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<ul><li>Successful consumer-facing companies are repurposing physical locations, exploring new business models, and rapidly adopting advanced analytics and other disruptive technologies to find new sources of growth.</li><li>98% of consumers in India have made at least one permanent change to their lifestyle since the outbreak of the pandemic.</li></ul>The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people live, work and socialize, accelerating demand for innovation, as retailers, consumer goods, and travel companies shift from reacting to the crisis to reinventing products and services, according to findings of a <a href="https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/consulting/consumer-innovation?c=acn_glb_covid-19consumemediarelations_12135616&amp;n=mrl_0421" target="_blank">new global survey</a> from <keyword id="6370971" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="accenture">Accenture</keyword> (NYSE: ACN). After a year of lockdowns, 98% of survey respondents in India said they made at least one change to their lifestyle that they expect will be permanent. Working from home, changing travel patterns, and a growing desire to shop locally are challenging industries to fundamentally rethink how they cater to the pandemic-adapted consumer. The latest survey of more than 9,650 people in 19 countries including more than 500 people in India, supports Accenture’s <a href="https://newsroom.accenture.com/news/covid-19-likely-to-usher-in-decade-of-the-home-according-to-accenture-survey-research.htm" target="_blank">previous findings</a> that many changes in behaviour will likely be long-term. “The past year has been a tough one for consumers and consumer-facing industries. Evolving consumer preferences and behaviours have led to huge demand fluctuation, making it imperative for consumer goods and retail companies to stay agile and resilient. As companies shift from reaction to reinvention, they need to harness digital’s full potential across the value chain at speed and scale,” said Anurag Gupta, managing director and lead - Strategy &amp; Consulting, Accenture in India. COVID-19 has led to compressed transformation, with companies simultaneously transforming multiple parts of the enterprise and reskilling people in what previously would have been longer-term step-by-step programs. Many consumer-facing companies have re-platformed their businesses in the cloud, addressed cost pressures, and continued to build resilience and security, putting the infrastructure in place to enable innovation and position them for future success. <keyword id="94933" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manish-Gupta">Manish Gupta</keyword>, managing director and lead for Products practice, Accenture in India said, “To succeed in a post-pandemic economy, companies need to digitally reinvent themselves and strategically invest in technology, people and supply chains. Adoption of digital technologies such as cloud, artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, combined with a well-defined purpose, can help companies to not only reach out to consumers in innovative ways but also adapt faster to the evolving market demands.” Dawn of the “third space” The pandemic forced a rapid shift to employees working from home, with many expressing that they want flexibility in how and where they work moving forward. More than 87% of respondents in India said they would like to occasionally work from a “third space” — a location other than their home or place of employment.This highlights a potential opportunity to grow revenue for the hospitality and retail industries. The desire to work from a “third space” is accompanied by a shift in attitudes towards business travel. Nearly 57% of respondents in India said they have no business travel plans post-pandemic, or they intend to cut previous business travel by half. How long this view will hold firm remains to be seen, but the current outlook indicates that the return to travel will resume principally within the leisure market, pushing the industry to adapt and become even more efficient to make up for lost income. <a name="m_1887950008226194387__Hlk68162230">Shifts in consumer habits are here to stay</a> Not only do people think some of their work habits and travel plans have likely permanently changed, many also think their shopping habits have evolved for the long haul. The latest research supports Accenture’s previously released findings that the dramatic rise in e-commerce is likely to remain or accelerate further. For instance, the proportion of online purchases for products such as food, home décor, fashion, and luxury goods by previously infrequent e-commerce users — defined as those who used online channels for less than 25% of purchases prior to the outbreak — has increased 667% since the outbreak in India.

The proportion of online purchases for food, home décor, fashion, and luxury goods by previously infrequent e-commerce users has increased 667% since the outbreak in India: Report

Researchers have used heart and lung stem cells infected with the virus that causes Covid-19 to better understand how the disease impacts different organs, paving the way for more targeted treatments. The research, co-led by Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute) in <keyword id="6355478" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="australia" source="Orion">Australia</keyword>, found the responses to SARS-CoV-2 varied significantly depending on the cell type, allowing the team to identify effective antiviral drugs to treat infection in heart and lung cells. To understand the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on different organs, the team engineered human stem cells in the lab into lung and heart cells and infected them with the virus. The findings, published in the journal <keyword id="2213959" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="stem-cell-reports" source="Orion">Stem Cell Reports</keyword>, showed that the heart and lungs exhibit distinct antiviral and toxicity profiles that could inform better <keyword id="8764262" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="covid" source="Orion">Covid</keyword> therapies and treat its complications. "Our findings highlight the importance of using several cell types for the evaluation of antiviral drugs to determine the best drug combinations for effective treatment of a virus that affects multiple organ systems," said David Elliott, Associate Professor at <keyword id="5613213" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="murdoch-institute" source="Orion">Murdoch Institute</keyword>. While SARS-CoV-2 primarily infected the respiratory tract, lung and cardiac complications occur in severe cases of Covid-19. Cardiac complications are observed in up to 78 per cent of recovered Covid patients and ongoing myocardial inflammation in 60 per cent of patients. "Although Covid-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing severe illness and death, antiviral compounds are required for the treatment of Covid-19, particularly with the emergence of variant viruses that evade immunity," said Professor Kanta Subbarao, from the Doherty Institute. "To date, only a handful of drugs have been approved for use in hospitalised Covid-19 patients and more are needed." The study also looked at approved drugs for treating Covid, including Remdesivir and Molnupiravir, with some found to be more effective than others at treating infection in lung and heart stem cells. It identified Alectinib and SPHINX31 as promising antivirals for SARS-CoV-2 in both heart and lung cells. "We have provided valuable insights into virus-host interactions in tissues that are significantly affected in Covid-19, with implications that will further therapeutic options," Professor Subbarao said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/indian-banks-credit-profiles-well-placed-to-weather-global-banking-sector-stress-moodys/articleshow/100985767.cms">Indian banks' credit profiles well placed to weather global banking sector stress: Moody's</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/india/8-unexplored-places-of-delhi/slidelist/100984626.cms">Discover these Hidden Gems: 8 Unexplored Destinations of Delhi</a>

