IowaBio wants to provide our members useful information during the COVID-19 pandemic. This newsletter compiles information on state, federal and industry action to combat the virus and its impacts.
If your company is helping respond to COVID-19, IowaBio wants to know about it. Please, send any information about what your biotechnology company or organization is doing to help, to Jessica Hyland at Jessica@iowabio.org.
If IowaBio can assist you in getting information out, connecting with public officials, or support your company in another way, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Past IowaBio COVID-19 Update newsletters are now available at www.iowabio.org/COVID19 and can be found under the Industry News tab on the IowaBio website.
Iowa Update
Currently, IDPH has reported on the state’s coronavirus dashboard, 49,164 Iowans have tested positive, up 245 from our update yesterday morning, with a total of 525,593 tested. 4 additional deaths were reported since our last update, bringing the total to 935 deaths. Now 37,979 Iowans have recovered. The latest on hospitalizations, including how many patients have been admitted in the last 24 hours can be found here. The per county percentage positivity rates and school district statistics can be found here.
Federal Legislation Supplemental IV Timeline: Talks fell apart last Friday, and we seemfar from a deal. On Saturday, the President issued multiple executive orders to show some sort of action at the federal level. Despite the tweets yesterday morning, neither party seems to have reached out to restart talks. There will likely be quiet discussions between Democrats and the White House this week. It is unclear whether negotiations will restart with a modified group. Both the deadlines on unemployment insurance and the Paycheck Protection Program have come and gone, so there isn’t a set date putting pressure on Congress and the White House to pass a package by. Pessimists see this bleeding into September.
Politics/Process: State/local/tribal funding and unemployment insurance are the biggest sticking points, and there’s a belief that if those can be agreed upon, the rest of the package could fall into place. However, Speaker Pelosi indicated on Friday that they’re far apart on those issues (and others like education funding). Committees cannot move forward to negotiate details until a overarching deal has been struck.
Policy: On Saturday, the President issued four executive orders aimed at releasing some pressure from negotiations and showing that the administration is taking action. Many see these actions as less robust than initially described. Because of their limited nature, however, they rest on sounder legal footing than other actions the White House may have considered. House Democrats have been expected to file suit; however, if they do not, multiple Democratic attorneys general plan to do so. See below for a summary of the executive orders below.
Payroll tax deferral until December 31, 2020. Limited to payroll taxes on employees making less than $2,000 a week. Memorandum here.
Provides $400 per week in federal unemployment insurance but requires states to provide the first $100. The order redirects funding from the Federal Emergency Management Administration’s Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), which is usually used for natural disasters. The federal boost will stop when either the $25 billion allocated from the DRF is depleted or December 6, 2020. Memorandum here.
Note: because the July 31 expiration on federal unemployment insurance has come and gone, it will take states multiple weeks to begin distributing this money, even if states do accede to providing 25 percent of the cost. States have indicated that it will be difficult to implement, and some may have to seek a waiver.
Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Secretary of the Treasury to identify federal funds to be used for rental assistance to renters/homeowners struggling to pay rent/mortgage due to COVID-19. Also, directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the CDC Director to consider whether rental eviction moratoriums are “reasonably necessary” to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Memorandum here.
Essentially extends the current Education Department policies of student loan payment deferment and setting student loan interest rates at zero until December 31, 2020. Memorandum here.
HEALS: Senate Republicans released the eight-bill package the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection, and Schools (HEALS) Act on July 27. See the following for the individual bills. American Workers, Families, and Employers Assistance Act (Senate Finance Committee provisions) text here, section by section here. Continuing Small Business Recovery and Paycheck Protection Program Act (Small Business provisions) press release here, text here, section by section here, one pager here. Coronavirus Response Additional Supplemental Appropriations Act (Appropriations provisions) text here, summary here. Restoring Critical Supply Chains and Intellectual Property Act (Supply Chain and Research provisions) text here, section by section here. SAFE TO WORK Act (Liability Relief) text here, section by section here. Safely Back to School and Back to Work Act (Health, Education, and Labor Provisions) text here, section by section here. Supporting America’s Restaurant Workers Act text here. TRUST Act text here, section by section here, one pager here. HEROES: The House passed the Democrats’ opening bid for the next bill, the Heroes Act, on May 15. While it’s been over two months since House passage of the bill and the contours of the debate and which issues are most pressing have shifted slightly, it can still serve as a marker of what Senate Republicans will be responding to in their bill. Heroes Act text (as of 5/12/2020) here. Section by section here. One pager here. State and Local one pager here. NCAI’s summary on tribal provisions here. Manager’s amendment here. House Rules Committee report here.
