Archives: Morning Breakouts

There are two types of face masks and only one kind is protected against liability suits. Companies are asking Congress to protect them as the country faces a mask shortage.

For the rich, the threat of a pandemic might just mean a vacation in their isolated Hampton houses or Idaho cabin retreats. Meanwhile, stocks tumbled as global cases surged and economists look at the way the outbreak could affect the U.S. economy even more than China's. In other economic news: price-gouging, airlines, working from home, and more.

Thirteen countries, with a total of nearly 291 million students, have closed schools nationwide because of the coronavirus, most notably in China. But it's unclear what role children play in the spread of the coronavirus, and some question if the closures are necessary.

Medical professionals are worried that there aren't enough safety measures in place to keep them well enough to continue treating patients. In widespread outbreaks of infectious disease, health-care workers are almost always hit hard. “If nurses aren’t safe, then really our community isn’t safe,” said Jenny Managhebi, a clinical nurse at the University of California.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly misstated the number of Americans who have tested positive for the virus and claimed it would “miraculously” disappear in the spring, given a false timeline for the development of a vaccine, publicly questioned whether vaccinations for the flu could be used to treat the novel coronavirus and dismissed WHO’s death rate estimates. In a time when public faith in the government is critical to fighting panic and hysteria, experts worry the mixed messaging is doing anything but.

Lawmakers from both parties have stressed that Congress is “going to watch where the money goes.” Each state will be getting at least $4 million in assistance and HHS has also been ordered to use $3.1 billion of its quota on medical supplies, vaccine-making and ensuring health systems are up to handling the outbreak. Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical industry was able to secure a win on vaccine price controls but progressives are still pushing the issue.

The incidence of infectious disease events has more than doubled from the 1940s to 1960s, and researchers blame urbanization, globalization and increased human consumption of animal proteins. Meanwhile, scientists struggle to suss out just how many people actually have the coronavirus and how deadly the virus could prove to be.

"I also agree that the situation could be worse than what we have now, and it could be at pandemic level," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "But what at the same time we are saying is there are countries that with this situation that have shown that it can be contained so we should not give up." Media outlets take a look at the global response to the coronavirus outbreak.

State officials across the country are asking thousands of residents to self-quarantine in a desperate hope of heading off an outbreak in the country. At least three states have declared emergencies to better ramp up their response efforts. Among the states that are confirming cases are California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington and Texas.

Most people who get the coronavirus will only develop mild symptoms. But because of the extra burden on local health systems and how the virus spreads to older, more vulnerable populations, the virus' repercussions run deeper than just mild inconvenience. In other news: we're learning more each day about the virus; kids seem to be less susceptible but they can still spread infection; the fast-moving nature of the virus makes it hard to understand and contain; the EPA releases a list of disinfectants people should be using; and more.