COVID-19

1.5 Million People Applied for Unemployment Last Week

NickelsMcHughMcHugh
18 June 2020

Tens of millions of Americans have filed for unemployment during the coronavirus pandemic. This historically high number increased by another 1.5 million last week as many people continue to struggle to make ends meet. Although the gradual reopening of businesses…

COVID-19 and the 2020 Summer Camp Season

Audrieanna Burgin
12 June 2020

Currently, they are more than 14,000 summer camps across the United States. States all over the nation are preparing to slowly open their economies. The American Camp Association states that it will vary greatly based on region and local governing…

WSJ: “How Airbnb Fell From Successful Startup to Crisis Mode”

NickelsMcHughMcHugh
1 June 2020

A couple of weeks ago, we looked at how Airbnb hosts are struggling after the travel industry came to a standstill due to widespread stay-at-home orders. This video explains in greater detail why the once successful startup was so vulnerable to an…

Vox: “Why we’re seeing mass layoffs in the US but not the UK”

NickelsMcHughMcHugh
29 May 2020

With tens of millions of Americans currently out of work, the U.S. is experiencing an unemployment crisis on a scale not seen since the height of the Great Depression. This video looks at the devastating effects of rising joblessness while…

A pizza by any other name…

Michael Coon
27 May 2020

As social distancing orders forced restaurants to stop serving in their dining rooms, many transitioned to serving customers with take-out meals or delivery. Food delivery services like Grubhub, UberEats, and DoorDash have seen dramatic increases in customers and revenue. Although…

Coronavirus in Communities of Color

Audrieanna Burgin
22 May 2020

The impact of the coronavirus in the United State is producing a devastating trend: people of color are infected with and are dying from coronavirus at a disproportionally higher rate. In Chicago, African Americans are 30% of the population. However, African Americans account for 50% of those who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Chicago and account for three quarters of Chicago’s COVID-19 deaths. Similarly, Johns Hopkins reports that in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, African Americans are 26% of the population, but account for 70% of the region’s deaths due to the coronavirus. The Pew Research Center reports 27% of African American adults personally know someone that has been infected by the virus. This statistic is double that found for White and Hispanic adults, which were each at 13%.

BBC: “Coronavirus: The Ski Resort Saving Snow for Next Season”

Veronica Horton
21 May 2020

In Finland, the heat is on to save the 2019/2020 ski season. Following the closure of the ski resort in Levi as part of the shutdown ordered by the Finnish government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the resort decided to take action. Rather than allowing its most precious resource to melt, it decided to save the snow. With the goal of extending what had been an exceptional season because of significant snowfall, workers at Levi literally piled up the snow and covered it with specially designed blankets to insulate it. The plan is that instead of waiting for mother nature to dictate the start date of the 2020/2021 season, Levi will reopen its resort in October using its saved snow. While it is possible that the area will have received some snow by that time, it is typically early autumn. Workers are optimistic that by saving their most important resource, they will be able to recoup some of the losses incurred when the current season abruptly ended in March.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Religious Organizations

Audrieanna Burgin
20 May 2020

Churches across denominations all over the world have been severely impacted by COVID-19. Like several sectors in our economy, the religious sector was simply not prepared for a pandemic. Reportedly, it is the common perception that smaller churches will not survive the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in several counties, such as Duval County in Jacksonville, FL, the current maximum number of people allowed is 50, social distancing at six feet apart. Exponential by LifeWay Research found 57% of churches have 100 people or less and 21% have 50 people or less. Therefore, in counties with maximum attendance/crowd limits of 50, 21% of those churches are legally allowed to continue operating within social distancing measures, and 57% must mildly reduce their service attendance numbers. Hence, in some cases, smaller churches have been less impacted by COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and have continued to hold face to face services.

Restaurants Implement COVID-19 Surcharges

Audrieanna Burgin
18 May 2020

Restaurants and service industries have been severely impacted by COVID-19. Many restaurants were forced to close their doors due to stay-at-home measures and some will remain closed permanently. As supply chains are broken all over the United States, food prices are increasing. Restaurants are dealing with higher costs and reduced revenues. As a result, some restaurants are implementing what is being called a “COVID-19 surcharge.”

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