Members of Congress in Quarantine or Treatment (new additions in bold) Tested Positive (3): Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) Currently Self-Quarantined (5): Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX), Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA) Recovered (9): Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Rep. Joe Cunningham (D-SC), Rep. Ben McAdams (D-UT), Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL), Rep. Tom Rice (R-SC), Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) Completed Quarantine (39): Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC), Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS), Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA), Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO), Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA), Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI), Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Rep. Vincente Gonzalez (D-TX), Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA), Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ), Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-NY), Rep. David Price (D-NC), Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO), Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY), Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ), Rep. Kendra Horn (D-OK), Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Other Federal Actions
HHS publicly posted the July through December COVID-19 Testing Plans from all states, territories, and localities on HHS.gov. The State Testing Plans serve as a roadmap developed in partnership with the Federal government for each jurisdiction's monthly 2020 testing strategy for COVID-19. The plans include details on responding to surges in cases and reaching vulnerable populations including minorities, immunocompromised individuals and older adults. Access each state's COVID-19 testing plans.
HHS and HRSA announced the details of the next CARES Act-authorized nursing home Provider Relief Fund (PRF) distribution. The distribution will total approximately $5 billion, and will be used to protect residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities from the impact of COVID-19 (approximately $2.5 billion in upfront funding to support increased testing, staffing, and PPE needs). The Agency expects the initial $2.5 billion nursing home distribution to occur in mid-August, to be followed by additional performance-based distributions throughout the fall.
The FDA issued a warning letter to one firm for selling unapproved products with fraudulent COVID-19 claims. The company, H-Lab Life, sells “Multi-Use Spray” products, with misleading claims that the products can mitigate, prevent, treat, diagnose, or cure COVID-19 in people. There are currently no FDA-approved products to prevent or treat COVID-19. FDA requested that H-Lab Life immediately cease selling these unapproved products.
FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn gave a speech yesterday about the "Critical Role of Health Care Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic."
In an effort to ensure that hand sanitizers produced under the agency’s temporary guidances do not contain unsafe levels of methanol, FDA has updated its guidances to provide clarification that companies test each lot of the active ingredient (ethanol or isopropyl alcohol (IPA)) for methanol, if the ethanol or IPA is obtained from another source. FDA has also included an additional denaturant formula in the temporary guidances.
FDA issued an EUA to George Washington University Public Health Laboratory for its GWU SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Test. This molecular test is for use by health care providers for the qualitative detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 in upper respiratory specimens (e.g., nasal, mid-turbinate, nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs) from individuals suspected of having contracted COVID-19. Administration of this test is limited to the George Washington University Public Health Laboratory.
FEMA has issued a temporary final rule about the allocation of health and medical resources. In April, FEMA issued a temporary final rule to allocate certain health and medical resources for domestic use, so that these resources may not be exported from the U.S. without explicit approval by FEMA. The rule covered five types of PPE. While this rule remains in effect, and subject to certain exemptions stated below, no shipments of such designated materials may leave the U.S. without explicit approval by FEMA. Through this extension, FEMA modifies the types of PPE covered and extends the duration of the temporary final rule.
Here is last week’s COVIDView from CDC, a weekly summary and interpretation of key indicators that have been adapted to track the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.
The CDC updated its interim considerations for SARS-CoV-2 testing in correctional and detention facilities to reflect the Agency's evidence that supports ending isolation and precautions for persons with COVID-19 using a symptom-based strategy. The update incorporates recent evidence to inform the duration of isolation and precautions recommended to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to others, while limiting unnecessary prolonged isolation and unnecessary use of laboratory testing resources.
The CDC continues to update its dashboard with new guidance documents and details, and the newest toolkits. A few of the most recent additions include:
The CDC and the Census Bureau published a joint statement about the importance of protecting the health and safety of Census field staff.
Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) published an opinion piece in USA Today about the progress of NIH's "Shark Tank" efforts for rapid testing.
The Trump administration is reportedly piloting COVID-19 vaccine distribution working groups. Federal officials from the CDC, the Pentagon, and the administration's Operation Warp Speed initiative plan to conduct site visits and develop “model approaches” for other states based on what they learn. California, Florida, North Dakota, and Minnesota are all involved.
The administration is ordering schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Education to reopen for in-person instruction “to the maximum extent possible” on September 16. While families may choose to keep their students home and rely on virtual instruction, teachers are expected to teach in person unless they are at high risk for health complications should they contract the coronavirus.
President Trump is considering new immigration regulations that would allow border officials to temporarily block American citizens and legal permanent residents from returning to the U.S. from abroad if authorities believe they have COVID-19.
Updates from the States
Out of the cases under investigation detected by U.S. surveillance, there are 5,023,649 total cases and161,842 deathsThe CDC data closes out the day before reporting. The U.S. has now recorded over 5 million total cases.
The U.S. reported its lowest number of new coronavirus cases in about a week, as new infections in some parts of the country trended down. Multiple states, however, continue to document increases in cases.
Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has tested positive for COVID-19.
California’s director of public health abruptly resigned last night, a week after the state announced that an error with its electronic lab reporting system caused an undercount in newly reported COVID-19 cases.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said that about a quarter of New York City families in public schools have said they want to at least start the school year remote-only.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) recommended that schools delay their start dates until September 28.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signed a new law that makes it a felony to assault employees who are enforcing state health orders mandating mask use indoors.