Lung, heart stem cell study can pave way for new Covid treatments

<ul><li><keyword id="6355185" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rural-india" source="Orion">Rural India</keyword> is highly concerned about COVID situation in second wave.</li><li>Concerns are higher amongst females (91%) as compared to males (85%) and within the higher age bands (55+ year old’s).</li></ul>Kantar along with GroupM’s rural and experiential marketing unit- Dialogue Factory today unveiled the 2nd edition of the <keyword id="10373134" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rural-covid-barometer-report" source="Orion">Rural COVID Barometer Report</keyword>. This report explores rural India’s concern about the impact of the second wave and how it alters consumer behavior and purchase patterns. The research was conducted with Kantar’s strong data and insights network and Dialogue Factory’s rural marketing intelligence in 18 Indian states, across rural adults (18+ years in age) with representation across gender, NCCS and age groups. Key highlights: Rural India is highly concerned about COVID situation in second wave. Concerns are higher amongst females (91%) as compared to males (85%) and within the higher age bands (55+ year old’s). These concerns are mostly driven by COVID’s impact on day-to-day life and functioning (most for 25-55 year old’s), fear of falling sick and overall need for financial planning. As a result, rural consumption and shopping patterns have witnessed a major shift. While consumers are concerned, most are also positive about economic recovery once the situation normalizes. Nearly 3 in 4 rural households have received some form of assistance via Government of India schemes, thus providing the much-needed financial cushion to consumers. Rural consumers are saving 25% of their income. Southern India (except for Tamil Nadu) is saving more in comparison to other parts of the country. As expected, expenses are higher on personal care, hygiene and cleaning products while spends on indulgence and beauty products have been deprioritized. With respect to retail channels, consumers prefer local village shops for purchasing groceries (56%), personal hygiene (49%) and cleaning (45%) products. Even big-ticket items like consumer electronics (50%) and durables (46%) are preferred to be bought at these local shops. Digital trends: There has been an internet revolution in rural India, with online being the most consumed media after television. With respect to online content consumption, music/ audio (69%) leads the pack followed by news (49%) and gaming (33%). Usage of video / OTT apps are driven by YouTube at 87% (most in Rajasthan, AP/ Telangana, TN and Bihar) followed by Disney+ Hotstar at 30% (highest usage in UP, TN, Gujarat, Kerala). WhatsApp and Facebook are the most used social media/ messenger platforms at 87% (most in Rajasthan, AP / Telangana, Karnataka) and 66% (most in Odisha, UP, Gujarat and West Bengal) usage respectively. <keyword id="4072966" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="phone-pe" source="Orion">Phone Pe</keyword> is the most used digital payments app with 19% rural consumers having used these services in the last 6 months. Usage of Phone Pe is driven by Karnataka at 46% followed by Rajasthan at 38%. Foresighting: Growth in the consumer durables and automotive (2-wheeler) sectors are likely to slowdown in next 6 months. However, the smartphone category is expected to see fast growth in the near future. Construction sector is also expected to see a bounce-back with consumers expected to spend on building a house/ undertake smaller construction work in the next 6 months. Commenting on the report, Dalveer Singh, Head of Experiential Marketing- APAC, GroupM Dialogue Factory said, “The pandemic has evolved the rural consumer’s decision-making process. They are watching their spending and prioritizing their buying patterns by the need of the hour. There is a positive acceptance of the vaccination. The upper- and middle-class rural Indians are being more proactive in financial planning to deal with covid constraints, which make these markets a significant place to introduce investment and savings products. To sum up, there is a deep sense of uplift on the subject of India’s economic future.” Puneet Avasthi, Senior Executive Director, Insights Division, Kantar said, “With a highly concerned rural consumer, rural India is planning finances better and inclined towards a savings mindset. This offers a significant headroom for growth to savings and investment products such as insurance and even mutual funds. Additionally, we are witnessing a significant rise in digital payments as an important mode of transaction, this offers a robust platform for rural financial inclusion, as also for suitable hyperlocal promotions. With the change in consumption priorities in favor of health and hygiene products (a trend that has held since the first wave), FMCG marketers should leverage this trend for planning their innovation pipeline.”

