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Your Coronavirus Update – Today, Fri, March 19, 2021
Photo: The Ad Council’s campaign to encourage vaccinations
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
Reports of some 1st shot people w/appointments being turned away in favor of 2nd shot people as vaccine quantities are less than estimated at RI’s two mass vaccination sites. 2nd shot people go to the front of the line, as time issues are important in shot delivery.
BCBSRI will reinstate all cost-sharing related to COVID-19 – with exception of testing and vaccines which are federally compensated.
Pawtucket launched a forgivable loan program designed to help hard-hit small businesses with demonstrated revenue losses from the Covid-19 pandemic.
School officials have said more than half of Woonsocket HS students may not graduate
The Friends Bookstore, in the Hayden Center, 1464 Diamond Hill Road, has reopened
8 students from Gordon School are part of the Moderna KidCOVE study on vaccination of children.
Simpson’s Pharmacy in Pawtucket has vaccinated more than 500 people as part of a statewide effort to reach those over 75.
Younger Mainers account for a growing number of coronavirus infections, raising concerns they could fuel another spike
A variant of the coronavirus first identified in Brazil has been found in Massachusetts for the first time
All MA residents will be eligible for the vaccine on April 19th. March 22nd for residents 60+ and certain front line workers (restaurants, grocery stores, etc.); April 5th, 55+ or one medical condition. Hundreds of thousands of doses are expected, most likely Johnson & Johnson. Residents are pre-registering now. Gov. Baker estimates being done by July 4th with all residents.
Rhode Island’s college instructors and faculty wait for their vaccine prioritization.
More than 800 people in the Massachusetts State Police refuse COVID-19 vaccine
The medical director of the ACI says they are on their way to herd immunity.
URI, UMass Dartmouth planning to have most or all students back on campus this fall
Dr. McDonald from RIDOH says within 6 weeks we’ll have enough vaccine for everyone to get a shot.
Massachusetts had the worst unemployment rate in the country at one point in the pandemic, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
RI nursing homes will begin vaccinating new residents.
Bristol County, MA will open rotating vaccination clinics, to include locations such as LaSalette Shrine, etc.
First case of Brazilian COVID-19 variant found in Massachusetts
CT lawmakers have begun combing through the dozens of executive orders signed by Gov. Ned Lamont over the past year during the pandemic, trying to determine which should be extended and which need to be codified in state law.
Woonsocket-based CVS Health will be offering COVID-19 antibody testing in its nearly 60 MinuteClinic locations in Massachusetts.
The QuantiCOVID-19 tests, which were developed by a University of Rhode Island professor, are less invasive and less expensive than PCR tests, are more sensitive than rapid tests, and use minimal scientific equipment, making it ideal for college campuses and developing countries.
Stop and Shop is adding four vaccination sites in RI – Lincoln, Warwick, North Smithfield, and East Providence. You must still register through the RI’s site for an appointment. This should add availability for Rhode Islanders.
RI’s summer ComicCon is canceled – tickets good for November, or refunds provided.
Data – March 17, 2021
Deaths: 5
Tests – 18,860 – Positives – 384 – Percent positive – 2%
Hospitalized – 130 – In ICU – 17 – Ventilated – 14
Deaths in hospital – 2 – New Admissions – 14 – New Discharges -20
Vaccinated – 278,866; Both shots – 126,358
Data – March 16, 2021
Deaths: 7
Tests – 131,750 – Positives – 230 – Percent positive – 2.4%
Hospitalized – 132 – In ICU – 18 – Ventilated – 16
Deaths in hospital – 1 – New Admissions – 16 – New Discharges -1219
Vaccinated – 274,788; Both shots – 118,021
Vaccine Update from RIDOH:
There was only be a limited number of slots posted on Tuesday morning – approx…1,900. We have a limited number of first doses available this week because most of our vaccine this week is being used for second doses. However, there will be more availability next week.
- People can expect a few changes on vaccinateRI.org:
- There will be language on the page clarifying that some slots are not accessible because people are in the process of booking them.
- We’ve made adjustments that will allow the site to manage more traffic without causing people to experience error messages. (It got more than 2.5 million visits after 5 p.m. on Friday.)
- We are in the process of developing a “waiting room” for vaccinateRI.org. This would address the issue of appointments appearing to be available, even though other people are in the process of booking them. This won’t be operational tomorrow, but we are working to get it in place.
On Tuesday – and again on Friday, there will not be a lot of new first dose appointments available, they will have more availability next week, when they have to do fewer second doses. (Roughly 10,000 first dose slots are opening up this week at the pharmacies and through vaccinateRI.org. Next week, the number of first dose slots opening up for those same sites will be closer to 23,000.) Additionally, we expect our vaccine supply to increase.
