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March 29, 2022 - Brief Issue 308
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
BA.2 Subvariant Spikes in Some U.S. States (Health & Science)
White House Stresses Importance of Indoor Air Quality (Health & Science)
Cruise Ship with Fully Vaccinated Passengers and Crew Reports Covid Cases (Health & Science)
South Korea Says Omicron Wave Might be Over (Around the World)
Israeli PM Tests Positive (Around the World)
Pandemic Has Aided China in Controlling Hong Kong (Around the World)
Lack of Funding Threatens Global Promises on Covid (U.S. Government & Politics)
White House Deputy Press Secretary Tests Positive (U.S. Government & Politics)
Hochul Leads Cuomo in Hypothetical NY Governor’s Primary (U.S. Government & Politics)
Shanghai Lockdown to Pose a New Test for Supply Chains; Potential West Coast Dockworker Strike May Pose Further Challenges (U.S. Economy)
HP Buys Video Conferencing Company Poly, Betting Pandemic Demand Will Continue (U.S. Economy)
A Majority of Americans Say They Have Contracted Covid (U.S. Society)
Covid Death Rates Correlate to Political Affiliations (U.S. Society)
Elon Musk Tests Positive for Covid a Second Time (U.S. Society)
Health & Science
There have been 79,995,401 coronavirus cases in the United States, and 977,913 people have died (Johns Hopkins). The United States has administered 559,976,590 vaccine doses, with 76.9% of all Americans having received at least one vaccine dose and 65.5% fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 18 or older 88.3% have received at least one dose, and 75.4% are fully vaccinated (U.S. CDC). 44.8% of fully vaccinated Americans have received a booster shot. Worldwide, there have been 482,422,736 cases of coronavirus, with 6,128,352 deaths.
BA.2 Subvariant Spikes in Some U.S. States
The BA.2 subvariant is causing a spike in cases in several states in the U.S. northeast and south. New York, Connecticut, and Arkansas have seen cases of BA.2 increase more than 20% over the past two weeks, according to the New York Times. In the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region, BA.2 now represents about 30% of new infections, mirroring a trend across the Mid-Atlantic region. The United States’ seven-day average of new cases fell to 30,120 on Sunday from 30,174 on Saturday, but has now held above the 30,000 mark for a fifth-straight day after hitting an eight-month low of 28,985 on March 22 (MarketWatch). Public health officials believe BA.2 will become the dominant strain in some areas, like Washington, D.C., over the next several weeks and could drive an uptick in new infections (WaPo). But officials also noted that people who were previously infected with Omicron could have some level of immunity to BA.2 because of the similarities of the two strains. Bonus Read: “Explainer: Omicron 'stealth' COVID variant BA.2 now dominant globally,” (Reuters).
White House Stresses Importance of Indoor Air Quality
The Biden administration has begun to draw attention to the importance of air quality indoors in lowering the risk of aerosol transmission of the coronavirus. The Environmental Protection Agency recently issued two pages of recommendations for best practices on ventilation, air filtration, and disinfection meant to assist building managers, contractors, and business owners in keeping indoor areas safe (NYT). Alondra Nelson, chief of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said last week that the guidance was part of an initiative called the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge, according to a blog post. “Improving indoor air has benefits beyond Covid-19,” Dr. Nelson wrote. “It will reduce the risk of getting the flu, a common cold, or other diseases spread by air, and lead to better overall health outcomes.”
The new guidelines advise building owners to use ventilation system filters with a MERV rating (the system used to rate filers, which runs from 1 to 16) of at least 13. Many buildings currently have MERV 8 filters. The initiative is “really a big deal,” said William Bahnfleth, a professor of architectural engineering at Pennsylvania State University and head of the Epidemic Task Force at the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. Dr. Bahnfleth said the country’s “mediocre” air quality standards were overdue for improvement before the pandemic.
Cruise Ship with Fully Vaccinated Passengers and Crew Reports Covid Cases
The Princess Cruises ship, the Ruby Princess, arrived in San Francisco on Sunday following a 15-day cruise to the Panama Canal and some passengers and crew tested positive for the coronavirus. In a statement, the cruise line said infected passengers and crew were asymptomatic or showed mild symptoms and were “isolated and quarantined while monitored and cared for by our shipboard medical team” (WaPo). All guests and crew members aboard were fully vaccinated before the cruise and were also required to show a negative coronavirus test before boarding. Two weeks ago, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lowered its Covid warning for cruise travel to Level 2, which is a “moderate” health risk. Previously, it had been at Level 4 (the highest rating) during the Omicron surge.
Around the World
South Korea Says Omicron Wave Might be Over
South Korea’s health authorities announced on Monday that the current wave of Omicron cases has peaked, with case numbers down to nearly half of those reported a week ago and virus-related deaths also down. South Korea reported 187,213 new cases on Monday, which is about 100,000 fewer than the day before. The New York Times summarizes the progression of the Omicron wave, writing “South Korea detected its first Omicron case in December. In January, it started reporting about 10,000 new cases daily. By February, the daily tally passed 100,000. That number soared to more than half a million cases per day in March, the most of any country in the world.” The successful vaccination program (the country has fully inoculated 87% of its population) has kept the number of deaths from following the high number of infections, however.
