Charter Communications' annual shareholder meeting this year will be held virtually due to the pandemic, it said Tuesday. It meets April 28, it said.

The growth in peak data traffic nationally seems to be slowing and, in some places, plateauing, NCTA said Wednesday. National downstream peak growth remains flat for the second consecutive week, up 0.65% last week, while national upstream peak growth continues to decelerate for the second consecutive week, it said. Upstream growth of 0.71% last week compares with increases of 4% and 7% the previous two weeks, it said.

The Scripps Research Institute and Stanford Medicine are working with Fitbit, using the wearable maker’s data to help detect, track and contain infectious diseases like COVID-19, said the company Tuesday. They are inviting other institutions to join the effort and share learning with researchers. Early evidence shows wearables can help predict the onset of an infectious disease like the flu before symptoms start, Fitbit said, and the consortium's goal is "to unlock similar potential via leading research institutions in response to COVID-19." Scripps recently launched an app-based research program to analyze participants’ wearable health data to detect the emergence of the flu, coronavirus and other fast-spreading viral illnesses.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr noted on Twitter he had been blocked from following Lijian Zhao, spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of China. Carr is a recurring critic of how that nation has silenced those criticizing its handling of COVID-19 (see 2004100062). “No higher honor than getting blocked by the chief propagandist of the communist regime in China,” Carr tweeted. China's embassy in Washington didn't comment.

The Library of Congress canceled all scheduled public events until July 1 due to COVID-1. It previously closed buildings and facilities to the public until further notice (see 2003270007).

Q1 shipments of PCs, including desktops, laptops and workstations, declined 9.8% globally to 53.2 million, reported IDC. It blamed the “stark decline” on “reduced supply” from the COVID-19 outbreak in China, the world's largest supplier of PCs. Inventories were “somewhat limited” in Q1 as consumers flooded retail for connectivity tools for telework and distance learning as the U.S. began sheltering in place, said IDC Monday. “A few vendors and retailers were able to keep up with the additional demand as the threat of increased tariffs last year led to some inventory stockpiling at the end of 2019. It fears “this bump in demand may be short lived as many fear the worst is yet to come and this could lead to both consumers and businesses tightening spending in the coming months."

Infinite Electronics makes 60-72 face shields weekly at its Hayden, Idaho, facility to help West Coast medical facilities facing COVID-19 shortages, Katee Schalau, technical content specialist, emailed us Tuesday. The electronic components maker announced last week it’s using a printing design developed by 3D printer maker Budmen Industries to donate face shields.

“Keeping Britain connected” is the “biggest contribution” Huawei can make in the U.K’s effort to defeat COVID-19, said Vice President Victor Zhang in an “open letter” Monday. “Despite this, there has been groundless criticism from some about Huawei’s involvement in the UK’s 5G rollout,” he said. “Disrupting our involvement in the 5G rollout would do Britain a disservice.” Once the crisis passes, “we look forward to continuing to play our role as a key partner in improving the networks, benefiting the economy and ultimately everyone in the UK, ending the postcode lottery of good connectivity,” he said. “Right now, by keeping Britain online, we are able to play our part in helping the country through this difficult period.”

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., led filing of the Advancing Connectivity during the Coronavirus to Ensure Support for Seniors (Access) Act in a bid to increase senior citizens’ access to telehealth during COVID-19. The bill would make a $50 million emergency appropriation for the Department of Health and Human Services’ Telehealth Resource Center for nursing facilities receiving Medicare and Medicaid, Capito’s office said Monday. The measure would establish an HHS grant program to help enable nursing facility residents’ participation in “virtual visits” with loved ones while the health risk of in-person visits remains high. Two Democratic senators are co-sponsors: Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania.

The Media Institute April 27 luncheon with FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly was moved to June 25, the institute emailed us Monday. That's the second delay due to COVID. Initially, the event was to have been March 25.