Online is the second largest consumed media after television in rural India: Kantar and GroupM report

<ul><li>Around 67% of the <keyword id="3216" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="students" source="Orion">students</keyword> prefer working with large companies having more than 1,000 employers, as per a new <keyword id="516598" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Deloitte-report" source="Orion">Deloitte report</keyword>.</li><li>Students seem to be more concerned especially after the pandemic when a large number of people were laid off from companies</li><li>And 47% of students say that salaries are the biggest motivator to choose between jobs.</li></ul>Demand for undergraduates is <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/jobs/recruiters-flock-to-campuses-to-hire-undergraduates/articleshow/91249636.cms">at an all-time high</a> and employers are looking out for talents around campuses. However, students are looking out for growth opportunities and fair compensation. Around 67% of the students prefer working with large companies having more than 1,000 employers, as per a new Deloitte’s <keyword id="13957212" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Campus-Workforce-Trends-report" source="Orion">Campus Workforce Trends report</keyword>. And out of those, about 46% of the students specifically desire to work in public sector organisations and units, largely due to the fact that government jobs offer job security. Students seem to be more concerned especially after <keyword id="8902449" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19-pandemic" source="Orion">COVID-19 pandemic</keyword> when a large number of employees were laid off. While 26% of the students choose social media influence over corporate jobs, according to the report. The Deloitte report garnered participation from more than 150 organizations and 250 campuses across industries and tiers of campuses. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Salary is the biggest motivator for students" comment="subhead" text="Salary is the biggest motivator for students">Salary is the biggest motivator for students</cmsannotation> Around 47% of students say that salaries are the biggest motivator to choose between jobs, says the report. The pay offered across different specialisations varies based on the demand in each corporate sector. The information technology (IT) sector is one of the top choices among students as the industry offers the highest payouts and salaries as compared to other sectors. Data science and artificial intelligence are the highest paying jobs in the IT sector, followed by computer science, as per the report. The engineering specialisation also attracts high pay differentials from the consulting/services industry. While, students in entrepreneurship and businesses are offered the lowest salaries, followed by FMCG or FMCD industry. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Attrition rates among students" comment="subhead" text="Attrition rates among students">Attrition rates among students</cmsannotation> One year attrition is the highest among students from engineering and B.Tech courses and two-year attrition is the highest among candidates from BBA and BMS courses. However, the <keyword id="505875" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="attrition-rate" source="Orion">attrition rate</keyword> (between 15-20%) is highest in engineering degrees as compared to last year. The reason behind this is the ongoing supply and demand gap situation in the sector, says the report. “This pay-driven war for talent is primarily on account of the technology boom, as well as the changing preferences of young talent (flex, hybrid, on-site). One can expect this wave to last a few cycles before a reverse trend starts. While that happens, the pay budgets for fresher/young talent of organisations are expected to swell to near unsustainable levels,” said Neelesh Gupta, director of Deloitte India. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Students are choosing to work in metro cities" comment="subhead" text="Students are choosing to work in metro cities">Students are choosing to work in metro cities</cmsannotation> The students are preferring to work either in top metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore or at their home locations. “In the pre-pandemic world, a fairly limited number of jobs would exist in tier-2/tier-3 locations (except for plants/factories) and negligible in the home location of many students. Post introduction of hybrid/work from anywhere models, this trend is witnessing a surge and is likely to be a game-changer in how work happens/jobs are constructed,” says the report. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/most-companies-prefer-their-employees-back-to-offices-but-are-giving-them-the-choice/articleshow/91613454.cms">Most companies prefer their employees back to offices but are giving them the choice</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/uber-announces-new-features-for-wedding-guests-business-events-and-more/articleshow/91617551.cms">Uber announces new features for wedding guests, business events and more</a>