For the last three weeks, Smithfield has had the highest number of new COVID cases per capita in the state. Cases among Bryant University students are believed to have been a big factor.
Doris Duke’s Rough Point will reopen this weekend in Newport.
From WPRI: RI has reported only two influenza hospitalizations and zero flu-related deaths through the first three-quarters of the flu season, which runs from October through the third week of May. For comparison, the state averaged more than 1,000 flu hospitalizations and 33 deaths per season during the past five years. (The five-year high was 60 flu deaths in 2017-18.)
Walmart stores in RI to offer vaccine – 1 of 25 states – will operate 7 days a week, but with limited supply; registration is here: https://www.walmart.com/cp/1228302 – should be active March 18th or 19th.
Coventry: 650 Centre of New England Boulevard
Cranston: 1776 Plainfield Pike
Newport: 199 Connell Highway
North Kingstown: 1031 Ten Rod Road
North Smithfield: 7 Dowling Village Boulevard
Providence: 51 Silver Spring Street
Warwick: 650 Bald Hill Road and 840 Post Road
Westerly: 258 Post Road
Rhode Island businesses in violation:
RI City/Towns cases:
Top states in US for cases/deaths – RI appears on top 10 in both, causing reason for concern:
Cases:
Deaths:
To keep up to date on these totals, go to: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html?auth=link-dismiss-google1tap#states
Governor’s Update (3/18)
If RI can get the vaccine supply, we will meet the goal of May 1st, set by the president.
Increases are coming. On April 19th we will open to all adults aged 16+ – similar to MA.
When eligibility opens, it will take a few weeks to get an appt.
RI will send a letter to White House requesting an additional 50K vaccines per week to meet the goal of 1st dose to every Rhode Islander by the end of May.
When supply increases, RI must be prepared to hit the ground running, build capacity.
From last week: indoor dining, catered events, houses of worship, increase to 75% – gyms, personal care, increase in sq. footage – office, assembly, funeral homes at 50% capacity – social gatherings up to 15 indoors and 15 outdoors. Continue to follow protocols.
Indoor/larger outdoor events: for pre-planning purposes, More than 500 people, approval process at DBR through a website application.
Newport Folk & Jazz Festival – there will be music in Newport this summer – won’t look exactly the same – testing and protocols in place.
Vaccinations – all about getting vaccines out of inventory and into arms – ramping up with strategic regional and state sites. Working to reduce vaccine hesitancy.
Dr. Scott:
Data is plateauing, not in a sharp decline now. Percent positivity for week around 2%, Slight increase in hospitalizations. New cases the same or trending down. Some increases in communities – Cranston, Cumberland, Woonsocket, So. Kingstown, and Narragansett.
Variant strains – seeing more cases in RI, the UK variant is here. Coordinating a surveillance program with CDC in RI. This decodes the genome and compare it to the original strain. Sequenced 653 RI samples. In most recent groups of 85, 12 were a variant strain.
Mask-wearing is still so important. Especially with this strain. And when you are with people you don’t live with. Wear a high quality map and wear it tightly over your nose, mouth and chin – at least 2 layers thick. Covid.ri.gov – click on Covid-19 prevention.
Testing and treatment is important – with doctor or if you don’t have a doctor.
Overview of vaccine campaign: 80% of Rhode Islanders 65+ now vaccinated. Since we opened up eligibility to 150,000 more, demand far outpaced supply. We will continue to improve the signup process. We have more 2nd shots to do now. Less vaccine available for 1st doses. Large # of teacher base went to CVS. At 5pm another 3,250 doses will be released into the system. This week we rec’d 47,360 doses on Mon/Tues of each week. This week we will have 62,000+ doses.
Infrastructure – 3 new sites to open – East Providence, South County, and Woonsocket. Will open when there is enough vaccine and vaccinators.
Stop and Shop & Walmart will open in a day or so. They will take appts through their own sites.
Homebound: Some has started, but we have a 3 agency partnership lined up. Alert Ambulance, MedTech and Pace. We collected the info through the survey form and we will start working with other agencies to contact people – early as tomorrow they will begin.
Business/Economy Update:
75% capacity – restaurants, catered events, houses of worship and 50% level of offices, etc. all on track. Chart is in effect starting today (Fri).
Venues of assembly: Reach 50% capacity, 250 indoors, 500 outdoors (auditoriums, theaters, performing arts, outdoor events, formatted events, structured events). 500 outdoors and larger – Newport events for instance. We are collaborating with them for announcing their plans in the future. Events larger than 500 are encouraged to take it outside. Events starting May 1st events that need approval up to 1,000 may contact DBR for specific review and approval now for review. DBR may introduce pinch points (exits, entrances) to have changes, may have testing requirements, etc. Over 1,000 – we want to begin inventorying these events after July 15th, etc. – contact DBR now.
