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Coronavirus Update – Today – May 12, 2020
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
Salons, retail, golf courses and drive-ins set to reopen Monday in New Hampshire
Hospitals cannot release covid19 positive patients to nursing homes in New York, and staff will be required to have 2 diagnostic tests each week.
MLB owners approve proposal to start baseball season in July
Colombia’s national airline Avianca latest carrier to file for bankruptcy
More attention is being given to COVID19 in children, though the serious complications are considered very rare. Parents should watch for rashes and high fever.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s philanthropic initiative will donate $10 million to the REFORM Alliance, a criminal justice reform group — a contribution that will secure masks and other personal protective gear for prisons and jails in every state
In NYC, “social distancing ambassadors” will be distributing free masks and educating the public how “6 feet apart can save lives” – this includes targeted racial and ethnic disparity communities and reaching out to black and Latinos, who received more than 80% of summonses for noncompliance.
UPS, CVS Use Drones to Deliver Prescriptions to Florida Retirement Community
Nordstrom closes 16 Stores Across the US
Danish fourth and fifth graders go back to school in Copenhagen soccer stadium
Governor Cuomo released New York Forward – a guide to reopening New York, saying “hold me accountable” – if people understand what we’re doing, they will do it – they have to part of it. They will reopen starting on May 15th, in four phases. Find the full plan here: https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/NYForwardReopeningGuide.pdf
The NY Priority Industries for Re-opening: Businesses in each region will re-open in phases.
Phase One
- Construction
- Manufacturing and wholesale supply chain
- Select retail using curbside pickup only
Phase Two
- Professional services – Finance and insurance – Retail – Administrative support – Real estate and rental leasing
Phase Three
- Restaurants and food service – Hotels and accommodations
Phase Four
- Arts, entertainment and recreation – Education
Russian president Putin: “Starting tomorrow, May 12, the non-working period for the entire country and for all sectors of the economy is over,” – cases in Russia are soaring.
Illinois Governor’s staffer tests positive – staff now working from home.
France cautiously begins to lift lockdown
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
RI Supreme Court to begin hearing cases this week using tele-hearing technology.
Commerce RI will hold a Facebook Live for non-critical retailers at 6:15pm tonight. Details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1377868405934065/
Gov. Raimondo to appear in national Washington Post livestream interview… Wed, 5/13, 11am… https://www.washingtonpost.com/washington-post-live-the-path-forward-privacy-and-the-pandemic/
Rhode Island National Guard airplane and helicopter will fly over Kent Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital Thursday as a tribute to health-care workers.
An outbreak at a Lynnfield, MA Whole Foods has left the market closed for cleaning.
The New Bedford surge facility will be kept in case its needed, for now, but is not expected to see any use.
Massachusetts begins its 4-phase business opening – with a plan for review to be presented on May 18.
The Rustic Drive-In movies will reopen on Friday with guidelines
Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour in Mashpee closed permanently.
Massachusetts death statistics for long term care facilities (including nursing homes, assisted living, group homes) 2,922 deaths out of 4,840 total state deaths – 60% rate
RI Governor address:
We didn’t have a lot of problems with vendors/businesses this weekend, though shoppers seemed to be only 75% – we have to do better in covering faces. And remember to wear it when going through drive throughs.
Reopening: We have much, much, much lower experience with deaths, disease and hospitalizations. We’ve been given the time needed to get systems ready. We are in very good position to slowly open economy and feel confident about it. Be slow and cautious. Particularly with older people and those with underlying conditions. We know who this disease targets. Tensions are high, too. Be kind, be patient, be informed. Focus on facts not frenzy. Continue to look in on loved ones and elderly. Realize everything is going to be different. Don’t try to fight this – we don’t have a cure; we don’t have a vaccine; we don’t have good treatments. We need to live safely with the virus.
