Wednesday, May 13th, 2020
Expert Warnings, Pregnant Women Research & Work-From-Home Forever
All the news you need in 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by www.MagicSpoon.com/newsworthy
Story Summaries
All the news stories mentioned in today's episode are listed with links below, so you can spend as much -- or as little -- time as you want reading about the latest happenings...
Health Experts Testify
At a Senate committee hearing, Dr. Anthony Fauci warned cities and states could face new outbreaks and unnecessary deaths if they reopen too quickly. He was one of 4 top health officials who testified remotely yesterday. All emphasized the need for widespread testing to reopen smartly. Dr. Fauci also said the current COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. is under-reported. When asked about a vaccine, he seemed optimistic we would have one within a year or 2.
Fauci’s New Warnings: Axios, Stat, CBS News, WSJ
Case Count, Death Toll: Johns Hopkins
Thousands Sick on the Job
There is more evidence of workplace COVID-19 outbreaks in the U.S. The Associated Press looked at the 15 counties with the highest per-capita infection rates. It found every one of them has either a meatpacking or poultry plant or state prison. There has also been a spike in new infections among construction workers in Austin, Texas who recently returned to work. There are plenty of coronavirus cases outside the workplace too, especially in big cities. Cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York City have seen outbreaks in nursing homes and among unemployed people.
Read More: AP, NY Times
Pregnant Women Virus Research
Promising new coronavirus research was unveiled this week. Early data reportedly shows it’s unlikely pregnant women can pass the virus onto their unborn babies. Of the 30 babies born to women with COVID-19 in LA county, none tested positive. So far, the virus has not been found in amniotic fluid or breast milk. Meanwhile, preliminary research out of the UK found pregnant women have the same chances as the rest of the population to have a severe case of COVID-19. However, the most critical cases happen among women who get infected in the 3rd trimester.
Read More: LA Times, Business Insider, UKOSS
Dems Unveil New Relief Bill
House Democrats unveiled a proposal for a $3 trillion relief package. It would give billions more to state and local governments, hospitals, small businesses, the Postal Service, and more. So far, it has not been negotiated with congressional Republicans or the Trump administration. The full House is expected to debate the bill on Friday.
Read More: Axios, WSJ, AP
IRS Payments Direct Deposit Deadline
Today, there’s a deadline for Americans who want to receive relief payments via direct deposit. They have until noon today to enter their bank account information on the “get my payment” page of IRS.gov. For people who miss the deadline, that’s ok. The money will just come in a paper check in the mail, instead of a direct deposit. However, the paper checks may not arrive until next month. Of course, not everyone will get a payment. They’re only available for people who make up to $99,000 a year.
Read More: USA Today, NPR, CNN
Next Phase of Presidential Race
Former Vice President Joe Biden is the projected winner in Nebraska’s presidential primary. Even though he’s the last Democrat in the race, this win helps put him closer to becoming the official party nominee. Biden is planning to continue the campaign virtually, from his home in Wilmington, Delaware. He says he doesn’t plan to do in-person campaigning for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, President Trump’s aides told the AP the president wants to start traveling at least once a week, starting with Pennsylvania tomorrow.
Nebraska Primary Results: CBS News, Business Insider
Biden Staying Home: AP, FOX News
Facebook’s Settlement with Moderators
Facebook agreed to pay $52 million to more than 11,000 employees who developed mental health issues on the job. The employees in the class-action lawsuit are content moderators. They’re the ones who find and remove graphic and inappropriate posts from Facebook. Some employees say they developed PTSD from looking at the disturbing content. Both current and former moderators will get at least $1,000 from the settlement. Facebook is also promising to offer employees more counseling.
Read More: The Verge, TechCrunch, Engadget
Twitter Work From Home Indefinitely
Twitter has a new plan for its employees that will last even after the pandemic ends. BuzzFeed got hold of an email CEO Jack Dorsey sent his employees. It says some of them, who aren’t needed in-person, can choose to work from home indefinitely. Dorsey also said it’s unlikely Twitter offices will open before September and all in-person events will be canceled for the rest of the year.
Read More: BuzzFeed, USA Today, NBC News
CSU Online this Fall
The largest four-year public university system in the country just made a big decision. California State University told students most classes will be online this fall across its 23 campuses. Exact details will be released this summer. For now, a spokesperson says campuses are leaning toward a “mixed approach” with classes primarily online, with some labs and classrooms open.
Read More: LA Times, NY Times
Hamilton Coming to Disney+
The Broadway hit, Hamilton, is coming to Disney+ earlier than originally planned. The movie version of Hamilton will be released on the streaming platform on July 3. It was originally supposed to come out in theaters next year, but Disney moved the date up since most people are still staying home.
Read More: Variety, NPR
Work Wednesday: Blocking “Reply All” Email Storms
Microsoft is trying to put a stop to “reply all” email chains. This is a problem that happens when an email is sent to a large group of people, even thousands of people, across a large company. People tend to respond to everyone, instead of just the sender with replies like “thanks,” or “noted.” Now, Microsoft says it has found a way to block those replies for at least 4 hours, so your inbox doesn’t get clogged. The feature is called “reply all storm protection,” and it will roll out in Office 365 worldwide.
Read More: USA Today, Engadget, The Verge, Microsoft