The Prospect for Herd Immunity in Several States

Plus: Bitcoin In, Gold Out? You are receiving this limited-time email resource as a subscriber to Kiplinger's free e-newsletters. To unsubscribe at any time, simply click the link in the footer below. NOVEMBER 25, 2020 [View in browser]( HOW TO PROTECT AND GROW YOUR BUSINESS AND INVESTMENTS NOW As the number of new COVID-19 cases have surged in the U.S., daily hospitalizations and deaths has picked up, doubling from a month ago. However, the good news is that the percentage of infected people dying or going to the hospital is down from where it was this spring, a sign that doctors are getting better at treating it. If the spring’s worst death rate had continued, there would be 800,000 deaths by now, instead of the current 251,000. --------------------------------------------------------------- SPONSORED CONTENT FROM BARCLAYS [Learn More About Barclays Online Savings Products]( No monthly maintenance fees, no minimum to open, and 100% US based customer service. [READ MORE]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Is it possible for a state to gain immunity to COVID-19 without a vaccine? A few may soon find out. Especially N.D. and S.D., where 10% and 8%, respectively, of their populations have tested positive previously, but many mild cases have gone unreported. As a result, parts of the population may have achieved herd immunity, the point where enough folks have been infected and recovered that the spread slows. It’s thought that when roughly 60% to 70% of a population gets sick and recovers, their antibodies prevent the virus from circulating much more. That is not the way that most communities would probably want to beat the virus, but it may happen. And while it’s too early to tell, the Dakotas are seeing a slowdown in new infections. Iowa and Wis. may also be approaching a key threshold for herd immunity. More than 6% of their populations have tested positive, but again, that is likely an undercount. And new cases are slowing down. Bitcoin and gold have traded places across 2020 as the alternative asset of note, but the world’s premier cryptocurrency has recently pulled away ([chart here]( with a roaring rally that has it within spitting distance of its December 2017 high of $19,783. While both assets have been rising amid the decline of the U.S. dollar, Bitcoin is starting to be buoyed by usage on fintech platforms Square ([SQ]( and PayPal ([PYPL](. “PayPal and Cash App are already buying more than 100% of all newly-issued bitcoins,” writes blockchain investment firm Pantera Capital in a [recent shareholder letter](. Indeed, this newfound mainstream platforming has the firm believing this isn’t another bubble ready to burst like three years ago. “This rally is much more sustainable than 2017. One of the main differences is the ease of investing in bitcoin now — via PayPal, Cash App, Robinhood, etc.” Just remember, if you’re considering dipping a toe into the crypto waters, that this is still a “Wild West” investment fraught with risk and uncertainty. Only invest with a small portion of your portfolio’s aggressive allocation that you can afford to lose. Free download, [The Kiplinger Letter's Forecast](. No information required from you. SPONSORED CONTENT FROM BARCLAYS [Learn More About Barclays Online Savings Products]( No monthly maintenance fees, no minimum to open, and 100% US based customer service. [READ MORE]( LATEST INVESTING NEWS FROM KIPLINGER.COM [Peering Past the Pandemic]( [How Holiday Shopping Happens in a Pandemic]( [6 Top Robinhood Stocks for Late 2020: Do the Pros Agree?]( [19 Best Costco Kirkland Signature Products to Buy for the Holidays]( [Sign Up Free for Kiplinger's Daily Closing Bell e-Newsletter to Get Ahead of the Market]( [Kiplinger] [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( Send this to a friend. [Click here.]( All content ©2020 The Kiplinger Washington Editors 1100 13th Street, NW, Suite 1000 Washington, D.C. 20005 Thank you for subscribing to Kiplinger's A Step Ahead, a free resource to help readers navigate the economic recovery from COVID-19. If you ever wish to stop receiving this service, please [click here to unsubscribe](.