Key developments for Tuesday, August 18, 2020

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Welcome to the newly updated Key Developments, now published twice a week and featuring a broader range of news beyond just COVID-19. While we're still seeing a lot of pandemic-related updates, we're gradually expanding the scope of our coverage as we move forward. As of today, there are over 22.2 million confirmed global cases of COVID-19. The number has increased by more than 1.8 million in the last week alone, with growth accelerating each week. Globally, there have been over 782,000 reported deaths. In the United States, more than 5.6 million people have tested positive, with over 174,000 fatalities—around 1,000 deaths per day. The U.S., Brazil, and India continue to see the highest rates of new infections. Mexico ranks third globally in total deaths, with over 57,000 recorded so far. The global death rate is also on the rise again. A recent report from BNO News highlighted a shocking one-day increase in coronavirus deaths: Mental health impacts from the pandemic remain significant. Anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts have surged compared to pre-pandemic levels, with some studies showing rates two to three times higher than normal. According to the CDC, nearly 25.5% of Americans aged 18–24 seriously considered suicide in the past 30 days. That’s a deeply concerning statistic. The Senate is unlikely to pass a new pandemic relief bill before September, and there’s still no federal contact-tracing program in place. Meanwhile, the CDC recently stated that immunity after infection may last at least three months, though the long-term duration remains uncertain. Saliva-based tests are becoming more common and offer a much more comfortable alternative to nasal swabs. They’re just as effective and could help improve testing accessibility. Amazon is offering relocation packages to some Seattle employees, reflecting how the pandemic is changing work culture and housing demand across the country. Testing delays remain a major issue. If it takes more than 2–3 days to get results, the information is often too late to prevent spread. One report found that 40% of tests are being processed too slowly, although companies like Quest Diagnostics are working to cut that time down to 1–2 days. And yes, there’s a pepperoni shortage due to supply chain disruptions. I’m not okay with that either. https://twitter.com/RobMcNealy/status/1295512811842371584?s=20 In other food-related news, Pizza Hut is closing 300 locations. Meanwhile, California is experiencing extreme heat, leading to rolling blackouts as power demand surges. Millions are affected, and for those relying on medical equipment like oxygen, these outages can be life-threatening. Patients using home oxygen should consider requesting portable units immediately if they don’t already have them.

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