CNN: US Summary: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/11/health/us-coronavirus-saturday/index.html . An important reminder of the problems of maxing out ICU capacity in an area. More: NBC: https://www.aol.com/article/news/2020/07/11/for-first-time-us-records-more-than-70000-new-coronavirus-cases-in-single-day/24556097/ .
Bloomberg: Global news round-up: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/australia-warns-of-vaccine-wait-u-s-bases-hit-virus-update/ar-BB16AxDf?ocid=msedgdhp . The UK finding that the virus spreads fastest in cold temperatures is not good news given the current situation in the Sun Belt.
Bloomberg graphics: https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020-united-states-coronavirus-outbreak/?cmpid=BBD071120_CORONAVIRUS&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=200711&utm_campaign=coronavirus .
Bloomberg: COVID-19 & Data on Wall Street: https://www.bmt.com/wall-street-forges-a-new-deal-with-data-in-coronavirus-age/ (link replaced 7/17/21). This gives me essentially no confidence that these analysts understand the pandemic.
Virus found on exterior of food shipment: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/latest-india-reports-26000-virus-cases-71707369 (link replaced 8/10/20).
AP: Virus death numbers increasing: https://apnews.com/b5dc967808fb7964b531afa59b5a6f82 . Note to Wall Street: Mortality is a lagging indicator.
AP: Essential workers infected by COVID-19 on the job must prove it to receive workers’ compensation: https://apnews.com/3d1a65d4d69adfe464b435c86730dfdf . In some states, police and fire personnel receive presumptive workers compensation not only for contagious diseases but also heart and lung diseases. These presumptions may continue even after the employment ends: https://www.shouselaw.com/nv/workerscomp/police-officers/ . (Nevada is perhaps the most liberal state in this regard.)
WP: Fauci sidelined: https://www.kff.org/news-summary/trump-wears-mask-in-public-for-first-time-fda-rebuffs-chinese-claim-coronavirus-found-in-food-shipments-trump-administration-sidelines-fauci-cdc-gop-lawmakers-question-who-pandemic-timeline/ (link replaced 7/17/21).
WSJ: US latest statistics: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-latest-news-07-10-2020-11594368064 .
WSJ (7/11, page A2): Blurb that over 150 Minneapolis have filed for duty benefits based on PTSD in aftermath of Floyd shooting. See: https://apnews.com/d1cca0f77a2043489083b99fe2d67ca0 . We had a very serious problem with the police and fire retirement and disability plan in Portland about 15 years ago. The solution was to put future public safety hires in the state retirement plan, and to restructure the plan’s board from a one-vote police and fire majority to a one-vote government/public majority. Disability claims dropped dramatically.
This exact issue was a relatively common problem around the US at that time. I worked on the Portland plan not as an outside consultant but as chair of the Citizen’s Review Committee. The police and fire unions endorsed the proposed solution (meaning they did not oppose it). Even though it required amendment of the City Charter and had to appear on the ballot as a tax measure, it passed with 82% of the vote, the highest ever for a tax measure in Oregon. If any of you know actuaries or cities who face this problem, I would be pleased to share my experiences at no charge, just let me know.
WSJ (7/11, page A3): Helpful chart on how the pandemic has affected employment for various racial and age groups (this and the prior item are not posted separately online by WSJ).
WSJ: More on BioNTech, other vaccines: https://www.wsj.com/articles/german-biotech-sees-its-coronavirus-vaccine-ready-for-approval-by-december-11594373400 .
NYT: Disney Orlando re-opens: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53371336 (link replaced 10/14/20). Disney has furloughed 100,000 workers.
WSJ: COVID-19 in Syrian rebel area: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-threatens-syrian-rebel-stronghold-as-russia-china-restrict-aid-11594394399 .
WSJ: Gender differences over room temperature: https://www.wsj.com/articles/are-women-colder-than-men-the-science-behind-office-temperature-wars-11594373401 . There are a lot of ways to go with this information – I went for science: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150318144843.htm .
Softball: batting practice of an 18-year-old female catcher: https://www.insider.com/video-college-softball-recruit-hits-batting-practice-home-run-moonshots-2020-7 (link replaced 7/17/21). This went viral for obvious reasons.