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.
May 5th
National
U.S. Death Toll Projections Double As Researchers Measure Impact Of Eased COVID-19 Lockdowns-Forbes. Leading researchers have nearly doubled their projections for U.S. coronavirus deaths, to 135,000 by August. This reflects “rising mobility in most U.S. states” as shelter-in-place orders and lockdowns start to lift.
Can the U.S. handle the second wave of COVID-19 coming our way?-MarketWatch. Epidemiologists and public-health officials in the United States are bracing themselves for a fresh surge of COVID-19 infections later this year, which could coincide with the peak of flu season. This could trigger a new flood of hospital patients in dire need of respiratory support.
States were supposed to team up on reopening. It hasn’t gone as planned-Politico. When seven northeastern states announced they would reopen their virus-shuttered economies in lockstep when the time was right, it was seen as a use of local government muscle when Washington was trying to push responsibility onto individual states. But it turns out that the politics of reopening still very much recognize state lines.
States
California
California eases Covid-19 restrictions, allowing some businesses to reopen-The Guardian. Some California retailers will be allowed to reopen their businesses starting Friday, the state’s governor said Monday. More than six weeks after Gavin Newsom issued a statewide stay-at-home order, shops selling food, goods or items that a customer can purchase through curbside pickup will be able to open again if they implement certain modifications.
Michigan
Construction field readys COVID-19 safety requirements for reopening-Fox 2 Detroit. Whitmer set requirements last week that sites must follow to maintain the health of employees. The order says sites must dedicate COVID-19 supervisors, conduct daily health screenings, dedicate entry points and identify high-risk areas and control them with social distancing.
Missouri
Missouri sees spike in reported COVID-19 cases on day state reopens-KMOV St. Louis. The state of Missouri reported its single-highest one day total of new COVID-19 cases Monday, the same day the state lifted some restrictions on businesses. The 368 new cases are the most reported in one day since the pandemic broke out in the state. On Saturday, the state reported 319 cases.
Ohio
Construction and manufacturing reopen in Ohio-WSAZ Channel 3. The construction, manufacturing, and distribution industry were allowed to reopen Monday after they were shut down by Gov. Mike DeWine to stop the spread of COVID-19. The next phase of reopening the economy in Ohio is on May 12 when retailers are allowed to open.
Washington
Construction in Washington State Won’t Fully Restart Until June-Engineering News-Record. Construction industry officials in Washington state are working with Gov. Jay Inslee to allow projects to resume under his Stay Home, Stay Healthy order that’s been extended until at least May 31. Inslee said the state will allow new projects to begin construction in phase two of a four-phased approach to ease the March 23 lockdown. That phase won’t come until early June at the earliest.
Industry
75% payroll rule makes PPP loans useless, business owners say-Construction Dive. The federal government’s loan program to help businesses get through the downturn isn’t helping because of its focus on payroll support, small business owners say. Business owners say the intent to keep money flowing to employees is understandable, but it misses the mark on what is needed: funds to meet operational costs like rent and utilities.
Builders’ Union Floats Detailed COVID-19 Safety Measures-Law 360. North America’s Building Trades Union issued its own guidelines for worker safety during the COVID-19 pandemic that include on-site screening and staggering crew shifts. NABTU and its affiliated research organization, The Center for Construction Research and Training, urged employers on Monday to develop a “comprehensive COVID-19 exposure control plan.”
Contact our editors if you have COVID-19 news impacting the AEC industry to share.