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The protests occurring throughout the United States over police violence have created concern that the large gatherings could help spread the new coronavirus.
“I’m extremely concerned we are seeing mass gatherings,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms told CNN when asked about her fears that the protests could increase infections in communities of color. “We’re going to see the other side of this in a couple of weeks.”
The protests, in response to the killing of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody, align with a coronavirus pandemic that is still persistent throughout the nation.
Collectively, we paused last week to take a moment to recognize a monumental milestone —100,000 Americans had died, victims of a virus that’s changed our lives in just a little more than four months.
However, a new report says we likely passed that milestone weeks ago.
The report, authored by The Washington Post and the Yale School of Public Health, says that between March 1 and May 9, the nation recorded an estimated 101,600 more deaths than would be expected for that time of year.
This means that three weeks ago, there was likely an additional 26,000 fatalities from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, than officially recorded.
Such “excess death” analyses are a standard tool used by epidemiologists to gauge the true toll of infectious-disease outbreaks and other widespread disasters, the report says.
As of late Monday afternoon, the U.S. death toll reached about 104,800, according to Johns Hopkins, whose data collection has provided the unofficial count for coronavirus deaths and cases — the latter reaching almost 1.8 million.
READ: Pandemic’s Overall Death Toll In U.S. Likely Surpassed 100,000 Weeks Ago
Yet another toll of the pandemic can be found in the aisles of your local grocery store.
As if trips to the grocery store weren’t nerve-wracking enough, U.S. shoppers are taking a hit right in the wallet as the costs of meat, eggs and even potatoes soar.
Coronavirus has disrupted processing plants and distribution networks, and analysts caution that meat prices in particular could remain high as slaughterhouses struggle to maintain production levels amid safety measures.
While prices for staples such as eggs and flour have leveled off, prices remain volatile for carrots, potatoes and other produce because of transportation issues and the health of workers who pick crops and work in processing plants.
READ: U.S. Food Prices Reach Historic High Amid Pandemic
Pandemic And Protests Over George Floyd’s Death Collide
The mass protests caused by the death of Floyd have created large crowds that, for the most part, haven’t been seen since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States.
The convergence of the protests against racism and the deadly virus is now prompting warnings from officials that the coronavirus could spike in areas that were already disproportionately impacted as communities of color.
“We are particularly concerned about people coming into the metro area from other parts of the state and from outside Minnesota who may not be aware of this,” Minnesota health commissioner Jan Malcolm said in a statement. “We are also concerned about the continued disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on people of color in our state.”
Larry Hogan, the Republic governor of Maryland, also shared concerns over the gathering of people in a small area. Hogan told CNN the gatherings of “thousands of people jammed in together in close proximity” could lead to a spike in cases.
Trump Severs Ties With World Health Organization
The European Union has urged President Donald Trump to rethink his decision to cut ties with the World Health Organization.
As infection rates spike in India and other countries, the pandemic is far from contained. Yet on May 18, Trump sent the director general of the WHO a stern warning: You have 30 days to do better, or we’ll pull your funding.
On Friday, Trump made good on his promise, 19 days earlier than his deadline.
At a brief event, Trump said he would withdraw U.S. funding from the World Health Organization over what he called an inadequate response to the initial outbreak of the coronavirus in China’s Wuhan province late last year.
The decision, regardless of reasoning, is bad news for the organization — the U.S. is the largest source of financial support for the WHO, and its exit is expected to significantly weaken the organization.
Trump said the U.S. would be “redirecting” the money to “other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs.”
CDC Issues Back-To-Work Guidelines
Everything from how you get to work to how you breathe when you get there could change if companies adopt new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The agency has issued guidelines for companies and their employees to guard against the spread of the coronavirus that would fundamentally change how offices operate. Rather than the mingling that was common pre-pandemic, the guidelines would effectively confine workers to little, virtual bubbles.
To create those bubbles and prevent them from being pierced, the CDC recommends temperature screening, face coverings, protection barriers and a ban on seating in common areas. Workers, the CDC advises, should drive to work alone rather than using buses, subways or car pools.
Good luck, New York and Chicago, especially.
House Approves Changes To Business Virus Aid Program
Here’s some (relatively) good news: As more states take steps toward reopening across the country, the U.S. House of Representatives gave refreshing bipartisan approval Thursday to legislation aimed at improving the Paycheck Protection Program for businesses that have struggled with coronavirus-related losses.
The new bill would give businesses more flexibility and more time to use a variety of benefits within the aid program.
The measure that passed the House by a 417-1 vote now heads to the Senate on Friday, before it is sent to President Donald Trump for final approval.
41 Million Have Lost Jobs, But Layoffs Slow
Another 2.1 million people applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, even as more businesses reopen and rehire some laid-off employees.
The national jobless rate was 14.7 percent in April, the highest since the Great Depression, and many economists expect it will near 20 percent in May.
States are gradually restarting their economies by letting some businesses — from gyms, retail shops and restaurants to hair and nail salons — reopen with some restrictions. Some of these employers, including automakers, have recalled a portion of their laid-off employees, causing the number of people receiving unemployment benefits to fall.
First-time applications for unemployment aid, although still high by historical standards, have now fallen for eight straight weeks. Additionally, 1.2 million Americans applied last week under a new program for self-employed and gig workers, who are eligible for jobless aid for the first time.
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Across America New Reopening Rules For Washington Go Into Effect Monday
Pierce and Snohomish counties will seek approval for phase 2 next week, while King County will move toward a “modified phase 1.”
How To Disinfect Reusable Bags During COVID-19
Here’s how to disinfect and clean reusable bags, according to officials in one Maryland county.
Coronavirus Numbers Continue To Improve As DC Reopens
As the city. reopens, the D.C. Health Department reported about half the previous day’s number of new coronavirus cases.
Coronavirus Hit U.S. No Earlier Than Mid-January
The spark that started the U.S. coronavirus epidemic arrived during a three-week window from mid-January to early February, before the nation halted travel from China, a new study says.
RNC Has Yet To Submit COVID-19 Plan To NC
Based on Trump’s threat, NC has five days to commit to a “full” convention while the RNC has yet to divulge COVID-19 plans for the event.
Chicago Virtual Graduation With Oprah
Oprah and “Voice” star Katie Kadan are set to join virtual Chicago high school graduation ceremonies streaming online June 14 at 1 p.m.
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