Students are now preferring to work in big corporates over startups

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> has infected 31 million people and killed 970,000 people worldwide, including the US, partly because of divisions over how serious the health consequences of the virus are and how quickly governments responded and addressed the risks of the <keyword id="43587" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="pandemic">pandemic</keyword>.</li><li>Experts tell Business Insider that people are denying or minimizing the risk of COVID-19 mostly because the virus itself has been politicized.</li><li>In the US, 7 million people have gotten COVID-19 and at least 200,000 have died.</li><li>Yet many people in the US refuse to wear face masks, and some believe the pandemic has been overblown.</li></ul>The spread of the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> in the US can be attributed to many factors — including those who have denied or underestimated the threat of the virus and how fast it could spread.Experts have said that while there are a number of reasons people haven't taken the threat of COVID-19 seriously."The fundamental problem is that the issue is politicized," Adrian Bardon, a philosophy professor at Wake Forest University, told Business Insider.About 7 million people in the US have been infected with COVID-19 and at least 200,000 have died, but many people still deny or minimize the threat of what's become the deadliest pandemic in modern history.The first known case of the virus in the US was recorded on January 21. In mid-March, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-pandemic-timeline-history-major-events-2020-3#january-7-chinese-authorities-identified-the-virus-that-caused-the-illness-as-a-new-type-of-coronavirus-3">By the beginning of April, nearly all the US population was under some sort of lockdown</a> as the virus spread. It hit metropolitan areas such as New York especially hard.It only took <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-records-4-million-covid-cases-2-weeks-3-million-2020-7">99 days after the first US case was reported for the country to surpass 1 million cases.</a> And 43 days after that, it surpassed 2 million. The 3-million-case mark came just 28 days after that, in early July. By the end of July, it would surpass 4 million.The Trump administration initially downplayed the threat of the coronavirus, even as cases and deaths surged."We have it totally under control," the president <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/22/trump-on-coronavirus-from-china-we-have-it-totally-under-control.html">said on January 22</a>. "It's one person coming in from China and we have it under control. It's going to be just fine."In February, as top officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-admits-downplayed-coronavirus-i-knew-it-could-be-horrible-2020-3">warned that cases in the US were likely to snowball, Trump said cases would be "close to zero" in a "couple of days."</a>As the virus spread, Trump suggested that people inject <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-suggests-infecting-disinfectant-video-transcript-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disinfectant as a cure</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-picked-one-fight-he-cant-win-anthony-fauci-coronavirus-2020-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">undermined medical experts on his own coronavirus task force</a>, and described Democrats' criticism of his administration's handling of the pandemic as a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-51687159" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"hoax</a>."Many of Trump's supporters have cosigned the president's downplaying of the virus and the pandemic at large.These efforts led to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/californians-protest-coronavirus-lockdown-huntington-beach-pier-closure-placards-2020-5">protests</a> against shutdowns, mask orders, and other efforts to quell the spread of the virus. In Michigan, for example, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/michigan-lockdown-protesters-brought-rifles-into-the-state-capitol-2020-4">protesters brought rifles to the state capitol</a> because they deemed the measures were overexaggerated, or that the state government was overstepping on its rights, or because they thought the entire pandemic was a hoax.Public-health officials across the country who pushed for these measures received <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/health-officials-worldwide-receive-death-threats-for-covid-19-response-2020-9">death threats</a>.People have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/couple-nyc-ferry-handcuffs-after-refusing-to-wear-masks-2020-9">refused to wear masks</a> in public and in multiple incidents turned belligerent or <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/restaurants-face-crisis-with-customers-mask-enforcement-2020-7">violent</a> when asked to do so. Violent anti-mask behavior led the Centers for Disease Control to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/anti-mask-violence-prompts-cdc-to-offer-guidance-to-retailers-2020-8">issue guidance</a> to retail workers including installing security equipment, such as panic buttons, and identifying a safe room where workers can avoid violent customers.<h2>Diverging realities in a divided nation</h2>Ideological polarization in the US right now means that many Americans are siloed within their own factions, leading preexisting beliefs to be reinforced by like-minded people without being challenged.Joseph Eisenberg, an epidemiologist from the University of Michigan, said another factor at play is that people in the US, more than any other nation, have a penchant for a "freedom" and free choice to make decisions they feel affect them.Those on the conservative end of the political spectrum, Bardon said, tend to believe that the government has little to no role in making rules that should be personal decisions, such as wearing a mask, and to go their own way when they believe it suits them."The culture in the US is more about independence and not being told what to do," Eisenberg told Business Insider. "There's a larger sector of our population that on principle doesn't think we should be forced to wear a mask, and they might want to show themselves as an example of that."Bardon, of Wake Forest, said that when a particular fact threatens one's preexisting perception it could also prompt someone to reject empirical evidence or expert guidance.People in positions of power can fight these issues by distributing accurate information and setting an example for the nation. But instead, Trump has spurred suspicion of government and denial of the severity of the consequences of the virus, according to Avishek Adhikari, a psychology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles."When Trump calls this virus a hoax, says it's exaggerated or claims falsely that it is a ploy by the Democrats, you know we've reached the point where the issue has been politicized," Bardon said. "We have politicized science."He added if it weren't for that politicization, it would likely have been easier for people to take the virus more seriously. The way this coronavirus manifests in infected plays a role in public perception as well."You don't have people literally dropping dead in the street with black boils all over their faces," Bardon said. "There would be no reason for people to doubt that the disease existed if that were the case."Both Bardon and Adhikari said virus deniers might be influenced partly by what an invisible illness COVID-19 can be."People react very differently to concrete, dangers that they can sense by either hearing or seeing compared to something invisible," Adhikari said, adding: "Then you factor in that it may not cause symptoms in a large percentage of the population, and then there's the probability of getting it. So that's very different from the reaction most people would have if, say, there is a bear charging at you. Then everyone would have a similar kind of reaction."<h2>Opposing forces</h2>Bardon said that when people are confronted with information that challenges their perceptions, especially in the US's divided culture, it engenders a cognitive dissonance they must resolve.Denial is often the default reaction, to a point."Presumably, when you're actually in the ICU on a ventilator ... there's a point where the cognitive dissonance becomes overwhelming and it just can't be denied. It can't be compartmentalized ... or magical thinking just doesn't work anymore," Bardon said."It's just really striking how much it takes to get some people to give up on their belief system."<h2>Miscalculating risk</h2>As the pandemic drags on, risk assessment among the population evolves alongside it."The less novel something is, the more people are willing to take added risks," Eisenberg said.That may lead some people to gradually become desensitized to the coronavirus."People forget fairly quickly, and as this goes on I think that everybody will adjust what they're comfortable with," Eisenberg added. "If we see mortality go down, and the chances of you knowing anybody that had a severe case starts going way down, that will result in people taking more risks."

