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This Day in COVID: July 15, 2020

Details

A Second Coronavirus Death Surge Is Coming

There was always a logical explanation for why cases rose through the end of June while deaths did not.

The Atlantic

How Taiwan beat the coronavirus

Taiwan has reported only seven deaths so far from Covid-19. Everything is mostly reopened, and the only signs of Covid-19 are the frequent temperature checks and the expectation to wear masks on the subway. Here's what it did right.

CNBC

Fearing autumn COVID wave, EU urges earlier, broader flu vaccination

Reuters

The long, lonely days of summer

Living this way is exhausting — each of us constantly weighing safety versus freedom.

Tampa Bay Times

Essential, unprotected and Latino

LA Times

The international community must guarantee equal global access to a covid-19 vaccine

Washington Post

Americans on COVID-19 jobless benefits spent more than when working, study shows

Yahoo

The growing scientific evidence for masks to fight Covid-19, explained

It’s true the evidence for masks was weak before. That’s changed.

Vox

COVID-19 Has Resurrected Single-Use Plastics—Are They Back to Stay?

Studies show that these products are not necessarily safer than reusable alternatives with respect to viral spread

Smithsonian Magazine

How the ‘15-Minute City’ Could Help Post-Pandemic Recovery

Bloomberg

The Future Of Work Post-Covid-19

Covid-19 has turned the future of work in a new direction, becoming virtual and remote, rather than physical and local. The digital transformation of work has finally arrived. But will it last?

Forbes

Fauci: ‘Bizarre’ White House Behavior Only Hurts the President

The nation’s top public-health expert tells The Atlantic that he isn’t going anywhere, despite the Trump administration’s newest attempts to undercut him.

The Atlantic

Navarro under fire over anti-Fauci op-ed

The White House trade adviser’s column represented his most brazen effort yet to dress down the widely respected immunologist.

Politico

What administration criticism of Fauci says about Trump’s campaign

The coronavirus rages on -- and so does the rhetorical battle over it. Some 137,000 Americans have died from COVID-19, and more than 3.5 million are infected. While Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease doctor, says the U.S. needs to “call a timeout” to get the virus under control, the Trump administration disagrees. Yamiche Alcindor reports and joins Amna Nawaz to discuss.

PBS

Criticism of Dr. Fauci is misguided. Our understanding of COVID-19 is rapidly evolving

USA Today

Tapper: Attacks on Fauci the ultimate in irresponsibility

CNN

Facebook will launch a new section to debunk coronavirus myths

A sample screen suggests that Facebook will use the World Health Organization as a trusted source for information about Covid-19, and will include simple statements of fact like 'Hydroxychloroquine hasn't been proven to cure, treat, or prevent it.'

CNBC

McConnell urges use of face masks, has ‘total’ confidence in Fauci

Mitch McConnell was in Shelbyville on Wednesday, speaking with reporters and thanking frontline health care workers.

Wave 3

Florida hospitals face ICU bed shortage as state passes 300,000 COVID-19 cases

More than 77,000 cases were logged just in the last seven days, according to the Florida Department of Health.

NBC

Moderna Therapeutics’ COVID-19 Vaccine Is Ready for the Final Testing Phase

The Cambridge company's vaccine triggered an immune response in all 45 subjects in a recent trial.

Boston Magazine

Death From Covid and the Western Gaze

Reading the Pictures

Walmart to require customers to wear masks at all its stores

The company said the policy will go into effect on Monday to allow time to inform stores and customers.

Politico

Governor Ivey issues statewide mask order for Alabama

Wednesday morning, Governor Kay Ivey announced that a statewide mask order will be in place, effective at 5:00 p. m. Thursday July 16, 2020 and ending July 31, 2020. Ivey was joined at the news conference by State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris, as Alabama's COVID-19 cases and deaths surged. When asked about how the order will be enforced Dr. Harris said, 'no one is interested in arresting people. ' Ivey also admitted the order will the difficult to enforce, but said 'the numbers don't lie. '

ABC 3340

My Mask Keeps You Safe—So Why Am I Being Shamed For Wearing It?

Health

Just what are our 'rights' when it comes to our and others' choices about masks?

Demoines Register

‘I can’t afford to turn away business’: view from shops on face mask rules

The Guardian speaks to shop owners about new face mask rules in Scotland and England

The Guardian

The Coronavirus Is Serious, and So Is the Threat to Small Businesses

Small businesses account for 98 percent of all San Diego companies. Is this fact taken into consideration when shutting down the world’s fifth largest economy?

Voice of San Diego

Mask discourse is the latest stupid episode in our endless coronavirus hell

If you told me dunking my head in a barrel of hand sanitiser every time I left the house would bring back normality faster, I’d do it, says writer Joel Golby

The Guardian

Black Business Owners Had a Harder Time Getting Federal Aid, a Study Finds

New York Times

How 2 New York Schools Became Models for Coping in a Pandemic

New York Times

Our Mission

The COVID-19 History Project is a curated archive of the events and policy decisions surrounding the emergence of COVID-19.

