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RI Coronavirus Update – Today, Sept. 10, 2020
Photo: New Crush Covid App showing good symptom checklist results – can be shown at school, restaurants, etc. when asked for symptom check.
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
AstraZeneca said it has paused global trials, including large late-stage trials, of its experimental coronavirus vaccine due to an unexplained illness in a study participant. Dr. Fauci explains this as the system working exactly as it should when an unforseen complication may be showing itself.
Long Island student sent home and suspended because he wanted to come to school in-person, instead of virtual, as he was assigned.
Legislators from key states sent a letter to Big Ten officials to strike a plan to start football back up.
New York City restaurants will be allowed to open indoor dining at 25% capacity at the end of September.
300 Massachusetts businesses are said to have violated protocols for coronavirus safety.
College students who get ill with coronavirus are being sent home, and this has led to widespread criticism. “It’s the worst thing you could do,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci. “When you send them home, particularly when you’re dealing with a university where people come from multiple different locations, you could be seeding the different places with infection.” Susan Dynarski, a University of Michigan economist, wrote on Twitter that “unloading students onto home communities” was “deeply unethical.”
Next big tenants for shopping malls said to be Amazon delivery/pick up sites.
Goldman Sachs survey of small businesses found: 88% of small business owners say they have used all of their PPP loan funding; 32% of loan recipients have had to lay off employees or cut wages; about 95% said they had been approved for PPP funding; nearly three-quarters say they are fully open, up from just 39% in April and 53% in May; and just 2% of businesses say they are temporarily closed, compared to 19% in April.
CDC on spread of COVID-19 from food items or packaging: “because of the poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely a very low risk of spread from food products or packaging.” No cases of COVID-19 have been linked to people touching food or food packaging and then touching their faces.
The state of Vermont started offering $30 to Vermonters to spend at local businesses to help residents and businesses hurt by the pandemic. The Legislature allocated $500,000 in federal funds for the Buy Local Vermont program.
NBA “in a bubble” at Disney may be allowed to have visiting guests later this month.
The Boston Museum of Fine Arts will open its doors on Sept. 26
Marriott corporate offices lays off 600
Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine could be ready by mid-October.
Hartford schools were the victims of a cyberattack that took down busing information and schedules – Somerset/Berkeley, Coventry RI and New Bedford Schools have also had attacks. Coventry had to pay $200K to attackers. Cyberinsurance is important for school districts.
Book by Woodward detailing how the president knew more, earlier, about the coronavirus was explained as the president not wanting to panic the country as more information was gathered.
Los Angeles has banned any kind of Halloween activities that involves gatherings.
The union representing Sharon, MA teachers demanded that the district’s School Committee halt its plan to begin the year in a hybrid fashion that would bring students back inside school buildings part time, saying that the HVAC contractor evaluated the HVAC systems in each Sharon school and “found that none of the schools met minimum standards for maintaining air quality sufficient to help prevent the spread of COVID-19,”
Amid extreme economic uncertainty and few job prospects, most young adults have moved back in with mom and dad. For the first time ever, the majority of 18- to 34-year-olds now live at home with their parents, according to a recent study by the Pew Research Center.As of July, 52% of millennials were living in their parents’ home, up from 47% in February, according to the Pew analysis of Census Bureau data, surpassing the previous high hit in 1940, when 48% of young adults lived with their parents.
Visitors flooding state parks throughout US.
Disney events that typically draw large crowds are going “on hiatus” for this year, like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Candlelight Processional at Epcot, and the Castle Dream Lights will be replaced with special projection effects.
More than 460,000 motorcycle enthusiasts converged on Sturgis, S.D., for a 10-day celebration where few wore facial coverings or practiced social distancing. A month later, researchers have found that thousands have been sickened across the nation, leading them to brand the Sturgis rally a “superspreader” event. They estimate that dealing with the fallout from the rally will involve more than $12 billion in health care costs.
Two Connecticut schools have been temporarily closed, and staff members in several others have been sent home to quarantine.
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Common Cause Rhode Island, the American Civil Liberties of Rhode Island and the League of Women Voters Rhode Island sent a letter to the RI House/Senate leaders calling out Gov. Raimondo for indefinitely extending her powers of emergency and asking the legislature to now step in to provide checks and balances.
New Bedford added to high risk list in Massachusetts – two outbreaks – one in a nursing home and one in a church – 4.5% positive rate with over 100 new cases added in a week.
Gov. Raimondo defended keeping almost 1 million dollars in COVID19 federal funds, without distribution, at her weekly press conference.
Several teacher groups, parents, cities/towns are concerned that their schools are not physically ready to open next week, and that they are being pressured to open too soon.
Providence schools are seeking to expand the 6,500 virtual enrollment and they are surveying parents.
