The impact of the election on business

Alan Murray, writing in Fortune’s CEO Daily on November 6, 2020, provided this overview of the impact of the election on business.

• The financial markets have decided that divided government—with Democrats winning the White House and Republicans holding the Senate—is a good thing for business.
• A “blue wave,” with Democrats controlling both houses of Congress, would have left a President Biden vulnerable to the anti-business demands of his left wing.
• A mixed result means if elected, he will have to reckon with Mitch McConnell—which either leads to gridlock, or, more hopefully, to a much-needed effort at reconciliation and more centrist policies.
• Infrastructure would be a good place to start. And I’m not just talking roads and bridges.
• The pandemic has exposed an urgent need for universal broadband, so those in inner cities and rural areas can fully participate in the digital revolution.
• Investment in green energy would help address the risks of climate change, and has some bipartisan support.
• A focus on financing public-private training platforms that provide alternative pathways to good jobs for those left behind by the technology revolution should be embraced on both sides of the great divide.
• Given current low interest rates and ample capital, borrowing to fund such urgent priorities should be a great opportunity for a new President to use whatever limited political capital this fractious election leaves him to make bipartisan progress.
• In any event, divided power in Washington likely means the pressure on CEOs to step up on social issues will continue.

U.S. ranks last in how scientific advice was taken into account

According to a November 11, 2020, article in The Economist, the United States ranked last in a survey of 25,000 researchers around the world when asked “whether lawmakers in their country had used scientific advice to inform their Covid-19 strategy.” Brazil placed next to last and New Zealand was first.

Coping with Covid

Melatonin might be helpful in treating Covid-19

According to BGR.com in a November 11, 2020, article, “we can add melatonin to the growing list of common drugs that are available for all sorts of medical conditions that might also be effective against the novel coronavirus. A growing number of reports have shown that vitamin D can prevent severe COVID-19. The UK’s most important coronavirus therapy study, which brought us dexamethasone earlier this year, is now studying low-dose aspirin as a treatment for COVID-19.”

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Dinner parties and game nights contributing to coronavirus surge

It might feel safe to meet with friends and family at home, but on November 12, 2020, the Washington Post reported that dinner parties, game nights, sleepovers and carpooling are increasingly linked to coronavirus clusters. The White House Coronavirus Task Force has been urging states with hot spots to “curtail maskless get-togethers of family and friends.”

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Covid nose spray could be a new way to fight the pandemic

On November 6, 2020, the New York Times’ The Morning newsletter reported two items of interest regarding Covid-19. The first regards research on a nasal spray that blocks the virus that “worked well in a study that tested it on ferrets. If it works in humans, it could be a new way to fight the pandemic, with a daily spritz up the nose.” Another study found that “children infected with the virus appear to clear the infection much faster than adults.” The findings could help explain why many children don’t become seriously ill.

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Masks protect wearers as well as those around them

We’ve long been told that masks protect people around us from becoming infected with Covid-19 from our breath. According to the Washington Post on November 11, 2020, “the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wrote Tuesday that masks offer ‘personal protection’ by filtering some infectious particles out of the air before the mask wearer inhales them. The agency also endorsed universal mask mandates.”

 

Miscellaneous Tidbits

Pfizer vaccine – exciting innovation, challenging distribution

This week’s announcement that Pfizer is almost ready to release a Covid-19 vaccine that is 90% effective was generally welcome news. According to Fortune’s The Capsule newsletter on November 12, 2020, it is considered an “RNA vaccine.” This type of vaccine works by having “the ability to turn your own cells into a therapy-building machine.” However, one of the challenges is that these vaccines are “made of precious biological material that requires refrigeration at ultra-cool temperatures, which could present a major logistical nightmare for Pfizer and Moderna when it comes to distribution.” For more on the science, see this explainer.

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First it was toilet paper, now its shipping containers

The latest shortage on the global market isn’t toilet paper, its shipping containers. The popular 40-foot containers, a staple necessary for international shipping, are in short supply.  Newsmax Finance reported on November 8, 2020, that “the dearth is boosting the purchase price of new containers and lease rates by 50%, snarling port traffic, adding surcharges and slowing deliveries heading into the holidays.”

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Positivity rate of border crossers no higher than non-crossers

The San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce newsletter on November 11, 2020, referenced a verbal report from the County of San Diego which has been conducting Covid-19 testing at the San Ysidro land port of entry for four months. According to San Ysidro Chamber CEO Jason Wells, the County reported the rate of positive results is no higher than the rest of South San Diego County, and, of the positive results, only 16% were Mexican residents. The higher rate of infections in South San Diego are often attributed to border crossings, but those higher numbers are more closely related to the fact that folks with the essential jobs and lower income levels tend to live closer to the border where the cost of living is generally less. San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Jerry Sanders told a ReBorder conference audience on November 12, 2020, that one third of caregivers in San Diego hospitals cross from Mexico.

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Water consumption dramatically changed in England because of Covid-19

A study of water consumption patterns in England and Wales reported in Phys.org on November 11,  2020, found “dramatic changes.”

• Working from home has relocated water consumption from offices and gyms to the home.
• Peak times of water use have changed, as people have more flexible schedules.
• Water-intensive routines such as showering are undertaken at different times throughout the day instead of first thing in the morning before commuting to their workplaces.
• Water-intensive practices at the start of the lockdown period to protect from COVID-19 infection (washing groceries, more frequent cleaning of clothes, and more intensive personal hygiene) have faded as people have become accustomed to living with the virus.
• A huge increase in outdoor water consumption is attributed to increased usage of domestic gardens.

Nettleton Strategies - Helping You Navigate the Big Reset

This is a challenging time for all of us, in a way we have never experienced before. Here are some things you can do to move forward.

Take this time to imagine your future. We encourage you to imagine a post-coronavirus future when you can begin to realize your dreams in a sustainable way.

Assess your current and future status. At Nettleton Strategies, our philosophy has always been that we need to know two things to find solutions and move forward:

• A clear understanding of the status of the current situation.
• A clear vision of how you want your world to be in the future.

With those two benchmarks, you can create a path from your current status to the future imagined status, eliminating the obstacles and identifying processes and resources needed to reach the future state.

Let Nettleton Strategies help! We long ago discarded our flip charts and have facilitated client needs using digital tools. Now we have successfully facilitated client strategy sessions on Zoom. We can do the same for you! Let us help you: 

• Clarify your unique value proposition as an organization.
• Identify clear goals that are measurable,
• Align what you do with available funding.
• Determine who should be responsible for next steps
• Help you to emulate best practices in your field

If you would like help navigating your way forward, contact us to learn more about how we can help!

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Carl Nettleton is an award-winning writer, acclaimed speaker, facilitator, and a subject- matter expert regarding water, climate, sustainability, the ocean, and binational U.S. Mexico border affairs. Founded in 2007, Nettleton Strategies is a trusted source of analysis and advice on issues at the forefront of public policy, business and the environment.