The pandemic era of 2020-2022 saw massive increases in restrictions on daily life—enforced by the government and by social stigma—accompanied social protests that roiled cities worldwide

In the United States alone, trillions of dollars were spent by the federal government to offset the forced closure of businesses and the devastation of normal life.

The impacts of these policy decisions are still being felt today.

Some would like us to forget the actions and people that played a significant role during the pandemic.

But we of the COVID-19 History Project don't want to forget. Through our work, we hope there will always be an archive to learn from and interpret this fascinating, disturbing, time in world history.

The Timeline

In order to learn from the mistakes of the past, and give COVID-19 decision makers the credit—both good and bad—they deserve, we have compiled a media timeline from every day of the pandemic.

We have endeavored to make the timeline comprehensive without being duplicative, following the major trends as they unfolded.

We provided analyses for each month highlighting major events, but encourage readers to make their own conclusions about these events as well.

This Day in COVID: July 15, 2021

Details

With Covid-19 Under Control, China’s Economy Surges Ahead (Published 2020)

The New York Times

Jared Kushner said Trump put Pence in charge of the US coronavirus response because 'he didn't have anything else to do,' book says

A new book by two Washington Post reporters sheds light on Trump's thinking when he installed Pence as his coronavirus czar.

Business Insider

Generation COVID: pregnancy, birth and postnatal life in the pandemic

First-hand family accounts and photographs trace the difficulties and traumas of giving birth and looking after a baby during a pandemic.

The Conversation

An equation to predict deaths of nursing home residents during a pandemic - Nature Aging

Nursing home residents account for 41% of all COVID-19 deaths. Understanding why this occurs and the interplay between infectious agent, person, nursing home environment and operations, and public health responses is essential for families and governments when making decisions to protect loved ones and citizens, respectively.

Nature

Chicago's famed auto show is back — but have pandemic fallout and industry shifts killed the car show for good?

The Chicago Auto Show is the nation's longest-running car show, dating back to 1901.

NBC News

Alcoholic liver deaths increased by 21% during year of the pandemic

Increased alcohol consumption during the pandemic, particularly amongst heavy drinkers, is likely driving an unprecedented acceleration in alcoholic liver disease deaths.

GOV.UK

Reimagining Youth Skills Post-Pandemic

In Bangladesh alone, nearly 38 million students are missing out on proper learning and peer interactions since the closure of educational institutions in March 2020. As of June 2021, Unesco estimates that nearly 157 million learners were affected globally due to full school closures in 19 countries.

United Nations Development Programme

Vietnam approves Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine as daily cases hit record

Reuters

For U.S. Latinos, COVID-19 Has Taken a Personal and Financial Toll

Latinos say they and their loved ones have faced widespread job losses and serious illness due to COVID-19. Yet satisfaction with the nation’s direction is at highest level in a decade as most say the worst of the pandemic is behind us.

Pew Research Center

The Pandemic Changed The World Of 'Voluntourism.' Some Folks Like The New Way Better

Critics say volunteering abroad does not always benefit local communities. The coronavirus travel bans have led to a different approach for volunteers who want to donate their services.

NPR

The pandemic has damaged youth employment: Here’s how we can help

The World Economic Forum

Returning to work: Keys to a psychologically safer workplace

Employers can potentially reduce stress and anxiety for their workers by considering mental health as part of a holistic on-site return plan.

McKinsey & Company

Environmental impact assessment of COVID-19 therapeutic solutions. A prospective analysis

ScienceDirect.com

As Covid Rages in Myanmar, Army Hoards Oxygen, Doctors Say (Published 2021)

The New York Times

A sub-national real-time epidemiological and vaccination database for the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada - Scientific Data

Measurement(s) COVID-19 Cases • COVID-19 Mortalities • COVID-19 vaccination Technology Type(s) digital curation Sample Characteristic - Organism Homo sapiens Sample Characteristic - Location Canada Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14331311

Nature

Pediatric BMI changes during COVID-19 pandemic: An electronic health record-based retrospective cohort study

The Lancet

Huge study supporting ivermectin as Covid treatment withdrawn over ethical concerns

The preprint endorsing ivermectin as a coronavirus therapy has been widely cited, but independent researchers find glaring discrepancies in the data

The Guardian

Music festival in the Netherlands leads to over 1,000 Covid infections

A festival in the Netherlands has shocked officials after 1,000 coronavirus infections were linked to the event despite requiring a "test for entry."

CNBC

CDC advisers to consider additional coronavirus dose for immunocompromised patients

The Washington Post

Coronavirus cases at the Tokyo Olympics

Reuters

A systematic review of human coronaviruses survival on environmental surfaces

ScienceDirect.com

Daily briefing: ‘Super-antibodies’ fight many coronavirus variants

Designer antibodies are based on those from people with very special immune systems. Plus, part of the Amazon is no longer a carbon sink, and why city heatwaves hit people unfairly.

Nature

The U.S. Surgeon General Is Calling COVID-19 Misinformation An 'Urgent Threat'

The nation's top doctor, Vivek Murthy, says misinformation will keep sowing mistrust and endangering lives unless all Americans do their part to fight it.

