Children Being Infected At Higher Rate Than the General Public
Outbreaks Follow School Reopenings, Illegal Gatherings, RNC Convention
Layoffs Pile Up As Job Losses Become Permanent
As the United States reaches 6 million coronavirus cases, the most of any country in the world, Trump’s failure to control virus and denial of the severity of the crisis continues to put American families at peril. The results of Trump rushing states and schools to reopen during an ongoing pandemic have been predictable: new hot spots are popping up in college towns, children are being infected at a rate higher than adults and jobs are being permanently lost because people don’t feel safe to resume normal economic activity.
Making this moment more challenging for Americans, we’re already seeing cases connected to the republican’s maskless and socially distant defiant convention last week, potentially creating a super-spreader event. Trump’s inability to combat the virus or to take expert guidance seriously has put American families’ health and economic well being at risk and his recent actions show he only plans to make things worse.
K-12 Schools And Colleges Reopening Are Creating New COVID Hot Spots, Causing Skyrocketing Cases Among Children And Young People
American Academy of Pediatrics: “Cases, Hospitalizations And Deaths From The Coronavirus Have Increased At A Faster Rate In Children And Teenagers Than Among The General Public.”
- “As some schools begin in-person classes, data compiled by the American Academy of Pediatrics from the summer show that cases, hospitalizations and deaths from the coronavirus have increased at a faster rate in children and teenagers than among the general public.” [New York Times, 8/31/20]
[New York Times, 8/31/20]
Between August 6 And August 20, Coronavirus Cases Among Children Increased 21% In The United States.
- “More than 70,000 new Covid-19 cases in children have been reported across the US since early August, new data shows. Child cases increased by 21% between August 6 and August 20, according to an updated joint report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association. More than 440,000 children have been infected in the US since the start of the pandemic, the report said.” [CNN, 8/26/20]
Nearly 9,000 Children In Florida Were Infected In The First Two Weeks After Schools Reopened.
- “The number of Florida children diagnosed with the coronavirus has increased by nearly 9,000 over the past two weeks as schools across the state begin to reopen. There are currently 48,730 confirmed cases of the novel virus among children under 18, according to a recent pediatric report released by the Florida Department of Health. In a previous report released August 9, there were 39,735 confirmed cases among the same group, which marks an increase of 8,995 cases over the past two weeks.” [Newsweek, 8/25/20]
Colleges And Universities In 36 States Have Reported More Than 8,700 Infections Since Students Started Arriving Back On Campus.
- “A return to campus for the new academic year has colleges and universities struggling to both contain outbreaks of Covid-19 and enforce policies meant to prevent its spread. Across the United States, at least 36 states have reported positive cases at colleges and universities, adding more than 8,700 cases to the country’s tally. Almost 6 million infections have been recorded in the United States, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.” [CNN, 8/30/20]
New York Times: “Nearly Half Of The Top 20 Metropolitan Areas Where New Cases Per Capita Rose The Most Over The Past Two Weeks Are College Towns.”
- “Take a look at the places where the coronavirus is spreading fastest in the U.S. relative to population, and you’ll see that many have something worrisome in common: Nearly half of the top 20 metropolitan areas where new cases per capita rose the most over the past two weeks are college towns, home to the reopened campuses of large public universities.” [New York Times, 8/30/20]
1,200 Students At The University Of Alabama Have Tested Positive For The Virus Since Classes Started On August 19.
- “Since classes started on August 19, 1,200 students at the University of Alabama have tested positive for the virus, the university system’s website showed Saturday.”
During The First Week Of Class At Iowa State University, 104 Students Tested Positive, Forcing Over 200 Students To Quarantine.
- “The starkest so far has been Ames, Iowa, home to Iowa State University. The school found 104 cases on campus in the first week of fall classes and quarantined 204 more people. Officials also reported a 13.6 percent positivity rate for tests performed in the first week.” [CNN, 8/30/20]
607 Students Tested Positive A Week Into The Semester At The University Of Iowa.
- “Iowa City is also on the list. The University of Iowa had 607 students test positive by last Friday, a week into the semester. The outbreaks at the two universities prompted Gov. Kim Reynolds to order bars closed through most of September in six Iowa counties.” [CNN, 8/30/20]
Classes At The University Of Dayton Went Online After The School Reported Over 250 Infections At The End Of Last Week.
- “Classes at the University of Dayton will continue online for at least two weeks after the school reported 116 case on Thursday and then another 148 on Friday, according to the university’s website.” [CNN, 8/30/20]
Super Spreader Events, Including The Republican National Convention, Are Leading To New Outbreaks
At Least Four People Tested Positive For Coronavirus At The Republican National Convention In North Carolina.
- “At least four people tested positive for COVID-19 at the Republican National Convention in North Carolina, county officials said Friday. The RNC told CBS News that all four — two prospective attendees and two support staff — were immediately sent home.” [CBS News, 8/30/20]
A Wedding In Maine Has Been Linked To Outbreaks In A Jail And Long Term Care Facility, Contributing To One Death And At Least 123 Cases.
