Me too, went out for a run yesterday and intentionally went into the street to pass an oncoming walker on sidewalk.
Nearly 1 in 5 Americans must now sequester
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo just announced that 100% of non-essential workers must stay home.
This comes only a day after California’s governor took similar measure, locking down the entire state of nearly 40 million.
These two states taking these measure means that one in five Americans now must sequester themselves due to the outbreak.
These are the rules for the most vulnerable groups
State of New York
CNN
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo laid out a series of rules all New Yorkers in the most vulnerable groups should follow in order to protect themselves from coronavirus.
This group includes seniors, those with compromised immune systems and people with underlying illnesses.
Here are the rules:
Remain indoors
Can go outside for solitary exercise
Pre-screen all visitors and aides by taking their temperature
Do not visit households with multiple people
All vulnerable persons should wear a mask when in he company of others
To the greatest extent possible, everyone in the presence of vulnerable people should wear a mask
Always stay at least six feet away from individuals
Do not take public transportation unless urgent and absolutely necessary
[ where does one get masks? Otherwise, good recommendations.]
I saw that Florida has had 10 deaths. Can anyone confirm that?
New York governor: “Ventilators are to this war what missiles were to World War II”
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the state is in dire need of ventilators to battle coronavirus, calling ventilators “the key piece of equipment.”
“If you are a regulated health facility, we are asking you by order of the Department of Health to make that ventilator available. We will purchase it from you. You could lend it to us. But we need ventilators,” Cuomo said.
He said that anyone in possession of ventilators that can be sold or loaned to New York should contact the state Department of Health.
“We need those ventilators. The ventilators are to this war what missiles were to World War II.” (CNN)
New York governor calls on medical students, retired medical professionals to help
State of New York
CNN
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is calling on retired medical professionals and medical school students to help with the growing number of infected people visiting New York hospitals.
Cuomo said this personnel is necessary because hospitals have been instructed to operate at “maximum capacity.”
“We want to know from each hospital how many beds can you get in your hospital. We’re waiving the department of health and DFS regulations about space, et cetera. This would be for short-term emergency basis, but we want to plan from every hospital, if you use every available space how many beds can you get in the hospital. And we started that a few weeks ago, but that is now coming to a critical point. With more beds, you need more staff. So we’re going to nursing schools, medical schools, asking retired doctors and nurses to come back into service,” Cuomo said.
When I’m inside, I’m staying more than 6 feet away. Less worried about it when outside. I was running in the nature preserve this morning and people were politely distancing on the path, but that’s probably only 4’ - 5’ of total spacing. I’m less worried about communicability in the UV light of the outdoors, though. I highly, highly doubt anything is living in the direct sunlight for more than a few minutes, if that. Plus, it’s Florida, so humidity tends to weigh down airborne particles rather than letting them drift or linger in the air.
I do try to be polite and not breathe heavily in anyone’s direction as we pass. I turn my head or hold my breath, depending on how hard I’m running at that point.
The Lambeth House cluster has some bad news. The virus has moved from the independent apartments side to the nursing home area.
https://www.nola.com/news/coronavirus/article_aaa731ae-6969-11ea-bb01-57709c10f84c.html
Billioux also revealed that two other Lambeth House residents from the nursing care floors had since tested positive for coronavirus, and that both of them were hospitalized. He also said a staff member of the retirement home had tested positive and was isolated outside of the facility.
American Heart Association offers advice for heart attack and stroke survivors amid pandemic
From CNN Health’s Jacqueline Howard
During the current coronavirus pandemic, it is “more important than ever” for heart attack and stroke survivors to reduce the risk of another event and “avoid busy hospitals,” the American Heart Association said in a statement Friday.
“Based on current information, it appears elderly people with coronary heart disease or hypertension are more likely to be infected and to develop more severe symptoms. Stroke survivors may face increased risk for complications if they get Covid-19,” the statement said.
The AHA noted that after a heart attack or stroke, as many as 1 in 4 survivors will have another one. To prevent a heart attack or stroke, the AHA offered these tips:
Take your medications as prescribed
Manage your risk factors by quitting smoking, eating healthy, staying active
Keep any follow-up appointments with your doctor and see if virtual visits are possible
Participate in a cardiac rehab program virtually
Get support from loved ones as needed when you feel overwhelmed, scared or confused
Georgia is working to expedite nursing licenses to confront coronavirus
From CNN’s Dianne Gallagher
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is taking action to expedite licensing for healthcare professionals who come to Georgia to help fight the spread of Covid-19.
The Georgia Board of Nursing will begin issuing temporary permits to nursing professionals licensed in other states who come to Georgia in response to the declaration of a public health state of emergency in Georgia.
These licenses will receive expedited review, less than 24 hours for a temporary license and less than seven days for a regular application, to better respond to the public health threat.
“Fighting, defeating, and overcoming coronavirus in Georgia and across the country will require enlisting the help of the best and brightest medical professionals available” Raffensperger said.
