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Coronavirus Update in RI – 3-21-20
National & International:
3rd straight day of no new cases in Wuhan
Texas allowing alcohol delivery with take-out foods by restaurants
Nevada – all non-essential businesses asked to close
Florida closes gyms, restaurants
Walmart to give bonuses to employees April 2nd – $150 part time workers/ $300 full time
National sports groups call for postponement of Olympics
Army Corps of Engineers scouting NYC buildings for hospital use
3 Georgia inmates have virus, 3 more being observed
Soccer in England delayed until May
Sen. Bernie Sanders is turning his social media platform to working on education on coronavirus – he is also proposing using Medicare as it is now to pay for medical care for coronavirus
FDA is working on treatment with blood from recovered patients
Celebrities begin to announce positive status – Andy Cohen, Colin Underwood
Illinois joins “stay at home” appeal
Five times a day, the bells will ring out in the Roman Catholic churches that dot the landscape in the city of Chicago as a call to prayer during the coronavirus crisis.
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto said Thursday night that he’s going to self-quarantine for 14 days after coming into contact with at least two people in Washington, D.C. who have tested positive for coronavirus.
Invictus Games postponed to 2021
China has 2nd day with no new cases
Americans turn to video games, breaking a new record for online concurrent users with more than 21 million accounts online.
Etsy – 2.7 million people sell on this platforms – 80% are women – the world of sole proprietors – the CEO of Etsy is being public in hoping the 57 million tax paying people are “businesses of one”. Josh Silverman, Etsy CEO wants congress to do 3 things. Direct relief – the cash crunch is right now. Loans. Extensions on credit cards, mortgages. Reform Unemployment Insurance to cover sole proprieters – make sure earned income tax credit is working for them.
New York Press Conference:
Cases – 7,290 new positive cases – # of cases relative to # of tests (if they could do more tests, they would have more positives. They did 10,000 tests last night. In-hospital rate
100% non-essential workers must stay home – all New York, stay in your home
90 day no evictions in NYC
National Press Conference:
RI Dept. of Ed – Elementary through high school no standardized testing
Student Loans – no interest for next 60 days – more to come later on this
Treasury – moving tax day from 4/15 to 7/15 – no interest, no penalties – can file early for refunds
Applauds CA and NY for steps they took to close down their areas
Closed border with Canada, jointly done – review in 30 days – excluding traffic for work, etc. Essential travel ok.
Mexico – working closely on border issues, new rules, no non-essential travel, Mexico suspending air travel from Europe. Jointly agreed to with Mexican govt. Essential travel is ok.
Level 4 Global Travel advisory – all travel outside US should be avoided – those outside of US should return immediately or prepare to stay abroad for an extended period of time.
DHS screened 200,000+ who have traveled into US.
CDC – providing both borders with what they need to prevent spread of infection. Elimination of all efforts of people to seek introduction into the US. All without documentation will be immediately returned; will not be held in congregate settings. Some border agents have tested positive, others are self-quarantined.
China – Noting how travel restrictions were instituted early. Italy & US saw first case at the same time, yet US has had time to prepare, unlike Italy which has become tragically overwhelmed.
Data – male mortality is being seen as twice that of female in all age groups; most young people are recovering from covid19; one person sick in household – all members should quarantine. No new data. Do not interpret mild disease as being immune, you just have a better system for fighting the disease.
Dr. Fauci – important to keep infections coming into the country from outside US – closing of borders is critical as a public health measure – New York: highly stressed area, similar to the stress levels and actions taken in California and Washington.
VP Pence – economic recovery package in discussion for passage now; testing supplies increasing via the public, private partnership; Medical supplies of PPE expanding, securing and conserving supplies, including ventilators. Trying to free up other ventilators – 10s of thousands of existing ventilators can be converted by working with anesthesiologists. Encouraging hospitals to postpone any elective medical procedures to free up beds and equipment. Businesses are donating masks and protective wear.
Rhode Island & Local Region
URI now acknowledges a staff member tested positive
Beer & wine can be included in take-out orders, per Gov. order – 2 bottles of wine, and 144 ozs beer, all closed containers
Dedicated rescue units from Providence & Cranston set to answer virus-type calls
New Bedford municipal offices closed
Connecticut has 2nd death
First person in MA dies – in his 80s, from Suffolk County
Governor’s Press Conference:
Data: 10 new cases – now, 54 case count (pediatric to 70s, 4 females, 6 females – each being investigated. All 10 are recovering at home.
State doing 1-200 tests daily
Don’t hoard products – trucks are coming in and there are no shortages
Weekend – don’t get together in groups – no parties, sleepovers, etc.
Feels more confident than ever – sees the light at the end of the tunnel
Providence Mayor Elorza Press Conference
No gatherings of 10 or more people
Gyms, spas, beauty salons, barber shops, tattoo parlors & flea markets close 5pm