- “An indoor wedding and reception in Maine earlier this month has been linked to at least 123 coronavirus cases. The Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) said the wedding has led to COVID-19 outbreaks at both a jail and a nursing home. The Maine CDC confirmed to CBS News on Saturday that the number of positive cases associated with the event has again climbed, to 123. The number of cases at York County Jail in Alfred has risen by 36 since Thursday, for a total of 54 cases — 35 inmates and 19 staff. The number of cases at Maple Crest Rehabilitation Center remains nine. The wedding has been linked to one death last week from the virus.” [CBS News, 8/29/20]
More Than 100 Cases In 8 States Have Been Traced Back The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Held In South Dakota Earlier This Month.
- “The annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota drew hundreds of thousands of bikers to the small town earlier this month — despite coronavirus concerns. Now, about three weeks after the rally kicked off, the repercussions are starting to become clear. More than 100 cases of COVID-19 connected to the rally have been reported in at least eight states, the Associated Press reports. So far, state health departments have reported 103 cases in South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming and Washington, according to the AP.” [CBS News, 8/26/20]
The Economic Impact Of Trump’s Inability To Combat The Virus Is Catastrophic, As Permanent Layoffs Pile Up In Industries Across The Board
Coca-Cola Plans To Lay Off Or Offer Buyouts To 4,000 Employees.
- “Coca-Cola Co. KO said Friday it plans to lay off some employees and offer voluntary buyouts to about 4,000 employees in the U.S. including Puerto Rico as well as Canada.” [Wall Street Journal, 8/31/20]
The Business-Software Company Salesforce Notified Employees That There Would Be 1,000 Lay-Offs Later This Year.
- “More fresh layoffs at big employers loom. A day after Salesforce.com Inc. CRM posted record quarterly sales, the business-software company notified its 54,000-person workforce that 1,000 would lose their jobs later this year. [Wall Street Journal, 8/31/20]
MGM Resorts Announced That They Were Laying Off 18,000 Furloughed Workers, One-Fourth Of The Company’s Pre-Pandemic Workforce.
- “Following casino shutdowns and furloughs in March, MGM Resorts said it would lay off 18,000 furloughed workers in the U.S. as the global travel slowdown impedes the gambling industry’s recovery. The job cuts, which start Monday, represent about one-fourth of the company’s prepandemic workforce of 68,000 U.S. employees.” [Wall Street Journal, 8/31/20]
Thousands Across The Airline Industry Are Being Laid Off In The Coming Months.
- “American Airlines said that unless it receives more federal aid, it will furlough 17,500 union workers and move forward with 1,500 layoffs in its management ranks this fall. Flight attendants, 8,100 of whom are furloughed, would be the most affected. United Airlines said it would furlough 2,850 pilots, which is 600 more than it had anticipated, as it seeks more federal aid. United has warned that as many as 36,000 of its employees could be eliminated Oct. 1 if the airline doesn’t get more government help. The union that represents United’s pilots called it tragic that the carrier hasn’t provided more options to allow pilots to leave voluntarily. Delta Air Lines Inc. said it would let go of 1,941 pilots.” [Wall Street Journal, 8/31/20]
Tool Maker Stanley Black & Decker Plans To Permanently Lay Off 1,000 Workers In October.
- “After furloughing or reducing hours for more than 10,000 workers earlier this year, tool maker Stanley Black & Decker said that in October it will permanently lay off 1,000 of them but bring back 9,300 to a full-time schedule. Chief Executive Officer James Loree told investors on a recent call the cuts are part of a $1 billion cost reduction.” [Wall Street Journal, 8/31/20]
22% Of Small Business Employees That Were Furloughed Between March And June Were Laid Off By July.
- “For small businesses, 22% of employees furloughed between March and June had been laid off by July, while 28% were still furloughed, according to a recent study by Gusto, a payroll and benefits company for more than 100,000 small-business clients.” [Wall Street Journal, 8/31/20]
On August 26, Bed Bath & Beyond Announced They Were Permanently Cutting 2,800 Jobs And Closing 200 Stores.
- “Bed Bath & Beyond cut 2,800 jobs on August 26. The retailer plans to permanently shut down about 200 stores over the next two years.” [Yahoo News, 8/29/20]
In July, 6.5 Americans Reported Having Been Unemployed For Between 15 And 26 Weeks.
- “Millions of Americans have been jobless for several months, suggesting it will take a while for the U.S. economy to recover from the damage wrought this spring. The number who were unemployed between 15 and 26 weeks rose to 6.5 million in July, the highest reading for records that go back to 1948, according to the Labor Department. The number of Americans reporting themselves as unemployed because of permanent layoffs was about twice as high in July as in March, when the pandemic struck.” [Wall Street Journal, 8/31/20]