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] For people at higher risk who develop mild or moderate COVID-19, the CDC recommends that clinicians consider antiviral treatment quickly. For Your Health News
• [New] In 2026, global spending on inference ($23.3 billion) will surpass that of training ($19 billion). Gartner
• [New] The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted the energy sector of the United Arab Emirates, leading to disruptions and decreased demand for transportation fuels and industrial activities. Markets and Data
• [New] The top reasons younger generations choose their employer include good work / life balance (25% of Gen Z and 31% of millennials), learning and development opportunities, and high salary or other financial benefits (19% of Gen Z and 22% of millennials). TalentHR
• [New] President Trump wants to boost US production of semiconductor chips, which are found in machines ranging from cars to smartphones, and has been a priority for the US since shortages during the Covid-19 pandemic exposed supply chain risks. BBC News
• In an adverse scenario, where disruptions last longer and oil prices remain high throughout the year, global growth could fall as low as 2.1%, the lowest in the 21st century setting aside the years of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Global Financial Crisis. UN DESA VOICE
• The ongoing conflict in the Middle East, following previous global shocks like COVID-19 and the Ukraine invasion, is expected to have major economic effects. Briefs Finance
• The childhood obesity prevalence estimates from the CDC will likely increase as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and related safety measures. PubMed Central (PMC)
• Starting in Autumn 2027, the eligibility age for free Covid booster vaccinations in the UK will rise from 75 years and older to 80 years and older. Seeing The Forest for the Trees
• Public charging itself grew fast in 2025 - connector numbers rose 28% to 6.7 million worldwide - though BNEF expects that growth rate to ease to around 19% in 2026. Global Fleet
• Concern has grown among experts and policy makers that democracy itself is at risk in the US and that the current US administration is seeking to establish an authoritarian form of government [16, 17, 18, 19]. SpringerLink
• Massive use of disinfectants against COVID-19 poses potential risks to urban wildlife Globally, massive disinfectants are used to contain the rapid spread of COVID-19. Beyond Pesticides
• M&A executives are sending clear signals that M&A will be an important lever as businesses recover and thrive in the post COVID-19 economy. Women in Healthcare
• Proposed reductions to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), claw backs of COVID-era funding, and reorganization of health agencies threaten to hollow out core infectious disease surveillance, outbreak response, and health equity infrastructure. / USA BIO International Convention 2026
• In an area that once had 16 schools, Soho Parish is the last remaining and its time may soon be up, a victim of the post-Covid downturn and falling pupil numbers that are forecast to close hundreds of primary schools across England. The Guardian

Last updated: 23 August 2026