Experts reveal why some people aren't taking COVID-19 seriously, even as it ravages the US and kills hundreds of thousands of people nationwide

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Texas Rangers welcomed a nearly full stadium on Monday for their opening day.</li><li>But experts told Insider while large events can resume in some places, precautions should be taken.</li><li>Some stadiums are requiring fans to be vaccinated or test negative for <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> before attending.</li></ul>The Texas Rangers on Monday drew tens of thousands of fans to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas for opening day, with photos of the game looking like relics from the days before the COVID-19 pandemic.It was the largest crowd size at a sporting event in the US since the pandemic began, <a href="https://www.insider.com/photo-shows-packed-crowds-at-texas-rangers-opening-game-2021-4">Insider's Erin Snodgrass</a> reported, and as states continue to open up further, more large events are likely to follow.However, infectious disease specialists told Insider that's not necessarily dangerous, depending on the state and as long as some precautions are taken."Because it's outdoors, I may surprise you here, but I do think they can play baseball in front of fans," Andrew Noymer, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California Irvine, told Insider.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/teachers-unions-gaslighting-parents-reopening-schools-randi-weingarten-2021-4">Teachers unions are gaslighting parents and resisting science to keep schools closed</a>While Noymer said he wouldn't personally go to a Rangers game right now even if he were a fan, he thinks some outdoor events can go on in states where transmission is low and virus variants are not of immediately pressing concern.In Michigan, for instance, where the <a href="https://www.insider.com/covid-surge-michigan-whitmer-orders-2021-4">surge in coronavirus cases is currently the worst in the nation</a>, he would not recommend such events. The state is reckoning with the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-variant-uk-higher-mortality-studies-2021-3">more transmissible and more deadly B.1.1.7 variant</a>, which has now been documented in Michigan more than any other state.And Michigan isn't the only state facing a surge, as about half of US states are seeing a rise in their daily case numbers.<div type="image" title="rangers baseball game" height="1666" width="2222" msid="82012132" hostid="261"></div>But for states where the epidemiological situation is relatively good, like Texas or California, allowing large outdoor gatherings with precautions could do more good than harm."We may be in a worse spot later in the summer," Noymer said, adding that even in places where the situation looks good now, that could change quickly. "We should save the limited tolerance that's left for stay-at-home type orders for when it's really necessary."Despite the good situation in Texas, Noymer said precautions should still be taken at large events. He said they should still be at 50% capacity, at most, but noted that when people cannot be spaced apart they should be wearing masks.The Rangers game Monday was nearly at capacity, with 38,238 fans in attendance in a stadium that seats 40,300. While <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-say-too-soon-to-lift-mask-mandates-variants-spread-2021-2">Gov. Greg Abbott lifted the state's mask mandate</a> last month against the recommendations of experts, Major League Baseball does require fans to wear masks. But photos of the game showed masks worn sparsely.Noymer also said sporting events are better suited to go on with precautions than others, like a music festival, for instance, adding: "You could do Coachella at 30% capacity and it would still just form a blob of humanity."Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California San Francisco, agreed that for these large events to occur, precautions should be taken."What you don't want is an unregulated free-for-all," Chin-Hong told Insider. "You still can't party like it's 2019."<div type="image" title="GettyImages 1310966356" height="3090" width="4120" msid="82012134" hostid="261"></div>He said even in places that appear to be doing well, the situation is not yet stable and it's not yet clear when it will be. As for large outdoor gatherings, he said a great way to reduce risk is a combination of vaccinations and testing for attendees.The San Francisco Giants, for instance, are requiring fans older than 12 years old to provide <a href="https://www.abc10.com/article/sports/san-francisco-giants-fans-stadium-negative-covid-test-proof-of-vaccine/103-50f1402b-2700-4fb8-a28c-a7af055cf4e8">proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result</a> in order to enter the stadium. And that's in addition to a 22% capacity restriction. Instead of relying on controversial <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vaccine-passports-coronavirus-how-will-they-work-in-us-israel-2021-4">vaccine passports</a> only, the model also mitigates the heightened risk involved with people who choose not to get the vaccine.Chin-Hong said these precautions are smart even in a state that feels safe right now, like California, because those places are not yet risk-free and that they should be implemented alongside masks and spacing.Large events could be an even more dangerous situation now than they would have been a year ago due to the variants, especially for young people who are not yet vaccinated but are attending these gatherings,"It's not like people are just getting COVID. They're getting serious COVID," he said, adding that Michigan has seen a significant increase in the number of coronavirus hospitalizations among people in their 20s and 30s.Chin-Hong emphasized that the pandemic is dynamic and could change quickly, making it wiser to gradually lift restrictions, rather than all at once."I'm always humbled by this virus," he said. "It's better to be safer and then pull back rather than just assume it can be a free-for-all again."Have a <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> tip? Contact this reporter at <a href="mailto:kvlamis@insider.com?inline-read-more">kvlamis@insider.com</a>.