Restaurants: Some have just closed. Others are operating at a fraction of their business. Pleased to say we can allow to reopen outdoor dining only effective May 18th. By tonight there will be details at reopeningri.com. Dining will be by reservation only. Party cannot exceed 5 people. Tables spaced 8 feet apart or separated by barriers. No more than 20 tables total in outdoor space. Menus will be one time use, paper or digital or chalkboard or server will tell you. Condiments and utensils single use or sanitized. Lots of sanitizing in between parties. Self-service salad bars, buffets, etc. prohibited. Cashless and contact less stations encouraged. No valet services. Do not go dining if you feel sick – you should not be leaving your house. You will be screened before you can come in. Could include hanging a poster, self-screen, temperature check, waitress will ask you. When you make a reservation you have to provide info for contact tracing in case. Municipalities working on legal info to streamline system of permits, approvals, etc. Working hard now on info and items such as PPE, etc. – still working on this. Emergency relief requests coming from small businesses – Governor says “yes” she can provide help from some funds available to state from federal government. Feedback survey on what kind of help you need. This will be on the site. Employee logs will need to be kept for 30 days. Team of inspectors will be stopping by.
8 Fatalities – 3 in 60s, 2 in 70s, 2 in 80s, 1 in 90s.
Testing: Close to testing 100,000 people in RI. If you had a negative result know that it is one point in time test. Especially if you have not had symptoms, the reliability is not good. If you’ve been told to quarantine, even if negative result, important to complete quarantine.
Contact Tracing: We hope every Rhode Islander to engage with the one stop app. It will always be opt-in. Employers will be encouraged to ask employees to use it.
Youth Sports: When will sports begin? Thurs or Friday we will know something about summer camps. And sports. Using new rules. CDC just issued guidance about summer sports. Challenging to maintain distance that is needed. Golfing, swimming, tennis is very different than lacrosse, football, softball.
Parks: Opened a lot over weekend – saw no instances of congregations, but it was not great weather. Like to open beaches, too, but not before Memorial Day. Going to coordinate with local parks and state parks, etc. Hope they will all follow state lead so it is coordinated.
Next stimulus package – it would be devastating if it will be 8 weeks out before something is done for us. The govt is telling states negotiations are happening now and something should be coming soon. Can’t use past money for deficit. More like 3 weeks.
Latino community: We are working overtime to reach them. Increased testing in Latino community. Spent money for advertising. We have double-downed efforts. Still seeing high percentages of positives. Spending millions of dollars not reaching community. 44% of cases are among Latinos; 13% African-American, 39% Caucasions. Translates to 1,129 Latinos per 100,000 – 911 African Americans per 100,000; 220 per 100,000 are Caucasions. Race and ethnicity data collected for some time – do we know why disproportionately affected? Many compromise critical infrastructure workforce – retail, restaurants, nursing homes, manufacturing. Robust effort now to expand translation services at testing sites – up to 10 languages.
Seniors: Continue to prohibit visitors to nursing homes. Encourage senior accommodations. Encourage employers provide accommodations for employees. Not likely that we will have separate guidelines for older Rhode Islanders.
Church: Issues about hymnals, communion, seating – couple of weeks away – will happen in May.
Cases will increase: what level is tolerable – when will we pull back? Detailed answer later this week.
Nursing Homes: Have they all been tested? Cyclical repeat testing will be done, too.
Symptom divide – why are some hardly impacted – others die. Age, underlying illnesses, etc. Still learning as a nation.
Press Release – Governor of RI
Governor Gina M. Raimondo and Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH, the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) provided an update on Rhode Island’s response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.
Starting Monday, May 18th, restaurants will be able to begin limited outdoor dining in addition to their take-out, delivery, and drive-through operations. Restaurants will be required to operate under the following new regulations, among others:
- Dining will be by reservation only and groups may not exceed five people, in accordance with guidance on social gathering.
- Tables must be at least eight feet apart or separated by barriers, and no more than 20 tables will be allowed in any outdoor space.
- One-time-use paper menus, digital menus, or chalkboard menus will be recommended.
- Condiments and utensils will either be single-use or sanitized between uses.
- All high-traffic areas will have to be frequently cleaned. Tables and chairs will be sanitized in between parties.
- All employees must wear face coverings, and all customers must wear face coverings when they are not eating.
- Self-service food stations like buffets and salad bars will be prohibited.
- Cashless and contactless payment methods will be encouraged. Pens and payment stations will be frequently cleaned.
- For now, no valet services will be allowed. Customers will be asked to park their own cars.
The complete guidance are now available on ReopeningRI.com.
White House Press Conference
Focus of the press conference was about testing and how much is happening in the US as opposed to the world – more testing support will be given to states. It was noted that there are now enough tests to test everyone who has symptoms who wants to be tested.
School starts up in Denmark… Danish fourth and fifth graders go back to school – in Copenhagen soccer stadium…