The COVID-19 History Project

This really happened.

This Day in COVID: July 17, 2020

A Detailed Map of Who Is Wearing Masks in the U.S.

The patterns from hundreds of thousands of survey respondents reflect partisanship, peer pressure and the footprint of the coronavirus itself.

New York Times

Full interview with Fauci on reopening schools, coronavirus vaccine and White House tension

Americans can successfully reboot efforts to contain the coronavirus if everyone wears face masks and steers clear of crowds, and if places like bars close, Fauci told the PBS NewsHour managing editor and anchor Judy Woodruff.

PBS

How Dr. Deborah Birx’s political skills made her the most powerful person on the coronavirus task force

CNN

How cartoonists are portraying the divide between Trump and Fauci

Washington Post

Rep. McCarthy to require masks at Republican conference

Axios

Over 100 Houston Doctors Slam Rep. Dan Crenshaw for “Spreading Dangerous Disinformation” on Coronavirus

As Covid-19 cases surge in Houston, over 100 doctors wrote that Crenshaw “has spewed lies for the past four months — minimizing the threat we face.”

The Intercept

Dr. Anthony Fauci Goes Full Silver Fox On The Cover Of InStyle Magazine

Dr. Fauci is on the cover of this month's InStyle magazine, being the total icon that he is.

Scary Mommy

Steroid's COVID-19 benefits confirmed; spotlight on immune cells

Reuters

BlackRock CEO says mask-wearing will help avoid another economic shutdown

The Hill

San Antonio Public Pools to Remain Closed for Summer Amid COVID-19 Resurgence

San Antonio reported 691 new cases on Thursday.

Spectrum Local News

Donald Trump’s coronavirus strategy is simple — ignore the pandemic

Faced with a once-in-a-generation catastrophe, Jackson Proskow says U.S. President Donald Trump has adopted a clear strategy: talk about anything else.

Global News

Anti-vaccination leaders fuel black mistrust of medical establishment as covid-19 kills people of color

Washington Post

More than half of Black-owned businesses may not survive COVID-19

One report found 41 percent of Black-owned businesses have been shuttered by COVID-19 compared to just 17 percent of white-owned businesses.

National Geographic

Federal Officers Use Unmarked Vehicles To Grab People In Portland, DHS Confirms

Agents are deployed in the Oregon city amid anti-police protests. Homeland Security official Ken Cuccinelli tells NPR the tactic is being used to move detainees to a 'safe location for questioning.'

NPR

How will bowling alleys and casinos change after lockdown?

Bowling shoes could become a thing of the past says one firm, as it prepares to reopen in August.

BBC

Couples have been having less sex in lockdown, says a new report

Has lockdown dampened your sex drive?

Metro

Countries across the globe battle flare-ups of COVID-19

Outbreaks in the world’s latest hot spots pushed the confirmed global case tally toward 14 million on Friday. Governments are frantically trying to prevent and put down fresh outbreaks and keep their economies running as the pandemic accelerates in some parts of the world.

PBS

U.S. immigration officials spread coronavirus with detainee transfers

Reuters

New studies clarify what drugs help, hurt for COVID-19

New data was published Friday on dexamethasone, the only drug shown to improve survival in COVID-19 patients.

NBC

McDonald’s exec: The Covid-19 meat shortages taught us all an important lesson

CNN

Sweden becomes an example of how not to handle COVID-19

The country never imposed a lockdown, now has a coronavirus mortality rate much higher than the U.S., and could face a devastating second wave.

CBS

For first time, world records 1 million coronavirus cases in 100 hours - Reuters tally

Reuters

The explosion of new coronavirus tests that could help to end the pandemic

Researchers are scrambling to find other ways to diagnose the coronavirus and churn out millions of tests a week — a key step in returning to normality.

Nature

From farmed mink to your pet cat, here’s what we know about coronavirus and animals

CNN

Has the coronavirus proved a crisis too far for Europe’s far-right outsiders?

The Conversation

Scientists Have Been Right About The Coronavirus. Why Are People Still Not Listening?

Reactance theory may explain why people defy expert guidance on coronavirus. What is it?

Forbes

Trump Administration Blocks CDC Director From Testifying To Congress On Reopening Schools

It caps a week of clashes between the CDC and the White House as the country reaches record cases of Covid-19.

Forbes

If we want any vaccine to actually work, we have to prepare for it now

Washington Post

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 17, 2021

Details

Despite rise in COVID cases, LA sheriff's office says no enforcing indoor mask mandate

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will not enforce the county’s indoor mask mandate, saying the decision "is not backed by science."

ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

GOP governor’s vaccination tour reveals depths of distrust

AP News

Tunisia reports highest COVID death toll since start of pandemic

Authorities record 205 new deaths as hospitals struggle with lack of oxygen supplies and vaccinations remain low.