Sports and other large outdoor events are finally returning but experts say they shouldn't be an 'unregulated free-for-all'

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> told Business Insider that its policy of unlimited but unpaid time off, announced in response to <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword>, extends only "through the end of April."</li><li>Amazon initially set the policy to expire in March, before the company extended it another month amid a growing number of <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> infections at its facilities.</li><li>"I think it means they want people who don't want to come to work to start quitting," an Amazon warehouse employee told Business Insider.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Amazon reminded employees at an Indiana warehouse on Tuesday that it is terminating its policy of unlimited, unpaid time off on April 30 — while informing them that a fourth coworker had tested positive for COVID-19. The next day Amazon told employees of a fifth case at the facility in Jeffersonville, Indiana, which Business Insider <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-warehouse-claims-social-distancing-investigation-2020-4">last month reported</a> was failing to comply with the company's social-distancing measures. At the time, Amazon pledged to investigate, but an employee there says that groups of workers continue to ignore signs asking them to stay apart from each other. "We're just waiting for a major breakout," the employee told Business Insider. In text messages concerning the latest positive tests, Amazon said it recognized that its warehouse staff "may be nervous about coming into work." The company reminded them that "absences will not be penalized, and you may take unlimited unpaid time off through the end of April." Amazon initially offered unpaid time off through the end of March, before extending the policy. It does not appear the company will do so again. If employees wish to take time off, an Amazon spokesperson told Business Insider, "those individuals have access to all their usual paid and unpaid time-off benefits." They reiterated that hourly employees would enjoy unlimited unpaid time off only "through the end of April." In the past, employees who have taken more time off than allotted <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-relaxing-attendance-policy-coronavirus-2020-3">have risked immediate dismissal</a>, though the company told Business Insider that it considers mitigating circumstances. "I think it means they want people who don't want to come to work to start quitting," another employee told Business Insider. Any worker who contracts the coronavirus will continue to receive up to two weeks of paid leave. Since the pandemic, the company has also begun to offer paid time off to part-time employees and boosted hourly wages by $2. Have a news tip? Email this reporter: <a href="mailto:cdavis@insider.com">cdavis@insider.com</a> Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-set-to-end-unlimited-unpaid-time-off-policy-2020-4">Business Insider</a>

