Outside Iona
May 15, 2020
Throughout our hectic student lives, we should always remain aware of what is happening
around us. In this column, I find the most significant things going on around the world and
provide you with a small blurb of all the nitty-gritty details! Here are some of the major events
that have been happening:
General COVID-19 Update.
COVID-19 continues to spread globally and has effectively breached the White House, adding to the 6,389 total cases in the District of Columbia. There are over 4 million confirmed cases worldwide, with over 1 million of them focused in the United States. New York surpasses 335,000 cases and remains the state with the most cases. State legislatures, including Governor Andrew Cuomo, have begun discussions regarding reopening states. This urgency to reopen comes from an increasing unemployment rate, leaving many individuals unable to support themselves during the pandemic. Although states are working to assist these families, scientists warn of the second wave of the virus and are monitoring new tactics adopted by states to minimize the effects of it. For example, employers are looking to design safer workplaces including open-floor plans, using copper desks that are less hospitable to germs and reconfiguring ventilation systems. Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warns that reopening the country based on politics and ideology rather than science will result negatively.
Info from the New York Times and CNN.
New York State Democratic Presidential Primary Reinstated.
After the Democrats on the State Board of Elections voted to cancel the Democratic primary, former presidential candidate Andrew Yang and several delegates on the Democratic National Convention filed a lawsuit. New York had been the only state to cancel their presidential primary due to COVID-19 concerns. Yang had made it clear that depriving millions of residents the right to vote is wrong and removes the basis of democracy. However, on May 5, United States District Judge Analisa Torres clearly stated that canceling the primary would be violating constitutional rights and needs to be reinstated. The primary will continue to take place on June 23, 2020.
Info from CNN and New York Times.
Tesla’s Fremont Factory Reopening.
Elon Musk stands by his Tesla factories. Though restrictions have been placed on Alameda County where Tesla’s Fremont factory closed all non-essential businesses, Musk believes they are being aggressive. Therefore, he filed a federal lawsuit against the county and threatened to move Tesla’s manufacturing out of California. On May 11, the Public Health Office of Alameda County stated that they were working with Tesla to offer a safety plan to reopen factories. New regulations include employee health screening procedures, training front-line staff while taking into consideration their concerns and feedback regarding safety protocols. Musk stated that he will also be on the front lines with his workers and stated on Twitter that if anyone gets arrested, it should be him. Governor Gavin Newsom publicly stated that each county is reopening according to their specific conditions, yet reports having “great reverence” for Tesla.
Info from CNN, Business Insider, and the New York Times.
Sources:
Topic 1:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/11/health/us-coronavirus-monday/index.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/04/health/coronavirus-office-makeover.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/us/coronavirus-updates.html
Topic 2:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/05/politics/new-york-primary-back-on/index.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/05/us/politics/ny-presidential-primary.html
Topic 3:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/11/cars/elon-musk-tesla-factory-tweet/index.html
