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Coronavirus Update – Today, Monday, May 4, 2020
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
NFL says it will “start on time”.
The US Senate says it WILL return to work; the US House will not, listening to House physician’s recommendations.
May 4th, 9 more states begin to open for business.
Bicycle use is being encouraged as a way to avoid unsafe crowding on trains and buses.
Italy reaches lowest coronavirus death toll since March 10.
NRA cutting staff and salaries
Vienna Airport will offer onsite coronavirus testing starting Monday to enable passengers entering Austria to avoid having to be quarantined for 14 days.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has revealed that doctors prepared to announce his death
Pope Francis called for international scientific cooperation to discover a vaccine for the coronavirus on Sunday and said any successful vaccine should be made available around the world.
Travel in China surges as residents flock to tourist sites during 5-day holiday
Spain reports lowest daily death toll in nearly seven weeks
South Korea reports no new deaths as social distancing rules to be relaxed
Refuse Fascism, a group against reopening too soon will hold counter-demonstrations in LA, all while practicing social distancing and wearing masks.
1,200 Rhode Islanders have already applied for renters relief – program is administered through Crossroads, RI
Massachusetts now has 4th highest count of people with coronavirus.
Gilead’s remdesivir will be available this week.
RINewsToday learned that a complaint has been filed with the RI AG’s office relative to conditions at the RI Veterans Home, and other officials have been contacted about staffing difficulties.
Warren Buffett: Never bet against America and that in my view is as true today at it was in 1789, and even was true during the Civil War and the depths of the Depression. He just sold all his stake in US airlines.
RHODE ISLAND DATA: MAY 3, 2020
Highest single day of deaths – 24. 18 from nursing homes – 1 in 30s, 3 in 40s, 1 in 50s, 1 in 60s, 2 in 70s, 8 in 80s, 8 in 90s.
Lowest day of new cases.
Day before…May 2, 2020:
Another nursing home going to be a Covid19 facility – Oakland Grove in Woonsocket. To take people rehabbing when they leave the hospital.
Pleased to announce that RI will collaborate with CT, MA, NY, New Jersey, Delaware and PA to purchase regionally PPE equipment, as governors agree to work together. Need a steady supply chain so RI joined the coalition to avoid competing with each other.
A week from today is Mother’s Day. Hopefully, this will be the first day we can lift the stay at home order. Not the day to visit moms and nursing homes. So think now how to celebrate.
April Reading Challenge: 21,000 students logged more than 1 billion minutes of reading. Barnes & Noble will donate books to top schools: Westerly Inclusion PreSchool – Paul Cuffee School – Portsmouth Middle School – Highlander School in Providence.
Teachers Appreciation Week: TY to teachers. Find a way to thank our teachers.
Questions:
What role can government play in restoring sense of safety for employees coming back to work? We can provide good information and be transparent. Put conditions in place so that it is safe. But we have to be courageous and brave. Behavior change has to stick around until a vaccine or cure.
Childcare: We don’t meet federal standards – what can be done? Like to get centers back up and running by June 1st. Limited reopening. CCAP will see all rates rise to five star level.
Churches: When? TY to Bishop Tobin for cooperating. No shared hymnals, prayer book. More cleaning. Special attention to elderly/sick. Social distancing.
Masks: Is the wearing of masks necessary if no one else is around outside. No, just have them at the ready if people are around.
Dental offices: strategies under consideration to keep offices safe.
Press Release:
- Regional Collaborative: Today Rhode Island joined a multi-state collaborative to purchase personal protective equipment and other medical supplies. The coalition of states, including Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania, will identify regional need for medical supplies, work together to reduce costs and stabilize the supply chain.
- Second Nursing Home Named as a COVID-19 Specialty Nursing Home: To support Rhode Island’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor and Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) announced that Oakland Grove Health Care Center, in Woonsocket, has become the State’s second nursing home to become a COVID-19 specialty nursing home. Along with previously named Oak Hill Health and Rehabilitation Center in Pawtucket, Oakland Grove will accept patients who are being discharged from the hospital and who are COVID-positive but no longer require acute-level care. This strategy allows COVID-positive patients leaving the hospital to receive specialized rehabilitation and step-down, post-acute care while reserving hospital beds for patients who need acute-level care. Current Oakland Grove residents who do not have COVID-19 symptoms will be located in a separate unit of the facility.