Amazon set to end its 'unlimited unpaid time off' policy in the US

<ul><li>India identified as one of the most optimistic countries in APAC, with 53.3% consumers showing overwhelming optimism towards country’s economic growth.</li><li><keyword id="7001513" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Havas-Group-India">Havas Group India</keyword>’s report revealed that consumers are giving the highest weightage to the collective benefits (34.5%) that brands have to offer vs Functional and Personal benefits. </li></ul><keyword id="498769" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Havas">Havas</keyword> Group India’s <keyword id="3132972" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Meaningful-Brands">Meaningful Brands</keyword> 2020: <keyword id="10132156" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-edition-report">COVID edition report</keyword> said that 59% of the consumers have started to use brands' relationship with their employees as an evaluation parameter. 55% of consumers also expect more empathy from brands and want them to contribute to their mental and emotional well-being. The 2020 COVID edition of the study was conducted across 5 markets – India, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines &amp; South Korea, with a total sample size of 2,900 respondents (this is in addition to 13,000 respondents met in India and over 350,000 respondents worldwide during 2019 wave of Meaningful Brands study). In India, the study focused on <keyword id="774347" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Consumer-expectations">consumer expectations</keyword> in the post lockdown scenario, how brands can deliver on those expectations by identifying 4 Meaningful Shifts &amp; measuring meaningful criteria across 7 key categories. The study identified 8 Meaningful Shifts across APAC, that can help brands close the expectation gap created due to the pandemic. In India, 4 of these shifts take top priority - <ol><li>Sensory innovations to drive health &amp; safety: Advanced, specific safety measures that the consumer can touch &amp; feel, taken to account for the concerns arising due to the pandemic.</li><li>Being well - mentally &amp; physically: Consumers expecting brands to take care of their physical &amp; mental health, relax procedures to help them. Skin in the game post crisis: Brand’s perspective &amp; investment for greater good - help the economy/ category recover post crisis.</li><li>Transparency: Honesty in processes &amp; an open dialogue with consumers. </li></ol>Key findings from the study: #1. India is one of the most optimistic countries in APAC Contrary to the anticipated mass mindset, 53.3% consumers in India (Versus APAC average of 39%) show an overwhelming optimism towards country’s economic growth in the future, one of the highest in the APAC. Many consumers believe that the future is optimistic, and the slowdown due to Covid-19 is temporary. #2. Rising optimism is getting translated into rising expectation Consumers are giving the highest weightage to the collective benefits (34.5%) that brands have to offer vs Functional and Personal benefits. Optimistic consumers are harder to please and this optimism is getting translated into consumers’ expectation from brands to operate highly on emotional benefits. However, brands have not kept pace in meeting these expectations or becoming meaningful enough to delight consumers and build loyalty. #3. More responsibility in the time of crisis Consumers are giving higher weightage to responsibility during this time of crisis. 59% of the consumers have started to use brands’ relationship with their employees as an evaluation parameter. Consumers want to see brands taking tangible actions to ensure the overall good and well-being of the country and the economy. They want brands to use their strengths to solve issues (created by Covid) even post crisis. #4. Brands to innovate for health &amp; safety Consumers are expecting brands to innovate with core focus on their health &amp; safety. 61% of the consumers expect brand innovations that enable them to stay healthy or ensure their safety. They expect these innovations to be tactile and practical. Essentially, things that they can see, touch and feel in all aspects of the brand experiences. #5. Transparency &amp; honesty at an all-time high 58% of the consumers want brands to become more transparent &amp; honest about their processes and products. Consumers expect nothing less than the highest standards of the safety &amp; hygiene from the brands in the time of Covid-19. They want brands to reassure and ignite confidence in them regarding the safety standards they follow by being transparent and honest. In addition to the above findings, the study also reveals that consumers expect brands to act like experts, be more empathetic and contribute towards their mental &amp; emotional well-being; 52% of the consumers are even ready to go vocal for local as their faith for local brands have been reinstated. The findings have been further distilled into opportunity areas by capturing shifts in each of the seven categories - Automobiles, Consumer Durables, FMCG, eCommerce, Beauty &amp; Wellness, Retail and Telco. <ul><li>Automotive: 42% of the consumers believe that the role of automobile in handling daily chores has increased post-pandemic.</li></ul><ul><li>Consumer Durables: 64% consumers show intention to purchase a new product that offers to help them enhance their health &amp; safety and 61% expect brands to play a more active role in helping them learn new skills that would help them to deal with the new normal.</li></ul><ul><li>FMCG: 44% consumers expect brands to provide ways to manage household chores better; 42% want ideas from brands that help them entertain themselves. </li></ul><ul><li>eCommerce: 54% consumers expect brands to show commitment towards helping the country wade through the crisis; 52% consumers expect brands to support those who were made redundant during the crisis </li></ul><ul><li>Beauty &amp; Wellness: 60% consumers expect to see brands introducing new products that help them stay safe and healthy; 50% want enhanced safety and hygiene standards from the brands.</li></ul><ul><li>Retail: 59% consumers expect brands to show the protective measures they have taken considering the pandemic.</li></ul><ul><li>Telco: 58% consumers expect brands to ensure that they stay connected with their friends and family; 60% want enhanced customer service capable of handling queries in the new normal. </li></ul>Commenting on the study, Neeraj Bassi, Chief Strategy Officer, Havas Group India said: “Meaningful Brands by Havas Group is the first global framework that not only connects brands with human well-being but also ensures business returns. This proprietary study giving us a depth of understanding of meaningful journey of brands across the globe. The India edition attempts to find the recalibration of expectation due to lockdown and how can brands navigate the new normal to stay meaningful to their franchise. The true differentiator of this COVID edition is actionability. The study measured meaningful criteria across 7 key categories in India – Automobiles, Consumer Durables, FMCG, eCommerce, Beauty &amp; Wellness, Retail and Telco and identified 4 Meaningful Shifts that can help brands close the expectation gap created due to the pandemic. We hope brands leverage these shifts and move forward on their meaningful journey.”

Brands who stand by their employees in the time of crisis, have a higher chance of being valued by consumers: Report

