Welcome to the newly revamped Key Developments, now twice weekly and with non-COVID news. Right now, it’s actually still just COVID news, but we’ll be slowly morphing it into something broader as we go.
The world has over 10.9 million cases. Cases are growing by more than a million week by week. The US has over 2.8 million cases and has had over 131,000 deaths. The US has gained over 52,000 new cases since yesterday, which is absolutely staggering. Brazil is approaching the US in daily case growth.
Texas is starting to get with the program:
*TEXAS GOVERNOR IMPOSES MANDATORY FACE MASK REQUIREMENT
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) July 2, 2020
Healthcare workers around the world are facing pandemic-related violence and attacks. Violence against healthcare workers (HCW) is severely under-reported. HCW have been attacked just for being outside.
US farmers don’t have enough people to harvest our food, as the pandemic has slowed the supply of seasonal workers we rely on to do the job. “Food security IS national security.” This is something to be taken very seriously, especially during a pandemic that is impacting the jobs and lives of agricultural workers:
Food security is national security.
Chef, humanitarian, and entrepreneur @chefjoseandres talks with @ASlavitt on this week's #IntheBubble: https://t.co/IG8E5HgOw3 pic.twitter.com/vqJfvtFCwJ
— Lemonada Media (@LemonadaMedia) July 1, 2020
COVID-19 cases are growing in Tennessee:
JUST IN: TN Department of Health reports 1,575 positive cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/52RiPUJ8dj
— NewsChannel 5 (@NC5) July 2, 2020
Close to 80% of community fireworks displays have been cancelled in the US. It’s going to make for a sad, weird, and restless-feeling 4th. I expect many to keep lighting off the (probably illegal) fireworks they’ve been setting off for some time now, and I expect many folks will be running around without masks. If there’s nothing to do, folks are going to fill in the gaps their own way.
Herman Cain is positive and hospitalized after attending the Tulsa rally. He did not wear a mask at the rally. He was also in Arizona prior to the rally (and he probably didn’t wear a mask there, either).
The outbreaks in Arizona, Florida, and Texas are occurring in different, and hopefully better, circumstances than in New York. Although these outbreaks are large, they were at least foreseen. The R is lower than it was in New York in spring, and we know a few pharmacologic agents to use now. We’re also testing more. Hopefully these factors will contribute to better outcomes in these states. That’s still predicated on those communities being willing to wear masks and isolate if exposed or sick. If communities are not willing to do those things, all bets are off.
Oregon State Police Officers need to use some the PPE they are no doubt generously supplied with. If their attitudes prevail, perhaps a donation of PPE to local hospitals is in order (so the clinicians can safely try to save their lives when they get COVID-19):
On the first day of Oregon’s statewide mask order, a group of Oregon State troopers refused to wear face coverings inside a Corvallis coffee shop despite being asked to so.
“F— [Gov.] Kate Brown,” one of the troopers reportedly said. There’s video, too. https://t.co/Lt8kIPxDCK
— Shane D. Kavanaugh (@shanedkavanaugh) July 2, 2020
50% of COVID-19 tests are positive in Mexico, which is outrageous. Mexico is only testing its sickest, however, so this is probably (nay, certainly) not the actual seroprevalence.
