Coronavirus Update – RI – March 20, 2020

INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL

California is under statewide “shelter in place” order

Liquor Stores have been closed in Pennsylvania

Vegas Air Control Tower closed

Amazon warehouse employees in NYC & Seattle test positive

Tiffany & Co. closes

Playboy has ended its print publication permanently – will continue digital

JC Penney closes all stores

Over 2000 more positives today in New York

The huge uptick in testing curve reflects more testing being done

Marshall’s stores closed

New York – 75% of workforce in companies must work from home

Sen. Richard Burr, NC, Chairman of the Intelligence Committee sold $1.7 million of stock just before the coronavirus pandemic would be announced and warned others – Georgia’s Sen. Kelly Loeffler, Pennsylvania congressman Brendan Boyle, California Senator Dianne Feinstein, and Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe also sold between several hundred thousand and as much as $7 million in stock.

Up to 20% of those hospitalized for coronavirus are millennials

Last day for live, on-floor US Stock Exchange – all will move to online

President’s News Conference:

First vaccine trial underway

First viral therapy, news of the day – clearing the way for it

Compassionate use drug therapy / “right to try” – already passed in this administration will clear the way for experimental therapies and use of medications approved for other conditions can be tried

Hydroxychloroquine, a common malarial or arthritis drug are showing encouraging results. Individual states will handle this by prescription.  Gilead’s remdesivir, existing drug for other purposes also can now be tried.

(Reference: https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2020/03/576244/two-generic-drugs-being-tested-us-race-find-coronavirus-treatments)

10,000 US Scientists working around the clock, announced by FDA

Supporting families – Family leave, food assistance, money coming to people out of work, FEMA active, testing expanding by the hour

Construction companies responding to request to donate N45 masks to hospitals

Ventilators being converted to medical use

#15DaysToSlowTheSpread continues

Number of new cases rising fast because testing is increasing – test results now to be reported to CDC directly, which will also raise the numbers

Over 50% of cases come from 3 states, 10 counties

Thanking citizens for delaying elective surgeries

Blood Donations – call for those who are healthy to donate

Carnival Cruise Lines – may make ships available if we need extra beds

Burger King – starting today – order 1 adult meal – get 2 kiddie meals free

RHODE ISLAND & REGION

Omni Hotel in Providence closes until June

Special Olympics canceled all events for now

VA Hospital – prescriptions filled mail-order only, except for emergency

Emerald Square Mall closed

Former RI Rep. Amy Rice has the virus – from a trip to Utah

Providence City Council holds teleconference meeting

10 Providence officers in quarantine after arrest of a juvenile

Boston Celtics’ Marcus Smart tests positive

All TJ Maxx stores closed

Four more Providence venues violated the “close” ban – La Sonrisa Restaurant on Cranston Street, Masheratti Lounge & Grill on Elmwood Avenue, Vic’s Tap on Union Avenue, and Gemma’s Bar on Ethan Street.

Peapod has suspended most local deliveries and pickup

Connecticut is housing the homeless in vacant schools – to protect all.

Eleven hotels in the Providence area are offering discounted rates to college and university students who are displaced by campus closures due to the coronavirus.

URI calls off school for remainder of semester – students contact school for move-out management

Naval War College goes to online lectures/seminars

Governor’s Press Conference

New Numbers –
Number of Rhode Island COVID-19 positive (including presumptive positive) cases: 44

• Bristol County: Fewer than 5
• Kent County: Fewer than 5
• Newport County: 6
• Providence County: 23
• Washington County: 7
• Number of people who had negative test results: 654
• Number of people for whom tests are pending: 140
• Number of people who are currently instructed to self-quarantine in Rhode Island: approximately 2,500 (1,800 are Cranston West HS students/staff)

Focus today on equipment – swabs & PPE (protective equipment) – ventilators (remembering federal items go to most in need)

Wants to hear from companies who use protective gear, masks, or use a lab – even a dentist – state wants to hear from you – distributor of medical supplies – by 3pm, there will be a page on RIDOH website of items looking for.

Concerned about illegal price gouging – call AG office, consumer division

Banking & credit union access – they are flush, no worries about that – use ATMs or make appts to go in

Evictions – no one will be evicted – Judge Suttell shut the courts until 4/17 on anything related to eviction

Nursing Homes – virus hits elderly the hardest – doesn’t want people to visit, even outside the window

Schools – teachers and students are working hard – Cox setting up wi-fi’s

GOOD NEWS

NO new cases in Wuhan Province yesterday

A multi-arm study, dubbed the SOLIDARITY trial, will test the antiviral drug remdesivir; a combination of two HIV drugs, lopinavir and ritonavir; lopinavir and ritonavir plus interferon beta; and the antimalarial drug chloroquine.

China says it is developing 9 possible vaccines

Top Photo: Al Jazeera

Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio – with worldwide support for us all