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Coronavirus Update – Today – April 10, 2020
(Our moment of joy today, at the very bottom, is from Andrew Cotter, a sportswriter from the United Kingdom – there’s always some sport to write about!)
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
PHOTO: The WHO, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societieshas produced a free, downloadable children’s book, to explain to children what the coronavirus is – you can download it here:
The Jewish Chronicle and Jewish News are to close
More men than women test positive – and more women than men get tested. Men may not exhibit symptoms as women do, but still be virus positive.
Oakland, California, to close 74 miles of city streets to cars, inviting walkers, runners and cyclists instead
England’s “Pick for Britain” has recruited thousands students and unemployed to harvest crops throughout the country. This program is to limit out of country “cheap labor” coming in to the country post-Covid-19.
England wanted to recruit 250K citizens to help with medical needs – and got 750K volunteering.
Senate Democrats block GOP bid for $250 billion in small-business funds amid impasse over coronavirus aid
Pennsylvania extends school closings for entire academic year
Fauci: Antibody tests are in development, could arrive in ‘days to weeks’
Dr. Fauci lowers death expectation to 60,000
Georgia primary delayed again, this time until June 9
Wisconsin governor moves to close 40 state parks, forests
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who spent his fourth night in a London hospital with coronavirus “continues to improve” and “is in good spirits,” \
Some doctors are moving away from using ventilators when they can. Some hospitals have reported unusually high death rates for coronavirus patients on ventilators, and some doctors worry that the machines could be harming certain patients.
Emory University has invented an app to assess your Covid-19 symptoms and risk factors.
New York is bringing in funeral home directors from other states to help process the bodies.
2nd coronavirus vaccine trial begins in the U.S., with a pinch and a zap
Dow surges after Fed announces $2.3 trillion emergency program
The WHO, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societieshas produced a free, downloadable children’s book, to explain to children what the coronavirus is – you can download it here:
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Breaking: 20 Rhode Island State employees across the core Executive Branch have reported testing positive for COVID-19 and are under mandatory isolation. Eight in the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals; 1 in Veterans Services; 3 in the Department of Corrections; 1 in the Department of Health; 1 in the Executive Office of Health & Human Services; 1 in the Department of Children, Youth & Families; 3 in the Department of Revenue; 1 in the Department of Administration and 1 in the Department of Human Services. As a result, 260 state employees who came into contact with these people are quarantining/self-monitoring.
Rhode Island Nursing Homes: 20 homes have cases of coronavirus; concentrated cases in 7 nursing homes, with 2 nursing homes with less than 5 cases.
“Rhode Island bidding rules essentially went out the window“, according to the Providence Journal – “when the Raimondo administration hired Dimeo Construction Co. and others to quickly turn a former bank in Cranston, a former Lowe’s building in North Kingstown and the Rhode Island Convention Center into makeshift hospitals”. The Cranston and Quonset facility were rented for 6 months with the Convention Center lease, still in negotiation, for one year. Federal reimbursement is expected.
Mark Allen clothiers in RI has switched to making masks with the MA logotype on them
24,000 units of Chobani yogurts and 24,000 units of Edesia MeWe peanut butter packets that will be incorporated into our youth grab and go meals beginning Friday.
An amended parade is on in Bristol.
Johnson & Wales University has rescheduled commencement for its Providence campus to Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
Federal government is giving states option to continue with federal management of testing sites – supervision and manpower – or transition to full state control.
Providence College virtual graduation May 17th – Commencement ceremonies , Halloween
RI AG Neronha says police can charge landlords who evict tenants
The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in Massachusetts had risen by 70 cases to 503, up from 433 the day before. Total coronavirus cases climbed by 2,151 to 18,941. The Department of Public Health also reported a total of 94,958 people in the state had been tested, up from 87,511 a day earlier.
New Bedford Mayor announces 2 nursing facilities that can be used for hospital bed expansion – Southcoast doubling its ICU capability. New facilities have 107 and 163 beds. Opening as recovery sites on April 14th. Step down facilities to recovery or not ill enough for hospital, but can’t stay at home. New St. Luke’s “wing/bldg.” opening in a week. 2 new facilities have been renovated inside and out, provided with new HVAC, fully furnished, including landscaping.
Pawtucket is waiving speed cam fees for April
Thundermist has opened a respiratory clinic in Woonsocket, in their parking lot
RI Governor Press Conference
Data: 8 more deaths – total 43; 277 new cases – total 1,727; 160 in the hospital
277 new cases reflect expanded testing
8 deaths – wide age range – one in 20s, from group home, w/illnesses, 1 in 40s, 1 in 50s, 1 in 60s, 1 in 70s, 1 in 90s – 2 in 80s.
Of the 8 deaths, 6 are from nursing homes, 1 from group home w/young person w/underlying conditions
Testing: Goal was 1,000 tests per day – yesterday RI did 1,800 tests – and adding capacity – thank you to RI National Guard, RIDOH, RIDOT, CVS, primary care docs, hospitals, URI, CCRI, RIC, National Grid, Twin River, etc. RI is now testing 2X per capita as MA, and ramping up.
Quarantine & Isolation – As we move forward, rules are more important than ever. If you are ordered into quarantine, you must go. RI will start enforcing the 14 day order. Executive order signed for RIDOH to impose orders: if you have been diagnosed, you must isolate until you no longer have symptoms. You cannot leave your house. If you are sick you have to isolate from others in your house. If you don’t have symptoms, but if the RIDOH determines you have been in close contact with someone who has had it, you must quarantine for 14 days. If you travel here from anywhere else, by whatever means, and you are staying here, you must quarantine for 14 days. RIDOH is going to develop series of fines – civil penalties for failure to comply.
Food – Moving in right direction, not where we need to be. Rochs is delivering to people in quarantine and isolation. Next priority is RIDelivers.com – totally overwhelmed. If you are able to grocery shop, young, healthy, etc. please don’t use the food delivery services. Go on Next Door.com and see if a neighbor can do an errand. State needs more time to ramp up.
Workers – to those who must go to work, the essential workers – light the state house every night in red for workers. RI is very grateful for those who are working, and some who are afraid to be out there – such as bus drivers, healthcare workers, grocery store people, etc.
RI is doing about as well as any other state.
Working on testing for the homebound, group homes, etc. Having to get more test kits to test.
Healthcare workers must wear medical masks while at work.
State is working on domestic violence increase – 30%
Governor does support in-home, absentee voting.
Isolating & clustering of nursing home residents – making progress to separate out those with infectious diseases…
If you don’t want to work or are afraid to work but have not been laid off, then you cannot collect unemployment.
Estimate of peak is now mid to late April through mid to late May.
From: Andrew Cotter, a sportswriter from the United Kingdom – there’s always some sport to write about – wait for the end!