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] The stigma attached to COVID-19 patients, primarily related to the fear of contagion, has led to denying patient admission in hospitals in Uganda. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Vaccine acceptance in the US could be significantly increased by informing individuals about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The sustained high levels of vaccine hesitancy in Southeastern Europe following the COVID-19 pandemic may pose significant risks to population health and herd immunity. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The Food and Drug Administration recently approved an updated COVID vaccine for people 65 and over, as well as for younger people who have a condition that increases their risk of severe illness from COVID. NewYork-Presbyterian
• [New] Chinese brands embracing UK production could be key to getting annual output back over one million units - something that has not been seen since the COVID-19 pandemic. AutoExpress
• [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

Last updated: 30 August 2026