Israeli PM Tests Positive
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett of Israel tested positive for the coronavirus, his office announced on Monday. His spokeswoman said the prime minister felt fine and was working from home (NYT). Bennett met with Israeli police chief, Kob Shabtai, on Sunday night following an attack in northern Israel on Sunday and the police chief also tested positive on Monday. Bennett also met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on Sunday in Jerusalem, but Blinken has not tested positive and is following appropriate guidelines.
Pandemic Has Aided China in Controlling Hong Kong
The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated mainland China’s quest for more control over Hong Kong thanks in large part to an emergency ordinance announced in late February. According to a press release, Hong Kong announced that it would invoke an emergency ordinance so the city could “draw on [the] mainland’s support” and “undertake key anti-epidemic projects at full speed” (Guardian). The ordinance has ushered in both large and small changes that have allowed Beijing to gain more of a foothold in Hong Kong.
For example, the ordinance allowed medical staff to bypass licensing and registration requirements that normally apply to workers who aren’t trained locally, which was a benefit for health facilities in dire need of staff. But along with that change, computers for recording patient information had been changed from English to Chinese to accommodate the mainland Chinese doctors and nurses. Beijing has assisted Hong Kong to build five isolation facilities for people who test positive for the virus in addition to a makeshift hospital in Lok Ma Chau, a village on Hong Kong’s northern border. In early March, a makeshift bridge linking the village to the Chinese city of Shenzhen was erected to facilitate the movement of Chinese workers into Hong Kong.
On Friday, Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, announced that authorities would be distributing test kits, face maks, and a traditional Chinese medication—all donated by Beijing. The medication, called Lianhua Qingwen, has been flagged by health authorities in Singapore and the U.S. for advertising unsupported claims. “Beijing has been trying to mould Hong Kong into another [Chinese] city,” says Lynette Ong, a political science professor at the University of Toronto. “The Covid crisis gives them a legitimate reason to do so.”
U.S. Government & Politics
Lack of Funding Threatens Global Promises on Covid
Politico reports that the United States’ commitments to support the global pandemic response are among the efforts likely to suffer as funding for Covid response runs out with proposals for new funding stalled in Congress (Politico). Politico writes, “For nearly three months, top officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development privately warned the White House and lawmakers on Capitol Hill that USAID would soon run out of money to help put Covid-19 shots in arms across the world, jeopardizing one of President Joe Biden’s key Covid promises.” Jeremy Konyndyk, executive director of USAID’s Covid-19 taskforce warned, “If we begin to see support for the global Covid effort grinding to a halt, it would make the U.S. domestic situation vulnerable.” USAID is preparing for its funding for Covid response to run out with little sign that the proposed $4 billion currently stalled in Congress will pass soon. Politico writes, “Konyndyk said that 90 percent of the original American Rescue Plan funding Congress appropriated to the agency for emergency Covid-19 programs has either been spent or is in the process of being used.”
White House Deputy Press Secretary Tests Positive
On Sunday, Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary, announced that she tested positive for Covid (Politico, NYT, NBC). Jean-Pierre had accompanied President Biden on his trip to Europe, replacing White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who tested positive for Covid last Tuesday as we covered in a brief last week. Jean-Pierre said she had mild symptoms and was vaccinated. She stated, “I last saw the President during a socially distanced meeting yesterday,” adding, “and the President is not considered a close contact as defined by CDC guidance. I am sharing the news of my positive test today out of an abundance of transparency.” Jean-Pierre added, “In alignment with White House Covid-19 protocols, I will work from home and plan to return to work in person at the conclusion of a five-day isolation period and a negative test.”
Hochul Leads Cuomo in Hypothetical NY Governor’s Primary
On Monday, Siena College Research Institute released a poll showing that in a hypothetical New York governor’s race primary match, current Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul would lead New York’s former Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo by eight points (Politico). Politico writes, “Hochul would receive 38 percent of the vote. That compares to 30 percent for Cuomo; 10 percent for Rep. Tom Suozzi, and 7 percent for New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.” Cuomo resigned from the governorship in August amid multiple accusations of sexual harassment and a scandal over the state’s reporting of Covid-related nursing home deaths. Politico notes, “There are signs, however, that 30 percent of the vote might be close to the ceiling of support Cuomo could receive. Only 33 percent of registered Democrats wanted him to actually run in the primary, and only 32 percent thought he did not sexually harass multiple women, the Albany-area polling institute found.” Cuomo has not said whether he will run, and “To enter the primary field, Cuomo would need to launch a petitioning campaign and gather tens of thousands of signatures by the end of next week.”
Bonus Read: “Trucker convoy protesting COVID-19 mandates in DC to roll on to California,” (abc7).
