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March 15, 2022 - Brief Issue 300

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

Today’s brief marks the 300th issue of the Coronavirus Daily Brief. Over those 300 briefs we have written more than a million words of news and analysis, covering the pandemic and its effects around the world.

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Top Headlines

Merck’s Covid Pill Sees Heavy Use Despite Preference for Pfizer’s Pill (Health & Science)

Netherlands Approves Additional Booster for J&J Recipients (Health & Science)

Surge in American Samoa (Health & Science)

Manufacturing Hubs Shut Down, China Grapples with Worst Surge Since Wuhan (Around the World)

Hong Kong Lacks the Resources to Impose Mainland China’s Covid Response, Says Chief Executive (Around the World)

New Wave in Europe Could Have Already Begun (Around the World)

Canada Won’t Allow Unvaccinated MLB Players to Play (Around the World)

CDC Plan to Monitor Sewage Faces Opposition (U.S. Government & Politics)

Manchin Signals Opposition to Sarah Bloom Raskin Fed Nomination (U.S. Government & Politics)

Obama Tests Positive for Covid (U.S. Government & Politics)

Southern California Ports Catch Their Breath (U.S. Economy)

Women Embrace Flexible Work More Than Men, But Economists Caution Flexible Work May Harm Careers (U.S. Economy)

Many Immunocompromised Americans Feel Betrayed by Federal Rollbacks and New CDC Guidelines (U.S. Society)

 Lewis Palmer School District Argues Students Benefited from In-Person Learning (U.S. Society)

Health & Science

There have been 79,562,369 coronavirus cases in the United States, and 965,106 people have died (Johns Hopkins). The United States has administered 557,138,106 vaccine doses, with 76.7% of all Americans having received at least one vaccine dose and 65.3% fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 18 or older 88.1% have received at least one dose, and 75.2% are fully vaccinated (U.S. CDC). 44.3% of fully vaccinated Americans have received a booster shot. Worldwide, there have been 459,960,370 cases of coronavirus, with 6,047,103 deaths.

Merck’s Covid Pill Sees Heavy Use Despite Preference for Pfizer’s Pill

In the U.S., Merck’s Covid-19 pill, called molnupiravir, has been more widely used than expected, in part because Pfizer’s pill, called Paxlovid, has been difficult to obtain. Regulators and many doctors consider molnupiravir a last resort and in fact, guidelines recommend using Paxlovid instead if possible because Paxlovid was found to be more effective in clinical trials. But during the most recent surge of Omicron doctors said they turned to molnupiravir because of limited supplies of Paxlovid and because some antibody drugs didn’t work against the variant. They also reported that some patients couldn’t take Paxlovid because of potential negative interactions with medication they were already taking. The Wall Street Journal reports that “more than 74,700 prescriptions for the Merck-Ridgeback pill, called molnupiravir, were filled through Feb. 25, according to drug-data firm Iqvia Holdings Inc. There were more than 79,150 prescriptions filled for Paxlovid.”

Netherlands Approves Additional Booster for J&J Recipients

The Netherlands approved a third shot for those who received a Johnson & Johnson shot and an mRNA booster shot at least three months ago. The Dutch government said that the move is meant to smooth travel to countries with different vaccination rules: people who received the J&J vaccine “may now experience difficulties entering and using facilities in some countries,” according to the government’s statement (NYT). In some countries, one Johnson & Johnson vaccination “is no longer regarded as a complete basic vaccination.” In the European Union, people who received their second Covid-19 vaccination more than nine months ago and did not receive a booster are no longer considered fully vaccinated (DW).

Surge in American Samoa 

American Samoa, an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, largely avoided the global pandemic for the past two years. But in recent weeks, infections have been spreading quickly, jumping from around two dozen in mid-February to more than a hundred by the end of the month (NYT). On Feb. 22, the government imposed lockdown restrictions known as “Code Red” and barred travel into the territory in addition to banning public gatherings. About 80% of the population is vaccinated and the territory has not reported a single covid-related fatality.

Bonus Read: “Helping Women Survive Birth in a Pandemic,” (NYT).

Around the World

Manufacturing Hubs Shut Down, China Grapples with Worst Surge Since Wuhan

As we covered in an earlier brief, China is facing a surge in Covid-19 cases that has led it to impose lockdown restrictions in Shenzhen and Changchun in recent days. The country is dealing with its worst outbreak since Wuhan in early 2020, according to the National Health Commission (CNN). Officials said 2,125 cases were reported across 58 cities in 19 of 31 mainland provinces, marking the fourth consecutive day China reported more than 1,000 daily local cases. 