Two of Rhode Island’s 41 school districts ended their summer meal programs at the end of August, leaving a hunger gap for dozens of children.
The New England Patriots open up their season on Sunday – against the Miami Dolphins – Bill Belichick says “it’s time to start playing real games” – no tailgating; bars and restaurants will be open
Governor Raimondo’s Thursday Facebook conversation will be devoted entirely to questions submitted by students. If your child has a question, they can submit it here: forms.gle/J3CTNn9PJcaMhpuo8.
Gov. Gina Raimondo said Wednesday that if there is not another stimulus package from the federal government, RI will have huge deficits and have to layoff state workers and cut social services.
The RI Hospitality Association said it could take several years for the restaurant industry to recover.
Free outdoor Wi-Fi at the Warwick Public Library will be accessible for library patrons and community members, who can now access high-speed, secure wireless internet at any time of day or night from the library’s parking lot. In the coming months OSL and OSHEAN will be expanding the project to include outdoor Wi-Fi networks at several other OSL library locations statewide.
Schools – Walk-throughs’ update is that some schools are not completely ready – some may have to delay opening certain parts of buildings.
Gov. Raimondo calls it life and death to get a flu shot – but it will not be made mandatory in RI as MA has done. Flu shot will be readily available and free for all, without insurance or beyond ability to pay. Half of adults and ¾ of children usually get the flu shot.
Friday, 7pm, NBC10 will host Back to School television special.
The pandemic is said to have brought the leadership of Care New England and Lifespan together to the point where they are now investigating a formal merger. Represents 23,500 employees. Union says there are challenges for frontline workers and they hope to be part of the meeting. Could be a done deal by late in 2021.
RI Data
54 new cases – we’ve been ranging from 20s to 80s in last few days. Need to remain vigilant.
82 in hospital – 3 new fatalities (all 3 in 80s)
Rate in CF per 100,000 cases just 31, well below where it has been, in low 100s.
Providence – 91 per 100,000 cases.
Reassessing school situation in a month in Prov & CF.
40 cases associated with social gathering – of those, 24 provided no info about that gathering.
178 cases – were employed – 94 or 53% worked with symptoms. Carpooling resulted in almost all of those contacts were positive. Keep masks on and windows down. Symptoms? Stay home.
Your employer must allow you to do so.
Governor’s address:
In general it was a good weekend. 96% employee mask wearing, 93% customer mask wearing.
RIDOH handed out 2000+ masks at beaches, etc.
Restaurants/bars are doing well – more than 94% had good compliance – huge improvement. 93% had no mingling. 99% complied with closing at 11pm – but only 85% were conducting symptom checking.
Symptom Tracking – new tool – Crush COVID app – 82,000 Rhode Islanders are using the app. It is optional, but please download it. NEW update on app does better job of not draining battery and has new features: prompts for symptom tracking and you will get back a green smiley face or a red frown face indicating if you should go out or stay home. You can simply hold your green smiley face on your phone at businesses, schools, restaurants, etc.
Contest on Crush COVID app – download app, complete symptom diary for 7 days in a row, then you can be eligible to win a night’s stay at a downtown Providence restaurant. Details Friday on social media.
Nursing Homes: Having one singular case is no longer a reason to shut down visitation. The homes need to have regular access visitation, remote, virtual and in-person. New regulations have been issued.
Flu: Life and death situation – everyone needs to make a plan to get the flu vaccine. Each year, about 55% of adults and 75% of kids get their shots in RI – #2 in America. This is good news but not nearly enough. Can’t have hundreds of thousands unvaccinated. RI is partnering with schools for kids/teachers. HEZ groups are being used. Community organizations. Nursing homes. COVID testing sites for asymptomatics. Local pharmacy/personal doctor. Health clinic. Cities/towns. Grocery stores. Without insurance or money it will be free. RI increased their order of vaccine by 150,000 and we have ability to get more. State vaccines should be available in next 2 weeks – pharmacies are available now. This is so you don’t get sick – but also so we do not overtax our hospitals and emergency rooms.
Schools: Cleared all school districts for in-person schools except for Prov and CF. Beginning Monday, schools will start. Between 9/14 and 10/13, schools can ramp up – every parent still has a choice on combination of education types. State has separate contact tracing system for K-12 – a dozen new testing sites available on Monday – backtoschoolri website will have full list on Friday. Also on Friday, RI will release K-12 COVID testing hotline. Masks will be available in school. School sports have been adjusted per last report. Thursday FB Live dedicated to answering questions from children.
Dr. Green to children: Get excited to be back, see each other, see your teachers, etc. Things will look different. Wear your mask most of the day. Jamestown put out 3 words – flexibility, grace, and commitment. Let those guide you in the year ahead.
Questions:
Q: How are numbers represented in overall data being reported in charts?
A: Working now on ways to display that better publicly.
