very much like a puzzle,” said Dr. Samira Mubareka, a virologist at Sunnybrook Research Institute and the University of Toronto. “It’s not just pieces that are missing — it’s contiguous, interlocking pieces that are missing.” Coronavirus infections have been found in mink on 18 American farms, most recently in Wisconsin in February, but there is still no proactive surveillance on mink farms and farm owners are not required to report cases to federal authorities. Bonus Read: “Tracking coronavirus in animals takes on new urgency,” (WaPo). 

Bonus Read: “How Often Can You Be Infected With the Coronavirus?” (NYT).

Around the World

WHO: Covid is Not Over

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told those gathered at the annual World Health Assembly–the decision-making body of the WHO comprised of representatives from 194 countries–that Covid is not over. “So, is it COVID-19 over? No, it’s most certainly not over. I know that’s not the message you want to hear, and it’s definitely not the message I want to deliver,” he said (UN News). He added that even though many countries have lifted restrictions and tried to return to pre-pandemic normal, reported cases are increasing in almost 70 countries in all regions–even as testing rates plummet. He also noted that reported deaths are rising in Africa, where vaccination coverage is the lowest in the world. “This virus has surprised us at every turn – a storm that has torn through communities again and again, and we still can’t predict its path, or its intensity,” he emphasized.

North Korea’s Outbreak Spreads

North Korea’s state media is reporting that nearly 1.5 million people have presented with a fever and 56 people have died since April in what North Korean officials are saying is the first coronavirus outbreak in the isolated country (NYT). North Korea’s healthcare system likely lacks the capacity for large-scale testing, so reports are focusing on the number of new patients each day with fevers. The current outbreak was first reported last week; North Korea has claimed for more than two years that not a single case of coronavirus had surfaced in the country. Officials have repeatedly turned down international offers of vaccine doses and most of the country’s 25 million people are unvaccinated against the virus. On Monday, leader Kim Jong Un attended a large funeral for a top state official even as the country maintains a nationwide lockdown to try to stop the spread of the virus (NPR).  

Israel Ends Tests for Travelers

Israel ended the requirement for Covid-19 testing upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport on Saturday, over two years after the start of the pandemic. The country continues to make progress towards returning to normal and has been removing limitations put in place to stop the spread of the virus. Travelers will also no longer be required to test prior to boarding their flights (Times of Israel). As of Monday, face masks were also no longer required on most international flights, depending on the destination and other international regulations. The Health Ministry said that the rules were updated because of the decline in Covid-19 morbidity. 

U.S. Government & Politics

CDC Pandemic Team to Surrender Some Responsibilities

On Friday, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky announced that the agency’s team responsible for responding to the pandemic will surrender some of its responsibilities (NYT). The New York Times writes, “The move signals the beginning of efforts to put in place comprehensive changes at the agency, whose public standing and reputation have suffered in recent years. Some 60 percent of Americans, for example, say they are confused by changes in official pandemic recommendations, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey,” but notes that Walensky’s announcement while emphasizing the team would not disband provided little further detail. The announcement followed an internal review process.

Philadelphia Reinstates Mask Mandate for Schools

On Monday, Philadelphia reinstated its mask mandate for schools (NYT). The updated policy was announced on Friday when the district superintendent stated, “all school district students and staff will be required to wear their masks during the school and work day and while riding on school buses and vans.” As we covered in prior briefs, this is not the first mask mandate the city has reinstated though a prior reinstatement was lifted. The New York Times explains, “Last month, Philadelphia became the first major American city to reinstate an indoor mask mandate in response to rising coronavirus cases, only to have its health department decide four days later to lift the order because of improving conditions.” The Times notes, “Bringing back a mask order would seem to be in line with federal recommendations. Last week, Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned that a third of Americans live in areas where the threat of Covid is so high that they should consider wearing a mask in indoor public settings.”

Judge Blocks Lifting of Title 42 Authority

On Friday, in a long expected ruling that we have covered in prior briefs, Louisiana U.S. District Judge Robert R. Summerhays blocked the Biden administration from lifting its Title 42 authority, which allows expulsions of asylum seekers on public health grounds and was established as a pandemic response measure (Politico). Politico writes that according to the order, “the restrictions must stay in place until a lawsuit by 24 states, led by Arizona, Louisiana and Missouri, is resolved in the courts. In the April 3 lawsuit, filed after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced plans to lift the public health order, the states argued the policy needed to remain to avoid ‘wave of illegal migration and drug trafficking.’” Politico writes, “The Department of Justice on Friday appealed Summerhays’ decision, though it’s unlikely the restrictions will be lifted by Monday as planned.” Judge Summerhays is a Trump appointee.