Al Jazeera

UK health minister Sajid Javid tests positive for COVID-19

Sajid Javid tests positive for COVID-19 as the government prepares to lift most pandemic restrictions in England.

Al Jazeera

Coronavirus doctor's diary: Unvaccinated patients with many regrets

The number of Covid patients in Bradford Royal Infirmary is rising sharply - and half are unvaccinated.

BBC

Covid vaccine: Tate Modern and The Oval open pop-up clinics

Pop-up vaccination clinics are opening across England this weekend including at The Open golf tournament.

BBC

Five things that are cheaper now than before the pandemic | CNN Business

CNN

An epidemic in the shadow of a pandemic: Drug overdose deaths reach an all-time high in US | CNN

CNN

Fauci says natural origins theory of coronavirus is still the most likely | CNN Politics

CNN

Fauci says polio would still exist in the US if the 'false information' currently being spread existed decades ago

If the health misinformation currently spreading regarding coronavirus vaccines existed during the days of polio, it would have never been eradicated, Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser, said Saturday.

CNN

DeSantis PAC selling ‘don’t Fauci my Florida’ merch. Hear Fauci’s reaction | CNN Politics

CNN

A bivalent recombinant vaccine: a promising strategy against both SARS-CoV-2 variants and wild type of the virus - Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy

Nature

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on mental health in Germany: longitudinal observation of different mental health trajectories and protective factors - Translational Psychiatry

Nature

A Week Before The Opening Ceremony, Coronavirus Turns Up At Tokyo's Olympic Village

The latest infection highlights the challenge for Olympic organizers to keep the virus at bay as tens of thousands of athletes and other participants convene during an ongoing pandemic.

NPR

Vaccinated U.K. Health Secretary Tests Positive For COVID-19

Sajid Javid tested positive two days before the United Kingdom is set to reopen following months of lockdowns. Cases, driven by the delta variant, are up sharply in the U.K.

NPR

Delta Is Surging. Here's What You Need To Know To Stay Safe

The highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading fast and driving new cases and hospitalizations. Here's what you need to know to keep yourself and your kids from getting sick.

NPR

How Republican Vaccine Opposition Got to This Point (Published 2021)

The New York Times

The Pandemic Has a New Epicenter: Indonesia (Published 2021)

The New York Times

'Bridgerton' and Coronavirus: Positive Tests Halt Production in UK

The New York Times

Study suggests mask-wearing reduces the odds of self-infection with SARS-CoV-2

PNAS

Healthy Hong Kong residents unlikely to need third Covid-19 jab: adviser

Those with weaker immune systems, however, may want to get a booster, Professor Wallace Lau says as city confirms zero Covid-19 cases on Saturday.

South China Morning Post

British health minister tests positive for Covid-19

Javid said that his symptoms were mild and he had two doses of Covid-19 vaccine.

South China Morning Post

Tom Daley: ‘I took up crochet during the pandemic’

The diver, 27, talks about fear on the diving board, marrying an older man, becoming a father and maintaining his six-pack

The Guardian

Majority of Covid misinformation came from 12 people, report finds

CCDH finds ‘disinformation dozen’ have combined following of 59 million people across multiple social media platforms

The Guardian

Thailand bans public gatherings as Covid cases hit record high

More restrictions are being considered as the country battles its worst outbreak yet

The Guardian

In-hospital complications associated with COVID-19

The Lancet

Do you need a COVID-19 vaccine to go to a concert this year? It depends

Rules around COVID-19 vaccines and masking protocols remain vague as concerts return. Artists have some control, but fans may balk at mandates.

USA Today

How to stay safe as coronavirus cases from the delta variant are on the rise

Washington Post

In this summer of covid freedom, disease experts warn: ‘The world needs a reality check’

The Washington Post

How vaccine-skeptic France and Germany came to support near-mandates

Washington Post

Canada's vaccination rate overtakes US

Canada had a slow start on vaccinations compared to its neighbour but has now caught up to the US.

BBC

Los Angeles County sheriff will not enforce indoor mask mandate

Sheriff Alex Villanueva said he "will not expend our limited resources" to ensure residents are following the order. He instead asked for voluntary compliance.

NBC News

Opinion | Shut off Fox News and save lives

Right-wing Covid-19 denialism hit my community hard during the first surge. Now, we’re seeing a new, dangerous anti-vaccine push from these same sources.

NBC News

Eiffel Tower reopens; Covid passes required as of next week

The reopening came four days after President Emmanuel Macron announced measures to ward off a fourth surge, including mandatory masks.

South China Morning Post

Republican governor says anti-vaccine rhetoric is ‘killing people’ and denounces ‘propaganda’

Washington Post