NPR

COVID-19 heightened racial issues in the US: Report

A new report from the National Urban League spotlights racial injustice amid the pandemic.

ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

Deaths from COVID ‘incredibly rare’ among children

Studies find that overall risk of death or severe disease from COVID-19 is very low in kids.

Nature

The US is boosting funding for research monkeys in the wake of COVID

The investments are promising but won’t fix the primate shortage, experts say.

Nature

The WHO's Chief Says It Was Premature To Rule Out A Lab Leak As The Pandemic's Origin

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there had been a "premature push" to rule out the theory that the coronavirus might have escaped from a Chinese government lab in Wuhan.

NPR

L.A. County will require masks indoors amid alarming rise in coronavirus cases

Faced with a rise in coronavirus cases, L.A. County will again require residents to mask up in indoor public spaces — regardless of vaccination status.

Los Angeles Times

As outbreak worsens, Thai temple inundated with coronavirus cremations

Reuters

Will the coronavirus pandemic ever really end?

As vaccinations have increased, North Texas is doing its best to return to normal: Masks are no longer required most places, workers are returning to offices,...

Dallas News

China’s Economy Shrinks, Ending a Nearly Half-Century of Growth (Published 2020)

The New York Times

LA County Will Require People To Wear Masks Indoors, Even If They've Been Vaccinated

A rapid and sustained increase in COVID-19 cases requires a return to mandatory mask-wearing indoors, the county's public health officer says. He didn't detail what he said would be some exceptions.

NPR

Cambodia urges fast action to avert coronavirus 'tragedy'

Reuters

Bradley Beal will miss Tokyo Olympics as USA Basketball struggles with coronavirus issues

The Washington Post

Covid-19 cases among Olympics teams likely ‘tip of the iceberg’: expert

Athletes and staff from Kenya, Russia and South Africa are some people who have been classified as close contacts or tested positive for Covid-19.

South China Morning Post

WHO Warns South Africa to Brace For Covid-19 Surge After Riots

Bloomberg.com

Tunisia struggles to cope with surge in Covid-19 cases

In Charles Nicolle Hospital in the Tunisian capital, the emergency department is filled with patients who are sharing oxygen in rooms and even hallways.

France 24

COVID-19 takes toll on Catholic clergy in hard-hit countries

AP News

Gen Z Is Feeling 'Meh' About The Vaccine. The White House Is Calling In The Pop Stars

Only about 42% of 18- to 24-year-olds are fully vaccinated. Eager to reach them, the White House is calling in pop stars and trying to spread the word on TikTok.

NPR

Hundreds of thousands of white flags to be placed on the National Mall to honor lives lost to covid

Washington Post

Vaccine hesitancy morphs into hostility, as opposition to shots hardens

The Washington Post

How the pandemic drove rents higher and made housing inequality worse

The pandemic uprooted thousands of people, leaving a glut of luxury apartments available in cities at the same time it undercut the earning potential of renters in the middle class. Due to the economic pressure of eviction moratoriums coupled with illegal housing practices, many are finding few options for safe, affordable housing. Special correspondent Catherine Rampell reports.

PBS

The Pandemic Has Worsened Childhood Vaccination Rates Around The World

The pandemic has hurt even routine health services such as vaccines and checkups, as well as immunization outreach, for children around the world, the World Health Organization and UNICEF report.

NPR

Good 4 her! Olivia Rodrigo wows at the White House in pink plaid

The Good 4 U singer was pictured making her way into the West Wing on Wednesday morning ahead of her meeting with Biden, 78, and Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Daily Mail

As Delta Variant Spreads, Do You Need to Wear a Mask Again?

WSJ

The Other Victims Of The Pandemic: Workers Killed In Fights Over Masks

Essential workers have borne the brunt of a pandemic poisoned by politics. BuzzFeed News found at least four frontline employees who died in fights over masks. Here are their stories.

BuzzFeed News

Mixed messages mean a face mask muddle when law is lifted in England

No one knows for sure what will happen when the rules in England change on Monday, say scientists

The Guardian

Another COVID-19 vaccine to boost rollout

Two large studies report positive data for CoronaVac in both clinical-trial and real-world settings.

Nature

Why a Covid-19 vaccine isn’t available for kids yet | CNN

CNN

The COVID vaccine market is worth at least $150 billion. Can we stop it being flooded with fakes?

The World Economic Forum

Why COVID-19 vaccine incentives didn't really work: Experts

After two months of cash offers and other incentives, states across the country are still struggling to get their vaccine doses up.

ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

Can you get long-haul Covid if you're fully vaccinated? Here's what doctors say

It is theoretically possible for a fully vaccinated person to get long Covid. But doctors contend that it doesn't appear to be a significant risk.

NBC News

Changes in weight and height among Chinese preschool children during COVID-19 school closures - International Journal of Obesity

Nature

Covid vaccines for kids under 12 expected midwinter, FDA official says

After emergency use authorization, the agency hopes to move quickly to full approval.

NBC News

China’s economic growth eases as recovery levels off after covid-19 pandemic

The Washington Post