Sep 18, 2020, 3:33 PM
(from NBC News) Body temperature checks have emerged in recent months as one of the more advanced and passive coronavirus mitigation techniques, with tripods mounting infrared cameras now a common sight at the entrances of buildings. But it is unclear how well temperature checks work, and epidemiologists caution that mass temperature screening systems do little to detect people infected with the coronavirus and that they could make people less safe by giving the false impression that Covid-19 is not present.
Many companies, some newly formed or with little track record in temperature detection technology, have rushed to pitch lucrative contracts to schools, offering fever checks, contact tracing and other safety services. A handful of companies have pivoted from selling gun detection systems to selling temperature screening systems to meet demand, but these have not been approved by the FDA.
(from the Mercury News) Weeks after classrooms began reopening across the country, there’s been little comprehensive information about how many have had outbreaks. According to an NBC News survey last month, only 15 states are publicly reporting outbreaks of COVID-19 in schools. Emily Oster, an economics professor at Brown University and co-founder of the explaincovid.org data website, is teaming up with public school officials nationally to survey districts for information about cases among staff and students. They hope to provide a broader picture of how prevalent outbreaks are and perhaps clues to what measures work best at reducing spread, with a data dashboard launching Sept. 21.
(from Axios) The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that the economy will shrink by 3.7% this year — a rosier outlook than the 6.5% contraction initially projected in June. The Fed's fresh outlook sees the unemployment rate at 7.6%, lower than the 9.6% it saw three months ago. Fed chair Jerome Powell said more fiscal support will "likely be needed" and added that both the Fed and private economic forecasters have another stimulus package baked into their forecasts.
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