The Georgia Board of Nursing is under the Professional Licensing Boards, a Division of the Office of the Secretary of State.
Northern Italy sends patients to other regions of the country as hospital ICUs reach capacity
From Sharon Braithwaite in Rome and Pierre Bairin in Paris
CNN
A northern Italian city has been hit so hard by coronavirus that it is now sending patients who need intensive care to other parts of the country, a doctor in the city of Bergamo told CNN Friday.
“Bergamo is sending ICU patients to other regions because we ran out (of space),” Dr. Stefano Magnone, a hospital doctor in Bergamo, said.
Magnone said that also the ICU in the hospitals in the province of Brescia are full.
“Around 50 patients were sent out of Lombardy to other regions, mainly in the south,” Magnone said.
Brescia is the second worst affected province, according to the Italian Civil Protection Department.
“We’re waiting for the field hospital” to be built, Magnone said.
Bergamo Mayor Giorgio Gori announced on Thursday evening that a new field hospital will be built inside the fairground and exhibition facility in the city.
“It will be organized by the National Alpini Association but managed by the doctors that are on their way,” the mayor said.
The new field hospital “will bring relief to our hospitals. It is the first real response received by the national institutions, so let me thank them,” he said.
“The regional affairs minister Francesco Boccia talked about 100 doctors (to be sent) in Lombardy and the Italian Prime Minister talked about sending 300 doctors to the worst affected areas,” Gori said. “Italy has finally noticed the suffering of Bergamo and our province. But we need even more doctors."
The region especially needs infectious disease experts, respiratory physicians and anesthesiologists, the mayor said.
Trump announces suspension of federally held student loan payments
From CNN’s Jason Hoffman
President Trump announced that the Department of Education will not enforce standardized testing requirements for the current school year. Trump said this will be for all students, elementary through high school.
“With many schools closed due to the virus, the department of education will not enforce standardized testing requirements, very importantly for students in elementary school through high school for the current year,” Trump said.
Trump also announced that interest will be temporarily waived on student loans and federally held student loan payments will be suspended for 60 days.
“We have also temporarily waived all interest on federally held student loans,” he said at the daily Coronavirus press briefing. “Today secretary Devos directed borrowers to suspend loans and student loan payments without penalty for 60 days and if we need more we’ll extend that period of time.”
Trump now says federal government will send “millions of masks” to states
Just one day after putting the responsibility on the states to get their own supplies, President Trump appears to now be saying the federal government is going to help states get crucial medical supplies.
“We have millions of masks which are coming which are distributed to the states. The states are having a hard time getting them,” Trump said.
On the medical supplies, he added: “They’ll be here soon and we’ll ship them directly to states.”
More context: Yesterday at the daily coronavirus task force news conference, Trump said, “The governors are supposed to be doing a lot of this work and they are doing a lot of this work” to get medical supplies. He continued, “The federal government is not supposed to be out there buying vast amounts of items and shipping. You know, we’re not a shipping clerk.” CNN
Trump doesn’t think a national lockdown order is “necessary”
President Trump does not think a national lockdown order is needed as the US continues to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
Trump’s remarks Friday afternoon come after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said 100% of non-essential workers should stay home.
“I don’t think so,” Trump said when asked about the need for a national lockdown. “Essentially you’ve done that California and New York have done that. I don’t think so. Because you go out to the midwest and other locations and they’re watching their television but they don’t have the same problems.”
Trump added: “We are working with the governors and I don’t think we’ll ever find it necessary.”
Interesting article about how states access resources and whether/when there’s a centralized process.
Secretary of State confirms restricted travel order to Canada and Mexico
CNN
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed reports that the US has worked with Mexico to “restrict non-essential travels across our shared border,” he said today during the Coronavirus Task Force White House briefing.
Pompeo discussed the restriction of travel to Canada as well.
“President Trump announced on Wednesday, the United States and Canada jointly agreed to restrict non essential traffic across ourborders, it goes into effect at midnight and excluding crossing the border unless for work or other essential reasons. The United States and Mexico have agreed to restrict non-essential travels across our shared border. Both our countries know the importance of working together to limit the spread of the virus,” Pompeo said.
Following Pence’s remarks, Chad Wolf, acting Homeland Security secretary, said neither agreement with Canada or Mexico applies to lawful trade or commerce.
“We’ll continue to maintain a strong supply chain across our border,” Wolf said.
The agreement between Mexico and Canada will go affect March 21.
Trump said he had an “extremely good” call with the top Senate Democrat today
From CNN’s Betsy Klein and Manu Raju
Evan Vucci/AP
President Trump confirmed he spoke with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Friday. Trump had an “extremely good” call with Schumer “a little while ago,” he said at the Coronavirus Task Force White House briefing.
A Schumer spokesperson passed along a readout of the call earlier today, saying that Schumer urged Trump to invoke the Defense Production Act.
Trump did not confirm the Schumer readout of the call, which said he agreed to immediately invoke the Act.
