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] Global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, economic shocks and social justice movements have exposed vulnerabilities in sports' traditional models. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] As we watch for further COVID-19 increases, another public health threat has emerged: a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Sick Times - Chronicling the Long Covid crisis
• [New] While global R&D growth has moderated compared to the extraordinary levels seen during COVID-19, we expect the environment to be characterized by greater selectivity and capital discipline rather than a diminished appetite for innovation. SEC EDGAR
• [New] Sub-regional aircraft (with fewer than 19 seats) are expected to be capable of supporting the UK's existing route network, particularly in rural and island regions. GreenAir News
• [New] Given limited global storage capacity, the resulting supply-chain stress could rival the magnitude of COVID-era oil disruptions - albeit from the supply side rather than demand. SWBC
• [New] Even before COVID-19, about half of American adults reported measurable levels of loneliness, and that lacking connection brings health risks on par with smoking. News-Medical
• [New] The challenges to Canada's health care systems will continue long after COVID-19 dies down, because we have a huge backlog of procedures to deal with, for which we will need a strong health care workforce. Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)
• [New] The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally reshaped the context for quantum strategy development due to heightened concerns about technological resilience and supply chain vulnerabilities. RBC WEALTH MANAGEMENT
• [New] Achieving the 2030 UN SDGs will require tremendous efforts ahead by governments and industries globally given the considerable setback induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Authors from seven institutions in Sweden worked with 43396 randomly selected women and found a higher risk of CVD in cohorts with high-protein consumption (62.9 ± 19 g per day). PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Crisis care support service 13 YARN will receive $19 million in funding over the next four years to expand its services, with the hotline reporting a huge increase in demand since the 2023 Voice to Parliament Referendum. NITV
• [New] AI adoption in commercial buildings could reduce energy use by 8-19% by 2050, with up to a 40% reduction combined with aggressive policy, through applications across equipment efficiency, occupancy optimization, and building controls. California Climate Briefs
• [New] 2026 global oil demand forecast revised lower by 730,000 barrels per day; Q2 2026 demand contraction projected at approximately 1.5 mb/d, the sharpest decline since the COVID-19 pandemic. Crestwood Advisors
• [New] The lackluster revenue outlook comes in part from declining sales of its Covid vaccine and Paxlovid, which it expects to fall by $1.5 billion year over year to $5 billion. CNBC
• [New] The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted vulnerabilities in global supply chains and accelerated demand for flexible, resilient logistics solutions. Plunkett Research, Ltd.
• [New] Global health funding has dropped dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic, falling from $80.3 billion to a projected $36.2 billion by 2030, widening the gap between available resources and urgent health needs. Yahoo Finance
• [New] Because the FDA only requires 1 or 2 large treatment trials for repurposed drugs, it's possible that the next couple of years could result in a number of FDA-approved drugs for long COVID. Health Rising
• Maryland will continue to work with partners to address the availability of COVID-19 vaccine for children. Maryland.gov Enterprise Agency Template

Last updated: 31 May 2026