- Federal public health experts are beginning to recommend the use of face shields in addition to face masks in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- The Federal Reserve (FR) announced it is extending many of its emergency lending programs until the end of the year. Many of these programs were only set to run through September 30.
- The FR is also maintaining its interest rate at 0%-0.25%.
- Vaccine developments continue to show promise.
Congress
Congress has not made much progress on a new bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill. Serious negotiations are ongoing, but it is clear Congress will not pass legislation before certain policies expire on July 31. Congress is nowdiscussinga stand-alone bill to extend some of those policies, such as increased unemployment insurance benefits, for an additional week while negotiations on the larger package continue.
White House and Federal Agencies
President Trumpannounceda new “Embers Strategy” to direct resources to COVID-19 hotspots.
During a visit to the American Red Cross headquarters, President Trumpurgedpeople who recovered from COVID-19 to donate their blood plasma.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) updated itsCOVID-19 FAQs on Medicare Fee-for-Service Billingduring the COVID-19 pandemic.
CMS announced it willbegin reimbursing providers for counseling patientsto self-isolate during a COVID-19 test. CMS also developed aCOVID counseling checklist.
Federalpublic health expertsare beginning to recommend the use of face shields in addition to masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) released anew report showing the dramatic utilization trends of telehealth services for primary care delivery in Fee-for-Service (FFS) Medicarein the early days of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ Director, Dr. Anthony Fauci, discussed why COVID-19 isdisproportionately affecting Black communities.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an updatedCOVID-19 Response At-A-Glance Summarythat provides a quick look at facts, figures, and highlights of the agency's response efforts.
The FDAupdatedits list of potentially harmful hand sanitizers.
The FDAposted a videothat provides COVID-19 information to pet owners.
The Federal Reserve (FR) announced it isextendingmany of its emergency lending programs until the end of the year. Many of these programs were only set to run through September 30.
- The FR is alsomaintainingits interest rate at 0%-0.25%.
- FR Chair Jerome Powelldiscussedhow social distancing and other safety measures are essential to the economic recovery.
The U.S. economy简约by about 33 percent on an annualized basis in the second quarter of 2020. This decline in the gross domestic product (GDM) was fully expected as Q2 was the height of the economic shutdown in response to the coronavirus.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The CDC updated itsFAQs for healthcare workers在任何clinical questions they may have regarding COVID-19.
CDC updated guidance forbusinesses and workplacesto plan, prepare, and respond to COVID-19, especially if they are open.
CDC released new resources and tools for school administrators, teachers, parents, guardians, and caregiverswhen schools open this fallanddeciding how to go back to school. CDC also updatedchecklists for going back to schoolwith policies to minimize COVID-19.
CDC updatedinformation on health equity并对如何发布新信息systemic health and social inequities have put many racial and ethnic minority groups at increased riskof getting sick and dying from COVID-19.
- CDC released a5-Page COVID-19 response health equity strategythat focuses on accelerating progress towards reducing COVID-19 disparities and achieving health equity.
CDC updatedinformation on symptoms, testing, what to do if you are sick, and at risk groups.
CDC updated information onhow to clean and disinfect a facilityafter someone with COVID-19 has been in it.
CDC updated additionalpublic service announcements (PSAs)on general COVID-19 everyday prevention actions, people who need extra precautions, and travel.
Reopening, Testing and Treatment
HHSannounceda new partnership with Texas A&M University to increase manufacturing capacity for COVID-19 vaccines that are eventually approved.
HHS willpartnerwith the Department of Energy (DOE) to use Summit, the United States’ fastest supercomputer, located at DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, to research COVID-19 vaccine development.
HHS published anupdated listof how it has allocated remdesivir treatments for COVID-19 to states.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) released newinformationon the vaccine it is developing with Moderna which shows that two doses of the experimental vaccine induced robust immune responses and rapidly controlled the coronavirus in monkeys exposed to SARS-CoV-2.
A vaccine being developed by Johnson & Johnsonshowed promising early results.
Pfizeroutlinedits commercial strategy for the vaccine it is developing.
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