U.S. Economy
Shanghai Lockdown to Pose a New Test for Supply Chains; Potential West Coast Dockworker Strike May Pose Further Challenges
The Wall Street Journal reports that China’s imposition of a two-stage lockdown for the city of Shanghai will pose a new test for already stressed supply chains (WSJ). The Journal writes, “Tesla Inc. is suspending production at its car plant in Shanghai for four days, people familiar with the matter said, but chip maker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., which has two fabrication plants in the city, is producing and operating as usual, a company representative said Monday. Shanghai’s port remains open, but exporters are bracing for delays as the lockdowns hit warehouses, transport and staffing, a pattern experienced during similar targeted lockdowns such as the one in the southern city of Shenzhen.” Hui Shan, chief China economist at Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong, told the Journal, “China is getting better at managing the shocks, but the shocks are getting bigger.” On Monday, Zou Xiaodong, vice general manager at Shanghai Gangxian International Freight Forwarding Co., Ltd, stated, “Warehouses have shut down and transportation to and from the port has been disrupted.” According to logistics companies, truckers now need to show a negative test within 48 hours to enter Shanghai, a state of affairs that has led some drivers to rechart their trips so as to avoid the city. We covered the imposition of the lockdown in yesterday’s brief here.
July 1st may bring further disruptions to supply chains with a dockworker strike on the United States’ west coast potentially in the cards (NYT). The contract for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, covering 22,000 workers at west coast ports, is set to expire at the end of June. The New York Times notes, “Nearly three-fourths work at the twin ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the primary gateway for goods shipped to the United States from Asia, and a locus of problems afflicting the global supply chain.” The Times adds, “A labor impasse could worsen the floating traffic jams that have kept dozens of ships waiting in the Pacific before they can pull up to the docks. That could aggravate shortages and send already high prices for consumer goods soaring.” While contract negotiations often bring uncertainty, this particular one comes amid grievances regarding the pandemic, already existent supply challenges, and a growing perception among workers that the pandemic’s effects may provide leverage in negotiations.
HP Buys Video Conferencing Company Poly, Betting Pandemic Demand Will Continue
Computer and printer maker HP Inc. is buying video conferencing equipment company Poly for $3.3 billion, a sum that includes Poly’s debt (WSJ). The Wall Street Journal writes that the deal “is the largest HP has undertaken since the split of the Hewlett-Packard conglomerate in 2015. It is a major move even by those standards, considering the only time the old Hewlett-Packard wagered a larger amount on a hardware-focused business was the $23 billion acquisition of PC maker Compaq, which was completed in 2002.” The Journal writes that whether the deal will pay off its price tag “will depend greatly on the pandemic-driven shift to hybrid work environments sticking around for the long haul, driving employers to invest in high-quality videoconferencing capabilities for both homes and offices,” cautioning, “Such an outcome is hardly assured, though; a recent survey of companies in the tech-savvy Bay Area by Robert Half found that 71% of employers want their workers back in the office full time. But a separate survey of more than 1,000 professionals by the same firm also found that half said they would quit their jobs under such a demand.” HP’s move, however, suggests it believes that pandemic-related office changes are here to stay, and points to its aim of broadening its investments.
U.S. Society
A Majority of Americans Say They Have Contracted Covid
Most Americans now say they have contracted Covid. According to a new poll, 52% of the United States population have said they have had Covid. In early January 2022, only 40% said this was true. The Washington Post writes that “a little more than 4 in 10 say they’ve tested positive for or been diagnosed with covid-19, while 10 percent say they haven’t been diagnosed but know they’ve had the virus.” While these numbers include self-diagnosis as opposed to a clear positive test, there was no doubt an uptick in case numbers emerged after the rise of Omicron. The percentage of people who admit to having had a positive test rests at 42%, up from 27% in January 2022. The newest poll also found a political affiliation with the number of positive cases: “Those who say they’ve contracted the virus are significantly more likely to be Republicans.” Approximately 57% of Republicans have publicly declared having contracted Covid, compared to 38% of Democrats.
Covid Death Rates Correlate to Political Affiliations
Data from the CDC shows that pandemic politicization is closely related to death rates from Covid. ABC News writes that “the 10 states with the highest vaccination rates all voted for Biden in 2020, while nine of the 10 states with the lowest vaccination rates voted for Trump. The lone exception was Georgia, which narrowly went for Biden by less than a quarter of a percentage point.” This vast discrepancy between red and blue states, where the death rates correlate to political beliefs and behavioral choices also have to do with “access to adequate healthcare, and the disproportionate impact of the virus on communities of color.” In addition, “vaccination rates and receptivity to mitigation measures have also been influenced by factors including misinformation.” After the Covid vaccine became widely available, death rates were up 38% in Trump-supporter states when compared to states that voted for Biden, proof that pandemic-era policies have emphasized the political divide within the United States.
Elon Musk Tests Positive for Covid a Second Time
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, announced that he has contracted Covid for a second time. Musk, who says he and his family are fully vaccinated, has been outspoken against vaccine mandates. Musk first tested positive for Covid in November 2020 and his second iteration has come with “almost no symptoms” he announced on Twitter. After his first positive case, “he spent months criticizing public health measures aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus, promoting misinformation about COVID-19 such as insisting it wasn't very deadly, and baselessly casting doubt on the effectiveness of vaccines,” writes Yahoo. The major public figure has expressed conflicting points of view on Covid. In September 2020 he claimed that he would not get vaccinated because he simply was not at risk.
Analysis & Arguments
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