Of the 376 counties with the highest number of new coronavirus cases per capita, 93% voted for President Trump, AP reports.
Why it matters: Most of these were rural counties where people are less likely to wear masks or social distance, emphasizing to public health officials the need to find new ways to communicate about the virus.
The likelihood of a Biden presidency and a closely divided Senate means that nothing big is likely to happen in health care for at least the next two years.
The big picture: For all the time Democrats spent debating Medicare for All, competing public insurance options and sweeping federal controls over drug prices, the near-term future for health policy will likely be about gridlock and incrementalism.
The NBA's Toronto Raptors would love to play next season at home, but with travel between the U.S. and Canada currently restricted — including a 14-day quarantine — they're weighing a temporary U.S. residence.
The state of play: The NBA season is expected to start on Dec. 22, and a surge in positive cases in the U.S. means travel restrictions could remain for a while.
If Joe Biden pulls off a win, inauguration is still two and a half months from now, and the virus is raging. "The question now is whether leaders in hard hit areas who have favored a light touch will implement more aggressive covid control measures now that Election Day has passed," Johns Hopkins' Caitlin Rivers tweeted yesterday.
By the numbers: The U.S. reported 103,087 new daily coronavirus infections yesterday — a new single-day record for cases, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project.
European leaders are learning that the longer you wait to address the coronavirus, the harsher the mitigation measures to address an exponentially growing caseload must be.
Driving the news: Much of Italy will be placed under a strict lockdown as of Friday in the most drastic steps the country has taken to fight the coronavirus since it led the world into lockdown nearly eight months ago, Axios' Dave Lawler reports.
Health care stocks skyrocketed after Tuesday's election results indicated Republicans likely will maintain control of the Senate, all but assuring continued gridlock in both chambers of Congress.
The big picture: A Republican Senate means "the public option and direct government negotiation on drug prices are dead for at least the next two years," Spencer Perlman, an analyst at Veda Partners, wrote to investors Wednesday.
New coronavirus infections surged by roughly 20% over the past week as cases continued to climb in every region of the country.
Why it matters: All signs indicate that the pandemic will keep getting worse throughout the winter, making it harder and harder to eventually control — even if there's a new president, and even with a vaccine.
The U.S. reported 103,087 new daily coronavirus infections on Wednesday, setting a single-day record for cases, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project.
Why it matters: This is the first time the U.S. has reported over 100,000 new cases in a single day — a reminder of the high stakes of the election as votes continue to be tabulated.
