Enewsletters

Here’s today’s update:

• The Treasury Department and the Small Business Administration has released detailed, updated data about the success of the Paycheck Protection Program.  The release includes loan-level data for each of the 4.9 million PPP loans that have been made, and includes names and addresses for companies receiving loans of more than $150,000. 
• The data shows that the PPP has supported more than 51 million jobs and more than 80 percent of all small businesses employees, with an average loan size of approximately $100,000.
• The data also shows that the program has supported about 1.7 million jobs right here in North Carolina, with $12.4 billion in loans issued to North Carolina small businesses.
• An overview of the data release from the SBA, with some key points, is here.
• The full data disclosure can be found here.
• The latest PPP report with state-by-state and national data through 6/30 is available here.
• Following last month’s strong jobs report, it’s clear that the PPP has played a big role in keeping our economy afloat through the crisis and helping millions of Americans despite the partial shutdown of our economy.
  
  
• Despite the surge in cases in states around the country, it’s important to remember a few key facts:
• No state has reached or exceeded its hospital capacity.
• Our doctors have a far better understanding now of how to treat patients with the virus than when the outbreak began.
• We’ve taken steps to protect our most vulnerable populations: the elderly, those with underlying conditions and those living in nursing homes and other communal settings.
• We make more and more progress every day on treatments and vaccine candidates.
• We know more about the preventative steps individuals can take to protect their loved ones and others from the virus.
  
  
• The Department of Health and Human Services announced this week it was awarding $2 billion to two pharmaceutical companies to support the development and manufacturing of an experimental drug and a potential vaccine against COVID-19.  Novavax, Inc., in Maryland, has been awarded $1.6 billion for the commercial-scale manufacturing of its investigational vaccine.  Depending on the success of clinical trials, this $1.6 billion will support this vaccine candidate through the remainder of the clinical trials and the manufacturing of 100 million doses.  And Regeneron, a New York company, will receive $450 million for a large-scale manufacturing demonstration project of the company’s therapeutic COVID-19 treatment should clinical trials be successful.  As many as 300,000 doses will be available from this project.
  
  
• A peer-reviewed study recently found that COVID-19 patients treated with the drug hydroxychloroquine within the first two days of hospital admission were more likely to survive than patients who received other treatments, according to the International Journal of Infectious Diseases.  The study, conducted by the Henry Ford Health System in Michigan, can be found here.
  
  
• The EPA has also formally approved two products, Lysol Disinfectant Spray and Lysol Disinfectant Max Cover Mist, for use as surface disinfectants against SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen that spreads COVID-19.  The EPA has already approved more than 420 products that meet the agency’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2 based on data from the manufacturers.  These two products are the first that have been directly tested against SARS-CoV-2 in a laboratory setting and approved.  More information from the EPA is available here. There’s also an infographic from the EPA on how to safely use these products.

With the lack of support from mayors of a major cities in general and the ridiculous movement to defund the police around the country, it is no wonder that there has been a staggering uptick in violence in our nation’s cities.  Take a look at this data:

• 87 shot, 17 fatally, during the July 4th weekend in Chicago
• 64 shot, 10 dead in New York City over the weekend 
• The 205 shootings in NY in June were the city’s highest for that month since 1996.
• Seven people were shot in the span of three hours in Philadelphia, which has seen a 57% increase in shootings from last year.
• In the first week of June alone, the LAPD reported that homicides jumped 250% compared to the previous week.

It’s a fundament truth that you get more of what you incentivize.  It’s also true that you become part of what you condone.  The liberal mayors and city councils around the country who show no support for the police and stand by tolerating anarchy invite even more of it.  This exponential increase in violence is a direct result of the assault on law and order allowed by the far Left.  Just look at New York and Seattle.  

Our law enforcement personnel have a very difficult job even in ordinary times.  I have always supported our law enforcement and always will.  The calls to defund them are delusional and dangerous.  Period.  Meanwhile, as reported previously in this newsletter, Senate Democrats prevented a good, commonsense reform bill from evening coming to the Senate floor for debate.  For many on that side of the aisle, they want an election issue.  Well, I have news for them: If the election were today, it would be a landslide for Republicans.  The undercurrent against all this nonsense and anarchy is strong and real.  Forget what the polls say; the only one that matters is on Election Day.  

For today’s good news story, I’m highlighting the staff of Catholic Charities Cape Fear Regional, which has continued to distribute food to those in need despite the outbreak.  The food pantry was quick to adapt to the unique challenges of the COVID-19 epidemic, shifting to a more mobile food distribution model that helps them reach remote communities facing food shortages.  Thanks for all you do!

As always, stay tuned to Coronavirus.gov and the NC Department of Health and Human Services’ website for the latest on the outbreak.  And please feel free to send good news stories our way to highlight in this newsletter by replying to this e-mail.