Download the report here. Questions about COVID-19’s origins have existed since the beginning of the pandemic. From the outset, Chinese officials intentionally misled the world about the coronavirus outbreak and the dangers it posed. In late 2019 and early 2020, government authorities sought to conceal infections from their own population as well as from global […]
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LOCKDOWN STATES FACING HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT
Key Points: Unemployment rates fell in 20 states and the District of Columbia, and remained stable in 30 states in March. The U.S. unemployment rate fell by 0.2% over the month to 6.0%, but is still 1.6% higher than March 2020. 19 states and the District of Columbia have unemployment rates above the U.S. average. […]
Read MoreLOCKDOWN STATES FUELING SURGE IN COVID CASES
Key Points: COVID restrictions in some parts of the country continue to be lifted as the daily average cases per day have increased by 11% in the last 2 weeks. However, the states where cases are increasing are not the states that lifted restrictions. The top 10 states by cases per capita over the last […]
Read More7% OF THE 1.9 TRILLION STIMULUS BILL GOES TO COVID TREATMENT
Key Points: The Senate voted to advance the latest round of stimulus legislation, which now goes back to the House for final approval. The $1.9 trillion legislation, known as the American Rescue Plan Act, would be the largest COVID aid package. The first bill, passed in March 2020, was for $1.7 trillion and the second […]
Read More15.6% OF U.S. HAS RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE COVID-19 VACCINE DOSE
Key Points: Operation Warp Speed delivered COVID-19 vaccines in record time. Now, the vaccine distribution is underway. In the U.S., 78.6 Million doses have been administered of the 102.4 Million doses distributed. 15.6% of the U.S. population has received at least one dose and 7.9% has been fully vaccinated. The U.S. 7-day average daily rate […]
Read MorePPP SAVED 55 MILLION JOBS
KEY POINTS: Last year, congress delivered more than $1 billion in small business relief, including more than $800 billion for PPP during COVID-19. According to the Census Bureau, nearly 75 percent of all small businesses in the entire country received a PPP loan. Businesses receiving PPP loans report retaining over 55 million jobs. The first […]
Read MorePPP INJECTED $525 BILLION INTO THE U.S. ECONOMY
KEY POINTS: The Biden Administration is considering numerous changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). It is important to highlight the impact of the Paycheck Protection Program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) recently explained the success of the PPP program he co-authored as Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business […]
Read MoreMEASUREMENTS GONE AWRY: MORE PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS, WORSE PANDEMIC OUTCOMES
Key Points: In 2019, the Gates Foundation created a metric to measure a country’s level of pandemic preparedness, called the Global Health Security Index. In 2020, an actual pandemic, COVID-19, started. However, the observed correlations with the COVID-19 death rate suggests the preparedness measures did not capture what they claimed to: a higher preparedness score […]
Read MoreBIGGER STIMULUS CHECKS GO TOWARDS HIGHER INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
Key Points: Congress and the White House are debating “check amounts” for a new round of stimulus. Bigger checks inevitably reach higher-income households. The chart above shows how a 5% phase-out rate for a hypothetical family of four with two kids, with a $150,000 income threshold. For the family of four, giving households $1400 rather […]
Read MoreNEW YORK STATE LOST 1 MILLION JOBS IN 2020
Key Points: New York has imposed some of the strictest lockdowns to combat the spread of COVID-19. However, data shows New York is still facing more dramatic health and economic crises than the rest of the country. State level unemployment shows that New York has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country at […]
Read MoreNEARLY 3/4 OF NY COVID-19 CASES HAVE COME FROM PRIVATE GATHERINGS
Key Points: New York State recently released statewide contact tracing data collected from September to November. The data show that 73.84% of all COVID-19 cases traced by the state have come from private social gatherings. The next highest reason for the virus’ spread was healthcare delivery at 7.81%, which includes any necessary service in hospitals […]
Read MoreOPERATION WARP SPEED DELIVERS COVID-19 VACCINE IN RECORD TIME
Key Points: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s authorized Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, following its record-setting swift development. The vaccine was approved after a 44,000-person study showed the vaccine was 95% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19. This was the fastest development of a vaccine ever recorded, due to Operation Warp Speed. Operation Warp Speed […]
Read MoreEUROPE COVID-19 CASES PER CAPITA MUCH HIGHER THAN U.S.
Key Points: Europe has been seeing a much more dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases than the U.S.. Europe’s overall 7 day rolling average of cases per capita is 33.3, led by Belgium with 145.9 cases per capita. Meanwhile, the U.S. is seeing a 7 day rolling average of cases per capita at 22.7. Belgium’s positive […]
Read MoreEUROPEAN COVID-19 CASE FATALITY RATE 1.5X HIGHER THAN U.S.