Q: $1.25 billion you are going to hold onto to fix the state’s budget – it was supposed to be used for small business immediate need – do you think there is not a need? Only $7M has been allocated. What do you say to those businesses?
A: Making decisions in a sea of uncertainty to keep people safe, while congress may or may not give us anymore money. Money has gone to testing, PPE, etc. Rental assistance, housing assistance, etc. Well over $100M was direct into the economy. Greater need? Yes. Huge uncertainty from congress. Trying to make the best decisions I can. Need a cushion in the event we don’t get more. Huge need right now.
Q: (Hummel) Every week budget deficit has grown. What specific measures have you taken to reign in the spending and deal with income loss – casinos, etc. Even if you get a pile of money, the hole will be there. This is our history – we plug our holes with new sources of money – tobacco, etc.
A: Democrats have good proposals. If they pass the bill, it will be good. We have hiring freeze, pulled back on spending, state voluntary furloughs, no new programming, immediate belt tightening, constraining what is being sent to cities/towns. Long run will be spending on healthcare – over $1B on Medicaid. Why we need to keep people out of nursing homes, keep them at home. Keep people working. We have constrained spending, but the big nut is healthcare spending and Medicaid.
Q: (Hummel) Continue to resist furloughs and layoffs. What plan do you have right now in place if congress doesn’t come through.
A: Safe to say if Congress doesn’t do something in next month, we will have to pass a new budget – cuts to social services and layoffs will be in that. How much of a cut to cities/towns, healthcare, how many layoffs.
Q: (DePetro) Update on walk-throughs?
A: Will be done today (Wed). Pleased with work they’ve done. Some schools have not yet passed, they still have a few days to get in compliance. We’re helping them to get ready.
Q: (Bartholomew) Seems to be infrastructure gaps in filtration systems, etc. buildings can’t handle requirements electrically, etc. Are you willing to put more money into schools right now to fix these problems?
A: No cities/towns have applied to $50Million. More than one way to do air filtration – open windows, fans, filters, etc. Dr. Scott: Checklist is used providing variety of options – do this, if you can’t, then do this, etc., etc. Will get checklist to reporter. RI National Guard is amazing and they are doing anything and everything that needs to be done.
Q: College suspensions (PC, URI, Northeastern) for violating non-gathering rules. Does RIDOH have concerns that this heavy hand will interfere with willingness to do the measures.
A: “What you describe is not something we are focused on” – our focus is on the environment for the schools. Schools have codes of conduct, that is now different. There are new rules.
Q: Have you provided guidance about what to do with positive college students? To send home or not?
A: Yes, we are working with them. There are consequences.
Q: Massachusetts restrictions on RI visitors?
A: Talks continue. Our numbers are now below requirement by MA. Actively engaged in changes happening.
Q: Do you agree that schools are cleaner, less germs than ever before so kids aren’t getting sick as is usual in fall back-to-school?
A: Entire state is now educated, but flu safety and general sickness applies as well.We’ll be better overall.
Q: Where is the $900 unemployment.
A: This week if they have not gotten it.
Q: Flu shots/ coronavirus shot mandatory?
A: Not for flu shots. We think we can do better without mandating it.
Q: (Pat Ford) You’ve painted a bleak picture if we can’t get kids back to school. The same dire predictions apply to businesses – bankruptcy, depression, suicide, etc.
A: I’ve tried to address both – we need as many businesses as possible to be open – and schools – for similar reasons.
RI cases by city/town:
Community — Cases Last 7 Days — Cumulative Cases
Providence — 180 — 7,710
Cranston — 47 — 1,470
Pawtucket — 46 — 2,247
North Providence — 31 — 961
Warwick — 28 — 889
Woonsocket — 15 — 841
Cumberland — 14 — 429
Lincoln — 12 — 344
East Providence — 11 — 897
Johnston — 11 — 604
Smithfield — 8 — 341
Coventry — 8 — 299
Newport — 8 — 154
Central Falls — 7 — 1,207
North Kingstown — 6 — 291
Scituate — 6 — 65
Bristol — 5 — 201
Tiverton — 5 — 116
West Warwick — 4 — 394
Warren — 4 — 97
Westerly — 4 — 90
Portsmouth — 4 — 77
North Smithfield — 2 — 149
Narragansett — 2 — 88
Middletown — 2 — 86
Barrington — 2 — 71
Burrillville — 1 — 137
Glocester — 1 — 67
Foster — 1 — 31
East Greenwich — 0 — 134
South Kingstown — 0 — 124
Exeter — 0 — 48
Charlestown — 0 — 36
Richmond — 0 — 33
West Greenwich — 0 — 30
Jamestown — 0 — 27
Hopkinton — 0 — 17
Little Compton — 0 — 16
New Shoreham — 0 — 6