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.
June 18th
National
As States Reopen, Do They Have The Workforce They Need To Stop Coronavirus Outbreaks?-NPR. A survey of state health departments shows that the national coronavirus contact tracing workforce has tripled in the last six weeks, from 11,142 to 37,110 workers. Yet, given their current case counts, only seven states and the District of Columbia are staffed to the level public health researchers say is needed to contain outbreaks.
Fauci says US ‘still in the first wave’ as six states see record Covid-19 cases-The Guardian. Dr. Anthony Fauci warned the nation it is “still in the first wave” of coronavirus infections and deaths, as six states report record numbers of new cases amid continued rapid easing of lockdown restrictions. Dr. Fauci also expressed worry about new hotspots for infections in major US states.
States
10 states are seeing their highest average of daily new Covid-19 cases since the pandemic started-CNN. Just as much of the US was improving, 10 states are seeing their highest seven-day average of new coronavirus cases per day. Seeing record-high averages are Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas.
California
California sets new record for most new coronavirus cases in a day: exceeding 4,000-San Francisco Chronicle. The state reported a record number of new cases Wednesday, eclipsing 4,000 new cases in a single day for the first time. County health departments reported 4,233 new cases Wednesday night, with nearly all counties reporting. The state’s previous single-day high came last Friday.
Sacramento County considers mask order as it reports spike in coronavirus cases-The Sacramento Bee. County officials, disclosing four new deaths and 67 fresh cases of COVID-19, said they might require residents to wear masks inside stores and other businesses as an added precaution. It marked the largest one-day increase since early May in fatalities as well as confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Michigan
Michigan’s coronavirus State of Emergency likely to extend beyond Friday-ABC 12 News. Michigan will likely remain under a State of Emergency beyond Friday’s scheduled expiration of the declaration, Gov. Whitmer said. She plans to continue the State of Emergency for an undisclosed amount of time, which she said is consistent with the 49 other states.
New York
COVID-19 is surging in 22 states but not New York. Will that change?-LoHud. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has portrayed New York’s coronavirus reopening as the lone success story amid dire reports of COVID-19 surges in other states across the country. While phased reopening efforts halted in some states, Cuomo notes how New York went from the pandemic’s epicenter to lowest infection rate nationally.
Industry
Large Projects Drive Construction Starts, Overall Industry Still Down-Globe Street. The number of total construction projects breaking ground increased 3 percent in May. From March to April, the industry saw a 25 percent decline in construction starts. Last month, construction starts increased 8 percent in nonresidential buildings, increased 4 percent in residential buildings, and declined 4 percent in nonbuildings.
Owner’s Checklist for Resuming Construction-New York Law Journal. There are several guidelines for project owners to ensure compliance with COVID-19 regulations and for negotiating resumption agreements for previously suspended projects. Such resumption agreements should include a project schedule recovery plan and address several key issues.
Contact our editors if you have COVID-19 news impacting the AEC industry to share.