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Your Coronavirus Update – Today, June 5, 2020
Photo: Soap saves more lives than any of us – Dr. McDonald, RI Dept. of Health
“First line workers are integral to public health – soap dispensers in schools stopped an outbreak of shigella. We needed that contact to control infection”.
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
Japan talking about restricting plans for the Olympic games.
Las Vegas casinos are up and running once again – “If you are coming for the buffets, you might want to wait a couple of years,” – head of the Vegas Chamber of Commerce, about the casino food – casinos opened this morning at 12:01am
State governors and mayors are encouraging all those who have protested in large groups to get tested for coronavirus – Gov. Cuomo said, “act as if you have been exposed”.
USDA issues $545 million in COVID-19 assistance for food producers.
The FDA has said about any new vaccine that there is a high likelihood it will require a two-dose series, a month or so apart, with the possibility of a booster several years later, adding to the complexity and cost of administration and distribution.
The Lancet has retracted a large study on the use of hydroxychloroquine which had announced it had no benefit because it could not confirm the data set was accurate – now saying that the study can make no claim about the help or harm of the drug due to the study’s science problems.
The Simon mall property company has sued The Gap, whose brands include Old Navy and Banana Republic, for not paying rent on stores closed because of the pandemic.
Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is leading the agency’s team involved with “Operation Warp Speed” to find a coronavirus vaccine.
Outdoor seating at New York City restaurants could be back in July
Outdoor seating at New York City restaurants could be back in July,
Two days after President Donald Trump said he was seeking another state to host the Republican National Convention in August, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is raising his hand.
Spain to open land borders with France and Portugal on June 22
George Floyd had coronavirus.
After more than a week of widespread protests in Georgia, the state’s public health department announced plans to set up test sites for demonstrators to screen for cases of the COVID-19,
The Block Island & Martha’s Vineyard Fast Ferry season through 2020 has been canceled.
Authorities in Norway have turned down applications to hold rallies in the country’s three largest cities in support of protesters in the U.S. over the death of George Floyd, citing the coronavirus restrictions on gatherings.
Rallies were planned in Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim but local authorities said that without a dispensation from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, not more than 50 people can gather in one place.
Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset, was suspended after a lawmaker confirmed he had tested positive for Coronavirus. All 120 lawmakers and Knesset staff have been told to stay at home.
Alabama, South Carolina and Virginia saw new cases climb 35 percent or more in the week that ended May 31 compared with the previous week,
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will contribute $1.6 billion to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, an organization that helps provide vaccines to developing countries.
Maine’s higher education leaders plans for reopening the state’s colleges and universities prioritizes on-campus learning.
In Connecticut, immigrant families without legal status will receive a share of $3.5 million in public and private money for COVID-19 relief.
RHODE ISLAND & VICINITY
The last patients have been discharged from Boston Hope, the field hospital set up inside the city’s convention and center to help hospitals cope with the influx of COVID-19 patients,
Connecticut: When determining eligibility for unemployment benefits, the state Department of Labor is now allowed to consider whether returning to work during the pandemic would pose an “unreasonable risk” to a person’s health or the health of their household.
Vermont: Gov. Phil Scott hopes to announce Friday that restaurants may reopen for indoor dining, with physical distancing a high priority, he said Wednesday. The state is also working on a plan to allow visitors from certain states, or possibly regions of those states, without requiring them to quarantine.
Planet Fitness reopens all RI gyms.
The Preservation Society of Newport County has reopened several of the Newport Mansions to visitors under strict health precautions. As of yesterday, The Breakers, Beneath The Breakers, The Elms, and The Servant Life Tour will be available during that same time. Marble House and Rosecliff will open later in the season.
6 of Harvard’s graduate schools will go completely online in the fall
RI Data
Deaths: 14
RI Governor’s address:
Social gatherings limited still to 15. Keep socially distant. Double down on the rules. Virus has died down because of the work we’ve all done.
Crush Covid RI app: 43,000 downloads
Data: Another good news day – trending in right direction. But, another 14 deaths.
Healthcare system topic for today: After this time we are going to have to rebuild our healthcare system. Need to invest in primary care; reducing health disparities; investing in communities and telemedicine, and cost-effectively. Signing executive order on healthcare. TY to RI Foundation and their $1M leadership gift to get this going for preventive health and health disparities. This will be long term. Right now we will launch a hospital relief fund so they can remain viable. $150million. Convening a new pediatric advisory council, funded by COVID relief funds for pediatric practices, and headed by Dr. Scott. Names of council will be posted. Very concerned about immunization rates drop by 35-50%. Seeing same trends for children and primary care, behavioral/mental health visits. Telehealth expansion: working on this, and executive order extended through July 5th.
Nursing Homes: We’ve learned a lot and a lot about infection control. Continuing through 6/15 extra payments for low wage, front line staff. Homes are having staffing shortages.
Dr. McDonald:
TY to healthcare providers.
Interdependence: told story about working on an Indian reservation. “Soap humbles me every day” – how important it was during a disease outbreak for a janitor to be there to tell the docs that there was no soap in the children’s bathroom – soap has saved more lives than all of us doctors. Dr. McD: I am desperately independent on everyone in my culture.
Questions:
Hospital mergers: Tipping healthcare away from hospitals and more towards communities. Struggles in nursing homes with infection control.
Distance Learning: Might be the end of the “Snow Day”
National Guard: Do you think we are done with the national guard. Gov. shakes her head slowly and says, “I do not. I do not.” President says we can use Guard until end of August. We need them – they are well deployed here. Friday’s demonstration – there will be security, law enforcement, and Guard. Last night there was a peaceful protest in Woonsocket. Several planned for tomorrow – we will be passing out masks. In the evening we are going to be very vigilant.
Protests: Right now social gathering is 15. If you are going to go to a protest, and you have a vulnerable loved one at home, you’d better think twice about it.
When the organizers of violence, not peaceful protest leave, the people will remain…woman who was quarantining and depended on Office Max and the Dollar Store for her food…