Useful state data:
NPR tracks where coronavirus cases are on the rise.
Use Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 U.S. map as a resource for media, policymakers, and communities to view a collection of critical public health data in one online destination and better understand and track the COVID-19 pandemic in populations both large and small across the country.
NASHP has developed a COVID-19 State Action Center which serves as a state-level policy dashboard. Governing is also keeping a running tally of coronavirus news and impacts at the intersection of the health and economic crises in the states and localities.
This site from the Kaiser Family Foundation provides state-level information on cases/deaths, social distancing measures, health policy actions, and more.
This resource from Bloomberg Law is a database of State Quarantine and Public Health Laws related to the COVID-19 response.
This series of maps shows how states are responding to COVID-19, and this tracker, created and maintained by MultiState Associates, has an up-to-date list of executive orders and various travel restrictions.
Finally, this site offers COVID-19 projections assuming full social distancing and can be broken down by state.
International Affairs
Iraq’s Ministry of Health yesterday reported 3,484 new confirmed cases of COVID-19. This brings the total number of cases in the country to nearly 153,600.
Bolivia’s Health Ministry has also reported a jump, recording 944 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend. This brings the country’s total number of cases to right around 90,000.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK has a "moral duty" to reopen schools full-time next month for children's well-being.
Former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee has tested positive for COVID-19.
The U.S. and Taiwan signed a memorandum of understanding on health cooperation. According to a news release, the signing was witnessed by HHS Sec. Alex Azar and Taiwan's Minister of Health and Welfare Shih-Chung Chen.
Starting yesterday, masks are mandatory on certain crowded streets and busy public areas in Paris.
Greece recorded its highest ever daily tally of COVID-19 cases on Sunday. The country reported 203 new cases, most of which are in Athens and Thessaloniki.
On Sunday, New Zealand hit a milestone of 100 days without any new reported cases of local transmission of the virus.
Global Cases: Nearly 20,119,511 Total Deaths: 737,022
Lifestyle, Science, and Economy
More than 97,000 U.S. children tested positive for COVID-19 in the last two weeks of July, according to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association. That number represents more than a quarter of the number of children diagnosed nationwide since March.
The American death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic could reach nearly 300,000 by Dec 1, according to a new forecast by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington's School of Medicine.
A recent study found that the federal government has systematically shortchanged communities with large Black populations in the distribution of billions of dollars in COVID-19 relief aid meant to help hospitals.
According to a recent poll, 35 percent of Americans say they would refuse a COVID-19 vaccine, even if it was free, approved by the FDA, and available immediately.
The National Academy of Sciences is hosting a workshop on August 26-27 on airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The event will feature experts in aerosol science, virology, infectious disease, and epidemiology.
The University of Maryland School of Medicine and about 30 other U.S. centers have begun recruiting thousands of volunteers living in COVID-19 hot spots to join the nation’s most advanced trial for a vaccine against the disease (the Moderna/NIH vaccine).
NIH's Dr. Tony Fauci told attendees at Brown University's School of Public Health during a Q&A session that, "The chances of [a vaccine] being 98 percent effective is not great, which means you must never abandon the public health approach."
Leaders of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and its HIV Medicine Association sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence urging the Administration to issue a strong federal directive calling for mask requirements in all states to curtail the spread of COVID-19 across this country, protect the economy, and safely reopen schools.
CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report released multiple new articles/studies late last week:
In an analysis of pediatric COVID-19 hospitalization data from 14 states, researchers found that, although the cumulative rate of COVID-19–associated hospitalization among children (8.0 per 100,000 population) is low compared with that in adults (164.5), one in three hospitalized children was admitted to an intensive care unit.
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare but severe condition that has been reported approximately 2–4 weeks after the onset of COVID-19 in children and adolescents. Most cases of MIS-C have features of shock, with cardiac involvement, gastrointestinal symptoms, and significantly elevated markers of inflammation, with positive laboratory test results for SARS-CoV-2. Of the 565 patients who underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing, all had a positive test result by RT-PCR or serology.
Due to decreases in travel, Marriott Hotels reported a net loss of $234 million this quarter, compared with $232 million in profits at the same time last year.
Meanwhile, as people look forward to being able to travel more in the future, stocks of Royal Caribbean surged 10 percent yesterday.
NIH Office of Portfolio Analysis’s (OPA) expert-curated portfolio of COVID-19 publications and preprints includes peer-reviewed articles from PubMed and preprints from medRxiv, bioRxiv, ChemRxiv, and arXiv. It is updated daily with the latest available data and enables users to explore and analyze the rapidly growing set of advances in COVID-19 research.
Check the BIO Pipeline Tracker for the status of all COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and antivirals.
MMWR Weekly COVID-19 Briefing is a weekly podcast to update readers on the latest scientific information from CDC’s COVID-19 response. In each episode, MMWR’s Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Charlotte Kent provides an overview of the latest scientific information published in MMWR. New episodes are posted every Monday. Listen to episodes here.
