
Coronavirus Updates
02/19/20 • 20 min
This episode covers the latest updates since our previous deep-dive on the novel coronavirus outbreak. We cover the latest developments -- new name, new declarations, new numbers, new definitions -- as well as:
- practical implications for the U.S. healthcare system given how it works today, and where we might go in the future -- with a16z general partner Julie Yoo, given our vantage point in tech; and
- how the rt-PCR test works, and other updates about what the data do and don't tell us, and whether and what terms are useful or not -- with a16z bio partner Judy Savitskaya;
...in conversation with Sonal Chokshi.
Sources for this episode and/or other background links:
- latest numbers: cases in the U.S. (CDC, as of February 17, 2020); global cases (WHO situation report #25, February 14, 2020); spike in diagnosing cases as reported in China (SCMP, Scott Gottlieb)
- situation & policy statements/reports: CDC summary (as of February 14, 2020); "Annual report on global preparedness for health emergencies", WHO (Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, 2019)
- on definitions (of pandemics, endemics), other terms, and various naming conventions: "Understanding pandemics: What they mean, what they don't mean, and what comes next with the coronavirus", Helen Branswell, StatNews (February 12, 2020); on disease occurrence and levels (CDC); "misinfodemic"; best practices on naming new human infectious diseases (WHO); qPCR (Keith Robison)
image: 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), CDC, via Wikimedia Commons
This episode covers the latest updates since our previous deep-dive on the novel coronavirus outbreak. We cover the latest developments -- new name, new declarations, new numbers, new definitions -- as well as:
- practical implications for the U.S. healthcare system given how it works today, and where we might go in the future -- with a16z general partner Julie Yoo, given our vantage point in tech; and
- how the rt-PCR test works, and other updates about what the data do and don't tell us, and whether and what terms are useful or not -- with a16z bio partner Judy Savitskaya;
...in conversation with Sonal Chokshi.
Sources for this episode and/or other background links:
- latest numbers: cases in the U.S. (CDC, as of February 17, 2020); global cases (WHO situation report #25, February 14, 2020); spike in diagnosing cases as reported in China (SCMP, Scott Gottlieb)
- situation & policy statements/reports: CDC summary (as of February 14, 2020); "Annual report on global preparedness for health emergencies", WHO (Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, 2019)
- on definitions (of pandemics, endemics), other terms, and various naming conventions: "Understanding pandemics: What they mean, what they don't mean, and what comes next with the coronavirus", Helen Branswell, StatNews (February 12, 2020); on disease occurrence and levels (CDC); "misinfodemic"; best practices on naming new human infectious diseases (WHO); qPCR (Keith Robison)
image: 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), CDC, via Wikimedia Commons
Previous Episode

Epic Battles in Healthcare, FICO Changes
This episode of 16 Minutes on the news covers:
- FICO credit score changes, what are they, do they matter? -- with a16z fintech general partners Angela Strange and Anish Acharya;
- electronic health record provider Epic's letter urging hospitals to oppose government regulations that would make it easier for patients and companies to access medical information, and where is the Plaid of healthcare? -- at 10:19 with a16z bio general partner Julie Yoo;
...in conversation with Sonal Chokshi.
Background links / pieces mentioned in this episode:
- Changes are coming to your credit score, Anna Bahney, CNN Business
- FICO changes could lower your credit score, AnnaMaria Andriotis, Wall Street Journal
- Epic’s CEO is urging hospital customers to oppose rules that would make it easier to share medical info & Epic and about 60 hospital chains come out against rules that would make it easier to share medical info, Chrissy Farr, CNBC
- Health care data-sharing rules touch off intense lobbying fight, Darius Tahir, Politico
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The views expressed here are those of the individual AH Capital Management, L.L.C. (“a16z”) personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. Certain information contained in here has been obtained from third-party sources, including from portfolio companies of funds managed by a16z. While taken from sources believed to be reliable, a16z has not independently verified such information and makes no representations about the enduring accuracy of the information or its appropriateness for a given situation.
This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities or digital assets are for illustrative purposes only, and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any fund managed by a16z. (An offering to invest in an a16z fund will be made only by the private placement memorandum, subscription agreement, and other relevant documentation of any such fund and should be read in their entirety.) Any investments or portfolio companies mentioned, referred to, or described are not representative of all investments in vehicles managed by a16z, and there can be no assurance that the investments will be profitable or that other investments made in the future will have similar characteristics or results. A list of investments made by funds managed by Andreessen Horowitz (excluding investments for which the issuer has not provided permission for a16z to disclose publicly as well as unannounced investments in publicly traded digital assets) is available at https://a16z.com/investments/.
Charts and graphs provided within are for informational purposes solely and should not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The content speaks only as of the date indicated. Any projections, estimates, forecasts, targets, prospects, and/or opinions expressed in these materials are subject to change without notice and may differ or be contrary to opinions expressed by others. Please see https://a16z.com/disclosures for additional important information.
Next Episode

What's Up With All These Fintech Acquisitions; SEC Rules
This episode of 16 Minutes on the news covers:
- all the recent fintech acquisitions! from Intuit announcing it's acquiring Credit Karma this week to Morgan Stanley announcing it's acquiring E-trade last week to Visa acquiring Plaid last month, and so on -- what’s going on, why, and why now? -- with a16z general partner Anish Acharya;
- recent hearing on SEC's complaint against Telegram, which turns out not to be about cryptocurrency at large, a particular subset of cryptocurrencies, or whether a cryptocurrencly is inherently a security -- but may have broader implications for policy and policy making -- at 7:57 with a16z managing partner Scott Kupor;
...in conversation with Sonal Chokshi.
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The views expressed here are those of the individual AH Capital Management, L.L.C. (“a16z”) personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. Certain information contained in here has been obtained from third-party sources, including from portfolio companies of funds managed by a16z. While taken from sources believed to be reliable, a16z has not independently verified such information and makes no representations about the enduring accuracy of the information or its appropriateness for a given situation.
This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities or digital assets are for illustrative purposes only, and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any fund managed by a16z. (An offering to invest in an a16z fund will be made only by the private placement memorandum, subscription agreement, and other relevant documentation of any such fund and should be read in their entirety.) Any investments or portfolio companies mentioned, referred to, or described are not representative of all investments in vehicles managed by a16z, and there can be no assurance that the investments will be profitable or that other investments made in the future will have similar characteristics or results. A list of investments made by funds managed by Andreessen Horowitz (excluding investments for which the issuer has not provided permission for a16z to disclose publicly as well as unannounced investments in publicly traded digital assets) is available at https://a16z.com/investments/.
Charts and graphs provided within are for informational purposes solely and should not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The content speaks only as of the date indicated. Any projections, estimates, forecasts, targets, prospects, and/or opinions expressed in these materials are subject to change without notice and may differ or be contrary to opinions expressed by others. Please see https://a16z.com/disclosures for additional important information.
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