The surge and government reaction has suspended operations in many electronics and auto factories, dealing another blow to the global supply chain. Hong Kong’s key Hang Seng index plummeted by 5 percent on Monday over Covid worries (WaPo). One affected manufacturer is Foxconn Technology Group, a major assembler of Apple’s iPhones. Huawei, electric carmaker BYD and Tencent are also affected. China’s zero-Covid policy has hampered operations in the semiconductor and automobile industries repeatedly over the past two years as authorities suspend business operations in response to even small numbers of infections (WSJ). Bonus Read: “Apple Supplier Foxconn in Talks to Build $9 Billion Factory in Saudi Arabia,” (WSJ).

Hong Kong Lacks the Resources to Impose Mainland China’s Covid Response, Says Chief Executive 

Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, said on Monday that the city doesn’t have the same ability as mainland China does to impose restrictions and conduct mass testing of residents in its effort to eradicate the coronavirus as it struggles with its worst outbreak yet. “Hong Kong is very different from many mainland cities and therefore we cannot have any comparison,” Mrs. Lam told reporters at a news conference. Lam noted the resources and systems of governance were very different, saying that Hong Kong’s health officials can only test between 200,000 to 300,000 people per day, compared to millions being tested in mainland China (NYT). “I have to consider whether the public would accept further measures, so we would not just casually roll out further distancing measures,” Mrs. Lam also said. Hong Kong has averaged over 280 deaths and 21,000 new cases per day over the past week. 

New Wave in Europe Could Have Already Begun

Case numbers and hospitalizations in countries across Europe increased this past week, with the U.K., Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Italy all seeing rising numbers. Some scientists are hypothesizing that the next wave of the virus has already begun, about a month after many countries across the continent began lifting restrictions and relaxing guidelines (Forbes). Officials and health experts are debating whether restrictions were lifted too soon, or if it is time to shift to an approach that treats the virus as endemic. The possibility of a new variant or a spike in cases always exists given the nature of viruses, said Ogbonnaya Omenka, an assistant professor and director of diversity at the Butler University College of Pharmacy and Health Science (USAToday). "A wave in Europe and other countries for that matter, might occur in the United States as well," Omenka told USA TODAY. "Because it is an infectious disease, unless we eradicate it, there is bound to be that possibility of its return ... As the virus variants have shown, even the possible return is not predictable in terms of its severity or degree of similarity to the previous forms."

Canada Won’t Allow Unvaccinated MLB Players to Play 

Major League Baseball Players who are not vaccinated against the coronavirus will not be allowed to enter Canada or to play games against the Toronto Blue Jays and, under a new labor agreement, those players will not be paid while their team is abroad either. Under current Canadian law, unvaccinated foreign visitors are barred from entering the country without a special exemption. “It’s a concern,” Tony Clark, the head of the players’ union, said (NYT). “As everyone knows, we appreciate and respect the decisions that are made, particularly when in regard to player health and community health.” About 84% of all players and designated staff members are fully vaccinated. 

U.S. Government & Politics

CDC Plan to Monitor Sewage Faces Opposition

Over the course of the pandemic, sewage monitoring repeatedly proved itself as a useful tool for tracking the spread of the pandemic. However, Politico reports that a CDC plan to monitor sewage via a National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) faces opposition from some states and other challenges (Politico). Politico writes, “Probing poop can help public health officials more quickly identify and respond to clusters of Covid cases or other viruses. But lackluster participation leaves gaping holes in what public officials intend to be a comprehensive early warning system for infectious diseases, rendering the country vulnerable to the next Covid-19 variant or public health crisis, according to POLITICO interviews with state health officials and wastewater experts across 17 states.” Ted Smith, the director of the Center for Healthy Air, Water and Soil at the University of Louisville’s Environment Institute told Politico, “If you enjoyed the way this pandemic worked, you can expect to have that again.” In some states, privacy concerns have challenged the effort while others face implementation challenges. Politico reports, “But 18 months since the effort began, only a dozen states — California, Colorado, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin — are routinely submitting data to NWSS, according to the CDC. Even then, the information from some of those states is thin.” Some states are actively opposing the effort. North Dakota, for example, is redirecting its federal funding for sewage monitoring after some residents expressed privacy concerns.

Manchin Signals Opposition to Sarah Bloom Raskin Fed Nomination

On Monday Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) said that he would not support the Biden administration’s nomination of Sarah Bloom Raskin to be the Federal Reserve’s top banking regulator (WSJ, Politico). Manchin stated, “Her previous public statements have failed to satisfactorily address my concerns about the critical importance of financing an all-of-the-above energy policy to meet our nation’s critical energy needs.” Manchin’s opposition could doom her nomination as the Senate is split between Democrats and Republicans and as the Journal writes, “Republicans, especially from energy-producing states such as Pennsylvania and Wyoming, are opposed to Ms. Raskin in part because of her 2020 criticism of the Treasury Department and Fed providing broad-based emergency-lending backstops to assist businesses during the pandemic.”