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> on Thursday said an employee at its Jeffersonville, Indiana, distribution center has died from <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword>.</li><li>The company previously said it was investigating the warehouse after Business Insider obtained a photo that appeared to show that social-distancing measures were not being followed.</li><li>At least seven Amazon employees are now confirmed to have died from the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>A worker at an Amazon warehouse in Indiana has died from COVID-19 after several employees there told Business Insider that the company was failing to enforce social-distancing measures.After one worker <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-warehouse-claims-social-distancing-investigation-2020-4">provided a photo</a> on April 1, showing managers huddled around a small table, Amazon said it would investigate the situation there. Days later, the facility <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/worker-coronavirus-amazon-warehouse-indiana-social-distancing-2020-4">reported its first</a> confirmed case of an employee infected with the coronavirus.The employee who died was last inside the distribution center in Jeffersonville, Indiana, on April 1. The company began checking workers there for signs of fever two days later.<div type="image" title="amazon warehouse social distancing" height="1000" width="2000" msid="75749497" hostid="261"></div>"We are saddened by the loss of an associate who had worked at our site in Jeffersonville," Amazon spokesperson Timothy Carter said in a statement to Business Insider. "His family and loved ones are in our thoughts, and we are supporting his fellow colleagues."At least seven Amazon employees are now confirmed to have died from COVID-19, including another death, announced Thursday, of an associate at a warehouse in Indianapolis, Indiana."Upon finding out, I cried," an employee at the Jeffersonville facility told Business Insider, asking not to use their name because they fear losing their job. "I didn't even find out via Amazon directly contacting me," they said. "I found out because of an online article."They credited Amazon with taking steps to protect workers, but argued the company "refuses to do everything they can to ensure the safety of employees because there are so many customers ordering items.""I'm terrified just going to work and doing my job could literally kill me," they said, "or my family members if I bring it home."A number of Amazon's facilities have reported dozens of cases as the company enjoys <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/30/technology/amazon-stock-earnings-report.html">skyrocketing sales</a> to customers who are shelter in place; numerous workers have said in interviews that while their employer has instituted some measures to protect them — and recently <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-confirms-covid-19-testing-program-for-employees-in-fresno-2020-4?utmSource=twitter&amp;utmContent=referral&amp;utmTerm=topbar&amp;referrer=twitterrrer=twitter">began testing</a> some employees itself — they believe that not enough is being done to protect <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/amazon-says-dc-area-facility-exposed-to-covid-19-2020-4">individual lives</a> of workers.Amazon has said it has increased social distancing measures, implemented employee temperature checks, and provided some protective equipment such as masks.One employee who spoke to Business Insider in early April, requesting anonymity out of fear for their job, complained about the Jeffersonville facility, saying, "there is still no way to not come into contact with others," despite posted guidelines encouraging social distancing.The employee also lamented that their work did not feel socially necessary. "Our building barely ships any potential essential goods," they said. It's mostly "clothing and jewelry.""The warehouse is not operating safely at all," said another worker in early April, requesting anonymity for fear of retaliation. "We ask for hand sanitizer daily and get told that they don't have any," they claimed. "Almost everyone I talk to at work [is] scared to come in, but the only we have is to stay home without pay."Amazon <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/amazon-set-to-end-unlimited-unpaid-time-off-policy-2020-4-1029119953">eliminated that option</a> on May 1: employees who fear entering a potentially contaminated workplace now risk termination, as the company ended its policy of unlimited but unpaid time off, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-jersey-official-hopes-amazon-extends-time-off-for-employees-2020-4">despite a plea</a> from a local public health official in New Jersey where one warehouse allegedly had dozens of cases. Amazon also said that it will soon <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-dropping-covid-19-hazard-pay-warehouse-workers-may-2020-5">eliminate hazard pay for workers.</a>Workers were individually informed of the latest death, according to one employee who spoke to Business Insider."I really feel sorry for his family," the employee said, requesting anonymity out of fear of retaliation for speaking to the press. "They use the same robotic response for his death that they do for all the confirmed cases."The employee said social distancing is still not enforced, nor are there hand-washing stations, as promised, with workers pressured to unload products by internal deadlines, "no matter what the cost.""I do fear for my life," the worker added, "but I have bills to pay."Have a <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> tip? Email this reporter: <a href="mailto:cdavis@insider.com">cdavis@insider.com</a>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-confirms-death-warehouse-worker-says-social-distancing-not-enforced-2020-5">Business Insider</a>

Amazon confirms COVID-19 death of worker from a warehouse where employees complained social distancing was not enforced

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="6357385" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="florida">Florida</keyword> reported 156 more deaths from <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> on Thursday, a new record for the state.</li><li>Overall, at least 4,677 Florida residents have died from the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword>, according to the state Department of Health, which also reported 13,837 new cases on Thursday.</li><li>Miami-Dade County accounts for 12% of Florida's population but 25% of its deaths from the pandemic. ICU space is now running out.</li><li>To relieve pressure on area hospitals, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava <a href="https://www.insider.com/miami-dade-runs-out-of-icu-beds-amid-covid-surge-2020-7">told Business Insider</a> that state and local officials should set up field hospitals.</li><li>"We need to get the staff from out of state, if not the National Guard," she said. "I think we have to err on the side of caution, which means preparedness."</li></ul>On Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the situation in Florida had "stabilized," citing a decline in the rate of positive coronavirus tests. Over the next three days the positivity rate was once more above 15% — and, by Thursday, the state had shattered another lamentable record, reporting 156 more deaths from COVID-19.Before this week, the record was 120 deaths on July 9.Overall, at least 4,677 Florida residents have died from the coronavirus, according to the state Department of Health, which also reported 13,837 new cases on Thursday.The latest surge in COVID-19 has been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/miami-dade-county-never-got-the-contact-tracers-it-needs-2020-7">particularly bad in Miami-Dade County</a>, which accounts for 12% of Florida's population but 25% of its deaths from the pandemic.Hospitals in South Florida are now almost out of space in their intensive-care units. On Thursday, the county reported that ICU beds for COVID-19 patients were at 107% capacity.Jackson Health System, a nonprofit hospital in Miami-Dade County, told Business Insider that the massive uptick in cases has forced it to convert more space to ICU beds — and to stop admitting non-COVID cases "if their medical needs can wait.""Our focus right now is on caring for COVID patients who require hospitalization and those patients with the true emergencies," the hospital said in a July 16 statement.To relieve pressure on area hospitals, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava <a href="https://www.insider.com/miami-dade-runs-out-of-icu-beds-amid-covid-surge-2020-7">told Business Insider</a> that state and local officials should set up field hospitals and start hosting patients at the Miami Beach Convention Center."We need to get the staff from out of state, if not the National Guard," she said. "I think we have to err on the side of caution, which means preparedness."Have a <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com

You Searched For "covid report" and got 10 results

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Sports and other large outdoor events are finally returning but experts say they shouldn't be an 'unregulated free-for-all'

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Brands who stand by their employees in the time of crisis, have a higher chance of being valued by consumers: Report

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