UPDATED Friday, July 10, 9 AM (EDT)
On Thursday, July 9, cases of coronavirus in the United States rose by more than 63,000 – a new daily record. With more than 3.1 million cases, the U.S. now accounts for about a quarter of coronavirus diagnoses throughout the world. In another development, the World Health Organization changed its guidelines to show that potentially half of all coronavirus transmissions could occur from individuals who aren’t yet experiencing symptoms and do not know they are sick.

Dr. Anthony Fauci thinks it would be wise for states experiencing a soaring rise in COVID-19 cases to consider reinstating strict societal shutdowns akin to the lockdowns seen across much of the United States in late March and April.

Fauci, executive director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a public health leader in the United States’ fight against the coronavirus pandemic, made the comments Thursday, July 9 as new COVID-19 diagnoses continued to break or hover near daily records.

Four states in particular are propelling the surge. Texas, Arizona, California and Florida have generated about half of all new coronavirus cases in the U.S. in recent days. The U.S. reported 60,021 cases on Tuesday, July 7 – a single-day record. Over the past seven days (as of July 9), 52,444 new cases have been diagnosed, on average, each day, according to data from Johns Hopkins.

States where cases are soaring should consider “shutting down,” Fauci told The Wall Street Journal.

“What we are seeing is exponential growth. It went from an average of about 20,000 to 40,000 and 50,000. That’s doubling. If you continue doubling, two times 50 is 100,” Fauci said. “Any state that is having a serious problem, that state should seriously look at shutting down. It’s not for me to say because each state is different.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci

While stopping short of full-blown shutdowns, Texas, Arizona, California and Florida have already rolled back reopening efforts and re-implemented certain restrictions.

At the end of June, for instance, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey ordered the state’s bars, gyms, movie theaters and water parks to shut down for at least 30 days amid thousands of new coronavirus cases in the state.

As July began, California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered 19 counties with surging coronavirus outbreaks to close indoor restaurants, wineries, movie theaters and other venues. The counties are home to three-fourths of California’s population, which totals nearly 40 million. The restrictions extended this week.

NEW: #COVID19 cases continue to spread at alarming rates in some CA counties.

CA is now asking Napa, San Benito, and Yolo to close indoor operations for:

-Restaurants
-Wineries
-Movie theaters
-Zoos, museums
-Cardrooms

Bars must close ALL operations.

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 8, 2020

“We’ve seen increased activity where people simply aren’t able to practice social distancing,” Newsom said. “When we talk about this dimmer switch, it’s not an on-and-off switch. It’s based upon local conditions.”

CA’s hospitalizations for #COVID19 are up 44% over the last 2 weeks. Our hospitals are still only at 8% capacity -- but that could quickly change.

We MUST take this SERIOUSLY. Wear your mask. Wash your hands. Practice physical distancing.#YourActionsSaveLives

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 8, 2020

Florida and Texas recently closed bars, among other measures that include, in Texas, restrictions on restaurants and the forced shuttering of certain tourist-focused businesses, like tubing and rafting.

Local officials were also taking action: Miami-Dade County (Florida) Mayor Carlos Gimenez ordered that county restaurants can only do outdoor dining, takeout and delivery, effective Thursday, July 9. Banquet halls and ballrooms were forced to close, among other restrictions.

Reminder: Today Amendment 2 to Emergency Order 26-20 entered into effect for all of Miami-Dade, affecting restaurants, gyms, short-term vacation rentals & shutting down banquet facilities and entertainment venues. More info: https://t.co/Dk27UKUfIp @MiamiDadeCounty @MiamiDadeEM pic.twitter.com/elT6Jr92kE

— Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez (@MayorGimenez) July 9, 2020

The widespread shutdown measures instituted in states across the U.S. this spring caused sales of promotional products to plummet.

Despite sales being up the first 10 weeks of the year, a disastrous final two weeks of March in which promo business came to a near collective halt tanked ad specialty distributors’ sales for the entire quarter, marking the first year-on-year quarterly decrease in more than a decade, according to ASI research.

Industry wide, distributors’ sales were down 50%, on average, in April 2020 compared to April 2019, ASI research shows. In May, they were down 45% year over year – an upward trend that promo firms anecdotally reported as accelerating in June as states lifted or loosened societal shutdown restrictions, according to ASI, Counselor’s parent company. Further evidence of the trend was that traditional promotional products items, not just personal protective equipment, began to experience renewed interest in ESP, ASI’s database of products from across the promo industry.

Still, promo professionals fear that COVID-19 – and the looming threat of stricter, more widespread shutdowns it presents – will fill the remainder of 2020 with anxious uncertainty at best. ASI research shows that suppliers and distributors expect their year-over-year sales to be down 30%, on average, in 2020.

“There’s tough sledding ahead,” said Jeff Becker, president of Seattle, WA-based Top 40 distributor Kotis Design (asi/244898). “Trade shows and events are on hold. There’s a lot of unemployed people and very limited hiring. All of that bodes badly for our industry.”

Bob Lilly Jr., president and CEO of Dallas-based Bob Lilly Professional Promotions (asi/254138) agreed: “We expect a bumpy ride for the remainder of 2020, with the only lasting recovery coming in the form of a significant treatment option or vaccine.”