COVID-19 Is Making Americans More Sedentary Than Ever
My iPhone has been taunting me all spring.
“This year’s walking and running distance is less than last year’s on average,” it reminds me each week—as though I’ve somehow forgotten I haven’t left my apartment in days. I cringe every time I see daily step-counts in the triple (or, okay, double) digits, when I’m used to getting thousands just by going about the basics of life in New York City.
Emerging research suggests I’m not alone: Americans on the whole are struggling to stay active during the COVID-19 pandemic. All the online workouts in the world apparently haven’t been enough to counteract gym closures and stay-at-home orders. Americans who were active before the pandemic have gotten an average of 32% less exercise since it began, according to preliminary research published today. Time spent sitting and looking at screens, meanwhile, is going up.
That may not seem like such a big deal. After all, it’s only been a couple months—and don’t we have bigger problems right now?
Maybe so. But Jacob Meyer, the co-author of today’s study and an assistant professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University, says he’s concerned about what this worsening sedentary streak means for the future. Psychologically and physiologically, people can get out of shape surprisingly fast. That could make it difficult for people to resume an exercise habit once lockdown orders lift, even if they were previously active, he says.
That’s worrying, since Americans weren’t getting enough exercise even before the pandemic struck. Physical activity of virtually any kind, intensity and duration has been shown to improve physical and mental health, and Americans need that boost now more than ever. Even a short walk around the block or a 10-minute yoga flow can make a big difference—not only today, but also for the future.
The total number of COVID-19 diagnoses in the U.S. rose to more than 1,347,000 as of 8 PM eastern time yesterday, and the death toll surpassed 80,000.
In Senate testimony today, infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci warned lawmakers that “the consequences could be really serious” if the country reopens too fast, risking new surges in COVID-19. Fauci—who testified from home after possibly being exposed to a White House staffer who tested positive for coronavirus—says communities need to be prepared to detect, isolate and treat new clusters of cases that will inevitably pop up as areas begin to reopen.
Fauci’s comments came a day after a grim analysis from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested New York City’s official coronavirus death toll may be short thousands of cases. Between March 11 and May 2, about 24,000 more deaths than would normally be expected in that time frame were recorded in New York City—roughly 5,000 more than have been attributed to coronavirus.
Some of those deaths were likely COVID-19-related and did not make it into official tallies, either because people died at home or because doctors didn’t realize they were infected, experts say.
Meanwhile, despite signs that the virus continues to spread in the U.S., some businesses are taking reopening into their own hands. A Colorado restaurant that flouted state rules and offered a sit-down Mother’s Day brunch service was shut down and had its license suspended by health officials yesterday.
As if Americans didn’t have enough to worry about during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Homeland Security is now warning of “rampant” fraud during the outbreak. People falsely claiming to be selling protective equipment or medical supplies are among the offenders, it says.
Another concern emerged from a Monday court filing that suggests the U.S. Department of Education continued garnishing wages from about 50,000 people who fell behind on their student loan payments more than a month after Congress ordered it to stop in light of the pandemic.
The Global Situation
More than 4.1 million people around the world had been sickened by COVID-19 as of 8 PM eastern time last night, and more than 286,000 had died.
Here is every country with over 40,000 confirmed cases:
Wuhan, China, is preparing to test its entire population of 11 million after a cluster of new cases emerged there. Strict lockdown orders in the Chinese city where COVID-19 originated appeared to have drastically reduced the virus’ spread, but new cases have popped up in recent days, weeks after lockdowns there were lifted.
The United Nations said today that coronavirus cases have been confirmed in a civilian protection camp in South Sudan. The close quarters of these camps, as well as South Sudan’s ill-equipped health system, have experts concerned about the impact of further spread there.
A fire in a St. Petersburg, Russia, hospital earlier today killed five coronavirus patients who were on ventilators. The incident follows a similar one on Saturday, when one patient was killed in a hospital fire in a different Russian hospital.
Also in Russia, President Vladimir Putin’s longtime spokesman has been hospitalized with coronavirus. It’s not clear whether Putin may have been exposed to the virus.
All numbers are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of May 11, 8 PM eastern time. To see larger, interactive versions of these maps and charts, click here.
How are grocery stores adapting to supply chain shortages and shifts in consumer demand? Ben Frost of Goldman Sachs Investment Banking Division explains in this episode of The Daily Check-In.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
The White House Is Cracking Down on Internal COVID-19 Spread
TIME political correspondent Tessa Berenson has the details on the White House’s efforts to stop COVID-19 from spreading within its own walls—even as it encourages states to start reopening. Read more here.
What South Korea’s Nightclub Coronavirus Outbreak Can Teach Other Countries
Dozens of new coronavirus cases linked to bars and nightclubs in Seoul may be a preview of what’s to come for other countries that reopen. But South Korea’s handling of the cluster could be instructive as well. Read more here.
Accidental Poisonings Increased After Trump’s Disinfectant Comments
In a late April press briefing, President Donald Trump offered a widely debunked suggestion that injecting disinfectants into the body could cure coronavirus. Data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers show this might have had a real impact on the health of the U.S. public. Read more here.
Travel Is Slowly Resuming in Asia
Air travel has all but ground to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic, but some Asian countries are gradually easing restrictions—and providing an example for the rest of the world. Read more here.
Haven’t Gotten Your Stimulus Check? You’re Not Alone
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to upend the U.S. economy, as many as 20 million Americans are still waiting for their stimulus checks, CBS News reports. Read more here.
Doctors Are Learning More About an Inflammatory Condition Affecting Kids
Reports of a mysterious pediatric inflammatory condition, similar to Kawasaki disease, apparently linked to COVID-19 are piling up. The New York Times has more here.
Thanks for reading. We hope you find the Coronavirus Brief newsletter to be a helpful tool to navigate this very complex situation, and welcome feedback at coronavirus.brief@time.com.
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Today’s newsletter was written byJamie Ducharme and edited by Jennifer Duggan.
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