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Your Coronavirus Update – Fri, Feb. 12, 2021
Photo: From Central Falls Vaccination Program
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Massachusetts Report Card on Vaccines full of D’s and F’s – see report, here: https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/massachusetts-vaccine-report-card
Salve Regina University is reporting positivity above 5%.
Massachusetts is rethinking the buddy-up program to encourage 75+ residents to come with a caregiver, and the caregiver being given a shot as well – scammers are feared and security concerns.
Massachusetts has paused some vaccination sites due to lack of vaccine that is being consolidated for use at clinics and not hospitals.
94% of deaths in RI were of those above 60.
CVS will begin its federal vaccination program – separate from the state – this week at 5 RI stores for those in eligible categories. They expect to give out 200 shots per day. Stores in Westerly, Woonsocket, East Greenwich, Newport and Providence. Registration for those 75+ is on their website.
Providence College announced a series of new temporary restrictions aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19 in the college community, with 172 students in quarantine and 92 students have tested positive in the past three days. Students, both on-campus and off-campus residents, are required to limit their movement to essential purposes including travel to in-person classes, travel to pick up grab-and-go meals or groceries, travel to work. Spectators will not be allowed at athletics contests. All field work, e.g., student teaching, practicums, and other placements are suspended. On-campus resident students are restricted from visiting off-campus student residences. In-person classes will continue.
Tiverton announces a new website, tivertoncovid19.com, that will serve as a resource for residents, visitorsand business owners to receive updates as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to develop and the State of Rhode Island moves through its vaccine distribution timeline. A link for a vaccination waitlist for those 75 and over is on the site.
The City of Cranston is seeking volunteers to assist with operations of the COVID-19 vaccination site taking place at the Cranston Senior Enrichment Center. Assistance is being sought from volunteers on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30am to 3:00pm beginning Tuesday, February 16th and ending Thursday, April 8th. There are a wide variety of ways to help. The City is seeking Doctors, Nurses, EMTs and other qualified volunteers to help administer the vaccine. The City is also seeking volunteers to make calls to qualified recipients of the vaccine and help facilitate the vaccination site. Interested parties may sign up to volunteer at www.cranstonri.gov/covid-19-vaccine-information or by calling the Cranston Senior Enrichment Center at (401) 780-6000.
The FDA has authorized a new antibody treatment from Eli Lilly. The new treatment combines Eli Lilly’s previously authorized antibody treatment, bamlanivimab, with a new drug, estevimab. Clinical trial results showed that the combination therapy could be used to prevent severe COVID cases in patients who are not yet sick enough to be hospitalized but who are still at risk for serious illness.
Cape Cod Democrat Sen. Julian Cyr lambasted the Massachusetts vaccine distribution, arguing the plan continues to leave the region and its significant senior population unable to access the potentially life-saving inoculation. Cyr told reporters that pleas from the Cape delegation for a mass vaccination site or additional doses have gone unanswered, even though Barnstable County has the largest percentage of population over 75 among the state’s 14 counties. This week, 1,300 appointments available for vaccines on the Cape filled up in 29 minutes, Cyr said. He contrasted that with the Baker administration previously flagging thousands of slots still open at its Gillette Stadium mass vaccination site. “To me, that indicates that where the vaccines are being made available is actually not accessible to the people who need them,” Cyr, a Truro Democrat, said. “Cape Codders are being left out of this vaccination,” he later added. “I don’t know why, and I don’t know what else to do other than air these frustrations because our pleas for help are not being answered.” Baker announced the state would stand up additional mass vaccination sites in Natick and Dartmouth.
Lincoln Shoe Repair, in Cranston, closing because of loss of business in the pandemic.
Today’s Data – Feb. 11, 2021
Deaths: 15
Tests – 20,094 – Positives – 416 – Percent positive – 2.1%
Hospitalized – 238 – In ICU – 45 – Ventilated – 22
Deaths in hospital – 3 – New Admissions – 34 – New Discharges – 34
First vaccines: 93,489 Total fully vaccinated – 2 shots: 40,355
Governor’s Update – 2-11-2021
Reviewed the data
Looking for new strains which they suspect are already in RI – need to push them off which will give us more time to vaccinate.
Next week KN95 masks will be distributed at most testing sites. If you get tested once a week you can receive a new mask each time. If you have a cloth mask make sure it fits snug to the face and it is 2-3 ply.
Business leeway can happen now, but not go too far, because of the variances coming our way.
Social gathering size will increase from just household, to two households gathering indoors, and three households gathering outdoors – starting 2/12. The households should be the same. Must continue to wear a mask while gathering.