DC Council Pushes on Timing of Covid Data Releases

The Washington Post reports that members of the district’s city council are pushing for greater releases of data on Covid cases in the city at more regular intervals (WaPo). The Post reports, “In a council meeting Friday, Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) expressed unease — which many on the council share — about D.C.'s practice of publishing a modest amount of data on the virus once a week, rather than every weekday as the health department did for nearly two years.” Mendelson queried, “If this is going to grow, to spike — don’t we want to know more recently than once a week?.” Patrick Ashley, the health department’s director of emergency response, responded, “Allow the public health experts to do what they do best and look at the trend.” The Post notes, “Tensions have risen between the council and health department since early May, when the department — which had been reporting new coronavirus cases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at least weekly and sometimes daily — stopped reporting cases altogether for 12 days.”

Bonus Read: “As Biden Zeroes In on Student-Loan Forgiveness Decision, Voter Anxiety Grows,” (WSJ).

U.S. Economy

Bonus Read: “Stocks Start the Week Higher After Nearing Bear Market,” (WSJ).

National Economic Council Director: Economy in “Period of Transition”

On Sunday, speaking to “Fox News Sunday,” National Economic Council Director Brian Deese described the U.S. economy as in a “period of transition,” pointing to it as an explanation for high inflation (Politico). Deese stated, “We’re moving from the strongest economic recovery in modern history to what can be a period of more stable and resilient growth.” Deese also addressed the White House’s strategy for the transitional moment, stating, “We need to give the Federal Reserve the independence to do what it does. It has the tools to combat inflation,” and adding “we need to reduce costs and make things more affordable for families during this period. Steps that we can take to reduce the cost of the internet bills that families pay or the prescription drug prices that they pay are really important right now.”

Americans Reported Strong Personal Finances in 2021

On Monday, the Federal Reserve released survey data showing that Americans reported high levels of financial wellbeing in 2021 (WSJ). The Wall Street Journal writes, “Americans reported the highest level of financial well-being last fall than at any point in almost a decade, leaving them better-positioned to withstand an economic slowdown this year, according to a Federal Reserve survey released Monday.” The survey was conducted prior to the Omicron wave and responses were likely shaped by the impact of the stimulus and the economy’s recovery. The Journal writes, “Overall, 78% of adults said they were either doing OK or living comfortably, up from 75% in 2020 and the highest share since the survey began in 2013. All racial and ethnic subgroups saw improvement in 2021, according to the report, but the increase was particularly pronounced among Hispanic respondents. About 71% of Hispanic adults said they were doing all right financially, up from 64% in 2020.”

U.S. Society

Average Age of Vehicles on the Road Hits a Record High

On Monday, the research firm S&P Global Mobility released data showing that the average age of vehicles on U.S. roads hit a record high in 2021 (WSJ). The Wall Street Journal writes, “The average age of vehicles on U.S. roadways edged higher in 2021, hitting a record of 12.2 years, as Americans challenged by high car prices and slim pickings on dealer lots held on to cars longer. This was the fifth straight year the average vehicle age in the U.S. has increased.” The average age of vehicles on the road has trended older for decades, but the Journal writes, “During the pandemic, the trend has only accelerated, largely because of a computer-chip shortage that has curbed factory output and left dealership lots bare, S&P Global Mobility said.”

DC Schools Face Rising Cases, Aren’t Imposing Restrictions

The Washington Post reports that while DC-area schools are seeing their highest case numbers since the Omicron wave, school districts are generally not imposing new restrictions in response (WaPo). The Post reports, “this latest spike in cases arrives after most districts have already lifted masking requirements and shortened quarantine protocols — and, following federal health guidelines, the region’s school leaders say they are not reconsidering a complete overhaul of covid policies in the final stretch of the academic year. Prince George’s County is the only school district — and one of the few big districts in the country — that still has a mask mandate.” In mid-May, DC updated its community Covid level to medium as a result of increased cases. The Post notes, “As of Thursday, 4,698 D.C. Public Schools students had been identified as a close contact of someone who tested positive within the last 10 days. Students who are vaccinated, or contracted the virus in the last 90 days, are not required to quarantine, but are supposed to wear a mask for 10 days following the exposure.” However, cases in schools have not reached the level of the Omicron surge - at least yet. The Post notes that during that surge many schools returned to virtual learning.

Analysis & Arguments

Jay K. Varma emphasizes the need for creativity not surrender in response to Covid fatigue (NYT).

Tish Harrison Warren writes on the need for collective mourning as the U.S. marks more than a million Covid deaths (NYT).

Sarah Jaffe and Michelle Chen interview a number of women leaders in recent pandemic-era unionization efforts (Dissent).

 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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