Subscribe!
Coronavirus Update Today – April 4, 2020
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
All Disney works in US have been furloughed
Brooklyn, NY has leased 20 hotels to convert into hospitals
The Yankees have sent their ponchos to local hospitals
Labor Dept – US lost 701,000 jobs in March
With unemployment surge, millions expected to lose insurance, turn to Medicaid
Supreme Court cancels courtroom argument for rest of the term
NYC doesn’t have overflow of non-covid patients – Gov. Cuomo spoke with President and he secured request to transfer over the Javits Center which adds over 2,000 beds. Still challenged for ventilators. Non-covid cases has dropped.
New York is going to sign an executive order to “take ventilators” from one part of New York and redeploy to where they are most needed. Suggests it is a good model for the country – “we are all one”
President Trump enacts act to mandate making of masks by companies – on heels of learning 3M was selling masks to foreign countries
Austrian supermarkets and pharmacies provide surgical masks for all customers to wear shopping
PM Boris Johnston will remain in quarantine because he is still having symptoms
Jeff Bezos donates $100M to US food banks
President’s Press Conference
Providers to be reimbursed at Medicare rates – cannot charge people for copays – health insurers
If you lost employer insurance coverage – special enrollment in Health Exchanges & Medicaid
New treatment options – many experimental therapies ongoing – Oracle is donating website to gather trial and treatment information – covid19.oracle.com for providers
Abbott 13 minute test – more going out to states.
Masks now recommended – President said he would not wear one. Surgeon General spoke about evolution of mask recommendation. CDC, WHO, Surg. Gen org originally recommended against wearing it because it was not seen as preventative. Symptomatic people were recommended. What has changed? A significant portion of people lack symptoms – and can transmit virus before they are showing symptoms. Coughing, speaking, sneezing. So now we recommend cloth based masks – in public settings – grocery stores, pharmacies, etc. Critical to maintain 6’ distance.
Unemployment checks – once the money goes out it goes to the states and some have 40 year old computer systems – there will be a problem in those states in getting the funds out.
Asymptomatic people in US – estimate of populace? Younger people are asymptomatic. Called on universities to work on ELISA tests. Finger prick onto a cassette – looks like a pregnancy test.
Wanting to test the Roosevelt for antibodies.
150+ countries working together on this – devastating to all countries. We can go back and look at how we got here, but now we have to focus on treatment and preparedness for future.
Feb. 3rd the WHO said there was no need to do a travel ban. Mid-January was first indication of human to human transmission.
For someone with employer insurance, and lost it, you can enroll in affordable care act; giving money for those without insurance at Medicare rates and you can’t bill the uninsured.
Ventilators – NY says they are days away from running out – we will try to do our best for NY – many other states in need. 7 other hot spots in need.
#1 thing – social distancing. #2 – masks for asymptomatically infected people.
Tariffs – considering on Saudi Arabia oil, etc.
Phase 4 of stimulus – Infrastructure is very important – spent money – $8Trillion in Middle East – now we need to fix roads, highways, airports, etc. Because of how strong we are we are borrowing at 0%.
All the model projects can be changed by our behaviors.
General election will happen on November 3rd. Voter ID is important. Write in voting is fallible – people cheat. There should be a photo to vote. And no mail in. Go to a booth and proudly display – yourself – and vote.
Wisconsin delaying election.
RHODE ISLAND AND VICINITY
Stimulus checks/loans and unemployment – it’s up to the state – hearing banks just taking name and contact info for now. Unemployment office still unable to be called – people holding on the phone for over 10 hours in some cases – as online applications are done only to get a message “you must call the office”. The government has warned that most states with “40 year old computer systems” are going to be unable to get out the $600+ checks to people in a timely way.
Providence school lunch Grab and Go moves to twice/week – Tuesday (3 breakfasts/lunches) and Friday (4), 11am to 2pm. At: Alan Shawn Feinstein Elementary School, Times² Academy, Webster Elementary School, William D’ Abate Elementary School, DelSesto Middle School, E-Cubed Academy, Nathanael Greene Middle School, Vartan Gregorian Elementary School, Hope High School, Mount Pleasant High School, Providence Career and Technical Academy, Reservoir Avenue Elementary School, Juanita Sanchez High School, Gilbert Stuart Middle School. Families of Providence public school students can share their students’ ID numbers to pick up food for their children without the children being present. Free, packaged dinner meals are also available Tues/Fri, 4-6pm to youths 18 and younger at all 11 Providence recreation centers. More information at www.pvdcovid19. com.
Dr. Deborah Birks said at the national press conference that some states – including Rhode Island – had cases come in (seeded) from other locations – NY, etc, – before we knew what we knew.
RI gets 100,000 masks from the Bob Kraft/Patriots donation
CEOs of Lifespan & Care New England tell Gene Valicenti at WPRO that they expect to be well-prepared for “the surge”, if and when it comes. Kent has 15 ICUs, can go to 40, but Lifespan has much more capacity. Lifespan on PPE: pretty good shape. Kent may need more ventilators, pretty good on PPE. Lifespan has been sterilizing for a week or more. Dr. Babineau feels as though RI is flattening the curve. We seem to be going in the right direction. Lifespan: couple hundred beds and ventilators. Lifespan says administrative people who have been furloughed will not be brought back. No direct care staff have been let go.