Vaccinations
Very targeted now with medical workers, public safety, residents in congregate settings. 75 year olds and up.
Decline in cases among healthcare workers since vaccinating them. Plummeting figures of new cases. Good results in long term care facilities.
Without a lot of vaccine we are being very targeted with who we give it to.
Next portion will be general public. Locations: pharmacies, regional clinic, state run site. CVS and Walgreens are getting 7,000 doses for 75+ citizens. Cities/towns, 7,800 doses each week, total. Schools, senior centers, etc. will see clinics start next Wednesday. Need appt., no need to come earlier. Cities/towns are handling them. Clinics will not run out of vaccine. State-run sites: Next Thursday at Dunkin’ Donuts Center for 75 yrs + – and Sockanosset, same age groups. Healthcare workers have been being done at Sockanosset, too. Goal with state sites is volume – hundreds per hour – 500-900 per day to start. Age will expand as vaccines are given out.
Next Wed there will be a special registration list and phone list for the two Thursday sites for 2 weeks. There is still more demand than supply, so you may not get an appointment right away. We are doing everything we can to get more vaccine. We will get to the point where we will have sufficient doses.
Testing: New testing site at 79 Dorrance St, with rapid test – to replace The Dunk – walk up site – no appts needed. Most of the other sites need an appointment.
Treatment info on Health Dept. website.
Incoming Gov. McKee:
Goal to keep people out of the hospital.
Transition continues to be wholly focused on vaccine response and roll-out.
CommerceRI – Stefan Pryor:
Changes for businesses –
Venues of assembly – churches, movies, etc. – going from 25% to 40% capacity with maximum of 125 – exception for exceptionally large facilities if 6 feet can be maintained. Still safer to go smaller and go remote.
Bars – bars can reopen – 4 per bar, 90 mins stay, closing time of bars is 11pm. Bar seating should be dining, not just drinking. Patrons must remain sitting, no standing or congregating at bars.
Q&A:
Q: Why not streamline appointment making system?
A: Right now we want accessibility is the most important thing – want to have multiple systems of signing up. Credit cities/towns for helping seniors sign up. As we move forward we will work towards a more focused approach to register.
Q: Why a disparity among locations on quantities?
A: Oversight of distribution of vaccine is controlled by the state.
Q: In MA, caretakers can accompany seniors – in RI?
A: Not at this time with limited supply.
Q: Nursing homes – still no visitation – home owners want state to decide.
A: RIDOH is opening up slowly to engage further to increase visitation.
Q: Are you using field hospitals?
A: To a very small extent – but may be used when variant strains come here.
Q: Who is saying that bar reopening scheme works? Some employees are afraid to return to work.
A: RIDOH is assessing data and doing the best we can do loosen up and keep safe at the same time. We’ve followed public health data in doing this.
Q: RI has 4th lowest share and dead last in the country in vaccine delivery – what are the kinks in the system?
A: There are national agreements in pharmacies and how they are working. But now we are accelerating and we are working directly with the pharmacies. Gov. Raimondo also made contact with CEO executive.
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
Filming of Real Housewives of NYC has been suspended due to positive cast members.
President Biden now saying not enough people will receive a vaccine by the summertime.
More than 5,000 have been vaccinated at Fenway Park.
Chicago begins to open schools after a bitter union fight – with 2,000 initial vaccines given and another 1,500 coming for the most at-risk workers.
Anyone arriving in England and found to have lied about a recent visit to a country on the British government’s travel ban list faces up to 10 years in prison.
Twitter and Instagram have pulled the account of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., famous for being an anti-vaxxer.
CVS will begin its federal program this week in 11 states.
Since reaching a peak on Jan. 8 — related to holiday gatherings — the number of confirmed new daily cases has fallen by almost 60 percent.
People who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 do not need to quarantine if they are exposed to the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday
The Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. don’t use live or attenuated viruses and studies of pregnant animals suggest they are safe, experts say. However, pregnant and lactating people were not included in the initial vaccine trials.
Thank you for summing up our news every day. I can go to this one page and find everything I need to know. You cut through all the words and sites I’d have to visit.
I’m sorry to learn of Lincoln Shoe Repair’s closing. It was a go-to for my family when it was owned by Mr. Marseglia and located on Park Ave. I thought when he passed, our shoe repair was gone. I was stuck in traffic several years ago and found it still existed and passed it on to my sister. I had the pleasure of going in several times, not for shoe repair (not made for wear & tear anymore) but for pocketbook repair. I had zippers replaced, scratches and scuffs repaired so my handbags always looked new. I wish the owner much success in his new job. He’ll be missed.