Global Scans · Coronavirus · Weekly Summary

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Future potential spread of the coronavirus is impacting world trade and threatens a global economic recession and inflection point. For the first time, Illness is now a major driving force. We first reported this virus way back in 2010 and regularly since July 2015 as a predictable surprise: a known unknown to most. It is not a Black Swan; it was foreseen! Forewarned is forearmed and forearmed is protection against unpleasant possibilities and this inflection point will most likely change everyone's future profoundly.

Here are some actions you could take offered by and our friends at WavePoint and BCG and McKinsey.

Companies are asking people to work from home (we have always worked from our homes since 2003). We think the latter will become a long-term and rapidly growing trend as people reduce traveling time, buy more online, and increasingly recognize the benefits to their health of staying home. More emerging, potential behavioral trends here. Begin regularly evaluating predictable surprises, be prepared and act in time, while others lose their shirt through inattention to the future.

• [New] In the short term, China's zero-Covid policy is continuing to hamper its production of semiconductors, which is contributing to disruptions in the global value chain. Coface
• [New] Due to new spending & structural pressures from interest costs, the NDIS, defence, health and aged care, spending as a share of GDP is expected to average 26.7% over the longer term, well above the pre-Covid average of 24.8%. Livewire Markets
• [New] The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic shed light on the vulnerabilities of global supply chains, prompting companies to rethink their sourcing strategies and operational efficiencies. EDGAR Index - SEC Filing News
• [New] The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains is leading to shortages of critical components and materials required for tire production. Market Data Forecast
• [New] India's medical tourism industry is on an accelerated growth path, with projections estimating that it will reach $18 billion by 2027, expanding at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 19%. Medically Speaking
• [New] Growing international support for Taiwan, which also enhances its resilience, was partly spurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, when, due to extended disruptions of PRC supply chains, China's economic prowess in Europe was suddenly diminished. Asia Society
• [New] In January last year, prices of uranium oxide, which is used in nuclear technology, hit their highest in over 16 years due to supply uncertainty and higher demand, having gained momentum in 2021 when disruptions caused by COVID-19 lockdowns hit supplies. MarketScreener
• The COVID-19 pandemic and global disruptions have exposed the vulnerabilities of pharmaceutical supply chains that rely heavily on overseas manufacturing. Euro-American Worldwide Logistics
• Global supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of economic risk diversification, making it imperative for New Zealand to reduce its dependence on a few key trading partners. FirstPost
• The COVID-19 pandemic serves as a stark example, demonstrating the vulnerability of global supply chains and the rapid shift towards remote work. 2025 Aksi -
• Shortages of generic drugs now and during the COVID-19 pandemic illustrate the vulnerabilities of the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain. Think Global Health
• The COVID-19 pandemic, while less lethal in terms of raw mortality, demonstrated the profound disruption a novel virus can cause to global supply chains, international travel, and even the fundamental fabric of daily life. 2025
• People with disability are overrepresented amongst the poorest and most marginalised people globally, disproportionately affected by health threats such as the COVID-19 pandemic and increasingly at risk from the growing impacts of the ongoing climate crisis. Griffith Asia Insights
• Disruptions in the global supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic caused a 25% increase in material costs, significantly impacting fuel cell production timelines. Market Data Forecast
• Much to India's benefit, geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions, and COVID-related disruptions led pharma companies around the world to reconsider their dependence on China. FinancialExpress
• The Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine exposed the vulnerabilities of supply chains in food, pharmaceutical, energy and manufacturing sectors which still reverberate to this day, it adds. The i Paper
• Disruptions in healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a global decline in routine childhood vaccinations. archyde
• The global chip shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic exposed just how vulnerable the world's supply chains were to disruptions, especially when critical manufacturing relies on distant countries. UNDERCODE NEWS
• Interest in human use of ivermectin grew when people began taking it to prevent or treat COVID-19, despite the FDA and other health agencies warning against it. WATN
• Previous estimates of lifetime dementia risk in the United States are 11% to 14% for men and 19% to 23% for women. Real Health
• The global offshore wind industry is poised for a rebound in 2025, with capacity additions expected to reach 19 gigawatts and sector-wide expenditure projected to hit USD 80 billion. tanahair.net - Environmental News, Commentaries and Ana
• The COVID-19 pandemic led to temporary halts in nearly 15% of global output, underlining the vulnerability of supply chains. Discovery Alert

Last updated: 30 March 2025