Q&A:
Q: Question about the big problem with sign-ups last Friday night
A: Public health perspective is to encourage all those people to go online to try and secure an appointment. The question of how much vaccine the state receives is a problem.
Q: Homebound people – still no plan? Who can they contact today? Why does no one answer phone?
A: Phone # if they can’t go online: 222-8022
Q: How much is all this opening of appointments for no appointments bowing to political pressure from other states doing it?
A: We’re going to keep pressure on DC to provide with supply. We still encourage people to go online to get appointments.
Q: What are public health benchmarks to end shutdowns in RI?
A: 70% of adults receiving one shot. The emergency order was not an overreach, it was necessary.
Q: Waiting room for vaccine scheduling
A: More details to come – system is still developing.
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
A (Moderna) vaccinated pregnant woman gave birth to a healthy baby girl with antibodies against the coronavirus.
15% ofU.S. adults are now fully vaccinated and 28% have had at least one dose
Dr. Jha and Dr. Ranney have both cautioned states to keep restrictions in place for a few more weeks as more people get vaccinated – particularly because of the variants spreading.
$10 billion more has been sent to the nation’s schools for testing – even though $20 billion for that purpose remains unspent.
Keene State College is planning for a fully in-person fall semester.
In North Carolina, college students who live on campus or in congregate settings will be eligible for a vaccine in April,
Natural immunity for those who had COVID-19 is stronger in younger people than those over 65.
Tax filing deadline has been extended to May 17, 2021
President Trump urges his supporters to take the vaccine. He told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo last night: I would recommend it, and I would recommend it to a lot of people that don’t want to get it — and a lot of those people voted for me, frankly. But … we have our freedoms and we have to live by that — and I agree with that, also. But it’s a great vaccine, it’s a safe vaccine, and it’s something that works.
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were vaccinated at the White House in January.
The Astra-Zeneca vaccine has been ruled safe by the EU officials.
Vaccinations can ease lingering symptoms for COVID-19 “long-haulers”.
High-speed hand dryers can transfer germs to a person’s clothing and lead to an increase in spreading those contaminants to other surfaces.
The FDA will allow some developers of Covid-19 tests to market their products for regular at-home use without first studying how well the tests perform in people without symptoms.
As vaccinated people are starting to get comfortable resuming normal, pre-pandemic activities, not everyone is excited to go back out into society again. When taken to extreme it is called “cave syndrome”.
Veterinarians have a higher rate (2 to 5 times) of suicide than usual – which has been exacerbated by COVID-19.
Disneyland reopening to California residents beginning April 30 after year-plus closure due to COVID-19.
9,000 shots per day are expected to be administered at one MA. mass vaccination clinic – Heinz Auditorium, which replaces Fenway.
Germany warned Monday that the country would need to make an “immediate return” to partial lockdown if it is to avoid stumbling into a dangerous third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
Gene Sperling, a veteran of the Clinton and Obama administrations, will lead the oversight for distributing funds from President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package
Moderna begins KidCove study of vaccine in children, ages 6 mos-12 years
Disneyland’s two California theme parks will reopen their doors to the general public on April 30.
There has been a rise in the number of people getting Botox after looking at themselves on Zoom.
The Philippine president’s spokesman has tested positive for the coronavirus.
The US House of Representatives delays opening while 1 in 4 members not vaccinated, many refuse to get their shot
6 referees from the NCAA all tested positive after having dinner with each other and have been replaced with others.
Coachella has been canceled again – for 2021
Home equity soars to its highest level in 8 years.
The federal government shouldn’t be involved in verifying that people have been vaccinated against COVID-19, the White House says, but whatever process is developed should be free, privateand secure.
The head of the CDC says the US could face a COVID-19 surge after more than 1.3 million Americans traveled around spring break.
AMC says that 98% of their cinemas are now open.
2,000 players and coaches have entered the NCAA’s “controlled environment” in Indianapolis “for the three weeks of March Madness”
Paris will enter a month-long lockdown tomorrow as coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths spike.
In NY, indoor fitness classes will be able to reopen at 33 percent capacity next Monday.
The CDC will administer and spend $10 billion to screen schoolchildren for Covid-19 to help hasten their return to in-person
Nepal is expecting hundreds of foreigners to attempt to scale the highest Himalayan peaks despite the pandemic.
In NY, the state will lift the 11 p.m. curfew for casinos, bowling alleys, movie theaters, gyms and billiard halls April 5, but restaurants and bars will have to wait.
CDC reinforcing testing is important to maintain – rapid tests can help catch asymptomatic people.