Nine Rhode Island radio stations will begin airing commercials featuring the two hospital CEOs asking people to stay inside and allow more time for hospitals to ramp up so if there is a surge it won’t be all at once.
Here is a link to the WPRO radio interview from April 3rd, with heads of both hospital groups:
Governor has requested churches not distribute palms this weekend, Palm, Sunday
Governor’s Press Conference:
2 more deaths – 14 deaths
54 new cases – 711 cases – 72 people hospitalized
Golden Crest, No. Prov – 1 nursing home resident death here. 65 cases among residents/staff here
Oak Hill Nursing Home, Pawt – 60 cases between staff & residents (2 fatalities in past)
12 Nursing homes with at least 1 case
Oakland Grove, Woonsocket – 6 cases.
Other homes less than 5 cases.
57% of cases are people in congregate living situations
Residents with cases – moving to private rooms – 1 staff member working with that patient. Will also treat roommates as if they are positive. Cannot transfer out.
All home staff should wear masks – no visits at any nursing home, many other steps being taken.
Testing: All RI with symptoms urged to call provider to get appt to get a test.
Encouraging all Rhode Islanders to wear surgical masks or cloth based coverings when going out. Wash with each use.
Starting Monday press will be able to ask – and follow up – at 1pm press conferences
Hospital beds – RI Convention Center; Citizens Bank Building in Cranston; Lowe’s Building in Quonset
Need volunteer medical people – RIResponds.org
Governor announces that tracking information shows states how far the average Rhode Islander goes in one day – our average is greater than what we are seeing in other states.
Modeling data will be talked about more at the Monday press conference
Childcare issue – Continuing suspension of childcare centers through all of April.
Food Delivery – RIDelivers.com – system is overwhelmed – 40,000 requests for delivery. Waits right now are 2-3 days. If you can get food another way, please do that.
Small Biz – small loans now available. Go to any bank/credit union and file for the SBA payroll protection application – or call 521-HELP.
Mental Health – rise in adults/children struggling – 2 referral services: Adults: 414-LINK – Kids: 855-5465, KidsLink
5 Million Behavioral Health Fund at RI Foundation – insurance companies helping to establish – all going to nonprofits 4/6 doing mental health counseling relating to coronavirus
Hospital beds – trying to set up for 2,000 hospital beds for the surge – 3 locations identified: Citizens Bank, Cranston; RI Convention Center, Providence; location in Quonset.
RI Dept. of Health Press Release:
- Surge locations: Rhode Island is setting up surge sites to provide hospital-level care at the Rhode Island Convention Center, the former Citizens Bank building on Sockanosset Cross Road in Cranston, and the former Lowe’s building at Quonset. Once complete, these sites will be staffed and equipped with the medical resources needed to treat more than 1,000 people.
- Cloth Face Covers: Dr. Alexander-Scott encouraged Rhode Islanders to consider wearing cloth face covers when in public. A cloth face cover is a material that covers the nose and mouth. It can be secured to the head with ties or straps, or wrapped around the lower face. A cloth face cover could be sewn by hand or improvised from household items such as scarves or T-shirts. (Face covers are different than N95 facemasks. People in the general public should not be purchasing or hording medical grade masks, such as N95s.) The primary role of a cloth face cover is to reduce the release of infectious particles into the air when someone speaks, coughs, or sneezes. Cloth face covers are not substitutes for physical distancing, washing your hands, and staying home when ill.
- Childcare: The state will continue to suspend childcare licenses through the month of April.
- Mental Health: The Governor announced the establishment of a $5 million COVID-19 Behavioral Health Fund at the Rhode Island Foundation. The funding is made available by local insurance companies as a result of a state compliance review and will be dedicated to fund nonprofit organizations working to address Rhode Islanders’ behavioral health needs resulting from the COVID-19 crisis. Nonprofits who think they can help with these services can apply for funding through the Rhode Island Foundation beginning April 6. Adults seeking mental or behavioral health support should call BH Link at 414-LINK. For services for children, call Kids Link 855-543-5465.
- Testing: All Rhode Islanders who have symptoms of COVID-19 are urged to call a healthcare provider to get scheduled for a test. The symptoms of COVID-19 include any of these symptoms: fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches (myalgias), chills, runny nose or stuffy nose, sore throat, headache, or diarrhea. COVID-19 testing in Rhode Island had previously been limited to the members of certain priority populations who are more vulnerable to complications from COVID-19 or who are members of Rhode Island’s critical infrastructure workforce.
COVID-19 Data Update
Rhode Island has 54 new cases of COVID-19. This brings Rhode Island’s count to 711, with 2 additional fatalities. One was a nursing home resident. That brings fatalities to 14. A full data summary for Rhode Island is posted online.
Enjoy this moving moment from a singular bag piper piping for Key Workers in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland: