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November 18, 2021 - Brief Issue 265

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

White House Hopes to Boost Vaccine Manufacturing (Health & Science)

U.S. Sees Record Drug Overdose Deaths, More Than 100,000 Deaths in 12 Months for First Time Ever (Health & Science)

UK Inflation Hits 10-Year High (Around the World)

South Korea Loosened Rules As Vaccinations Rose, But Covid Numbers Up Again (Around the World)

Munich Cancels Famed Christmas Market (Around the World)

Ottawa Senators Hockey Team is 100% Vaccinated, But 40% Tested Positive (Around the World)

Federal Vaccine Mandate Court Challenge to Be Heard Before 6th Circuit Court of Appeals (U.S. Government & Politics)

Standoff Over Oklahoma National Guard Vaccination Continues (U.S. Government & Politics)

Retailers Say They Are Stocked for Black Friday (U.S. Economy)

NFL to Increase Testing and Expand Mask Protocols Around Thanksgiving (U.S. Society)

Health & Science

There have been 47,421,879 coronavirus cases in the United States, and 767,439 people have died (Johns Hopkins). The United States has administered 444,789,186 vaccine doses, with 68.7% of all Americans having received at least one vaccine dose and 58.9% fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 18 or older 81.7% have received at least one dose, and 70.7% are fully vaccinated (U.S. CDC). 16.1% of fully vaccinated Americans have received a booster shot. Worldwide, there have been 255,174,017 cases of coronavirus, with 5,127,127 deaths.

White House Hopes to Boost Vaccine Manufacturing

The Biden administration is hoping to partner with Covid-19 vaccine makers in expanding manufacturing capacity in the U.S. as part of a plan to produce an additional 1 billion doses per year, according to Politico. The new initiative is meant to increase vaccine supply to send abroad to make good on President Biden’s pledge to get 70% of the world population vaccinated by next September. “In the short term, this would make a significant amount of Covid-19 vaccine doses available at cost for global use,” an administration official told Politico. “In the long term, it would help establish sustained domestic manufacturing capacity to rapidly produce vaccines for future threats.” The global vaccine campaign is well behind schedule with many poorer nations still unable to get initial doses for their residents. 

The administration will be focusing on vaccines that use mRNA technology, like the one made by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. “The goal is to guarantee manufacturing capacity for Covid as well as for future pandemic viruses,” said David Kessler, chief science officer at the Department of Health and Human Services. “We are looking for a historic agreement that guarantees mRNA capacity,” (WSJ).

U.S. Sees Record Drug Overdose Deaths, More Than 100,000 Deaths in 12 Months for First Time Ever

According to data released by the CDC, the U.S. saw a record number of drug overdose deaths in the 12 months between April 2020 and April 2021 (WSJ, WaPo, NYT). During that period, there were 100,306 drug deaths, marking the first time more than 100,000 people died in any twelve month period. It also marks a 29% increase compared to the same period the prior year. The Washington Post writes, “The people who died — 275 every day — would fill the stadium where the University of Alabama plays football.” Fentanyl deaths were particularly prominent, and on their own were higher than the death toll of all drugs in 2016. Robert Anderson, chief of the mortality statistics branch at the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, stated, “It’s telling us that 2021 looks like it will be worse than 2020.” Recent high death rates are widely viewed as driven by the pandemic. The Wall Street Journal writes, “The pandemic intensified opioid problems in many ways, from increasing isolation among people trying to maintain their sobriety to complicating treatment, according to advocates for drug users and those in recovery. The pandemic has also been a major draw on resources and attention for public health authorities, who are still trying to manage Covid-19.”

Around the World

UK Inflation Hits 10-Year High

Annual inflation in the U.K. accelerated the most in a decade, with consumer prices increasing 4.2% on the year in October following a 3.1% rise in September, according to the U.K. Office for National Statistics (WSJ). It’s the fastest rate of inflation since December 2011. Investors believe that a rate rise in December is also certain. The Journal writes, “Economists and investors believe the BOE could act as soon as next month to tame price growth, moving in front of the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank in the gradual process of withdrawing stimulus from recovering economies even as supply-chain snarl-ups slow growth.”

South Korea Loosened Rules As Vaccinations Rose, But Covid Numbers Up Again

Three weeks ago South Korea relaxed pandemic restrictions after authorities deemed a sufficient number of the population had been vaccinated. The country has fully immunized almost 80% of its 52 million people. But now, the country is experiencing a surge in infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. On Wednesday, the country reported a record 522 hospitalizations and 3,187 new Covid-19 infections. It’s the second-highest daily number since the start of the pandemic (WaPo). The country is still in the first phase of loosening restrictions and the rising caseload has concerned health officials. The country’s top disease control expert Jeong Eun-kyeong, said during a parliamentary hearing last week that officials will stop relaxing measures further if cases continue to climb. 

Munich Cancels Famed Christmas Market

One of Germany’s oldest and largest Christmas markets, the Christkindlmarkt in Munich city center, has been cancelled for the second consecutive year due to the coronavirus (Reuters). It’s the biggest market to be cancelled so far; Germany has over 3,000 Christmas markets and they are a boon for the economy in many communities as local restaurants, bakeries, and artisans depend on the fairs for income (NYT). “It is bitter news that I have today for all Munich residents, and especially for the stall owners. However, the extreme situation in our hospitals and exponentially rising infection rates leave me no other choice,” said Mayor Dieter Reiter. 

Germany is experiencing a massive surge in infections that experts say is driven by the large percentage of the population that remains unvaccinated. The seven-day average number of cases is at the highest it has been since the start of the pandemic. Germany has the lowest vaccination rate in western Europe, with 67% of the population vaccinated.

Ottawa Senators Hockey Team is 100% Vaccinated, But 40% Tested Positive

The National Hockey League announced the suspension of the Ottawa Senators through at least Nov. 20 after 10 players and one coach tested positive for Covid-19 despite being fully vaccinated. The suspension is the longest covid-related sports hiatus since vaccines became available (WSJ). The NHL has a 99% vaccination rate overall, but the outbreak shows that even with vaccinations, breakthrough infections pose a risk. “It’s hockey, it’s not like you’re going to have masking, distancing, ventilation working in your favor at all times,” said Isaac Bogoch, a University of Toronto infectious diseases specialist who is a consultant for the National Hockey League Players Association. It’s a warning sign for indoor sports leagues everywhere, but also for the public as the holiday season approaches and indoor gatherings increase. 

U.S. Government & Politics

Federal Vaccine Mandate Court Challenge to Be Heard Before 6th Circuit Court of Appeals

On Tuesday, a lottery drawing determined that current challenges to the Biden administration’s federal vaccine mandate will be heard before the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals (Politico). Politico writes, “Nearly three dozen lawsuits have been filed in multiple federal appeals courts against the requirement, triggering the lottery to consolidate the cases before one court.” In early November, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals stayed the mandate finding that the challenges it examined “show a great likelihood of success on the merits.” That and other challenges will now be determined in the Cincinnati based sixth circuit.

Standoff Over Oklahoma National Guard Vaccination Continues

The standoff between Oklahoma’s Governor and the federal government over the Pentagon’s requirement that all troops including National Guard members get vaccinated continues amid larger challenges to federal vaccine mandates (NYT). The New York Times explains, “Last week, Oklahoma’s newly appointed adjutant general for the National Guard, Brig. Gen. Thomas H. Mancino, announced on behalf of the governor, Kevin Stitt, that guardsmen in the state would not be required to get the Covid-19 vaccine, defying a Pentagon directive issued in August that makes vaccinations mandatory for all troops, including the National Guard, by deadlines set by each service branch.” In an interview, Mancino told the Times, “The order I issued came directly from the governor. That is the lawful order to the men and women of the Oklahoma National Guard.” On Wednesday, Pentagon officials said that such a stance could “jeopardize” the status of the troops. The Times writes, “The officials insist that Mr. Stitt has no legal standing to obviate the mandate, though experts on the obscure laws governing the Guard disagree. They note that unless federally deployed, National Guard members are under the jurisdiction of the governor of their state and therefore not subject to federal mandates.” The Pentagon could restrict funding and stall promotions, however, for those who do not get vaccinated.

U.S. Economy

Retailers Say They Are Stocked for Black Friday

Major retail chains say that they are well-stocked and prepared for the post-Thanksgiving shopping extravaganza of Black Friday despite supply chain disruptions (WSJ). The Wall Street Journal writes, “Retail chains Target Corp. and TJX Cos. said they were able to sidestep supply-chain snarls to post strong sales in the most recent quarter and stock up with goods for Black Friday and the holiday season.” Target Chief Executive Brian Cornell told reporters, “We’ve made a big investment in both inventory and in staffing to make sure we are going to be there to provide the items the guest is looking for and great service.” Target also noted that its inventory rose 17.6% in the current quarter compared to the same quarter last year. The Journal also notes, “TJX said its inventory as of Oct. 30 was at $6.6 billion, up from $6.3 billion in fiscal 2020.”

U.S. Society

NFL to Increase Testing and Expand Mask Protocols Around Thanksgiving

The National Football League plans to increase Covid testing and expand its mask protocols surrounding the Thanksgiving holiday, according to a memo sent to the league’s 32 teams on Tuesday (WaPo). According to the Post, which obtained a copy of the memo, the memo reads in part, “rates continue to steadily increase across the country. This upward trend, coupled with the onset of colder weather driving individuals indoors, has resulted in an increased risk of infection among players and staff. Our experts and data confirm that getting vaccinated remains our strongest defense against contracting and transmission of the virus within club facilities.” The Post writes that under the new regulations, “NFL teams must test all players and selected staff members, regardless of their vaccination status, on Nov. 29 and Dec. 1. All players and staffers must wear masks at all times inside team facilities from Nov. 25 through Dec. 1.”

Bonus Read: “How climate change and extreme weather are crimping America’s pie supply,” (WaPo). 

Analysis & Arguments

Ed Yong writes on the mass exodus of health workers (Atlantic).

Isaac Chotiner interviews economist Jason Furman on inflation and its impact on the Biden agenda (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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