COVID-19 & AEC Update: August 7, 2020
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.
August 7th
National
As Jobs Report Looms, White House and Congress Say Stark Divisions Remain Over Stimulus Plan-New York Times. House and Senate lawmakers have left Washington with no deal on a new coronavirus stimulus package after Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill and the Trump administration’s negotiators emerged from another meeting with wide divisions.
PPP Nears Closure-COVID Update-Industry Week. The Payroll Protection Program, initially passed as part of the March 30 CARES relief bill, is set to expire August 8. The program, initially passed in April as part of the CARES Act, offered small businesses loans via the Small Business Administration.
The Pandemic Pause in Travel May actually Fix Flying for the Long Term-BusinessWeek. The Airport of the Future Will Have No Check-In or Security Lines. Navigating the Roman circus of obstacles known as an international airport is likely the one thing travelers aren’t missing during the Covid-19 crisis. Now that forecasts predict tourism won’t fully recover until 2023, these transit centers are getting a rare, low-traffic chance to make many of the changes flyers have long wanted—along with upgrades they never imagined.
States
California
Should I Quarantine After Traveling to Another State?-New York Times. What you can do to protect yourself if you are traveling? California currently does not have travel restrictions in place, but there are precautions you can take if you are traveling to and from the state.
Florida
Coronavirus: Florida death toll will double over next two months, projection says-Local10News. Florida is nearing 8,000 deaths from COVID-19, and according to one prominent projection, that total is going to double by early October and surpass 19,000 by Dec. 1.
Texas
Positive test rate for COVID-19 hit record high in Texas-KXAN. The positive test rate for COVID-19 hit a record high in Texas Wednesday. Almost 40% of tests came back positive, but it’s from a smaller pool of 23,000 tests. That is the smallest number of daily tests reported in the state since late June.
Industry
‘General Economic Malaise’ Upends Many Construction Projects-Globe Street. While a number of developments have stalled, and some have been canceled, many not-yet-completed real estate construction projects will still go forward, although likely at a slower pace, according to Moody’s Analytics.
Fostering a Culture of Compliance in Times of Crisis-Industry Week. Companies should have zero tolerance for corruption throughout their supply chain and enforce disciplinary measures for any lapses. The COVID-19 pandemic has uprooted almost every aspect of our professional lives, and supply chains have been especially chaotic.
Health Check-In Apps Seen as Key Way to Limit Viral Outbreaks on Jobsites-ENR. Heath screening surveys accessible by scanning a QR code, like Shawmut Vitals seen here, have been key to monitoring the health of workers and visitors on construction sites during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contact our editors if you have COVID-19 news impacting the AEC industry to share.