Key Points: European COVID-19 case fatality rate is nearly 1.5x higher than the United States. As of October 6, Europe has a 4.1% case fatality rate, while the U.S. has a 2.7% case fatality rate. Italy and the United Kingdom have the highest rates at 10.9% and 8.0% respectively. This is higher than any state […]
Read MoreONLY 6% OF U.S. DEATHS LISTED COVID-19 AS THE ONLY CAUSE OF DEATH
Key Points: The Center for Disease Control released an update on COVID-19 comorbidities. The release found that for 6% of deaths, COVID-19 was the only listed cause of death. This means that additional conditions were reported in 94% of COVID-19 deaths. The average number of conditions listed as cause of death in addition to COVID-19 […]
Read MoreUPDATE: FLORIDA’S NEW COVID-19 CASES CONTINUE TO DECLINE
Key Points: After an increase in positive cases over the summer, Florida’s COVID-19 cases continue to decline. Of the 4.4M tests conducted in Florida, more than 3.8M have been negative. Over the past 7 days, cases have decreased by 41% from the average two weeks ago. Key Points: In the last 7 days, more than […]
Read MoreCOVID-19 MORTALITY RATES MUCH HIGHER FOR OLDER INDIVIDUALS
Key Points: COVID-19 mortality rates vary dramatically by age, and the risk is higher for older populations. Individuals 85 and over have the highest risk at 809.59 deaths per 100,000 people. The mortality rate declines for each age range, and individuals under the age of 24 have less than 1 death per 100,000 people. The […]
Read MoreMENTAL HEALTH DURING COVID-19
Key Points: 40.9% of Americans are suffering with at least one mental health condition, substance abuse, or suicidal thoughts during the COVID-19 Pandemic, according to a survey conducted by the CDC. 10.7% of respondents said they have seriously considered suicide in the last 30 days. 13.3% of respondents said they have started or increased substance […]
Read MoreA FEW STATES HAVE RUN PERSISTENT DEFICITS PRIOR TO COVID-19
Key Points: Lawmakers are contemplating providing financial assistance to state and local governments in the next stimulus bill. Most states balanced budgets or ran surpluses. Some, however, did not. The map shows how many annual budget deficits each state ran between 2009 and 2018. The data predate anything related to COVID-19. Persistent deficits as well […]
Read MoreU.S. CASE FATALITY RATE LOWER THAN MAJORITY OF OECD COUNTRIES
Key Points: The case fatality rate is the proportion of deaths from COVID-19 compared to the total number of people who have contracted the virus. The U.S. COVID-19 case fatality rate has dropped to 1.4% in the last 7 days. Overall, the U.S. case fatality rate is 3.4%. In the last 7 days, the U.K., […]
Read MoreSTRICTER STATE LOCKDOWNS MAY NOT IMPROVE CASE FATALITY RATES
Key Points: Stricter state lockdowns may not improve COVID-19 case fatality rates. States that never shutdown or re-opened in June have the highest case fatality rates. States that re-opened in April have the lowest case fatality rate, followed by states that re-opened in May. Key Points: Connecticut, New Jersey, and Michigan have the highest case […]
Read MoreU.S. OVERDOSES UP 42% IN MAY
Key Points: Overdoses continue to increase during COVID-19. Compared to the previous year, overdoses increased 16% in February, 18% in March, 29% in April, and 42% in May. For every 10 overdoses reported in May 2019, 14 overdoses were reported in May 2020.
Read MoreNEW UNEMPLOYMENT PAYS BETTER THAN EMPLOYMENT FOR 83% OF RECIPIENTS
Key Points: Congress is expected to pass additional stimulus this month as the unemployment benefits are set to end on July 31. The weekly unemployment insurance bonus may be making it more difficult for businesses to get employees back to work. 5 out of 6 of those receiving unemployment benefits are making more from unemployment […]
Read MoreEUROPEAN COUNTRIES FACING THE HIGHEST COVID-19 DEATH RATE
Key Points: As global COVID-19 cases approach 12M, some European countries’ deaths per capita remains high. San Marino, Belgium, Andorra, U.K., Spain, Italy, Sweden, and France have the top 8 highest deaths per capita globally. Each of these European Countries has at least 45 deaths per capita. Key Points: United States holds the 9th spot […]
Read MoreCOVID-19 SPURRED DECLINE IN ED VISITS FOR LIFE-THREATENING CONDITIONS
Key Points: The chart above shows the change in Emergency Department (ED) visits for 3 life-threatening conditions in the 10 weeks following the emergency declaration (March 15 – May 23) compared to the previous 10 week period (January 5 – March 14). ED visits declined 23% for heart attacks, 20% for strokes, and 10% for […]
Read More44.6% OF CALIFORNIA COVID-19 CASES ARE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Key Points: While positive cases have increased in California, the positive test rate has remained below its peak. Of the 4.17M tests conducted in California, more than 3.94M have been negative. Overall, California’s positive test rate is 5.65% and has remained under 6% since May 22nd. Key Points: 44.60% of California’s COVID-19 cases and 55.38% […]
Read More43% OF U.S. COVID-19 DEATHS OCCURRED IN NURSING HOMES
Key Points: Nursing Homes have seen at least 282,000 COVID-19 cases and 54,000 deaths. 24 states have had more than 50% of COVID-19 deaths occur in nursing homes. New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Illinois have the highest number of deaths. Overall, 43% of COVID-19 deaths have occurred in nursing homes.