Obama Tests Positive for Covid

On Sunday, former President Barack Obama announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus (AP). Former First Lady Michelle Obama tested negative. On Twitter, Obama wrote, “I’ve had a scratchy throat for a couple days, but am feeling fine otherwise,” adding, “Michelle and I are grateful to be vaccinated and boosted.” 

U.S. Economy

Bonus Read: “The Inflation Hits Just Keep Coming, Raising Stakes for the Fed,” (WSJ).

Southern California Ports Catch Their Breath

The Wall Street Journal reports that ports in Southern California that saw significant delays and bottlenecks last year in part due to pandemic-related supply chain disruptions, are now catching their breath due to a lull in imports (WSJ). Alan McCorkle, chief executive of Yusen Terminals LLC told the Journal, “This is optimism right here in front of us,” pointing to trucks moving. The Journal writes, “The hum of activity was one sign that the gridlock that has made Southern California’s ports the center for U.S. supply-chain congestion may finally be easing, at least for now.” The Journal adds, “Yusen is one of 13 terminals at the nation’s busiest container port complex at Los Angeles and Long Beach that were swamped last year by a 20% surge in imports during the Covid-19 pandemic. The resulting bottlenecks caused weeks or months of delays for shipments to U.S. retailers and manufacturers and have contributed to rising shipping costs and to accelerating inflation.” Other terminal operators confirmed McCorkle’s representation that materials were moving more rapidly through Southern California ports. However, the Journal notes that most do not expect the lull to last, and points out that a key factor is likely a decline in imports from Asia over the Lunar New Year.

Women Embrace Flexible Work More Than Men, But Economists Caution Flexible Work May Harm Careers

The Wall Street Journal reports that women are embracing new pandemic-driven flexible work arrangements in greater numbers than men, but that some economists worry that the new arrangements may harm their career prospects (WSJ). The Journal writes, “A February survey of job seekers by hiring platform ZipRecruiter Inc. found that women were twice as likely as men, 26% versus 13%, to say they were only looking for remote work.” This gender disparity may reflect the pandemic’s particularly severe impact on women’s employment - in part a result of the gendered distribution of care-giving needs. However, some economists are worried that the embrace of flexible work may conceal dangers for women’s careers. Harvard University economist Claudia Goldin cautioned that the treatment of remote work may come to look like part-time work, which as studies show is less well paid and suffers from limited benefits. Kweilin Ellingrud, a director at McKinsey Global Institute, warned, “my fear is that it will be slower and with negative implications on long-term career prospects.” Even so, Dr. Goldin noted that the interest in flexible arrangements reflects real incentives and noted, “The price of flexibility has gone down, if you can do an M&A from home or the office rather than flying to Japan, or sign a contract without having to go to Zurich.”

U.S. Society

Many Immunocompromised Americans Feel Betrayed by Federal Rollbacks and New CDC Guidelines

As mask mandates disappear and the Biden administration eases restrictions, the immunocompromised community is vocal about being sidelined. Politico reports that those with chronic conditions, disabilities, and people especially vulnerable to contracting Covid, call the rollback of federal mask mandates “shortsighted and dangerous, inconsiderate of those who don’t want to risk potential disability or death from an infection.” Frustrations also lie with the CDC which is currently looking at hospitalizations, rather than the infection rate of Covid, to measure the impact on society. The CDC eased mask mandates last month and last Thursday “the CDC announced that 98 percent of Americans no longer need to mask indoors because they live in communities with low to medium risk of overwhelming hospitals.” 

Lewis Palmer School District Argues Students Benefited from In-Person Learning

While many American schools closed their doors or offered hybrid situations in the fall of 2020, some districts around the country kept schools open with a mask-optional policy. Now the Washington Post reports that some of these districts, usually small and conservative-leaning ones, are arguing that they have the data to defend their position (WaPo). One such district is the Lewis Palmer District 38 in Colorado, which argues “they took the right approach to reopening schools,” writes the Washington Post. In the Lewis Palmer District, “No child was hospitalized with the virus; two school system employees were admitted, though contact tracers did not determine where they contracted the virus, school officials said.” While some believe the Lewis Palmer District’s decision to hold classes was not justified given the lack of knowledge regarding the virus at the time of the decision, others feel that the district served its community, giving them the gift of open schools. Advocates of the district’s position argue that its students scored better in reading on standardized testing, poorer in math, but higher than the average student in Colorado. “‘We didn’t just exist through the pandemic,’ said Mark Belcher, director of communications for the school district. ‘We made progress through the pandemic.’”

Analysis & Arguments

Christian Paz writes that the real Hot Vax Summer is coming this year (Atlantic).

Sarah Jaffe and Michelle Chen host a discussion on teacher strikes in the Covid era (Dissent).

Rich Lowry writes on what Florida Governor and rumored Republican Presidential nomination contender Ron DeSantis might spell for a post-Trump GOP (National Review).

 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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