Daily Update – 95
New York Travel Restrictions: Frequently Asked Questions
“Importantly, the Guidance differentiates how the travel restriction applies to essential workers.”
On June 24, 2020, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced a joint travel advisory. Individuals coming into New York, New Jersey and Connecticut from certain high COVID-19 infection rate states must quarantine for 14 days. Late on June 24, Gov. Cuomo issued Executive Order 205 (the Order) and the Department of Health issued Interim Guidance for Quarantine Restrictions on Travelers Arriving in New York State Following Out of State Travel (the Guidance).
Bond Schoeneck and King examine some frequently asked questions about the Order and the Guidance
Five Regions Enter Phase Four Today
Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed that five regions – Central New York, the Finger Lakes, the Mohawk Valley, the North Country and the Southern Tier – will enter Phase IV of reopening on today (June 26). New York State issued guidance for Phase IV, which will allow low-risk indoor and outdoor arts and entertainment, film and TV production, higher education and professional sports without fans.
The governor also announced that in Phase IV of reopening, social gatherings of up to 50 people will be allowed and indoor religious gatherings will be allowed at up to 33 percent of the indoor site’s capacity.
The Mid-Hudson Region is in phase three and scheduled to enter phase four July 7th.
See the phase four guidelines here
Commerce Department: Durable Goods Rebound in May
The Commerce Department said that orders for manufactured goods meant to last at least three years shot up 15.8% in May after plunging 18.1% in April. Economists expected a rebound, but the May increase was stronger than expected. A category that tracks business investment — orders for nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft — rose 2.3% after plunging 6.5% in April.
The lockdowns, travel restrictions and social distancing measures meant to contain COVID-19 brought economic activity to a near standstill across the United States in March and April.
Read more at The Associated Press
Vaccine Alliance Finds Manufacturing Capacity for 4 Billion Doses of Coronavirus Vaccines
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI) plans to have two or three manufacturing plants for each vaccine, James Robinson, a longtime biopharma executive leading CEPI’S vast manufacturing push, said in an interview. “Right now, we know we can do the two billion doses that we have as our kind of our minimum target” by the end of 2021, he said. The group is planning for eight to 10 regional distribution sites “so that we don’t have to make everything centrally and try and ship it around the world.” Even with no existing approved vaccines, CEPI is already getting manufacturing and supply chains lined up in a quest to ensure coronavirus vaccines are distributed equitably around the globe.
The Oslo, Norway-based group is backed by 14 governments, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Britain’s Wellcome Trust.
Unemployment Claims Level Off at Historically High Totals in June
The number of workers seeking jobless benefits has held steady at about 1.5 million each week so far in June, signaling a slow recovery for the job market as states face new infections that could impede getting people back to work. Applications for unemployment benefits were slightly below 1.5 million last week, at 1.48 million the Labor Department reported Thursday. While weekly totals have gradually eased from a late March peak of nearly 7 million, they also remain well above the prepandemic record of 695,000 in 1982.
Meanwhile, the number of people receiving benefits, an indicator for overall layoffs, was 19.5 million in the week ended June 13, down slightly from previous weeks.
Economists say the sluggish improvements in claims tallies lower prospects for a quick recovery. Further, a recent increase in coronavirus cases could affect efforts to reopen the economy and get people back to work.
Treasury Department Considers Delaying Tax Day Again
The new date would be Sept. 15, according to CNBC.
Treasury has already pushed the April 15 deadline for federal income tax returns to July 15, giving individuals and professionals some relief as they grappled with coronavirus and stay-at-home orders in the spring. On that day, federal income returns for 2019, as well as taxes owed, are due. The IRS also pushed a series of other deadlines—including taxes for the first and second quarter—to July 15.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told Bloomberg. “I would encourage all Americans, if you can file, go ahead and do it, particularly if you think you have a refund.”
A Little Deeper Look at the IMF Forecast Numbers
- The U.S. economy, the world’s largest, is expected to shrink this year by 8 percent.
- Countries that use the single European currency are headed for a decline of more than 10 percent.
- Japanese output will fall by 5.8 percent,
- The Chinese economy, suffering the twin ravages of the pandemic and the trade war with the United States, is projected to eke out just a 1 percent gain—its worst performance in several decades.
Current conditions are considerably more dire than the ‘unprecedented decline in global activity’ that the fund projected two months ago. Since mid-April, economic data suggest ‘even deeper downturns than previously projected,’ the fund said. Fund officials blamed the darker forecast on the effects of social distancing; scarring to global production capacity from the lockdown of activity; and the productivity cost of new safety and hygiene rules. Some economies also are still struggling to control the coronavirus, the fund added without naming specific governments.
Travel Restrictions Went Into Effect Yesterday
There are lots of questions and only a few answers. One question with an answer is “Where can we track the restricted states?” That answer is “New York will track all other state’s infection rates and make the restriction list available on the Department of Health’s website.” The link to that page is below.
Track the restrictred States here