“We are working on various elements of the deal. The Democrats are very much wanting something to happen and I think it will,” Trump said of a stimulus bill.
Trump said he also spoke “at length” with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and there is a “tremendous spirit to get something done.”
well there goes our in-school SAT in April…
New York governor says mandate to stay home is “not a shelter in place order”
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said his order for all non-essential workers to stay home is “not a shelter in place order.”
Cuomo said “words matter” and pushed back on the suggestion that the new mandate is a shelter-in-place order.
He said he’s increasing the mandates “because the numbers are increasing” of positive cases.
On the question of who counts as an essential worker, he noted that mass transit workers and restaurant staff doing delivery and take-out service can still go to work.
CNN
Gov. Cuomo institutes a 90 days moratorium on evictions across New York
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called for a moratorium on evictions for 90 days because “I want to protect the people of the state of New York,” he said Friday during a press conference.
This order applies to both residential and commercial properties, Cuomo added.
“I understand that may affect businesses negatively. And I’ve spoke to a number of them. I don’t know who you think you’re going to rent an apartment to now anyway if you kick someone out. By my mandate, you couldn’t even have a real estate agent out showing the apartment. Same with the commercial tenants. But I know that we’re going to put people out of work with what I did. I want to make sure I don’t put them out of their house,” Cuomo said. CNN
New York now has more than 7,000 cases of coronavirus, governor says
State of New York
CNN
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today that the state now has 7,102 positive cases of coronavirus. New York has tested more than 32,000 people, Cuomo said.
Cuomo noted that since the state is now doing more tests you’re “going to get more positive cases.”
He said the state has “the testing so high that we’re testing per capita more than China or South Korea.”
New York has done a “great job ramping up” testing, Cuomo said. He pointed out that 10,000 people were tested last night.
“In total we have tested 32,000 people. We did 10,000 tests last night. I had said last week we hope to get to 6,000 tests. We have gotten to 10,000 tests. Which again, I’m very proud of the operation. But again, that’s why you see the number going up,” Cuomo added.
Dr. Fauci looked like he was melting down for a minute during the briefing. Extraordinary
New York governor says businesses that don’t close will be fined
State of New York
All workers in non-essential businesses across New York state are required to stay home, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo just announced.
He said there will be a civil fine and mandatory closure for any business “that is not in compliance.”
New York governor mandates all non-essential workers must stay home
State of New York
CNN
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo just announced that 100% of non-essential workers should stay home. Only essential businesses will be functioning.
Cuomo is calling it “New York state on pause.”
“We need everyone to be safe, otherwise no one can be safe,” Cuomo said.
“This is the most drastic action we can take,” Cuomo said.
Marriott to furlough most associates at its headquarters
From CNN’s Jordan Valinsky
Marriott’s furloughs, which previously were only for its hotel workers, are now hitting the corporate level.
The world’s largest hotel chain confirmed to CNN Business that it’s moving to shortened work weeks at its corporate headquarters and it’s putting many of its employees on temporary leaves that could last as long as three months.
The changes will “impact most associates” at the Bethesda, Maryland-based company, a spokesperson said.
Marriott shares are up 22% in early trading because of hopes of a stimulus package from the US government.
The man has had great patience.
I wonder if our husbands work at the same lab?! I know making a decision on whether to euthanize the mice was one thing he worked on this past week. They decided to keep them alive.
this presser is WILD
Here’s how the CEO of Kraft Heinz is addressing price gouging
Miguel Patricio, CEO of Kraft Heinz CNN
Miguel Patricio, CEO of Kraft Heinz, told CNN moments ago that his company is addressing price gouging by trying to keep grocery store shelves stocked.
“We are finding solutions to increase productivity so we can keep or avoid the shelves being empty. I’ll give you an example. We stopped producing some of the SKUs to concentrate on products that have high rotation so we can increase the productivity of our plants to do that. Of course we communicate daily with our customers and grocery companies,” Patricio told CNN.
What other companies are doing to address this: Amazon has removed more than 530,000 listings from its marketplace and suspended 2,500 US sellers for coronavirus-related price gouging, the company told a US senator on March 6.
The company is also working with state attorneys general to prosecute “the worst offenders,” it told Sen. Ed Markey in a letter.
The disclosure comes as demand spikes — both online and off — for supplies including face masks, hand sanitizer and cleaning products. CVS and Walgreens have warned of possible shortages.
In its letter, Amazon said it is using a mix of "automated and manual methods” to identify cases of price gouging.
[ no ketchup in my area. Had to chuckle at that one. ]
Typical definitions of “essential” include keeping grocery stores and medical services and their supply chains in operation, and people going there to buy food and use medical services.
Look for the actual order if you want to see what “essential” is defined as for that particular jurisdiction.
I thought masks not useful except to protect others if wearer has infection.
I guess the Asian countries knew to the contrary correctly. The oncology units used to tell PATIENTS as well as those around them to wear masks for a reason, I thought.