Global Scans · Coronavirus · Weekly Summary

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] Covid-19 could cause increased susceptibility to TB if it caused residual lung injury after the initial infection. ST
• [New] In 2026, Pfizer expects its COVID revenues to be $5 billion, representing a decline from 2025 COVID sales of $6.7 billion as COVID infection rates are expected to continue to decline. / USA Nasdaq
• [New] UK businesses with unresolved COVID-19 business interruption (BI) insurance disputes are being urged to review their positions as key limitation dates approach, with lawyers warning that some policyholders could soon be out of time to sue. Insurance Business
• [New] People with variants of the gene FOXP4 have significantly greater risk of developing Long COVID. Open Access Government
• [New] COVID Risks Remain High in Parts of the U.S. Medium
• [New] COVID viral activity remains moderate in the US, with risks still high in 13 states and early signs of an increasing trend in the South. Medium
• [New] 2026 appears to be different, with wastewater and emergency department data suggesting COVID risks may be rising in more of the U.S. than they are falling. Medium
• [New] Impact of USDA Programs From FY2019 to FY2023, USDA distributed $161 billion in financial assistance to agricultural producers, of which 42% was supplemental assistance to producers affected by international trade disruptions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and natural disasters and 33% was crop insurance. The Conference Board
• [New] From FY2019 to FY2023, USDA distributed $161 billion in financial assistance to agricultural producers, of which 42% was supplemental assistance to producers affected by international trade disruptions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and natural disasters and 33% was crop insurance. The Conference Board
• [New] For Toronto, meeting 2032 housing goals requires limiting emissions to 4-19 tons CO2 equivalent per housing unit; a range only compact, multi-unit buildings with timber structural systems can currently achieve. Forbes
• [New] 19% of survey respondents each said traffic changes due to social media and AI and AI-driven traffic decreases will be the biggest challenges for the publishing industry in 2026 - marking the largest groups of respondents in Digiday's survey. Digiday
• [New] Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many institutions, particularly national public health institutions and national reference laboratories, accounting for 87.3% in Africa, had extremely limited genomics and bioinformatics literacy, expertise, and opportunities. Nature
• [New] About 290,000 extra children a year have been born in the U.S. since the Covid pandemic fueled more work-from-home opportunities. The New York Times
• [New] Insurers will no doubt be relieved to know that 2026 should enable them to fully understand their exposure to COVID-19 BI claims. DWF
• [New] UK regulators have authorized the first mRNA Covid-19 vaccine manufactured domestically for use in the national vaccination campaign, with production expected to supply millions of doses. The Real Economy Blog
• [New] The COVID crisis, Russia's war in Ukraine and the U.S. approach to ending it, and Trump's tariffs have driven cohesion by highlighting a vulnerability to global supply chains and economic dependency. 104.5 & 96.1 The Point
• [New] The National Institutes of Health reported that bivalent boosters were about 37% more effective than older booster doses at reducing the risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, such as hospitalization or death, across age groups. Medical Daily
• [New] Disruptions in cancer screening during the COVID-19 pandemic may contribute to an increase in advanced-stage diagnoses in the coming years. medtigo
• [New] The workforce cuts - which included 17% to 19% of key IRS functions for the filing season - could impact processing and customer service in 2026. CNBC
• [New] Investments in AI-optimized servers and infrastructure are expected to grow by 19% in 2026, although supply constraints may limit short-term demand. DATACENTER FORUM 2026 - Tehnologii si Sisteme de Data C

Last updated: 01 March 2026