COVID-19 Digest: April 22

COVID-19 Digest: April 22

April 22, 2020 • Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes

COVID-19 Digest

Wednesday, April 22, 2020Please share this with your networks and encourage your colleagues to sign up here. If there are other topics or resources that would be helpful in future editions of this digest, please let us know here.

The Latest in New York

The latest: Cats can contract coronavirus; a contact tracing rundown; four companies share return-to-office strategies; Ramadan resources for pandemic practicing.  Confirmed Cases: 

  • New York State: 257,216 (+5,526)

  • New York City: 142,432 (+3,107)

  • Statewide Fatalities: 15,302 (+474)

General Updates:

  • Former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is donating $10.5 million toward establishing a multi-state regional contact tracing program. (Bloomberg Philanthropies)

  • Following yesterday’s White House meeting with Gov. Cuomo, Pres. Trump agreed to waive the state’s 25 percent match requirement for FEMA-related expenses, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars in savings for New York. (The Hill)

  • According to projections from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluations, New York could begin safely relaxing social distancing measures by May 27, which is notably later than federal and state guidance at this time. (IHME)

  • Two pet cats tested positive for COVID-19 in New York, marking the first confirmed cases in companion animals in the U.S. (AP) In response, the CDC has issued new pet-related guidance. (Twitter)

  • Our friends at Differential Ventures have announced a new grant program, awarding $10,000 to $25,000 grants to early-stage data science, AI, and ML startups using their technology to support COVID-19 relief efforts. Learn more here.

A non-COVID must read of the day: Fifty Years Past the First Earth Day, a Frayed Planet—and a Sublime One (The New Yorker)

Survey

Yesterday's results: Have you received your economic impact payment?

  • 23.2%: Yes, I have received it.

  • 26.8%: No, I am still waiting to receive it.

  • 50.0%: No, I am not eligible to receive it.

Today’s poll: Gov. Cuomo is turning his eye toward the state’s reopening plans, for which he has already committed to begin easing some restrictions with a regional approach. Although NYC will likely be among the last parts of the state to lift restrictions, businesses in the city are similarly beginning to plan their reopening strategies. When do you expect to be able to return to your office?

  • *|SURVEY: Before June|*

  • *|SURVEY: In June|*

  • *|SURVEY: After June, but before the end of the year|*

  • *|SURVEY: Not until 2021|*

What You Need to Know

Contact tracing:

  • Contact tracing is based on a pretty straight-forward idea: people in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 are at risk of getting sick. (TIME)

  • As confirmed cases continue to climb, albeit now more slowly, well-resourced tracing programs will become a primary tool for containing outbreaks and a key indicator of when our economy can reopen. (NPR)

  • Apple and Google are teaming up to make contact tracing more accurate and accessible by programming it directly into your phone’s OS. The partnership will make it easier for developers and governments to build the apps that help public health agencies and other users understand the spread of the disease. (The Verge)

  • While many privacy advocates and elected officials have acknowledged the importance of contact tracing, they are also urging any tools be designed with privacy concerns at the forefront. The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee has already held a paper hearing on the privacy concerns. (The Hill) The Princeton Center for Information Technology Policy recently convened an in-depth, technical webinar on the specific privacy issues around contact tracing. (Princeton CITP) Nearly 300 academics wrote a letter praising contact tracing apps that prioritize privacy. (TechCrunch)  

  • Following his meeting on testing capacity with Pres. Trump yesterday, Gov. Cuomo introduced New York’s contact tracing plan:

    • With $1.3 billion available to New York from the federal government for testing and tracing, the state’s goal is to double the amount of tests being processed every day to 40,000 by mid-May. (NPR)

    • New York will form a tri-state partnership with NJ and CT to develop a tracing program, acknowledging many people’s work and home lives transcend the three states’ borders. (WABC)

    • Through its public health initiatives at Johns Hopkins, Bloomberg Philanthropies will be partnering with the state to help fund, develop, and implement the program. (NBC News)

    • The SUNY and CUNY school systems will also provide 35,000 students in medical fields who can serve as tracers. (PIX11)

  • Mayor de Blasio has announced his own plans for testing and tracing, where the city will prioritize NYCHA residents and public housing developments as new testing centers. (New York Post)

  • Nationally, adequately tracing the virus could require as many as 300,000 workers, but we’re nowhere close to that. (POLITICO) 

RETURN-TO-OFFICE PLANS:

As New York plans its reopening, so too are companies forming their return-to-office strategies. In addition to following federal guidelines, here is a snapshot of what some companies are preparing:

  • Anvyl: return to office plan incorporates staggered returns to the office; 6-foot spacing between employees; increased disinfecting supplies and cleaning protocols; reconsidered conference room usage; individually wrapped food and snacks; and business critical travel only. Plan will be adapted to incorporate employee, industry, government, and scientific feedback as it becomes available. 

