APCO Worldwide's Coronavirus Beat is a weekly publication on the impact of COVID-19 on businesses, economies, policy and culture, and how leaders are responding. The next newsletter will appear Tuesday, September 22.
Have a comment about this newsletter? We welcome your feedback.
Business & Economic Impact
1. Amazon plans to hire another 100,000 employees, continuing its hiring spree during a jump in online shopping caused by the pandemic, The Wall Street Journal
2. The Asian Development Bank estimates that developing Asian economies will contract for the first time in six decades, before rebounding to 6.8% growth in 2021, ADB 3.The Bank of France said the country’s economic recovery from the coronavirus is stronger than previously expected, revising the GDP growth forecast from -10.3% to -8.7%, Bloomberg
Global Policy
1. Governments are being urged by researchers to invest in greening their cities as part of their coronavirus economic recovery plans to create jobs and spur growth, Reuters
2.Hong Kong announced a USD 3.1 billion stimulus, adding to nearly USD 37 billion of direct COVID-19-related relief measures to support affected industries, Bloomberg 3. U.S. Agency for International Development officials debated if American branding should be displayed on humanitarian and COVID assistance for conflict zones, The New York Times
Control Measures
1. Singapore issued more than 3,500 mandatory tracking devices to those quarantining for COVID-19 outside of dedicated facilities, The Straits Times
2.The Israeli government approved lockdown measures following a spike in cases, becoming the first developed nation to impose a nationwide lockdown for a second time, Bloomberg 3. China tightened surveillance of cold food imports and introduced tougher penalties amid concerns of coronavirus contamination in supply chains, South China Morning Post
Worth Noting
1. AstraZeneca resumed trials for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate with regulator approval, following a brief pause in studies after a participant experienced an unexplained illness, BBC
2.COVID-19 disruptions are expected to double the population of people facing hunger and food insecurity to more than 250 million people worldwide, The New York Times 3.A combination of lockdown restrictions and pandemic-induced financial difficulties has dramatically widened the educational gap in Latin American countries, The Economist
On Tuesday, September 15, APCO Worldwide hosted a webinar with Former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and APCO colleagues. Amidst the chaos and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, the upcoming elections, and the increasing importance of moving people and goods safely, the panel discussed transportation and infrastructure priorities, critical legislation, as well as and equity and equality in rebuilding the United States. Watch the recordinghere.
Some Positive News
Learning during a wildfire: Online learning during the pandemic enabled Californian children to attend classes despite the wildfires, The New York Times
Climbers head outdoors: With gyms closed, rock climbers have taken to honing their skills by climbing outdoors and reconnecting with nature, The Wall Street Journal
Rare opportunities for small businesses: Lockdowns gave many small business opportunities to adopt digital technology and improve their productivity, Financial Times
More Tips from Around the Water Cooler
Why did stock markets rebound from COVID in record time? Here are five reasons, The Wall Street Journal
How mismanaging marketing causes many startups to fail (and how to manage marketing better), Forbes
Quotables
"Epidemics are nonlinear; they tend to be chaotic with few certainties. Leaders cannot foresee the future; they need flexibility in their planning. In fact, epidemics are like war: foggy, unpredictable and never go the way you think. […] The 'rule of six’' could well be the policy that tips the British public over the edge, for it is a disturbing decision that has no scientific evidence to back it up"
- Professor Carl Heneghan, Director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, University of Oxford
(Click here for details on the UK’s new social distancing guidance.)
The APCO team is working with clients globally to manage this crisis, and we stand ready to support your needs. For more resources from APCO, including our latest research, information on how we can help or to contact us, visit apcoworldwide.com/coronavirus.
About Coronavirus Beat
Coronavirus Beat is a bulletin of updates and clippings from the most relevant media and government sources created to help APCO’s clients keep abreast of the impacts of COVID-19 from around the world. APCO is supporting clients in managing the issues they confront related to the outbreak. Contact our crisis team at Crisis360@apcoworldwide.com or +1.866.360.APCO (toll-free) or +1.866.483.2726 (outside the United States).
APCO Worldwide is an advisory and advocacy communications consultancy helping leading public and private sector organizations act with agility, and build organizational reputations, brands, relationships and solutions to succeed. APCO has offices in more than 30 major cities throughout the world. To find out how APCO’s integrated services can help your company, visit apcoworldwide.com.