Read MoreA FEW TEXAS COUNTIES COMPRISE MOST COVID-19 CASES
Key Points: While positive cases have increased in Texas, the positive test rate remains low. Of the 1.66M tests conducted in Texas, 1.53M have been negative. Overall, Texas’ positive test rate is 7.95% and has remained under 8% since May 3rd. Key Points: 10 Counties account for 64.3% of Texas’ COVID-19 cases. Only Harris, Dallas, […]
Read MoreSTATES WITH STRICTER COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS HAVE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT
Key Points: Unemployment rates varied state-to-state in May as the U.S. unemployment rate fell to 13.3%. States with stricter lockdowns tend to have higher unemployment. Every state that was open by April has an unemployment rate below the U.S. average. Key Points: The above map shows the May unemployment rate and the date the state’s […]
Read MoreFLORIDA COVID-19 POSITIVE TEST RATE REMAINS LOW, 49% OF CASES ARE IN 3 COUNTIES
Key Points: While positive cases have increased in Florida, the positive test rate has only slightly increased. Of the 1.6M tests conducted in Florida, more than 1.5M have been negative. Overall, Florida’s positive test rate is 6.08% and has remained under 7% since May 16th. Key Points: More than 49% of Florida’s COVID-19 cases have […]
Read MoreCOVID-19 POSITIVE TEST RATES REMAIN LOW IN MOST OF THE U.S.
Key Points: Despite an increase in positive tests, positive test rates remain low in the majority of U.S. states. The U.S. average positive test rate is 8.56%, with 20 states above the average. Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, D.C., Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New York have the highest positive test rates. The Right Facts will continue to […]
Read MoreCOVID-19 POSITIVE TEST RATES CONTINUE TO DECLINE
Key Points: The increase in positive COVID-19 tests is due to the increase in testing. The rate of positive tests have continued to decline. The positive test rate has been lower than 5% since June 3rd.
Read MoreLOCKDOWNS HIT BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES THE HARDEST
Key Points: An estimated 24% of all small businesses ceased operations from February to April. This includes 41% of black owned businesses and 36% of immigrant owned businesses. In total, it is estimated that 3.2M small businesses ceased operations from COVID-19.
Read MoreUPDATE: PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM PER CAPITA, STATE-BY-STATE
KEY POINTS: The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) offers loans for businesses so that they can avoid layoffs, protecting worker paychecks. The map shows the total amount of PPP lending approved for businesses in each state, per capita after both rounds of payouts. These values, in effect, represent the average amount of PPP credit approved per […]
Read MoreONLY A FEW STATES ARE DRIVING COVID-19 MORTALITY
KEY POINTS: Only a few states appear to drive COVID-19 mortality rates in the United States. New Jersey has the highest rate at 0.13%, followed by New York at 0.12%. The Right facts will continue to provide updated maps to show this state-level data.
Read More42% OF COVID-19 DEATHS OCCURRED IN NURSING HOMES & ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES
Key Points: As of May 22, 42% of U.S. COVID-19 deaths have occurred in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. This accounts for an estimated death rate of 1.81% of the entire U.S. nursing home & residential care home population. Individuals living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities comprise 0.62% of the U.S. population.