  • Casebook: a five phase return-to-office plan. Currently in the first phase, they are focusing on work that can be completed before a reopening date is identified, which includes: procuring reusable face masks and filters for all employees; procurement plan for anti-contagion products; planning for potential physical infrastructure changes to the building; redesign of the floor plan; revamped HR policies; planning for staggered building entry times and days; and eventual identification of a reopening date. 

  • Dashlane: a five-phase return-to-work framework. In the first phase of their plan (before Dashlanes offices reopen) they will prepare for partial opening by developing and undertaking measures related to: disinfection, social distancing, food and beverage safety, office delivery procedures, increased signage, health and self-screening procedures, and training plans for employees.

  • Slack: floated a tentative reopening date of June 1 based on guidance from the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local governments. Slack will provide employees with confirmation of the planned June 1 return date at least two weeks before offices reopen.

Request: please let us know as your return-to-office policies are developed and what considerations your companies are taking for developing them. Sharing this information is helpful to companies and employees across the NYC ecosystem and can be kept anonymous.

POLICY:

  • The FCC announced the second round of recipients as part of its $200 million COVID-19 Telehealth Program. (FCC)

  • New York City Council members convened virtually for the first time, using Zoom for the official meeting. (Twitter) 

EVENTS:

  • April 23: Virtual: Bring Your Kids to Work Day. Hosted by Vivvi. (Details)

  • April 23: Virtual: Innovation in Mobility, with Lyft, Avis, JUMP, and Voyage. Hosted by Newlab. (Details) 

  • April 24: Webinar: The CARES Act and Your Student Loans. Hosted by Summer. (Details)

  • April 26: Virtual: brunchwork at home, with Ellevest cofounder Charlie Kroll and Republic cofounder Kendrick Nguyen. Hosted by brunchwork. Use code TECHNYC30 for 30% off. (Details)

  • April 28: Virtual: What’s Happening in Education and Edtech, with Kaplan EIR Megan O’Connor. Hosted by Human Ventures. (Details)

  • May 1: Webinar: Virtual Career Lunch Series, with Button senior recruiter Caroline Taylor. Hosted by thelighthouse. (Details)

Ramadan during a pandemic:

For Muslims across the globe, tomorrow marks the first day of the month of Ramadan (though the holiday may officially begin after sunset on Friday). Observers usually come together in large gatherings for calls to prayer or to feast, but this year will be different as 1.8 billion Muslims adapt to social distancing requirements to protect their communities from coronavirus. We’ve compiled some stories and resources to help celebrate safely and as close to normal as possible:

  • According to Shadi HasanzadeNemati, this year’s isolated holiday calls for a “light and healthy” celebration. (Washington Post)

  • Young Muslims are probably best prepared for the digital transition, and they’re working on ways to keep their family traditions intact. (MTV)

  • Children typically are not required to fast during Ramadan, but this parent decided to allow her 7-year old to willingly participate as a distraction from the pandemic and a lesson on patience. (New York Times)

  • Wondering how you can be mindful and respectful of Muslim coworkers during these next 30 days? The most important thing: ask questions. (Business Insider)

  • When you’re fasting during the day, the meals you choose to break your fast become incredibly important. Often both traditional foods and new cuisines make the table for the nightly feast, or iftar. Below are two recipe collections to try this year.  

    • Six nourishing recipes for your Ramadan iftar by Kari Sonde (Voraciously)

    • From sweet to savory, the New York Times has it covered in this voluminous Ramadan recipe guide. (New York Times Cooking)

  • Here’s how the world’s largest mosques are adapting, including New York’s Islamic Cultural Center on the Upper East Side which is conducting Zoom and Facebook Live events. (Aljazeera)

  • And lastly, video chat etiquette for virtual meetings during the holy month. (The National)

When In Doubt

Check these sources for verified information from government agencies and public health authorities: