POLITICO Nightly: Coronavirus Special Edition
Politico, April 1, 2020
Your intelligence briefing on how coronavirus is impacting politics and public policy, the economy and global health.
Most Recent Media Coverage
Topic
How coronavirus control measures could affect its global death toll
Science News, April 1, 2020
When the U.S. White House coronavirus task force announced that social distancing needed to continue through April, it cited a stark death toll: As many as 240,000 Americans could die from COVID-19 even with efforts to mitigate its spread.
Is it safe to fly during the coronavirus pandemic?
Illinois News Bureau, April 1, 2020
The newly implemented Transportation Security Administration procedures are the best that can be offered under highly constrained conditions. The TSA is relaxing its carry-on policies, allowing passengers to bring hand sanitizer in up to 12-ounce containers. Passengers are permitted to wear face masks through checkpoints, provided they do not obscure their identity.
Metro Detroit hospitals overwhelmed with crush of coronavirus patients, lack of supplies
Detroit Metro Times, April 1, 2020
As the coronavirus quickly spreads across metro Detroit, hospitals are running out of ventilators, intensive-care beds, trained medical staff, and personal protective gear like masks, gloves, and gowns.
More space and supplies aren’t the only needs. Hospital workers are vital to meeting the demands for care.
Atlanta Journal Constitution, April 1, 2020
Weeks before COVID-19 claimed its first Georgian, the state’s healthcare system was already showing signs of stress and crowding.
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Artificial Intelligence
Study finds ChatGPT mirrors human decision biases in half the tests
Celebrity Gig, April 2, 2025
Can we really trust AI to make better decisions than humans? A new study says … not always. Researchers have discovered that OpenAI’s ChatGPT, one of the most advanced and popular AI models, makes the same kinds of decision-making mistakes as humans in some situations—showing biases like overconfidence of hot-hand (gambler’s) fallacy—yet acting inhuman in others (e.g., not suffering from base-rate neglect or sunk cost fallacies).
Why 23andMe’s Genetic Data Could Be a ‘Gold Mine’ for AI Companies
TIME, March 26, 2025
The genetic testing company 23andMe, which holds the genetic data of 15 million people, declared bankruptcy on Sunday night after years of financial struggles. This means that all of the extremely personal user data could be up for sale—and that vast trove of genetic data could draw interest from AI companies looking to train their data sets, experts say.
Healthcare
Want to reduce the cost of healthcare? Start with our billing practices.
The Hill, March 11, 2025
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as the new secretary of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s de facto healthcare czar. He will have influence over numerous highly visible agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, among others. Given that healthcare is something that touches everyone’s life, his footprint of influence will be expansive.
We all benefit from and are hurt by health insurance claim denials
Atlanta Journal Constitution, January 23, 2025
Health insurance has become necessary, with large and unpredictable health care costs always looming before each of us. Unfortunately, the majority of people have experienced problems when using their health insurance to pay for their medical care. Health insurance serves as the buffer between patients and the medical care system, using population pooling to mitigate the risk exposure on any one individual.
Supply Chain
Trump’s Tariffs Are Disastrous For Elon Musk
Forbes, April 8, 2025
From Tesla to SpaceX to xAI, Elon Musk’s sprawling global business empire will be slammed by Trump’s tariffs regime. Here’s how.
Trump Vows to Veto Bill Blocking Tariffs as Markets Reel
The Daily Beast, April 7, 2025
A bipartisan push in Congress would return the power to impose tariffs to the legislature.
Climate
Mark Cuban's Question to Matt Gaetz on Energy Costs Takes Off Online
Newsweek, September 14, 2024
Billionaire investor Mark Cuban's question to Representative Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, on energy costs took off on social media on Saturday.
Florida advances bill to ban offshore wind turbines despite not having any — here’s why that matters
Dredge Wire, April 3, 2024
Florida lawmakers have banned wind turbines off its shores and near the coast, saying the bill is meant to protect wildlife and prevent noise.