The Trump administration sidelined the C.D.C., raising fears of politicized testing results
An informed guide to the global outbreak, with the latest developments and expert advice about prevention and treatment. |
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A power grab for coronavirus data |
Officials say the change will streamline data gathering at the Department of Health and Human Services, and help the White House coronavirus task force track the virus and allocate scarce supplies like personal protective gear and the drug remdesivir. |
But critics are sounding alarm bells. They worry that centralizing data within the administration would allow the White House to present information in a way that might be politically advantageous for the president, and that the data could be misused or withheld from the public. |
A sickly economic recovery |
As the spread of the virus accelerates in the United States, a sharp “V-shaped” economic comeback is in doubt. Though stock markets have largely ignored rising coronavirus infection rates, businesses of all sizes and workers across many industries face a deeply uncertain future. |
Several of the largest American banks have reserved billions of dollars to cover potential losses on loans — a sign that they don’t expect companies and consumers to be able to pay back their debts in coming months. |
The economic pain has been particularly acute for small businesses: Nearly 110,000 closed permanently from early March to early May, researchers at Harvard found. In states like Texas, Florida and California, the resurgence of the virus and reopening rollbacks have forced many small businesses to shut down a second time — and for some, that means for good. |
Corporations are also facing steep challenges. Sales at Delta Air Lines plunged 88 percent during the second quarter compared with the same period last year. Major food brands like Coca-Cola and Lay’s have reduced the number of products they make during the pandemic, often leading to higher prices and fewer choices for consumers at grocery stores. Automakers may be forced to pull back production as some workers call on plants to close over fears of the virus spreading. |
And laid-off employees will likely face more hardship after July, when the additional $600 a week they receive in unemployment is scheduled to end. About 5.4 million American workers have lost their health insurance during the pandemic because of job losses. Many essential workers may also see less in their bank accounts as retailers move to end “hero pay,” the raises and bonuses that rewarded employees who showed up to work during the pandemic. |
The view from Europe. Retail sales in the eurozone surged nearly 18 percent in May compared with the previous month as consumers — many of whom remained employed thanks to government programs — left lockdown and made up for lost spending time. Their shopping spree offers hope for a stronger European recovery than expected, but the virus could cut that short. |
What else we’re following |
| Our family consists of four households in four states spread along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. We’re a close bunch, and in our Old Life, we all traveled often to see one another. Now that we can’t, my 12-year-old niece and I have been publishing a weekly online family newspaper to keep everyone posted on each other’s news. |
| — Sophia Kim, Los Angeles |
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