Read MoreU.S. COVID-19 DEATHS FAR LOWER THAN SOME EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
KEY POINTS: The chart above examines the total deaths attributed to COVID-19 per million people in each of the OECD countries. The U.S. ranks 9th in deaths per million people. European countries comprise the top 8 spots on the list. The top 5 countries on this list have more than double the deaths per million […]
Read MoreUPDATE: STATE-BY-STATE EIP PAYMENTS PER CAPITA THROUGH MAY 8
KEY POINTS: Amid fallout from COVID-19, the IRS has disbursed payments to American households throught the Economic Impact Payments (EIP) program. The map shows state-by-state EIP payments per person through May 8. These per capita averages have likely increased, as EIP payments continued past May 8. ECONOMIST CORNER: The federal government has a number of […]
Read MoreUPDATE: NEW UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS, STATE-BY-STATE
KEY POINTS: New unemployment claims have surged in recent weeks. For each state, the chart shows the ratio of initial unemployment claims filed in the most recent week for which the data offer full coverage (ending in April 25th) to the number filed in the first week of full coverage in 2020 (ending January 11th). […]
Read MoreU.S. ALCOHOL NOW BREAKING AWAY IN SALES GROWTH
Key Points: Sales of consumer staples grew heavily due to uncertainty over Covid-19. Alcohol followed a similar pattern in March. However, alcohol has seen more growth in sales through April. ECONOMIST CORNER: The lockdowns in response to COVID-19 have raised concerns of increases in substance abuse. This data on sales of alcohol relative to consumer […]
Read MoreTHE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM: PER CAPITA, STATE-BY-STATE
KEY POINTS: The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) offers loans for businesses so that they can avoid layoffs, protecting worker paychecks. The map shows the total amount of PPP lending approved for businesses in each state, per capita. These values, in effect, represent the average amount of PPP credit approved per person in the state. The […]
Read MoreGEORGIA HOSPITALIZATIONS LOWER THAN INITIALLY PROJECTED
KEY POINTS: Using Georgia as an example, hospitalizations are lower than projected by IHME model. The Right Facts will continue to monitor projections against actual hospitalizations due to Covid-19.
Read More2020 WASHINGTON MORTALITY RATE LOWER THAN PREVIOUS YEARS
Key Points: So far in 2020, mortality rates in Washington state appear lower than in previous years. The year-to-date decline in mortality in the state is consistent with the trend in the U.S. as a whole. The Right Facts anticipates continuing to highlight anomalies in mortality data.
Read MoreFOR SOME, NEW UNEMPLOYMENT PAYS BETTER THAN EMPLOYMENT
Key Points: The new stimulus legislation creates new labor market incentives and disincentives. For some, unemployment now pays better than employment, disincentivizing employment. This disincentive is likely to show up in the U.S. labor market data as higher unemployment.
Read More$2 TRILLION STIMULUS INCLUDES RELIEF FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
KEY POINTS: Early this morning, the Senate leaders announced an agreement on a $2 trillion stimulus package as the country grappled with COVID-19. The package will include $367 billion for loans to small businesses. This will provide relief to approximately 17 million small businesses employing 142 million Americans, according to the most recent data from […]
Read MoreCOVID-19: CASES SINCE FIRST 100 DAYS GLOBAL COMPARISON
KEY POINTS: This figure shows the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, both in levels and in logarithms. In logs, the data show the rate of change of the number of cases, with a higher value indicating an increasing number of cases. There are 335,957 cases worldwide, according to the most recent data from Johns Hopkins. […]
Read MoreU.S. FEDERAL RESERVE INCREASES BALANCE SHEET AMID COVID-19 CRISIS
KEY POINTS: In order to provide liquidity to businesses affected by COVID-19, Central Banks worldwide have expanded their balance sheets to near-record levels. The U.S. Federal Reserve has increased its balance sheets by $192 billion from December 2019 to March 11, according to the most recent release by the Federal Reserve. This follows a tapering […]
Read MoreCHINESE CONSUMPTION, INVESTMENT, FALLS AMID COVID-19 RESPONSE
KEY POINTS: Chinese measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within the country had a dramatic impact on the economy, according to preliminary data from the National Bureau of Statistics in China. Data from January to February are released together to eliminate seasonal factors from the Chinese New Year and allow comparison to the previous […]
Read MoreU.S. AND GLOBAL GROWTH EXPECTATIONS LOWERED AMID COVID-19
KEY TAKEAWAYS: Economists in the private sector and non-governmental institutions have lowered forecasts for economic growth amid concerns over COVID-19. The OECD has revised down its forecast for global growth in 2020 from 2.9 percent to 2.4 percent, with G20 growth revised down from 3.2 percent to 2.7 percent. While the OECD has revised U.S. […]
Read MoreUPDATE: THE FACTS ON COVID-19
Right Facts endeavors to provide the most up-to-date information that is relevant to ongoing policy discussions. To that end, we have provided several posts on the spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. Continuing our previous work, we have updated our figure comparing the performance of the S&P 500 during SARS and COVID-19. KEY POINTS: There […]
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