COVID-19 Roundup from Pioneer: How long does COVID-19 survive?; Remdesivir to the rescue; HubWonk: Attorneys & clients at risk? & more!

Pioneer staff share their top picks for COVID-19 stories highlighting useful resources, best practices, and questions we should be asking our public and private sector leaders. We hope you are staying safe, and we welcome your thoughts; you can always reach out to us via email:  pioneer@pioneerinstitute.org.

Our Top Picks for COVID-19 Pandemic News:

William Smith, Visiting Fellow in Life Sciences: NEJM published a study on how the virus survives on different surfaces. It lasts longest on plastics and stainless steel. It also can survive in the air for hours.

Also from Bill:

• Data about Gilead’s trial of Remdesivir (leaked to STAT news, not from Gilead’s summary of the clinical trial data) indicated that 111 of 113 severely ill patients rapidly recovered.
• Here is an update on FDA efforts surrounding serological testing, a potentially important tool that may allow many people to return to work as they may have immunity to the virus.
• India is taking steps to stem panic buying of these two drugs.

Mary Z. Connaughton, Director of Government Transparency: Mike Festa, State Director of AARP Massachusetts, wants COVID-19 transparency for long-term care facilities in a way that protects the confidentiality of the state’s 57,500 residents. With 44% of COVID deaths occurring in skilled-nursing, assisted-living and rest homes facilities, his proposal makes good sense.  Hats off to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for this informative dashboard that also includes COVID-19 information by long-term care facilities as of yesterday!

• Read more about COVID-19 in Massachusetts nursing homes here.

Our Picks for Public & Private Sector Best Practices:
Joe Selvaggi, Host, Hubwonk: This week on Pioneer’s new podcast, HubWonk, I’m joined by Pioneer’s Director of Government Transparency, Mary Z. Connaughton, and Kosta Ligris, attorney and entrpreneur, for a discussion about ways to protect Massachusetts attorneys and clients from risk of COVID exposure.

Jamie Gass, Director of PioneerEducation: Christensen Institute co-founder Michael Horn joined co-hosts Dr. Cara Candal and Gerard Robinson for Friday’s episode of “The Learning Curve” podcast to talk about the technological advancements that are allowing some school districts to implement remote learning in response to COVID-19.  Since Governor Baker just announced that schools will remain closed for the academic year, this is a must-listen! Also from Jamie: David Randall of the National Association of Scholars wrote a thoughtful article about actions higher education institutions can take to weather this crisis.

Barbara Anthony, Senior Fellow in Healthcare: Kudos to the Baker Administration for increasing transparency now and publishing COVID-19 cases by city and town on a weekly basis, a change for which Pioneer advocated. Previously only county wide data was released. View Pioneer’s mapping of cases here.

Questions for Our Public & Private Sector Leaders:

How will our state and local leaders plan for re-opening businesses post-COVID? Rebekah Paxton, Research Analyst & Greg Sullivan, Research Director wrote a report released yesterday showing the impact of COVID-19 unemployment on Massachusetts cities and towns by industry. Read coverage in CommonWealth magazine and Patch.

What will happen to sports stadiums and convention centers? Greg Sullivan shared his thoughts in this Boston Business Journal story.

Shawni Littlehale, Director of the Better Government Competition: How will COVID-19 impact rental housing?

Do YOU have interesting questions and/or articles to share with us? Please email us, or message us through our social media channels below!

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April 9, 2020

Pioneer staff share their top picks for COVID-19 stories highlighting useful resources, best practices, and questions we should be asking our public and private sector leaders.

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COVID-19 unemployment surge is on pace to wipe out the MA Unemployment Reserve Fund within three months

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April 8, 2020

The unprecedented surge of COVID-19- related unemployment claims that began two weeks ago is on pace to wipe out the MA unemployment Reserve Fund within three months, which will force state leaders to turn to the federal government for a bailout loan.

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Report: MA Likely to See Sharp Spike in Unemployment Rate

April 8, 2020

The COVID-19 recession could cause Massachusetts’ unemployment rate to skyrocket to 25.4 percent by this June, according to a new policy brief published by Pioneer Institute. The authors recommend that the state join others in lobbying Congress for large block grants to avoid a severe fiscal crisis.

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April 7, 2020

Pioneer staff share their top picks for COVID-19 stories highlighting useful resources, best practices, and questions we should be asking our public and private sector leaders.

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Stanford Pulitzer Winner David Kennedy on Lessons for COVID-19 from the 1918 Flu Epidemic & Great Depression

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April 3, 2020

This week on “The Learning Curve” Cara and Gerard continue coverage of COVID-19’s impact on K-12 education, joined by Pulitzer-winning historian David Kennedy, the Donald J. McLachlan Professor of History Emeritus at Stanford University.

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April 3, 2020

Pioneer staff share their top picks for COVID-19 stories highlighting useful resources, best practices, and questions we should be asking our public and private sector leaders.

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New Report: Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY) Methodology Discriminates Against Older Americans, Threatens to Deny Seniors Access to Life-Saving Care

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New report asserts that with older americans more vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic, all health plans should avoid using the QALY methodology when assessing the value of care for older patients

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Learning in the Time of COVID-19

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April 1, 2020

Parents are deeply frustrated with the loss of learning their children will be provided as a result of COVID-19. Here are some resources to help address this gap.

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Pioneer Launches Report Series Highlighting Massachusetts Job Growth and Business Trends Since 1998

April 1, 2020

In “Some Big, Broad Economic Trends in Massachusetts,” Pioneer analysis of two decades of data shows fluctuating employment changes across the state, as well as firm size information and the largest employers. The report is part one of aa series that aims to provide deeper insight into COVID-19's economic impact.

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March 31, 2020

Pioneer staff (and readers) share their top picks for COVID-19 stories highlighting useful resources, best practices, and questions we should be asking our public and private sector leaders.

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Students still need to learn during the coronavirus pandemic

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March 31, 2020

This op-ed appeared in The Boston Globe on March 31, 2020. State…

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March 30, 2020

Pioneer staff share their top picks for COVID-19 stories highlighting useful resources, best practices, and questions we should be asking our public and private sector leaders.

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New Policy Brief on Federal Relief Act’s Impact on Massachusetts

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March 30, 2020

Greg Sullivan and Charlie Chieppo review the impact of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act on Massachusetts' budget.

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Congress should fix aid, provide block grants

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March 27, 2020

This op-ed by Greg Sullivan and Charlie Chieppo appeared in the…

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New Brief Calls on the USED for School Closure Guidelines During COVID-19

March 27, 2020

Pioneer calls on the federal government to quickly release a single report identifying which federal laws - and which aspects of those laws - are relevant to the topic of school closure during the COVID pandemic, and providing concrete guidance on how schools can comply in the coming weeks.

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Public Statement: Extend Massachusetts’ Income Tax Filing Deadline

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March 26, 2020

Massachusetts must extend the tax filing deadline, just as the federal government and 34 of the 41 states that tax income have done.

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COVID-19 Roundup from Pioneer: Why the divergent fatality rates?, Time for Telehealth, Missing the Greatest Generation, Senator profiting from COVID-19 & more!

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March 26, 2020

Pioneer staff share their top picks for COVID-19 stories highlighting…

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Why Are We So Scared And Impatient?

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March 26, 2020

This op-ed by Barbara Anthony appeared in WGBH News on March…

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