Good morning.
Today's word count is 1,067, or a 4-minute read.
Good morning.
Today's word count is 1,067, or a 4-minute read.
In the final week before Election Day, new coronavirus infections have soared to an all-time high — virtually guaranteeing that the pandemic will be the most prominent issue in America as voters prepare to choose the next president, Axios' Sam Baker and Andrew Witherspoon report.
The big picture: Cases are surging and local hospitals are straining at the very moment that voters are choosing between President Trump, who continues to insist that the pandemic is almost over, and Joe Biden, who has made the crisis a centerpiece of his campaign.
Where it stands: On average, nearly 72,000 people tested positive for the coronavirus every day over the past week. That's the highest seven-day average on record.
What's next: This third wave of infections is already beginning to strain hospitals' resources in some parts of the country, and will inevitably lead to more deaths. It has already killed nearly 220,000 Americans.
The bottom line: Eight months into this pandemic, not only has the U.S. failed to contain the virus, it's spreading faster than ever.
Many of the states where coronavirus cases have recently skyrocketed are also seeing the highest death rates in the nation, a painful reminder that wherever the virus goes, death eventually follows.
Between the lines: Deaths usually lag behind cases by a few weeks. Given America's record-high case counts, it's reasonable to expect that death rates across the country will continue to rise in tandem.
Driving the news: Multiple states — including North and South Dakota and Wisconsin — had record hospitalizations yesterday.
The bottom line: These states are leading the country at a rapid clip along a road that leads somewhere very ugly, and given the resistance to mitigation measures ranging from lockdowns to mask wearing, there's no real off ramp in sight.
Several U.S. cities and European governments imposed new restrictions Wednesday to curb the spikes in COVID-19 cases, such as closing restaurants, bars and limiting social gatherings, Axios' Marisa Fernandez reports.
In the U.S.:
Internationally:
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
The pandemic is throwing a wrench into Americans' understanding of science, which has big implications for climate change, Axios' Amy Harder reports.
Driving the news: Recent focus groups in battleground states suggest some voters are more skeptical of scientists in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, while surveys reveal the persistence of a deep partisan divide.
Where it stands: Swing voters in five battleground states surveyed over the last six months expressed an increasing skepticism about science as the pandemic took over America.
The intrigue: These snapshots provide a rich backdrop to surveys that suggest a mixed picture of Americans' acceptance of science.
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Stocks took a hit on Wednesday, with the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq dropping more than 3% across the board.
Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner bragged in an interview with Bob Woodward on April 18 about Trump "getting the country back from the doctors," in reference to the lifting of coronavirus restrictions, according to audio obtained by CNN.
Assistant Secretary of Health Adm. Brett Giroir, who leads the federal government's coronavirus testing response, pushed back on Wednesday against President Trump's continued claims that rising coronavirus cases are a product of increased testing.
The Boston Marathon, which is typically held in April, "will be postponed until at least the fall of 2021," because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Boston Athletic Association announced Wednesday.
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner will be investigated after he left isolation to celebrate with the team on the field, the MLB said in a statement on Wednesday.
Don't forget to send in your dogs!