DBIA’s mission is to provide the best resources available to help inform and empower our industry. In these uncertain times, that mission is even more important. As our communities fight the Coronavirus, we are working to find the best information available to help design-build teams navigate the unknown. This daily newsletter will provide the latest COVID-19 news for the AEC community.
Design-builders deliver in times of crisis and we will again.
If you have COVID-19 news impacting the AEC industry from your organization, state or community please email us.
April 27th
National
Coronavirus cases in the United States are nearing 1 million-CNN. A new week in the coronavirus pandemic is beginning, with a United States case count approaching 1 million and several cities and states preparing to loosen stay-at-home restrictions.
Coronavirus updates: More states easing lockdowns as U.S. deaths near 55,000-CBS News. Some U.S. states plan to join hard-hit European countries in starting to lift lockdown measures aimed to curb the spread of the coronavirus. They do so as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. approaches 1 million, and the death toll 55,000.
CDC Adds 6 Symptoms To Its COVID-19 List-NPR. The CDC has long said that fever, cough and shortness of breath are indications that someone might have the disease caused by the coronavirus. Now, it’s added six more conditions that may come with the disease: chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell.
States
Many states are far short of Covid-19 testing levels needed for safe reopening, new analysis shows-Stat. More than half of U.S. states will have to significantly step up their Covid-19 testing to even consider starting to relax stay-at-home orders after May 1. This is according to a new analysis by Harvard researchers and STAT.
Massachusetts
Large Massachusetts construction union tells members they can return to work-Curbed Boston. The North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, representing about 10,000 workers in Massachusetts, told members that it was alright to return to construction sites if they thought they were safe. The union had pulled its members from jobs on April 6.
New York
Construction Will Be One of First NY Industries Restarted by Gov. Cuomo-GlobeSt. In his daily COVID-19 update on Sunday, Gov. Cuomo outlined a phased plan to reopen New York. The construction industry is among the sectors that listed that would be included in the first phase of the restart, likely to begin upstate.
Washington
Some construction can resume with COVID-19 worker protections, Inslee announces-Tacoma News Tribune. Gov. Jay Inslee announced Friday that low-risk residential and commercial construction can resume, as long as builders protect their workers. “We have been working toward this measure for some time, and this work has allowed us to create a very comprehensive safety plan because we are thinking of everyone involved in construction,” he said.
Industry
Another COVID-19 Fault Line: Dysfunctional Wastewater Infrastructure?-Medium. Don’t be surprised if water — whose story globally is about inequality and failing infrastructure — becomes a big part of the story after all.
Software companies develop tech safety nets to measure social distancing-Construction Dive. In response to the current health procedures on job sites, several construction apps have implemented or updated programs. These allow site managers and workers to have an idea of ongoing social distancing practices to ensure everyone on site remains safe. This includes before and after coronavirus symptoms or diagnoses.
How Tech Can Help the Construction Industry Recover from COVID-19 Project Losses-ETF Trends. When the coronavirus outbreak subsides, economic recovery will most likely be a long process for the construction industry. To shorten this period as much as possible, companies will need to take advantage of new construction technologies.
Contractor confidence plummets to record-low amid crisis-Construction Dive. Confidence among U.S. construction industry leaders plunged in response to the economic fallout associated with the coronavirus outbreak, according to the newest Associated Builders and Contractors’ Construction Confidence Index.
Contact our editors if you have COVID-19 news impacting the AEC industry to share.