COVID-19 Weekly Digest (October 28, 2020)
All around the world, pandemic fatigue is setting in, as the need for social contact outweighs the commitment to following restrictive rules. Unfortunately, this is coinciding with a surge in infection rates in the U.S. and Europe. Asian countries, on the other hand, are managing to return to mostly normal. New infections in China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong, combined, have been around 1,000 per day, while here in the U.S., new infections are in the tens of thousands. Asian countries largely managed to avoid lockdowns by quarantining infected persons, aggressive contact tracing, and cultural differences that are more accepting of restrictions.
This virus will be with us for the foreseeable future, but there are things we can all do to at least make this time better all around.
CARES ACT UPDATES
Without a new stimulus plan, many of the protections from the CARES Act will expire at the end of December. Included in those safety net protections that will expire are:
A moratorium on evictions from the CDC
Mortgage forbearance relief for homeowners with federally backed mortgages
Expanded unemployment relief for the self-employed and independent contractors
Paid time off for employees impacted by COVID-19 or who have childcare responsibilities
A pause on payments and collections for student loan payments for federally-backed loans
Deferral on some payroll taxes
Suspension of early withdrawal penalties from retirement accounts
When the CARES Act was enacted, most envisioned a quick return to normal conditions, which unfortunately has not been the case.
Another stimulus bill?
Hope is not completely lost for a stimulus bill before the election next week, but the possibility of a deal between the Senate and the House is slipping away. Economists are cautioning that doing nothing or not providing enough financial support could prolong the recovery, which could cost more in the long run.
HEALTH UPDATES
Tips for voting safely
The CDC released a set of tips for safely voting. Besides the usual recommendations for social distancing, wearing a mask, and washing hands or using hand sanitizer, the CDC recommends that voters verify their registration status, find out where, when, and how to vote, and to be prepared. If casting a vote in person, bring your own black ink pen or stylus.
Do we need to keep wiping down surfaces?
Early in the days of the pandemic, when little was known about the virus and how it was most likely to be transmitted, initial research indicated that the virus could survive a week or more on hard surfaces. However, more recent research, as reported in Wired, indicates that transmission from hard surfaces is much less likely than initially believed. While some high-contact areas, such as elevator keypads and hospital rooms, should be disinfected regularly, constantly wiping down surfaces and disinfecting groceries and mail does not seem to be required. Researchers fear that the focus on surfaces may tempt some people to become complacent about mask-wearing, social distancing, hand-washing, and good airflow, which do impede transmission.
TAX ISSUES
The IRS has resumed sending out balance due notices to taxpayers after a pause of several months due to a backlog of unopened mail. However, the IRS hasn’t completely resolved its backlog because many people report that the IRS still hasn’t cashed checks mailed months ago.
LIVING WITH AND AFTER THE PANDEMIC
Even people who love winter may be dreading the change in seasons as the pandemic continues with no positive end in sight. However, as this article in Vox argues, shifting your focus outward can go a long way in dispelling depression and feelings of discouragement. The trifecta of social connection, a sense of purpose, and inspiration may not change the outer circumstances appreciably but can make a long pandemic winter less daunting.
Work in the post-pandemic world
The open office plan was already on the way out when the pandemic struck, and COVID-19 seems to have accelerated that decline. According to a recent survey of tech companies, less than half plan to retain their current open office configurations. Almost 80% of respondents indicated that their space needs over the next 12 to 18 months were decreasing, and more than half said they were planning on getting rid of some of their excess space in the next 18 months.
